To all my reviewers, I’ve disabled anonymous reviews, at least for a while. I know there are a few of you who review regularly, but don’t have a pen name. I’d love it if you could get one. It’d make me a happy writer? (silence) Oo;

Anyway, I decided to do that summary thing after all. Enjoy. My humor is not always err- funny, but I just wanted to have fun with the pair so expect some Ooc-ness.

Drabble # 13: Tidbits of Summer

Drowning

“Haji! Help me!”

“I’m coming, Saya,” rushed a sincerely concerned Chevalier as his wings unfurled from his rutted spine. Swooping over the rough waves that slapped against the rocks, Haji looked down to the distressed woman beneath him.

“I can’t swim away!”

I told her to wait for me, he surmised to himself before he slipped a wary foot into the frigid body of water. The water came as an unpleasant surprise, since his body had been under the heated sun only moments ago. Ignoring the shudder in his body, he reached a hand to his Queen.

“Haji!”

“Come.”

Grabbing a hand, she wasted no time in securing her petite body around his, crunching her tingling fingers to his collar.

“Saya- my neck-”

“Haji! The rocks!”

“Saya, let go of my nec-”

“We’re gonna hit them!”

“I can’t breath-”

“Haji!”

Haji grunted as the frantic woman abandoned her death grip around his neck to clutch the tip of his wings. The rocks were coming closer with every crashing wave and it would only be seconds before the two of them went crashing. The weight of the ocean combined with Saya lost in her state of alarm gave little leeway to fly up and away from danger. Trying to harvest his scattered thoughts to prevent any injuries, Haji was finding it too difficult with the shrill screams of his lover ringing in his ear.

Frustrated, Haji scolded angrily, “Trust me!”

Momentarily immobilized by his tone of voice, her grip on the man loosened. Taking advantage of that opportunity, Haji swiftly turned to guide her arms underneath his and she obediently hooked her hands to his shoulders. The tips of his wings scratched against the sharp surfaces of earth just as they neared the life threatening area. Struggling, Haji fluttered awkwardly to slide into the sand with a painful burn to his shoulder. Sand spattering around them, Saya quickly sat upright to swat the salty substance from her mouth and eyes like a small, disgruntled animal.

“Haji! A-are you okay!”

“…”

“Haji!”

As she pried her eyes open just enough to see her Chevalier clearly, she crawled to him. Shaking the sand from his head, Haji made a sour expression, spitting the sand from his mouth. Saya helped to dust him off before she began to shake with laughter.

“You’re laughing?”

“I’m sorry- I’m so sorry-”

“Is this amusing?”

Saya tried to relax her face, but found Haji’s sour expression made the attempt useless. She’d never seen him so- irritated? Haji continued to wipe the bits of gravel from his face, but to no avail since his hands were dirty as well. He grunted inwardly, and Saya rolled back in delight.

“Saya-”

“I know! Oh, wait. I’m coming-”

His lips pursed into what Saya could only identify as an embarrassed pout. Looking away and flexing his scraped shoulder, Saya reached for his face. “Oh. I’m sorry. Here.”

She quickly scrambled for their cooler and returned with a bottle of water. Gesturing that he close his eyes, he obeyed until he was relieved from the sting and discomfort on his face.

“Better?”

“…”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Haji! Thank you for saving me!”

He huffed as her arms circled around his neck to lend him an affectionate kiss. A familiar voice snickered nearby and the pair turned to see Kai walking toward them with his family.

“So, she almost killed you, huh, Haji?”

“I did not! Oh!” She accidentally stomped, earning a cough from Haji who was still sitting in the sand.

“See? You did it again,” Kai teased, taking joy in pestering his sister even though he was an older man by now.

“I didn’t- right, Haji?”

Saya looked to her Chevalier with glistening eyes. Kai granted him a knowing look and Haji could only fall to his Queen’s whims. “Of course not.”

“See?”

“Spoiled.”

