Warm Water and Setting Sun (Markus)

[Jaelyn Baroth]

Jaelyn let out a playful yell as Markus started to splash her again, and she returned the favor using her left arm. After a little while she was even giggling as she splashed blindly at Markus, her eyes shut to keep the water out.

She only stopped when she heard him call truce, and with the last of her giggles fading she wiped her eyes dry and opened them only to find Markus slowly coming towards her with a grin. Jaelyn felt her heart skip a beat at his closeness, and it took her a while to register that he had asked something of her.

"Oh... Sure," Jaelyn said softly, a flush spreading on her cheeks as she turned and offered her right arm to Markus, giving a short intake of breath at the bit of pain that came from moving her injured shoulder.

A little voice in her head was telling her to talk to Markus about... something. The thought was escaping her at the moment as she tried to calm down and not look at Markus' impressive, naked, body next to her.

[Markus Andres]

Markus pretended not to notice how her raised arm effected the rest of her chest. He smirked as he carefully took her hand. He let his hands gently brush up her muscular arm. He had noticed the blush in her cheeks earlier. Just from him being close to her. He knew his actions now must have a similar effect. His fingers continued their brush up her arm. Until they reached what he perceived to be the wounded area. He looked at it with care. He was far from experienced with such injuries, but he trusted her assessment that it would heal by itself. "Quite an injury... For quite a squire..." He was very close to the naked squire. It took quite the willpower and discipline for him to quell his bodily urges to such closeness to an attractive member of the opposite gender. Especially a naked one. He didn't want that to happen. That would go too fast. Markus, despite his relatively poor experience, knew that. But, he would also have to up the stakes a bit. To keep things interesting. "Does this hurt?" Markus said as he gently raised her arm, but, at the same time, tried to let his lips brush the injured area. Should her reaction be in favor of Markus continuing, he would attempt to kiss the attractive female on the lips.

[Jaelyn Baroth]

The movement of Markus' fingers along Jaelyn's arm caused her to shiver slightly as she bit her lower lip lightly. She could feel the heat in her cheeks growing. Not only was she embarrassed at Markus' proximity, but also at the feelings his touch were bringing up inside of her. A part of her wanted to feel more of his surprisingly gentle touch...

Markus' question barely registered to Jaelyn, as lost in her mind and feelings as she was, but the increase of pain as he raised her arm brought her back to the outside world. Giving a sharp intake of breath through her nose she bit down hard on her lip, but not enough to break the skin.

The pain helped focus her mind, and she felt the soft touch of Markus' lips against her shoulder. Even focused as her mind was it took her a moment to realize and process what had happened, and when she turned to look she found Markus moving even closer towards her.

Eyes widening Jaelyn brought her left hand up by reflex to press against Markus' chest, causing her to turn so they were face to face, and she stared up at her fellow Squire for a silent moment before she softly whispered, "M... Markus?... What are you?..." she couldn't even manage to finish the thought with how startled she was.

[Markus Andres]

Markus was annoyed when he felt the hand press against his chiseled chest. As he understood what the meant. But he did not fight it, he let it keep him at a distance. When they were face to face, Markus looked into her eyes. He could easily push her hand away and continue. He even felt the desire to do so. But his discipline won over his juvenile urges and he just flashed her a charming grin. He didn't move away from the girl, but instead stayed this close to her. As his master often had told him, when a tactic didn't work, adapt it and change your approach. "I take it did hurt." Markus said as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary. "You have an excellently shaped body. Well defined muscles." Naturally far from Markus' size, but still impressive. Markus' compliments came naturally and were not a part of his attempt to cover up his advance on the female squire. "Just a shame about your balance..." Markus said with a mock sadness in his voice as his left leg slid forward, behind the female squire's legs and his right arm sliding up her left arm until he would hit the shoulder. From there, he would try to push her weight in the direction of his blocking leg and thus, having her fall if she tried to step back. Markus truly enjoyed being in water.

[Jaelyn Baroth]

Markus' proximity caused Jaelyn's face to burn bright red with embarrassment, and her previous clarity was washed away as she simply stared up at him. Faintly she registered his words, his compliments not helping to calm her down, and her mind started racing over imagined scenarios of lovers and romantic encounters.

