Forums » General Roleplay » Summer Soirée - Beat the Heat River Party [Open]

Maddox had barely started to surface when something slammed into the back of his head and shoulder, knocking the breath right out of him and sending him spiraling back down into the icy water. With his senses blinded by the water, hiis brain barely had time to register what the hell just happened. All he knew was one second he was riding high on the glory of a textbook cannonball, the next he was seeing stars and swallowing Frio by the gallon. He kicked up hard, coughing and sputtering, head pounding like someone had rung a church bell inside his skull. One hand clutched the back of his head, the other slicing water to stay upright. Everything was too bright, too cold, and way too chaotic for someone who was just tryin’ to make a splash.

When he finally broke through the surface, the river spun a little too fast. He blinked, dazed, water running down his face as he rubbed at the sore spot. It already felt like a goose egg was forming. His mouth opened, ready to let out some kind of cowboy curse, but instead all he managed was a breathless, “What the hell was that?” As his vision started to clear, he caught sight of the girl who’d apparently fallen from the sky, and he saw long limbs, dark hair, and a stunned expression that said she didn’t mean to turn him into a human diving board. She started talking, apologizing, trying to explain, but Maddox was too busy checking his limbs and making sure he still remembered his name.

Then came Macy. She reached him fast, steady voice cutting through the water’s buzz like a cool hand to a fevered forehead. She didn’t grab him, just hovered close, eyes doing the math of how hard he’d gotten hit. Her fingers brushed the water from his face, and the simple touch grounded him more than the riverbed beneath his feet. He didn’t answer right away. Just stood there breathing, eyes squinting against the sun and trying to piece together what exactly just landed on him from orbit. Her questions filtered in slowly—head or pride? Any double vision? Angelic hallucinations that weren’t Cass?

His lips twitched at that one. “Ain’t seein’ Cass’s face, so that’s a good sign,” He answered her, a little rough from the water he’d inhaled. “Head’s a little rattled, but I’ll live. Unless someone has got another launch queued up.” He cast a look back toward the girl in the blue and black bikini, who now looked properly horrified. He wasn’t mad, he was just a little shocked. “Hey. It wasn’t your fault,” He told her, aiming for playful. “I think that slide’s got a personal vendetta.”

That’s when he heard it. Cass’s voice yelling from the top of the rock. Maddox looked up, catching the wide eyes and hands-on-temples panic that only a best friend could manage. Somehow, even through the fog in his skull, that sight made him bark out a laugh. “I’m alright, you drama queen!” He called, coughing again mid-shout and clutching his ribs. “Little airborne concussion, no big deal!”

His knees wobbled as he shifted his weight to look back at the girls, the adrenaline wearing off quick, leaving behind sore ribs, a pounding headache, and a whole lotta cold. He let out a long breath, realized he may need a minute, gave Macy the smallest nod of reassurance, subtle, not meant to mean more than it did, but his gaze lingered on her for just a beat longer than needed. “Thanks for jumpin’ in,” He said quietly, without the grin this time. “Didn’t realize I was worth a rescue dive.”

Turning back when he heard her, he looked up the rock at Kyria. “Welll, hell, Ky. If I’d known you were judging, I’d’ve added a flip.” He ran a hand back through his wet hair, glancing toward Macy with a quick flash of guilt and warmth. “Didn’t mean to scare her. Swear it was gravity’s fault.” Then, with blue eyes narrowing playfully, he tipped his chin toward her. “Glitter in my beer though? That’s a hate crime in Texas.” He gave a mock shiver. “You’re ruthless.”

He blinked the water from his lashes, realizing his head may have been hit slightly harder then first anticipated, as he turned back towards Teegan and Macy. “I’m gonna go get a beer. You ladies are welcome to come, if you like. If not, I will be back shortly.’ The water was making him a little unsteady. But knowing he really would be alright in a few minutes, he turned toward the shore, muttering under his breath as he trudged that way, “First I get called Chaos Cowboy, now I get tackled mid-swim. Lord Jesus, I'm gonna have to start wearin’ body armor to these damn parties.”

Teegan couldn't believe how far and how high that darn slide launched her. She waded in the water, spinning in circles looking for what 'brick' wall she had landed on. The rush of adrenaline and the freezing cold water sent a shock through her system, so she hadn't felt that of her own injury yet. Nor did she care. Everything happened so fast that she was slightly dazed, so she barely heard the ones that were yelling from the rock. She came to when this redhead appeared. Teegan apologized sincerely and waited for the person to surface to actually assess her unsuspecting victim's injuries as well.

Teegan looked over to the lovely redhead and said, "I swear I didn't mean to hurt anyone. It's not in my blood to intentionally hurt anyone. I took a physician's oath a long time ago." She spoke sincerely and gave a sheepish smile, as she looked away when she heard sputtering. She looked completely mortified as she saw the person she landed on. He looked slightly dazed, though no bleeding that she could see. Then she heard someone from the rock and yelled the name Maddox, and she looked up and saw a tanned, dark-haired male looking worried. The guilt inside her only deepened and then somewhat eased when a dark-haired beautiful female swam over towards them and made joking comment towards her. She hadn't heard the banter before that as she was slightly concerned for the massive man in front of her. The corner of her mouth tugged a little, hearing the tail end, and then another sheepish grin spread across her face. "I am not a gymnast, unfortunately. I guess I truly do need to work my landings. Though..." She paused and looked over the actual culprit, the slide, before her soft voice continued. "I didn't realize that would have something so slick on it to launch me that far. But, I promise to try and work on my landing if I do that ever again." She gave the women both a kind smile that reached her dark sea green eyes.

