Archive of Our Own ^beta

Present

Everything was chaotic.

Gun blast can be heard everywhere as well.

Screams of orders from police officers and screams of threats from the suspect mingling into one, making it hard for anyone as well Amelia to understand what they actually want to say.

All in all, it was just like any ordinary day when dealing with a Myth being as a suspect.

Amelia let out a sigh as she hid behind the police car, a few meters away from where the gun fight was happening. She was drenched from the sweat as her left hand held her injured right arm tightly where the suspect shot her.

Ina will be really mad at her when she sees Amelia’s injuries.

She did after all promise her roommates that she won’t do any dangerous job for a while. She couldn’t help it though, cases like this pays so much more than the regular boring one. Beside the cases that involved Myth being usually take times and a lot of energy which help occupy her mind for the past few weeks.

And Amelia really needs that.

She needs something to distract her from her usual thoughts.

She needs it.

Aside from beers, this - adrenaline - was the other thing that kept her feeling alive.

Just like how humans need air to breathe and fish need to be in the water to stay alive.

That was the only thing that kept her going for the past three years after that incident which took everything from her.

A soft sobbed coming from her side snapped Amelia out from her thoughts. She turned around to see the little girl she just saved from the suspect crying while her dog-like tail curled up in distress.

That action reminds Amelia of her .

“Don’t cry,” Amelia said softly as she put her good hand on the girl's head and gently patted it, “It will be okay. Everything will be okay.”

“I…” the girl softly whispered, so soft that Amelia needed to lean closer to the girl to hear her, “Yes?”

“I promise my f-friend th-that I will wait for her in th-the u-usual room,” the girl softly said between her sobs which made Amelia’s heart clenched in pain. The girl must be referring to the other kids who got captured by the suspect. “W-Will she be mad at me f-for not keeping o-our promise?”

“I-” Amelia could feel pain creeped on her whole body and she can tell that it is not from her wound.

Amelia closed her eyes and what greeted her behind her closed eyes were a pair of the familiar deep blue ocean eyes, staring straight at her.

She whispered softly, “...I don’t know.”

(A)

17XX

They both meet when they barely know about each other's world, Gura who only knows about the human world from the stories that the elders in Atlantis told her while Amelia who only knows stories about myth beings from scamming through her uncle's cases.

It was one fateful night where Amelia was just strolling around the beach, trying to clear her head after a long day that her uncle gave to her when a sight of a girl, sitting behind the large rock caught her attention.

The girl was just like an ordinary girl who was watching the stars silently in the middle of the cold night if not for the shark-like tail she had that thumped occasionally, following the sound of the ocean.

Amelia doesn’t know for how long she’s been staring at the girl but she supposes it was long enough for the girl to notice that someone was watching her because before Amelia knew it, the girl already turned around and was staring at her with the pair of deep blue ocean eyes she had.

The moment their eyes meet, shock and wariness quickly replaced by a sense of familiarity as Amelia sees what the deep blue ocean eyes offer to her – an understanding, an offer of a friendship and a safety.

And a second later Amelia smiled towards the girl which the smaller girl returned before Amelia walked towards her and silently sat beside her. They didn’t talk at all that night, just silently watching the stars in the night sky with the sound of waves and the girl’s tail sweeping the sand once in a while.

Even when the sun finally decided to come up to the sky, slowly basking the world – as well as Amelia and the girl – with its light, they still didn’t say anything. They both just stood up, looking at each other with a small smile before parting away.

At that moment, a silent promise was made.

They will see each other again.

(A)

Present

Amelia took another gulp of the beer and let out a small sigh as the bitter taste hit her bud. Her head thumping in pain from the loud music that echoing around the bar and from the alcohol she’s been consuming the whole night. 

She won’t stop though, she deserves it after the stressful case yesterday and Ina’s earful speeches when she saw Amelia’s injuries.

“You seriously need to stop consuming the alcohol, detective,” a voice coming from her back made her flinch.

She let out another sighed – this time an annoyed one – before she ran her fingers on her wet blonde hair and swiped it away.

“What do you want, Kiara?” Amelia asked, eyes never left the glass of beer on her hand. Truthfully Amelia already had enough of the orange hair girl. Ever since they met each other two years ago, she thought she knew better about Amelia’s life – about the burden and the pain she had when in fact Kiara doesn’t know anything.

