[attr="class","sf_text"]As the cool water trickled down his throat, Callum would look across the flat surface of the water to see something that immediately made his mouth dry...something...that wasn't flat at all. Choking, the senior pushed himself to his feet, wide-eyed and drawing the back of his hand to stifle a cough. Beneath the thunderous roar of the waterfall, it was unlikely Artemis would notice a weak cough, but Callum wasn't prepared to make himself entirely known.

Of all the things he could have expected fate to deliver him today, seeing Artemis half-naked definitely hadn't been on the list. Seeing Artemis naked hadn't even crossed his mind and Callum simply stood there along the river bed, red faced and a little dazed. Should he call out to her? Just walk away?

Immediately, the man's bicolored gaze scanned the area once more, searching intently for anything that would reveal the presence of another. Nobody else should ever be able to witness Artemis in such a vulnerable form, but to his relief, there was nothing, no sign of life that indicated another peeping tom nearby. It was just the two of them...alone.

Returning to stare at Artemis, Callum couldn't deny feeling entranced by her. He'd always thought Artemis was beautiful, but that had more to do with her caring nature than her physical form. Gazing at her now, there was something a little more 'physical' about his attraction.

Moving slowly so as not to draw her attention, Callum slipped off his shoes, rolling up his jeans as far as he could. He tugged the loose material of his shirt over his head, wading quietly into the river. The numb current immediately froze his legs, and at first, Callum wondered how Artemis could stand it.

But as he drew nearer to his friend, he felt a new warmth, a feeling that spread from his chest, into his veins, even flooding his cheeks with a light rosy hue. He acted almost without thinking, letting habit and old memories drive him as he reached out tentatively.

His gentle fingers would skim her waist for just a second before Callum pulled her gently against his chest, resting his forehead against her shoulder. It might startle her, for sure. But how else was he supposed to say 'hello'?

[attr="class","sf_text"]What happened in the next few moments was a rather terrifying experience Callum should have expected. In all her beauty, Artemis was still a clutz. By that I mean she couldn't take his sudden appearance with the same cool demeanor she had bore the night before. No, the crazy woman practically pushed him into the water, and Callum didn't have enough sense to let her go. Something about holding onto her made him feel safe, until he was fully submersed in water, that is.

Panic seized his form, his arms fanning out like wings to hopefully aid in getting his bearings. Whatever Artemis considered 'treading' water, Callum definitely wasn't doing it as gracefully, but he tried. For the moment he was successful in remaining afloat in the water, but the man could feel the familiar squeeze in his chest that would warn him in just a few moments he would start sinking like a rock.

Immediately latching onto the stone face behind him, Callum shot Artemis a hostile look, the kind of look a cat gives you after it's been sprayed with water. When she asked what he was doing, the reply was blunt and obvious. "Saying hello..." But he would roll his eyes as she continued to rant, clearly alarmed by his sudden appearance.

Her parting words would earn herself a small frown, and Callum shook his head a little, hoping to rid the feeling of water swooshing around in his brain. "Look, you really need to stop stating the obvious." Time had changed them? Of course it did. That's what time does. But the soft smile that tweaked her lips was enough for the man to keep his rather blunt comment to himself.

Instead, Callum brushed his hair to the side, covering his one crimson eye as he spoke. "Sorry, if I startled you Miss Nike." He sunk a little further in the water, almost as though he were trying to hide from her piercing stare. "I really just was saying 'hello'. I hope you don't mind." His lips curved in the beginnings of a smirk, though there was no malicious intent behind his gaze.

Oddly enough, Callum was happy. He was happy that for the first time in years things felt...normal. He was happy that he was finally able to be around someone who made him feel warm inside, someone, who despite almost killing him, made him feel safe. And the rules? Well, to hell with those. They didn't matter in the woods when they were alone.

[attr="class","sf_text"]The impish smirk would not be beaten by her firm reply, instead, it would only grow into a smile as Callum watched her pout. They were alone, and he'd already crossed the line by being this close to a student, especially without a shirt. So what more was a little informality towards her name? "Sorry for startling you, Artemis." He repeated, in the deep rumble that had become his voice. "Though I never imagined you'd be so easy to sneak up on."

'Easy', as in she'd had practically all of her senses nullified by standing under a waterfall and still hadn't witnessed his approach. But before she could discount him as a jerk, he waved a hand in a rather apologetic fashion. "You know I would've thought with your whole...aura thing..." He trailed off with a shrug. She hadn't sensed him coming, and if he was honest that pleased him. In some odd fashion, it meant that maybe he was growing more accustomed to 'stealth'.

Before the idea could grow roots in his brain and fashion another cocky smirk, Callum paddled uneasily towards the stone alcove, using strong forearms to pull himself onto the wet rocks. As the water was ripped away from his torso like a soft fabric, it was clear that time had changed him, or rather Callum hadn't been idle in the last year.

His well-muscled arms and chiseled torso had definitely been absent during his time at Hinan Academy. Whatever rigurous and mysterious work he'd done, it had paid off for Callum who now looked less like a boy and more like a man. Of course he still fell short of Dartz's beast of a body, but the tall, lanky piano-nerd

Running a hand through his hair, Callum shot Artemis a thoughtful glance, offering her his hand in case she also wanted to get out. Everything inside him, though content, was equally on edge. What if someone saw them? What if he got fired. Why on earth, did Artemis have to be a student? Why did she have to be here?

Callum would have given almost anything for her safety. Her well-being would always be important to him. And yet here she was, safe, in the same city as him, and a small part of him was disappointed. He was lulled by the dark sinister thought that convinced him he'd betrayed her. Callum had given her up, given up all his feelings and memories of Artemis in return for a new strength, a strength that seemed to dwindle dramatically in her presence. Times like this it felt like his 'old self' was creeping back up on him, and unable to resist her pull on his heart, Callum felt like he hadn't changed at all.

