The day of Ryu and Momo's expected/hopeful arrival found Shamus and Nina finishing up the duty of organizing the library. Bunyan stopped by the latter half of the project to offer some suggestions for the grove's fruit as well as to drop off unwanted books found in his storage basement. Shortly after Bunyan left, accepting an invitation for dinner the following week, Shamus and Nina both heard Rufus excitedly barking.
They exchanged eager expressions before hurrying to the front door and descending the porch steps. Sure enough, Rufus had taken to the task of welcoming an old friend and a new one. Momo regarded the massive black dog with technical interest, her rabbit-like ears of white and light purple doing their familiar delicate wave as she adjusted her spectacles on her petite nose. Ryu accepted the dog's attentions with a broad smile, scratching behind his ears as vigorously as Rufus would have wanted.
Nina noticed a change in the older woman's style of dress. Momo no longer wore the familiar engineer's uniform that had served her for their adventures years previous. Neither did she wear her mortar-board hat. Instead, she wore a pant/vest/shirt suit that looked similar in style while affording a better 'view' of Momo's natural and feminine lines. Nina hadn't expected such a complete change in the engineer in the month since Ryu had begun spending more time at Repsol's Tower.
Nina smiled. "Hello, Momo. Ryu. I'm so glad you came."
Ryu and Momo both looked toward the approaching pair.
Ryu straightened from Rufus and offered Nina a genuine smile as he stepped forward to give her a hug. "Hi, Nina. Hey, Shamus. Nice to see you again." And Ryu made the statement even more believable by his offered hand.
Nina stepped over to Momo while Ryu and Shamus exchanged conversation about McNeil and Rei and the grove. "Momo," she greeted softly.
Momo adjusted the spectacles on her nose. "Nina." Her expression looked a bit uncertain.
"Thank you for coming," Nina continued, and then she stepped forward to embrace her. "I've missed you."
The engineer returned the embrace after a moment's hesitation.
Nina sighed and pulled back, smiling as she held Momo out at arm's length. "Momo, this is Shamus." She looked over at Shamus with a smile and motioned from one to the other. "Shay, this is Momo."
Shamus chuckled. "I know, Nina. She's come out before. I told you, didn't I?"
"Did you? I don't remember. Hmm." She looked back to Momo with a laugh. "Oh well. It doesn't matter. Come in and have some lemonade before lunch. You must be thirsty."
"Nina, why don't you show Momo the gardens," Shamus suggested. He motioned to Ryu. "We can get the lemonade and bring it out."
Nina sent him an appreciative smile. "That's a wonderful idea." She looked to Momo. "Do you mind?"
Momo adjusted her spectacles as she looked around. "I would be interested to see what improvements have been made since the former McNeil left office. Ryu and Rei told many stories of a conundrum of paths. Do you remember?"
Nina nodded, sending Shamus another smile before leading Momo to the right. "I do remember." Nina clasped her hands behind her back as she alternately looked to the grass at her feet and to Momo to gauge her expression. "You look wonderful, Momo. I like the new look. It's very feminine."
Momo self-consciously smoothed the front of her vest and pants. "Thank you." Her ears twitched.
Nina released a silent breath as she scolded herself for beating around the bush. Almost literally. She stopped. "Momo."
Momo faced her. "Yes?"
Nina raised her eyes to meet Momo's gaze. "Momo, I'm sorry."
Momo let out a quick breath as her ears did their usual wave. "Why didn't you ask, Nina?"
"I don't know."
"It would have been a courtesy to voice your concerns before acting on them."
"I know," Nina acknowledged with a slight nod.
"I didn't appreciate it. It hurt my feelings that you believed me either too infantile to handle the decision or too unaware of the difficulty to set a resolve into action."
Nina nodded again. "You're right."
Momo sighed, and this time she crossed her arms and looked away. Her ears waved and twitched at nearly the same instant. "Thank you."
Nina blinked. "Thank you? For what?"
"For caring enough to do what you did. I've learned quite a number of things of myself." Momo faced her with a raised finger. "Though I still don't appreciate the under-handed method used..." The finger lowered. "Ryu has been an invaluable source of help and information. I would never have thought to ask him."
Nina couldn't tell from the statement or from Momo's expression and attitude if they had moved past the initial 'experimental dating' stage. "How... How are things progressing?"
Momo seemed to flush... maybe. "Steadily. We talk. We socialize when appropriate. He brings flowers, and I act appropriately flattered and flustered. He compliments me, and I stammer an acceptance. I cook dinner and he doesn't make faces if it tastes less than perfect. I believe Ryu has even less idea of what 'dating' encompasses than I do."