Kiara pulled the chair beside Amelia, “I’ll take what she had,” Kiara said, pointing at Amelia when the bartender asked her about the drink before finally sitting on the chair.

“Kiara,” Amelia warned.

The orange hair girl let out an annoyed sigh as she turned around to look at Amelia fully, “This is not about what I want.” 

“This is always about what you want,” Amelia said, her voice latched with acid as she gave a side glare – a glare that she’s been practicing to intimidate the suspects she investigates – towards the orange girl. It barely has any effect though, probably because Amelia keeps giving it to her every time they meet each other.

“No Amelia, this is never about what I want. This is never about me; this is about how stupid you are and how you are hurting not only yourself but her as well.”

Amelia unconsciously tightening her hold on her glass when she heard it.

“Amelia,” Kiara softly said as she pulled out a photo and push it towards Amelia and it took everything in Amelia to not give up on the temptation and look at the photo because she knew once she saw it, all her resolve that she’s been building for these past three years will break, “Ame,” Amelia flinched at the old nickname – the nickname that she hardly hear these days, “She is still waiting for you.”

(A)

17XX

“Amelia Watson,” Amelia finally said, breaking the silence.

They have been doing this every night for a week after their first faithful meetings on the beach, watching the stars in silence – never breaking the silent promise they made to one another and while they are doing this at night, at day Amelia did her best to learn about the other's world. Amelia does her own investigations between her busy schedules to find out more about people like the girl, she reads all the books she could find, asking her uncle questions after questions and she even opens all old cases that she thought can teach her about the other.

The sound of Amelia’s voice finally snapped the girl away from the stars above her as she turned away and looked straight at Amelia’s face.

She blinked – once, twice – before tilting her head.

Amelia remembers from one of the books she found in her uncle's office that some mythical creatures have their own language which makes it hard for them to communicate with humans and from the look of how the other girl looks at her, it seems like that is what happened here.

“Amelia Watson,” Amelia softly and slowly repeated as she pointed to herself, determined to let her point get across.

They looked at each other's eyes in a silence for a few seconds before Amelia could see a look of realization dawning upon the other girl’s eyes. The girl opened her mouth, making Amelia unconsciously lean closer to her and after another few seconds of silently staring at each other's eyes, she finally said, “A-“ the girl took a deep breath, “A-me!” before beaming a bright smile at Amelia which Amelia returned with the same intensity.

“Yes,” Amelia said as warmth spread through her entire body and nodded, “That’s me, you can call me that.”

The girl pointed at herself, “Gawr Gura,”

Amelia smiled, “Nice to meet you, Gura.”

After that, it takes quite a while before they finally can communicate – at least decently – with each other. It was hard at first, but Amelia was determined. Amelia brought books with pictures on it and started to teach the girl about her language. In return, Gura also starts teaching Amelia her own languages, bringing her own picture books.

They spend weeks teaching and learning about each other’s language and when they finally can hold a conversation with each other for more than five minutes, they both let out a happy laugh before hugging each other tightly.

“We did it,” Amelia said between her breathless laughs.

“Yes, yes,” Gura replied, tightening her hold on Amelia as she buried her face deeper on Amelia’s shoulder. Amelia can hear Gura’s tail thumping happily on the sand which makes Amelia let out a small happy hum.

They stayed in that position for a while before Amelia pulled away,”I am so proud of you, Gura” she softly said as she patted Gura’s head which made the shark girl blush.

“T-Thanks…” Gura softly said, looking down and Amelia couldn’t help but think how cute blushing Gura is.

(A)

Present

Amelia looked at the beach across the road.

Kiara’s words from the bar earlier replaying in her mind, “She is still waiting for you. ” 

Amelia closed her eyes.

It only takes a few steps for her to go there – a few steps for her to finally face her past.

Amelia let out a shaky breath, but is she ready for this?

Is she ready to face her past – her mistake?

Amelia put her hand on her chest and clenched it as her heart beat painfully.

No, she is not ready.

And with that, Amelia turns around and runs away unaware that a pair of deep blue ocean eyes were looking at her retreating figure from afar.

(A)

17XX

Amelia isn’t quite sure what she had expected when she formed a friendship with Gura however she sure won’t complain because being with Gura and spending time with her is just really really amazing. Ever since they can understand each other's words, they spend no time at all to tell almost everything about themselves.