Despite her embarrassment she thrilled at the feel of his hand running up her arm, and she swallowed nervously as she looked up at Markus. Was he going to try and kiss her? She felt incredibly conflicted about that wanting it but wanting to pull away, and so she just stood there. Markus said something... about balance? That certainly didn't help her confusion, but before she could figure out what was happening Markus pushed on her good shoulder and her legs caught on something.

With a startled yelp Jaelyn fell straight back into the warm water, swallowing a mouthful as her startled gasp sucked in water. Her body acting on instinct she started to flail about in the water with her arms and legs, trying to get back up to the surface and fresh air.

[Markus Andres]

The female squire went below the water and Markus roared with laughter as she flailed below the surface. Markus did feel a twinge of guilt at deceiving the young squire. He kneeled down. Submerging his head fully and reaching below the flailing squire. Getting a hand across his face in the process. He didn't know whether it was intentional or if it was just a panicked swing. Never the less, Markus didn't let it bother him, it was under water, thus not very powerful. His right arm would reach below her thighs and the left rest against the squirming squire's back. Then he would rise. It was harder than he though. But still, not much of a problem for his well trained thighs and arms. The drowning Jaelyn would find herself able to breathe freely again and if she were to look at Markus, she would see a young grinning man, looking at her with a mixture of worry and humor as he held her in his arms. "You alright?"

[Jaelyn Baroth]

In Jaelyn's panic her hand struck something firm, and she fumbled at it in an attempt to get a grip and help herself get back up above the water. Just as she found purchase on a firm edge she felt muscled arms slide beneath her and lift her up out of the water.

For a few moments Jaelyn simply coughed up the water she had accidentally gasped in, and she maintained her grip on what turned out to be Markus' shoulders. When she could finally breath properly again she turned confused gray eyes up towards Markus and his question, for the moment their proximity not in the front of her mind, "I am alright... What... Did you trip me?"

She wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but she didn't think Markus was the type who would intentionally trip her. Splashing she could see as playful, but a trip like that she couldn't see the fun of. Mostly because her lungs still burned from the lack of air and the coughing up of water.

[Markus Andres]

Markus felt some shame rise to his cheeks when the girl coughed up water. Perhaps he shouldn't expect people to have had the insane reaction training he had had under Stern Mason. It was unreasonable to expect something like that. "Good. You gave me quite the scare there." He paused for a brief moment. "And yes, I did. I apologize. I thought it would be funny. Forgive me. Markus said with an apologetic frown on his lips. The young muscular squire's eyes wavered from hers and looked forward to the edge of the water. Before moving forward. It would be best to get the female squire out of the water. So that Jaelyn was away from the water. It was what Markus deemed the best to do in that situation.

[Jaelyn Baroth]

Jaelyn appreciated Markus' honesty, but his admission did not help much to immediately clear up her feeling of confusion. Perhaps it was because she was not the most social or playful of people, but it still seemed a bit strange to her that tripping someone in the water would be fun.

That thought only held to the front of her mind for a few moments longer, and then the realization that Markus was holding her, while both of them were naked, came crashing down and swept it all away. Her face burst into red at the feel of his skin against hers, and her body froze in shock. After a few moments she finally managed to recover a hint of her wit, and she softly spoke, "M... Markus... I can walk on my own now..."

[Markus Andres]

Markus noticed that Jaelyn's cheeks got very red and Markus could feel as her body stiffened in his arms. Markus feared she were going into shock or something. Markus immediately picked up his speed. Wading through the water trying to reach the edge of the pool sooner. But then the squire spoke and her voice, although quite soft, was clear. Something Markus didn't expect someone who was in shock to be able to do. Markus looked at her sceptically for a moment. Wondering if he should continue to the edge or trust her. "You sure?" Markus asked. "Well, hold on to my shoulder." Markus ordered. He lowered his right arm, and thus her lower body while lifting his left arm. Getting her from horizontal to vertical. He would keep his left hand against he back until he was sure she wouldn't slip and fall again.