Naomi insisted they visit the harbour where a large white PVC pipe protruded from the side of the dock a few meters above the water. Two men in lifejackets sat on it and clutched bulky rectangular black bags. The sizeable crowd cheered as they alternated swinging the cloth bags at each other while balancing on the pipe. A Filipino guy took a big swing that landed on his opponent's shoulder, sending them into the lake. Everyone applauded the winner.

Naomi smiled like the rest of the audience. "They coat the pipe in soap, so it's extra slippery."

"Sounds fun." He hoped the sarcasm came through, as he did not love the eager glint in her eye.

She laughed. "Fun enough to try?"

Kieran let out a nervous chuckle, unsure if she was teasing him or serious. "I wouldn't go that far."

She tucked her hand in her pocket and ran the other behind her neck, nudging out two royal blue strings. "That's a shame. I picked out this cute bikini top for nothing."

That pout looked strategic, but he could resist.

"We'll go to the beach. You can suntan."

"That sounds boring."

Another pair shuffled their way onto the battle pipe.

He shook his head. "It's more interesting to knock people into freezing lakes?"

"I like competitive sports, and the lake isn't that cold. Please?" Those hopeful eyes and cute grin would be the death of him.

The worst that would happen was he'd embarrass himself in front of a crowd of people to make his girlfriend happy. She seemed like she'd be overjoyed to win or to be knocked off. The pipe might break while he was on it, although one of the current competitors was comparable in size to Kieran. He could do this. Naomi sounded interested in being half-naked with him, and while he wished it wasn't for a well-spectated aquatic game, it was good this situation put no sexual pressure on her. Although, it would distract the hell out of him, even if she covered up with a lifejacket.

"If it's that important to you."

Her excited yell and her leap into his embrace convinced him he'd made the right choice. Once she'd signed up, they found a spot further back at the harbour. They had at least twenty other pairs to wait for before their turn. The excitement of the battles drew in more spectators. Kieran hoped they would lose interest by the time their time came.

Naomi played with the hem of her shirt and darted her gaze to him for a second.

"If you're uncomfortable, you don't have to do that."

"You don't want me to?" Her wide-eyed stare met his.

"Those are two very different things. What you want is more important with your body."

"And if I want to do this?" She pulled the fabric past her belly button, revealing the subtle curve of her hips and a flat stomach. A quick look at her face confirmed she still wore a confident smile.

He grinned back. "Then I fully endorse it."

She kept lifting her shirt until it caught on her ponytail, and he helped her free it. While biting her lip, she looked up at him with adorable nervousness. Royal blue was a nice bold colour against her creamy skin. He tried not to stare at her perky boobs and the gentle curves of her cleavage. Despite his attempts to refocus his thoughts, his body betrayed him.

"You look amazing."

Her eyes brightened. "Yeah?"

He chuckled as her question had the most obvious answer. "Absolutely. My ego is a bit relieved you don't have abs."

Her laughter seemed to relax her. "I don't mind the workouts, but the eating restrictions aren't for me."

"That's my girl," he whispered. As she smiled up at him, he asked. "Can I hold you? Just a hug."

She nodded and stepped back until her shoulders were against him. Despite the request, he hadn't considered where to place his hands. Would it be worse to wrap his arms around her middle over her bare skin or put them lower on her shorts?

As if reading his mind, she entwined their fingers and brought his arms around her to join his hand just over her stomach. The bare skin of his arms rested against her underboob, but she didn't tense up or move them.

"This okay?" he asked.

She looked up and smiled as she nodded. Her head leaned on his shoulder, and she snuggled closer. Six months ago, Kieran would have laughed if someone told him he had a shot with Naomi, but she made it feel like the most natural thing.

The next ten amazing minutes flew by before they had to prepare for the water battle. Despite his nerves, it had been worth every second. Kieran helped her into her life jacket and debated his situation. He didn't have an extra shirt with him, although it wouldn't take that long to dry this one, or he could buy another from the shops. If he'd done that initially, he wouldn't be in this awkward predicament. Part of him feared Naomi's disappointment, and the rest dreaded the whispers and reactions of people questioning how he'd won her attention with his physique.

"Having second thoughts? I'll play fair, I swear."

He took another breath. She had done it despite her asexuality. He closed his eyes and averted his gaze as he slipped off the shirt. He wished he could keep them shut to block out judgemental stares.

"Wow, that's beautiful."

His eyes opened in confusion to catch her studying his tattoo. Leave it to her to distract him with something far more important than his self-consciousness.

"Kay," she muttered, finding the letter hidden in the flowers. Her fingertips brushed his arms, sending a pleasant jolt through him.

He put on the lifejacket and zipped it up quickly. Jake's insistence on telling Naomi left him questioning if this was the ideal time. She wasn't the type to push him for answers, but if he broke down, it could be problematic with an audience. Plus, having Jake there would help, especially with the parts that both enraged Kieran and crushed his heart. He hadn't only lost Katy. He'd lost his life and himself too.

It could have been worse. Imagine if Jake hadn't intervened.

A nervous shudder travelled down his spine. His reality would be so different.

"Can I ask you a question?" Naomi said.

"Sure."

"Was she the one you mentioned with the picnic and the homemade food?"

There was no sense in denying it. "Yeah."

Naomi wrapped her arms around him in a bulky, life preserver hug. He squeezed her tight, hoping that he'd never mess this up. 

A festival volunteer with a long, scraggly beard cleared his throat, and they pulled apart. "Have you taken part in the Islendingadunk before?"

