Two Fish

fifty one || alaska

Alaska drank her coffee and Elver sipped his tea. After half an hour in the café, they had reached a decision.

“So, what now?” Elver asked. He wasn’t prepared to fork out sixty pounds for an air bed they didn’t need, and one he didn’t want.

“We fly by the seat of our pants.” Alaska stirred her coffee. She had added so little milk that it was nearly black and with every slurp, she screwed up her nose but refused to admit that it was too bitter.

“What do you mean?”

“We just, you know, go with the flow. See where the wind takes us.”

With that, a gust of wind pushed the door open a crack. They were hit by the comforting scent of cigarettes and heavy rain that wrapped itself around them like a blanket. Alaska smiled and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.

“Mmm, I love the smell of cigarettes,” she said.

“Do you smoke?” Elver looked horrified.

“Not at all. I just love the smell. Don’t you?”

“It’s alright. I prefer petrol.”

“Oh, yes. Petrol’s brilliant.” She laughed. “Listen to us, two weirdos. Well, a weirdo and a cross dresser.”

His lipstick had long since rubbed off but his feet were still shoved into the heels. He blushed. “I forgot about that. My feet are killing me.”

Alaska held open a tote bag she held over her shoulder: inside, Elver’s jeans, shirt and shoes. “I thought you might regret it, or I’d be too embarrassed to be seen with you any longer.”

“You’re a life saver.” Elver grinned and took her bag, shooting off to the quaint café’s loo. Alaska finished her coffee while he changed and his tea went from lukewarm to uncomfortably chilled. He returned, looking far more normal, and grimaced when he sipped the cool liquid.

“That’s disgusting,” he said. Alaska laughed at him.

“Don’t you like iced tea?”

“Iced tea is delicious, but cold tea that should be warm is far from it.” He pushed the cup away, still standing. “Shall we go home?”

“We’re not beaching it?” Alaska pouted and reluctantly took his outstretched hand.

“It’s chucking it down so no, we’re not beaching it. But the forecast’s good for tomorrow. Maybe we could catch a tan, eh?”

“How long are we staying for?” They swung their hands as they walked, fingers locked in a complicated fashion. Elver’s phone rang and he held up one finger.

“Hold that thought. Hello?”

Alaska listened, straining to hear the other side of the conversation but even Elver was struggling against the ferocious wind rattling down the line and back again. She held on tight to his arm so she wouldn’t fall over and if she did, he would too. Her hair was being whipped every which way and catching in her mouth so she held it back, having nothing with which she could tie it away. Elver ended the call with a goodbye and slipped the phone into the back pocket of his jeans.

“Who was that?”

“Cathy.”

“Saying what?”

“Reminding me not to forget her birthday. Tomorrow. That gives us a deadline. Got to have our back to this place in nineteen hours, ok?”

“Ok. We can do that.”

“We have to do that. She’d be mad if I missed her birthday.”

“We won’t.” Alaska squeezed his hand, a blast of wind pushing her against him.

“Don’t say that. You’ll jinx it,” he said. She smirked.

“Don’t tell me you’re superstitious now. You’re not, are you?” She licked her lips, chapping from the salty air bombarding her face. Elver glanced at her through windswept hair, barely able to see her eyes.

“Well, I hate black cats. They really creep me out, and don’t get me started on ladders. You should have met me last year – I smashed a mirror when I was nine and things only sorted themselves out a few months ago.”

Alaska stared, trying to figure out whether his smile was cheeky or genuine. His eyes creased and his lip wobbled. It was cheeky. “You’re such an idiot,” she said, swatting his arm and losing her balance on a loose stone path. Elver caught her, his arm around her waist.

“Do idiots wear dresses for dares?”

She spluttered. “Yes.”

“I guess that makes me an idiot then.” He sighed and left his hand on her hip. When they got in, they shook off the rain and flattened their hair.

“Is the hot water working?” Alaska asked.

“Should be.”

“Mind if I have a bath?”

“Go ahead. I’ll make a fire for when you’re back down.”

Alaska soaked in a shallow pool of hot water in the tub. It had run out after only a couple of minutes, just enough for her to wash her hair and relax for a few minutes before it would go cold. Ten minutes later, she wrapped a thick towel around her and twisted her hair up in a small one. Her clothes were still in her suitcase, in the bedroom that neither of them had used, so she changed into her pyjamas and joined Elver downstairs. He was kneeling in front of the fireplace, poking the pile of burning logs. When she came in, he took in her owl pyjamas and fuzzy slippers and grinned.

“You look so cute.”

“Uh, thanks, I guess.” She folded her arms across her chest and stood closer to the fire, her knee brushing Elver’s cheek.

“You know, it’s only three o’clock, right?” he said. Alaska nodded.

“I figured we’re probably not going out again today and my jammies are cosy.” She looked down at her grey legs, dotted with the pink birds to match her top. The sleeves were a little long, coming to her knuckles.

“No, no, I like them.” He stood up, his lips barely an inch from Alaska’s forehead. “I was thinking, we should play a game.”

She stepped back to look him in the eye. “What sort of game?”

Elver took out something he had been hiding behind his back, a battered green cardboard box. “How about a spot of Cluedo?”