“I am not! Right, Haji?”

This time, Haji was hesitant to answer…

Half Off Sale

Glancing at the thick, brass watch hanging from his thin wrist, Haji noted it had been over an hour since they’d been in this store. He guessed it was probably the reason why no one else would accompany her on these shopping trips, or rather- no other man would. Although, Haji could hardly deny that he’d rather prefer it that way. While the desire was selfish, he’d rather have Saya take him along on any shopping trip to prevent him from worrying that some human males might find interest in a couple of beautiful women walking through the city streets that happened to be his Queen and her nieces. Especially when she was in a store- like this.

A cheery saleswoman passed to offer him aid, and he politely declined, hoping it would hasten Saya’s shopping trip. Growing impatient, Haji tapped his knuckles against the wooden door of the dressing room.

“Saya?”

“Hold on! I’m. Almost. Done,” Saya strained to say between what sounded to Haji like she was fighting against the material in there.

“Do you need my help?”

“No. I’m coming out.”

Backing away, he waited until Saya appeared, a shy and healthy flush reddening her cheeks as she spun before him.

“Well?”

They were getting more and more revealing as time went on…

“Is this for swimming?”

“Yeah?”

“Just that alone?”

“Yeah? It is a bikini, Haji.”

“For outside wear?”

“Yes!”

“Where there are people?”

Saya crossed her arms. “Yes. Where there are people.”

“…”

“Well? Hey- wha-”

Instead of answering, Haji’s palms landed on her bare shoulders and swiftly walked her back into the dressing room.

“Come on, this is not that bad!”

“I do not favor strings, Saya,” he deadpanned, closing the door behind her without caring if they stood in that store until closing time. He refused to let her leave with that.

Annoyed, that Haji was being particularly old fashioned, Saya decided to test his patience with a few other things she grabbed just to toy with him. Slipping from the bikini with a mischievous aura about her, she leaned to the wall for something black.

“Ok, Haji. How about this!”

As soon as a black, fish netted leg slipped out from the crack of the door, Haji’s body ceased the door from opening any further. Whispering, shock barely evident in his voice, Haji asked, “Saya. What is that?”

“Let me come out, and you’ll see.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Why not? It comes with a whip.”

Just then, the saleswoman from earlier happened to pick up that one line and giggled to herself, but not without passing Haji a suggestive wink. Clearing his throat in order to ignore the heat in his face, Haji pleaded, “Please. Change into something else.”

“Why? It’s not strings. Or, well not all of it is- and it has these crafty belt buckles and zippers!”

“Saya.”

“Okay! You can let go of the door now.”

Haji did so cautiously, in case she was bluffing, but she kept her word. After a few more moments of shuffling, Saya announced herself once again.

A bare, and pale leg slipped out. That could be both a good or bad sign. As Haji watched as Saya revealed herself inch by inch, his anticipation grew. Her thigh was almost out, and still- no sign of material.

“How about this, then?”

Saya stood inside the room, choosing only to open the door so that her Chevalier could feast his eyes on her. Just as she’d planned, his attention was coaxed to her. The scarlet bodice was tight around her waist, complimenting her small chest as it puffed from its low collar. Embroidered, the top apparently came with a matching set of panties.

“Please tell me this is not beach wear.”

“Hmm. It’s not,” she sung sweetly, a finger of hers dancing up to his chin as he hid her appearance with his body in the doorway.

“Are you being honest?”

“Mmm hmm. Do you like it?”

“…”

“Oh, of course. I should have guessed you wouldn’t. It has strings in the back of it, so I guess I should-”

“No. I mean, keep it. If you like it.”

“But I thought you didn’t favor strings,” Saya challenged.

“I don’t- usually.”

“Well, then, can I buy that bathing suit I had on earlier?”

“…”

“Please?”

