#swimming lessons

[foxwithadarkside]

-Wrecker, I know how to swim! -But you don't have a hand, you need to practice!

Summer of Bad Batch 2024 Week 8 / Main Prompt: Swimming Lessons Everybody gets the meme, right? :3 (I know SOBB doesn't do reblogs anymore, so I tagged you. I think you're gonna like it. @kybercrystals94)

[olsenmyolsen]

Swimming Lessons

Art By: @1005__H on twitter! I commissioned them after having this idea! They're wonderful!

Art By: @auroraromaximoff They're looking for more commissions and loved making this art after hearing my idea! They're super nice. Please check them out and give them a follow!

maroon master list . dark master list . request marvel master list . short n’ sweet master list

Non-Canon - Post Hawkeye - (Bishova)

Summary: Kate does her best to teach her former Black Widow girlfriend, Yelena, how to swim.

Word Count: 1.4K

Content: Yelena hates the beach, Married WandaNat, Lucky is a good dog

"Kate Bishop!" Yelena whined for the millionth time today. "I told you I don't know how to swim!"

Kate, still baffled by this recent revelation, dropped her girlfriend Yelena Belova onto her feet near the crashing waves of the private beach rented for the day.

"I still don't understand that! A part of me still doesn't believe you." Kate said through her sunglasses as she eyed the more petite blonde. "How does a former black widow assassin not know how to swim!?" Kate questioned as she threw her arms up.

With her arms by her side and green floaties on her arm, Yelena stomped her feet in the hot sand. "I told you I was a child assassin on a mission that week!"

"Ten bucks says Kate gets Yelena into the water before we leave today." Natasha Romanoff, Yelena's sister, said to her wife, Wanda Maximoff-Romanoff, as they watched the two from afar on the porch of the rental house for the weekend getaway.

Kate's pizza dog Lucky by their feet.

"Natasha!" Wanda gasped before slapping her wife's arm. "You can't do that!" She then shook her head and looked back to see Yelena lying on the sand, distracting Kate with a story about how she sniped a former secretary of state.

Wanda sighed. "Fine. You're on." Natasha laughed and sipped her iced tea. "Double or nothing?" She then asked with a coy smile. "Not a chance."

"Wow, how long did you stay in the crawl space of that apartment?" Kate asked, fully involved in Yelena's story as they slowly started building sand castles before remembering what her original plan was. "Wait- don't answer that- damn it, Yelena!" She sighed and scolded her girlfriend before standing up and shaking the sand off of her. "I'm teaching you to swim!"

Yelena looked down at the sand buildings before her and back up to her girlfriend. "But... but I'm busy." She said with a pout, making Kate grab her by her arm and hoist her up. Yelena stumbled. Always surprised by Kate's strength.

"Yelena, I didn't spend all the time putting sunscreen on you for you to not get in the water!"

Yelena crossed her arms over herself in her two-piece. The floaties on her arms making squeaking noises. "But what about sharks?"

"There are no sharks," Kate said, standing behind Yelena and beginning to push her into the sand. Yelena's feet dragged and made lines in the sand behind her heels. "You don't know that." Yelena countered.

"You don't know that either."

"Shit," Yelena whispered. "Okay but what if... what if you get swept out by a current!? I can't save you!" Yelena brought up a pretty solid reasoning in her mind.

But Kate would die trying to get Yelena to do anything. So if some all-mighty power thought that it should be because she's trying to teach Yelena how to swim, then so be it.

Although that would definitely traumatize Yelena for life.

Oh well.

"I won't get swept out, Yelena. I'm going to be with you the whole time. I promise." As those words left Kate, Yelena planted her feet into the sand and turned around to her dark-haired girlfriend. "Promise?" Kate nodded with a breath. "I promise." Yelena searched Kate's eyes for any doubt, but she knew she wouldn't find any. So she nodded, turned, and stepped closer and closer to the water.

"We can go slow," Kate said, step in step with the blonde as the tide rushed over their feet before being dragged out. Yelena jumped back. "Why is it cold!? It's in the sun all day!"

Kate couldn't help but think that that was a good point, and she didn't have an answer for Yelena. "I don't know, but it'll get warmer the longer you're in it."

Yelena looked up at her girlfriend's face before slowly lifting a hand for Kate to take. The taller of the two smiled and took her hand as her other one came to rest of Yelena's back.

Another wave crashed onto their feet, making Yelena laugh lightly as the sand was being pulled from under her feet. "That feels funny." Kate couldn't help but smile and laugh with her. "It does." She agreed as they walked further and further out.

"Damn it," Wanda said as she got up to go retrieve $10 from her purse back inside the house. Natasha watched her wife with a smile. "I told you."

"I told you." Wanda mocked back.

Natasha just shook her head and turned to Lucky, lying flat against the wooden porch. "Oof. Looks like I won't be getting any tonight."

Lucky let out an exaggerated huff from his nose before his ears shot up to the sounds of laughter coming from the shore, making him get up and run to Kate and Yelena.

Natasha watched the dog take off before her eyes found Kate holding Yelena up and over a wave.

The water now thigh-high.

"Ahh!!" Yelena screamed with joy as Kate set her back now and let a wave crash into them.

"It makes me walk funny," Yelena yelled with a smile as the wet sand below her feet gave out, making her stumble a tad. Kate nodded and grabbed the blonde's hand. "Come on, there's a sand bar a little further."

"Sand bar?" Yelena quietly asked before looking around. She didn't see any drinks or people. Yet she followed Kate as Lucky splashed into the water, swimming up to them.

Not caring about the waves.

"Oh, that's why it's called Doggy Paddle," Yelena said as she waded through the water behind Kate. The water slowly rising up her body with every step. As it got past her stomach and some faded scars that's when Yelena slowly began to worry.

"Kate, it's getting deeper..."

Kate Bishop opened her mouth to make a joke before her eyes saw the tiny ounce of fear Yelena had in them. Kate quickly moved to Yelena's side again as Lucky watched them as he swam by to the sand bar.

"Show off," Yelena grumbled, making Kate tilt her head disapprovingly. "Yelena, that's not very nice." Yelena kept her mouth closed as she slowly moved her arms in front of her with Kate's help.

Listening carefully to Kate's instructions.

Swimming more and more as, her feet began to touch the ocean floor less and less. The waves became calmer the further out they went, which helped Yelena and her nerves.

Until.

"Kate Bishop!" Yelena exclaimed as she no longer had her footing, forcing Yelena's mind to short-circuit.

This was it. She was going to drown. She was going to sink. Lucky was on the sandbar watching and was probably laughing at Yelena as she floundered her arms up and down like a mad woman. Yelena knew she had the floaties on, but amid panic, she couldn't think as her feet kicked nothing but water. She opened her mouth to call for her girlfriend's help, but the water went right down her throat due to her own body moving rapidly up and down.

