sabra_la_antiqua | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: A small Pavo
Where: The Delphinian shoreline, close to one of the smaller villages outside the capitol
When: Year 192, spring
What: The wind, the stars, the waves

[The moons are almost full tonight, rising together and casting purple shadows across the sands. The stars are bright and clear, the wind gentle enough that the waves of the incoming tide are small and barely capped with white.

The last of the fishing boats has been drawn in, the night is almost quiet . . . and small footsteps make their way down to the beach.]

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[More silence for a moment, but the familiarity of her--family, somehow--sets his feet to motion. Despite moving through the shallows, his footsteps hardly disturb the water.]

[But he has feet.

. . . where she sits is really shallow though, and something about those steps . . . she waits, arms still outstretched, and listens.]

[The footsteps stop several feet away from her...not within arm's reach, but certainly not a considerable distance, either.]

[Still waiting, eyes closed, arms out.]

. . . is the water too shallow?

[He doesn't move any closer, simply watches her, trying to place something...]

The depth is irrelevant.

[. . . oh.

Her arms drop a bit with each incoming wave, fingers curling back into loose, restrained fists.]

I guess . . . I'm the only one things like that matter to.

[It's another few moments of silence, broken only by the waves... Until he takes another step, then two... Who? How...?]

[She doesn't move at the sound . . . doesn't move at all, really, once her arms are wrapped back around her legs. Even her shivers have stopped, her body too tired to fight the water's chill.]

[At length there's a light pressure on the top of her head, and warmth... A large, clawed, but nonetheless gentle hand.]

You will freeze.

[Relaxes under his touch, somewhere between boneless relief and exhaustion.]

This . . . isn't 'home' to me.

Nor does it need to be.

"Home" is a place of your choosing.

[Reaches up, hiding behind her arm a bit as she rests her hand over his.]

Where's your home?

[He doesn't pull away, which itself speaks volumes]

I have not chosen one.

[Finally cracks an eye open, glancing up at him shyly.]

. . . will I see you again?

[There's something sad about his expression, when he looks at her.]

I don't know.

[Slides her hand up to his wrist, holding it still while she ducks out from under his touch, tugging it down so she can press her cheek to the back of his hand instead.

The words are faint, fading in and out, and almost certainly unconscious.

So . . . no, then.]

[He doesn't resist, content to simply watch her movements.

This troubles you?]

[Her eyes open wide.]

That . . . it isn't your underwater voice?

[...c-clamping down on a spike of amusement despite himself

No, it is not.]

But how . . . ?

[Looking around him . . . ahhhh tail.]

[Are you the easily distracted sort, little one...

'How'? That is something I would like to know as well...]

You mean, you can talk and you don't even know how?

[Tail tail taiiiiiil, staring in rapt fascination, tracing it with her eyes.]

[Following her gaze vaguely...it swishes briefly, a bit like the irritable flick of a cat's tail.]

There is talking... [...And there is something else.]

[Not letting go if his hand, but . . . leaning a bit more, shifting around his legs.]

Like . . . sound without noise.

But how do you know you're talking if you don't know how?

[Allowing that, for the most part.

Do you know how to will your heart to beat, child? Yet it beats all the same.]