Swimmink, because there'll be some sinking.(Matt)

[Matt Davis]

“Yeah… I- I really didn’t mean to, it’s just that the water makes it.. y’know hard to see an’ the-” He wanted to mention the light, how it made it hard for him to see and harder to pick where he was grabbing, but he didn’t want to draw any attention to it. "I jus' wasn't able to see properly… I thought I had'ya armpit?" She was sinking into the water, and was probably chastising herself. He wasn’t sure why, but that’s how she looked. How she seemed to function too. Take some of the blame on her own shoulders. Or maybe she was ashamed that he reacted as he did? She did mention before, when she was crying, that what had hit her was how he reacted. Maybe that was what was happening again?

With that in mind, he knew what he had to do. He had to get himself under control, for her sake, e figured. He didn’t like to upset her or make her uneasy. He wasn’t as versed at getting blushes to fade away as Anthy was. His lingered for some time. His mind popped back to what he had just done, and to what it had felt like. He finally made sure he was stable and looked to her, trying to smile though it looked somewhat shy with the alien hue on his cheeks.

“Thank me?” He asked again when she had offered her appreciation. For saving her? He didn’t actually save her of course… she could’ve gotten out by herself, he figured. And if anything he caused her to be in that situation. Well...he may have saved her? She couldn’t swim, and it may have been hard to walk across the bottom of the floor…

“Well...I’ll always be there t’save ya, I guess… if y’need, but I don’ think I saved y’none that time or nothin’... I’m just-...well, we gotta make sure y’can swim, right?” He smiled, still with a sheepish look, before moving a little bit closer. “Okay… maybe we can just go to a point where ya can barely stand, bu’ could still stand… there we’ll practice th’treadin’?”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

When he tried to explain, it just made her blush more. She appreciated him trying though, even if she didn't know how to tell him that without seeming like she was just trying to hush him up. So she just ended up waiting and trying to calm herself down so she could stop glowing already. He seemed to be better at recovering than she was as he was smiling before long even if his cheeks were still red.

When he repeated her thanking him, she smiled some and began to come out of the water some again even if only by a little. Though, she blushed all over again in shyness at him telling her that he would always be there to save her. Though, she was smiling right after hearing that even if she felt shy. When he told her he didn't think he saved her this time though, she shook her head a little but he was continuing already.

"Well, you did save me, Matt. I told you, I can't swim and I'm a sinker. If you hadn't pulled me up, I probably would have still been down there." She told him softly.

Then she smiled at him again.

"That sounds like a good idea. The standing water thing." She said.

Even if the glowing was most of the way gone, she still felt a bit warm. And she felt shy without being completely shy. Strangely enough, she kind of wondered where her friend's comments were right then as it seemed oddly silent right then.

[Matt Davis]

“Well...alright then.” Matt said with a slight smile. “Maybe we can try that wading thing really quick.” He moved towards her, a little hesitantly at first, but he then moved with some more confidence. As he neared his mind raced back to what had just happened and the red was kept right where it was, unwilling to fade from his cheeks. He cleared his throat and turned to face her while walking backwards.

“Tell me when y’think you are deep enough. Crane y’head back. I wantchya t’be able to stand on y’tippy toes an’ be able t’getchya lips an’ nose outta the water, but not comfortably. We’re gonna try an’ make ya float off of th’ground after all. So… We’ll work on that.” He’d keep walking, staying about a yard in front of her as they waded towards the deeper waters.

“An’ remember, I’m still here, an’ still gotchya… aint nothin’ t’fear an’ I’ll make sure I grab ya on an alright spot if things don’t go well. An’ if y’get scared just try an’ get to me, or somethin’. I’ll be there.”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

Wading. Well, she could do wading, she thought. It wasn't actual swimming but walking in the water, right? She had done that before even if she hadn't gone too deep in case she went out too far or something. When Matt told her to tell him when she thought she was deep enough and to tip her head back so her nose and lips were out of the water, she realised that he was thinking of a whole different kind of wading than what she knew about.

She began to get a little nervous when he spoke about them trying to make her float. Anthy wasn't sure on how well that would work but she trusted him. He wouldn't let her drown, she was sure of that. Even if she didn't really know if she could float. But.. he had faith in her, so she would try.

Timidly, she waded into the deeper water even as she listened to him remind her that he was there and that he would grab her if things didn't go well. She blushed a little, but nodded. Trembling a bit, Anthy took a couple of breaths and a small swallow before tipping her head back.

"So.... I.. I just kick or something?" She asked, her voice sounding a lot louder to her with her ears being under water right then.

[Matt Davis]

Matt really was bad at this. He sighed to himself before shaking his head and moving closer. She probably couldn’t really hear him underneath the water. He figured it would be okay if he moved her, helping her and making sure she stayed afloat meant that he’d have to touch her after all. This time he’d be more careful, though. He dipped his head down into the water so that he could see her clearly. He wasn’t going to blame the refraction this time if things messed up. He moved in closer and set his hands, tactfully, on her side and lifted her out of the water enough so that her head was clearly out while lifting his own head out fo the pool.

