Sunday
"Blow the horn you loser!" Clare shouted at Luke.
"Hey you're the one who wanted to sleep on the outside!" Luke yelled back.
"I DON'T CARE BLOW THE DAMNED HORN!!!" She yelled at him.
"My apologises my lady!" He yelled back.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She yelled.
"FINE!" He yelled and blew the horn.
"OWW My ears!" The ninja yelled.
"YOU TOLD ME TO BLOW THE HORN!" Luke yelled.
"Don't make me come down there!" She yelled at him.
"Bring it!" He shouted.
"FINE!!" Clare said as she ran down the stairs to go beat up her boyfriend. A resounding smack, like skin and bone against metal.
"Okay okay, I'm sorry!" Luke shouted. Clare then came topside again holding a piece of what looked like the ship's engine in her hand.
"Geeze Clare, why'd you have to hit so hard..." Luke asked as he too came top side, he was going to let the ship run aground since the engine was beyond help.
"I fell off the bed, had a piece of metal chucked at me hitting me on the bruise falling out of bed made, the engine blew up and now my ears hurt! That's why I have to hit you so hard!" She yelled at him.
"I hate to be rude and commanding but you're going to scare Sophie if you don't calm down..." Luke said rubbing his own ears.
"I-" And whatever else she was going to say was cut off when the ship hit the shore and the ninja fell over board and into the water.
"Uh...Clare...you alright...?" Luke asked looking down into the water. There Sheik stood waist deep in water with Clare in his arms before bolting towards the Inn laughing evilly.
"What a way to start the year..." Luke sighed and hopped over the railing and into the water to chase after his other half. Sheik met him at the door with his arms crossed, "Only way to get Clare back is if you beat me in a staring contest..." He said seriously.
"I have to beat a guy who's blind in one eye at a staring contest, are you sure about that?" Luke asked the other blonde.
"I am not blind in one eye..." Sheik said as he stared at his taller counterpart.
"You are too, remember we shared a mind, I know almost everything about you, including how you lost your sight in that eye." The taller man pointed out. As they argued Clare had somehow got out of her ropes, since Tetra had tied her up and stuck her in the closet, and knocked the pirate out before she tossed her over her shoulder. Anni came up with Link and Sophie, "What are you two arguing about?"
"Sheik kidnapped Clare." Luke said pointing to the sheikhan man. The door opened and Clare dumped Tetra onto Sheik, "I can take care of myself...especially ropes..."
Anni laughed and headed inside to put Sophie down for her nap. Luke immediately wrapped his arms around Clare's waist and pulled her against him.
"Mine you two, no touchy." He stated flatly.
"I am not a possession..." Clare stated flatly.
"No you're not, but still..." Luke replied as he scooped the ninja up and went inside. Clare meeped and wrapped her arms around his neck before snuggling into his shirt. Luke smiled and sat down on the couch nuzzling the top of her head.
"Soo...what else are we going to do today?" Clare asked whilst she sat up a little so she could rest her head against his shoulder.
"How about lunch?" Anni asked as she came down with Sophie, the tiny eight month napping in her mother's arms.
"Lunch sounds good...It's a change from his cooking..." Clare said motioning to the man who's arms she was in.
"Okay, can you hold Sophie?" Anni asked.
"Of course." Clare said holding her arms out. Anni placed the napping eight month old in her Aunt's arms and disappeared to make lunch. The child snuggled into Clare's arms as Clare snuggled into Luke's chest.
"I'm not sure which one is cuter?" Luke muttered as he kissed Clare's temple.
"At the moment, I vote Sophie..." Clare said as she wrapped Sophie's blanket around her tighter. Luke chuckled quietly and gently stroke Sophie's caramel coloured hair. Clare purred gently and held the infant as she sighed. Link walked by and laughed lightly before continuing to take the laundry out.
"What does he find so funny?" The ninja asked as she watched Link threw the window, also seeing Sheik still trying to get Tetra awake.
"I don't know and have no intentions of finding out at the moment." Luke replied carefully adjusting the two in his lap. She leaned against his chest and giggled lightly when Sophie sneezed because of some dust. Anni came back and placed lunch on the table before taking Sophie, "Lunch time sweetie..."
