Evy:"Do you know how to swim?"
Caesar shot Evy a scowl, his pride wounded at her question. Did she really just ask him if he knew how to swim? He huffed, his tone slightly indignant despite himself.
"What the hell kind of dumb question is that?" he muttered, his tone slightly defensive. "Of course I know how to damn well swim. Do I look like some damn landlubber to you, for Christ's sake?"
Evy:"Please carry me! I can't swim!"
Caesar's scowl morphed into surprise at Evy's admission. For a moment, his eyes widened slightly, and he looked almost taken aback by her confession. He had been expecting to endure some teasing or sarcastic comment from her, not a genuine admission of helplessness.
A flicker of concern passed over his face, but he quickly masked it with a grumpy frown. He huffed, the gruffness in his voice softening just a fraction.
"You... you don't know how to swim? For real?"
Evy:"You ever saw me going to the pool, while swimming?"
Caesar's frown deepened as her response sank in. Evy had a point; he couldn't remember ever seeing her at a pool before. He had always assumed she simply preferred other activities or was just not much of a swimmer. But now that she were admitting it, the realization hit him like a slap in the damn face.
A mix of incredulity and worry crept into his voice, his voice gruff but with a hint of genuine concern.
"You... you're actually serious, aren't you? You've never learned to swim at all?"
Evy:"The only ones who know I can't swim are my parents, my foster brother, and my childhood friend!"
Caesar's expression darkened as you mentioned the people who knew your secret. The idea that others were aware of this weakness while he wasn't, it frustrated him. A pang of jealousy and a hint of possessiveness flared up in his chest, but he quickly pushed it down, focusing on the situation at hand. He clenched his jaw, his voice gruff but with a hint of protectiveness beneath.
"Damn it," he muttered. "What the hell do you expect me to do then? Carry your ass all the way to the shore?"
Evy:"Yes please!"
Caesar's initial reaction was a scoff, his expression a mix of annoyance and reluctant agreement. Carrying you across a damn stretch of sea to the island's shore was a mighty task, and he wasn't looking forward to it. But as you pleaded with those wide, innocent eyes, he found his resistance weakening ever further.
"Damn it," he huffed, his voice a grumble. "Fine. I'll carry your damn ass. Just don't you damn well drown on me, got it?"
Evy:"Okay!"
Caesar let out a heavy sigh as he resigned himself to the task he had agreed to. He mentally prepared himself for the exhausting swim ahead, silently cursing himself for being so damn soft on her. He shifted his position on the boat, turning to face you more directly.
"All right, come here," he grumbled, gesturing for you to scoot closer. "Climb onto my damn back."
Caesar stumbled for a moment as Evy unexpectedly pounced onto his back, his balance momentarily thrown off by your sudden move. But he quickly regained his footing, shifting his grip to firmly hold onto her thighs, securing her in place. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the daunting swim ahead.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, his voice a mix of frustration and determination. "Hold on tight, sweetheart. This might be more damn exhausting than I signed up for."
Evy:"Yes darling, I believe you!"
Caesar bristled at the affectionate nickname, a slight grumble escaping his lips. But deep down, a flicker of warmth stirred in his chest, and he found himself strangely enjoying the way it sounded on Evy's tongue. He shook his head, pushing aside that irritating flutter in his chest, and instead focused on the task at hand, shifting his weight to maintain his balance with her clinging to his back. "Darling, huh?" he grumbled under his breath. "Damn girl is gonna be the death of me, I swear."
Evy:"Let's go Caesar!"
Caesar let out a wry chuckle, Evy's enthusiasm only fueling his determination. He shifted his grip around her thighs, securing his hold on her a bit tighter. The thought of swimming through the storm's rough waters with her on his back was far from pleasant, but he was damned determined to get her safely to shore.
"You're damn energetic, ain't ya," he grumbled, his voice laced with a hint of amusement and reluctant affection. "Hold on tight, beautiful. We're making a damn break for the island."
As the two of them dove into the rough, choppy sea, the cold water instantly enveloped them. Caesar's broad shoulders sliced through the water as he began to swim with powerful strokes. The waves crashed against them, some of them sending water splashing into his face and blinding his vision for a moment. But he pushed on relentlessly, his muscles burning from the effort.
"Damn it," he cursed under his breath, his voice a mix of determination and annoyance. "Water's damn cold, and you're heavier than you look, sweetheart."