She turned to Maddox, who invited her along with the other girl, Macy, to the shoreline. She wasn't sure if she should go, but after a brief moment she decided to. She didn't want him to black out, but she had sensed he was already healing. She gave him a smile and said, "I would love to. especially to just keep an eye on you and make sure you don't black out. I landed pretty hard on you. The name is Teegan, by the way." She introduced herself to him and those around as she gave them all a gentle smile. She started swimming towards the shore slightly following behind him, as her angelic voice muttered. "I swear I meet new people in the most weirdest ways." She mumbled more to herself as she chuckled slightly and had her feet touch the river bed. She stood to her feet and started to walk when she realized her ankle was sprained badly.

"I guess you aren't the only victim of my grand aerial assault. Your body was like a boulder, and my ankle hit first." She would look up with amusement twinkling in her eyes she would glance at Macy if she had followed. "I think that slide needs an 'approach with caution' sign." As they got to shore, she heard Maddox muttering, and a laugh escaped her. She cocked her head to the side and said "I think you might have sunk faster with that armor, and I can assure you that the injuries might have been more severe. As for being called a Chaos Cowboy? There's nothing wrong with a little chaos. Keeps one humble and on their toes." She playfully said as the pain in her ankle started to hurt a little more.

She would follow them to where they would sit and take a look at her sprain. Then, look around at whom all was there and then back towards Maddox. "Well, have you gotten your vision back instead of seeing double?" Her eyes would meet his as she asked, trying to gauge if he was at least on the right path to recovery. She gave him a brilliant smile and waited for him to answer, or if anyone else wanted to ask or say something to her.

Bailey parked her car and slipped on her sunglasses as she exited. The sounds of laughter fill the air. She was excited to get a wet. This hear wave had been pretty bad, and she was tired of hiding in her house.

She grabbed her beach bag from the back and walked toward the river. She found a spot to drop her things as hidden as she could. Then, I pulled out some sunscreen and rubbed it in all the right places. Gingerly, she dipped her feet's into the cold water. Screw it. She said to herself as she walked into the water toward the Big Rock. Once there she climbed up to jump in. She looked down feeling uneasy, not because she was afraid of heights but the cold water.

Her parents loved doing polar plunges when she was a kid and made her do it with them. They told her that is was good for her amune system. She gritted her teeth and jumped. The cold shocked her but when she came back the surface she felt refreshed and happy. She looked around to see the people around.

Shit! This had been his stupid idea. 'Let's go to the river' Cassiel had insisted. Now, What?! What was happening down there in the water. He was currently stuck on top of Big Rock unsure if she should jump into the water to offer his assistance? Should he climb down and call 9-1-1? What? What? WHAT?

Kyria must have felt his anxiety and tried to comfort him. She whispered about Macy being a saint. Cassiel had no doubt, but he didn't know Macy. If Kyria trusted her he took her word for it but his level of worry was through the roof. She touched his cheek and brought his scattered thoughts back to her.

He turned to face her, his light green eyes searched her face and her eyes for any signs of doubt or falsehood. But her words calmed him. Cassiel nodded as he took a deep breath and tried to collect himself. He lifted one of his hands and placed it over the hand she pressed to his cheek. He gripped her hand and moved it to his mouth so he could place a tender kiss on her comforting hand.

When Maddox's voice rose from the flowing river and reached him in the top of the rock, Cassiel whipped his face in the direction of the voice. He dropped to his knees to listen for what Maddox was saying. Despite his position change, Cass didn't let go of Kyria's hand. She was grounding him and keeping him from sprouting his wings and making a spectacle of himself.

When Maddox called Cass a drama queen all the anxiety melted away. He breathed easier and stood up from his perch on the rock. He wrapped one of his arms around Kyria's waist and stayed close to her. He looked into her eyes and said sincerely, "Thank you." He then smiled and said, "You've never called me 'baby' before. I liked it."

Cassiel's head turned when Maddox started moving through the water and heading towards the canopy tent Cass had set up earlier. The ice chest was full of water and beverages, plus Maddox had brought his own cooler. There were also several folding chairs, one already set up for use. Cassiel was back to calm and ready to resume the cannonball competition.

With Maddox, Teegan, and possibly Macy on dry land, Cassiel saw no reason to halt the competition any longer. He glanced towards the beach and caught a newcomer to the river. He waved politely to Bailey as he released Kyria's hand and launched himself off the rock. He leaned back as he flew through the air, trying to control the angle of his landing.

He curled into a perfect egg shape and smacked the water with his back. Water splashed up almost as high as the rock, showering anyone within five feet of Cassiel with a shower of water. Cassiel's feet met the bottom of the river and he stood up, breaking the water as he hooted with aggressive joy. "Yeah! That kiss is mine!" He looked up towards the top of the rock where Kyria still needed to jump. "You're turn, Angel "

Macy had followed slowly after Maddox and Teegan, keeping just behind them as they made their way toward shore. The adrenaline had begun to wear off, but her heart was still pacing too fast, her shoulders still a little tight. She’d felt the impact like it was her own. And maybe it wasn’t just the thud of Teegan’s landing or Maddox’s dazed eyes. Maybe it was the moment after, the breath he didn’t take fast enough, the gap where the world went quiet.

She walked through the shallows, water swirling around her thighs as Teegan muttered something about chaos and humility. Macy’s lips tugged into a crooked smile. “I think chaos should come with a warning label,” she said softly, stepping up onto the bank and brushing her wet hair out of her face. “Especially when it’s wearing watermelon shorts and a concussion.”

