you're my best friend :: aran

Amerie was feeling great.

Today was a training day, so she was spending it with Aran. She had missed Aran lately, because she had been spending more and more time with Luka. Not that she didn't like Luka a lot! Just she missed her best friend.

"Like this?" Amerie asked as she shot her hand forward. A jolt of electricity sprang out of her palm and crashed into the tree that was nearby.

"That was great," Aran said proudly with a nod. Amerie had come so far since they'd first started training. In the beginning she could barely make sparks. Now she was able to create strong currents and fire them pretty decent distances away. She'd be formidable one day, as long as she kept this up. "Now that you've got that down you can start practicing with a moving target."

Aran was grateful for these training sessions. Lately it seemed like they were the only times she could spend with Amerie alone. Even though she'd gotten over her dislike of Luka, she still hated how the dynamic had changed. It used to be just her and Amerie. Now it was Amerie and Luka, and only sometimes her. Blahhhh.

"You really think I'm ready for that?" Amerie asked with a grin. Aran had a way of making her feel strong and competent.

Amerie walked over to the tree and ran her hand down the scar her electricity had left. Jeeze. There had been a time she never would have imagined herself being able to do anything like this. And now Aran wanted her to do even harder stuff! The crazy part was--with Aran's help she actually felt like she could do it. She had faith in herself, finally.

She turned her back to the tree and then slid down it till she was sitting on the ground. "Maybe after a break though, huh?" They'd been at it for over an hour now, working on Amerie's technique.

"Sure," Aran agreed, walking over and sitting next to Amerie. She'd been working hard enough to deserve a break at this point.

Aran pulled out a water bottle and took a huge drink, before dumping some of it onto her head and face. It was hot as balls outside, especially with them moving around and training so hard. "You're doin' really good you know," she told Amerie. "Not just with training. With your overloridian stuff too."

Amerie took a drink of her own water bottle and smiled. "Thank you," she said, feeling proud of herself. "But I couldn't have done it without you."

Amerie was so thankful Aran had come into her life. She'd arrived at the perfect moment and had helped Amerie step up to be the clio she wanted to be. And she made her feel better about herself than she ever had in the past. Amerie owed everything to Aran. Even the overloridian stuff that Aran didn't really help with was thanks to her. She was the one that had given Amerie her confidence--she was the one that had helped Amerie stand up to her parents and start taking control of her life and her eilemaiden.

"I don't know where I would be if you hadn't of shown up that one day."

She meant it, too. She would probably still be in that closet, hyperventilating.

"Nah, you'da figured it out without me eventually," Aran said, waving her hand dismissively. She couldn't help but grin at Amerie's praise though. "I should be thanking you. I'd still be in Stonecraft if you hadn't hired me." She'd still be fighting other clio every night just to make enough money to pay for her shitty apartment. Amerie coulda turned her away for her appearance and lack of any real schooling or experience, like most if not all other clio would've, but instead she gave her a chance.

"Well any overloridian would have been lucky to have you, I'm just glad you came here first!"

Amerie leaned forward so she could pull her hair up into a pony tail. It was so hot outside the back of her neck was damp with sweat. "This has got to be the hottest day of the summer," she said, leaning back and taking another long drink of her water. "We should go swimming or something once we're done."

Aran actually laughed. "No other overloridian woulda hired me," she told Amerie. She looked over, watching as Amerie pulled her hair up. Why was Amerie so fucking cute? Gods, she just had this crazy urge to lean in and kiss her. She knew that would be a really fucking stupid idea though, so she obviously refrained.

"We should go swimming or something once we're done."

"Sounds fun," Aran agreed, looking back away.

"Well then let's get finished so we can go cool off!" Amerie said, pushing off the tree and jumping up. She held out a hand to Aran to help her up.

"Maybe we can go down to the lake or something," she said as she walked back over to the open space they usually used to train. "I'm sick of being stuck here." The estate had a pool, but the lake would be more fun. It would be nice to get away for awhile.

"Sounds good to me," Aran said, taking Amerie's hand and getting to her feet. They walked back over to the open field under the blaring, beating sun. The lake was actually sounding really nice right now, compared to sweating their tits off while training. "Actually, if you want we can call it quits for the day. Pick up target practice tomorrow instead."

"Alrighty!" Amerie said happily. She'd been hoping Aran would say that. As much as she liked getting stronger, she didn't always like working to get there. And it was just so hot!

Aran and Amerie went inside and changed into their swimwear. Amerie had just bought a new yellow, flowery bikini while out on a shopping date with Luka and she couldn't wait to swim in it! Amerie went into the kitchen and packed some things they could take for a lunch (they hadn't eaten since breakfast) and then grabbed some towels and shoved them into the bag.

"All ready?" Amerie asked as she flounced into the living room where Aran was waiting.

Aran's process of changing into her swimwear consisted of her taking off her shirt and shoes so that she was just wearing men's workout shorts and a sports bra. She blushed very slightly and looked away when Amerie came back out in a little bikini. As if she needed another reason to be attracted to her.

