Catching some waves [Athena/Mathew]

[Deleted]

Mathew stepped into the hot sun, squinting with one hand over his eyes and the other tucking the homemade board under his arm. The artwork on the board was clearly a Mathew original. His style wasn't quite unique but then not many people etched a detailed image of a cyborg pirate in glorious battle with a fire breathing T-rex. Mathew paced across the beach before kicking off his sandals in a spot that had consistently good waves before stabbing the butt of the board in the for shade while he set up camp.

Ditching his effects on a towel in the sand, a small white furry head poked out from the neck hole of Mathew's shirt. Clearly, not a fan of water, Sir Henry Wadsworth Longfellow retreated quickly at the sight of the crashing waves. Mathew, unable to coax his pet out of hiding, simply removed his shirt. Sure enough, Sir Henry remained wrapped around Mathews neck as his feet sank into the hot sand.

"Com'on Henry, its just like a big bath" Mathew said with a chuckle, noticing the immediate panic that overcame the ferret when he stepped in the water. Resisting the urge to peel him from his neck like an overly aggressive python, Mathew climbed onto his board with confidence. Though the waves that kissed the side of the board were still small and peaceful and small, Sir Henry still decided it was a good time to abandon ship and swim back to shore while they were still in shallow water.

"Don't be such a wuss, see, now you're already wet!" Mathew jeered turning his board around, as the ferret swam as skillfully as an otter approaching the shore line.
"What are you so scare-OOMPH" A powerful wave caught Mathew by surprise, throwing him from his board, a sure case of schadenfreude for the ferret that had been giving him indignant looks from the shoreline.

[Athena 'Shift' Logan]

. . TAGGED: @mathew MUSIC:Radio-Friendly Pop Song WORDS: 310

You held out a paper rose It was hot out, but the breeze blowing in from the water made it bearable. She was supposed to be patrolling - and Shift was, she reminded herself. Staying close to the water and the shade was still patrolling. It looked even more like it when she spotted a familiar figure - being bowled over by a wave that had caught him unaware. Suppressing her laughter - at least until she was sure he was alright - the heroine loped over to the edge of the shore, watching the frothing water and waiting for Mathew to find his footing again. "You okay?", she called, loudly, bending down and putting her hand out for Henry to sniff at after she'd shouted in the villain's general direction. It was a clear sign she wasn't worried - Mathew might be drenched, but it was pretty shallow water. Besides, they made those ankle bracelets that attached to the board for a reason. "Hello there, you. Didn't want to get in the water either, hmm? I like to keep my fur dry, too." She confided in the ferret, quietly, softly. Her ability to shape shift seemed to have a variety of effects on animals - either they didn't care (cats), they freaked out when they smelled her or got close (most other animals) and the rare few liked her (mostly dogs). "Your buddy isn't going to drown, is he? I'd hate to have to dive in and save him." Shift continued, glancing from the ferret to the water. She would save him, of course, but she figured that if he couldn't get himself out of a foot and a half of water, then Mathew had some bigger problems going on than simple lack of coordination. If he stayed under for over a minute, she'd probably go and look for him, at least. Out of her sense of duty, if nothing else. made by abby of i'm so curious

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Mathews head shot through the surface of the water as quickly as it had submerged. Mathew sputtered in the salt water briefly, spitting out grains of rough sand. He wiped the hair that had slapped to his face, quickly scanning the shore to see if any cute girls had seen him fall. Nope, just Athena, she doesn't count. Well maybe she would have if he had handed her some shaving cream and some razors. Then again, you might get the shaved cat look, or worse a bear claw in your face for even suggesting that.

Sir Henry Wadsworth Longfellow meanwhile, was busy sniffing the hand that was presented to him, he remembered Athena- and her distinct lack of snacks. After determining that no, she wasn't offering food, he scampered up her extended arm to perch on her shoulder like a parrot. He nuzzled against her neck for warmth, which would be cute, if he had any understanding of the fact he was getting her wet.

After scurrying after a surf board that was being thrown to and fro against the shore (Mathew obviously lacked the foresight to have a line attached) he approached her from the water.

"Hey Shift!" He greeted her, remembering the last time he had called her Athena- accidentally giving away that he had access to privileged information. "Lovely weather for a dive, or do you hate that wet dog smell?"
He leaned against his surfboard lazily as he spoke, a smug smile on his face.