She paused as Teegan stumbled slightly, her expression shifting back to concern. Macy’s eyes dropped to the woman’s ankle. It was starting to swell, the color turning that angry mix of red and bruised violet. “You’ll need to stay off that for a bit,” Macy said gently, crouching down beside her and placing one hand just above the injury. She didn’t touch the sprain itself, just hovered, her palm facing down, her breath slowing. The air around her stilled, almost reverent. “I can’t mend bone,” she murmured under her breath, “but I can nudge swelling back into place.”

The power wasn’t flashy. It never was. It was soft, like dusk filtering through pine trees. A cooling ease that wrapped itself around the inflammation, calming it like a lullaby for the body. When she pulled her hand back, the pain hadn’t vanished, but it no longer screamed.

Macy straightened, brushing her hands on her thighs. “There. That should help enough to get you comfortable while we sort out ice or elevation.”

She turned when Kyria’s voice rang out from above, teasing and warm. Macy’s gaze flicked skyward, and the corner of her mouth lifted. Cassiel had just launched himself off the rock, and when the spray shot sky-high, Macy instinctively ducked and laughed, brushing mist from her shoulders. She called up to Kyria, voice bright with returning ease. “He’s got enthusiasm, I’ll give him that, but that form? Debatable!”

Then she looked back at Maddox as he muttered something about body armor. Her tone gentled again, her eyes soft. “You’re definitely worth a rescue dive,” she said simply. “But don’t make me do it again. I’m not always wearing a swimsuit.”

She paused, then added with that subtle twist of humor only Macy could pull off: “And I won’t be responsible for what happens if I have to swim in jeans.”

She moved toward the canopy with them, her pace easy, barefoot in the grass, sunlight warming her damp skin as the storm that had shaken her started to settle. “Let’s get you that beer, Chaos Cowboy,” she said over her shoulder, “before Kyria decides you’ve forfeited the kiss and your glitter privileges.”

After handing Maddox a beer and giving his wrist a final, subtle squeeze, one that said I see you without a single word, Macy settled onto one of the folding chairs under the canopy. The sun was already working its magic on her damp skin, warming the last traces of adrenaline from her limbs. Her red hair spread in wild waves across her shoulders, catching the light like copper fire.

She lounged in the sun for a few peaceful minutes, quiet but content, her silver-green eyes watching the river swirl and dance. Laughter drifted from the rocks and tree swings again, and the world began to breathe in rhythm once more. The tension was gone.

Eventually, Macy stood. She shook out her cloak, now mostly dry, and slung it over one shoulder. One by one, she slipped her forest-toned clothes back on, her movements unhurried, deliberate. She picked up her Whisperstaff from where it had been leaned against a tree and turned to the group with that soft, knowing smile.

She looked first at Teegan, eyes dropping briefly to her ankle. “Keep off it when you can,” Macy said gently. “Elevate. Cool compress if you’ve got it. You’ll be fine by moonrise if you’re kind to it.” She gave her a playful wink. “Maybeskip the surprise aerial stunts next time.”

Then she turned to Cassiel, Kyria, and Maddox, eyes lingering on each of them in turn. Her voice softened into something that hummed like wind through leaves. “I’ll see the three of you again soon,” she said, as if it were already truth written in stone. “I can feel it in my bones.”

There was no question in her tone. No need to explain. Macy Wilson always knew when the forest whispered something certain.

She smiled once more, the curve of her lips gentle and wild, and then turned away—barefoot, staff in hand, cloak trailing behind her as she disappeared into the trees with the river still singing behind her.

Kyria stood at the edge of the rock, her arms still wrapped lightly around herself, the sun warming her damp skin. Her eyes never left Cassiel as he stepped to the edge and took flight. She grinned wide, that radiant, impish joy overtaking her features as he tucked into a cannonball and hit the water with a splash worthy of a firework. A spray of river shot so high it misted her shoulders from where she stood.

She let out a cheer that was part laugh, part breathless pride.
“That’s my angel!” she shouted down, cupping her hands around her mouth even though she knew he’d hear her just fine.

She looked down at him, beaming.
“You better save that kiss for later,” she called, her voice teasing and musical.
“I am definitely going to collect.”

Before she could even consider her own jump, her gaze caught Macy below. The redhead was pulling on her cloak, her staff back in hand, her energy already shifting like a breeze about to change direction.

Kyria’s heart gave the faintest squeeze. She didn’t call out right away. She watched. And she listened.

Then, with that radiant light in her eyes, she cupped her hands around her mouth and called down, “You better not be wrong, Macy Wilson!” Her voice carried like music on the wind. “I expect you, your bones, and maybe a mooncake next time!”

She grinned, but it was laced with something deeper—fondness, gratitude, and the quiet ache that came when someone good stepped out of view.

Kyria’s smile softened into something sweeter, gentler. She stepped slightly closer to the edge and called down, her voice clear and warm as sunlight on water.
“Goodbye, forest girl. And thank you.” She brought her hand to her heart in a silent gesture of gratitude.
“We’ll see you again. I’m sure of it too.”

Then she lifted her fingers in a playful little wave, a farewell and a promise all in one, before stepping back and steadying herself for her own launch into the river below.

Maddox had taken hits from bulls meaner than the devil’s own mother, but never in his life had he been laid out by a flying woman in a swimsuit. He was still blinking the river out of his lashes as Teegan started talking, and if he looked a little dazed, well—he reckoned he earned that right. A whole human missile had come from the sky and used his chest like a landing pad. His ribs were already knitting back together thanks to the perks of being not quite normal, but damn if it hadn’t knocked the wind right out of him.