Nina smiled and then giggled. "Oh Momo. You're priceless."
Momo returned her smile, though hers was more slight. "Nina, thank you for the letter. I wasn't certain of any regret on your part until I received it. Surprisingly, it helped dissuade the anger. I've come to realize I don't like being angry."
Nina shook her head, seriousness darkening her eyes. "Neither do I. I'll try not to do anything like that again."
There was the sound of a bark and approaching laughter, and the girls turned. Ryu and Shamus attempted to approach with full lemonade glasses without getting tripped by Rufus or his dragon-strength tail.
Lunch comprised of adventure stories, explanations of inventions, concepts of new ones, and an innocent enjoyment of each other's company. Nina enjoyed the time together as well as the opportunity to view Momo and Ryu's interaction. There wasn't much difference between the present interaction and Nina's memories of past interactions as friends.
After lunch, Momo took a moment to examine and immediately fix Shamus' weird-sounding clock in his office. It turned out to be a worn gear, easily replaceable. Once the repair had been made, Nina and Shamus both tried to get Ryu and Momo to stay the week. Apparently, the pair had made plans to stop in with the fairies to help with some issues.
Nina and Shamus escorted them to the main gate with arm clasps and embraces and promises of visiting the Tower, as well as a request for Momo to return to perform mineral samples of Mt. Glaus. Then the pair moved off with Ryu being heard to ask Momo a question about one of the new concepts she'd mentioned over lunch. An intriguing pair, but Nina felt they had a chance to be a pair just the same.
Shamus and Nina had made no plans for the afternoon and evening, hoping that Momo and Ryu could have been persuaded to stay. So they both agreed to have Ed pack another picnic lunch and escape to the fishing hole.
Shamus set down their picnic basket and took up the fishing pole that rested across it, having already convinced Nina to try her hand at fishing, and then drew her forward. "Let's see. Where was my spot... Here it is." He led her to a lush bit of grass near the bank. Then he released her hand and started readying the pole. "We won't use any bait right at first. I just want to give you a chance to get used to the pole and the handling of it. Okay?"
"All right." Nina stepped closer as she watched his handling of the pole and the line. "I haven't ever even held a pole," she confessed. "Is it difficult?"
"Not very," he said, and he sent her a wink. "There's nothing to it, Nina. Promise." Shamus gestured her forward. "Come on. Stand over here."
Nina moved to stand beside him and took the offered pole. "How do I...?"
"Like this. One hand here... The other here... Oop." Shamus gently adjusted her hold. "Not so tight. There you go." He smiled and lowered his arms to his side. "Now keep your wrists loose as you draw the pole back and then whip it forward in the same motion. That will release the line. Give it a try."
Nina stared down at the pole with wide eyes. She looked up at him again and offered forward the pole. "Could you show me?"
Shamus nodded, still smiling. "Sure. Here." He took the pole, adjusted his hold, and then cast the line. "See? Just fluid follow-through." He met her gaze. "You want to try?"
Nina bit her lower lip as she stared across the pond. Shamus reeled in the line. She looked back over at him and caught his gaze. His expression looked a bit serious and concerned. "No, I don't think I will."
"Come on, Nina," he urged gently. "Just once. I'll help you."
Nina stared at the pole again, biting her lower lip as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She sent Shamus a glance, and he offered forward his hand. She released a deep breath and nodded.
"Good girl. Alright. Stand right here." Nina took Shamus' hand and moved to stand close beside him. He adjusted her position so that her back was to him. "Now take the pole. Easy grip... That's right." Shamus' arms surrounded her, careful of her wings, and his hands gently covered her hold on the pole. "Keep your wrists loose and just go with what I do. Okay?"
Nina nodded as her eyes stared at their hands on the pole. His breath on her neck feathering her hair... His warmth so close behind... His soft baritone voice... Nina blinked away a tear.
"Okay. Now I'm going to pull the pole back like you saw before. Here we go." He drew the pole back, Nina's upper body moving with his as he did... "And then we continue around in the same flow and let it fly." The line cast out with a somewhat musical buzz. "There now. That wasn't so hard. Now you draw it back in slowly. There you go. Support the pole with one hand and stabilize it against you as you reel in the line. Let me see..." He moved his head from side to side of her to check the position as the base of the pole rested against her. "Good girl. And in comes the line."
Nina stared down at the pole with tears in her eyes and a tightness in her chest, and she felt a shiver when Shamus removed his hands from hers to step away. Nina didn't move.
"You want to try it by yourself, or one more time together?"
The tightening and warmth within heightened, but she shook her head with a whispered "I'll try."
