Seeing Red by SecondGuess

[Reviews - 1]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer

- Text Size +

Devon was flustered.

After Danziger had stormed off, she’d decided it was best that she take the first lifeguard shift and make sure the kids weren’t getting into too much trouble.

Or herself, for that matter.

She’d been about thirty seconds from winding her fingers through the hairs on John’s chest, for God’s sake! What the hell was the matter her?

Immensely grateful for the distraction, she instead found her son and True fashioning nets with Walman, who was teaching how to make the special knots. Uly informed her hurriedly that they were going to try to catch different species of aquatic life, and that they could save the nets to fish in the Sea of Antius.

Devon didn’t have the heart to tell him that Julia’s bio-scans had shown no significant signs of life, and that the stream was most likely a new tributary made by the torrential rains they’d had the month before. She also didn’t have the heart to slight Walman, who was clearly trying to give the parents of Eden Advance a break.

She wanted to find Danziger, so she’d been wandering around for the past fifteen minutes doing a fairly convincing impersonation of someone who was desperately trying to avoid the man. She couldn’t really decide which she was actually doing, so she decided she should probably actually take a bath.

But she wanted company.

She backtracked until she found the copse where she’d been alerted Bess was hiding, using Morgan’s straight razor to shave her legs while he wasn’t around to have a tantrum. Bess had moved on with the beauty régime and was currently smearing clay from some red rock across her forehead and nose.

Before Devon could even speak, Bess sighed loudly at the sight of gave a rueful look.

“Apparently Danziger wants to be alone. It’s a shame, really.” The Earth-Res announced coolly, with mock indignation. “You couldn’t wait until after his bath to start fighting? Julia and I have been looking forward to watching him shake dry all morning.”

Devon rolled her eyes indulgently at her friend, musing that no one but Bess could open with such a bold statement. She had to admit she wouldn’t want Bess to act any other way. Sometimes she was blunt as a spoon, but she was usually right on the money.

Watching John towel off truly was a sight to behold.

“He’s been having some trouble with True.” Devon didn’t miss a beat as she told her lie of omission. She was still shaken by Danziger’s unguarded moment, but there wasn’t a chance on the planet that she’d let Bess get wind of it.

It didn’t mean anything.

“It’s just her age.” Bess announced assuredly. “John will get used to having a hot headed teenager in time. The best fathers always do.” She rinsed her hands and began doing some laundry while her masque worked it’s magic.

“They nearly bowled me over on the way to the water. True didn’t want to take her bath…" She'd yet to consider the reason True was making such a fuss, and now that she had the reason was clear. "I think her body’s starting to change and she doesn’t know what’s happening. Danziger doesn’t look like the type who’s willing to discuss the birds and the bees.”

Bess snorted, “Devon, I’m sure that under certain circumstances John would be more than willing to elaborate on the birds and the bees,” giving her friend an indulgent wink.

Devon took out her mirror and began use one of Julia’s Micro-Mends to pluck out a few stray hairs on her brow. She wanted some sort of banal routine to shield the blush on her cheeks from Bess; to keep her from looking like she was paying attention.

“Oh please, Bess, it needs no elaboration. Especially from Danziger, of all people.” She tried to bluff, studying the wrinkles around her mouth. Getting older every day.

“Well I’ll have a little chat with True, if you’ll admit you’re just flustered because something happened between you and John this morning. Even though I’m not so sure what it was, I do have the facts, Devon. One: You’re trying to hide from me because your blushing. I’m not blind. Two: What ever went on, it happened while he was not wearing a shirt. Cause for suspicion right off the bat. And Three…look at you Devon, you’re primping! You’re using surgical equipment to shape your eyebrows. Which is a great idea by the way.” She concluded, coming closer to get a look.

“Alonzo tipped me off, pinnacle of personal grooming that he is. Speaking of, why aren‘t you out there watching him towel dry?” Devon teased, dipping her finger experimentally in Bess’ facial clay.

“Because it’s just too…feminine! I mean, look at us, we’re stranded on this planet acting like it’s the end of the world that we don’t have hair dryers and Dermabrators! We’re stranded in the middle of nowhere on an unpopulated planet and I’m still shaving my legs. I hate shaving my legs, and yet I’m still self-conscious!” Devon sat amusedly while Bess whipped herself up into a lather.

The Bath had become her soapbox.

“Every one of us here is self-conscious about something! Look at Cameron and his chapped lips, or Mazatl and that disgusting Grendler spit hair gel concoction that he and Alonzo use! Walman shaves his chest, for God’s sake! Watching all of us take a bath is just…silly.”

Grabbing a hairbrush, Bess began to tackle the tangles in her hair with a dangerously far away look in her eyes. Devon was fairly certain she wasn’t going to like what was coming next.

Or that she’d like it too much.

“But on the other hand, you have John Danziger. A giant, rugged, deliciously physically fit specimen of a man, who doesn’t gel his hair or pluck his eyebrows. In fact, he usually refuses to shave and thinks that getting his hair wet counts as washing it! He wouldn’t care less if he woke up in another body tomorrow morning- and for all of this, he’s just so damn appealing.”

Devon wanted her to stop, but to comment would free her of the tenuous control she had over he warring emotions, so instead she ducked beneath the water, which was absolutely freezing.

Instantly regretting her decision she popped back up, wiping her eyes to see Bess standing there with her hands on her hips, her long wet hair making her look like an angry mermaid.

“I waited. And for all this he is just so damn appealing. Because even though he gets very dirty, on rare and special occasions he gets very clean. It’s like watching Tarzan do a strip tease, and you- the only one who can take advantage of the situation- have ruined it for the rest of us!” Finished with her rant, Bess plunged dramatically under the water.

The last thing Devon needed to be reminded of her opportunities to ‘take advantage of the situation,’ as Bess called it.

It scared her to think she’d somehow overlooked the fact that she’d been primping for Danziger’s sake these months, but having Bess spell it out like that made it pretty much impossible to ignore. So what she wanted John to find her physically attractive, or at the very least wanted him to imagine that she could be, it wasn’t a crime. She could never be as carefree about her appearance as he was.

Every woman deserved at least one beauty secret.

When Bess reemerged fresh-faced, it was Devon’s turn to be ready with a rebuttal. “First of all, I don’t primp! Personal hygiene is not primping! And I’m sorry that you feel I’ve done something to deprive you of--”

“Oh Devon, stop being so sensitive. You know I’m only fooling with you, I’m a married woman! I have no business invading the big oaf’s privacy in the first place. But you’re sitting on top of a gold mine and you’re too afraid to start digging!” Bess strode out of the water, jumping a little in the cold as she wrapped a towel around herself. “He obviously does things to you, Devon. And since it’s been ridiculously clear lately that John feels the same, it’s pointless to resist temptation. Especially when he‘s squeaky clean.”

Tying her hair up with another towel, she grabbed her hygiene pack and Morgan’s shaving kit.

“No one ever feels the same, Bess, that’s the problem. Two people might share feelings for one another, but it doesn’t mean they can predict what the other is experiencing. I’ll admit he’s been a bit…sexually charged lately, but you know John! He’s…” she trailed off, unable to choose the right word.

“Tarzan?” Bess supplied with a grin, beginning the walk back to camp. Behind her Devon was trying to get the last word in, as always.

“No! It’s just that I’m…”

Shaking her head, Bess just kept on walking, calling out over her shoulder:

"Jane?"

You must login (register) to review.