Snippet #2515170

The voices were distant, faint, overcome by a dull thumping. Something jumped on his chest, but he felt too heavy to shove it off.

He felt something else, warm and wet, pressed to his lips, and it was then that he remembered he had to breathe.

He coughed, water sputtering out as he turned his head to the side. He opened his eyes, a Herculean task, and saw hazel ones looking down at him wearily.

"I thought you could swim, idiot."

He felt his stomach flip, his heart flutter to his throat, the red blush starting in his ears and racing to either end across his nose and over his cheeks. He'd hardly talked to Xabier the past two weeks, moreso out of nerves than lack of want, and here he was, peering over him, and close. For a moment, he nearly preferred the feeling of falling. Nearly...and only for a moment. A moment that passed by quickly.

His breath hitched, and he thought he might cough again. Or throw up. Instead, he realized that he had nearly drowned to death. It was the only explanation for why he was sprawled on the sand like this, why he didn't remember swimming out, and why Xabier, and Dorian, and now Autumn, were hovering over him.

Wow. He, Harper Calloway Fields, top-notch swimmer, previous lifeguard, and former member of one of the best high school swim teams of the country, nearly drowned. Who would have thought? He could have laughed.

All that he was able to manage was a weak smile. "I can," he answered, "This is actually the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me."

Embarrassing, yes. In more ways than one. He noticed then that Xabi was shirtless, and his heart skipped a beat.

Darting his eyes away, he pulled himself onto his elbows as Autumn spoke to Dorian and Xabi. Harper was a little surprised that Dorian had been involved. Didn't that guy hate him?

"So it's because of you two that I didn't drown," Harper said, pushing off his elbows into a sitting position, head starting to spin. "Thanks. I owe you two big time. Of course, none of this would have happened if SOMEBODY didn't TOSS ME OFF A FUCKING CLIFF!" He projected his voice upwards, where Haru and Ryou no doubt had been enjoying the entire show. He glared at them, but not for long. With a sigh, he staggered to his feet.

"Yeah, what an awesome idea," he said sarcastically as he swayed, balancing himself on the sand, "Let's throw the guy with a fear of heights off a cliff. That'll cure him!" He shook his head. "Quacks, the lot of them!"

He didn't look at the high cliff for long. He was probably too exhausted to suffer another panic attack, and knowing he wouldn't have to jump off anything for a while--he hoped--was enough to calm him. And he was wayyy lower than where he was before, and surrounded by water, his favorite. Still, the sight of the cliff face made him queasy.

"How many more are left?" he asked, to no one in particular.