Amelia learned that Gura really likes watching stars and people (“Without intent on eating them!” Gura quickly added before Amelia can even say anything), loves to eat, and feels like she is being caged down in Atlantis which is why she came up to the surface despite the horror story she heard from everyone down there. In return, Gura learned that Amelia loves to solve cases (“I am the number one detective!” Amelia exclaimed proudly), has many injuries from her childhood days, enjoys baking and cooking and she wants to prove herself to her uncle as he always tells her she is not ready to learn their family secret.

They are so comfortable with each other that they even started teasing each other as if they have been friends since they were in diapers and not just a few months ago. The shark girl never failed to amuse and make her laugh which in return helped her to forget the tiring day she had.

Even today, she was having a really bad day and yet the moment she went to the beach and saw Gura there, trying to make a sand castle (something that Ame taught her to do before) with a big happy smile while her tail wagging happily makes Ame forget about all of the bad mood she had before.

“Hey there, stinky,” Amelia greets happily which makes Gura look up towards her.

“Stinky?” Gura asked, tilting her head.

Amelia snicker, “You’ll understand one day,” she said, making Gura frown, realizing that the words mean something bad because Amelia didn’t want to tell her about it. She opened her mouth, ready to retort but before the smaller girl could say anything, Amelia already plop herself beside Gura and looked at the sand castle (if a bunch of sand being piled up together can be categorized as sand castle) and bump her shoulder with her own.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Making sand-castles,” Gura replied happily before frowned, “But I feel like I did something wrong here.”

Amelia let out another snickered, “Nah, you did it perfectly.”

“I feel like you are just making fun of me.”

“Yes,” Amelia answered truthfully, which made Gura pout and folded her arms.

“Listen here, Ame ,” Gura started but before Gura could even say another word, Amelia suddenly rested her head on Gura’s shoulder - making the smaller girl stiffened up but slowly relaxed when she heard Amelia’s gentle breathing.

“Sorry, it’s been a long day for me.” Amelia said.

Gura hummed in reply while her tail softly wagged on the sand.

They stayed in silence for a while with Amelia resting her head on Gura’s shoulder, eyes closed while Gura tried her best to make her sand castle look like a sand castle without moving too much so Amelia could rest.

“Not gonna ask me what happen?” Amelia finally asked, breaking the silence. She slightly move her head so she can saw Gura’s face.

Gura shook her head slightly, afraid that if she moved too much, she will hit Amelia’s, “Nah, you can tell me if you want but if not it’s okay too.”

Amelia smiled before finally she let out everything that happened to her that day. Because of course she will, this is Gura. The only person who Amelia trusts with everything she has, she even trusts Gura with her life.

She told Gura about how her uncle keep giving her small cases like finding a cat or finding some insignificant thing that their neighbor forget where they put at, how her uncle keep telling her she was not ready for a big case or even learn about their family secret no matter how many times Amelia told him that she was ready.

“I mean, how can I ever be ready when he never even gives me any chance?! I just need one chance to prove myself to him that I am ready, but that chance is what he will never give to me!” Amelia grumbled angrily before she let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her blonde hair, “I’m sorry that you have to hear me being grumpy.” she said as she turned to look at Gura.

“Feel better?” Gura instead asked.

“...Actually, yes.” Amelia answered honestly because really after all that rambling, she found herself feeling much better than before.

“Good,” Gura smiled before she turned to look at her sandcastle and start working on it again, “I don’t mind hearing you rambling or being grumpy or all of that you know? I am just glad that I can be here for you and make you feel better even though I did nothing but hear you talking.”

“You did so much more than that,” Amelia said, smiling.

“Really?” Gura asked, surprised as she turned towards Amelia once again.

Amelia nodded, “Yes. Thank you, Gura.”

The deep blue ocean eyes looked at Amelia’s sky blue one and Amelia couldn’t help but feel her heart somehow hammering loudly from the way Gura looked at her. There were so many things that reflected in Gura’s eyes but what caught Amelia off guard is how gentle those eyes are as she looked at her and maybe just maybe, there is a hint of love in there.

“No problem,” Gura smiled before adding, “Stinky,” with a snicker which turned into a loud laugh when Amelia shoved and made her fall to the sand.

