The Pool [afternoon]

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory woke up late on Sunday and took care of her errands before padding down to the basement in a pair of flip-flops and some boardshorts, as well as her very modest bathing suit and a towel around her neck.

She dipped a toe into the pool's water and upon finding it nice and neutrally lukewarm, she kicked off her shoes and sat on the edge to wait for Luke.

[Rory's here for Luke, but totally open for all your swimmy needs! It's an indoor pool, so fair to assume the water's fine. :D]

Comments

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke came down a few moments later in a pair of shorts he'd acquired from somewhere and a sleeveless t-shirt. His towel was also around his neck and he looked nervous.

"Hey," he said, giving Rory a small smile.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Hi!" Rory said, bouncing up. "Did you eat anything in the last half hour?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke paused. "No. But I had almost an entire bag of marshmallows last night."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but you won't cramp up from that," she assured him. "Okay, I've never taught anyone to swim, so if anything doesn't work with you, let me know, okay?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke nodded, then sat down on the edge of the pool and let his feet dip down into the water. "It would've taken forever to get this amount of water in one place back home," he said, eyes sparkling.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, don't like, drink it," Rory advised him, setting aside her towel and sliding into the shoulder-deep water. "It's got chlorine in it among other things."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"Eww," Luke said, stripping off his t-shirt and sliding into the water as well. "Okay," he said. "Now what?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Okay, you're good with standing, right?" Rory asked. "Try to float. Push up off the bottom and try to stay all floaty."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke tried not to freak out too visibly. He'd never been in this much water in his life. "Okay," he said again, then bounced from one foot to another, trying to get the feel of what Rory was talking about.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Luke, watch," she said, and bounced up a little and propelled her arms and legs around so she stayed up.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke's forehead creased in concentration as he watched, then flailed around spastically.

Lots of splashing. Very little actual floating.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory sighed. "Okay, stop flailing," she instructed. "You'll just go under more quickly if you do that. Make little circles, and keep your arms and legs underwater, okay?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke nodded and did as she instructed.

He was a very quick study and in a few minutes he wasn't ready for the Olympics at all, but he wasn't looking like he was about to swallow most of the pool, either.

Score one for the desert kid.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory smiled. "Want to try it in the deep end?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"It gets deeper?" Luke squeaked.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Over-your-head deep, yes," she said. "Come on, I won't let you drown."

She swam a little out to the deep end and began treading water.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"I trust you," Luke said, meeting Rory's eyes, then following her.

Treading water was eluding him, though. He was splashing way more than necessary and beginning to look a little panicked.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Luke," Rory said, swimming over and taking his hand. "Here."

She pulled him the short distance to the wall, and put his hand there. "You can stick by the edge just in case you need it."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke's face went red. "You think I'm an idiot, huh?"

He holding onto the wall for all he was worth and seemed to be making no move to stop any time, well, ever.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"No, I think you can't swim," she said reassuringly. "Quit with the flaily, though. I promise I won't let you drown, okay?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke nodded. "Okay," he said, pushing away from the wall and paddling back to where Rory was.

"How do you do that feet thing you're doing?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Point your feet towards the bottom of the pool," she instructed. "And then...okay, have you ever seen an egg beater?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"No," Luke said, "what does it do?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"It beats eggs," Rory said patiently. "Anyway, look how I'm moving my legs."

She held onto the wall and twirled her legs, then pushed away from the wall and continued to stay afloat. "See how they're twirly?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke nodded, then repeated the movement. "Like this?" he asked.