"He hasn't, but it'll be my fifth time."

"A returning warrior, impressive. Here are some rules to keep in mind. Wait until you are both seated before batting your opponent off the pole. You can grip the pipe with your legs for balance. Once your adversary has fallen, you will also jump in the lake as we don't want to see you slip and injure yourself climbing back this way. And, you'll return to the dock using the ladder in the water near the pipe. While the bags are filled with sponges, we will ask you to sign a waiver in case of injury. Any questions?"

She and Kieran shook their heads and left their belongings with the attendant.

"Have you ever lost?" he asked her as they headed toward the line of participants.

"I did my first two years against Jodie, but I've got the hang of it now."

"So I should prepare myself to be taken down."

"Not necessarily. All it takes is one wrong move to lose your balance."

To illustrate her point, the larger man competing swung aggressively and toppled sideways, hit the water, and splashed the crowd.

The next group shuffled into place for the competition. Kieran was glad he wouldn't be the only one making it look awkward. Naomi held his hand as they crept forward, only breaking their contact to cheer on the fighters. A father and older son battled, then two women, and after them was another couple, judging by the kiss they shared before heading to battle.

That brought Kieran and Naomi to the front of the line. He eyed the white PVC pipe as his stomach churned. Just slide across, stay on the damned thing for ten seconds, and let her win.

A different volunteer handed them wet black bags filled with sponges.

"Ready?" Naomi's grin was contagious.

"Let's do it."

She slid across the pole backwards first to face the crowd. He clumsily lumbered toward her, praying the thing wouldn't snap. Despite the slipperiness, he made it out to face Naomi and gripped the pole with his legs for dear life.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, take your swing."

"This is a battle, K-spark, you're in it too."

"K-spark?"

"I'll keep workshopping nicknames."

He chuckled. "Give me hell, Nomes."

Naomi's first attempt landed on his shoulder, but too softly to budge him. He took a light swing toward her lifejacket.

"Is that all you got, K-money?" She swung again and frowned, as he hardly even flinched.

"That's not a winner either." His next hit landed on her shoulder, and she rocked as she regained her balance. When he reached out a hand to help, she shook her head.

She wound up for another hit, and he braced himself for the impact, which unsettled his stability a bit. But her grin disappeared as she tumbled to the left, and a small scream escaped her lips.

"Naomi?" he called as she smashed into the dark water, disappearing for a terrifying second before she bounded up. She laughed and kicked water towards him.

"Damn you, you're a mountain!" she shouted.

He laughed in relief and tossed the bag of sponges on the dock. Once she was a suitable distance away, he slid into the water. The skin-biting coldness surrounded him, making him tense. When he cursed at its iciness, it was Naomi's turn to laugh at him as she waited near the ladder.

"Very graceful," she teased.

"About as graceful as your fall, which was, remind me, before or after mine?"

Despite her exaggerated frown, she pulled him into a kiss as soon as he was close enough.

Once they'd towelled off and dripped off in the sun, they headed to the Viking park to check out the battles. They passed canvas tents, metal working stations, and artisan and weapons displays on the way to the roped-off and crowded battlefield.

Naomi wrapped herself in a towel instead of changing, which left him optimistic they might visit the beach later. With her not reacting negatively to his physical appearance, he cared a lot less about what others thought.

The breeze was cool enough for Kieran to embrace his girlfriend and rock her side to side. Her nephews were with their dad near the front of the crowd observing people in metal helmets, chain metal, and loose-fitting tunics charge at each other. As each side advanced, they held up their colourful circular wooden shields to block blows from metal-tipped spears. Soon the two lines of fights were shield to shield, holding their weapons and yelling at each other.

If Jake wasn't so bothered by crowds and the noise, he might have enjoyed this, although Kieran wasn't minding this time alone with Naomi.

He kissed her on the cheek, and she leaned further into his chest. Everything about her had his senses heightened. Her strawberry and lake scent, the softness of her wet hair as it brushed against his neck and chest, the warmth of her body invading his space in all the right ways. After their conversation in the store, his interest in this festival had to fight his desire to be alone with Naomi. Although she wasn't just here for him, her family was important too.

The battle grew more intense as men collapsed, miming either understated or dramatic death moments. Some guys got really into it with war cries and extreme expressions. It seemed fun, and with his growing beard and belly, he'd fit right in. He already had one aquatic battle victory under his belt.

The clash continued for another fifteen minutes, after which the kids were invited to fight with pool noodles. Naomi advanced through the thinning crowd with her hand in his toward her family.

When Jodi turned and glimpsed them, she grinned. "There you two are. I was worried you'd miss it."

"We caught most of it."

She eyed Naomi's towel and Kieran's wet swim trunks. "You made him do the Islendingadunk, didn't you?"

"I may have begged, but he had a choice."

Jodie shook her head. "Who won?"

Naomi's lips pressed together. "If Kieran wasn't such a mountain man, I'd have stood a chance."

Jodie laughed and high-fived him. "Thank you for bringing her down a peg."

Naomi looked him in the eye with a serious expression. "I'll get you next year."

He held her close and kissed her quickly drying hair. He had to fight the all-consuming happiness flowing through his body like warm sunlight. "You can try, Nomes, you can try."

Would you try out the Islendingadunk?

The next update will be on Wednesday, and some conflict is heading their way. I'm making some good progress offline with the story (almost at the end of Part 2) but I keep jumping back to edit different things as I try to figure out exactly how the resolution plays out so I'll be sticking to the once-a-week updates for now. 

Thank you as always for your wonderful support!