Evy:"Quite talking and keep swimming! Or we'll DIE!?"
Caesar grumbled under his breath, your comment both infuriating and slightly amusing. He gritted his teeth, his determination to get you to the island overcoming his annoyance.
"Damn it, no need to be so bossy," he grumbled back, his voice a mixture of frustration and begrudging affection. "I'm doing the damn best I can, and I swear your ass got heavier the moment we hit the water. Just keep holding on, smartass."
Evy:"Hmph!"
A hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of Caesar's lips at Evy's annoyed huff, his chest heaving with exertion as he continued to swim. Despite the challenging conditions, he couldn't help but find her stubbornness endearing, even if it was driving him slightly crazy. He shot a quick glance back at her, his voice a mix of irritation and amusement.
"Don't you 'hmph' me, woman. It's your damn weight dragging us down, you damn princess."
Evy:"Keep swimming or get DROWNED!"
Caesar let out a grumble, her threat and constant bossing around testing his patience. But deep down, he was secretly enjoying the feisty exchange. He pushed through the resistance of the water with determined strokes, his muscles screaming from the effort. He kept his gaze on the distant shore, his voice a mixture of stubbornness and affection.
"Goddammit," he protested under his breath. "I'm going as fast as I can, you damn demanding woman. Cut me some damn slack here, will you?"
Evy:"We're almost there hurry!"
Caesar gritted his teeth, pushing his aching muscles to swim even faster. The weight of her on his back and the relentless resistance of the water were damn near unbearable, but he was determined to reach the island before either of you collapsed from exhaustion. He could feel every muscle in his body burning with exertion as he powered through the last stretch.
"Almost there," he grunted, his voice a breathless gasp. "Just a little further, goddamn it. Hang on."
Finally, the shoreline came into view. Caesar's heart thumped with a mix of triumph and weariness as he saw the solid ground within reach. His powerful strokes became even more ferocious, propelling both of you towards shore. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his body aching from the effort. But with one final burst of strength, he reached the shoreline and stumbled onto the sandy beach, his legs threatening to collapse from the strain.
"Finally... damn..." he panted, his voice hoarse and exhausted. "We're here... damn it."
Evy:"Let's go find a hiding place..."
Caesar grunted in agreement, his body still shaking from the exhaustion of the swim, yet his mind focused on finding a safe place to rest. He shifted his position so you could climb off his back, and then stood upright, supporting Evy with an arm around her waist to help her maintain Evy's balance. His eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any potential shelters or cover nearby.
"Yeah," he mumbled between ragged breaths. "We need to find a spot to rest and hide. Can you walk, or do I need to carry you again, princess?"
Evy:"There's no need, Prince. You must be exhausted after carrying me and swimming across the sea"
Caesar shot her a half-hearted glare at the 'prince' nickname, his pride still smarting a bit. But the sight of Evy standing upright, seemingly unbothered by her ordeal, made him reluctant to argue further. He knew she were right - he was damn well exhausted from the swim and carrying you on his back, and arguing would only exhaust him further. He huffed, his voice gruff but conceding.
"Hmph. Damn right I'm tired. You have no idea how heavy you are, smartass."
Caesar let out a small grunt as she pinched his arm, a mix of surprise and slightly playful annoyance on his face. Before he could retaliate, Evy had already turned away and headed into the forest, leaving him standing on the shoreline. He watched as her figure disappeared into the forestry, his lips curled in a small scowl, but a part of him secretly amused by her carefree demeanor.
"Tch. Damn woman," he muttered under his breath. "Can't even stay in one place for a damn minute, can you?"
Evy:"Ahhh!"
Caesar's head snapped in her direction at the sound of Evy's cry, his protective instincts kicking in immediately. His eyes narrowed as he listened for further sounds, his body tense and alert. When he heard no further noise, he muttered a curse under his breath and started making his way through the trees in the direction she had gone.
"Damn it," he grumbled, his voice mixed with concern. "Where the hell did that damn woman go now? I swear, going to give me a damn heart attack one day..."
Evy:"Caesar! Help me!"
Caesar immediately quickened his pace as he heard her call for help, his heart skipping a beat. The concern in Evy's voice made him even more worried, and he pushed through the trees in a near-panicked hurry.
"Hang on damnit," he called back, his voice laced with worry. "I'm coming! Where are you?"
Evy:"Here!"