He turned his head, propped up on one elbow now, and squinted at her through dripping strands of black hair. The sun caught her sea-green eyes and the kind of smile that made a man forgive her for just about anything. “Sugar, if that was a physician’s oath, remind me not to piss off a doctor.” He drawled, the words slow and touched with amused gravel. “Pretty sure you came outta the clouds like divine judgment.” Speaking of divine, his eyes cast a look up at Cassiel, relieved to see him relax once again. As joke-heavy as they were, he knew Cassiel would’ve blamed himself if anything really bad happened to him.

As she went on about landings and launches, Maddox pushed himself to his feet with a grunt and a chuckle, brushing grit off his shoulders like he hadn’t just been flattened. He listened, letting her talk herself through the guilt, and when she glanced back at him shyly, he offered a grin wide and reassuring. “You don’t gotta worry ’bout me, darlin’. I’m built for impact. They raise us tough out where I’m from.” He stepped slow and steady through the shallows, motioning her to follow even as he kept half an eye on her ankle.

“ “Easy now,” he murmured, that concern threading through his voice. “You’re limpin’, and it looks like your ankle caught the worst of it.” His eyes flicked down to the swelling and then up again, back to her face, about to offer her his first aid kit.

Macy’s voice cut through before he could, light and teasing, and Maddox tipped his head back with a groan, one hand swiping over his face as if that might hide the grin spreading under it. “Watermelon shorts and a concussion. Lord help me.” He needed a drink, but he flashed that grin towards Macy anyways.

He sank down into the grass with a dramatic exhale and sprawled back, arms flung out wide, staring up at the sky like he was hoping it’d drop some mercy instead of more women. Then he peeked one eye open at Teegan and Macy and added with mock-seriousness,
“For the record, I do have armor. It’s in my truck. Right next to my common sense, which I seem to have left at home today.”

He looked toward Macy, watching as she helped Teegan, mischief flickering in his dark eyes. Afterwards, Maddox took the beer from Macy’s hand with a low, appreciative murmur, but it was the squeeze on his wrist that really caught him. That subtle, grounding pressure, like she’d reached past the bruises and straight into the part of him that wasn’t quite ready to admit how shaken it was. His gaze lingered on her as she walked away, and the half-smile on his face softened into something quiet.

“Worth a rescue dive”, he repeated under his breath, a low chuckle breaking free. He had to throw the brakes on the thought that wanted to drift across his mind at the comment of her swimming in jeans, and instead he just sat there, grinning like an idiot. Careful not to reveal too much, his eyes only wandered her for a moment, at least before she finally turned to leave, cloak slung over her shoulder and that damn staff in hand like a queen about to walk back into myth, Maddox watched, back a little straighter. He listened as she offered Teegan her gentle, clever words, and then watched as she turned her eyes toward him.

That farewell hummed through him like a tuning fork hit just right. I’ll see the three of you again soon. Somehow. He didn’t doubt it. Not for a second “You better. Never know when I might need another rescue.” he called after her, his voice rough but steady with a chuckle on the wind that followed her.

When Teegan then asked about his vision, Maddox let his head roll to the side, pausing to watch Cass dive off the rock, and he let out a loud whistle before he turning his full attention to her, fixing her with a lazy but slow smile. “Well, I’m seein’ just one of you now, so either I’m healin’ or the other version went swimmin’ off.” ]He paused, then winked. “Either way, this thing is hard as a rock. No worries there. I’m sure ya didn’t mean it.”

He offered a hand to her, his touch gentle despite the size of it. “Name’s Maddox, by the way. Maddox Everette. But some folks just call me Chaos Cowboy, though I think that title might be up for grabs now.” The bank had never felt more like the center of the world, sunlight dancing on the river, laughter bleeding through the aches, and a strange, unexpected kind of warmth that didn’t come from the Texas sun. “What’s your name, sugar?”

She swam towards the shallow water as she apologized and tried lightening the conversation. She laughed at Maddox's comment about not angering a doctor and cocked her head to the side as she put the weight on her good foot. She was going to comment, but his next comment made her slightly blush. The guilt she felt started to ease as she noticed he seemed alright. The broad grin reassured her, but it was something in his eyes that made her feel more alleviated. She gave Maddox a cheshire grin that made the twinkle in her eye shimmer from the sunlight. "I believe you when you say they raised you for impact. I swear I had landed against a rock."

She chuckled softly as he gestured for her to follow him to the banks. She took a step on the wrong foot as the sharp pain shot through her ankle up to her calf. She had almost buckled if she hadn't grabbed the closest thing to her. Which happened to be, Maddox's bicep. She gave him a sheepish smile but soon steadied herself and let go of his arm. She saw the concern in his eyes and gave him a small smile as she said, "I have been through a lot worse. It should heal in no time." As they made it to shore, she heard Macy's comment about watermelon shorts and concussions. She snorted a laugh out and turned her face over her shoulder as she smiled and nodded in agreement. She stepped on something point and nearly stumbled. Luckily, she balanced herself quickly.

She sat in a chair next to Maddox as he sat in the grass. Her gaze was directly on Macy's as she watched the woman's hand hover over her ankle. The swelling did start to reduce, and Teegan looked at Macy with an awe in her eyes and sincerity as she said. "Thank you, ma'am! I think it was already healing, but you just sped it up. As for mending bones? Luckily, I don't think I broke it. Thank gods." She gave Macy a grateful smile and felt the pain start to slowly recede. "I will just elevate it for now. Thank you again."

She watched Macy and Maddox chit-chat as she surveyed her surroundings, as she was trying not trying to eavesdrop. The ones on the rock seemed to be jumping off and having fun. She smiled at the mocking tone of Maddox about his common sense being left at home. "You left your common sense at home? Maybe sometimes we need to let loose without overthinking. Part of why I am on a sabbatical for a while." She chuckled and looked at Macy, giving her a smile.