[Athena 'Shift' Logan]

. . TAGGED: @mathew MUSIC:Alcohol WORDS: 264

You held out a paper rose Oh, good - Athena felt a wash of relief as Mathew's head broke through the waves, although the man looked half-drowned. She covered this relief with a bout of good-natured laughter, petting the damp, nuzzling head of Sir Henry, careful to do so gently. She didn't want to knock the poor guy off; ferret's had a pretty good ability to grip surfaces, but better be safe than sorry. "Oh, good, he didn't drown. One less mysterious body for the JCPD to drag from the shore." she noted. Given that he was dripping water, Shift stayed a good foot away from the chemist. Her hand dropped from the happy ferret on her shoulder to cross her other one over her chest as the young man spoke, dampening the mood. "You know, I could throw you back out there. Don't test me." She pointed a finger at him, almost teasingly. "And my fur takes ages to dry. Besides, that smell might be your little guy here." Athena patted Sir Henry again, giving the small mammal a genuine smile as she slipped fingers along his small, narrow head and slick furred body, avoiding his tail - most animals didn't like their tails to be touched, if they had them. Probably interfered with their balance. Maybe it was her innate connection to animals, or perhaps the shape shifter would have had a liking for them even if she hadn't been able to turn into every life form on the planet. But she did genuinely like animals - except for the one smugly mugging at her, leaning on his wet-sand encrusted surfboard. made by abby of i'm so curious

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The furry white varmint grinned like mad from atop Athena's shoulder, almost as if he could understand her enough to find amusement in her musings. It was clear that Henry had grown fond of Athena, but that was about to be put to the test little did either of them know.

"Thanks for watching Sir Henry for me, hope he wasn't too much trouble." Mathew said winking at the small creature still perched upon her shoulder. This was the signal. Mathew's shit eating grin may have given him away if he didnt look like that always. "Hes actually terrified of water, but he does baths just fine. I mean, weird right?!"

Mathew raised a still dripping wet hand up to nuzzle his pet but Sir Henry Wadsworth Longfellow II was having none of it. Dodging the finger as if there was a booger on it, he clampered almost impossibly on Athenas back shoulders, waist, excitedly.
"Hes so weird, whats wrong with a little water right?" Mathew teased, flicking a small amount of water in the supers face jokingly pretending it was a lethal weapon. "Oh no, so terrible"

His sarcasm may have been thick enough to cover a faint smell coming off the water he had flicked in her face, he had laced it with a weak sedative to help Henry get away with filching Athenas communicator. The colorless sedative gave off a scent almost undetectable to all but the finest of noses. It was characterized by calmness and sleepiness.

"Hey while you are here, you should sign my board." Mathew said, flipping the board around and brushing off some crusted sand to reveal a weeks worth of peoples signatures whom he had scammed this way. After pulling a black sharpie out of god knows what dimension, he pointed to a good spot and said "You can just use your hero name, I just want bragging rights that I know you anyways"

[Athena 'Shift' Logan]

. . TAGGED: @mathew MUSIC:Alcohol WORDS: 280

You held out a paper rose "He's was fine. Much m,ore interesting than his owner." Athena retorted, smirking - then being very careful not to move as Sir Henry used her as an impromptu tree to get away from Mathew's reaching hand. She only vaguely nodded as Mathew joked, flicking water at her - if she hadn't been distracted by the tiny claws running over her body, and the weasel attached to it who was making her slightly nervous, she might have been annoyed at the action. As it was, she just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Smothering a yawn with one hand as Sir Henry scampered off of her, the heroine blinked down at the board that had been suddenly thrust towards her. "I don't usually -- but I guess I could..." She trailed off, flushing slightly. What the other Titans did when presented with fans was their own perogative - Shift usually avoided them when she was 'working', so to speak, which meant she never got hounded for autographs. It was an unusual thing, then, to be asked - and by someone like Mathew. Glancing from his earnest face to the sandy board, Athena shrugged and took the marker. Trying to make her signature legible, Athena failed to notice her communicator was gone, squirreled away by the sall mammal that now hid out of her sight. "Aaand there we go. Signed!" The furred young woman announced, finishing off her signature with a flourish. blowing on the damp sharpie and wrinkling her nose at the distinctive sharp smell, capping the marker and handing it back to Mathew easy. "I don't know who you'd brag to, but now you've got proof." She commented, shrugging one shoulder amiably enough. made by abby of i'm so curious