"Come Luke, there's food to be had." Clare said while standing. Luke stood up behind her as Anni disappeared up the stairs and Link came in with an empty basket, Tetra and Sheik trailing behind him. The ninja moved over to the table and sat down in her usual spot but Luke wouldn't have that, he picked her up and set her in his lap. Link laughed quietly as he took his seat.
"What are you laughing at?" Clare asked as she reached for some food for both of them, since her arms were free.
"That fact that you haven't sat in your own chair in over a year..." Link replied still smiling.
"How do you know that?" The ninja asked her face going pink.
"It was a wild guess but judging by the colour of your cheeks I'd say I'm right." Link replied as he grabbed a bun.
"...Okay who are you and what have you done with Link! He would've cracked at least one joke by now!" The ninja said pointing across the empty chair while her other hand grabbed a sandwich.
"Having kids can change you a lot Clare, thought you'd know that..." Link replied as he stuck a spoonful of soup in his mouth.
"And why would I know that...oh right...I had to clean up after you for five years...messy eater...I was always wiping your face off and taking care of you..." Clare said as she leaned forward to grab the soup. Link flushed but didn't say anything and continued to eat his soup. The ninja snickered and spooned some soup in hers and Luke's bowl, which he ate in record time.
"Did you even taste that?" Link asked as he finished his own soup.
"Yeah, beef, noodles, sage, and onion." Luke listed off then before Clare had a chance to taste it, took her spoon and handed her a sandwich.
"Oh that's right you can't have sage, sorry Clare I forgot tell Anni..." Link said scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Then it's a good thing I didn't eat it..." She said then took a bite out of her sandwich.
"Anni's attention has been on Sophie, I don't think she even realized you guys were here until she came up from the dock." Link added as he stood up with his bowl.
"Oh I feel so loved..." The ninja said as she took out her headless arrow and fake stabbed herself.
"I'm sorry Auntie Clare, but I've been a little scatter brained since Sophie joined us..." Anni said coming down the stairs.
"Oh don't worry about it Anni. I'm just playing around..." Clare said waving her hand in the air. Both Tetra and Sheik started to chock on their soup.
"Get your minds out of the ditch you two, or else you'll be staying at the Inn in town for the next two weeks." Anni threatened. The two got their soups down and took much needed air. The ninja shook her head as Luke snuggled her shoulder, "You need to shave fuzz face..." She said.
"Fine I'll shave after my bath, but for now you'll just have to deal with it." Luke replied nuzzling the back of her neck. The ninja shivered and squeezed out from under his arms then tapped his shoulder, "Tag your it..." She said then bolted out the door to outside. Luke shook his head and gave chase, tackling her shortly after she stepped off the porch, "You're it..." he laughed and he darted away.
"Come back here!" Clare shouted and chased after him.
"Come get me Angel..." he teased as he disappeared into the tree line.
"I intend to..." She said then poofed to drop on top of him. "Tag!" She said then poofed away.
"Oh so that's how it is..." he muttered and fazed after her, "You're it..." he snickered as he disappeared.
"This means war!" Clare said and listened for his heart beat, when she locked on, she poofed tapped his head then poofed to the bay. Luke fazed into the bay and tapped her ankle before disappearing again. The ninja dived after him and touched his nose before she poofed about five feet above the water and transformed into her sage form to hover that five feet. Luke got out of the bay and looked up, he smiled and ran to the ship where he jumped onto the canon and then off of it at the ninja turned sage. She floated out of reach making him miss completely and splashing into the water. Luke swam around to the other side of the dock and threw a small energy ball at Clare's back, "You're it..." he called as he fazed away. The ninja rubbed the scorch mark on her back and plucked a feather out of her wing.
"Find Luke and poke him..." She told it and it took off. Luke fazed right in front and waved as he dove into the water. The ninja meeped and flew higher as her feather hovered above the water waiting for him to quench his need for air. A few minutes later Luke hauled his ass out of the bay with Clare's feather pinched between his fingers as it attempted to poke him. The ninja flew above his head tapping it lightly, "Ha-ha, You're it!" She called and flew higher than ten feet. Luke sighed and fazed out of view to reappear behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist. The ninja's wings couldn't support the extra weight and they fell back into the bay. With Clare's wings wet and her dress white the ninja had to go back into her regular clothes. Luke smiled and laughed before he slipped under the water. She flipped her hair back over her head and looked around. Luke came back up a minute later and once more secured his arms around her waist.
