xp_logs | Manuel & Amara (Reply)

Manuel finds another person in the pool very early in the morning and a light suggestion is put forth between banter.

Since her impromptu swimming lesson, Amara had felt a little comfortable in the water, which is why she was in the pool again now. She wasn't really swimming, just wading in the shallow end and getting used to being in the water.

More and more people were frequenting his morning swim and it was not that it was a problem, only that most of them tended to stare. If it was not the glaring scar across his body, it was the speedo or infact, probably the body itself (but he enjoyed ignoring that).

"Good Morning Amara." A formal greeting.

Amara wasn't particularly surprised that there was someone else wanting to use the pool - she had, however, forgotten that Manuel was one of those people. She ducked under the water a little, her gaze flickering over to him once before looking away.

"Good morning Manuel."

A faint smile lifted but he continued to walk towards the stairs, pulling his towel from his waist and tossing it to a nearby chair. The cane was set down parallel to the pool line and he lowered down on the stairs, despite the cool temperature. "I have not interupted anything have I? All that standing looks like work."

"No, not at all," she said quickly, narrowing her eyes just a little at the comment about standing around. "Is there something wrong with simply enjoying the water?"

"Negative," he replied evenly, slipping into the water to his waist. "Although one usually enjoys the water, being in the water and not just lingering in one spot. Worried Catseye will swim nude again?"

"You are very defensive today," he observed drily.

Amara opened her mouth to - well, defend herself, and then promptly closed it, frowning as she smiled a little ruefully.

"I am trying to avoid admitting to you that I do not know how to swim," she replied eventually, sounding a little amused. It was a little silly, all things considered.

"You should have said that then and I would have been careful to turn a blind eye to it." He slipped into the water easily and lingered on one spot for the moment. "I can humor you and leave you be."

"You are already aware of so many of my inadequacies, senhor," she said with a self-deprecating smile. "Can you blame me for attempting to keep yet another one from you?"

"The air of mystery is alluring. I would simply consider this one of the many qualities that makes the puzzle." He returned her smile. "How much of swimming do you know of?"

"It is a pity that I do not seem to have one when it comes to you," she quipped in return, moving her hands around in the water in front of her. "I know how to paddle. And to float. Enough not to drown, I think."

"Enough to fight open water waves should you ever fall in?" Manuel asked and turned, not heading in the opposite end of the pool as that would take them out of speaking range. He didn't like to shout.

"Well, no," she admitted, looking away from him properly now. "But that is why I plan to continue to learn how to swim. But we all have to start somewhere, do we not?"

"Are you taking lessons?" he asked. "The recreation centre around the corner offers them, however, I am sure there are a number of people, myself included, that would be willing to teach you the basics. Anything beyond that and I feel you should probably have a qualified teacher."

"Oh, there is a place I can take them at college," she said hurriedly, though with a smile. Nevermind that she wouldn't accept lessons from him in any case. "I am just waiting to find a gap in my schedule to permit the time to take them."

"The time is now," he mused curiously. "And yet you do not ask. Do you realize that swimming is vital as writing. Even more so, it is a survival necesscity, should we ever have a flood or perhaps you get stuck in a situation where you find yourself in a large body of water." He paused and swam to her but did not rise as his hip could not support him standing. "If someone were drowning, it would be on your guilty conscience for the rest of your life, if they died."

Amara opened her mouth once more, then shut it hurriedly, frowning. "I'm not putting it off just because! I have classes and work and training and Helix meetings and our riding lessons, I don't have a lot of free time to just pick up something new!" She shot him a little bit of a glare. "And if I was going to ask anyone here to teach me, it would not be you." There wasn't any malice in her final comment - in fact, if anything, she was blushing just a little.

"Ah, you are right. You would not ask me, why would you? Riding requires the horse to do the walking. Swimming requires me to demonstrate. I can see where that would be a problem." Manuel turned in the pool and began to swim away from her. "I will leave you to your own devices than."

"Oh, don't be like that," she said crossly, fighting with her blush. "That was not intended as an insult, and you know that perfectly well." Are you really going to keep making her feel bad about this, Manuel?

Yes, in fact, he was.

"I know of nothing but what you tell me," he replied over his shoulder and then added. "I am not partial to shouting, therefore, conversation will be delayed until I return from the deep end."

Amara just huffed at him, sort of - pacing in the shallow end of the pool until he returned from his lap. He was - frustrating. And ridiculous. Why did she even talk to him? She couldn't remember. At this moment, she really couldn't remember. But at least the time gave her the chance to figure out what she was going to say.

"Even if it wasn't for the fact that I already take up enough of your time," she began, trying to sound calm and unruffled, even if she wasn't. "I am not spending even more time with you when all you are wearing is a bathing suit."

Manuel made the effort to stand. "Is that only the problem?" he asked, attempting to draw up at his full height, but without the cane, he had to fold back into the water.

Amara hurriedly pulled her gaze away from him. "I would feel more comfortable learning how to swim from someone -- " far less attractive -- "I did not know so well."

"Suit yourself. The offer stands," Manuel replied. "However, if you do not mind, I need to finish this. I have a timelimit to when Valentia will wake."

"I will." She smirked a little, heading for the stairs so she could get out of the pool. "You will just have to find some other way to flaunt your attractiveness at me."

"I did not know you noticed. Good day Miss Aquilla," Manuel replied and disappeared under the water, killing the rest of their conversation.