It wasn't long that she saw Macy get up and put a cloak on and grab what looked like a staff. Interesting. She thought to herself as she heard Macy speak to her about keeping off her ankle. Teegan's grin spread wide across her face as amusement filled her eyes. "I think I will be avoiding anything that requires climbing and dropping, just for safety sakes. Thank you very much, miss." She watched Macy bid the other farewell, then leave the area.

She looked over at Maddox and asked if he was still seeing double and waited for his reply. "I can agree to that. I felt like I hit a darn boulder. And I have trained against championship MMA fighters. Though, I mainly fixed their injuries instead of causing them." She winked back playfully at him as she gave a boisterous chuckle.

Teegan's sea green eyes filled with amusement as he offered her his hand and introduced himself. She placed her soft hand in his massive one and firmly shook it. "Nice to meet you, Maddox. I wish it had been in a very different way, but it is extremely nice to meet you." She chuckled softly as she slowly pulled her hand away. "Chaos Cowboy is one hell of a name. Though, I might just call you Maddox... for now." She gave him a flirty, playful wink as she relaxed and felt more comfortable around him. He then asked her her name, which made her snort and shake her head. She cocked her to the side and looked at him as she playfully sassed, "I guess your hearing was waterlogged for a moment when you broke my fall, handsome." She chortled out before she continued, "My name is Teegan. Teegan James. I usually go by TJ. Though, Dr. James is also another."

Cassiel was proud of the splash and was relieved no one had landed on him like the house from The Wizard of Oz. He stood, waist deep in the cold, flowing river and looked up at the rock where Kyria still waited to take her turn. His attention was redirected to Macy’s exit.

Cassiel sensed she was one of those people that just detected when she would be needed, showed up, performed her essential act and then faded back to where she came from. Had she come for Maddox or his assailant? Or perhaps both? Macy seemed like one of those conundrums that only a very few lucky people would ever get to understand. Wanting to be polite, Cassiel jumped in the water, his decent a little slower thanks to the resistance of the water. “Bye, Macy!”

Cassiel then looked over at Maddox and the new girl sitting under the canopy tent. He looked to Maddox with a confused look and said jokingly, “Did you, at least, get her phone number?” Cassiel was never one to play matchmaker and maybe Maddox and his assailant would hit things off, but people should always be open for possibilities. He turned his attention back to Kyria on top of the rock. Cassiel was curious how she knew Macy and how they had met. Now was not the time to ask but he would at some point.

“C’mon, Angel. Are you going to jump? I think I want to try that waterslide next!”

Kyria stood tall at the edge of the rock, water still trickling from her legs, her damp hair falling in loose waves down her back. The warmth of the sun kissed her shoulders, but her focus wasn’t on the sun, or even the water below. It was on Cassiel. His voice called to her like a thread tugging gently at her chest. Everything about him was exciting. He mirrored her energy in so many ways.

She grinned at his splash, her heart catching in that giddy, affectionate way only Cassiel could cause. When he turned to shout his farewell to Macy, Kyria followed his gaze and watched the forest girl disappear into the trees.

“She always knows when she’s needed,” Kyria murmured, more to herself than anyone else. “And she always knows when to go.” Her voice was thoughtful, touched with reverence. “She’s part of something older. Something quiet. Like the earth itself whispered her name.”

When Cassiel called up to her again, teasing this time, Kyria laughed—bright, delighted, and musical. Her hands rested on her hips, her wings tickling her, trying to pop out. She shivered, and whispered to herself, “Quieten down. I’m perfectly safe in human form.”

She took a deep breath, “Don’t rush me, Angelcakes. I’m savoring the view,” she called down, eyes locked on him with a slow smile. “You know I like to make an entrance.”

She bent her knees slightly, preparing. “If you think I’m letting you win this splash war, you’ve got another thing coming.” Kyria tossed him a wink, then sprang forward in a perfect, graceful dive, legs folding midair into a cannonball just before she hit the water with a resounding smack that sent waves crashing around her.

Seconds later, she emerged from the water, laughing and brushing her hair back from her face. She turned toward Cassiel, mischief and pride dancing in her eyes. “I couldn’t let you have all the glory.”

Maddox had been hit by horses, tackled by bulls, even once flattened by Tucker coming out of a hayloft at full speed. But he could honestly say he’d never been blindsided mid-air by a woman shaped like a human cannonball… until today.

And yet, there she was. Teegan James. Standing on one foot, grinning like she hadn’t nearly taken his head off ten minutes ago. He watched her carefully when she staggered, that quick reflex in him kicking in the second her hand landed on his arm. His body stilled, not tense, just… ready. The good kind. Quiet like a horse sensing a storm but waiting to see what direction it would blow. “You’re lucky I’m built like a barn,” He said, tone light but eyes checking her over. “You’d’a bounced off anyone else.”

When she let go, he gave her space, but the glance he passed down to her ankle wasn’t nothing. She said it’d heal, and maybe it would, but Maddox knew pain-walking when he saw it. Still, he didn’t argue. Not yet. Folks like her didn’t respond well to being told to sit still. They made their way to the shore easy enough, and he chuckled when Macy lobbed that comment about watermelon shorts and concussions from wherever she’d parked herself. “She’s not wrong,” Maddox muttered, running a hand through his wet hair and glancing down at the colorful shorts he’d barely remembered grabbing that morning. “If you’re wonderin’ whether I dressed myself in the dark? The answer is yes. And apparently I forgot to pack common sense with the sunscreen.”