(also, Kate was right there the whole time watching Yelena. Yelena made it sound WAY more dramatic.)

Yelena screamed and coughed up the salty water as Kate wrapped an arm around the blonde and moved her two feet back to where Yelena could touch again.

Yelena sighed and caught her breath again. "I almost died! That would not have been a cool way to die!" Yelena sounds almost disgusted by this. "I was right there. I had you." Kate said with a smile to Yelena, making the blonde swallow and nod while looking out to the ocean before looking back at Kate with her lips curling into a smile. "Thank you."

Kate nodded and swam beside Yelena, who floated with her arms lifted up. "Of course." Kate kissed the blonde's cheek as Lucky swan up to them. Splashing them, making Kate laugh before flicking a small wave of water towards Yelena.

Yelena narrowed her eyes after the initial shock. "Count your blessing, my widow bites are not waterproof." Kate laughs loudly at Yelena's unwavering tone before Yelena splashes Kate back.

Natasha and Wanda continue smiling while laughing and placing bets on Yelena and Kate for the rest of the day.

And when the sun began to dip in the distance, Yelena and Kate walked hand in hand along the beach.

dividers by @/benkeibear

[alwaysbewoke]

this was stressful but beautiful at the same time haha

the hug at the end y'all....

#blackbabies #swimminglessons #teachyourkidstoswim #shewasscaredbutbrave

[tlmtwelve]

Lula's ready for her swimming lessons!

Week 8 Prompt: @summer-of-bad-batch

[brainrotroulette]

Now, you could call this one a real "cliff hanger"

Been a lifelong Greek myths nerd, just started taking up drawing, and JUST got into EPIC.

I know that it's based on the Homeric telling of Odysseus' life and that Hesoid's Thoegony was basically fanfic. HOWEVER, it doesn't stop the thoughts swirling about if Hesoid's idea of Odysseus' lineage existed within the context of this musical; a man who occasionally snaps back into reality, and names sons whose existence he can barely stomach after the two things he wants most in the world, a quick ship and navigation proficiency so he can return home to Penelope and Telemachus and not the woman who is about to strip him of his memories and make him play house with a song.

[pebblesandpotatos]

swimming lessons for Hyrule for the ask game? 🙏

This one is fun! Think anime beach episode for the LU boys!

Being dropped in the ocean, the chain quickly learns that Hyrule cannot swim. Can't even float. So while they are waiting to be picked up by tetras gang, legend decides that it's time Hyrule learn how to swim.

Lots of shenanigans and Legend being an absolute softie for his successor's

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

Out of His Depth

Summer of Bad Batch 2024 | Week 8 | Prompt: Swimming Lessons

Summary: Omega asks for advice in giving swimming lessons. Crosshair begrudgingly discovers a new talent. POV: Crosshair Rating: G (Word Count: 2847)

Read on Ao3

Notes: I can't help but think of Crosshair being the grumpy-uncle type who's adored by everyone on Pabu, especially the younger crowd (and he loves the kids too, but will never openly admit it, and will never understand why they like him so much). And I've been thinking a lot about what his early interactions might have been like with Jax, Eva, Sami, and Bayrn. And then the "swimming lesson" prompt popped up. Behold the result.

Also, I'm a huge Tech Lives believer, but this story takes place a month or two after the finale events on Tantiss, so in my headcanon Tech hasn't made it back to his family quite yet.

Omega walked wearily up to the group and plopped down on the warm sand with a sigh.

Crosshair eyed her questioningly. “What’s with you?”

“I don’t know what to do,” she mumbled as she rested her chin in her hand, staring out over the tranquil Pabu waters.

“About what?” Hunter asked, leaning toward Omega as Wrecker and Phee turned their attention to the conversation.

 “Helping Sami so she’s not afraid of the water,” Omega replied, nodding toward the tiny Pantoran who was currently sitting squarely in the middle of the nearby dock, waving to the boats passing by.

Phee had just returned to Pabu, and since it was Phee’s first time seeing Omega since the Batch’s return from Tantiss, it was decided that a beach day was in order. With Shep, Lyana, Mox, Deke, Stak, Jax, Eva, Sami, and Bayrn also joining the party, it had been a full and eventful day. Phee had been in her element for several hours regaling the younger crowd with tales of her exploits; given that Omega had excitedly requested several specific stories, it was clear the others had already heard about many of Phee’s adventures. Crosshair, meanwhile, had listened skeptically and wondered how often Tech had tried fact-checking these stories.

It wasn’t quite as painful to think of Tech now, not since Crosshair had finally convinced himself to visit the impromptu memorial Omega had set up for their brother in the Archeum. Still, Crosshair had found himself wishing more than once that Tech could have been here with them during this beach day – if only so Crosshair could have teased him relentlessly about his pirate girlfriend.

It had been later in the afternoon that Bayrn had been taken in for a nap, Shep and Lyana had taken Jax, Eva, and the former cadets out on the boat, and Sami had approached Omega to ask for swimming lessons. “Jax and Eva know how to swim,” Sami had said. “I’d like to try it.” And Omega had happily agreed, taking Sami to the relatively shallow natural pool at the far end of this stretch of beach, while the brothers filled Phee in more on what had happened since Tantiss and the slow progress being made toward finding the children’s families.

Given what Omega was now reporting, Crosshair would hazard a guess that Sami’s family had never made her enter a large body of water.

“Did she not know swimming involves getting in the water?” Crosshair asked Omega now.

Omega furrowed her brows in thought. “Oh, she knew, but I don’t think she really thought about putting her head in the water.” A pause, then “Or any part of her body above her knees. She doesn’t mind getting wet – I tried dumping some water over her head and she was fine with it - she’s just afraid of getting into a pool of water.”

“Just push her in,” Crosshair shrugged offhandedly. Realizing from the looks he was now receiving that the others thought he had been serious, he contrarily decided to defend his statement rather than explain he had been joking. “What? That’s what the trainers on Kamino did to me. And we were about the same age she is.”

“Well, that explains a lot,” Phee remarked drily as she gazed appraisingly at him.

“A lot about what??”

“About you.”

Oh, yes, Tech and Phee had to have gotten along great together, Crosshair groused internally, before Hunter spoke up again. “That’s how the trainers made you learn how to swim, Crosshair, and you are an excellent swimmer; but I don’t think it will help with our objective of making Sami less afraid of the water.” Turning back to Omega, who was still staring with no small amount of exasperation at Crosshair, Hunter continued, “What else have you tried?”

Still halfway tuned in to the conversation, Crosshair thought back to those earliest days on Kamino, when cadets began their swimming training when they were, developmentally speaking, seven or eight years old. There had been no time, sympathy, nor resources for individual attention, however; cadets were taught to swim in groups of twenty, and had to find a way to keep up or be dismissed from training. During their first class, Crosshair had only slightly hesitated when tasked with jumping into the training pool, and one breath later had found himself unexpectedly submerged in the water, gasping for air and frantically trying to stay afloat, having been shoved into the pool by the trainer who had shouted at him that he could either sink or swim.