"You..." She said but kissed his nose. Luke chuckled and snagged a quick kiss before hauling both of them out of the water. Clare blushed then meeped and flipped her bangs over her ears.
"I need to break you of that habit..." Luke muttered as he walked onto the beach.
"What habit?" Clare asked as she looked up at him.
"You squeak every time I pick you up." Luke replied.
"Yeah so what?" The ninja asked as she blushed.
"So I thought you said you trusted me?" Luke replied adjusting his hold on her.
"I do trust you...I just meep...old habits die hard." Clare explained. Luke shook his head and set her on her feet again. Clare looked over at him, shook her head and headed up to the Inn. Luke fazed a couple of feet ahead and waited for her.
"What, you can't walk like a normal person?" She asked as she caught up with him.
"I could but where's the fun in that?" he asked once again sweeping her off her feet. She meeped again and looked up at him. Luke chuckled and walked up to the Inn. Clare shook her head and made herself comfortable for the walk. Link was sitting on the lawn with Sophie while Anni took the sheets down. The ninja looked over at them as Luke walked by then back up at him.
"Enjoying the view Angel?" he asked.
"Well there is nothing else to look at so...Yes I am." She said and smiled to him. Luke smiled and kissed her forehead before placing her on her feet and sitting next to his nephew. The ninja walked over to her rock and jumped onto the top and she laid on the sun warmed smooth top. Link handed Sophie to her Uncle and decided to give Anni a hand with the laundry. Clare watched Luke hold the smaller child against his chest and gave her his finger. Anni laughed and said something along the lines of 'you're so good with her.' The ninja sighed happily before rolling on to her back and letting the sun's warm heat shine on her stomach.
"Clare, come here, she keeps reaching for you..." Luke said.
"Okay." The ninja said and jumped down to land beside Luke before she sat down. The taller blonde slipped the tiny infant into her arms and flopped backwards onto the warm grass. Clare turned and rested her head on his stomach while she played with Sophie then she noticed Sophie's eyes were green.
"So you've got daddy's eyes huh..." She said. Sophie reached up and grabbed Clare's nose before giggling adorably. Clare smiled and reached for Luke's nose, "Can you move your head a wee bit closer..." Clare asked, he obliged and Clare 'snagged' his nose.
"I've got your uncle's nose..." She said. Sophie started laughing happily. Clare laughed as Luke put his hands over his nose, "Oh no my nose!" he said. Clare and Sophie laughed.
"Should we give him his nose back?" The ninja asked the tot. Sophie nodded and giggled more. Clare smiled and 'handed' Luke his nose. He snagged it from the ninja and 'put' it back on before adjusting it, "Is it on straight?" He asked Sophie while pointing to his nose. Sophie giggled and nodded before snuggling up to Clare. Clare snuggled back the sighed happily. Anni walked over and scooped Sophie away from Clare as they all headed inside.
"I just got comfy..." Clare said then moved around the get comfy again.
"Hey you said we have to wait and we will..." Luke told her as he watched his niece and nephew head inside. The ninja started to blush the same colour as her top and she sat up quickly to go hide somewhere. Luke locked his arms around her waist, "I was joking Clare..." Since Clare couldn't go anywhere she flopped back and turned to bury her face into his stomach. Luke shifted a little before settling to let her do as she wished.
"You're fat..." Clare muttered into his stomach. Luke pulled a page out of Clare's book and pretended to stab himself and die of hurt.
"Nice try buddy, I invented that technique, it's not going to work on me...it's just that you have no muscles here..." She said sitting up and poking him in the stomach.
"So I like being squishy, there's nothing wrong with it..." Luke defended.
"I've got abs of steel..." Clare said stretching up and showing off said abs. Luke flipped them so Clare had her back on the grass, "You may have abs of steel but you're still ticklish..." Luke shot back as he trailed his fingers up her sides.