The moment was broken, but Amelia was sure she will never forget what happened on that day.

(A)

Present

The sound of her front door office push opened made Amelia let out a sigh, “Sorry, I am not accepting any new case right now,” she said – almost grumbling without even looking up from the file she’s been reading.

“I am not here to give you a case,” a familiar tired voice said, making Amelia finally tear her gaze away from the case and towards the pink hair girl in front of her.

“Calli,” Amelia said before she put the case on the table, she could already feel a headache coming, “Kiara send you here?”

Calli or Calliope if you go by her full name which Amelia find too long to say so she stick with just Calli, gave Amelia a small tired smile – a smile that Amelia once thought her permanent smile at least until she saw how she interact with Kiara – before pull the chair that was placed right in front of Amelia’s desk and sit on it.

“Actually, no.”

Amelia brows raised in surprise, “No?”

“No,”

Amelia frowned, usually when Calliope came to meet her it was because Kiara asked her to do so because Amelia was more ‘welcoming’ towards the pink hair girl. In Amelia's defense though, so far Calliope never annoyed her like Kiara.

Sure, the pink hair girl talks to her about Gura as well but she never really pushes Amelia to go and meet Gura unlike her girlfriend Kiara. That and Calliope knows the boundaries. She knows when to talk and when to stop so yeah, no one can blame Amelia for liking her more than Kiara.

“She saw you, you know,” Out of everything that Amelia expected Calliope told her, she was not expecting this at all. The moment those words left Calliope’s mouth, Amelia could feel her body freeze while her hands were shaking.

Clasping her hands together in hope that they will stop trembling, Amelia took a deep breath as she could feel the lump in her throat, “What do you mean-”

“Two days ago, after you met Kiara you went to the beach right?” Calliope said, her eyes never leave Amelia’s face and Amelia finds herself fighting the urge to turn away. When Calliope looks at her like this, Amelia remembers that even though she is a detective whose work is intimidating and investigating people, Calliope is the death herself. So no one can be more intimidating than her.

“Gura saw you- or more like she saw you running away,”

Amelia looked at her hands which had already turned to white due to her tight grip, “S-She saw that?”

Calliope nodded, “She did.”

“W-What-” Amelia gulped, “What she said?”

Amelia closed her eyes, dreaded to get the answer yet at the same time she wanted to know.

A beat of silence, then with a soft voice that she rarely used, Calliope asked,  “What do you expect her to say?” 

“I-I don’t know-” Amelia said, “About how much she hates me? Or how she disappointed at me-”

“None of those, Watson. You among all of us should know her better,”

Amelia let out a bitter chuckle as she looked at Calliope, eyes filled with rage and pain, “How should I know, I left her alone for hundred years.”

“Watson, you know that what happen-”

“No, Calli.” Amelia warned, “I don’t want to hear anymore about that.”

Calliope let out a sigh but didn’t say anything, instead she just pulled a photo from her jacket and put it on Amelia’s desk. Offering it towards the detective.

“She doesn’t hate you, Watson.” Calliope said, offering a small reassuring smile when she saw Amelia’s eyes glistening with tears, “She never does.”

“...She should be,” Amelia softly said, biting her lips till it was bleeding, “She should be.”

(A)

17XX

Ever since that day on the beach, there is something different between her dynamic with Gura. Amelia couldn’t exactly pinpoint what -  they are still like their usual self, talking and goofing around but once a small touch that means nothing more than a friendly one changes into a lot more as Amelia found herself yearning for the touch.

She also found herself to keep stealing glances at Gura before it escalated to just blatantly staring at the smaller girl and if Gura noticed it (as she should because Amelis was not even hiding it at this point), she never said anything.

Just like how Gura did now. 

They were sitting on their usual spot on the beach, however unlike the nights before, Gura was looking at the wedding party that was happening a hundred meters away from their spot. Her tail  wagging, following the rhythm of the song that the wedding band played while humming softly.

“You know, I never saw something so lively like that,” Gura softly said, breaking the silence. Her face slightly flush, either from the happiness she felt or from the stare she’s kept getting from Amelia. Amelia wants to believe it was because of the latter.

“The wedding?” Amelia asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion, “They don’t have those kinds of things in Atlantis?”

