Nova \ Dax. - Tumblr Posts
she's glad that he sees the amusement in it, seems to take the edge off her own shoulders. her entire existence up until the age of twenty-one had been fully controlled, and it irks her deeply that, despite things being drastically different now, she still holds onto some old habits— like keeping herself pristine even though part of her longs to let go, just a little. " oh, no. no. it's sweet of you to offer, but trust me you do not want to teach me anything. i'm a notoriously difficult student and i will overtake. " a fatal flaw perhaps, that when it came to ability she'd show extreme competitiveness. carved into her from a young age, a deep-rooted need to always be perfect, the best. " maybe i can teach myself, just to say that i could. " glint in her eye is met with mirth, playful in her delivery.
a soft chuckle leaves him , tipping his head to the side as he gives her a playful look . " well , ain’t that somethin’ , " he drawls , his southern twang laced with amusement . " can’t say i’ve ever heard drownin’ bein’ better than messin’ up your hair , but i reckon your mama had her priorities . " he steps closer , his smile warm and easy . " tell ya what , darlin’ . we’ll keep that hair lookin’ pretty , and i’ll teach you how to swim . no need for embarrassment . ain’t nobody born knowin’ how to do it . " his voice softens , the teasing edge fading as he adds , " you just say the word , and i’ll be right there , keepin’ you safe . "
there's fun in messing up. the idea feels foreign and it's not because she can't have fun, it's because messing up has never been much of an option for her. her instinct is to scoff, to brush it off with somewhat faux confidence she always carries, but there’s a softness in his tone that almost tempts her. but she knows herself, knows she's the type of person who would drive herself insane trying to fix every little mistake. perfect, the word rings in her mind, mothers voice stern and sharp. always perfect. " what, you don't think i could ? " raises a perfectly sculpted brow, playful smirk etching onto mouth. but it's there, behind her gaze, a competitive spark like no other. a fire that burns bright. " swimming is, what ? mostly good breathing, coordination and core strength ? i've already got all three of those. but i'll humour you, just this once, " she adds, an air of teasing. for someone who's never attempted to swim, she's sure got a lot of faith in herself. " how about you tell me what to do, and we'll see how well i can execute it ? "
he leans back with a slow , lazy grin , the kind that seems to say he's already seen through her words , but he’s willing to play along . his eyes spark with a mix of curiosity and amusement , and his drawl adds a casual warmth to his response . “ now , see , that sounds like a challenge . and i never could back down from a good one . ” he watches her , noticing the tension she carries , the weight of always needing to be perfect . “ difficult student or not , darlin’ , i reckon you’d surprise yourself . ” he tilts his head , eyes narrowing just a little as he studies her with that easygoing charm of his . “ overtake me , huh ? i’d like to see you try . but maybe... just maybe , you don't always have to be the best at everything. there’s fun in messing up sometimes . ”
nova watches him for a moment, eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she considers his words. letting go isn't exactly in her wheelhouse. the idea of messing up for fun ? that's about as foreign to her as swimming itself. but dax has a way of talking that makes it all sound so simple, so easy, like none of it could possibly go wrong. besides, she supposed the act of trying alone would be a subtle f-you to her mother, something she finds rather exhilarating at this point in her life. soft smirk soon edges into the corner of her mouth. " do you always talk so poetically ? i'm starting to think you should reconsider your career path, you know. life-coaching may be your real calling, " she teases, tries to distract from the hint of tenseness that lingers in her shoulders. " but okay, i'll bite. but you won't see my laughing off any mistakes because i don't plan on making any. " nova steps closer to the water’s edge, her posture straight and sure, perfected act of confidence so strong even she barely notices the nervousness that lingers beneath. but it's there, like a small wave in her tummy. " so, what's the first step ? " she questions, toe dipping into the water. it feels nice. not too warm, not too cold. just right. with a quiet sigh, she moves further, stops and turns to face him when the water reaches her knees. " is this the part where i flop back, learn how to float ? "
he leaned back against the weathered wooden railing , the late afternoon sun casting a warm glow over the water . his drawl rolled easily off his tongue as he replied , “ well , sugar , it ain't just about breathin' and strength . it’s about lettin’ go a little , too . i promise , messin’ up is part of the fun — like findin’ a hidden treasure in a pile of old junk . ” he could see the playful smirk tugging at her lips , that competitive spark flickering in her eyes like a flame eager to ignite . “ and who said i didn’t think you could do it ? ” he continued , tilting his head with a teasing grin . “ i’m just tryin’ to keep you from overthinkin’ every little splash you make . the water’s meant to be playful , not a battlefield . ” he stepped closer , his voice lowering to a more earnest tone , “ how ‘bout this ? you humor me , and i’ll make sure we keep it fun . i’ll guide you through it , and you can show me how fiercely you can kick and glide . if you mess up ? well , we’ll just laugh it off . life’s too short to drown in perfection . ” his eyes sparkled with mischief and warmth , inviting her to dive into a new experience . “ so , whaddaya say ? let’s see what kinda magic happens when you let loose a little . ”