Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Sunrise and Sotsu Agency and distributed in America exclusively under license by Bandai Entertainment. The only profits I've ever received have been warm fuzzies and new friendships.

The following series of ficlets was inspired by the nine prompts of the 2008 Summer Camp Challenge posted on the 1xR livejournal community. We'll just ignore for a moment that it is now for all practical purposes summer 2009, shall we? Punctuality has never been my strongest point.

Ultimately, this is all Adaon's fault.

Summertide

by

Smarty Cat

Prompt 1: Swimming

Elemental

Be in the moment.

Inhale, stroke, kick, exhale.

Again.

Be in the moment.

Nothing matters beyond the confines of the water, the embrace of the water, the push and pull of the water.

Heero reaches the end of the lap pool, spinning and kicking himself off its wall to glide back through the lap pool the way he came. He closes his eyes, letting his other senses take over in this environment that is simultaneously familiar and yet unfamiliar.

The void of space does not encircle and cradle the way that water does.

The void of space does not remind him of the color of her eyes and the feel of her arms.

The void of space does not bring to mind beautiful endless summer in the light and the heat with her form sprawled out beside him in a blue bikini, reflecting the sand and ocean in her very coloring.

With each stroke the pull and response of his muscles becomes more deliberate, more forceful.

Be in the moment.

And if the moment is no longer what is wanted?

Heero veers off course, pulling himself out of the pool with little effort, already reaching for the phone waiting with the rest of his clothes. A corner of his mouth ticks upward faintly as the voice of a shuttleport receptionist echoes in his ear.

Perhaps it is time to return to Earth after all, back to Earth where each bead of sweat that rolls down her face is a miracle.