Well, Crosshair had quickly learned how to swim, but had also discovered that he hated being in or near the water, despite having been surrounded by the ocean since birth, and approached swimming lessons with significant dread that was overpowered only by his stubborn determination to not be decommissioned. This loathing of large bodies of water had lasted for almost two months, until one night when he had been awoken by Hunter, who had told him in a whisper that the squad was “sneaking out.” They had never been so daring before, and Crosshair, excited by the prospect, had raised no objection – until he had discovered they were sneaking out to the training pools, the last place he ever wanted to be. Still, he had stayed quiet, and had been relieved when “sneaking out” didn’t involve actually swimming. Instead, he and Hunter and Wrecker and Tech had spent an hour just sitting at the side of the pool, kicking their feet quietly in the cool water, listening to Tech ramble on about the aquatic life on Kamino until Wrecker’s snores drowned out Tech’s lecture and Hunter suggested they all return to the barracks. These sporadic outings had continued for months –always spending time near water, always by the training pools until Tech figured out a route to a rarely-used landing platform built low near the water where they could sit and enjoy the salty air and crashing waves in closer proximity – until they had a close call with being discovered and had subsequently deferred sneaking out of the barracks for almost a year. Still, after just a few relaxed trips to the pools with his brothers, Crosshair had abruptly realized he no longer hated the water – actually, he rather enjoyed it, and swimming had gradually become an activity he looked forward to rather than feared.

He hadn’t thought about those times by the pools for years, and it was only now, sitting here on the Pabu beach listening to Omega’s troubles with Sami’s swimming lessons, that he suddenly suspected Hunter and his brothers had had ulterior motives for choosing the pools as their first destination for their rebellious outings.

And he had an idea.

“Have you tried holding Sami? You know, picking her up and, well, walking into the water with her?” Crosshair interjected into the ongoing brainstorming session.

Omega shook her head slowly. “I thought about that, but Sami didn’t want to try because she thinks she’s too big for me to hold her…”

“I can do it,” Wrecker promptly volunteered. “If she’s up for it, that is.”

Omega still hesitated. “The pool’s not very deep…”

Wrecker thought for a moment before nodding. “I can just sit in the water. We’ll figure it out.”

Omega suddenly broke out into a smile and rose to her feet before grabbing Wrecker’s hand. “Okay then, let’s go talk to Sami about it.” She took a few steps before looking back at the others. “You all coming?”

Hunter shrugged. “Why not,” he said, rising from his chair and whistling for Batcher to join them.

Crosshair, standing and preparing to follow, felt Phee’s eyes on him and turned to look at her. “What now?” he asked impatiently.

Phee chuckled a little as she shook her head. “Like I said, that explains a lot,” she said cryptically, before passing Crosshair to join Omega and Wrecker as they approached the docks where Sami still sat. 

******

Crosshair stepped onto the dock, waving only slightly awkwardly at Jun’s profuse thanks for his assistance in loading the boat, and made his way back toward the residential areas of Lower Pabu. 

He was fully aware of Sami standing a few feet away from the dock, holding Bayrn in her arms, but he had no idea the Pantoran was waiting for him until he had almost passed her and she suddenly spoke in a low voice that was nearly inaudible. 

“Mister Crosshair, sir?” 

He paused in bewilderment before turning to face her, and realized he must be scowling based on the apprehensive look on the young girl's face. Making an effort to relax his features - no need to intimidate her, after all - he elected to delay correcting her form of addressing him and instead cut straight to the point. 

“What do you want?”

She shrank back ever so slightly - hmmm, maybe his voice had come out a little sharper than he intended - but proceeded to make her request. 

“Would you hold Bayrn while Omega gives me a swimming lesson?”

Crosshair was far too nonplussed now to consider his expression or his tone.

“What?”

Sami gulped. “Uh, well, Omega's going to give me another swimming lesson now. Bayrn’s too little to swim, but I thought maybe he could get used to the water. It took me so long to stop being afraid, maybe it will be easier for Bayrn if he can be in the water now.”

The girl's full meaning finally dawned on Crosshair, and he looked at her aghast. 

“You… you want me to get into the water. And hold that kid. In the water?”

“Uh-huh,” Sami nodded, adjusting her hold on the baby. “It helped me a lot when Mister Wrecker held on to me. I would ask him, but him and Mister Hunter are out fishing and Mister Shep is busy and Mister Thom and Missus Hanti are getting dinner ready for us and…”

Peripherally noting that if Sami was persisting in calling even Wrecker “Mister,” he, Crosshair, would have to get used to being called by the same title, Crosshair cut her off. “I get the point. There's no one else. I'm glad you know I am a last resort. But I don't think I should be holding a kid.” And he frowned as he raised his arms in front of him, staring at his right stump. 

He hadn't gotten a prosthesis yet. He didn't even know if he wanted one. Echo had gone for years without one and had pulled off so many incredible feats Crosshair had often forgotten Echo was missing a hand. He doubted he'd ever reach Echo's level of skill, but he had been able to find new ways to accomplish more each day with just the one hand, and was growing rather accustomed to it. Still, holding a baby…

“Oh, you can hold Bayrn with one arm. It's easy. My dad does it all the time. He got his arm hurt bad in an accident so he had to hold my little brother like this, see?” And Sami shifted Bayrn to demonstrate. 

“You have a brother?” Crosshair asked as he observed Sami’s technique.

She had finally lost her apprehensive look, and now she actually smiled a little. “Yeah. I can't wait to see him again. I hope I can help him learn to swim too.” 

Sighing, Crosshair decided it was time to stop delaying the inevitable. He could come up with at least two dozen more reasons why he shouldn't accede to this request, but he knew that, no matter how much he may protest, he'd be in the pool holding the baby within the next few minutes. Might as well get this over with. 

“Fine. Let's go. No, wait,” he said as Sami started trotting off, “give me the kid now. I need to practice.” Before the kid becomes slippery as well as squirmy, he thought resignedly to himself. 

He may have reservations about holding the baby, but Bayrn’s own sense of self-preservation was obviously seriously impaired, for the baby cooed and smiled as he was passed over to the nervously scowling clone. If Crosshair wondered if maybe he was holding the baby too tightly for fear of dropping him, the baby didn't seem to mind, happily clapping before turning his attention toward examining his new holder. 

By the time they found Omega, Bayrn had thankfully released his death grip on Crosshair's ear and stopped his high-pitched excited squealing, and had settled into happily patting Crosshair's face. Omega, turning at Sami’s greeting, waved at them and impressively showed no sign of surprise or alarm at her sniper brother holding a baby. Instead, she called out cheerfully, “Crosshair! What are you doing here?”

He shrugged awkwardly, reactively adjusting his hold on Bayrn when the kid tipped forward while reaching out toward Omega. 