He settled into the grass, slipping his hat back on his head, a more comfortable feel for him, while Teegan took the chair nearby, his long legs stretched out like he meant to stay a while. His tone was relaxed, and the heat of the day had finally baked most of the adrenaline out of his limbs. When she mentioned taking a sabbatical, he nodded, glancing sideways at her. “Ain’t a bad idea, if you can swing it. The world spins fast. Sometimes you gotta jump off for a minute, let your boots touch the dirt again.”

He watched, amused, as Macy did her healer thing, cloak and all, before disappearing off down the beach. That woman moved like she belonged to two different centuries at once. It made Maddox curious, but he turned his attention back as she spoke. Then came the name: Teegan. Dr. Teegan James. TJ. He tucked it away with a thoughtful nod.

“Teegan,” He repeated, making sure he got it right this time. “Good name. Strong.” And just when things started to quiet, just as the buzz in his head dulled, Cassiel hollered from down the way, and the question made Maddox look from under the brim of his hat.

Maddox looked up, deadpan, toward where Cassiel stood. He was pretty sure who he was referring too, but kept the deadpan look anyways. “She’s a human being, Cass, not a damn dating app,” He called back. Then, muttering under his breath: “Man’s got the social grace of a goat on caffeine.” With a huff of a laugh, he glanced toward Teegan again, one brow raised. “Don’t mind him. He’s probably still dizzy from flippin’ off that rock,” He let his voice raise just enough. “Like a damn cartoon character!”

Then, after a laugh, he added, as casual as a summer breeze: “But I am glad you’re alright. That ankle’s gonna bark for a minute, but looks like it’ll hold.” He could smell it on her, the wolf. He wouldn’t mention it aloud, because frankly it wasn’t his business. But he could smell her. He picked a blade of grass, twirled it thoughtfully between his fingers.

“Still,” He said with a grin tugging at one corner of his mouth, “Maybe next time we meet, try walkin’ up to me like normal folks do. Fewer concussions and sprained ankles that way, I reckon.” It was said with a warm tone, with no anger held within it. No, that was just Maddox being Maddox, and he followed the action by reaching to the cooler, and pulling out another beer, and holding it out to her with a smile on his face. “You drink?”

"Thank you. I've had it since the day I was born." She jokingly said after his comment about her name being strong. She winked at him with a radiant smile on her face, while she sublty looked him over. Not for any other injuries, but because he seemed like someone she would like to know. He was handsome, well built, and though he was slightly concussed, he had a very charming, upbeat personality. She was just about to say something to start a conversation when Maddox's longhaired friend yelled something from the water. Teegan blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed that she may have interrupted a setup between Maddox and Macy. "I..." She began to speak when Maddox yelled back out to the man in the water.

She couldn't help but chuckle at his banter back to his friend and then when he turned toward her. He mentioned for her not to mind Cassiel. "He isn't wrong, though. If someone catches your eye, you should take the opportunity if given the chance. Now when I leave here later, I know I will give you my number. Now whether you use it..." She paused as she winked, and her sea green eyes sparkled in the sun. "Will be up to you, Stud." She chuckled softly as she glanced out over the water and saw Kyria do a very impactful cannonball into the water. She turned towards Maddox and smiled as she sweetly voiced. "I don't know anyone truly needs social grace out here. It's about the freedom and good times. It's like being cooped up for a long period of time and needing to feel the wind through your hair."

They were quiet for a moment and enjoyed the tranquility of the flowing water and warmth of the sun. "The ankle is already all but forgotten. I am not sure what the lady did, but between that and the 'adrenaline' in my body. I guess it is much better now." She gave him a knowing smile, as she could sense he was like her and would understand what she meant. Though one she did scent that he was not just a wolf. She couldn't help the snort that came out of her when Maddox said she should try walking up to him next time. She cocked her head at him as her grin spread wider across her face. "Next time, I will land in your lap with grace if I go airborne again. I would rather not take off your pretty little head or mess up that beautiful hat of yours." She quipped back as she gave him a boisterous laugh that could brighten anyone's day.

She watched him lean over and offer her a beer, as he asked if she drank. She grabbed the bottle from his hand and smiled, and she said. "I do. Thank you." She popped the cap off the bottle and took a swig as she looked back over the water. "So, are you from Texas, Stud? Or just traveling through with your friends?" She asked out of general curiosity and making casual conversation. She wasn't sure where anything would lead, but she was enjoying the time in the moment, and Maddox was a very interesting person to her. Hopefully, she would get to meet his friends who were still in the water as well.

Maddox took a slow pull from his beer, letting the sound of the waves and the laughter behind him settle into the moment. He liked the quiet, even when it came wrapped in ocean breeze and sunscreen. Teegan had that kind of energy too, not loud, but present. Not demanding attention, but holding it nonetheless.

“Born and raised,” He said finally, answering her question with a nod. “Got a ranch a few hours inland. Been with me a long time. Workin’ land, raisin’ horses, fixin’ things that ain’t always fixable, that’s more my speed.”

His voice was calm, thoughtful. Not guarded, just honest. He looked her way, not with judgement or expectancy. Just open enough. “Cass, the fella over there with the long dark hair, talked me into comin’ out here,” He added with a small shrug. “Said I needed to touch grass or touch sand or whatever it is folks do when they stop thinkin’ for a minute. Turns out he might’ve had a point.”

She had a smile that could’ve carried a storm behind it if she wanted. That easy kind of laugh that didn’t come from habit, it came from her. And she was something else entirely, not wolf, not human. The sea clung to her like it remembered her name. And Maddox? He didn’t miss a damn thing. He didn’t call it out. Didn’t prod. But his tone softened just a little when she mentioned the ankle and the adrenaline.

