Prompt #43: After much poking and prodding, someone agrees to try something well outside their comfort zone...
Standing on the deck of Drake's boat, Steven suddenly felt very, very naked. Not that he actually was naked, but the pair of swim trunks he was currently wearing covered a lot less of him than he was accustomed to. Unconsciously, he started to look around for a way out of the predicament, but Wallace was quick to spot his friend's desire for an escape route, and swiftly intervened.
"Steven, You can't back out now. Look, you're already ninety percent of the way there!"
Following the sweep of his friend's arm, Steven suppressed a shiver as he contemplated the way the water lapped at the boat's hull mere inches below his bare feet. Never in all his time on this earth could he recall a pleasant encounter with seawater, let alone one where he voluntarily offered to jump in.
The crystal clear waters certainly were a far cry from the dull, choppy waves he was used to avoiding. And even Wallace's earlier attempts at getting Steven to join him in the water off the shore of sandy beaches or tide pools deeper than mid-calf came up empty.
For all of Wallace's cheerleading about the merits and beauty of the ocean, his words fell flat, drowned out by the sensation of rushing, churning waves roaring over him and sweeping him under. Choking, suffocating, gasping...
"No, no. I can't do it." Steven brushed Wallace away a bit too forcefully and retreated from the railing of the boat, wrapping one arm around the other to ward off the memories threatening to resurface.
"Steven…" Wallace started, but stopped at the strangely haunted expression that flitted across his friend's face.
Shaking his head, Steven remained firm, a defensive edge creeping up in his tone. "No, it's quite alright."
"It'll be fine. I'll be right here the whole time. And Victoria, too."
The Milotic in question crooned softly from where she sat coiled on the deck. She and her trainer had already gone for a swim, but even their display of prowess in the water was not enough to convince Steven to join them himself.
He simply would not budge; the ocean was not for him.
But Wallace could be just as stubborn, and the water-type Leader was not ready to give up on his friend.
"Just try. Just this once. You won't regret it, I promise!"
"And how can you promise that?"
"Because nothing is going to go catastrophically wrong and you may end up enjoying yourself. Imagine that!"
"I enjoy myself plenty when I'm clothed, dry, and have both feet on solid ground."
"Well what about flying? You can't tell me you hate every second when you're on Skarmory or Metagross's back? You're not on solid ground then, and it's just as if not more dangerous than swimming!"
"That's different."
"How so?"
"I trust my pokemon."
"And you don't trust mine?!"
Victoria trilled a note of offense.
"I don't trust myself, Wallace!"
Their shouting match ended as Wallace blinked in surprise.
"You don't know how to swim."
It wasn't a question, and therefore Steven didn't feel obligated to provide an answer. Instead he settled for giving Wallace a guarded look that did all the talking for him.
"All this time I just assumed you didn't like it."
"I don't like it."
"Yes, but I thought surely you knew how."
"Well, if I go under, I can probably at least get back up. That counts, I'm sure."
Wallace hummed a non-committal tone, and Steven gave up.
"Okay, fine. I don't know how to swim. Now will you stop trying to get me to jump in the ocean?"
But the thoughtful expression on Wallace's face told Steven that he wouldn't.
"What if I teach you?"
"Huh?"
"What if I teach you how to swim? Once you learn the basics, will you come swimming with me then?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you so insistent on this?"
"Because you're my friend."
"You're my friend too, and after you told me once you don't like to go caving, I haven't asked you since."
"That's different."
"I already tried that argument."
Steven thought he might have lightened the mood with the sarcastic quip, but Wallace remained dead silent, staring hard at him with more intensity than he'd seen from the Master Coordinator in quite some time.
"Because, Steven, if something happened to you that could have been prevented with the simple knowledge of how to save yourself when in deep water, I'd never forgive myself."
The deck fell silent save for the lapping of the waves and the Wingull wheeling overhead.
"...Wallace. I…"
But a harrumph cut off Steven's shaky apology.
"Count yourself lucky, lad." Drake sidled up to the pair, tipping his captains hat back by the brim. "He told me he was gonna just push you in this time."
Whatever sympathy Steven had held died right then and there, and he glared daggers at the Gym Leader in question.
With a nervous grin, Wallace backpedaled a bit, his hands up in surrender. "Yes, well — but I didn't."
"And here I was nearly ready to accept your offer."
"Would you perhaps reconsider if I promised to go on another caving trip with you?"
Steven crossed his arms. "...Maybe."
"It'd mean a lot to me."
Victoria slid up to her trainer's side and gave a quiet warble. Steven had been fully prepared to play stubborn again, but the look of concern that shimmered in her gaze melted through whatever anger was left.
"Fine."
Wallace immediately perked up, beaming with pride.
"But—!" Steven held up a finger to temper his friend's enthusiasm. "Can we have the lessons at the Gym's pool? I don't think I'm ready to take on the ocean just yet."
"Absolutely."
"Great. Now I'm going to go get changed."
Still grinning from ear to ear, Wallace watched as Steven turned to follow Drake back towards the boat's cabin.
Just as the duo passed a little nook in the bulwark opposite a conveniently placed opening in the boat's railing, Drake piped up.
"I wouldn't if I were you…"
Steven's eyes went wide as Sidney popped out of hiding with a dejected look on his face.
Perhaps he should schedule that swim lesson with Wallace sooner rather than later.
Bonus Drabble:
"Wallace…?"
The sound of his name gave the Gym Leader pause, and he halted his gentle tugging of Steven's hand toward the far end of the pool. They were still standing, now chest deep, but he had promised he wouldn't force the issue.
Letting go, he pushed off the bottom and gracefully drifted away to the center of the pool. From where he treaded water, he could see the turmoil on his friend's face. They'd practiced in the shallows for a while, but he knew that trying the real thing wasn't the same.
"Whenever you're ready Steven, I'll be here."
