Summer Sun

Aris looked around the lake with contentment, his dark chocolate eyes smiling. He loved the ability to be free! It was so fun and so fulfilling. His hair was short and messy, windblown after running from the school down to the water's edge. He was wearing a pair of loose jean shorts and a tight fitting, ragged looking t-shirt. It wasn't his most attractive attire, but it was hot and he need not become over heated.

He stretched out his long limbs, a wild and free aura starting to spread out around him. Despite all of his prejudices against his species, he had to admit they had chosen a great way to feel the wind in their hair. He wasn't going to be going through the changing for another week or so, thank goodness for that, so he figured why not run on two legs while he could?

Now, though, he would get ready for a swim. He could use one.

Maeve wandered to the lake after her daily jog at the sports field. She had just realized how hot the day actually was so now her jacket had been wrapped around her waist thus making her sports bra and short shorts visible in plain sight.

She huffed and waded into the water not bothering to see if anyone was around her vicinity as she did. She sighed happily when she felt the coldness of the water on her skin. She began treading around for a while before deciding to float on her back.

Aris had his shirt off the instant he thought about swimming, followed by his jean shorts so that all he had on was his Native American bracelet and his boxers. Careful not to tread on any sharp stones, he waded into the water, shoulder deep and dove under the water, swimming around the lake with ease, as if he'd been doing it all his life.

He swam for about half an hour before he started back towards his clothes on the shore, taking it slow and swimming on his back for the longest time. About fifteen, twenty feet out from the shore, he stopped moving and just let himself float. This was the life!

Maeve huffed as she realized she had her sports jacket still wrapped around her waist. She sighed and swam back to shore where she sprawled her jacket on a rock so it'll be dry when she finishes having a swim.

She turned around and breathed the fresh air as she looked at the fresh air. She squinted her eyes as she saw something or was it someone? She huffed and decided to find out. She dived into the lake and started treading towards the 'thing' or so she deemed it.

She stopped and tilted her head. So it is someone she thought before shrugging and staying where she was. Wonder how long till he notices i'm here

Aris heard her and smelled her as she approached, his werewolf senses kicking in to protect him, as usual. He felt no threat from her as he floated along the water and, therefore, he would not cause her any harm. He would have liked to pretend that she wasn't there for longer than ten minutes, but, alas, his curiosity outweighed instinct.

"How long are you going to stare at me, huh?" He asked quietly, calm and collected, though cold and wary. He felt like he was being picked at like a lab rat, examined and put through test after test to see if he was smart enough to get to the cheese. He hated that feeling.

The corner of Maeve's mouth tugged upward slightly before falling down. She tilted her head at him and offered a shy smile. "I'm sorry" she said nervously. "I didn't know it bothered you so much" she added before treading slightly away from him.

"Oh and as to your question" she said after a moment of silence, "Until you cracked which you did" she said a matter-of-factly and a slight amusement in her voice. She looked over at him before blushing realizing that he was only wearing boxers.

"So... what year are you in?" she asked trying to make small talk, but she was curious too. He looked a bit older so she didn't know if he was a professor who looked young or just a student.

Aris flipped over on to his stomach, swimming after her. She had a kind voice, and a cute smile at that. It wouldn't kill him to be nice to the poor girl. He swam beside her, raising an eyebrow as a smile curved the edges of his mouths. He stood up, the water waist deep and barely covering his boxers.

He shook his head, "Yeah, I cracked. I don't mind it, but I feel like I'm being examined. Guess that's just how I've felt living with mortals all my life.." He shrugged, looking at her curiously, "I'm a junior. And what year are you in?" She was obviously a student, she may have had very adult good looks but she had that childlike innocence only students could have.

"I'm Aris, by the way. Aris Petrov," He added, slicking his wet hair back.

Maeve nodded as she stood up, her sports bra coming into view as well as the hem of her shorts before looking confused. "Mortals? Wait you're a creature too?" she said a bit dumb-founded. She herself was a creature and now she had bumped into two in a row. "What are you?" she asked before blushing. "I'm sorry that you felt as if you were being examined then, I didn't mean to" she added before diverting her eyes from him.

"I'm a sophomore" she said, trying to find something else to look at. She mentally huffed before turning to him "Nice to meet you, Aris. I'm Maeve" she said with a smile on her face. "Maeve Calypso"

Aris laughs a little and nods, "Yes, I'm a creature too." He grimaced a bit and scratched his arm nervously, "Werewolf." He looked her up and down, surely she had to be something to do with a muse or something small like that. "And what are you?"

He stood still and stretched out his limbs, realizing how uncomfortable she was when she could see his boxers. He put his firm hands on his hips and looked at her again, "It's very nice to meet you as well, Ms. Maeve." Now that he thought about her last name, she could probably be a very, very fierce fighter.

Maeve raised an eyebrow before a soft smile graced her features. "Second one today" she said in a matter-of-factly kind of tone. "I'm a shape-shifter" she said simply, realizing that she had said that quickly. Well if one already know what she is then why not let another know?

