Who: Rey and Xander What: Dinos go bad When: August 20 Where: Portal Rating: low
Dinosaurs were an entirely new concept for Rey and she was thankful that Xander had explained them to her. They were enjoying the day at the amusement park which seemed like a zoo, but for dinosaurs. They were currently in something called a gyrosphere which was something that reminded her of technology from her world. They were currently making their way through a grass meadow where large brachiosauruses were grazing on the trees on either side of the meadow.
“I think it’s amazing that people were able to find out that these creatures existed and then went even further to bring them to life.” She had moments where she definitely looked like she was a kid experiencing something magical for the first time.
-- Honestly, Xander wondered how many people did not know about dinos. He enjoyed the day so far, especially since he spent it with Rey. And the brachiosauruses amazed him up close. He never imagined he’d get to see them like this.
Which also worried him. He watched Jurassic Park multiple times and knew what happened...in the stories. But with the Dome, obviously he worried.
“Humans can accomplish amazing things when they put their minds to the task.” Or if they stopped being afraid and fighting. Two things he knew firsthand.
Xan thought Rey’s excitement sweet and found himself holding her hand as they explored.
***
Rey was blissfully unaware of the movies, but she had noted a few times that some of the meat-eating dinosaurs seemed really aggressive from the information around the park. They seemed very dangerous.
She didn’t notice it at first, but the second time there was a subtle tremor in the ground, she did. Rey frowned. “Something’s wrong.” She wasn’t sure what it was, but it had Rey pulling her hand from Xander and sitting up a little straighter in the gyrosphere chair. A moment later and they seemed to lose power several minutes after they entered a forested area. With the ball de-powered, the doors opened automatically
Rey looked Xander. “It looks like we may have to walk back.”
-- Oh. Okay. So this followed the movie? “Fuck!” Xander didn’t even watch his language. “We have to run back. Do not stop running, Rey.” He held her hand and, for probably the only time in their relationship,dragged Rey along, at least at first, as they exited the weird ball thing and then started back from where they came.
“This ...the something wrong? We either become dino food or get to watch some cute and gentle dinos become food. I don’t think either of us desire this.” Thank God Xan trained for fight nights now and kept up with basic training from home. His cardio still remained pretty good.
As if on cue, they heard a couple noises which meant Xan not only ran with Rey, but tried to not also puke at the same time.
***
Rey was suddenly wishing she had brought her lightsaber with her or her blaster. She would have even settled for her staff, but none of those seemed appropriate at the time. She had learned her lesson, though. Next portal, she'd bring her lightsaber, even if it was some place innocuous.
They were pretty far from where they began and while she was used to running long distances, she was worried about Xander. It seemed like they weren’t the only ones who wanted to run. Suddenly from their left came a lot of dryosaurus who were panicked and stampeding. Rey didn’t want to hurt them, but she and Xander were her priority. She swung out her hand and several of them flew backwards just enough so they didn’t hit the duo.
-- Xander planned on encouraging her to bring one of her weapons in any other situation in the future. Dinner at Hinkles? Staff. Portal? Lightsaber. Slip N Slide? Okay maybe not a giant Slip N Slide.
He hated seeing such cute and peaceful creatures get zapped at all, but he understood the reasoning. “You might want to save any strength or power you have in case the things chasing them sense us!” The random worry about a portal opening in his world during the merfolk war now suddenly hit his brain in terrifying fashion.
“So. Um. This is the literal pits.” Xander still felt okay at this speed, but he knew the distance back to the portal. Fuck.
And then they heard a dino scream and Xander stopped long enough to puke, before he found the half drunk water bottle he stashed in a cargo shorts pocket. He rinsed his mouth, took a sip and proceeded to run again.
***
She would have been entirely bewildered by the idea of her powers being called ‘zapping’, but since he kept that particular description to himself, she had no idea. What she did know, though, was Xander had puked and that was not okay with her.
Rey’s mind was going a mile a minute as she ran and scanned the area. When she saw an opening, she grabbed Xander and pulled him to the side. It wasn’t toward the park anymore, but it was to a large tree that was mostly hollow. She half pushed him inside the tree and then went in herself, sandwiching Xander with his back against the tree and Rey pressed firmly against his front. She was still breathing heavily, but she tried to still her breath quickly as she held his gaze, her eyes wide and adrenaline still pumping through her.
Somewhere from behind the tree came big stomping.
-- Xander felt so grateful Rey found the tree, because after puking he definitely didn’t have the stamina from five minutes ago.
“This date turned into...something. I’m sorry Rey.” He tried not to think about Rey pressed against him. Shit. This was not the time for thinking about sex. Especially since he just threw up. His arm did sneak around her waist, though.
--
“I don’t think you had any control over what’s happening.” Which was Rey’s way of saying she didn’t blame him. A part of her, in fact, liked the adrenaline spike as it reminded her of home. It was a short-lived nostalgia as the footsteps grew louder.
She should have probably explained what she was doing, but she hadn’t thought of that. Instead she closed her eyes and leaned against him a little more, her cheek lightly grazing his own cheek as she concentrated and tried to make them undetectable to the large dinosaur that was approaching.
-- Xan, for his part, didn’t move or say anything. Now that his brain functioned again, he could see Rey in deep concentration. Of course he enjoyed this closeness, but he more desired they not get eaten than anything else; self preservation and all.
“Thanks. I saw the movies, so I should have been more prepared,” he whispered. The footsteps sounded closer, and now Xan noticed a leg standing outside. He tried to breathe as quietly as possible through his nose.
***
Rey tensed. She was determined not to let any harm come to Xander and she’d do whatever it took. If she had to leave him there and fight the dinosaur, she would. She’d be at a disadvantage since she’d never seen them before, but Rey had been paying attention the whole day so she did have some idea.
It seemed like it took forever for the dinosaur to stomp away and she didn’t stop concentrating until the sound of far-off stomping disappeared into silence. She exhaled when it did and then opened her eyes, though didn’t immediately move away. “Are you okay?” She still whispering softly.
-- Well, finally the dinosaur left. Xander felt some tension leave his body and honestly the stirrings of exhaustion. “Yeah, a bit tired, so as much as I want to keep standing here like this with you, I think we need to try and get back before the adrenaline completely leaves my system.”
He couldn’t really sidestep Rey, so he waited for her to make the first move.
***
She gave a small nod, then looked like she was about to pull away before she stopped herself. Instead, she leaned in again, eyes closed, and this time she kissed him. She inhaled sharply while her lips pressed against his and her fingers and toes curled a little at the feeling of it.
When she pulled back, there was a soft gasp as she had ended up kissing him long enough to run out of breath. “Sorry.” Though she didn’t sound sorry for the actual kiss, more of the timing.
-- Xander didn’t expect to be kissed, especially not after puking not that long ago and no way to brush his teeth. But, his hands moved to Rey’s waist and returned a kiss he honestly wanted to happen for a while. In Xan’s mind, though, Rey should initiate the first kiss, given how shy she was.
“No apologies,” he replied firmly. “And I definitely want to do more of the kissing when...we’re not here?” The kiss at least upped his adrenaline slightly. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You’re beautiful. But we truly need to get out of here.” He heard noises, in the far off distance. “Are we still clear?”
***
Rey hadn't really meant to either, but she was on enough of an adrenaline high that it broke down any barrier she normally had. What was nice was that having kissed him, she didn't have any lingering doubt about it. While she did smile, it was brief before she got back down to business and nodded.
"Yes. I don't feel any hostility around us right now." And she didn't want either of them hurt, especially not after kissing him. She took his hand and turned, ready to run back to the portal's entrance.