Chapter 29: The Settling — Part 4

Heath is smiling as they walk back to the main house, a few minutes ahead of Paige and Daria, beating the rain as well. She isn’t ready to seem them just yet, so it’s good she’s gotten a head start. Heath takes her bath, her mind adrift in a warm buzz that makes her feel both sage and sleepy. Her back has healed enough that she has no need for Blake’s company, no need for him to rub in lotion, no need for rough scrubbing followed by smooth set silicone sheets. Still, he does sit with her for a spell, rubbing lotion onto her back once the tub has drained and she’s dry enough to do so. He wraps her towel around her as she steps out of the bath, and she hugs him good night.

Heath leaves Blake to take his shower, humming as she goes. Her toes are still tingling, and though she isn’t entirely certain as to why, she is certain she wants to spend a good deal of time figuring it out. Still in her towel mind in a haze, Heath stops into the kitchen, pausing just long enough to get some milk and cookies. She stops only long enough to kiss Paige, who is reading a paperback novel at the dinner table, on the cheek. She never says why, leaving Paige with some confusion and a slight flush to her cheeks. Heath slides her door closed for the night, turns out her lights, and makes ready to go to bed. Though she is tired, sleep takes its time in coming.

* * *

It is nearly a day before Paige can get Jynx alone to talk to her. Oddly, something about the way Heath kissed Paige the previous night has given the girl some kind of strength she didn’t know she could call on. Because of this new found courage, this strange sense of self-worth, Paige feels like she has something, like maybe she is something more than a shadow of a person hiding in the shell of a man’s body. Even though she is nervous in confronting Jynx, Paige is not downright timid, as she might have been before Heath’s moment of uncomplicated affection.

The simple, platonic touch of lips to cheek has given a new sense of value, not quite confidence, but certainly something more. Paige is waiting when Jynx comes in from training with Daria, though Daria has stayed outside, probably to unhitch her armor so she can wash it and hang it in the hall. Jynx is going to ask ChoCho to bathe with her again, taking Kevin’s bath time away for a third time, and Paige knows she has to act now, before Jynx finishes her cool down, before she goes to the room and takes ChoCho.

Jynx can sense the change in Paige, doesn’t know quite what it is, and by instinct she wants to test the parameters. Paige is shaking when she walks towards Jynx. She takes several deep breaths. Paige is nervous, stammering. She is supposed to be a right hand for Jynx, not confrontational, and it is not in the nature of Paige to ask for more than what is most basic for survival. Jynx is finishing her work out in the commons, stretching, toning her body. She’s stripped down to skintight workout clothes, bruises showing on her shins and arms, the beginnings of a light shiner showing just how rough she likes to get. Paige waits for Jynx to be free of a round of push ups, amazed at the girl’s stamina.

Jynx is doing them with one arm, and then the other, and smiling at the pain. She smells like sweat and blood to Paige, tainted with a hint of iron that suggests something that Paige can’t relate to directly, but which screams a warning. As with Heath, Jynx knows Paige is there, knows she wants to talk, but Paige is somehow lower on the pecking order, at least in her own perceptions. Jynx would rather a rude confrontation than a patient waiting sense of servitude. Jynx rolls onto her back, sits up, pops her neck left and then right.

“Jynx, Paige would like to talk to you — ” Paige can’t even make eye contact, but Jynx slowly stands, moves closer.

“Speak up, girl.” Jynx says, leering a bit: Paige, she decides, is something to look at.

“– Paige would like it if you do not take Kevin’s bath time with ChoCho away any more.” Paige says quickly, too quiet for Jynx to tolerate.

“What!?!” Jynx shouts, shoving Paige. “Are you saying that you want something?”

Paige stands her ground, rolling back a little with the push, her feet stuck steady just the same. “Paige is your right hand. Paige is sorry. Kevin needs to be with ChoCho. Please stop stealing ChoCho from Kevin.”

Jynx looks incredulous, and she moves like lightning, hands gripping Paige’s shoulders, catching Paige off guard. She pushes forward until Paige slams into the fireplace support strut. Her body registering a small bit of pain, Paige looks terrified. Jynx is smiling a wicked, brutal smile she usually reserves for people she’s about to kill. She stares at Paige, who looks close to tears.

“I couldn’t hear you.” Jynx says. “Because you were too busy being a wuss.”

Paige blurts out her words without even thinking, “Kevin wants to bathe with ChoCho, and is lonely now because of you. Paige would also like to have a few days a week to hike with ChoCho.” She closes her eyes tightly, bracing herself for a beating.

Jynx leans in close to Paige, her cheek brushing against Paige’s, lips close to Paige’s ear. “Should have asked sooner.” She whispers, pulling back slowly, wondering when Paige is going to open her eyes.

“Of course Kevin can have his time with ChoCo.” Jynx fusses with Paige’s shirt and skirt until Paige looks somewhat less mussed. “And you can hike with ChoCho any time that Daria and I are hiking together. You might want to hike in another direction.” Jynx pauses, pushes a small bit of Paige’s hair over an ear. “Does that sound fair to you?”

“Y-yes.” Paige says. “You are very kind.”

“I am your friend.” Jynx snaps, turning away.

* * *

Jynx leaves Paige leaning against the support strut, confused and terrified. Paige hasn’t moved when Jynx comes back, glass of water in hand. She kisses Paige on the cheek, then heads out the front door, out of sight and mind, probably to check on Daria. Paige’s hand lingers on the kiss point, and though it is a different kind of strength, Paige feels like something more from it, just as she had when Heath kissed her the night before. Once the moment of consideration is past, Paige takes a deep breath and walks into the bedroom, where ChoCho is laying, head on desk, drooling on his papers. He’s sleeping, apparently, over one of his inventive sketches. Paige says nothing, as she isnot in a rush to wake him, but he smiles at her, and she smiles back.

She’s undressing even as he is, and the two remain perfectly quiet. The two grab a couple of beach towels, wrap up just under the arms. Holding hands, they walk to the bath. Paige pauses in the vanity just long enough to pull some clips from her hair, then hangs her towel on the hook, and walks into the chill bathroom, turning on the water to the tub and the shower simultaneously. Paige steps into the shower water, the heat of it relaxing her, allowing her mind to drift until Kevin wakes up and peaks out from the shadows of the shell that holds them both.

Kevin feels fingers on his cheek, realizes ChoCho has stepped quietly into the heat of the shower, is blocking the splash. Kevin keeps his head down, suddenly shy, the red of his cheeks deepened by the rush of his heart. ChoCho, usually the more reserved of the two, almost to the point of looking afraid, allows his hand to drift under Kevin’s chin, lifts Kevin’s head and kisses him, ever so gently. Kevin leans into that kiss, the third in a set of unexpected firsts, and is at a loss for words.

“You make me happy.” ChoCho says.

The ritual of bathing between them continues, the two having grown accustomed to scrubbing each other’s backs. They sit in the bath, ChoCho between Kevin’s legs, so comfortable with Kevin that he’s no longer bothered by the hardness pressing against him. The bath is so relaxing, the moment so safe, ChoCho finds himself sleeping again, and though he isn’t aware, Kevin nods off as well.

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