“Alright, mess up B or C...I dunno…” He moved her back until he was sure he could set her down where she could stand. “I didn’t really tell ya whatchya would be doin’ now did I?...Alrigh’. First thing...I wanna make sure y’can handle bein’ under the water alright while y’watch me. I’m gonna go out a bit an’ wade. I wantchya t’look at me from under the water, make sure y’don’t mind lookin’ y’know?”

Matt slowly pulled his hands away from her, making sure he wouldn’t touch any special Anthy bits before he pushed back and swam out into the deeper end. He kicked his feet slowly while moving his arms around him to keep him stable and floating on the water. His neck and some of his shoulders were out from the water while he watched her. “Alrigh’...let me know when y’think y’got it?”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

She felt his hands on her side and as she was lifted up, she opened her eyes and looked at him. As he said something about messing up b or c, she was a little confused but she followed his lead and let him move her back until she was in more shallow of water, which was a relief by the way. Yes, she trusted him, but she was still pretty sure of her capability of sinking so there was that.

Anthy was about to ask what the B and C was about but he was speaking again soon enough and she took the time to listen, tipping her head a little to the side and smiling to show him she wasn't holding it against him when he mentioned not having told her what she would be doing. When he told her that he wanted to make sure she could handle being under water alright, she bit her lip a little.

Well, she would remember about the nose burning this time, and of course hold her breath. It was just the getting back up that was the problem. But, if she was standing on the floor of the pool, she supposed getting back up wouldn't be an issue.

"Sounds like a plan." She told him with a happy smile.

He was pulling away next, and as he got into that position he had had her go into earlier, Anthy bent her knees so to be able to dip down under the surface to watch him. She had to move forward a bit due to the blurriness the water caused but she thought she had the right idea. Standing straight again, she got up on her tip toes as she had gone deeper than she had thought.

"I think I might be able to try it?" She said in a hopeful tone.

[Matt Davis]

Matt smiled to her from his treading and nodded. “Alright! Good, then we’re good!” He swam forward slowly in a breaststroke and stood beside of her. “Alright, d’ya want me to try and hold you at first, like we were riding a bke… Or d’ya want t’try and do it yourself?” He stood beside of her and rubbed at his chest. He hadn’t done a breast stroke in a while, and it felt odd. He’d have to practice that later.

“Treadin’ water’s pretty much th’most important skill you’ll have. As long as y’can tread an’ keep yourself floatin’, you’ll be able t’keep your head up an’ such. If y’think you need help jus’ say it, or if it looks like y’ain doin’ well I’ll go ahead and help y’out.”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

She smiles a bit nervously when he exclaimed about them being good. As in, good to go. If... if he thought so... Though, she had the feeling that it might be easier said than done. She looked a little more relieved though when he gave her the option of possibly having him hold on to her at first to help her out in the beginning. That seemed like it would have a higher chance of working out. But, Anthy didn't say anything just yet as he was speaking again.

When he told her that treading was the most important skill to have as long as she knew how she could keep her head up, she nodded to him to show she understood. Well, that was one of her goals after all, to keep her head above water. As, that would mean that she wasn't sinking like a rock like she usually did when she tried to swim so far.

"Could... you hold me?" She asked him somewhat shyly.

She was a little embarrassed about needing the training wheels so to speak, but if it would get her to where she could learn how to swim, it would be worth it.

[Matt Davis]

Matt’s face practically lit up when Anthy asked if he could hold her. There was a bit of pride, and a bit of joy and comfort that she wasn’t put off by him touching her from that last little incident. He, of course, also felt more comfortable holding onto her rather than having to race to her side. Holding Anthy also just sounded nice. She was really cute after all.

“Always, Anthy. I’d love tah. Come on a little deeper around t’where y’were before. We’ll go in a bit deeper though, since i gotchya.” Matt stepped slowly towards her while the water was weighing down his legs and slowing his movements. He led her a little deeper, but didn’t take her so deep that she’d have to crane her neck to breath. He wanted her to answer after all.

He stopped just short of her and lowered his hands down and sat them just above her waistline. “Is this alright, or d’ya want them somewhere else?”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

He seemed happy that she was asking for help and that made her a little less self conscious about it and she ended up smiling some. As he told her that he'd love to and told her to come into the deeper water so she would be around where she had been before, she nodded a little and began to tip-toe her way in that direction. Matt met her part way and began to lead her.

"Why thank you, Sir Matthew." She told him, using her nickname for him to try to keep the mood light.

She took a slow breath when they got to the spot and nodded when he asked her if his hands being on her waist was alright.

"I think that's good." She told him.

Then, she carefully began to try to copy his earlier movements to try treading.

[Matt Davis]

“Sir Matthew?” He asked with a raised brow. He had forgot that she called him that, and it made him smile even brighter. It was a sweet nickname that he wasn’t sure that he deserved. He hadn’t really done much that was ‘knightly’ or ‘Sir-...ly’ in his opinion.

When he sat his hands against her waist he smiled again to her. He looked between her eyes and her waist as he lifted her up some. She wasn’t heavy on land, he’d guess, because it was really easy to move her around in the water. He moved with her and he held her in the deeper water. His fingers and thumb squeezing lightly on her side.

