To quote Mushu from Mulan: I LIVE!
Yes, I am still here and yes I am still writing! But it turns out that when you change jobs, your kids change schools, and they officially outgrow naps and refuse to have quite time, it really puts a damper on your writing schedule lol. But here is a short story to hopefully hold you over until I can get back into my writing groove and finish one of my longer stories for you all! Hope you enjoy :)
Chapter 1
She was stuck. Lost in an open sea of isolation, with no land in sight to give her safe harbor. Gone was the protection of her family, her friends. The sky would forever be her only companion, the waves her only hope.
"Let's not get all dramatic yet," Levy muttered to herself and pushed the magic PADDLE back into the water.
The holes within the letters did little to catch the water and for every stroke she took, Levy was certain she drifted backward at least two.
She should have never come onto the lake on her own. Jet and Droy gave her strict directions before they left for their mission, claiming Levy would be safer at the luxurious hotel they managed to find and would have plenty to keep her occupied until they returned. But the air was cool and crisp and the breeze seemed to call her name. She would have gone stir crazy if she had to remain indoors all day, even if her new book held the promise of hours of entertainment.
Her plan was perfect; explore the lake to get some early summer sun and be back in the room before the boys even knew she was missing. It wasn't her fault a rogue wave decided to wash over her kayak, making her real paddle abandon ship and slide into the watery abyss where she had no chance of retrieving it.
Levy sighed and wiped her brow before paddling on the opposite side of the kayak. Eventually she would reach the shore, albeit after she had become a sunburnt crisp of a wizard. She could have sworn she felt her nose blistering with every passing minute and never before had she been so grateful for the long-sleeved swimsuit Erza encouraged her to purchase.
"The boys will never let me hear the end of it." she muttered to herself, splashing water on the kayak when her PADDLE switched sides. "I am a strong, independent woman, but I wouldn't mind playing the damsel in distress if it meant a handsome, strong, kind man came to my res–"
"Whatcha think yer doin' with that pathetic thing?"
Levy jumped in her seat, her kayak rocking dangerously on the waves. Water splashed up the side of her boat, another kayak coming in the wake.
"You weren't actually tryin' ta paddle to shore with that sorry thing, were ya?" The owner of the kayak growled.
Levy blinked and stared at the man. He certainly looked the part of strong and handsome. His black, short-sleeved swim shirt did little to hide his tanned arms, which, judging by the numerous scars covering his skin, were more than able to hold their own in a fight. His long, dark hair was tied at the base of his neck, revealing a plethora of piercings on his ears and face. But the next words out of his mouth evaporated all hopes of the kind aspect of her criteria.
"What? Cat got yer tongue?" The piercings above his blazing red eyes furrowed as he stared at her.
Levy startled again, her face growing warm. "N-no! I just…I just wasn't expecting anyone else to be out here."
"You didn't expect anyone else to be out here? On a lake? In summer?" His mouth twitched into a smile, giving his eyes a feral gleam.
Her face flushed again and she huffed. "If that's all, then I will be going."
Nose in the air, Levy thrust her PADDLE into the water and attempted to row away. Water splashed and lapped up the sides of her kayak, but a quick look over her shoulder showed that she had made no progress at all. The man leaned against his own paddle, twinkling eyes trained on her. With a huff, Levy rowed her PADDLE rapidly on each side to gain momentum. A chuckle behind her made her hands freeze.
"Goin' go soon? And here I thought ya needed someone strong and handsome to come to yer rescue…"
It was the sun shining down on her, that was the only reason why her entire body felt on fire. She sniffed and turned in the kayak. "Oh? And have you seen anyone going by that description?"
His laughter echoed across the water. "Simmer down there, Shorty, I"ll help ya."
"I'm not short," she muttered to deaf ears as the man positioned his kayak next to hers.
Not one to look a gifted horse in the mouth, Levy waited as patiently as she could and tried not to stare at the man while he worked. He quickly grabbed something from the inside of his boat, a long piece of twine by the looks of it, and wrapped it around the front hook of her boat. He tied the other end to his own kayak and Levy averted her eyes right as he turned in his seat.
"Think yer up to actually help paddle? Or are ya just planning on sittin' there like Miss Daisy."
She wouldn't dignify his inane question with an answer. Instead she thrust her PADDLE into the water and began to row in time with the stranger. It definitely wasn't her fault if more water than normal splashed into the air, and she most definitely did not aim it in his direction on purpose.
The man's laughter echoed across the lake as he paddled and Levy bit back a smile. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her laugh.
The kayaks cut through the water with ease. As much as her rowing movements made her feel useful, Levy knew full well that it was the man's real equipment that actually did most of the work. The man's shoulders bunched beneath his swimming shirt and Levy gazed across the lake, racking her brain for something to say that would distract her from the warmth in her cheeks.
She knew she should thank him. And she would! But every time he looked over his shoulder, his red eyes would gleam and his lips twitched into a smile. He was insufferable, but she had to admit it wasn't such a terrible afternoon.
But if he laughs at me one more time, I will…do something.
While she silently schemed, they quickly made their way across the lake and to the shoreline. The man hopped out into the shallow water and untied his kayak. He waded through the waves and grabbed her boat by the rear, shoving it forward. Levy jerked forward but quickly leapt out of her boat before she fell into the water. She would not give him any more fodder to tease her with!
"There ya go, safe and sound."
She watched him drag his kayak next to hers and after swallowing her wounded pride, flashed him a smile.
"I suppose I should thank you, huh?"
The man blinked and scratched his hair.
I don't remember his face being that red before.
"Tch, why ya gotta do that? Just helping out, no big deal."
He turned his head and Levy's smile turned sly as she watched a trail of red creep up his neck. He was blushing!
Clasping her hands behind her back, Levy hopped forward, relishing in the way the man squirmed and shuffled a step backward.
"You really did save me back there. I would have taken hours to get back to shore if you didn't find me."
"Whatever ya say." He jerked his chin toward the main building of the hotel. "You should get inside before you turn into a baked shrimp."
He smirked and poked her on the forehead. She covered it with a hand and glared.
"Gihee…later, Shorty!"
He grabbed his discarded paddle and draped it across his shoulders. Levy stared as he walked away, then slapped her cheeks.
"Get a grip, Levy-girl!"
She hurried away, in the opposite direction of the handsome stranger, and gave her thumping heart a stern lecture about not falling for someone they just met.