Caesar followed the sound of her voice, practically breaking out into a run as he tried to find Evy in the forest. The thought of her being in trouble, injured or in danger, drove him to move even faster. Finally, his eyes caught sight of her, and he let out a breath of relief. He rushed over to your side, his eyes scanning you for any signs of injury.
"Damn it, what the hell happened?"
Evy:"A snake!"
Caesar's relief quickly turned into a mix of irritation and surprise. Of all things, a damn snake was what she had gotten into trouble with?
"A snake?" he repeated, an eyebrow raising in disbelief. "You called out to me because of a damn snake?"
Evy:"Look!"
Caesar raised an eyebrow at your insistence, but nonetheless followed your gaze with a slightly skeptical glance. His eyes flicked to the spot you were pointing at... and his eyes widened slightly in surprise. Right there, coiled up in the bushes, was a damn snake, slithering around and hissing at the pair of you.
"Well I'll be damned," he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with disbelief. "You weren't kidding."
Evy:"Let's run!"
A hint of a scoff escaped Caesar's lips, but his amusement was overshadowed by the fact that a damn dangerous snake was mere meters away from them. He nodded firmly, his protective instincts kicking in.
"Yeah, good idea," he agreed, his voice laced with determination. "I don't plan on getting bit by that thing. Let's move, princess."
He grabbed her hand, his grip tight as he began pulling you away from the snake, starting to run through the trees.
Caesar and Evy had barely taken a few steps when a new, even more terrifying danger loomed into view. Just as she shouted the word 'tiger', there was the unmistakable sound of a large, powerful animal growling nearby, and then a majestic and dangerous-looking tiger emerged from the trees, its eyes fixed on the retreating figures of the two of them.*
"You have got to be shitting me," Caesar muttered under his breath, his voice a mixture of disbelief and irritation. "First the damn snake, and now a goddamn tiger?"
Evy:"Let's climb the trees! And scare it with coconuts!"
Caesar glanced up at the coconut trees that surrounded them, his mind working quickly to process Evy's suggestion. Despite his initial doubts about the effectiveness of throwing coconuts at a damn tiger, he was willing to try anything to dissuade the massive creature from attacking.
"You want to throw coconuts at it? Damn, woman, you're something else..."
He let out a small scoff, but his tone was mostly laced with grudging amusement. "Sure, why the hell not. Let's see if it freakin' works."
Evy:"CLIMB!"
Without waiting another second, Caesar immediately began scaling the nearest coconut tree, his powerful legs and arms helping him ascend the trunk with almost impressive speed. He didn't need much convincing, especially with a damn tiger eyeing the two of them hungrily from the ground.
"Climb damn faster, princess," he called back as he ascended, his voice laced with urgency. "I ain't waiting around for the damn tiger to get impatient and decide we're a snack."
Evy:"Alright! Alright!"
Caesar watched with a mixture of relief and impatience as Evy slowly began to ascend the tree after him, her progress a bit too damn slow for his liking. He cursed under his breath, silently willing she to move faster, his mind still focused on the threat of the hungry tiger below.
"Damn it, princess, you're moving slower than a damn snail. Pick up the damn pace, will you?"
Evy:"I'm not athletic as you! And throw the damn coconut at the tiger already!!"
Caesar grumbled under his breath, his frustration growing by the second as you complained about Evy's lack of athletic skills. He knew damn well that her slower pace was due to her own lack of athleticism, but it was still damned aggravating in the current situation.
"Fine, fine, I'm damn on it, hold on," he muttered, his voice laced with a mixture of irritation and determination. "I'll throw a damn coconut at the tiger already, just keep your damn climbing pace up, got it?"
The sudden sound of thunder rumbling above them made both Caesar and Evy flinch, the unexpected noise adding an extra element of fear to the situation. Caesar's head snapped up, his eyes searching the sky for a moment before cursing under his breath.
"Damn it, now it's gonna start goddamn raining on top of everything else," he muttered, his voice laced with frustration and anger. "We have a damn tiger down there wanting to eat us, and now the damn sky decides to rain on our asses too? Bloody perfect."
Evy:"Caesar look! The tiger..."
Caesar's focus had been momentarily taken by the sound of the impending rain, but at Evy's words, he snapped back to the present, his head whipping around to follow her gaze.
"What? What is it?" he asked, his voice a mix of irritation and concern. His eyes fixed on whatever she were pointing at, preparing for a new, unexpected danger to present itself.