Swallowing his bitterness, he offered a weak smile reaching further over the water to Artemis."You're gonna turn into a fish if you stay in there much longer."

[attr="class","sf_text"]Another greeting definitely seemed in order, but Callum was a little hesitant. There was no denying his annoyance at the rules, and he was not blind to the fact that they were still student and teacher. Out here in the boondocks, nobody would ever know. But, if he kept hugging Artemis now, who's to say it wouldn't make it harder not to in the future? Who's to say it wouldn't make him careless at the academy? Callum's heart ached at the thought of not being near Artemis, but every logic-biased nerve he'd come to accumulate in the last year seemed to be warning him this physical touch thing was a bad idea.

Man up, King Blue. Quit fuckin' around and hug the girl already. No sooner had Callum settled on 'doing the right thing', a little devil would pop up in his head, one bearing a voice he was all too familiar with...Dartz. Don't let some foddy-doddy logic run your head - You know I'd kick your ass for being such a wimp if I could.
I know, Callum would have rolled his eyes if Artemis weren't still standing before him, soaked to the bone. But, Really? Foddy-doddy was the best you could come with?
Don't pick a fight with me boy. You know who'd win. The threat would hang in the air between them before the conversation was over, just as abruptly as it had begun.

Callum, who appeared have rather spaced-out while he'd been talking to himself, was drawn to the present by a sweet voice, something he quite preferred over the malicious little brat who had taken up mental real estate in his skull. But the man immediately noticed something was different about Artemis this time, and it wasn't the lack of clothing or how tightly it clung to her curvy form. Why wasn't she looking at him? Were the rocks and waterfall really more interesting than the man who stood before her, an old friend she hadn't seen or really talked to in over a year?

Reaching forwards, this time, Callum tapped her the underside of her chin with a single digit. The slow, gentle gesture was meant to turn her face upwards to meet his gaze. "What's wrong, Artemis? " Standing under a waterfall probably wasn't the best place for these conversations. And despite the warm rays of sun that only just reached him, Callum could already feel a chill setting in. But he was afraid if he left this place he and Artemis couldn't be as close as they were now.

Giving in to the cocky voice he'd argued with earlier, Callum's finger would travel up her cheek where his whole hand would rest upon her head. Very gently, as if coaxing a shy animal he pulled his friend back into his embrace, wrapping his arms securely around her waist. It was a proper hug this time.

Like every time he was close to Artemis, Callum found himself entrance by how snuggly they seemed to fit together, and not just in a physical sense. One touch from Artemis put everything at rest. His racing heart, the convoluted trail of thoughts that screamed out this was wrong, even the chill he'd felt moments earlier seemed to be nullified by the girl, no, the woman before him. And in despair he wondered, How can I not break the rules when Artemis makes me feel this way?
Easy. Stop being a fucking wimp.

[attr="class","sf_text"]For the first time today, despite holding her in his arms, Callum suddenly felt very, very far from his friend. The quiet, grave tone she used to speak to him, and the distant look in her eyes saddened him. It was as though their hearts were still far away from each other, even though their bodies were right there. Something just...wasn't right, and now that he'd noticed it, that 'something' felt a lot bigger, and a lot meaner than before.

"Artemis, what happened to you?" He finally asked, his voice rumbling with uncertainty. "How did you get here, and what happened to..." Callum trailed off, almost wanting to forget about the third member of their squad. Callum didn't have high hopes for Dartz, wherever he was, and he bit his lip soon after having mentioned him.

He knew he was asking a lot from Artemis. Maybe she didn't want to talk about it just as much as he had hoped to avoid the subject, and perhaps the cove of a waterfall wasn't the best venue for this conversation. But Callum needed to know, as if he thought somehow knowing about her experiences the last year would help fill in the gap that seemed to sink between them.

[attr="class","sf_text"]Not everything could be fixed with a hug. Callum watched Artemis pull away, walk away even, like she was ignoring him. It was as though every step she took would force the gap between them wider, and wider still until Callum felt like he was faced with a dizzying reality. Maybe he and Artemis just....weren't friends anymore. Maybe time had changed them, so much so that the moments they used to have were now only possible in his dreams. Artemis just...wasn't the same.

Callum felt a rush of protectiveness for his friend, and an unshakeable guilt that he hadn't been there for her. He was the one who hadn't gone back. He was responsible for whatever had happened to Artemis...and Dartz.

Realizing Artemis had made it all the way to where her clothes were, Callum began to follow her, though his feet were heavy, like he'd been chained down. The man would be rooted to the spot as he found himself faced with Artemis, the only woman who'd ever shown him kindness, screaming in agony.

And its all your fault. Regret seemed to whisper ruefully in his ear. The jacket she pulled up to her face looked familiar now, and Callum lowered his gaze. That jacket meant something. It meant Dartz cared about Artemis more. It meant Callum hadn't been there, and even if he explained everything from the beginning, he could never justify not going back.

In the silence that followed, Callum didn't know what to say. Once they had shared their brokenness with each other, now, he wasn't sure he wanted to. Now, everything was more complicated.

"Why don't you come back to my place, for a bit?" Callum almost wished he hadn't chosen to speak in the moments that followed, but the offer had already been made. "I don't live far from here, just over the ridge really. You can get dry, and maybe a warm meal would do you some good." It was very clear to him a meal wasn't going to solve any thing. But he hadn't been there to care about Arte before, the least he could do was start making up for it now.