Gura shook her head, “Oh we have, but usually it was more….” Gura scrunched her eyebrows together, searching for the right word before finally beaming, “Reserved!”

“I see,” Amelia said before she turned to look at the party, they all sure looked like they were having fun.

They were watching the party for a while before the sudden happy song shift into a more melancholic one as the groom and bride walking hand in hand to the center of the floor.

“Ah, the wedding dance , ” Amelia thought as she saw the bride smile shyly towards the groom before the groom lead the dance.

“Then I suppose you don’t know how to dance a waltz?” Amelia asked as she turned to look at Gura.

“...Waltz?”

“The thing that those two people do,” Amelia answered while looking at the groom and bride.

Gura followed Amelia’s sight, mouth forming an O shape when she found out what Amelia meant.

“No, we don’t have those in Atlantis,”

“Then want me to teach you?”

Gura looked at Amelia in surprise, “You want to teach me?”

Amelia nodded, “Sure, why not?” she said as she stood up, brushing the sands off from her skirt before locking her eyes with Gura’s and offering her hand towards the shark girl. “Here,” she softly said, smiling.

Slowly, Gura took Amelia’s hand. The moment Gura’s hand touched hers, Amelia could feel warmth spread across her whole body and when Gura gave her a small shy smile, Amelia could feel herself blushing. 

Softly, Ameli pulled Gura up to her feet before guiding Gura’s left hand to rest on her shoulder while their right hands holding each other tightly.

“Excuse me,” Amelia whispered softly before she put her left hand on Gura’s waist and pull the smaller girl closer.

“Wh-What next?” Gura asked, blushing hard while her eyes looked everywhere but Amelia.

“Look at me, Gura,” Amelia said, waiting until Gura’s deep blue ocean eyes found hers. It took quite a while but Gura in the end gathered enough of her courage to lock eyes with the blonde hair girl. Amelia offered a soft and hopefully reassuring smile, “Now we dance,” she said.

Amelia guided Gura to dance, it was quite bumpy at first as Gura found it hard to find the exact steps and follow the rhythm, however it didn't take a long time before Gura learned it and after that, the dance went smoothly. It feels like their bodies become one as whenever Amelia guides Gura, Gura will follow the step and motion exactly. Their breaths become mingled with one another and before Amelia knows it, they are already dancing and laughing as if they had done this many times before.

“This is fun,” Gura said between her laughs.

And maybe it was from the atmosphere that surrounded them, maybe it was from how Gura laughed as if she had the most fun in her life, or maybe it was because of Gura’s face -  no her whole being, shining brightly under the moonlight and Amelia never saw something prettier than that.

Whatever it is, that is what gives Amelia one final push before she leaned closer to the smaller girl, pressing their forehead together as her eyes locked with Gura’s. She could feel Gura breath hitched from the sudden closeness, it doesn’t stop Amelia though as slowly she brushes their nose together before looking at Gura’s soft pink lips and then to Gura’s eyes once again.

She was searching for any hint of rejections inside Gura’s eyes because if there is - even the smallest one, she won’t do it. She will pull away and apologize or maybe even make any nonsense excuses.

There’s none however, instead inside Gura’s eyes, Amelia could see emotions that she’s been having for the past few weeks. Nervousness, hope, desire and what surprised Amelia the most - love.

“If-” Gura softly said, snapping Amelia’s attention away from reading Gura’s eyes and put her full attention towards Gura’s word, “If you won’t do it, I will.”

And that is all that it took for Amelia to close the gap between hers and Gura’s lips. It started slow at first, as if they both are trying to learn the new territory they got into and figuring out what the others want.

However what starts slow, slowly becomes a much more heated one as they both now start to fight for dominance. Amelia could feel Gura’s hands now circling around her neck - pulling her closer to deepen the kiss while Amelia’s hand that somehow found itself on Gura’s waist holding the smaller girl tightly as she too tried to pull her closer, as if they were not already close enough.

At one point Gura’s hand went to Amelia’s hair and slightly messed with it, making Amelia humming in happiness.

After what felt like eternity, the lack of air made them finally pull away and rest their foreheads against each other while trying to collect their breath.

“T-That was, wow,” Amelia said.

“You can say that again,” Gura answered, which made Amelia let out a small chuckle, “I’m sorry though.” Gura said, frowning.

