Private Swim Around, and Around

Jae walked into the city's indoor pool feeling anxious. On Friday, after school, a girl he recognized from his morning classes approached and introduced herself as Kelly with a Y. She talked about a trip to the pool her and some friends had planned on Saturday. Then dropped the bomb by asking if Jae wished to come along. It would be so much fun, her words. Jae never expected the invitation as he vaguely knew Kelly as the girl who hanged with the sporty crowd at school. While Jae was more of the loner who kept to himself, and did not play any sports. Kelly had one thing working for her, though, and that was Jae was kinda desperate for friends. And not meeting people through accidental mind-control.

There were many reasons why Jae felt anxious, the most immediate was if he was too early or too late. The teen checked his phone for about the twentieth time when he heard his name called across the echoing pool hall. Kelly, bright and bubbly and in her green two-piece suit, waved to him from the middle of her gathered friends. Jae didn't know any of their names, only familiar with Kelly by nature that she sat fairly close to him in class. He returned her wave, and made his way over before he could chicken out. Oh right and he was anxious that her friends would hate him and find him super boring.

"Hey, gang," Kelly said, "This is Jae Yi-Lin. Jae, meet-" She named everyone in the circle and ended with the tall Eric Fleetman. "And I brought snacks for when we get tired." Kelly hefted her large, cherry red tote. "But we can't eat them in here! We'll get kicked out." Even though her words were serious, she said them with a smile. "Now, let's swim!" She dropped her tote on their pool table, and jumped into the likely highly chlorinated water that made Jae shiver thinking about.

Jae chucked his shoulder bag (after checking his phone was secure in the water proof pocket) next to hers. He came dressed in the swim shorts he bought just for this and a simple white tee as the cold weather didn't really phase him. The teen hesitated before pulling off the tee and stuffing it into his bag. It was silly to be self conscious about being shirtless at an indoor pool where everyone was similarly dressed. He glanced towards the others, taking in their easy demeanor with each other, then his gaze caught on Eric. The other teen was so tall! His pecs at Jae's eye level, of which Jae got a nice eyeful at that very moment. Wait, did Eric notice his rather obvious ogling? Jae jerked to the side and dived into the water before he could be any more embarrassing.

@Kait

Pool water is gross, but Jae could live with it as there were showers in the locker rooms he could rinse off in later. Chlorine still felt gross. The teen swam around, getting used to swimming with two human legs than the powerful tail of his mer form. Legs were far inferior and left him feeling graceless. He was so slow! And Jae felt like he was more flailing about than swimming. Of course, he wasn't a bad swimmer with legs, but it was clear he was struggling some.

Jae knew when someone came up beside him in the water. He could feel the bioelectric fields generated by the people swimming and his sense was acute enough to feel all movement in the pool. The water wasn't deep here, so Jae could stand and speak, but so could Eric and their height difference was still the same. Jae stared at those glistening pecks for a moment to long before looking up to meet Eric's gaze, "Y-yeah, and you're Eric?"

"It's been a while for me too." So long Jae couldn't even recall the last time. He's lived close to the ocean his whole life, it never made sense to pay to swim in a pool when the ocean was free. Jae glanced away, unsure what to say next. He found Eric really, really attractive, and Jae was never good at talking to people he found attractive. "Um, you like to swim?" He nearly winced at his own awkward small talk. He tried to salvage it, "I go to the ocean a lot to swim, b-but it's been a bit cold for the beach." It was not salvaged.

An excuse to run around without a shirt on. The confident way Eric said it pulled a laugh from Jae. The ridiculously attractive guy would find ways to show off. Jae admired Eric's confidence in himself. The teen wasn't sure if he could ever feel comfortable with his supernatural beauty. As he grew, he watched his body and face morph into the unrecognizable. Photos of him as a young teen could hardly be compared to him anymore.

Eric seemed to stare at him, almost like he were admiring something beautiful. A pink blush ran across Jae's face and the teen turned his gaze to the others swimming around them. Was it possible that Eric was interested in him? Or was he pulled into Jae's aura? The teen knew he shouldn't get his hopes up, but an awful part of him wanted it. Admired, found pleasing, and wanted for it.

The moment broke as Eric suddenly declared they should play a game. Eric's friends quickly got on board. They agreed on sharks and minnows and Kelly was the first shark. Jae settled against the far side of the pool, trying not to sneak glances towards Eric and mostly succeeding. This could be his chance to prove that he wasn't completely awkward. Technically, using his powers may be considered cheating, but it wasn't like he was going to shift into mer form and start swimming circles around everyone.

Kelly gave the signal to swim, and Jae kicked off from the wall. Legs were still horribly inefficient, but when Kelly dove for him he predicted her movement. Jae dove under, twisting out of her reach and made it to the opposite side. He surfaced, finally finding his confidence in competition. The water was his domain and it was time he acted like it. Jae found himself searching for Eric's gaze, and wanting the others admiration.

Jae, for a while, had to focus on the game and not Eric. Though Jae felt slow and awkward using legs, he was no slouch avoiding sharks. Especially when he could keenly feel the sharks movements and adjust accordingly. Either by diving under or last second dodges. It's worked so far, but now the field was even and several people were eyeing him. Including Eric, and the two matched gazes again.

Jae felt simultaneous dread and excitement, either way his heart pounded. The feeling quickly shifted to panic as Eric kicked off the wall and came at him frighteningly fast. Jae dove underwater, going as deep as the pool would allow. Eric's movements felt like a wall of red barreling towards him. Speed, however, can be used against him. Jae slowed and waited until Eric was just upon him. . . then kicked off the bottom of the pool and under and behind Eric with his path to freedom cleared of threats. Or not as two other sharks were closing in on the sides.

Jae dove again and swam for the wall. He knew immediately he might not be fast enough. Eric proved to be a frighteningly fast swimmer. He can't lose now! Not when he's done so well.

Jae surfaced on the other end to find he was the sole survivor of the round. He'd won! Pride swelled within him, even as he shyly ducked his head for the cheers. The game over, and a winner declared the group disperses to their own games. Eric joined him and Jae felt ready this time.

He ducked his head and laughed. "I thought you almost had me! You swam so fast, I thought for sure you would catch up to me." It was rather unfair, Jae thought, that Eric could be so fast with legs. "You might have had we gone another round. I can't dodge everyone." Like wolves they could have surrounded him.