"Let's go," she agreed, nodding. Some amount of time later they arrived at the small lake, where a few clio were already swimming. The water was a huge relief from the heat outside.

Amerie laid out the towels and set down the bag of food and stuff. She pulled out some sunscreen and squirted some into her hand.

"I packed up some sandwiches and fruit," Amerie told Aran as she rubbed the lotion onto her arms and legs. "So we can have some lunch instead of buying it." Not that Amerie needed to save any money, but the food that was served at the little snack shack wasn't that great and it was expensive.

"Can you get my back?" she asked, trying her best to reach the middle of her back along her spine. Her arms just weren't long enough!

Oh, fucking hell.

"Uhm, alright," Aran said, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Yeah, I can do that." She started to rub the sunscreen onto the small of Amerie's back, feeling awkward as hell the entire time. Amerie seemed oblivious, though, so at least that was good. "There. You're good." Jeez. Maybe coming here wasn't such a great idea. At least when they were just training Aran could pretend everything was all professional and stuff, but here at the beach she felt like they were on a fucking date or something.

"Thank you!" Amerie said, putting the lotion bottle away.

The two walked over to the water. Amerie walked into the lapping shore. "Oh, jeeze!" she said, gritting her teeth. "It's so cold!" The lake water was always so much colder than the air. "How can it be so cold when it's so hot out!"

It probably actually wasn't that cold. Amerie was a freeze baby and she knew it. But it was still really hard to get in. She shut her eyes and walked forward a little bit, letting the water get up to her knees before she stopped again. "Eeeee."

Aran followed Amerie into the water and rolled her eyes. It wasn't cold at all, in fact it felt great after all the heat. She watched Amerie sloooooowly walk into the water, stopping every couple of inches to squeal. "Here, lemme help," she said, and without warning hoisted Amerie up into the air effortlessly and dropped her into the water so that she was completely submerged.

She grinned as Amerie presumably surfaced, sputtering with shock.

"Araaaaaannnn," Amerie squealed as she was picked up. She wiggled before being unceremoniously dropped back into the water. She splashed under the surface, the water swallowing her up.

"You jerk!" Amerie exclaimed as she came back up, coughing out some water. But the look on her face was only mock angry. She splashed some water over at Aran. "It's cold!" Of course, the water was already feeling less cold and more refreshing, now that she'd been completely under.

Aran just laughed at Amerie. "It's not cold!" she insisted, before dunking herself under water and coming back up. Gamma paddled around nearby like a dog.

Aran never could have imagined when she first met Amerie that she would ever have become such good friends with her, let alone fall so hard for her. But here they were, hanging out, having a great time, not even thinking about work or training or anything. As content as Aran was with this, she just wished so badly that she could tell Amerie how she felt and somehow have her feelings returned.

Amerie smiled, and then went underwater herself, swimming further out into the lake until her feet couldn't touch the bottom anymore. It didn't happen to be very far, because Amerie was pretty short, but still. Caviar flittered in the air above Amerie's head, happy that his clio was having such a good time. She'd almost done a 180 since she'd come to Solas. It was so liberating.

"How far out are we allowed to swim?" Amerie asked Aran. Maybe they could swim all the way to the break wall and walk along the rocks!

"Who cares?" Aran asked. "Go as far as you want!" She followed Amerie out, still easily able to walk along the bottom of the lake while Amerie was forced to swim to keep her head above water. "I'm guessing you're a good swimmer?"

"Well, I like to swim in the pool," Amerie said. She'd only been to the lake a few times with her parents, most of the time they liked to keep her close, instead. "So I think so." She'd swam in the deep end in her pool, but never for long stretches like she supposed she would need to to reach the break wall.

I'm not sure it's a good idea, Caviar said. And if you drown, I drown, so I'd rather you play it safe.

Amerie wanted to do it anyway.

"Well, I like to swim in the pool," Amerie said. She'd only been to the lake a few times with her parents, most of the time they liked to keep her close, instead. "So I think so." She'd swam in the deep end in her pool, but never for long stretches like she supposed she would need to to reach the break wall.

I'm not sure it's a good idea, Caviar said. And if you drown, I drown, so I'd rather you play it safe.

Amerie wanted to do it anyway.

"You think so?" Aran repeated, continuing to follow Amerie. In other words, 'probably not.' Obviously Amerie would be fine, even if she did get too tired to keep swimming Aran was right there to help. "If you start to sink, I'm draggin' you back to shore y'know."

"Oh, I'm not gonna sink," Amerie said, paddling out towards the wall. She didn't really have any sort of technique, she just sort of moved her legs and arms real fast so that she could stay above the water. "It just might take a while to get out there is all," she said with a small laugh.

The two continued out towards the wall. After awhile Amerie was getting tired, but she didn't want to say it. She was breathing a little harder, and her arms were moving a little slower.

I told you this was a bad idea.

Aran would swim a bit, then tread in place as Amerie struggled to catch up. She was making a pretty huge effort to pretend not to be tired, but it was painfully obvious. "Swimmin' on your back is easier," Aran told her. At this point Aran was just waiting to have to rescue her once she inevitably started to sink. "Or I can carry you the rest of the way."