“Yeah,” He murmured, glancing at her with quiet understanding. “I caught that. You’ve got somethin’ old in you. The kind of wild that don’t sit easy, even when it looks calm.” He said it like it wasn’t a judgment, just the truth. The kind he respected.

When she joked about landing in his lap next time, he chuckled low, shaking his head. “Reckon I’ll make sure I’m sittin’ sturdier next time you come flyin’ outta the sky,” He said. “But if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather keep my hat intact. It’s survived a lot.”

He smiled, not teasing, just easy. When her laugh bubbled out again, bright as sunlight, he glanced over at her, something content settling in his chest. “Y’know,” He said, eyes back on the water, “This whole place feels a little better with someone like you around. No rushin’, no noise that don’t need to be there. Just folks lettin’ themselves breathe a little.”

Then he added, more out of curiosity than anything else, “You from around here? Or just passin’ through like the rest of us?” He took another sip of beer, gaze soft and steady. No games. No pushing. Just a man with dirt in his bones and a quiet respect for the ocean sitting beside him. “And when you’re done your beer, we’ll head back in the water. Maybe I’ll take on that slide next.”

Cassiel was used to his best friend’s banter and witty insults. He saw them as affectionate jabs and knew, with his whole heart, that if Maddox didn’t actually love him, he wouldn’t tease him so. The love of a brother and a best friend bonded them and there wasn’t anything on this planet Cassiel wouldn’t do for him – expect let him have another coyote ugly morning! It took Cass nearly a year to get Maddox to go drinking with him after that incident. Good thing there was no danger of that so far.

Cassiel looked in the direction of his friend as Kyria posed like a heavenly starlet trying to get the sexiest pose in front of a camera. She was hard for him to take his eyes off of, but he managed – extremely temporarily. “You want to see a goat on caffeine?” There was challenge in Cassiel’s tone as he puffed up his chest and stood like an over exaggerated version of the 1960s Tarzan. At the comment about being a ’damn cartoon character.’ Cass got a little more animated, hopping from one foot to the other and getting a little Cowardly Lion in his vibrato. “Put ‘em up! Put ‘em up. I’ll fightcha both togetha, if ya want.” He knew he had gotten Maddox and his new friend’s attention and hoped his ridiculousness was enough to drawn them back into the water.

He dropped the antics when Kyria called him Angelcakes. That nickname was so bad it made him laugh. It made him laugh enough that his smile and eyes were beaming bright when he looked up at Kyria, still gorgeous on the rock. She jumped and hit the water, causing a very nice splash, though Cassiel didn’t believe for a second hers was bigger than his. When Kyria surfaced, he shook his wet head from the water that splashed him from her cannonball. He sniggered and said, “We need judges. I still think I won.”

Cassiel waded through the water over to Kyria’s side – mischief was alight in his impish grin. “We can either ask the peanut gallery whose splash was bigger, or we can agree that it was one of use and we can both get that prize kiss.” He lowered himself in the water, letting it cover his shoulders as he looked at her with an excited expression.

Teegan was a calm person in nature. She loved the chaotic pace of her job, but she thoroughly enjoyed the solitude of quiet when she was traveling. Though having a companion had always crossed her mind. She had a free spirited soul that yearned to explore, but also was quiet and not attention seeking. Her eyes turned to Maddox as he explained he was born and raised in Texas. Along with having a ranch a few hours away. She quirked an eyebrow in curiosity as she took a sip of her beer and said. "It sounds like you have a very vigorous life, but it also sounds invigorating. Like you are exactly where you want to be. Always keep busy and help where you can. It sounds serene." She trailed off as she got lost in thought of the change of pace, something like that would entail. Her smile never left her face as she heard him speak again. This time, about his friend Cass and the push that made him come out to the river.

"Well, I am glad you did come out here, Stud. Otherwise, I don't think I would have gotten the chance to meet ya." She sweetly voiced as the twinkle in her eye showed that she was speaking honestly. She looked out over the water and saw the friend he mentioned and then back at Maddox. "Everyone needs a change of pace every once in a while. It can give you a breather and hopefully a chance to meet someone you never thought you would have. I kind of like the unknown. Predictability kind of gets tiring to an extent." She took another drink of her beer as she watched his reaction and listened to anything he might have said. She couldn't help the boisterous laugh that escaped her as he said there was something old in her and the followed with he would rather keep his hat intact. "Duly noted about your hat. I will make sure it doesn't happen. And you have something deep inside you that's a mixture of wild and calm. Though, you seem like you might want to let loose on occasion but don't very often."

She gave him a genuine smile to show she wasn't judging and just observing as she found herself looking him over again. She admired his handsomeness and physique, but what she was enthralled by was his personality. She chuckled softly at his comment about the place, feeling a little better with someone like her there. Though her eyes softened as her gazed locked with his before she spoke. "I believe everyone should be themselves no matter who they are around. Rushing things can cause problems in the end. And, Maddox, this place IS better with someone like you in it. You breathe life into things, you just don't realize yourself, Stud." She gave him that smile that could wreck gods themselves and winked at him as she brought the bottle to her lips. She broke eye contact briefly as she heard the two in the water. She smiled at them as she watched them laugh. Then, her gaze went back over to Maddox when he asked if she was from around the area.