"No calling me miss!" she huffed before realizing he had his hands on his hips, she tried to stifle a giggle but she failed. "Don't do that!" she exclaimed. "You'd look gay" she added in a fitful of giggles.

"A shape-shifter? Wow, so you could actually be a guy and I wouldn't know it?" Aris joked, looking down at his hand and dropping them the minute she said gay. He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously again, not completely sure what to do with his hands. "Uh... yeah thanks... Mis--- Maeve."

Maeve rolled her eyes playfully at his joking manner. "Maybe but shape-shifting into a guy is something that i wouldn't do" she said shaking her head. She tilted her head noticing how he was acting a bit weird. Maeve bit her lip deciding on something before she placed her hands in the water and splashed Aris.

"You almost said Miss again!" she said trying to divert his attention from the splash she had given her.

Aris jumped back, laughing and flicking water back her a bit, shaking his head at her. "Daredevil, you are." He looked around curiously to hide his grin, looking right back at her anyways, "I did no such thing! If I wanted to call you Miss Maeve, I would call you Miss Maeve! Just like now, I would call you Miss Maeve." There was a mischevious glint in his dark eyes while he kept his expression serious.

Maeve stuck her tongue out at him. "Of course I'm a daredevil!" she says, a grin on her face before growling playfully at him. "Now you're gonna get it!" she said before pouncing him making him fall into the water then struggled to keep him down there. "You're it!" she said when she finally came up for air then took off running in the waist-deep water.

Aris laughed before gasping as he fell into the water, flailing if only a little to give her trouble and opening his eyes beneath it to look at her with a wide grin. He resurfaced once she'd run off, leaping up and running after her. He was much taller than her, standing at around 6', so when he got to her again, his boxers were at least half way out of the water.

"You can run, but you won't win!" He laughed.

Maeve laughed as she ran away from him. In her mind she was deciding if she should use her powers to gain an advantage but she sighed and mentally threw that thought away. It was cheating. She didn't do cheating.

Once Maeve thought she was a fairly away from him, she turned around and her eyes widen before she covered them. "Oh sweet lord have mercy!" she said quickly as a blush settled on her cheeks as she stood there, not thinking on running or that he'll catch up with her.

Aris stopped in front of her, curiosity crossing his expression as he stared at her. He had no idea what this short little girl's problem was now, but if she said mercy, he'd won! He poked her forehead, managing to find a spot between her fingers, and crouched down in front of her, trying to make eye contact with her, "What's wrong, eh?"

Maeve blinked and made a small gap between her fingers just enough for her to see him but she didn't look directly at his eyes. "It's just err umm" she said nervously not really wanting to say it. She huffed and took a deep breath. "I'm not err used to seeing boys o-only wear boxers." she said stuttering a little before shaking her head, uncovering her face.

"You win?" she said pouting as if that little thing didn't happen.

Aris smirked, "Yeah. I win." He looked over at the shore, "I should probably put my shorts back on..." It almost looked like he was pouting at the thought of putting clothes back on. But if she was uncomfortable, he would do it. He smiled and started wading back towards shore, placing his hands on the back of his head and intertwined his fingers together. "You come too if you'd like."

He glanced over his shoulder at her and winked playfully.

Maeve raised an eyebrow before treading the water after him. Once she had caught up, she reached up and poked his cheek. "Did you just pout?" she said skeptically. She thought he wasn't one to pout. She tilted her head at him before grinning. "First one to shore wins" she said before pushing him sidewards.

"Oh and no rules" she said mischievously as she took off into a run towards the shore.

Aris almost fell over but composed himself, laughing and running after her. It was on! His legs would carry him further than hers, but the water was slowly him down greatly. If he changed on his own, he bet he could beat her in ten seconds top. But that was cheating, and then he would be completely naked.

He purposefully stumbled, yelping and crouching down to check his food before running after her. Pretending to be hurt, that was always one way to do it.

Maeve turned around hearing him yelp before biting her lip. Ah screw this, he could really actually be hurt she thought before running back to where he was. "You okay?" she asked her tone laced with worry. "Can you stand up?" she asked yet again before gulping.

She shook her head. "I know I'm overreacting but yeah" she said huffing before trying to help him stand up.

Aris looked up at her from his trickery, smirking and standing up, running again and not looking back as he splashed past her. He hurried to the shore, looking back at her when he was a few feet away, panting. He waved at her, mischief tracing his expression. He would wait for her, if only for a moment.

Maeve blinked before narrowing her eyes playfully at his retreating back. She dashed after him, grinning as she did "Trickster!" she yelled at him. She huffed trying to catch her breath as she dashed. She knew she wasn't going to win before an idea struck her mind. She jumped up in the air then shape-shifted into an eagle.

Flapping her dry wings, she flew towards the ground shape-shifting back to her normal self, sprawled out on the ground. "Gah stupid transformation" she mumbled feeling quite tired having transformed and ran

Aris's eyes widened at the sight of her transformation. He'd never actually seen someone do it so gracefully before, at least on take off. As soon as she landed, it was back to the reminder that his sister was a clumsy transformer. He snickered at her and stepped up onto the land, raising his eyebrow, "So you win this round, huh? Smooth landing."