“For what?” Amelia asked in confusion as she was pretty sure that there’s nothing to be sorry about from the kiss.

“My shark teeth,” Gura simply said.

Realization dawned upon Amelia.

“Oh-” she softly said before slightly licking her lower lips which are now bleeding out because of the kiss she shared with Gura before, “It’s okay, it will heal before you know it,”

Gura’s eyes glinted, “I can help to make it heal faster,” she said and maybe it was just a trick of mind but Amelia swore that Gura’s voice went lower and it sounded almost like a growl.

Amelia didn’t say anything, instead she cupped Gura’s face in her hands and smashed their lips once again.

This time, she was sure that she heard Gura low growl.

(A)

Present

“You know, for someone with a profession for detective you are incredibly stupid,” Ina said as she looked at Amelia who was laying on their shared couch while in her hand is the photo that Calliope left inside her office few days ago before the death went away.

“Please shut up,” Amelia said with a small groan as she closed her eyes, she loves her roommate – she truly does, after all Ina was the only one who welcomed her and helped her when she hit the lowest of her life. However, that doesn’t mean she can’t feel annoyed with Ina, especially when she knows Ina was about to give her another speech about her drinking habit or whatever it is.

Ina let out a small sigh before she walked towards Amelia. She put her hand on the photo - making Amelia look at her - and met Amelia’s eyes as she softly said, “May I?”

Amelia didn’t say anything, instead she just loosened the grip on the photo which Ina took as a permission to take it. Softly, Ina pulls the photo away from Amelia’s hand before looking at it. It was a photo of a silver hair girl standing alone on the beach as she was looking at the stars above her with a melancholic look.

“She’s cute,” Ina said with a smile.

“She is.” Amelia agrees easily because yes, she is cute.

Always has been.

“Look, I know that you don’t like it when someone say this-“

“Then don’t say it,”

Ina ignored the blonde hair girl, “But you really need to stop doing this for yourself,” Ina put the photo on Amelia’s hand, “and for her,” she softly said.

Amelia closed her eyes, “You know well why I can’t,”

Ina sighed, “I know and I understand your reason and fear but-“ Ina smiled, a soft smiled as she reached out and wipe the lone tears that fell from Amelia’s eyes, “Don’t you think it is about time for you to at least try to forgive yourself because she already forgive you. Now it is time for you to do the same thing to yourself or you will never be able to face her.”

(A)

17XX - Present time, 3 years ago

If being friends with Gura is amazing, then imagine dating the shark girl. Amelia couldn’t even find any word to describe her feelings, all she can say when someone asks her is that she could never be much happier and feel like she is the luckiest person alive in the world for the last few months.

They still have their same dynamic - goofing, bickering, talking, but now that they are dating, Amelia could be holding, embracing the smaller girl, intertwining their fingers together, kissing her and what is more amazing is that she could do it anytime she wants when they are in their special spot.

It was such a bliss that for a moment, Amelia forgot about her struggle to be acknowledged with her uncle - to be entrusted with her family secret.

Until it hit her right on the face.

It was like any other night, Amelia was about to go to the beach to her usual meet time with Gura when a loud voice coming from her living room caught her attention. 

Curious and worried, Amelia walked towards the living room - opened the door slightly. What greeted her was the sight of her uncle and three black suited men wearing all black suits, talking or more like arguing as one of the man's voices kept getting louder and louder in frustration.

“I will ask this one last time, give me the watch!!” the man shouted.

“And I told you, I don’t have it.” Her uncle answered, “You can search every corner of this room and me but you won’t find it.”

“Don’t play games with me, Watson.”

“I am not.”

The man let out an angry growl, “Did you give the watch already?!”

Amelia’s eyes went wide while the watch inside her pocket felt heavier, “ Are they talking about the watch that my uncle gave to me a while ago? ” Amelia thought as she put her hand on the watch and tightly grip it.

She remembered a few months ago, before her uncle trusted her enough to give her a small case, he gave Amelia the strange pocket watch with a weird mechanism as it has the wrong year number which is around hundred years ahead, wrong months and wrong dates as well.

She asked her uncle about it but her uncle said that the watch is hers now and she should always bring it everywhere she goes as it brings luck. Amelia thought nothing much about it, but still she brings it around because she doesn’t want her uncle to scold her for not bringing it with her.