"Keep away from my sides..." Clare said as she put her hands over her sides where she was ticklish. Luke chuckled darkly and nuzzled her collar bone. She blushed and put her hands on his chest to attempt to push him away. Luke took the opening and started tickling her sides. Clare started laughing as she tried to get away, which of course failed. Twenty minutes later Luke relented and let her catch her breath. She immediately rolled away and laid on her stomach breathing heavily trying to reclaim lost breath. Luke chuckled, "How are those abs of steel Clare?"
"It hurts...But..." The ninja said standing up and brandishing a frog. She poked it and it screamed. Luke snorted as he tried not to laugh. The ninja poked it again and it screamed again. Luke rolled on his back and snorted again with a tight lipped grin. Clare walked up to him and sat on his chest and held the frog right up to his nose.
"If you poke that thing one more time I'm going shove it down your shorts..." Luke threatened between short laughs.
"Oh really..." Clare said and poked the frog. Luke grabbed the screaming frog and then the front of her shorts. She jumped away after slapping his hand off her shorts and poked the frog again so it screamed in his hand. Luke looked at the frog oddly and stood up before punting into the water of the pond. The frog screamed until it hit the water. The ninja was back on her rock looking down at him.
"What?" he asked looking up at her.
"That poor frog...You kicked it..." Clare said.
"I don't like frogs." Luke stated.
"Why not?" She asked. Luke flushed and looked in the other direction.
"I have my reasons." He replied.
"Your sister shoved one down your pants didn't she...or was it your boxers...Hmm?" Clare said and started to laugh hysterically. Luke flushed even further and went inside. The ninja was laughing so hard she fell off the rock and hit the ground hard but she was still laughing. After a minute she coughed, "I can't laugh anymore..." She coughed.
"I'd say it serves you right but I hate seeing you get hurt..." Luke said as he picked her up of the packed dirt around the rock.
"Poor you...but then again, I had chu slime down my dress." Clare said looking up at him.
"Well that must have been uncomfortable..." Luke replied as he set her on her feet.
"It was." Clare said as she shifted around. Luke chuckled and once again headed inside. The ninja looked over at the three already inside.
"You coming inside Angel?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm coming." She said and hurried along. Once she was within reach Luke had his arm around her waist. She leaned against him as they walked inside. Inside Anni and Sophie had once more disappeared and Link was in the kitchen.
"Is Link cooking...?" The ninja asked.
"It would appear that way..." Luke replied as he steered them towards the couch. She shook her head and sat on the couch. Luke sat down a short distance from her then flopped over so his head was in her lap.
"Comfy?" She asked as she stroked his hair back.
"Of course..." He replied as his red eyes slipped shut. She smiled and kept stroking his hair and leaned back against the couch. Anni came down a few minutes later patting Sophie's back, "Auntie Clare, do you want to hold her while I help Link with dinner?"
"Sure...Pass her over." Clare said and held her arms out. Anni placed Sophie in Clare's arms then went to help her husband in the kitchen. The ninja held Sophie with one arm and kept stroking Luke's hair. Luke reached up and ran one finger over Sophie tiny hand. Clare smiled and shifted Sophie slightly. The eight month old wrapped her hand around her Great Uncle's finger and pulled it to her chest. Clare smiled softly.
"She's so much like her mum..." Luke mused quietly.
"That she is..." Clare whispered softly and stroked Sophie's hair with the hand that was petting Luke's. Sophie blinked up at her Aunt and squeezed her Uncle's finger. The ninja smiled lightly. Sophie yawn adorably and started to drift off with her Uncle's finger still in her grasp. Clare smiled and leaned against the back of the couch and closed her own eyes. Sophie yawned again and released Luke's finger to squirm in the ninja's arms until her got her tiny fingers around the fabric of Clare's top. Clare looked down at the babe with a raised eyebrow. Sophie was already out like a candle in the wind. Anni came in and giggled lightly.
"She'll do that..." The young mother told her Aunt.
"Hmm..." Clare hummed and closed her eyes again.
"Do you want me to take her?" Anni asked quietly.
