A Pool Day For Hatsune (Backpost) [Part 2]
Posted on Fri Dec 6th, 2024 @ 5:41am by Tadao Yoshikawa & Captain Kagami Izumi & Hatsune Izumi
Edited on on Fri Dec 6th, 2024 @ 5:41am
1,804 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Midnight
Location: Starbase Frontier- Water Center, Deck 9
Timeline: A few minutes after Part 1
Previously on Starbase Frontier:
Snapping back to reality, Kagami looked down. "I don't know sweetie. Right now we're friends ok." She stated. A million things were running through her mind. She held a hand to her head and sighed. "This is why I'll never understand temporal mechanics..."
"Huh?" Hatsune asked.
"Nothing. Let's go and have some fun shall we?" Kagami replied quickly. 'There's no telling what will happen I the future... things change right? And it might not be Tadao. It might be someone else right? But would I want that? Could that even be a thing? Oh God, this is far too complicated!'
And now... the continuation!
[Natatorium]
After he finally calmed himself down, Tadao made his way out into the main natatorium and sat down on one of the stainless-steel bleachers overlooking the long-course pool. the bleachers also happened to be situated perpendicular to the locker rooms, so he'd have a good view of the exit for when Kagami and Hatsune eventually emerged.
Both Kagami and Hatsune soon emerged from the women's changing rooms.
"Kagami! Over here! Tadao called out, waving the two of them over.
Hatsune broke free of Kagami's grasp and began to run over towards Tadao happily laughing as she did so. However only a few feet from Tadao she slipped on the wet surface and began to fall.
"Whoa, there!" Tadao exclaimed as his arms instinctively shot out and caught Hatsune right before she would've smacked her head against the hard tile floor. "Easy, there, Sweetheart! The floor's really slippery! You'll get a boo-boo if you're not careful!"
"Jeez..." Kagami sighed as she approached. "You know not to run Hatsune. It's not like you've never been swimming before now." She told her sternly. She stood there with her hands on her hips, what some would call 'The Captain Janeway Pose'.
It was then that she noticed Tadao. Her cheeks turned a little pink. This was all new territory for her right now, she hadn't been like this with any man since Athrun. "So... erm... there's like a kiddies play pool thing over there I think she'll enjoy..." she pointed to an area of very shallow pool with water toys, play pipes, water splashers and small slides trying not to munch on her words.
Tadao averted his gaze, evidently just as flustered as she was. "I, uh... yeah, that's probably a good place as any to start..." he mumbled somewhat awkwardly as he desperately searched for a way to change the subject. "So, uh... what kind of swimming skills does she have?"
"She's still a beginner." Kagami replied. "I've been teaching her how to kick properly and use her arms. But you need to hold her up by her tummy. She's not quite mastered the whole floating thing yet..."
"Well... perhaps we can teach her that today?" Tadao suggested. as he glanced over at the Kiddie pool. "It's probably not all that deep, so it should be easy enough for her to practice without any risk of her drowning..."
"Tadao. Will you hold me by my tummy whilst I kick?" Hatsune asked sweetly. "Mummy and me practise in the bath!" Kagami just blushed, it was true especially in recent days that Hatsune had insisted on practising.
"Oh, but of course, sweetheart," Tadao smiled as he took Hatsune by the hand and led her towards the kiddie pool.
Kagami couldn't help but smile as she watched. There were a few lounger like recesses built into the edge of the pool. She decided to lay back on one and watch.
"So," Tadao explained to Hatsune as he led her into the deeper end of the Kiddie pool. "We're going to play a little game, here, Hatsune; I like to call it "Starfish"."
"Starfish?" Hatsune asked.
"The goal of the game is to splay yourself out on the surface of the water, just like a starfish does," Tadao explained as he knelt down. "It may feel a bit funny at first, as it's kind of like you're laying on a bed, but at the same time there's no bed beneath you, either. The trick, you see, is to relax and trust to water to hold you just like a bed would."
"So I lay back and spread out?" Hatsune pondered. She threw herself back in the water and put her arms and legs out. It took a few attempts but eventually she floated. "I'm a Starfish!" She exclaimed.
Tadao was evidently surprised at Hatsune's enthusiasm to learn; he was half-anticipating that he'd need to prop her up, but somehow she'd managed to figure that out all on her own, which was all the more impressive for a four-year-old.
"Well done, Sweetheart!" he applauded as he helped Hatsune back into a standing position. "Now, what's say we try something a little more intermediate? It's a lot like what you just did, but instead you're laying on your tummy, rather than your back."
Hatsune looked at Tadao, locking eyes with him for a moment. "Hatsune!" Kagami called. "You know not to do that!" She called out. Hatsune seemed to jump at being called out. "Sorry Mummy." She replied.
