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Could this really be happening to me?
Chi-Chi followed the handsome Atlantean further into the winding, once chimerical, paths of the delphic city that she had spent her whole life trying to discover. Every turn revealed a new piece of architecture or writing, unparalleled and unrivaled in its complexity and purpose. It made her blood race, and a broad smile to breach her otherwise stony facade that she maintained.
This is what Daddy meant when he said I needed to see the world. The thought momentarily brought her elation back down to earth. Her father, unlike most men of her social strata, actively encouraged her academic pursuits and she always wished to be worthy of the faith he placed in her. So when this rich recluse offered to fund her expedition to find the lost city of Atlantis, even with its colorful cavalcade of characters, she leapt at the change.
Now, she was finally here. Touching the vegetation, breathing the air and listening to the ancient language spoken with such ease. It was…beyond what she had hoped.
“Watch your step,” the Atlantean cautioned as he offered his hand. She gasped as the old stone began to crumble under her feet, and jumped partway into the safe embrace of his arms. Their eyes met and, not for the first time, Chi-Chi found herself caught in his gaze. Piccolo’s lips twitched in a smile, and he raised an eyebrow at their closeness.
“Oh, forgive me! I’m just…holding onto you, aren’t I?” she said, awkwardly and half-scrambled out of his hold. She nervously brushed a peice of hair behind her ear and attempted to play off the moment as nonchalantly as she knew how.
“We’re almost there.”
Piccolo turned back to the path and Chi-Chi mentally chided herself for the humiliating display. It was ludicrous to be so affected by a…handsome, strong, well-built man, who spoke to her like a contemporary instead of as a joke. Completely bonkers. Yes, she should just focus on the mission. Obtaining evidence to bring back to the surface in order to validate her to the science community at large was a far more important goal.
But, he did have the most intriguing accent, and his angular features did give him a somewhat alien air; however, she felt more comfortable with him than she had with any man…or woman in her life. Why was that? The path widened until the came upon a lagoon and Piccolo began to collect the firebugs into a lantern for additional light.
“You know,” she began as she hopped over a fallen column. “I thought we’d only find ruins and maybe some old carvings. But, there is a thriving civilization here.”
A melancholy scoff answered her. “We are not thriving. We are simply existing. We do not know our culture or where we came from. Our history has been lost and the Elder Guru has no intention of helping us find it. But…”
Piccolo turned and closed the distance between them until they were less than a hand length apart. Every step he took made her heart beat faster and Chi-Chi wondered, belatedly, if she could faint and miss any of the stonework. He looked down at her, from his prominent height, and cocked his head in a considered manner. “…but, I believe you can help us.”
“How’s that?” she breathed out, the words barely a whisper.
“You can read our language…and there are ruins deep in the heart of Atlantis that no one dares to go. I believe this is where I can find those answers.” With guileless earnestness, he covered her hand with his and looked deep in her eyes. “Will you find them with me?”
Chi-Chi worried her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment, but soon nodded enthusiastically. An actual smile materialized on Piccolo’s face and he led her down to the water’s edge and began to disrobe. Chi-Chi turned away, a blush darkening her pale skin at the sheer volume of bare flesh that was exposed. She exhaled, loudly, and tried in vain to keep those puritanical thoughts her nannies had saddled her with in check.
He’s naked. Kami, he’s naked…you’re with a naked man who is not your husband. You’re going to hell. You should leave and keep your dignity intact. What will your future husband say?
Pssh! What husband? Besides, his form is perfection…all of it. No harm in looking…and he’s…so very handsome…and sweet…and..
“Are you alright?”
Piccolo’s deep baritone broke the mental angel vs demon speech she was in the middle of giving herself, and she turned around to look back at him, her gaze flicking up and down his god-like body. Curse her traitorous eyes! No! She would not live in fear of what others thought. This was her time, and she would own this.
“Y-yes. I’m fine.” Although her voice trembled a bit, he did not question it.
“Good. You do swim, right?”
She huffed out a laugh. “Of course! I swim pretty guy…pretty good!”
If Piccolo noticed her slip, he didn’t give anything away but Chi-Chi was almost positive she saw him bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.
“We will have to swim to get where we are going and those garments will weigh you down.”
Chi-Chi looked down at her simple tank top and pants, and had to admit that the naked Adonis had a point. She shushed her naysaying thoughts and began to disrobe, though she opted to keep her bra and underwear on.
“Ready to go when you are…”
With a gentleness that almost belied the strength she knew the man possessed, he led her into the water. The cool liquid laped her thighs, yet her body felt warm and her heart fluttered at the protective look that was tinged with something more, he gave her. She grinned and followed him under the water, guided by a force and a yearning that pulled deep from within her soul. This felt right…it was just as her Daddy said: Life is not spent reading books, to know the past you must experience the present.