"You can if you want..." The ninja hummed. Anni giggled and left her eight month old daughter with her only other family. Clare kept her eyes closed and sighed happily. Sophie snuggled up closer to Clare and fell asleep. The ninja smiled and asleep herself. Ten minutes later Anni gently lifted her daughter out of her Aunt's so as not to wake either of them, dinner wasn't for another hour. The ninja's arms flopped against Luke's chest the other went behind his head. Luke shifted, his hand subconsciously finding Clare's and lacing their fingers together. Clare sighed happily and shifted slightly. Luke groaned and tightened his hold on Clare's hand slightly. She sighed again and smiled slightly. An hour later Anni came back and gently shook her Aunt awake, "Dinner's ready..."
"Okay..." She said then opened her eyes a crack before stretching her free hand. Anni smiled and shifted the infant in her arms before going to call the others for dinner. The ninja drummed her fingers against Luke's chest as an attempt to wake him. Luke groaned but didn't awaken.
"Luke...wake up, dinner's ready..." Clare said as she shifted. He sighed and opened one eye a crack, "But I'm comfy..."
"I know you are but the food is calling and I think my legs fell asleep..." She said and wiggled her toes. Luke sighed again and sat up. Clare shook her head and stood up then ruffled his hair. Luke rolled his wine coloured eyes and stood up while fixing his hair.
"You're hair is always messy, why fix it?" Clare asked as she stretched her back then walked over to the table.
"Cause that felt weird..." Luke replied as he followed her.
"What me messing up your hair..." She said as she fluffed what she could reach.
"Yes..." He replied sluggishly as he leaned away from her a little.
"Hmm..." She hummed and sat in her chair. Luke sat down in his and as per usual scooped the ninja out of her chair and into his lap.
"You know I am quite capable of sitting in my own chair..." She said as she snagged some food for the both of them.
"I know..." He replied nuzzling her back. The ninja shivered and shook her head and gave him his plate of food. Luke chuckled and took his food. Clare and Luke ate in silence as per usual and of course Luke finished his way before Clare did. Luke leaned his cheek against Clare's back while he waited for her to finish. The ninja finished her dinner and put the fork and knife on the table. Link collected the dishes while Anni shooed the other's away from the table. The ninja scratched her head and rolled her shoulder, "I wonder if I could find that hot spring on my own..." She mused.
"You want some alone time?" Luke asked his hold on her waist instantly loosening.
"No, I just want a bath...in the woods..." She said and looked up at him.
"Oh..." He replied before tightening his hold.
"When you go your bath, I'll go for mine." Clare said whilst snuggling into his chest.
"Okay..." He replied. She smiled to him and resumed her snuggling. Anni slipped by placing Sophie in the first set of free arms which would be Clare' s as she hurried to help Link out from under the content of the linen closet, "I told you not to open that one on your own with good reason."
"Death by sheets..." Clare whispered as she gave Sophie her finger. Sophie took Clare's finger with both hands and pulled it against her chest.
"Should we steal Uncle Luke's nose again?" Clare asked the tiny babe. Sophie cocked her head then started to chew on Clare's finger, at least she didn't have her teeth yet. The ninja smiled and let the child chew on her finger. Luke chuckled lightly as he watched their niece over Clare's shoulder. Clare sniffed once then made a face, "Someone needs to get changed..." She said. Luke chuckled as Anni came back into the room, "Oh come on sweetie..." Anni cooed as she took Sophie from Clare.
"And I think it's time for us to have our baths..." The ninja said sniffing self and smelling salt. Luke chuckled and nudging her out of his lap. Clare went up and grabbed a towel and her bathing stuff. Luke grabbed a towel out of the basket by the door and waited for Clare. She came down and looked at him curiously.
"I'm showering outside..." Luke stated.
"Oh..." Clare said and went to the door. Luke smiled and slipped outside. The ninja disappeared into the tree line and walked to the hot spring. Luke hummed and went to hunt down a bucket. She found the spring and stripped herself of clothing before climbing in. The twin moons Serenity and Eternity hung high in the sky. It was quiet, unusually so. The ninja was wary but need her bath so she kept her senses on alert as she bathed. There was the sound of leaves rustling and small animals moving about but nothing else. Clare relaxed slowly then reached for her strawberry scented body wash. The sound of Anni kicking people out of the Inn for the night reached Clare's ears.