“Swimming lessons,” he said. 

“Oh?”

“I don't want Bayrn to be scared of the water, like I was,” Sami explained. “Mister Crosshair said he'd help.”

“Oh!” Omega nodded solemnly at Sami, but grinned so brightly at Crosshair he started to feel even more embarrassed than he already was. Letting out a slightly grumpy hmph, he stepped ahead of the girls into the pool, quickly finding an area of suitable depth where he could sit just about chest deep in the pleasantly cool water, and squinting as Bayrn squealed in delight and began splashing his little arms in the water. 

This was his punishment for ever poking fun at Hunter’s skills with children. At least Hunter wasn't around to witness Crosshair's humiliation in person, though Crosshair had no doubt Hunter and Wrecker and everyone else on this overly-friendly island would know about this event by sundown. 

“I don't think the kid is scared at all of the water,” he said to Sami while frowning at Bayrn's antics.

“Oh good! Yay Bayrn!” Sami smiled, clinging to Omega's hand as she cautiously stepped into the water herself. 

This was not exactly the response Crosshair had been angling for.

“You picked a great place to sit, Crosshair,” Omega said, pre-empting Crosshair's plea to somehow get out of this. “You can watch and tell me if I'm teaching Sami alright.”

“Oh goodie,” he deadpanned, though he smiled a little when Sami took a deep, nervous breath before plunging her head into the water and emerging looking rather pleased with herself.��

“Good, Sami. You're getting much better,” Omega smiled. “I think it’s time to show you how to not hold your breath all the time.”

“But I can’t breathe underwater,” Sami said.

“That’s right,” Omega said patiently. “You breathe in the air when your head is above water, and then breathe out when your head is in the water.”  

“Try blowing bubbles,” Crosshair blurted before thinking. At Sami’s questioning stare, he added in a tone completely devoid of enthusiasm, “It's fun.” 

For some reason, Sami took him at his word, nodding at him and watching Omega demonstrate before gamely trying it herself, giggling when she straightened. “That is fun,” she declared before, unprompted, repeating the task. 

“NOT you,” Crosshair warned Bayrn, who, having watched the display with interest, abruptly tried ducking his head toward the water to mimic the girls. Bayrn, obviously a bit put out, huffed for a few moments before suddenly smiling and resuming his splashing. 

By the time Thom and Hanti arrived to take Sami and Bayrn back home for dinner, Omega had started Sami on basic flutter kicks, with Crosshair – finding himself significantly interested in the proceedings in spite of himself – offering a few suggestions for improvement. His left arm felt like it was about to fall off from holding Bayrn for so long, even as he had daringly switched the baby to his right arm and discovered to his own pleasant surprise that this was quite manageable; and, to his own dismay, had found himself pondering how to best position Bayrn to help the kid get used to floating, so the arrival of the volunteer guardians couldn't have come at a better time. Still, he couldn’t hold back a sigh as he handed Bayrn over to Thom – yep, within an hour EVERYONE would know he had held a baby.

Omega playfully shouldered him as they trailed behind the children and their guardians on the way back to Upper Pabu, and Crosshair braced himself for what he knew she was going to say, even as he realized he had been rather hoping she would say it.

“You know, Crosshair, you'd make a really good swimming teacher.”

“Ha.”

“Provided you don't push any kids into the water.”

“Don't tempt me.”

“No, I mean it! You should start giving lessons.”

“Never gonna happen.”

******

Surprising to no one except, perhaps, Crosshair, it happened.

A few days later, Crosshair found himself confronted by Jax.

“Do you know how to dive?” the young Mirialan asked.

“Yes,” Crosshair answered shortly.

“Can you teach me?”

“No.”

Within a week, Crosshair had given Jax his first two diving lessons.

Within a year, Crosshair had become the go-to instructor on Pabu for swimming lessons.

The end. 

@summer-of-bad-batch

[kybercrystals94]

Racket

Read here on Ao3!

Summer of Bad Batch | Week 8 | Swimming Lessons

Rated: G | Words: 1000 | Summary: Omega faces a bully on Kamino.

Omega tugs at the collar of her wetsuit. It is a little tight and small, her wrists and ankles exposed. Biologically, she is the same age as the cadets standing next to her against the wall facing the training pool; however, she is slightly taller physically. Nala Se didn’t think it was necessary to have a custom wetsuit made to fit since Omega will only be taking swimming basics, the lessons extensive and lasting less than a week.

“Where’d you come from?” the cadet on her left asks, eyeing Omega suspiciously.

Omega smiles and avoids the question. “I’m Omega,” she says instead.

The cadet frowns at her. “Why are you here?”

“Same reason you are,” Omega says, shrugging.

“You don’t belong here,” the cadet sneers, “You’re not a soldier.”

Now Omega feels annoyed. She’s being friendly, so why is he being so rude? “Well, you’re not one either,” she tells him. “You’re only three cycles. You can’t be a trooper until you’re nine.”

The cadet sticks his tongue out at her, crosses his arms, and turns to face the water again.

Omega learns that the cadet’s name is Racket, which suits him. He is loud and annoying. And bossy. And a bully.

Omega loses count of the number of times he shoves her underwater. While he never holds her there, it is always unexpected, causing Omega to sputter and gasp when she comes back up.

He takes her floatation device and throws it out into the middle of the training pool. The instructor gets it, scolding Omega for letting it get away from her. She tries to explain what happened, but the instructor interrupts, “I don’t want to hear your excuses.”

When they’re swimming laps, Racket grabs at Omega’s legs or arms as he passes her to throw off her strokes, leaving her floundering to recover.

When the lesson is finally over, Omega finds Nala Se waiting for her with a towel and change of clothes. “How was your lesson, Omega?” she asks.

It is all Omega can do not to cry when she asks, “Do I have to come back?”

“That is the intention,” Nala Se replies, guiding Omega to the private changing room usually reserved for the instructors. “Why? Did something happen?”

Omega glances across the room and sees Racket watching her, a cruel smirk on his round, young face. He might be a bully, but Omega is not a tattletale. “No. I just didn’t like it.”

“Hmm,” Nala Se hums. “I thought you would benefit from interacting with individuals your age; however, if you feel it is not a positive experience, perhaps private lessons would be more beneficial.”

***

“Oh, look, a little lab scrabber,” Racket sneers when Omega walks into the infirmary with AZI.

Omega ignores him, keeping her pace to show she doesn’t care. However, AZI stops to look at the clone sitting on the edge of a medical cot holding an ice pack to a developing black eye. “I must correct you, CT-1051811. Omega is not a lab scrabber. She is a medical assistant.”

“Ignore him, AZI,” Omega calls over her shoulder, putting the tray of sanitized medical tools on the counter and beginning to sort them into their proper drawers.

“It’s so sad that your only friend in the galaxy is a medical droid,” Racket croons and then laughs.