“…”

“I’ll buy this, too. For you,” she punctuated the end of her sentence with the tap of her finger on his lips. Arching a brow at her, Haji was unsure if he should retaliate or not. Not wanting to relinquish his pride, Haji chose not to answer and turned away from her in defeat. After the door closed behind him, his heavy sigh was audible.

There was a pause before guilt began to nudge at Saya for taking advantage of her Chevalier. Eager to make this up to him, Saya called for the man again.

“Haji?”

“Yes?”

“Remember when you asked me if I needed help?”

“Yes?”

“Well- can you help me? I can’t seem to unzip this-”

As Saya welcomed him into the dressing room with her, he was unexpectedly greeted by her half concealed body. There was no problem with the zipper. It was never up in the first place.

“Saya-”

Snatching his shirt into her hands, she yanked him into a feverish kiss, passing him a whisper of something pleasant in his ear. Holding the door with one hand and wrapping a strong grip around her waist, he responded back into her ear, earning a content hum from the woman against him.

As the saleswoman made her rounds through the aisles again, the only thing she heard this time was the man confirm, “Your brother is right. You are very spoiled.”

Grinning to herself, the employee turned towards the other direction. After all, it was only Monday afternoon. The store was empty anyway and now she could watch her soap operas for an hour.

Banana Boat

“Haji. You should put some of this on.”

“I don’t need it.”

“But you have pale skin and it’ll burn easily.”

“I’m used to the harsh elements by now.”

“Haji! You’re being stubborn,” Saya reprimanded, a foot tapping in the sand and wobbling her uneven stance.

“Perhaps, I am.”

“You’ll regret this later,” she warned.

“I won’t.”

Rolling her eyes, Saya returned to spreading the tropical stench of grease all over her body. He wasn’t sure why, but something about spreading these foreign manmade chemicals all over his bare skin, made him feel insecure. He preferred the natural to the created, and would stay that way until he had no choice but to decide otherwise. Besides, the last thing he wanted to smell like was a palm tree. The scent didn’t exactly make him feel masculine.

And even as the sun bore into his unprotected pores, Haji stood firm in his decision, his expressionless demeanor unfailing- that is, until that night came…

“Mmm.”

“I told you you’d regret it.”

“I’m okay, Saya.”

“No, you’re not. Look,” she proved her point by pressing a finger into the red swollen skin coating his shoulders. With every press of her nail, Haji restrained a hiss, and her touch left a white stain before it cleared into red again.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Barely.”

“Really? So if I clawed my nails along your back right now-”

“No!”

Saya laughed, satisfied that she was able to catch the man’s bluff. “I wasn’t really going to do it.”

Haji sighed, folding his arms on the windowsill and taking comfort in the cool breeze sifting from outside. Saya puckered her lips in thought, and he heard her vanish somewhere further into their home. After a few minutes of clacking cabinets, and shuffling drawers, Saya returned with yet, another mysterious bottle in her hand- except this time, it was green.

“Here. Let me put this on you-”

“What is it?”

“It’s Aloe Vera. I know you’ve heard of that, right?”

Aloe Vera. He contemplated the term for a moment. Sounded natural enough.

Giving in, Haji presented his back to her and was relieved when the cool gel felt like heaven on his shoulders. It was sticky, and smelled slightly minty, but he’d have to deal with it. When she was done rubbing the liquid over his body, Haji crinkled a nose at having the stuff on him. He hoped it would dry up soon.

Smiling at his discomfort, Saya pecked his cheek with a kiss. “Next time, you should listen to me.”

The brunette responded with a hum, unwilling to admit he’d rather cook than smell like a sweaty coconut, and an artificial one at that.

Pitying her sun-roasted lover, Saya sat beside him, tenderly resting her temple against his arm before his body jumped. Shaking her head with an inward giggle, Saya settled for linking her fingers into his. At least that wouldn’t hurt him any further.

Closing their eyes as they indulged by the window, there was a moment of meditation before Haji heard his Queen sigh.

“Oh, Haji. Now, you smell like a medicated candy cane.”

