124. Water Games

124. Water Games
Teddy and Baron walked into the underground cavern. Leia, Aiden, and I had been having fun. We were swimming below Astor Hall. We were acting like kids. It was fun and so different than the day-to-day things we went through.  

It was like the past few hours since I came back home, we decided to pretend we had not been soldiers. We pretended we had not seen the world burn. We pretended that I was not insane and a killer who had torn up a woman earlier in the day. It was refreshing. It had started with funny stories of our childhood and Leia told some of Baron and Teddy. But now we were swimming around. “Polo” Aiden called out. “Marco” Leia called out.  

“What the fuck?” I heard Baron say as he looked at the three of us in the water. We all stopped our game of Marco Polo to look at the two vampires who stood on the edge of the underground swimming hole. Their wings where both tucked back. Leia encouraged Baron. “Come join love, the water is so nice.” She said laughing and leaning back with her arms out. I was smiling watching her.  

I had to hand it to my friends they had taken my shit day and made it rather enjoyable. “What the hell are you three doing?” Baron asked. Teddy had his grey eyes on me, and I knew he was in my head. I saw the sides of his mouth tilt up. He was happy that I was enjoying myself. I hadn’t for a long time. And when I did joy it was always fleeting. This felt fun and easy something I didn’t know I desperately needed.  

Aiden jeered “Oh come on bat boy, the water is fun.” “Bat Boy?” Baron said and all three of us in the water burst out laughing. Leia had divulged that when Baron and Teddy where kids they would call themselves the bat boys because of their wings. At one point they had tried to hang upside down from a tree by their feet like bats, thinking that their wings wouldn’t weigh them down, they had been wrong and fell. But the funny part was they kept trying it insisting they were like bats.  

“Leia, you told them about that?” Baron complained to his wife, who just laughed. “Would you rather I tell them how you tried to use your wings as sleds one time.” I laughed so hard at that. She hadn’t shared that story yet but imagining it was hilarious. Aiden and I were howling with laughter. “Did they go down on their backs?” Aiden asked and Leia nodded. We were laughing so hard. “That is slander.” Baron exclaimed and began pulling off his shirt and stripping down to his boxers and then charging into the water after his wife.  

I watched as he caught her and tossed her in the air she squealed in delight. “We should play chicken?” Aiden said. I looked at him. “Oh, we are champion chicken players,” I commented. Leia shook her head. “No way am playing that with Beatrix; she would destroy me.” She spoke. “no one is putting my wife on their shoulders.” Teddy said and we all looked at him.  

He was stripping down like Baron had and then joined the four of us in the water. “Fine swimming race?” Aiden suggested and we agreed though I knew either Teddy or Baron would win. I had swum with Teddy once and his wings made him shoot through the water rather quickly. It turned into a bunch of merriment and laughing. We had splash fights and were acting like a bunch of kids. It was surreal and fun.  

There was no discussion on the war or what was going on the world. “I vote we have a fucking huge bondfire and drink, instead of dinner.” Aiden suggested. Baron responded, “Some of us have to work in the morning.” Aiden waved him off. “So, what, Beatrix, should we tell them about the time we drank and then had.” I sent a wave toward him. “No Aiden we don’t need to talk about that.” He laughed thinking about the following day.  

“What you can’t do that?” Leia complained wanting to hear what happened. “Maybe if she has enough booze in her system Beatrix will feel comfortable enough to share.” Teddy was already in my head no doubt wanting to look at the memory Aiden was talking about. Then he burst out laughing. “No fair now Theo knows too.” I waved Leia off. “I am down for fucking huge bonfire.” I said changing the subject. 

Leia said, “Well don’t burn your hair again.” Teddy and Adien laughed. I turned to my husband. “I remember seeing your black hair after that. “Oh right, Stalker.” I called him and he smirked. “Fine but everyone needs to have some blood and then we can reconvene in an hour out front, I’ll bring a few bottles.” Teddy said and Aide just had to say something “Beatrix will need at least two full ones for herself; little girl can hold her liquor.” I swam up to my oldest friend and shoved his head under the water.  

When I let him resurface. My arms were crossed over my chest. “It is not my fault that I had to learn to keep up with you and Wes and your drinking habits.” He threw his head back and laughed. “Yeah, right Beatrix, we had to keep up with you.” I scowled. “Liar,” He howled. It was like we were kids. “No go on please tell them that it was Wes and I who decided to swipe the headmasters favorite bottle.” I slapped his shoulder. “That was a secret.” He laughed.  

I could feel the eyes of the others on us. “Aiden what else do you plan to divulge tonight at this fire?” Baron asked and Aiden smiled. “I won't have to you after Beatrix finishes her first bottle. She will be sharing things,” Again I shoved his head under the water. 

When he resurfaced, he said “It isn’t like Wes, and I had to carry you over our shoulder out of a few parties because you couldn’t stay quiet.” I splashed him before I began to swim away. Aiden spoke again “Oh, you guys will have a good time. Beatrix drunk is hilarious.” I had already made it to the shore and was stomping away. I could hear Aiden laughing. I wasn’t really mad; in fact it was the opposite. It felt like old times.