Omega rolls her eyes. “Yep. Almost as sad as ending up in medical because you lost a fight against a seven year cadet in a training module.”

“My medical records are classified, you little brat,” Racket growls.

Omega finishes sorting the tools and turns. “I’m a medical assistant,” she tells him sweetly. “So I have access to all your embarrassing records. I hope your cracked rib is healing up okay after that tumble from the Star Destroyer ramp. You really should be more careful.”

“Why you–” Racket begins, but Omega flees the room, AZI whirring behind her.

***

She’s done it. She’s finally found her brothers. And she’s sitting with them for a meal. They don’t seem to know what to make of her yet; however, Omega knows they’ll warm up to her. She’s their sister after all. They just don’t remember.

“Check it out,” a voice says behind her. Omega would know that awful voice anywhere. “The defect squad’s got themselves a new recruit. Another member added to the Sad Batch.”

Omega feels her blood begin to boil under her skin, anger bubbling up so fast she doesn’t really think about it when she climbs up on the table and picks up her bowl of soup. No one talks about her little brothers that way. Not on her watch. The bowl of soup hits its mark stunningly: the back of Racket’s stupid head.

“What the…” Racket whirls around, expression twisted with rage muted by the sludge of soup dribbling down his face and armor. “Who threw that?”

Omega already has her next projectile in hand. “I did. Now apologize to my friends.”

“I like this kid!” Wrecker’s voice sounds delighted, but Omega doesn’t let the warmth that fills her distract from the task at hand as Racket makes his way back to the table.

“What did you say to me?” he demands.

Hunter steps in, moving between Omega and her target. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back off,” he tells Racket, “I suggest you keep moving.”

Racket glares down Hunter, shifts his gaze to Omega, and then to something behind her. Omega knows it must be Wrecker looming at her back. She keeps her expression firm.

Wisely, he deflates, scoffing. He starts to turn around, but not without having the final word. “Know your place, lab scrabber,” he tells Omega, smirking.

Omega glares after him. She can take him calling her names.

But apparently, Wrecker can’t. A tray of food flies past Omega’s head, hitting Racket hard, nearly toppling him. Omega grins as the cafeteria begins to erupt into chaos. This will be a good bonding experience with her brothers.

And they already have her back.

END

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[thepersonalwords]

Writing does not exist unless there is someone to read it, and each reader will take something different from a novel, from a chapter, from a line.

Claire Fuller, Swimming Lessons

[neyswxrld]

just in case

Wrecker (no pairing)

summary: Wrecker has a accident during one of his training modules.

warnings: starving, exhaustion, almost fainting, (almost) drowning

words: ~1780

a/n: hello again! i wrote another fic for @summer-of-bad-batch! this time, it's a bit of a heavier topic. i decided to combine the promts cadets and swimming lessons and kinda took a turn there, since my fics normally contain a lot of fluff. i hope you enjoy!

MASTERLIST

When Wrecker woke up this morning, he somehow already knew it wouldn't be a good day.

He felt drained and exhausted, even though he just slept.

And he was hungry, oh so hungry!

He didn't know what exactly it was, but since a few weeks, the food portions they got in the mess hall didn't seem to be enough for him. He always felt hungry, even after breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

His brothers seemed to have noticed, since he suddenly was a lot more grumpy and had a smaller energy level at all.

Tech said it could be because he had another growth spurt. His metabolism was higher than theirs. And his muscles needed more energy. So Wrecker really required more food.

So at his last checkup he mentioned as much, but the foreign Kaminoan just looked at him with an emotionless stare and didn't react further.

He didn't know what to do. And that he slowly could start to see his own ribs made him worry even more. He was genuinely scared he would starve to death.

The others gave him some of their food, most of the time. Things they didn't like but knew Wrecker would, or things that were too much for them. But still, it just didn't seem to be enough.

The horrible thing about this particular day was, that they had the swimming module.

Normally, Wrecker was a big fan of the swimming lessons: he liked the water, the cool of it, and he absolutely loved how light he seemed and how he could just float around in the waves.

But this day should be very different.

Before, they trained in quiet waters, in a pool in which he could easily reach the floor if he needed too. This time, they should get a simulation of waves in another pool, that was much deeper than the current one. They learned the basics of swimming, now they needed to test the deeper waters.

The problem was, swimming was exhausting. Even in the normal water. He couldn't imagine how hard it would be with the waves. Especially since he already felt his low energy.

He sighed quietly and pressed his face a little deeper into Lula's ears, which he held against his chest, before getting up slowly.

When he turned around, he instantly met Hunter's worried gaze. "You okay?" he asked, and Wrecker tried to smile, nodding.

"Yeah, jus' tired," he said, walking over to the bathroom.

When all of them were ready, they made their way over to the mess hall. As always, his brothers gave him some of their food. They talked about what they would have to do today, where they would have to be, and Wrecker was more than a little relieved that Hunter would also have the swimming module, at the same time even. So they were together at least.

It made everything just a little less scary.

After breakfast, they went back to their barracks and everyone got ready for their day. Wrecker still felt like something was off, like something bad was going to happen. He just didn't know what. Even though it was a little better after he got some food in his tummy.

He patted Lula goodbye, before walking over to Crosshair, hugging him as always. It was a little ritual between the four of them. Always saying goodbye the right way. Just… Just in case something went wrong during training.

He went over to Tech to do the same, followed by Hunter, even though he knew they would be together later. It was just in case.

Little did he know how close he would come to "just in case" at that day.

When Hunter and Wrecker walked over to the changing room together, Hunter threw worried glances at him here and there. "Are you sure, you're okay?" He finally asked when they were changing into their bath robes, standing alone in a corner, "You're so quiet today."

Wrecker nodded again. "Just really tired. I could sleep another twelve hours. And… just hungry," he said, shrugging. It's not something they could do anything about it.

"Just be careful in the water, okay? Call me if something's wrong immediately, understood?"

Wrecker gave a small smile, "understood."

The water was cold. So cold, he was freezing and shaking. His teeth chattered so hard, it made his vision shake.

The waves were big, huge even, and he wondered where the hell he would ever have to swim in a place like that.

But it seemed to be okay.

At the beginning, at least.

The first few laps were relatively good to swim. But the more he did, the more exhausting and impossible it got.

Normally, he was one of the best of the group, due to his big body, long arms and strength, but today it seemed like everyone was in front of him, overlapping him even.

But he couldn't really care. He just… He was so exhausted. His stomach ached for food, it felt empty and he was so hungry.

His arms were heavy and every swimming stroke he took felt like a battle in itself.

The waves crashed over him and suddenly he was underwater.

When his head breached the surface again, he had just enough time to take another breath before he was swallowed by another wave.

He didn't notice how he barely moved forward and how dangerous the situation was for him at this point.

He was concentrating on taking breaths at the right time, but soon enough he also got an ache at his side. He was breathing weird.