“Alright… let m’know iffin y’get uncomfortable or anythin’.” He made sure that her shoulders were out of the water before he’d pay attention to her legs. “...Alright, you’re gonna need t’move your legs a bit faster than that. It’s how y’control stayin’ up. Arms keep ya level an’ legs keep ya up, you know?”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

When he repeated the nickname, she giggled a little. She must not have used it enough. Well, she had only used it that once, she supposed, so there was that. Maybe she should start using it as often as he used Moonbeam or Soul-Sister? Maybe. It took him a moment but he seemed to remember it and she saw how mrightly he smiled at it. Anthy was glad that Matt liked the nickname as she wouldn't have wanted to pick one that he found annoying or something.

On to deeper waters. She wasn't as nervous as one might have thought she might have been. But then again, Matt was there and holding her, so there was that. When Matt told her to tell him if she got uncomfortable, she smiled and nodded.

"I will." She told him cheerily before beginning with her attempt at treading.

In her trying to be careful, she seemed to be going a little too slow though, as Matt went to telling her to go a bit faster. She had had a little difficulty with keeping her arms level too. But on his instruction, she changed things up some.

"Like this?" She asked him.

[Matt Davis]

“Well yeah that’s better…” He said while looking down at the water, seeing her sqiggly legs shifting. It was hard to keep time as he watched, the water being swirled about, but he followed the motion pretty well. “...Now, that’s...that’s close, butchya need t’figure out the right pace, alright? The point’a treadin’ is to rest, or t’stay up for as long as y’can. if you get exhausted, it won’t do.”

His fingers squeezed a little tighter, an affirmation that he was still holding her tightly. His eyes moved to her arms and he motioned towards them with his head. “Those need to be a bit more smooth, yeah? Don’t need t’move as quickly. Not even need’ta be in time with your legs. A lot of it, though, is gonna be based on what feels right for you, an’ what keeps you afloat.”

“That seems to be alright… Y’think you’re ready for me t’let go? I’ll stay right here, though… so don’t worry ‘bout sinking too much. An’ if you start t’freak out grab me calmly...don’ try an’ drag me down to.” He laughed some and looked back to her face, trying to read any fear or discomfort.

[Anthy Blacksmith]

She smiled when he told her she was doing better then, she tried to focus more as he told here the areas she had to improve on. Pacing. She had to work on pacing. And on keeping her arm movements more smooth. Okay... she could do that. Sure, her arms and legs were getting a little tired as she wasn't used to moving them like this, but she could do that. She didn't want him to feel like he was a bad teacher or anything after all.

When Matt asked her if she thought she might have been ready for him to let go, and told her that he'd be right there so she didn't need to worry about sinking too much, she thought for a moment. After he told her that she could just grab on to him as long as it was calm so she didn't drag him down, she finally nodded.

"I think I might be." She told him with a brave smile.

His hands came away from her waist and she had just enough time to give him a happy smile before she started treading like a lead weight. Instinct had her quickly reaching out towards him, her arms going around the back of his neck and her pulling close. Almost clinging to him in fact. They were so close that she could feel his breath against her lips.

"Sorry, I guess I need to get the timing down a little better." She said, blushing in embarrassment from not having been able to do anything that could have been considered real treading.

She unlooped her arms from around the back of his neck and even if she was still holding on so not to sink again and hoped she wouldn't be making it hard for him to stay floating.

"Do you mind if we try that again?" She asked.

[Matt Davis]

Matt had let her go at her request and watched as she tried to tread. It didn’t seem to last long, and he had a feeling that he’d have to fetch her from the bottom of the pool again. That of course quickly went out of the window when Anthy started to falter and lunged herself towards him. When her arms flung up and around his neck, his instinctively wrapped around her as well. his arms resting against the middle and small of her back to hold her against his chest while his eyes flew wide with surprise. Why was she grabbing him, and why were there faces so close! He wasn’t sure exactly, but when he realized how they were, and felt her body clinging to him, he figured it didn’t matter. With their chests pressed together his legs started to kick a little faster to keep the added weight up. She didn’t weigh much, but she did seem to be dragging him down some. He’d kick enough to support him and a whale, though, to keep up this sudden embrace.

He could feel her breath, which seemed much more rushed and hurried than his. Well, at first… After a little while of the embrace his breath picked up a little bit. Feeling her tight against him was...undeniably exciting after all.

“S-Sorry? Oh! No!” He said, smiling down at her with still wide eyes. “No, no need to be sorry or nothin’. You can do that again, yeah? It was-... You know, good. That’s why I’m here, so y’can grab on and such…” He could feel her chest against his, almost squished against him. It was just...well, a lot to take in. He continued to tread while holding onto her back and looking over her face, much closer to his than he could recall it ever being. Yeah. She was just as cute up close.

“So, umm… How did that feel? Y’went down quickly, so… D’ya have any questions? If you’re good y’can try again, whenever...no rush, getchya breath an’ such...Y’know.”