"It's quite alright, Kagami," Tadao chuckled, before turning her attention back to Hatsune. "Alright, Sweetheart, let's try this..."
He crouched down until the water was reaching his neck, then proceeded to spread both of his arms out until they were parallel with his shoulders. "Spread your arms out, Hatsune, just like I'm doing."
Hatsune copied him exactly.
"Very good!" Tadao congratulated. "Now, keep your arms there for just a sec..."
He moved forward and gently placed his hand on Hatsune's stomach. "Now, what I want you to do is relax and lean forward; it's perfectly alright if you feel your legs moving up behind you, just keep your arms out, your chin up, and your body straight, alright?"
"Just like in the bath!" Hatsune said before starting to giggle. "Tadao that tickles!"
"It's alright, sweetheart," Tadao assured her before adjusting his hand so that it was more comfortable for Hatsune. "Just relax, keep your arms out, and lean forward..."
She nodded. "Ok," she said scrunching up her face as if trying really hard to concentrate. "Like... this?"
Tadao chuckled. "No, not quite; what you want to do is let your feet swing out behind you, like you're laying face down on a bed..."
Hatsune adjusted her position slightly. Meanwhile Kagami lounged back on the in-water lounger watching. She didn't realise just how good Tadao was with children. She couldn't help but think 'Would Athrun have done this?' she gave it deeper thought. 'Nah... he was the type of guy whose work came first. This would have been rare... Plus, if he had his way, Hatsune would have brothers or sisters by now too...' she let out a silent exasperated sigh.
"There we go!" Tadao exclaimed as he finally got Hatsune into a procumbent position. "Now, try and keep that pose for as long as you can; I'm going to lower my hand, but I'll be right there to catch you if you feel yourself starting to sink, okay?"
"Got it!" Hatsune said. However no matter how hard she tried to keep the afloat as soon as Tadao removed his hand she began to sink like a stone. It was soon becoming apparent that she had the ability to float as much as the old ocean liner the RMS Titanic after it played tag with an iceberg and lost.
"Just keep your back straight, Hatsune," Tadao reminded her as he readjusted her for the fourth or fifth time. "Don't let your tummy sink out if you don't feel my hand supporting you. The key is to relax and lay yourself as straight and flat as you possibly can, alright?"
"OK!" Hatsune replied as she did her best to comply to his instructions. After a few moments, Kagami paddled over. With the water being ou a few feet deep she could sit easily on the surface abd keep her upper body above the surface.
"You two seem to be having fun." She commented with a smile.
"This is way too precious," Tadao smiled as he adjusted Hatsune again. "It's truly a shame that her father hasn't been here to watch his baby girl grow up; I think he really would've adored her."
Kagami smiled. "Probably," she replied simply. "But, he was always working. Its probably why I was attracted to him. He was a lot like me back then, but now I look back and wonder if he would ever have made time for this sort of thing..."
Tadao shook his head and sighed. "I mean... I guess I get that- for a man as accomplished as your husband was, it seemed like he had a lot on his plate. But you run an entire Nareandra-Class Starbase, and you still manage to make time out of your busy schedule for Hatsune... what was his excuse?"
"He doesn't have maternal instincts?" Kagami replied with a slight laugh. "How did you get time out of running the restaurant? It's quite a popular place these days."
"I covered for my assistant manager while he was on medical leave, so now he's returning the favor so I can spend time with Hatsune," Tadao responded. "And yeah, it's long work, but this restaurant's practically my life; I don't mind pulling a few extra shifts now and then to help out an employee or two; and besides, it puts a little extra moolah in my pocket that goes into my Manga collection..."
He blushed. "Uh... forget I just said that; you'll probably think I'm a dork or something..."
Kagami couldn't help but chuckle. "That reminded me of Hiiragi-san." She said. "But your secrets safe with me, I have a few myself." She admitted.
"I want to go on the slide!" Hatsune piped up, pointing over to a small water slide nearby.
"Well, it would seem she grew tired of playing 'Starfish,' didn't she?" Tadao chuckled. "Alright, Sweetheart, we'll try it again some other time; for now, what's say we grab Mr. Orca and hit the slides?"
"Yeah!" Hatsune exclaimed.
Kagami placed one hand on her hips. "She's four, her attention span is hardly existent at her age," she laughed. "I guess I'll join you too, I might as well." She added with a blush.
'I suppose I could get used to this...' Kagami thought to herself as she joined them at the slide.
Posting By (in order of appearance):
Captain Kagami Izumi
Commanding Officer, Starbase Frontier
Tadao Yoshikawa
Civilian Merchant
Hatsune Izumi
Civilian Child
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