"I'm not," Steve promises, though the smile playing at the edges of his lips betrays him. Mostly he's just wondering where she managed to rustle up a wetsuit - it'll give her an advantage in the water, though he's not really concerned about anything resembling an advantage for himself, since he can surf just fine without one, which is why he's wearing a pair of swim trunks instead. If these lessons pay off, he won't even need to show her how to catch a wave in the water before she's doing it all on her own.
The board he's got next to him is one that came with Danny to the island - a little short for him personally, but it should work well for someone of Buffy's height, and he hoists it up out of its place in the sand, gently laying it down flat. "We're going to practice on land first," he promises. "It's all about knowing where to place your feet and position your body before you even get out into the water. You'll probably feel ridiculous. Most people do at first."
Snagglepuss quickly picks up on the message when Buffy shoots her a meaningful look, sauntering away to take shelter under a palm tree back up the beach. (Yet still within watching distance, notes Buffy, as if the cat would ever miss an opportunity to glean amusement from her inevitable misfortunes. To this day, Buffy remains unconvinced that the panther is not in some way psychic, but right now it's not of great importance.)
"Okay," she chirps, clapping her hands together while taking a deep, slow breath. Craning her neck to stare back up at Steve, she winces, partially because of the sun in her eyes, but mostly because the mental image she was just treated to was not a pretty one. "You mean I'm gonna have to act like I'm in the water when I'm really, really not? No, that doesn't sound ridiculous, what are you talking about?"
Steve shoots a cursory glance in the panther's direction - one day, someday soon, he'll have to ask her about that, but right now it doesn't seem like the time for a change in conversation. He shakes his head, smiling reassuringly, and decides to imitate the movement for her first, spreading his weight out on the surfboard as he lays on his stomach, imitating the paddling motion.
"It's all timing and balance, Buffy," he explains, glancing up over one shoulder at her. "You have to time it right around the moment where the wave starts to push the board forward for you, and then - " He jumps up, feet firmly planted, arms held out in a slightly curved manner, body leaning forward. "That's where the balance part comes into the equation."
However momentarily, it helps watching Steve go through the motions first, not just with dampening with the inevitable embarrassment but with the learning process as well. Watching and imitating comes easier to her by far than listening and doing, which only bores and frustrates. "Okay," she repeats on an exhale, nodding slowly. Sucking in both breath and pride, Buffy lowers herself to meet the surfboard when Steve is finished, doing her best to mimick his position as she lies flat. "Like that?"
Comments 38
The board he's got next to him is one that came with Danny to the island - a little short for him personally, but it should work well for someone of Buffy's height, and he hoists it up out of its place in the sand, gently laying it down flat. "We're going to practice on land first," he promises. "It's all about knowing where to place your feet and position your body before you even get out into the water. You'll probably feel ridiculous. Most people do at first."
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"Okay," she chirps, clapping her hands together while taking a deep, slow breath. Craning her neck to stare back up at Steve, she winces, partially because of the sun in her eyes, but mostly because the mental image she was just treated to was not a pretty one. "You mean I'm gonna have to act like I'm in the water when I'm really, really not? No, that doesn't sound ridiculous, what are you talking about?"
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"It's all timing and balance, Buffy," he explains, glancing up over one shoulder at her. "You have to time it right around the moment where the wave starts to push the board forward for you, and then - " He jumps up, feet firmly planted, arms held out in a slightly curved manner, body leaning forward. "That's where the balance part comes into the equation."
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