The next time he was gasping for air, a wave hit him in the face. Salty water flooded his mouth and he couldn't suppress a gag reflex.

He started to cough, spitting out the water, trying to stay above the surface, but he was just so exhausted. His arms didn't really move anymore, his head was underwater more often than not, and he just felt so helpless. He hadn't the energy to swim across to the edge of the pool, to hold himself up, and he just kept going down and down.

"Hunter!" he gasped just before another wave hit him, pulling him down.

But this time, he just… He just couldn't pull himself up anymore.

Helpless, he tried to reach for the surface, tried to paddle with his feet. He tried so hard to pull himself up, but it was just like he didn't know how to swim anymore.

The water was so deep, his ears already ached from the pressure, and all he could do was watch the bubbles that left his throat float up.

He was so kriffed. A surge of panic rushed through him, but he just - he just couldn't do anything to help himself.

He tried to get up, so hard, but he was just stuck down here, underwater.

At this moment he was sure it would be over. He was going to die. It was his "just in case" scenario. And even though he was always sure he would go down in a more epic way, for example in an explosion, he couldn't find it in him to be sad, or devastated.

His head got dizzy, he already hadn't enough air to breath and now it just wasn't possible. He tried so hard to fight his breathing reflex, but at some point he felt like he just couldn't.

Just before he was about to give up, he saw a blurry figure breaching the surface, coming closer.

Still, his eyes closed.

When he opened them the next time, he was laying on the cold, wet floor next to the pools, Hunter and a trainer above them with uncertain looks in their eyes. Hunter was panicking, and holding his hand in such a tight grip, his knuckles turned white. But Wrecker didn't really notice the pressure.

He closed his eyes again. He was so exhausted.

He floated around for a while. Sometimes it was dark, and he almost felt like he was in the water again. But in the one that wasn't so deep and full of waves.

Some other times he dreamed about his brothers. Of Crosshair and how he proudly showed him some new tricks he learned with his sniper rifle. About Tech and how he told him something about a new technology for a detonator. And of Hunter and how he tugged him close one night when he suddenly was scared of the loud noises from outside.

When he opened his eyes again, he was blinded by white lights. He groaned weakly and closed them tightly. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand, while the other squeezed the one that was occupied with something… warm?

Another hand, he realized when he heard a light gasp and a relieved call for his name.

"Wrecker!"

"I'm up. What happened?" he groaned and finally opened his eyes. Not only Hunter but also Tech and Crosshair were sitting around his medical cot.

"You almost drowned, buddy," Hunter told him, and Wrecker felt fear rising in him when some memories flooded his mind.

"Oh," he said, not really knowing what else to say. His heart beat so fast, but he chose to ignore it for now.

"I pulled you out. I-I was so scared. I just heard you calling my name, and then I couldn't see you anywhere. I thought I was too late," Hunter swallowed and squeezed his hand back.

"Oh, uh, thank you," he said again. He still felt drained and tired. It laid above him like a heavy blanked but instead of comforting him, it made him feel uncomfortable.

"Your medical records say you're malnourished and too light," Tech suddenly chimed in. "It is very likely that you were too exhausted to continue your swimming lessons because of that. Thus, the medics prescribed you a higher daily calorie income, so your body can keep up," he explained.

Wrecker didn't know what to say. It was just so much. He almost drowned.

He almost died.

"That means you can eat as much as you want from now on," Crosshair said this time, a mischievous smirk appearing on his lips. "That means you can bring me extra dessert, too!"

Wrecker blinked, but slowly started to smile, too.

More food sounded good. Extra desserts even better.

"That's good," he murmured again, still feeling tired. He absolutely needed to sleep, he needed to realize what happened, and he needed to realize that even though he almost died, it looks like he wouldn't have to be hungry anymore. That really was good.

"You look tired. Maybe you should take another nap," Hunter suggested softly.

Wrecker nodded. Yeah, that sounded great.

"We're still here, when you wake up," Crosshair promised and reached out to pat his head.

That sounded even better.

It didn't take long for Wrecker to drift off again, and fall into a recovering, comfortable dream.

The next time they were at the mess hall, he loaded his plate unbelievably full. And even though it was way too much in the end, it was the first time since a long time that he didn't went to sleep hungry.

TAGLIST

@isthereanechoinhere96 @trixie2023 @freesia-writes

[indigofyrebird]

Swimming Lessons

Call Hunter

For the @summer-of-bad-batch prompt "swimming lessons"

[biggsodorcitystories]

Young Zebward: First Swimming Lesson

A little idea that I had regarding Edward and Zebedee's early years, playing on my headcanon that most engines are unable to swim. By contrast, young tugs are taught to swim as babies.

This picture is set around the first or second year of their marriage, with Susannah being a baby and already starting her swimming lessons. Not wanting to be the only member of the family unable to swim, Edward asked Zebedee to teach her, too.

The first lesson was a nervous one. Despite the life jacket over her Furness red swimsuit and being in relatively shallow water, Edward was terrified by the unfamiliar scenario of being in water that came up to the waist and needed constant reassurance.

This was just a quick sketch, but I tried to make them both look younger, given they're both twenty at the absolute oldest here. Edward's forearm is far too skinny though 🫤

[summer-of-bad-batch]

Week 8 Prompt Drop!

Main Prompt: Swimming Lessons

Alternate Prompt: Lula

Launching into Week 8 means there's only 5 weeks left of Summer of Bad Batch...doesn't it feel like only a few days ago we were starting on Week 1?? I've been so blown away by all the amazing creativity that has gone into filling each and every one of these prompts thus far! Keep up the good work, y'all are amazing!!

This Week's Tags:

#summerofbadbatch2024 #week8 #swimming lessons #lula

Reminder! Don't forget to tag this blog in your Tumblr fills! For some reason, some posts don't show up even when they're tagged properly ☹️ If your fill was missed for reflagging even though it met blog rating criteria, please tag me in the comments on your post!

[daphnefangirling]

Update on the books collection 📚

[lili-66s-blog]

[deityoftherain]

swimming below zero - Flower Husbands Empires S1 Fanfic

Rating: General Audiences

Relationship: M/M

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Status: Completed Oneshot

Word Count: 2,896

Summary: Jimmy loves swimming and wants to share the love with his husband so he gives Scott a swimming lesson <3

Full fanfic underneath the cut! Please reblog, leave kudos on the AO3 fic slash notes/likes here on Tumblr, comment either place, and etc if you enjoy the story :D

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Scott was eyeballing the murky waters just off of Codland’s docks as if it had personally offended them. 

Due to Rivendell’s lack of swimmable water, Scott had never gone swimming before. Rivendell didn’t even sell swimwear, so Scott was wearing some from the Codlands. Jimmy wouldn’t admit it so openly (he would, depending on who was around), but he did find great pleasure in seeing Scott in clothing more typical of Codland… and in significantly fewer layers than normal. 