Does the watch have another meaning aside from bringing luck?

“Who is it?! To whom you gave the watch?!”

Her uncle didn’t say anything.

“Your niece?” the man asked in a low voice and for the first time since Amelia knew her uncle, she saw him stiffened up. It was really subtle though that if Amelia didn’t spend years together with her uncle and memorizing his body movement, she would definitely miss it.

Unfortunately, it seems like the man also knows her uncle or maybe he just has that keen eyes as he let out a barking laugh, “So you did give it to your niece, perfect!” He said, “It was truly perfect because by now my men have already gone to fetch her.”

Amelia could feel dreaded washing over her, if what that man said is true then that means his men went to find her however no one came to her room, which can only mean one thing.

Alarm went off inside Amelia’s mind.

Turning away, Amelia quickly runs as fast as her feet could bring her while inside she chants prayers again and again, “Not her, please don’t let anything happen to her.”

The moment Amelia caught sight of the beach, she pushed herself to run faster. What greeted her when she reached the beach was something that she could never forget. There, kneeling on the bloodied sand was Gura - she was injured, her right hand which is holding a trident bleed, her left hand was dangle beside her, all bloodied while her face was bruised. Around her, lying more than ten unconscious men - mostly from Gura’s self defense while in front of her, standing another five men - injured but can still fight as they are pointing weapons towards Gura.

“I won’t ask anymore, sharkie! Where is she?!” one of the men said as he pointed his gun right towards Gura’s head.

“First of all, don’t call me that, only Ame can,” Gura snarled before she smirked, “And to answer your question, what makes you think I will tell you where she is.”

“You little-”

“GURA!!” Amelia shouted before the man could pull the trigger.

Gura and the rest of the men snapped their attention towards Amelia and Amelia could see Gura’s eyes went wide in fear.

“Catch her!” the man shouted, however before they could move, Gura already started attacking them.

Gura kicks one of the man's knees, sending him to the ground before she quickly smashes her trident towards the man's head. Seeing their friend get attacked they quickly change their advance from Amelia towards Gura.

Gura was smaller than them which means she had advantage in speed and Gura tried her best to use that advantage. And for a while it seems like she has the advantage.

She dodged punches after punches that were aimed at her, jumping away when one of the men tried to shoot her, thrusting her trident towards those men. But soon her injuries kept up to her which made her movement become slower and slower and soon she could barely dodge punches and found herself getting hit more often.

“Gura!!!!” Amelia shouted and she was about to jump to help Gura but strong yet firm hands held her in her place, “Let me go!!!” Amelia shouted as she tried her best to free herself.

“Amelia.” a stern yet familiar voice said which stopped Amelia from breaking free and turning around.

“U-Uncle?” she softly asked as tears fell from her eyes.

Her uncle smiled but she could see that he was in pain. Amelia looked down and let out a loud gasp when she saw her uncle bleeding stomach.

“You are bleeding!”

Her uncle shook his head, “It is not important.”

“What do you mean it is not?!” Amelia shouted.

“Amelia, listen to me! Right now there is something much more important than my injuries! Did you have the watch that I gave to you?!”

“But-”

“Amelia, we don’t have much time! The barricade I hastily made back in the house can only last for a while and your friend there can also only fend them off for a while!” Her uncle shouted, “So please answer me!”

Shakily, Amelia reaches inside her pocket and pulls out the watch.

“Good, good,” her uncle breathed a sigh of relief.

“Tell me, why are they looking for this watch? Why are they-”

“That watch is not just any ordinary watch,” her uncle answered, “It was a special watch that allowed their owner to time travel.”

Amelia's eyes widened in surprise, “What- what are you talking about?!”

“Listen to me Amelia, for generations our family has been guarding this watch because if it fell to a wrong hand, this world will be in chaos. No one should ever mess with the timeline-” her uncle let out a shuddered breath, “But of course that doesn’t mean it will stop bad people from looking for it.”

“I-Is this the family secret you’ve been adamantly trying to keep me out from?” Amelia asked as the gripped on the watch getting tighter.

“Yes,” her uncle said softly and Amelia could hear the regret in his voice, “I was hoping that I won’t have to tell you because if that happens it can put you into a dangerous situation-.” 

