RP: Pool (Hidden)

Evangeline continued to swim around the bubble jet, doing backstroke.

E: It's really cute!

~

James swam to the side of the pool and beckoned Remus, who went to him.

J: You could swim with your shirt on? Or make yourself a t-shirt?

Considering the idea for a moment, Remus eventually shook his head. Suddenly, he looked determined. With a look at everyone else in the pool, he transfigured his trousers into trunks, and looked at James, who knew what he was going to do.

J: There might be awkward questions.

R: I don't care.

Finally, he peeled his shirt off. He was slender, no fat to speak of, nor six-pack admittedly, though he was toned enough to look healthy, strong, maybe even athletic. However, the smooth skin of his lean torso was marred with scars, some thin and long, others fat and short, of varying shades of pale pink and purple and white, depending on how deep the cut had been. Silently, he slid into the pool. Evangeline made a point of not staring at him, but did give him a smile when he looked as if he might get out and leave them. James patted Remus on the shoulder.

J: Nice one.

R: Cheers.

They muttered.

Amy did not have the same courtesy. She stared at his torso, her eyes threatening to tear up. It felt indecent to be in her with her custom body and her stupid bikini when he was in her presence, looking like he did. She didn't know if she could approach him, or even speak.

Remus glanced at Amy, caught her staring. He blushed and looked away from her. James felt the awkward tension.

J: Swim race?

E: Great idea!

Poor Remus, thought Evangeline, those scars... he must have been in some terrible accident. Despite her curiosity, she refused to let kt get the better of her.

Millie glanced over at Remus, and she, too, tried not to stare, for the sake of being polite. To break the tense silence, she swam over to Evangeline and splashed her playfully.

M: Hmm, wonder if they've kept any mermaids here...

She purses her lips, then leapt at Evangeline, making a hissing sound like a mermaid would.

Amy didn't join in. How could she have know him for 5 years, kissed him even, and never seen this? There was an odd feeling in her chest, like her heart was being squeezed by an invisible fist.

Sirius joined in the race, lookin hot.

Much to her chagrin, Evangeline let out a short scream when Millie did this.

E: Hey!

She splashed Millie as she, too lined up for the race. Remus lined up in the corner near James, not looking at Amy.

Amy climbed out of the pool.

S: Pepper!?

A: I'll watch.

Millie cackled and lined up as well. She watched Amy get out and felt a twinge of sympathy.

M: Unfair, I can barely doggy-paddle.

R: Amy.

There was a kind of question in Remus' soft word, and his eyes followed her as she got out. Is this because of me? Am I so repulsive to her now? Sadly, he focused on the race.

J: Everybody ready?

E: Yes!

R: Mmhm.

Sirius nodded.

Amy did not look at him, but she didn't have to. Even when she closed her eyes, the image of his scarred body were imprinted onto her brain.

Millie hardly thought anybody was ready for the race -- or focused on it -- but she prepared herself to lose anyway.

J: Okay. Read, set... go!

James splashed and used his powerful quidditch muscles to steam ahead, but got tired from his exertions early on. Remus was tall and streamlined, and therefore naturally quite good at swimming, but he wasn't trying very hard, and kept glancing over at Amy. Evangeline swam gracefully, quickly, pulling ahead of the others. She was made for swimming, with her long limbs and slim body. She was totally focused on her task: beating Sirius and looking good doing it.

Sirius didn't let Evangeline's talent discourage him, swimming strongly, right behind her.

Amy clapped halfheartedly. She looked at Remus' body moving with confidence through the water. Every so often, a mark showed, or a scar made an appearance. Each time, it hurt her like an arrow to the chest. What on earth could have happened, to cause this?

Evangeline caught sight of him on her tail and immediately sped up, kicking along elegantly to build up the gap between them. No way, bucko.

Remus slipped into second to last place, behind James and in front of Peter. The scars were also on his back, a few on his upper arms. The odd one was raised, jagged, puckered, looking as if it was capable of giving pain to Remus should he touch it.

Sirius caught up to her, grinning like a mad man. He hadn't learnt how to become a dog without getting some of the personality traits. He had to win this.

Amy saw every single mark, and felt each as if it had been etched into her own skin with a knife. She wanted to run away. She also wanted to pull him out of the water and kiss him.

Evangeline was swift as a nightingale, her own patronus, even in the water. For awhile, she swam beside Sirius, then suddenly, with a burst of speed, got ahead. She was centimetres from reaching the end of the pool.

At the last minute, Sirius sped up intensely, just brushing the end of the pool at the same time she did.

P: Photo finish!

S: I won!

A: I don't know Sirius...

E: I believe you'll find that I won!

J: Looked like a draw to me.

Remus just looked over at Amy, not caring about the race.

S: I won!

P: It was a draw!

Amy met Remus' eyes. She blinked a few times, then managed a small smile.

E: I'm happy with a draw.

Lies.

Remus smiled back vacantly, subconsciously touching a scar on the left of his chest.

Sirius grumbled a response.

S: Fine.

Amy watched him. With shaky legs she stood and approached the water's edge.

A: You did alright.

R: Well, I wasn't the worst.

He smirked, mirthlessly.

R: How come you got out?

His voice had never been so small.

~

Evangeline smiled sourly at Sirius.

E: Do better next time.

S: We drew.

-

Amy shrugged, fiddling with her hair, which was still wet.

A: Felt a bit funny.

Millie had doggy-paddled up behind the others a few seconds after everyone finished, laughing at her own lack of swimming skills. She was built more for speed and agility rather than anything else, and her short limbs certainly didn't do her any favors.

M: Where's my trophy?

She floated on her back lazily.

E: Exactly, you didn't win.

Evangeline went under water and brushed past Sirius' legs, then popped up again on his other side.

~

J: No trophy for you.

~

R: Hope I didn't do anything.