fictober prompt 3: "I've waited for this."
Liplocked
From his hut, Admiral Cruller listened to the waves gently lap against the shore. Seagulls called, flapping their wings and dropping feathers along the sand. Somewhere, he heard distant laughter. A chill was in the nightly wind that ghosted his back, but he hardly felt it or cared for the noise. His attention was elsewhere.
He dipped his towel into the bucket of lake water and shook off any excess liquid. Smiling at his treasured canoe mounted on the wall, he rubbed slow, gentle circles around the base. "There, there, darling, don't worry. I'm gonna get rid of that lake residue all nice and easy," he crooned, running his fingers across the flaking paint.
He squeezed the towel and watched the water drip back into the bucket. He supposed he had done a fine job washing the canoe. Although he wanted to thoroughly scrub underneath the seat, his arm had started to ache, and he let it fall by his side. Dropping the towel into the bucket, he gently slid it underneath his rickety table and gathered himself, arching his back until he heard a satisfying pop.
Sighing, Ford straightened and noticed a few fireflies flicker across his face. The night was old and peaceful, just as he preferred. No campers had scampered out for a late night swim or an embarrassing skinny dipping episode. It was just him and his beloved canoe all by their lonesome, and he smiled, brushing his worn knuckles against her tip.
"Comfortable, baby? Well, I'll start the towel dry you and-"
He cut himself off. A flash of brown caught his eye out the window. He looked to the docks and spotted orange and green clashing against the dark water. Scowling, Ford crossed his arms and shook his head, grumbling underneath his breath as he glared at the unwelcomed camper.
He believed her name was Rachel. She was the kid who preferred to use her invisibility. It was either her or that girl with the big blonde hair. But identities didn't matter when the campers should have been sleeping in their bunks, and he made a mental note to remind Oleander to be more vigilant when watching the cadets.
Hobbling over to the entrance, Ford took off his white hat. He set it on a hook jutting out from the wall and squinted at her. Rachel stood perfectly still. She observed the water, crouching and dipping her hand in the waves. She wasn't tormenting the local wildlife like the ugly boys who once tried drawing all over his beloved canoe in permanent markers. Considering that fact, Ford decided to let her stay. The moment she tried something funny, of course, he'd personally escort her out.
But just as he turned around to his canoe, a voice broke through the calm of the lake.
"Milka!"
Rachel, no, Milka hurried to her feet. She whipped her head over to the rickety staircase, and Ford peered out the doorway to see who made the fuss. A boy wearing a sailor cap rushed down the stairs. He nearly stumbled over the last step, but he caught himself and raced across the docks to meet her. Elated, Milka threw her arms around his shoulders, and they embraced each other so tightly that Ford thought they would snap each other's spines.
He pondered over the boy's name. He believed it was Elliot. Perhaps it was Elias. Elias sounded right when he muttered it under his breath, and he watched as Elias parted from Milka, taking her hands like they were about to be wed.
"Oh, Milka, I'm so glad you're safe. I don't know what a wretch like me would do without you," he exclaimed in a voice that sounded on the verge of tears. Ford thought his melodrama was for effect as it seemed to make Milka swoon when she lifted one leg. "But right now, at this moment, I feel like I've waited for this for a lifetime."
He couldn't hear what she said. The girl had always been a mousy, quiet sort of child. But as he observed them, his eyes widened.
She leaned forward and kissed Elias. They tilted their heads, kissing again and again. They only stopped to catch a breath and look deeply into each other's eyes. Ford thought only a few kisses would have sufficed, but the kids - how old were they? - continued to the point where Ford felt uncomfortable and fiddled with his lifejacket.
"Sheesh. What's with kids these days? Actin' like fools out there, smooching and canoodling," he muttered, then he cleared his throat. Raising his voice, he called, "Hey, you two! Lovebirds!"
Elias yelped and broke away from Milka. He fidgeted with his lopsided hat, staring at Ford with wide, unblinking eyes. While he cowered, Milka growled. Her snarl bordered on ferocious, stemming from deep within her little body.
"What are you, a wolf? Are you gonna wolf whistle at him next?" Ford snapped, and he grinned to himself as Milka gave a visible grimace. "Git on outta here! I don't wanna listen to you two swap spit all evening."
Elias and Milka frowned. They held hands and whispered to each other.
"Don't make me say it again!" Ford warned. "Leave the lake, and let your sleepy heads rest in your bunks!" He clicked his tongue. "Oh, that's right. At this hour, kids should be asleep!"
Elias gestured at the stairs. He pointed at the rocky enclave that was technically a part of the wilderness. Milka nodded and pressed a kiss to his cheek, Ford scoffing when she looked directly at him. Hand-in-hand, they hurried off the docks into the shadows.
Ford sighed and shook his head. He didn't have the energy to pursue them. If they continued kissing, then at least it would have been out of sight, out of mind.
Over his shoulder, he grinned at his canoe and tapped his fingers along her edges, murmuring, "I'm so sorry about that interruption, baby. Now, where were we? Oh, yes, a nice towel dry to settle you down for the rest of the evening. Can't let you stay cold out here, can I? No, no, I certainly can't do that to a fine dame like you."