Lake Tahoe.

[dontchaserabbits]

The elevation in Lake Tahoe is something that requires getting used to. Raleigh's out of practice with altitude but settles in okay once once he downs the water bottle Tendo put in his rucksack like a doting mom. That man needs to get back with his kid, stop working so much.

"We're here," Mako's quiet voice announces, clear as a bell in Raleigh's ear.

"Mmm?"

"You fell asleep. Pay the nice driver so we can get out of the taxi?"

Comments

[dontchaserabbits]

Is that what you are now? he wonders.

Raleigh raises Mako's hand so he can kiss her thumb knuckle. "We'll figure it out."

Says the man who is far more restless than the person he's talking to.

[co_pilot]

She smiles faintly.

"Did you still want to swim?"

[dontchaserabbits]

"Do I need to go get my suit?"

[co_pilot]

"Not if you don't want it."

[dontchaserabbits]

"Not a chance in hell."

[co_pilot]

"Well, then."

She stands slowly, using her grip on his hand to tug him up behind her.

[dontchaserabbits]

Well, then.

Raleigh was maybe...fifteen? The last time he went skinny-dipping. Definitely before Manila. (Different Raleigh all together.)

The dock isn't all that far away -- he decides to be polite (can you be polite in this scenario?) by getting to the end of the dock and starting to peel off his clothes first. All ahead full.

[co_pilot]

She'll be equally polite, at least, releasing his hand and averting her gaze until she hears the telltale splash.

[dontchaserabbits]

They'll see each other eventually. (And he's already seen her - more or less.)

Raleigh resurfaces, exhaling loudly. It's not cold, but bracing and a jolt.

"Mako?" She hasn't come up for air yet.

[co_pilot]

She surfaces close, a few feet away, only her head visible above the water.

"It's colder this time," she admits, shuddering slightly.

[dontchaserabbits]

He's already moving towards Mako, slow moving, "I'll take you swimming in Alaska sometime."

Holding a hand out.

It has to be Mako, here.

[co_pilot]

The chill dissipates the longer she treads, and her hand finds Raleigh, fingers slipping through his.

"I am sensing a theme of cold," she jokes.

[dontchaserabbits]

"It's all a matter of perspective."

The hand leads to Raleigh closing the gap to about a foot - as close as they can get without all of him being against all of her.

"What do you think is in my head right now?"

[co_pilot]

"You are not feeling left out any longer."

She tilts her head.

"Am I getting warmer?"

[dontchaserabbits]

"What am I thinking about you?"

[co_pilot]

"I - "

A small, uncertain furrow appears between her brows.

[dontchaserabbits]

Wow.

"Can't possibly think I'm that hard to read."

A final push and Raleigh kisses Mako like he has wanted to - the way he has wanted to - since the Breach.

Finally.

Privacy, and Mako with him.

[co_pilot]

She fits her mouth to his, warm and tentative becoming warmer and sure, and her arms rise to wind around his neck.

There is very little space remaining between them now.

[dontchaserabbits]

(One-one.)

It's a workout, to be honest - keeping afloat and sometimes even failing at that, not wanting to be separate anymore.

(Is this what Mako meant by not being anybody? Back in Spain?)

Raleigh feels about ready to boil over.

[co_pilot]

She's surging forward, rising fast, and the first brush of bodies has her gasping, breaking the kiss to lower her head.

It's as if she's outside herself and perfectly aware all in the same breath.

[dontchaserabbits]

"I need you to tell me -- "

Anything.
If he's going to scare her off if he actually said out loud that he would happily screw her on the dock.
If she knows he won't hate her if she said no.
If she wants more than his memories and Gipsy Danger's ghost.

[co_pilot]

"Yes," she breathes.

She takes his face in her hands and kisses him again, soft and yet more deeply, pouring out a little more of herself.

[dontchaserabbits]

"Think -- think we're done with the lake now. House? Closer?"

[co_pilot]

"Just elsewhere," she agrees, nodding shakily before prying herself away to swim to shore.

[dontchaserabbits]

Good things come to those who wait, and those who at least pretend to have some sort of patience. Raleigh is the latter; they'll go back to the house.

But he doesn't pretend to look away when Mako gets out of the water.

And he doesn't hide himself.

(He'd carry her if he thought it'd get them there faster - that might be overkill.)