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[protective_logic]

Anything is welcome. Just let me know if you want him as an AI or person in the first post

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[protective_logic]

Thank goodness the support was back. Could he please stand up again? When the hands are under his shoulders it is quiet clear he is shaking a little. Just a little. Clearly he wasn't too comfortable unless it was silly splashing in the shallows. But he was letting York do this so... yeah. Agreed to learn together, and he was going to trust York to not let him drown.

[depthlesslock]

Feeling the shaking, York lifts him a little further out of the water. He doesn't seem to be too shaken, but he doesn't want to overwhelm him with this.

'You did good,' he says. 'Do you want to call it a day there?'

[protective_logic]

"I think I need to relax now," Delta admits. "Uh... hot tub or floating toys?"

He might still have an inflatable alligator. Maybe.

[depthlesslock]

'Good plan,' he agrees. 'Which do you prefer? This is your relaxation.'

[protective_logic]

"Hot tub with floating toys," Delta decides. Yeah maybe he should admit that he's an immature kid in some ways. Which means he's going to pull a damn pool noodle over to the hot tub. Thanks. "You're welcome to join if you want."

[depthlesslock]

York has to smile at that. It's not what he expected, at least the floating toys part, but it's simple and somehow fits. 'Nice choice.'

'Is there room?'

[protective_logic]

"Of course. We'll make sure there is room," Delta smiles. Don't mind him, he's picking out a lime green pool noodle. Shouldn't take too much room up like that. Hopefully York will join him. It would be better if he was not alone. He doesn't get to hang out with people like this.

[depthlesslock]

'Then sure.' He smiles back and follows him to the float collection, picking a yellow noddle for himself. Hey, why not? They've done some good work with Delta's swimming, now it's relaxing time.

[protective_logic]

Well, they've got this all sorted out in a way. Delta settles more comfortably into the hot water as it lets him relax in the heat, and he can stand up to be safe. He wraps the noodle under his arms and uses that to float just a bit in the heat. Lovely. Almost as much as York but he is very quiet.

[depthlesslock]

York pushes his noodle under the water to try and sit on it, holding the ends out of the water like he was on a swing. It's certainly not buoyant enough to really hold him up, but it's rather nice anyway. And the pool itself is lovely and Delta's looking much more at ease.

[protective_logic]

Delta offers a smile to the man as he risks closing his eyes for a moment to just... bask in the sensation of the hot water. Clearly the warmth does a bit to please Delta, given how he'd sought warm clothes after the attack, and had even ended up curled up around York the night before.

Warmth puts such a soft look on his face and when he opens his eyes again he is definitely more relaxed.

"Thanks for the first lesson. This should become routine, right? To help?"

[depthlesslock]

York leans into the water a little more, but always keeps half an eye on Delta. He looks peaceful and York is catching on that warmth is a key factor to his relaxation, something he'll bear in mind for future.

Helpful tips aside, Delta looks blissed, the smooth angles of his face turned to the ceiling and at ease. York wants to help him look like that more often.

'My pleasure. Yes, it should be.'

[protective_logic]

"Routine is good," Delta says thoughtfully, his eyes closing once more. Rather would just float here, relax, pretend he isn't stressed. "Warmth is good. Too bad I can't take a nap like this."

He would if there was a safe way to do that. There, of course, isn't. Drowning risk. "What about you, going to swim?"

[depthlesslock]

'It can help with stability,' he agrees. It can also help with predictability, which can lead to less desired situations, but there are ways of managing it to maintain stability without being too predictable.

'Get a float for your neck?' he suggests, unaware if such a thing exists or not. 'Like a life-jacket, but just the collar.'

He looks back at the main pool. It's been a while since he was active for fun, longer since he went swimming. He would love to start up again, but he still has a job to do. 'Perhaps another time.'

[protective_logic]

"Still wouldn't feel too safe," Delta agrees, but he sighs and shakes his head. But he considers York carefully. Wonders how to address this. But then he shifts in the water, less floating and more moving to sit on the bench in the hot tub. "Go swim. I'm safe in here, no one can enter. Besides, might build my confidence to see someone comfortable with it displaying a bit of skill."

[depthlesslock]

'Fair enough.' No matter how good the safety, you're not going to sleep if you don't feel safe.

He looks over at Delta at the permission, glances back at the pool, then at Delta again. He seems sure, and he's got a point. Might build confidence for both of them. Delta knows the system here better than he does, he should have faith in that.