"I am originally from Canada, but I have been in the States for a very long time now. I usually travel due to my job, but I am currently on an indefinite vacation. My home is wherever I want it to do be, or my heart chooses. It travels with me. On both accounts." She chuckled softly as amusement filled her sea green eyes. She found that it was easy to speak with Maddox and that she was thoroughly enjoying his company. She just finished the rest of her beer as he said they would go back into the water afterward. She stood up slowly and tested weight on her ankle, which was completely healed. She watched his soft gaze and could sense he had a very kind soul, though there was something else inside him. Maddox had intrigued her, and the way her brain worked, she had to find out more if he allowed her to. "You done with yours? I will toss it before we head back into the river." She reached out her hand and offered to take his bottle along with hers as she tossed them.

She walked towards the makeshift trash bin and threw the bottles away. She turned back towards Maddox, and a cheshire grin spread across her face. "I might just have to try the slide again, too. Maybe a redo on account of the last attempt." She stepped past him and paused in her steps as she twisted her body slightly and offered out her hand. "You coming, Stud? I know you may be safer here with me getting into the water, but you don't look like a man that backs away from a sign of danger." She cheekily said as she waited for him to reply. If he took her hand, she would help him up off the ground, and then they would head back into the river. Towards the slide and continue with the fun.

Kyria smoothed her wet hair back with both hands, the river glistening on her skin like diamonds. Her laughter rang out in soft bursts, still breathless from the jump and the sheer ridiculousness of Cassiel’s antics. The Tarzan pose. The Cowardly Lion bit. The way he looked like an overgrown boy who’d been let loose in a summer camp talent show with too much sugar and not enough supervision.

She waded toward him slowly, her grin lazy and adoring. Her skin shimmered under the sunlight as water dripped from her shoulders and traced down her arms. When he called for judges, she pretended to weigh the options, lifting one hand and tapping her chin like a scholar. “Mmm. Well, I’m clearly biased,” she said playfully. “And the peanut gallery’s busy with concussions and cosmic ankle injuries, so that’s no help.” She drifted closer, her voice softening just a touch. “But since we’re tied in splash and style…”

She moved right up to him, the water up to her collarbone, their faces only inches apart now. A little smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth as she let her hand rise, fingertips skimming the surface of the river before pressing lightly to his chest. “We both get the kiss,” she murmured. “But only if you promise not to use the Cowardly Lion voice during it.”

Her lips curved higher, mischief sparkling in her eyes, even as her heart gave the slightest little flutter…because no matter how many jokes or splashes came between them, standing this close to Cassiel always made her feel like the world had narrowed to just the two of them, and everything else could wait.

Cassiel caught movement from the corner of his eye as the pair that were on shore started to head back into the water. He turned and looked at his friend and his new friend – the name still hadn’t been offered to him but then, his hadn’t been offered to her, either. With Maddox’s approach, Cassiel knew his intimate time with Kyra was limited. Once Maddox was close enough, he would mock them until they ended their kissing.

Cassiel’s head turned back to Kyria as a hint of promptness touched his eyes. “No Cowardly Lion voice,” he said in a voice similar to that of a toddler that was just told to put away his toys and go to bed. He laughed, letting her know he was only playing as he reached for her under the rippled surface of the water. His hands found her waist and pulled her towards him slowly as he said, “If the decision was mine, I would vote for you.” Yeah, she would see through that line – Cassiel was rather competitive but not a poor sport – when he lost, he did it gracefully.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. It didn’t matter if it was their first kiss or their hundredth, the gravitational pull she had over him was instantaneous. The moment they touched she became his sun and all he needed was to bask in her glory. The kiss, like always, started slow and sweet. Honied affection shrouded in eager delight.

Cassiel had never been a poster child for public displays of affection. He was the guy that would stand close, hold hands on occasion, and possibly offer a kiss to the cheek or forehead upon parting. Affection was something he only shared behind closed doors. But with Kyria, she brought out a whole new side of him. A tender and loving side that existed only for her. This would be something new for Maddox to witness, and Cassiel had no doubt Maddox would be generous with the comments.

Cassiel’s arms wrapped around Kyria as he deepened the kiss; comments be damned! He was too lost in the kiss and their connection to care.

Kyria melted into his pull like the river itself had conspired to bring her into his arms. Her laughter from moments before had quieted, softened into something warmer, deeper. As Cassiel spoke in that pouty little voice, she rolled her eyes with affection.

“That sounded dangerously close to a whine, Angelcakes,” she teased, though her voice was honeyed and low.

When his hands found her waist and pulled her closer, she let her arms float up to rest lightly on his shoulders, fingertips grazing the nape of his neck. Her smile softened as he gave that pretend vote of confidence. “You’d rig the election for a kiss?” she murmured. “Remind me not to trust you around ballot boxes.”

Then his lips were on hers, and all of it, the teasing, the jokes, the playful challenges, washed away like sand beneath the tide. She kissed him back with that same familiar reverence, slow and full, the kind of kiss that told stories without needing a single word. Cassiel kissed like he meant it. Like time paused just for them. Kyria responded with the kind of trust that could only come from knowing the man in front of her would never let her fall.

Her fingers threaded into his damp hair as he deepened the kiss, and a quiet sigh escaped her, swallowed between their mouths. The splash of the river, the distant sound of voices, the hum of summer heat, it all faded.

Cassiel wasn’t the type to kiss like this out in the open. She knew that. That made every inch of closeness he offered her now feel like a gift. Something that belonged only to them, even if the world was watching.

When she finally pulled back just slightly, her nose brushed his, her breath a warm whisper between them. “I’m keeping that kiss,” she said softly. “No matter what the judges say.”

She smiled, bright and full of something that shimmered like sunlight on water. “Also, you’re definitely going on record for the nickname now. I’m making Angelcakes a thing.”