sands of time (response to ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
photo_prompts challenge #6)
It was eight thirty in the morning and already the sun was high enough to be near blinding as it reflected off the sand. They'd been walking for several hours, trying to do most of their travelling in the cool of the night and rest during the heat of the day, and he was more than a little tired. Jack took a bite of his trail mix bar and watched his companion out of the corner of his eye.
Allanna walked on of the sand like a goddess who made short work of the lake in her path, skimming off the top like cream. Her posture was cool and collected, which was entirely at odds with the muttering she was doing under her breath.
"Something wrong, love? he touched her shoulder gently.
She sighed, turning toward him with a rueful smile; her dark eyes shaded from the sun's rays by the wide brim of a hat. "It's silly."
"Tell me anyway?"
"I hate to complain."
"I'm sure I'll manage?"
She sighed. "I hate dirt. I just hate it."
"You know, I honestly don't think I've ever heard you complain before? I mean ever. You just don't. What's wrong with it? It's like a big beach, without the water."
"I know." Allanna sighed again. "Usually I just shrug it off and tell myself it's nothing to overreact about ... but ... I can't this time, I really can't. I just hate dirt. Hate it. I hate the way it gets in my shoes and gets in my hair and gets in my eyes. I want to jump up and down and throw a tantrum like a little child. But," she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I will not. Never mind that this is ... really just ... a vast expanse of ... dirt ... I will keep my temper."
Jack chuckled.
"I don't see what's funny."
"Oh, nothing." he laughed, rubbing her shoulder gently. "I'm just imagining you as a small child. You would have been adorable, all those curls." With a mischevous grin, he pinched her cheek. "And such a cute little face."
"Now that is ridiculous." she laughed. "I was an ugly child with very scabby knees. And skinny."
"You were beautiful then, and you are even more beautiful now." Jack replied stubbornly, taking another bite of his trail mix bar.
"And how do you know?"
"I just know. Men know these things." Jack was about to elaborate on his argument when he caught a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of his eye, and he froze.
"What?" Allanna turned.
Jack's eyes widened, staring at the dune about thirty feet away. "S-s-s-"
"What?"
"Snake." Jack hissed, somehow managing to thaw his arm out enough to point at the flowing sandstreak.
"It's going the other way, darling, don't worry about it."
"B-but it's a snake."
"It's only a baby." Allanna knelt down and peered at it, a smile on her face. "It's not going to hurt you. It's only got milk teeth."
"Allanna," Jack shivered, backing away. "How about this. I'll never tell you that hating dirt is silly again, and you leave me alone about snakes. Okay? We're both allowed to be ridiculous about one thing."
"I suppose." Allanna laughed, getting to her feet again and taking off her hat to shake her dark curls away from her face. "Shall we keep going? We've not got far to go before we reach the shelter, and it is getting a little warm."
Allanna walked on of the sand like a goddess who made short work of the lake in her path, skimming off the top like cream. Her posture was cool and collected, which was entirely at odds with the muttering she was doing under her breath.
"Something wrong, love? he touched her shoulder gently.
She sighed, turning toward him with a rueful smile; her dark eyes shaded from the sun's rays by the wide brim of a hat. "It's silly."
"Tell me anyway?"
"I hate to complain."
"I'm sure I'll manage?"
She sighed. "I hate dirt. I just hate it."
"You know, I honestly don't think I've ever heard you complain before? I mean ever. You just don't. What's wrong with it? It's like a big beach, without the water."
"I know." Allanna sighed again. "Usually I just shrug it off and tell myself it's nothing to overreact about ... but ... I can't this time, I really can't. I just hate dirt. Hate it. I hate the way it gets in my shoes and gets in my hair and gets in my eyes. I want to jump up and down and throw a tantrum like a little child. But," she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I will not. Never mind that this is ... really just ... a vast expanse of ... dirt ... I will keep my temper."
Jack chuckled.
"I don't see what's funny."
"Oh, nothing." he laughed, rubbing her shoulder gently. "I'm just imagining you as a small child. You would have been adorable, all those curls." With a mischevous grin, he pinched her cheek. "And such a cute little face."
"Now that is ridiculous." she laughed. "I was an ugly child with very scabby knees. And skinny."
"You were beautiful then, and you are even more beautiful now." Jack replied stubbornly, taking another bite of his trail mix bar.
"And how do you know?"
"I just know. Men know these things." Jack was about to elaborate on his argument when he caught a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of his eye, and he froze.
"What?" Allanna turned.
Jack's eyes widened, staring at the dune about thirty feet away. "S-s-s-"
"What?"
"Snake." Jack hissed, somehow managing to thaw his arm out enough to point at the flowing sandstreak.
"It's going the other way, darling, don't worry about it."
"B-but it's a snake."
"It's only a baby." Allanna knelt down and peered at it, a smile on her face. "It's not going to hurt you. It's only got milk teeth."
"Allanna," Jack shivered, backing away. "How about this. I'll never tell you that hating dirt is silly again, and you leave me alone about snakes. Okay? We're both allowed to be ridiculous about one thing."
"I suppose." Allanna laughed, getting to her feet again and taking off her hat to shake her dark curls away from her face. "Shall we keep going? We've not got far to go before we reach the shelter, and it is getting a little warm."
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