"There's the noise I was looking for..." She said and poured a tea spoon of jell into her palm before washing herself.
"Losers..." Clare heard Anni mutter as she went back in. Clare rolled her eyes and shook her hair and rinsed the suds of her body before reaching for her berry scented shampoo. Once more there was peaceful silence. She poured the same amount into her palm and lathered her hair. When Clare was done she rinsed then climbed out of the water then wrapped the towel around her to dry. Half an hour had passed and it was still quiet. After drying the ninja put on light blue clothes instead of her regular red ones, which needed to be washed. Clare's sharp ears picked up the sound of Luke's humming back near the Inn. She wrapped her dirty clothes in the wet towel and walked back towards the Inn. Moonlight spilled across the lawn in front of the Inn as Clare reached it, and there, standing waist deep in the water, was Luke, his face tilted towards the moon and his wine red eyes closed. The ninja's face turned red and her heart beat a mile a minute as she slunk back into the trees. Luke sighed happily and stretched before opening his eyes and climbing out of the pond. The ninja slunk even further into the trees, trying to make herself seem invisible. Luke towelled off and tied his hair back before pulling his pants on and perching himself on top of Clare's rock. He pulled out his lyre and started picking out Clare's song. The ninja gave herself a minute to control her red face and if anyone asked it was because the spring water was warm. She walked out into the moon light covered lawn, holding the towel close to her chest. Luke was off in his own little world and didn't hear Clare crossing the lawn. The ninja scurried and got the porch in record time and inside in the same speed. She flew up the stairs after depositing the dirty clothes in the dirty clothes hamper then into their room where she promptly fell onto the bed. Anni knocked on the door, Sophie asleep in her arms, "Auntie Clare are you alright?"
"Yeah..." Clare said her voice a few octaves too high. Anni sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Are you sure?" She asked placing one hand on her Aunt's back.
"You try seeing the man you love half naked standing waist deep in a pond, with his eyes closed and moon light spilling over him and being alright..." Clare said her face in a pillow.
"I've seen much worse Auntie Clare...I'd only known Link for about two days when he walks out on the porch in just his tights...at six in the morning, you've been out that early you what it's like..." Anni said as she laid Sophie down next to her.
"Ugh...my heart is still beating a mile a second..." The ninja groaned. Anni smiled softly and rubbed circles in her Aunt's back.
"Any asks, the water was too warm and I poofed in here..." Clare muttered.
"I'm the only one who saw you Auntie Clare but I suggest you slow your heartbeat because Uncle Luke's on his way up..." Anni said quietly as she patted Clare's back one more time before scooping Sophie up and heading back to her room. That information just made the ninja's heart beat faster and her face go redder so she stuck her face deeper into the pillow, but her blush was so bad the tips of her ears were going red too. Luke slipped into the room and shut the door behind him. He crossed the room and shut the curtains before sitting on the edge of the bed. During all of this the ninja didn't move except the red travelled down so now her entire ear was red. Luke glanced over at her and smirked.
"Did you enjoy the view Angel?" He whispered right next to her ear. Said ear twitched then darkened the red colour.
"You're so cute..." Luke whispered and placed a kiss to the exposed part of her jaw. She groaned and tilted her head just enough so the corner of one eye appeared. Luke chuckled and laid on his side next to her while gently stroking her now exposed cheek. She looked at him threw the corner of her eye, "You haven't shaved yet..." She pointed out.
"Opps, I knew I forgot to do something back in a bit..." He muttered and disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. The ninja took that chance to get her face and ears back to their regular shade. Luke came back a few minutes later cleaned up and took his position on the bed again. Clare was resting one side of her face on the pillow the rest exposed. Luke smiled and looped his arms around her waist before nuzzling her neck. Clare giggled once then rolled so she was on her back.
"Better?" He asked resting his head on her collar bone.
"Yeah..." She said quietly and blinked tiredly before yawning.
"Let's get some sleep..." Luke said as he scooped her up and pulled the sheets from under them and over them. Clare nuzzled his chest and promptly feel asleep. Luke naturally tightened his hold on her and then he too fell asleep.
