Warnette Short Stories

Wet 'N Wild

Hello everyone! I was a bit in a rush writing this story, so it's not the best, but I still hope you enjoy!

"No Kenji! Absolutely not!"
"Ah come on! Why not?"
"Because I don't want to!"
Kenji and I were walking down to the underground level of base when we took a wrong turn and somehow ended up in a room with an olympic sized swimming pool. Kenji promptly forgot everything we are supposed to be doing and hopped right in, despite being fully clothed, and he's been nagging me to join him.

"We have literally a million things to do today and you are wasting time," I remind him, making sure to keep my voice stern. I'm trying to work on developing an air of authority. Aaron says I need to stop talking to Kenji like he's my friend and more like he's my subordinate, but I have been effectively failing at it so far.
"Yeah, princess, that purple nail polish is making it really hard to be scared of you right now," he replies while doing a lazy backstroke.
I'm losing my patience.
"Damn it Kenji! Get out of that stupid pool right now!" I yell at him, and instantly regret it. "Please," I add.
"Jesus J! Why are you wound so tight? And why won't you just get in the water? Are you, like, afraid to get your hair wet or some girly shit like that?"
I glare at him.

As a kid my parents neglected me. Abused me. Anything I did, I did alone. That also means I had no one teach me how to ride a bike, drive a car, or...
"I can't swim," I whisper, afraid if I say it too loud the words will drag me into the water and drown me in despair.
Kenji swims to the edge of the pool and looks at me with apologetic eyes.
"Oh. Yeah, um, I guess I should have figured. You know. Crappy parents. Asylums. They can get in the way of stuff like that."
I cringe at his statements. I try to keep my past  in the dark but it's like everyone is trying to shine a spotlight on it.
"I'm sorry," a voice says from behind me. I turn around to realize Kenji has gotten out of the pool and is using a random towel to dry his hair.
"It's okay," I reply, sitting on the edge of the pool. "It's just, as a kid, I used to see all of the other children swimming in the summer and, I don't know. I guess I thought that if I was able to partake in something normal, maybe others would think I am."
"Am what?"
"Normal."
Kenji laughs out loud. "You? Normal? That might be the funniest thing I've ever heard!"
I punch him in the arm.
Kenji unleashes a string of profanities as he cradles his shoulder.

"What the hell J? Did you forget that you're, like, the freaking Hulk?"
"Who's that?"
Kenji stares at me dumbfounded. "You know what? Never mind. Just forget it." He offers me a small smile that I try to return.
"Here. How 'bout this? If you can put off all the stuff you have to do today for one hour, then I'll teach you how to swim."
I look at him skeptically.
"I don't think so, Kenji. I'm already stressed out, and I don't even have a bathing suit-"
"Wrong answer!" Kenji yells as he swoops me up and chucks me into the water.
I feel my body become enveloped in icy water as I struggle to keep myself afloat. My body feels light and awkward and all those years drowning in my thoughts, in my body, is nothing compared to this form of drowning. Drowning for real.

A pair of arms wraps around my torso and pulls me up above the water. I sputter and cough, trying to dislodge the water from my lungs.
"Kenji!" I shriek at him. "What the heck? You almost killed me!"
"J, you're in the shallow end. It's 4 feet." He remarks.
"Ughhh you're really annoying."
"Right back at you! OK, now focus. Kick your legs up and down and move your hands away from each other in a circular motion."
"I can't believe we're actually doing this right now-"
"Shut up and swim."

As promised, within the hour, I'm swimming laps around the pool and racing from one end to the other. I've also engaged in many water fights and enjoy splashing water in Kenji's face when he's not paying attention.
"It feels so good to be able to just be a kid again for a little while," Kenji says as he steps out of the pool.
I have to stifle a laugh. "You're always a kid," I say as I, too, exit the pool. I'm on the last step when I slip and fall face first into Kenji's chest.
He just laughs.
"Man if your face weren't in my shirt right now I would totally be making fun of how red it is."
I hate it when he's right.

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?" I hear a smooth voice ask from behind.
I spin around so fast I get whiplash. Aaron is standing not ten feet from me and all I can do is stand here in embarrassment and... awe. It never ceases to amaze me how striking he is. How his jaw is so hard, yet I've seen it smile. How I've seen his body move in ways no one else has. I've seen those emerald eyes cry. I've seen so much of him yet it's never enough.
"Chill bro," Kenji's voice says, ripping my eyes away from Aaron. "She slipped, but I was afraid if I moved it would ruin the view."
I have lost count of how many times I have glared at him today.
I walk up to Aaron and lay my hand on his shoulder.
"I was supposed to meet you in your office, wasn't I?"
"Yes, love. Twenty minutes ago."
I look down, ashamed of myself. I'm trying to run a continent and I can't even attend a meeting on time.
"I'm sorry I-" I begin to apologize, but Aaron stops me by asking
"Why are you all wet?"
I want to die on the spot.
"Kenji was teaching me how to swim," I reply quietly.
Aaron lifts my chin so I have to look him in the eye.
"You've no reason to be embarrassed, love. I had to teach myself how to ride a bike."
"The thought of you going on a cute little bike ride around the neighborhood makes me want to throw up," Kenji says from behind me.
Aaron ignores him and wraps his arm around me.
"Let's go get you cleaned up before dinner. Some others are joining us I'm afraid," he says as he leads me out the door and into the elevator.
"Ugh why can't we never seem to get a moment alone together anymore?"
Aaron smiles a devious smile.
"I can think of a way to make it up to you."
And with that, the elevator door opens, we walk into the bedroom, and lock the door.