Scott’s swimming shorts and shirt showed off some of his pale white skin that Jimmy usually only saw when they were alone, though Jimmy noticed that Scott’s skin was starting to flush pinker from the sun’s contact and the warm humidity frequently occurring in the swampy territory. The swim shirt was designed to help them not burn under it, but Jimmy had slathered them with sunscreen anyway and would keep an eye on the sun’s position in the sky so, if all went well, they wouldn’t burn.

“Of course it is!” Jimmy declared confidently, flashing his husband a wide grin and swishing his tail. Scott was willing to learn to swim and Jimmy was determined to teach him! “Seeing how often you visit, it’ll be good for you to at least know the basics. Besides, you’ll be fine with me here. I’m a really great swimmer.”

Swimming was one of Jimmy’s favorite things so, naturally, he was very enthused about it. His tail-swishing allowed him to get some of his happy energy out without people thinking he was too strange. Scott didn’t mind his excited hand flaps or jumps, claiming to actually like them and find them cute, but they were in public! Some people already saw him as unfit and they cursed the Cod Council for choosing him to be their Codfather. Fortunately, that wasn’t everyone, but the angry people tended to be the loudest.

Jimmy has always felt socially awkward and out of place, and, ever since he became the Codfather, he’s felt even more social pressure. Learning all the rules took time, but he’s got it down! Or, at least, he thinks he does. He could never be sure; it was all a mess.

This wasn’t to say he wasn’t social, because he was! Jimmy loved talking to people and engaging in everything the world had to offer. It was just difficult for him to understand why some people acted like he grew an extra tail out of his ear when he was simply existing as he was in a space.

Scott stared at Jimmy for several moments before allowing his muscles to relax. “Okay, Jimmy. I trust you.”

Jimmy felt his face light up as he took Scott’s hand and led them closer to the water. Scott’s grip on his hand was tight as it often was when Scott was anxious, but Jimmy would take care of him. “Do you want to jump off together or go in after me?”

Scott contemplated for a moment before choosing, “Together.”

“Okay, you took the water-breathing potion, right?” Jimmy asked to make sure instead of assuming. He figured it would help calm Scott’s anxieties and make them safer to have it for the first eight or so minutes of their swimming lesson. Jimmy had gills as a feature of his cod ancestors, so he didn’t have to worry about it.

“I did,” Scott confirmed, not taking his gaze off of the watery depths.

“Perfect. We’ll jump on ‘jump’, okay? Three, two, one, jump!” As Jimmy instructed, they both jumped off of the dock in sync, earning mild air time before plummeting into the water.

Scott’s hand was still holding Jimmy’s tightly, but it had grown more suffocating. The pressure was actually starting to hurt, but Jimmy didn’t dare tell Scott that. He didn’t want them to overthink this more than they already were. Besides, he’s felt more pain than this before. He just clicked his tongue in a pattern to take his mind off of it and it worked well.

“You can breathe, Scott.” Jimmy kept his tone as soft and gentle as possible without sounding like he was babying them. Scott’s face briefly conveyed distrust, but it soon gave way to acceptance as his mouth gaped open to take a deep breath. “The potion will still be in effect, but it’s good that you know how to hold it for when you swim without a potion. We’ll work on treading first so you can keep your head above water if you ever get stuck.”

From there, the swimming lessons went better than he had expected. Sure, Scott was nervous, but Jimmy gave him some slack. Rivendell wasn’t exactly known for swimming, after all!

Jimmy taught Scott several swimming techniques, some Jimmy knew from experience and some he had to research beforehand. He had done the research many times, but he made sure to refresh himself on the basics. Elves didn’t have tails or gills so, without a breathing potion, they couldn’t move as fast and had to stay near the surface. Those two things required an altercation in what an oceanfolk would learn.

The longer they went on, the more distracted and out of it Scott seemed. It wasn’t too noticeable, for Scott was well versed in hiding things such as that, but Jimmy was picking up on hints. Or, he thought he was. He wasn’t sure since nonverbal cues had always been difficult for him to interpret. Jimmy would need hundreds of fingers to count how many times he’s stared at Scott simply to observe them and their actions. The fact that Jimmy found Scott very handsome was simply an added bonus.

Still, Scott insisted that he was fine and that he wanted to do this for him when Jimmy offered him a break, so they continued on. Jimmy was easily convinced to continue because, selfishly, he didn’t want to leave the water yet. It felt wonderful against his skin and the temperature was just right. He loved his time above the waves or up in the mountains with Scott (mostly because Scott was there), but the water would always feel like home, it would always feel safe.

Scott’s movements grew more and more stiff, and he appeared increasingly more fatigued. He couldn’t conceal the true nature of his pain any longer so Jimmy insisted, “Let’s head back to shore.” “Okay,” Scott agreed with somewhat squinted eyes. He turned his sights onto the distance… in the completely wrong direction. Scott was facing east, which would eventually run into The Ocean Empire or Mezalea if they kept swimming. “Scott, Codland is that way,” Jimmy corrected, pointing west. Concern continued to bite at him, but Jimmy was more than confident in his own swimming abilities. He’s been doing it for as long as he could remember, afterall! He would keep Scott safe.

He rested a hand on Scott’s shoulder and they flinched away at the touch, reacting as if Jimmy had smacked them. Jimmy furrowed his eyebrows. Scott was usually quite open to touch by loved ones, but sometimes he responded in touch-adverse ways. Jimmy didn’t fully understand it and it was hard to accept it. How was he supposed to determine when it was okay to touch him and when it wasn’t?

Before Jimmy could say anything, Scott turned himself around and began to swim west toward the docks.

Now Jimmy wasn’t too proud to admit this, but Scott was so slow (most non-oceanfolk were) and Jimmy was getting antsy. Trusting Scott to be able to employ the skills he taught them, Jimmy started swimming in wide laps and loops around the general area Scott was in. It became a game of sorts in his brain, easily entertaining himself as he often did. Jimmy couldn’t tell anyone how long he spent doing that with any sort of accuracy, but it was likely too long.

A shiver ran down Jimmy’s spine as the water grew colder. The sudden temperature change snapped him out of his fixation on his imaginary game that only he understood. Jimmy had tried to teach Lizzie it before, but she couldn’t make sense of it. The unexpected cold felt like it was pricking his skin; he hadn’t realized he needed to mentally prepare himself for it.

Scott! Jimmy’s eyes widened in recognition a moment later, putting the pieces together on what probably happened. He had gotten too distracted! Jimmy balled his hand into a fist and hit his head with the bottom of his palm several times. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Pushing away the pity party, he swam back to where Scott should be. There were several chunks of ice floating around and a rather large slab of it on the surface. There wasn’t much of a pattern to it that Jimmy could figure out, but he didn’t focus on it long, so he might have missed it.