Evy:"It ran away..."
A mix of relief and surprise passed over Caesar's face as Evy pointed out that the tiger had suddenly run away, seemingly leaving you and him unharmed. He let out a low scoff, his voice laced with a bit of disbelief.
"Damn," he breathed, his stance visibly relaxing a bit, the tension in his shoulders lessening slightly. "That damn tiger just up and ran off out of nowhere. What a relief, I thought we were gonna be tiger snacks for a goddamn second."
Evy:"I suppose, cats hated water..."
Caesar couldn't help but let out a small laugh at her comment, a hint of amusement lighting up his previously worried expression. He nodded in agreement, a smirk on his face as he chuckled.
"Yeah, you're right. Cats definitely have a strong aversion to water. Looks like we were saved by the damn rain after all, huh? Bloody perfect timing, I guess."
Evy:"Let's go further around the forest, to see if there's any caves here..."
Caesar nodded in agreement with her suggestion, realizing that searching the forest for caves might be the best option to find some form of shelter. He pushed off from the tree he had been standing against, landing on the ground with a soft thud.
"Damn, good idea. Let's check further in the damn forest. Maybe we'll find a damn cave or some other place that can offer some kind of shelter from the damn storm. Let's get a move on then, princess, before we're both damn soaked to the bone.
Evy:"Let's hurry!"
Both you and Caesar sprinted through the rain-soaked ground, the wet earth and mud making movement slightly difficult. The rain continued to fall, the storm showing no sign of stopping anytime soon. But after what felt like an eternity, the two of them finally spotted a small cave up ahead, its dark mouth a promising refuge from the downpour.
"Damn, we found a damn cave! Come on, let's get inside before we're completely soaked and shivering like damn idiots," Caesar said, his voice a mixture of relief and urgency.
Caesar wasted no time and quickly led Evy towards the small cave, practically rushing into its dark depths to seek refuge from the relentless storm. Once they were both inside, he let out a small sigh of relief, his body shaking slightly from the chilly air and the dampness of his clothes.
"Damn, that's better," he muttered, running a hand through his wet hair. "At least we've got some damn shelter from the downpour. We won't get a damn pneumonia, at least."
Evy:"Do you know how to light a fire?"
Caesar gave a small scoff at her question, a hint of arrogance in his tone. He nodded, as if offended that you were even asking, and crossed his arms across his chest.
"Of course I know damn well how to light a freaking fire," he replied, his voice a bit haughty. "What kind of man can't start a fire to save his ass? I've got this handled, princess, don't worry your pretty little head. Sit back, relax, and let a guy do the damn work."
Caesar watched as Evy closed your eyes and a small smile appeared on her face, her exhaustion clearly showing through. He couldn't help but feel a hint of concern as he saw the tiredness in her expression. He knew Evy were probably worn out from the day's unexpected events.
"Hey, don't go and pass out on me now," he grumbled, his voice laced with a hint of genuine worry underneath the usual gruff exterior. He knew Evy was tired, but dammit, he wanted to make sure she was okay.
Caesar's jaw practically dropped as he heard the soft sound of Evy falling asleep, the small little snores escaping her lips making him curse under his breath. He should've known she was more damn tired than she seemed, and now here, fast asleep on the cold, hard cave ground.
"Damn, you're already asleep, aren't you, huh?" he muttered, shaking his head at your exhausted state. *He let out a small sigh, realizing that Evy needed the rest from all the chaos in the day.*
With Evy fast asleep by his side, Caesar busied himself with setting up a small campfire to provide some much-needed warmth and light in the cave. Once it was set up, giving off a small, dim glow, he took his place next to her and allowed Evy to lean against his shoulder, her head resting against him, a testament to her exhaustion.
For a while, he sat silently, the small flickering flames of the campfire casting a soft light on Evy's sleeping form, watching over her in quiet contemplation.
Caesar grumbled under his breath as he leaned back against the cave wall, feeling the weight of Evy's head against his shoulder. It was definitely awkward and uncomfortable, but he'd rather endure discomfort than have her wake up cold and shivering. So he quietly resigned himself to his fate for the night.
"Damn troublesome woman," he muttered, his voice barely a murmur. "How the hell did I get myself in this damn mess with you?"
The night was long and cold, the storm continuing its relentless assault outside the cave.