Nodding, he gets out of the hot tub and walks back over to the pool, easing in to let himself acclimatise to the cooler water, then he pushes off and begins swimming.

[protective_logic]

Well, Delta hopes York enjoys. He moves to the edge of the hot tub to watch his friend. HE won't call York anything but that. If he starts looking at York as anything else then he might forget this is a person. And he might fail to build that connection he will have no choice but to have with a man he's pretty much going to have to share his life with.

But damn if he doesn't look good as he climbs out of the hot tub with water running down his body. Is there any chance York knows how good he looks?

Nope, not thinking of that. Instead he is watching York get into the pool and start swimming. Because, really, it's going to be more comforting to see that this guy really does know what he's talking about.

[depthlesslock]

It's nothing short of relief to have the freedom to exercise and with decent equipment. Defaulting to front crawl, he starts making lengths up and down the pool. The strength in his arms and legs moving him through the water is so satisfying, if weaker than it used to be. He'll build that back up. He prays he won't need it until he's back in peak condition.

Of course, ideally, he'd never need it at all. While it's obvious why people would want to hurt Delta, the more York gets to know him, the more he thinks it should be impossible to go through with. Delta is clever and caring, kind in a way rarely seen among those in his position.

Plus he's got a dorky handsomeness to him, with his cheekbones and quick, pretty eyes, and that smile...

He changes to breaststroke, going a few strokes in underwater, hoping to cool or at least hide the warm in his cheeks. He needs to watch these thoughts, they can lead to difficult situations.

[protective_logic]

Difficult indeed, but that does not change the fact that Delta has moved to the edge of the hot tub to appreciate the form of the man swimming. Granted he can only see York for part of the laps from his position, but he watches anyway. Just... evaluating the man he's put his life into the hands of, clearly. Nothing more complicated than that. The man that has already spared him suffering, arranged by his father as best they can tell.

He feels like he owes York something, but he isn't sure how to pay him back. How do you repay a man who feels it is his obligation to protect you? An impossible to determine answer.

If only he knew York was thinking positively of him... Well, he'd probably die of embarrassment. Which is probably physically impossible, but he'd feel like it was happening anyway. And he'd probably grant bonus points that it wasn't all about his looks.

[depthlesslock]

Swimming underwater helps clear his head a little. Plus it's fun. But he will need to keep an eye on this. Relationships between Hawk and Master are not unheard of, but the two of them already have keen and judging eyes on them.

All too soon, his muscles begin ache and the long scars on his back pull uncomfortably. For a while he pushes through it, but he needs to not wreck himself before he can get back to full strength so he slows for a couple of lengths, then pulls himself out at the end.

Habit and training draw his eyes over to Delta, making sure he's still okay.

[protective_logic]

Relationships between Hawk and Master are assumed to happen. It's the relationships that are more than carnal that get a bit complicated. And yes, there is York eventually hauling himself out of the water. Once again he marvels at how good York looks like that, water running off of him. Lovely. Nida blushes and whirls around in the hot tub. Surely he didn't get caught looking, right? Not possible. He's just here getting the warmth in his muscles.

"Are you done?" he asks with his back to York, clearly he's been here the whole time, not admiring.

[depthlesslock]

He catches the end of movement and the disturbance in the water around Delta, but he seems fine. Maybe just playing with the bubbles frothing up around him. His dark hair is slick at the bottom against his neck and York brushes away the stray thought of tucking it behind his ear.


'I am. Thank you. How's the hot tub?'

[protective_logic]

It would be a perfect way to fluster his master and turn him so many shades of red. Not that it would be as obvious given the way the hot water already reddens his skin.

"Fine," Delta says after a moment. "Thank you. Are you done? I suggest warming your muscles a bit in here. Then we can shower and see what would please you to do next."

[depthlesslock]

'A good suggestion, thank you,' he agrees, making his way over and lowering himself in. After the cooler pool, the tub feels much hotter, but the heat seeps into his muscles and he hums happily, relaxing. Yeah, this is pretty good.

'I don't have any particular desires. Is there anything you fancy?'

[protective_logic]

Nice sound and he doesn't much like that. No, Delta doesn't want to be found of that sound. Because what he fancies right now is more time around York.

"We could talk more about our plans, for changing the guest house over. I could even take you to see it."