The blazing sun alongside with the cold eastern winds blowing over the plains of Nautilus marked the beginning of summer. Aylin and I strecthed ourselves watching as the Fivindus estate grow smaller with each second. It was finally summer break and we would get a month of vacation.
Aylin remarked how she have been missing the Royal Academy and Nautilus. It has been such a long time since she could sit by the docks. She continued with explaining how the smell of salt of fish was one of her favorites in Nautilus.
"Did you know Vivshi? Summer is the busiest season for Nautilus. Travellers across the world come just to buy our fish!"
I didn't know what to think about coming back to Nautilus. In anycase I should check up with Devina first and then maybe talk with Fiviana if I meet her.
The carriage stopped in front of the gates of the Royal Academy and we were led in.
Aylin was running around like a little kid in a candy store.
She kept happily spinning around shouting that we were back. Fiviana was standing by the entrance expecting for return.
As we walked together back towards the clubroom Fiviana asked us how our training at the Fivindus estate was.
A feeling of dread washed over both me and Aylin.
"It went good!" I replied.
"I heard from my sister that you met my other sister, Eirlys."
"Ah, yes her." I looked away biting my tongue.
"I hope she wasn't too much trouble, but otherwise how does it feel to be back?"
Aylin grabbed Fiviana's shoulder and told her that it feels like freedom had been delivered. She pushed Fiviana forwards trying to usher her faster towards the clubroom. The both of them disappeared around a corner and I stared out the window, seeing the administration building.
The girls sat down taking out celebratory drinks and snacks. I sat on the sofa while Fiviana was telling us about all the drama that have been happening in the Royal Academy since we left. Then Fiviana told us to wait so she could retrieve something. She hastily vanished and Aylin pushed the table to slide her chair back. Carbonation could be heard sizzling as Aylin poured some cider into a cup and handed it to me. She poured herself a cup before sitting down next to me.
"Things have been chaotic but let's all wash it away in the waves of summer, alright Vivshi?"
I nodded.
"Wash it all away!"
A mischievous grinn grew on Aylin's face as she gulped down the rest of her drink.
"Is there alcohol in this?"
"Who knows…" Aylin hiccuped.
"Vivsh…iii doesn't feel a bit warm in here?" She started to fan her face with her hand her face growing even more red.
"Did Fiviana even check of these drinks have alcohol in them?" I gently nudged Aylin to the side and stood up to open the window. Chilled Nautilus air flowed into the room making Aylin mutter about the ocean. 4.5% alcohol it said on the label of the bottle, how did she get drunk after only 3 cups of this? The better question was probably how Fiviana even got her hands on this.
I sat back down on the sofa and Aylin reach out to the cup on the table. Her face was flushed red and another drink would probably mean she wouldn't sober up for a while. So I grabbed her wrist before she could get her paws on another cup.
"Heeey… it's a special occasion! Let meeee~"
She then collapsed under her own body weight and fell onto the floor with her legs still on the sofa.
"Aylin, I'm gonna keep alcohol far away from you next time."
I crouched down to get her up back onto the sofa. That's when she struggled free and landed on me.
"It's so warm…" she was nuzzling against me like a cat trying to keep warm.
I thought to myself that maybe a minute of this wouldn't be too bad. And just let her lay there on my stomach as I gently caressed her hair. Her cheeks were so soft to poke at. My finger sunk deeper as I squished her cheeks together making a funny face on her.
"It tickles!" Aylin turned away her face.
"Okay okay, sorry, it was just irresistible to not squish."
"Why you wanna squish my cheeks?"
"Maybe because you look silly and cute right now."
Aylin pressed her face against my shirt before looking up at me.
"Fine.. you can't squeeze them."
With that my hands reached down at her face and began pulling on her cheeks. Her eyes were closed and calm as I stretched and squeezed her.
That's when the door suddenly swung open and Fiviana shouted that she had made a board game for us to play. But when she saw us in that position the board game that was raised high in the air was lowered down to her waist. She stared for a second before taking a step back and closing the door trying to be as quiet as possible.