"Good girl. Easy hold, loose wrists... That's right. Pull back and around-- Wow! Look at it go!" Shamus stepped up beside her as he pointed out after the line. "You got quite a distance on that one." He looked back over at her, eyes brightly smiling. "Okay. Reel it in nice and slow. Then we'll try it with bait. I'll help you with that one in case you get a bite."
She wordlessly nodded as she drew in the line, stabilizing the pole as he'd instructed while questioning herself...
Shamus knelt and drew out a small knife to start digging at the grass at their feet. "This place always has the best worms-- And here's one right here." He looked up at her with a playful smile. "Give me the line."
Nina did, and then she watched with a distant expression and a growing warmth as he secured the worm onto the hook all the while chatting about his first not-so-pleasant experience doing the same as a child.
Shamus stood and offered her the line, noticing her smile with a slight raised eyebrow while not making comment. "Okay. Reel it in a little," he said as he moved in to stand behind her. "I'll stand here, but you have to do the cast."
"All right." Nina drew the pole back and whipped it forward, the line singing out along the pond to make a delightful 'ploosh' into the water.
"Beautiful," Shamus said with a smile in his voice. "Okay, now slowly draw it in... There you go." His arms surrounded her again, hovering near her hands. "Stop and let it sink a little... good. Okay, just tease the fish with it now. Just like that. Good girl."
Nina noticed a tremble in her hands and a collection of tears and an odd sensation... and blinked and swallowed it away as she tried to... concentrate... on the... fish.
"Oop oop. I think I see a big one coming to investigate..." Shamus gently covered her hands with his. "Get ready. That first bite is a whopper."
Nina closed her eyes, releasing a slow breath before opening them again. She had never before felt such comfort and... eagerness?
"Did you feel the tug?" Shamus asked in a low tone.
"Yes," Nina whispered, for she had. Like a string tied directly around her heart, something gently pulled and drew her closer...
"One more and then he'll run with it," Shamus warned. "Get ready."
"I am." And it was the oddest feeling...
Tug, pull, and 'screeeee' as the fish bolted with the bait and hook firmly submerged within it's mouth.
"Oop! There he goes. Hold on, princess!" Shamus warned with a chuckle and a smile. "Let him have it for a bit and then draw him in. Let him get the fight out of his system and calm down a bit..." The line continued to be drawn out until Shamus slowed its progress and began to draw it in, his hands coaxing hers into the reeling of the line. "Slow and steady. Pull back on the pole a bit. There you go. Come on big fella."
Shamus gently coached and guided Nina to the actions that drew the fish closer to the shore. Then he reached around to take up the line, carefully leaning against her as he drew the fish in and continued to help her support and hold the pole.
"Wow. That's a beaut," he said, smiling. "Here. Turn around here away from the shore, so he doesn't flop back in. Easy. Easy. Don't slip. Okay. Lower the pole a little. There. Hold it steady while I get the hook."
Shamus moved around from behind her, slowly releasing his hold on the pole once he had gauged her own. Then he knelt and began working at the fish's mouth as it flopped on the ground. Nina watched him, her face relaxing into a tender smile as she kept a firm grip on the pole and tension on the line, easing up or pulling it taut when he asked.
"You did great, Nina," Shamus praised as he intensely worked on the freeing of the hook. "Ease up a bit. There. That's good... gotcha!" He lifted the hook with a smile before looking to Nina. "Could you get the muffins and juice out of the basket? That way we can put this monster in there and not get all smelly."
"All right," she said softly. Nina set the pole down and went over to the basket, setting aside the muffins and juice in a daze at a realization she wasn't sure she wanted to hold too tight. She was almost afraid it would leave.
Nina brought the basket back over and knelt beside him as she set it close. "He's beautiful."
"Yep, and all slimy, too," Shamus chuckled. "Oop, oop, in you go." The fish squirmed its way straight into the basket. "There. Now we have dinner." He met her gaze with a continual boyish smile. "You want to see about getting another one?"
Nina nodded. "Could we?"
"Sure." He stood and helped her to her feet. "You need my help?"
She held his gaze with a serious expression. "Please?"
Shamus smiled. "Sure. You know I like it when your wings tickle my arms and face."
Nina giggled and followed him back over to the shore, feeling very much the adolescent enjoying the attentions of her beau.
Shamus leaned against the carriage as he watched her. Nina. A Wyndian Princess dangling her feet in the cool water of a fishing hole. Fishing, joking, and telling stories of adventure over crumbly muffins and chugs of juice straight from the jug. Each day he knew her he found a different part to her intensity. A different depth to her. A new reason to love her: his wife.