“…”

Hands are not fly swatters

“What is that? Aunt Saya, come take a look at this!”

One of her twin nieces called out to her from a pile of leaves gathered by the stream where their campsite was beside. Curiously, and out of boredom, the long-haired girls poked into just about anything in search of something cute and fluffy. Finding something odd and unidentifiable, they quirked a brow at one another before they invited their aunt to have a look.

“Aunt Saya, what is that?”

Poking the piles with leaves, the three women found themselves drawn to the small movement inside. Whatever is was, it was quick.

“Oh! Maybe it’s a small chipmunk!” One sister surmised before Saya tilted a head.

“Hmm. No. I don’t think so. Let me try.”

Grabbing the stick from her nieces, she carelessly moved the leaves aside. “If it’s a little animal, we should see it by no- wha-”

The shrill scream of all three women made Kai jump from his grill, the burger on his spatula flying off the coal to land into the dirt. The man cursed before looking to Haji with the same startled expression.

“What in the- are you girls okay?”

His answer came when the women came running wildly at him, shaking their hair and the blood running cold in their faces.

“Kai!”

“I said, to call me dad, dam- hey, what? What the heck is wrong with you guys?”

Just then a rather large insect about the size of his entire hand came flitting its wings and antennae towards the small family huddled by the grill. Scared for their lives, the girls ran from Kai and looked to their aunt’s Chevalier for cover.

“Haji!”

“Damn, bugger! Get. Away. From. My burgers!”

Haji nodded as the twins sought refuge behind him, clinging to his back. Just as the man began to swell with pride, knowing that his Queen would hardly ever fear over such a tedious creature when she’d battled against larger, more hideous things, Saya came running not far after, just as wild as her nieces.

“Did you kill it! Is it dead?”

“Aunt Saya! It’s by Kai!”

As if on cue, the moment she looked to her brother, the insect targeted her, as if knowing she was the one that had disturbed it in the first place. Madly, it came at her, sending Saya in a chase for survival.

“Haji!” She screamed, covering her short hair and running with her eyes closed. She wouldn’t have known that it was over if it weren’t for the fact that her nieces’ yells of horror had suddenly been muted, not even Kai’s lashes of anger could be heard. Peeling her eyes open, she felt instant regret and wished she’d kept her eyes closed.

“H-Haji?”

Baffled by everyone’s reaction, Haji met his Queen’s eyes unflinching. “Yes?”

“What do you have in your hand?”

“No. Don’t ask, aunt Saya. You don’t wanna know-”

“Please tell me you don’t have what I think you have in your hand, Haji…”

“I- I would never lie to you-”

“Please lie to me, Haji, because if that bug is in your hand-”

Feeling ashamed, the man was lost for words. He hadn’t meant to kill it this way. It was just his instincts. As soon as he saw his Queen and her nieces running toward him, the predator catching up, his hand just reached out. And then, here they were…

“Haji?”

“Yes, Saya.”

“Is the bug in your hand?”

Haji nodded.

“Dead?”

He nodded again.

“And-” she swallowed warily, “crushed?”

“I believe so. Shall I confirm-”

“Noooo!”

Once Haji’s palm spread to reveal it’s gruesome contents, the female trio had once again run off in terror, their arms flailing in the air as they ran away from him. As they all ran and disappeared into a tent, Haji looked to Kai for something he apparently missed.

“Should I have let it chase them?”

“Don’t worry. She’ll be grateful later. And umm, maybe you should rinse your hands out in the stream,” Kai offered, trying to resist his urge to cringe.

With a heavy huff, Kai began to wrap up the food in aluminum foil. They probably wouldn’t be eating for a while. Looking over the clueless brunette who had settled by the fire with sympathy, Kai shrugged.

“Guess Saya will always be a girl, Chiropteran or not.”

I picked on Haji a lot in this one, didn’t I? I need to make it up to him later in this collection.