At long last, a mud-spattered Cadillac SUV rumbled up the rough dirt track, through the last of the trees. A pair of purple fuzzy dice jostled suggestively over the dash in time to the beat of a rap song which, perhaps coincidentally, was describing another pendulous arc being swung by hirsute objects. It was entitled "Hang Lo", and its performer was none other than the driver of the car. He listened to his own music often, in order to critique it and improve it before sending it off to major record labels. He had had no takers up to this point, but he was optimistic. Swagger like his was undeniable.<br/><br/>He pulled up alongside what he recognized to be his aunt's car. Excellent - Blaze would already be here, then. His cousin had an odd name; his mother's sister always had been kind of a hippy, so it made sense. It also explained why Blaze was apparently forced to wear tie-dye clothes so often. No matter - she was fine-looking regardless. Ever since puberty - specifically, hers - he had had his eye on Blaze. Yes, Silver (for that was the lad's name - goddamn hippy parents...) had always considered the prohibitions on romance between cousins to be more like guidelines - and guidelines were for chumps. Silver, by contrast, was a player. Well, specifically a baller...though he wasn't much good at basketball. His coach said he was a "work in progress." In the meantime, rap was his passion. Rap, and beautiful cousins.<br/><br/>Silver parked his Caddy (well, it belonged to his father, but he preferred not to pick nits) and vaulted out of the driver's seat onto the cobblestone driveway just in time to greet his aunt. "Yo auntie May, what's good?" He smiled his biggest smile, revealing the rhinestone-studded orthodontal insert that he had had custom-made. As he hugged his aunt May, he was reminded where Blaze got her genes from - and also her jeans. They had to wear the same size, in fact, thought Silver as he "accidentally" copped a feel. Those jeans were snug, indeed. Silver silently made room in his future schedule for multiple trysts. As far as he knew, his aunt was no longer seeing his uncle, so it shouldn't be difficult. "Just guidelines," he reminded himself.<br/><br/>After chatting May up for a bit, Silver grabbed his luggage out of the back of the Caddy and made his way inside the family retreat. "River House" it read in cast iron letters over the gate. The river itself was a ways off into the woods, but not too far for some late-night swimming if he remembered correctly. He gently kicked open the ornately carved front door and yelled so his cousin could hear. "Yo Blaaaaze! It's your cuz!"<br/><br/>No answer. Well, maybe he'd get to sneak up on her, wherever she was. Just like his favorite super hero, he thought with a chuckle. He was glad he packed the costume.Setting his things by the foyer closet, he snuck around the first floor, the expensive oak boards creaking under his Reeboks. No sign of Blaze. She must be upstairs - perhaps getting changed into something more comfortable after the long car ride here. If so, Silver knew he had to move quickly and silently. He quietly hummed his own spy music as he creeped up the stairs and towards the front room with the double bed that he and Blaze had shared in the past. Nothing significant had happened in that room in years past, but he aimed to change that. He was no longer the shy kid who didn't have the courage to ask his own cousin to prom. No - today he was a player.<br/><br/>Finally he peered through the open door of the bedroom. "Jackpot!" he thought to himself, as he had managed to catch Blaze admiring herself in front of a full-length mirror in a two-piece bathing suit. It would be creepy to just stand there looking at her, he determined, so he did the next-best thing. "Surprise!" he shouted as he embraced her from behind, observing perfect protocol for what might follow. Then he remembered he wasn't wearing the costume...damn. "Daaayyymn, girl, you grew up!" he remarked as he hugged Blaze loosely. "Whatchu say we go down to the river and - " Suddenly there were feet on the stairs. "Oh shit! It's my moms! Act cool, act cool!" he whispered, putting both hands behind his back and standing nonchalantly off to the side of his cousin. It was not, in fact, his mom...s. It was aunt May.<br/><br/>"You two found each other okay, I see," she said, smiling.<br/><br/>"Oh yeah, we're all good," replied Silver, nodding. "You need any help unpacking, auntie May?"<br/><br/>"Oh no, thank you Silver. Actually your father is here; he's already brought in what was left of the luggage."<br/><br/>"No shi - ?", he began. "Err, I mean, great! Well, me and Blaze were just about to catch up, so - "<br/><br/>"Oh, sorry. Just wanted to make sure you two were getting situated alright. See you later!"<br/><br/>"Yep. Bye," he waved amicably until she was out of sight. "Phew. So, where were we? Oh, right." He turned to face Blaze, looking her up and down appreciatively. "How you doin', cuz?"