Nina leaned back onto her elbows and kicked at the surface of the water, sending the spray up and over her. She giggled and Shamus sighed. Then he double-checked the security of the fish-holding basket β they'd reeled in three of the huge fish β and made his way back over to her, barefoot as he was.
She welcomed him with a bright smile. "I would love to sleep out here," she confessed as Shamus sat down beside her. "It's so lovely, and the ground is so soft, and the air smells so wonderful..." Nina moved her gaze out to the pond and the surrounding brush. "Yes. I want to sleep out here."
Shamus leaned back on his elbows the same as her, their elbows almost touching. "I've done that once or twice."
Nina took in a deep breath, eyes closed as she released it slowly. Then she laid back completely, resting her hands behind her head as she continued to peacefully smile. Shamus watched her, fully believing he couldn't love her more.
"It's a thrill of adventure to sleep surrounded by so much beauty," she said.
Shamus' expression softened. "I can't argue with that," he agreed quietly, fully enjoying the beauty of her face and her smile and the brightness of her eyes.
"It scared me as a child, but I knew Ryu would keep me safe. Then I had Momo, and Garr, and Rei... I never knew a safer time." She opened her eyes and turned her head to meet his gaze, smiling. "Until now." Nina reached out and gently held his forearm, caressing it with her thumb and her very touch. "Thank you, Shay. You've given me a second home. Another place to feel safe."
Shamus couldn't look away, mesmerized as he was by the blue and the light and the sparkle within her eyes. He smiled. "My pleasure, princess," he said softly.
"I know, and that touches me the deepest of all," she told him. "You continue being steady and warm, and trustworthy... allowing me to feel safe and secure and welcome... You never ridicule me, or force your attentions on me, or disrespect me... Shay..." Nina's serious expression softened to the most wonderful smile he'd seen. "Shamus McNeil, you let me see who you are and give me every reason and opportunity to not only be your friend, but to grow even more fond. You've even confessed your own feelings, which encouraged me to try for something deeper. An emotion I've dreamed of experiencing since childhood."
Nina held his gaze a moment before rolling onto her side and propping herself up onto her elbow. The action made her close enough for Shamus to feel her breath against his face and her knee touching his leg. Sammy boy, hold on toβ
Nina leaned forward and touched his lips with hers, brief and soft. Shamus closed his eyes, releasing a sigh at the warm caress as he hesitantly touched her lips again. Nina accepted his kiss and gently returned it, causing Shamus' mind to splutter as conscious thought was lost to the feeling of her lips accepting the whisper of his return. Again she received and returned the gentle touch, almost seeming to smile against it--
Sammy! Shamus forced himself to pull his lips from hers and sat fully upright. "Ni--"
Nina had followed his movements, sitting up and edging closer to again touch his lips with hers, accentuating the touch by a feather-light caress of her fingers across his cheek. Protests vanished again, and Shamus vaguely recognized a feeling of horror as he returned her kiss and followed it with another, his hands gently holding her upper arms.
One more lingering touch of her lips to his and then she lifted hers away, arms surrounding him as she snuggled against his chest with a sigh. Shamus stared down at the crown of her head with wide-eyes, arms encircling her of their own volition as thoughts finally began to sluggishly flow. Sammy boy, did you just...? Did Nina...? Kissing...? "...Nina?"
"Hmm?" Her tone suggested a smile.
Shamus cleared his throat, finding it difficult to think when she held him so close and the memory of her soft lips still so fresh... "Did you just...? Did we...?"
Nina's wings began a soft rhythmic pulse, barely tickling the air, just as they had the night she had confessed her intent to love him. Nina's arms adjusted their hold. "Yes." The rhythmic pulse continued, almost hypnotically calming.
Thoughts scattered and Shamus swallowed hard, desperately trying to figure what it meant and if he should ask and if he could kiss her again.
Nina sighed. "I love you, Shamus McNeil," she whispered, snuggling closer.
Shamus blinked several times, eyes wide, before words made it through the haze of shock. He pulled gently back. "What?" he whispered.
Nina's brilliant blue eyes glittered with her smile and the truth of a confession he hadn't expected. She moved her hands to gently hold his face, caressing his cheeks with her thumbs. "I love you."
"Y-You... Y-You..." The haze of shock and wonder captured the words back again.
Nina slightly nodded as her smile blossomed to a giggle.
Shamus stared at her slack-jawed for a fraction of a moment before drawing her close. "You love me," he whispered. He nestled his cheek against hers, kissing her several times on both cheek and temple. "You love me."
Nina nodded again, tears escaping her eyes to trace silent exclamations of truth along her face as her arms tightened around him. "I love you, Shay," she whispered in a choked voice. "I love you so much."