Jimmy found Scott in no time, and their eyes were redder and puffier than usual. He was curled in on himself, his body shaking like it did when his anxiety became too much for him to control. The breathing potion would have run out a long time ago by now, so Jimmy knew he didn’t have much time.

He rushed forward, quickly stealing Scott’s lips in a kiss. Scott’s body reacted in a jolt, but he didn’t push away as Jimmy used his gills and mouth to transfer breathable air to Scott’s lungs. Scott’s fingers gripped Jimmy’s shoulders, but their hold on him was weaker than their previous strength.

Once Jimmy couldn’t handle the unprepared for cold any longer, and he gave Scott enough air for them to not drown, he held Scott close and pulled them away from the ice-filled water. Scott seemed to have stopped creating as much ice out of his panic, so Jimmy was able to outswim the cold patch in the otherwise warm water.

As soon as the ice blocks were no longer trapping them underwater, Jimmy swam him and Scott to the surface so Scott could breathe properly. Scott gasped for air as soon as he could, his chest heaving with the effort. Jimmy kept them upright so Scott wouldn’t have to do anything but focus on breathing.

“Sorry,” Scott croaked after several minutes, squeezing their eyes shut and resting their forehead against Jimmy’s shoulder. 

“What happened?” Jimmy asked, holding one arm around Scott’s waist while the other played with their wet blue hair.

Scott didn’t answer for several heartbeats before weakly mummering, “It was… I just… My body stopped moving on command, and my limbs are all tingly and numb, and my brain feels foggy. It's just… my body feels extremely weak, it hurts to think, and I panicked, creating uncontrolled ice clumps. I’m sorry.” “Shh, don’t apologize,” Jimmy ordered gently, but they’ve had that conversation many times before. He didn’t like when Scott would apologize for things that they had no control over, but Scott continued to do so anyway. It was like he couldn’t control it (perhaps a compulsion or trauma response?), but Jimmy chose not to linger on it. “Let’s just get you to land and I’ll carry you to my place, okay, love?”

Scott made a sort of noncommittal hum or grunt in response, letting his eyes flutter close as Jimmy kept one arm around Scott and used the other arm to help him cut through the water. Even with the added weight of Scott, Jimmy moved swiftly and speedily; they arrived at Codland’s docks in no time.

Jimmy did as he told Scott he would and carried him close to his chest. Swimming kept his muscles fairly active so, while he didn’t always look like it, he was rather strong. Scott was tall, as elves often were, but Jimmy could manage his weight without problem. After all, even without his expertise in swimming, he has had plenty of practice carrying people and things over the last several years.

Codlanders were used to water and mud, so no one batted an eye when they didn’t dry off before using the wooden paths to get from place to place. If they were outdoors, it was fair game. If going inside one’s house, it was customary to use the towel provided to dry oneself off if needed, but they didn’t have to worry about that. Jimmy had plenty of towels to use when they got to the building Jimmy called home.

“Do you think you can stand, petal?” Jimmy asked once they entered the home, his eyes moving around to observe what was around and see if anything would spark ideas to help Scott.

Scott considered his pain and options for a moment before nodding. “Just let me down near a wall or a sturdy piece of furniture.”

Jimmy did as he was instructed, keeping his hands on Scott until he was convinced Scott’s legs could hold his body up. When they could, Jimmy retrieved a few towels for himself and for Scott to dry off. Scott used the wall to help keep themself up, but otherwise managed well enough to get themself as dry as they could. Once dry, Jimmy helped Scott change back into his previous clothing before going to change himself.

“Are you feeling any better?” Jimmy flicked his tail, and twisted his right wrist back and forth anxiously as he stared at his husband. 

Scott’s eyes were half-lidded, staring off at nothing, and his body was sitting limp. He breathed out, “It’s too bright in here.”

Jimmy could understand that feeling since he also felt overwhelmed by light sometimes. He quickly darkened the room in every way he could think of before asking, “Is this better?”

“Yes,” Scott confirmed with a barely noticeable twitch of his lips into (assumingly) a smile. “Thank you, Jimmy.” “Of course,” Jimmy returned the smile, but his was wider and more infused with fondness. He pressed a kiss against Scott’s forehead, careful to not put much pressure into it, before laying a blanket over their body. “Thank you for going swimming with me. It made me really happy, even if it didn’t end very well.” “It was worth it,” Scott opened his icy blue eyes to blink lovingly at Jimmy. They patted the spot next to them with a slight tilt of their head. “Will you sit with me?” “Of course.” Jimmy didn’t waste time moving to their side. He wrapped his arm around Scott, who promptly leaned in against his chest. Jimmy brushed Scott’s bangs out of his eyes before peppering kisses along his hairline and around his face. 

Scott laughed weakly at the kisses, glancing up at Jimmy through his eyelashes. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jimmy returned the sentiment honestly before returning to the kisses. After Jimmy stopped, and the place fell into a peaceful silence, Jimmy blurted out, “Do you hate swimming now?”

“No,” Scott answered nearly instantly. He peered up at Jimmy again, reaching up to cup his cheek. “Jimmy, I could never hate what you love with so much light shining through you. Besides, it was fun, until my body started to shut down on me.”

Jimmy felt warmth swell in his chest as he leaned into Scott’s touch, relieved that Scott was alright and happy that, until the end, the swimming lessons went well. Still, he was concerned. Jimmy hadn’t completely forgotten about the symptoms of some mystery illness Scott had been suffering for the majority of his life, but it was such a normal thing to feel for them (and something Scott always tried to hide when it flared up or got worse) that Jimmy would forget to check in sometimes. He felt bad about it, but it was hard to remember things when he got distracted by something he enjoyed doing. “What did the doctor say? Did they figure out what it was? Does anything help?”

Scott sighed heavily, letting his eyelids flutter close as he dropped his hand. “They don’t know and nothing really helps. It’s just what I have to live with.”

“We’ll find something to help,” Jimmy promised, even though he couldn’t exactly do that. He was going to try, though!

“You being here is more than enough.” Scott laced their fingers together before bringing the back of Jimmy’s hand up to his lips. “Will you ramble to me while I rest my eyes?”

Jimmy tried his best not to jump up with excitement at the open invitation. One thing he loved about Scott was his listening skills. Jimmy was used to rambling even though no one paid attention (he’s done it his whole childhood), but the thing about rambling to Scott was that he actually paid attention and remembered information Jimmy told him! It wasn’t perfect, but Scott would ask questions about things Jimmy liked too if he had any!

His grin was as wide as it could be, his sharp teeth on full display as he started blabbing about the recent changes he’s made as Codland’s emperor and how well they’ve been going so far.

It was moments like this that Jimmy knew he loved his life. There were hardships, sure, there always were, but cuddling with Scott during a peaceful afternoon as they talked about whatever they felt like was perfect. Jimmy wouldn’t trade Scott nor moments like this for the world.