Amelia let out a hollow laugh, “Dangerous situation? Isn’t it funny? Look at what happened to us right now!” she shouted.

“I know, and I am sorry…” her uncle shook his head, “I thought we were safe as it’s been a while since the last attack happened and forced  our elder to jump in time but I was wrong.”

Amelia shoved the watch towards her uncle, “Here, take this damn watch! Go and do whatever it is you want to do with it! I don’t want to have anything to do with this anymore!” she shouted, her uncle however tightened the grip on her shoulder.

“I can’t, that watch is yours now. When I gave it to you, the watch changed its owner from me to you. The watch can’t go back to its previous owner, that is why only you can use it.”

Amelia was about to shout towards her uncle when a loud cry of pain caught her attention. She turned around just right at the moment where she saw one of the men Gura’s been fighting with slash the shark girl tail and cut the fin off.

“GURA!!!” Amelia shouted, voice latched in pain and sorrow. She could feel and heard her heart crack at the sight of her lover's predicament. While tears finally freely fell down from her eyes.

“LET ME GO!!!” Amelia shouted, desperate to go to her lover's side. Her uncle however pulls Amelia into an embrace, holding her tightly while he starts tinkering the watch.

“PLEASE!” Amelia shouted desperately as she saw Gura fall down, bleeding, “I’m begging you…”

“I’m sorry Amelia… I’m so sorry,” behind her, her uncle said as a lone tear also fell from his eyes. “I promise I will save her but for now, I hope you can forgive me and my selfishness to protect our world.”

“I don’t care about the world!” Amelia said between her sobs, “I don’t care about it at all- please just let me go to her!” Amelia looked at Gura who was hurt badly, holding at the man's ankle tightly to prevent him from going to where Amelia is.

“I’m sorry,” her uncle said before he put the watch inside Amelia’s hand and pushed the button using Amelia’s hand.

“Uncle!!!” Amelia shouted, she wished she had enough strength to push her uncle away to pry her uncle's hands away from hers so she could let the damn watch go - but she doesn’t have any of those so she could only watch helplessly when the watch in her hand started to shine.

“Ame….” Gura softly called, making Amelia look at the shark. Her vision was blurry from the tears, however she could see the soft smile on Gura’s face as the shark said in her own language word, “ Please smile , sunshine. ”

And then everything turns black.

.

When Amelia opened her eyes, she was alone in the middle of the beach.

There are no bad guys.

Her uncle was nowhere to be seen.

And there is no Gura.

“No… no… ” Amelia thought in fear before she ran towards the city direction.

As she runs, fear and dread fill her heart and mind because the city is not like the city she used to know. 

Everything is different.

Amelia only stopped running when she saw a bookstore where a newspaper displayed in front of it. Letting out a shaky breath, she slowly reached out to the newspaper before looking for the date.

2XXX

“No…” Amelia mumbled in pain as she read the date, “Please… no….” she whispered, desperately hoping that everything is just a dream before she fell down on her knees and cried hard.

What her uncle said about the watch is right. It was a time traveling device.

And it successfully sent her a hundred years into the future.

After that, everything feels like a blur.

Amelia couldn’t find any reason for her to keep moving forward, how can she when she lost everything in just a blink of an eye.

She’s mad at those men who came out of nowhere and destroyed her life.

She’s mad at her uncle for he was the one who kept the secret away from her and then pulled her into this mess.

But most of all, she was mad at herself for not being able to protect Gura.

Her Gura who she doesn’t even know if she survives from her injuries.

She was on the brink of giving up everything when Ina found her. Ina is the owner of the Book of Ancient which told her to help Amelia as it said that they need Amelia and her watch.

Ina was the one who helped Amelia, she patiently stayed beside the blonde hair girl's side, listening to the girl's stories and regrets and trying her best to heal the wound in Amelia’s heart. It was not perfect, but it was good enough that after a few months Amelia stopped living like a zombie.

Amelia’s turning point however is when Ina told her about a shark girl who's been sitting for hundred years at the same spot every night, right at 9.00 PM without fail no matter what.

“She became this city's own legend,” Ina said softly when she saw Amelia looking at her with tears in her eyes, “People here thought she was waiting for someone who will never come to her. I used to think that they were just making up those stories, but looking at you now and hearing your stories for the past few months makes me realize that people here are not wrong.”

Amelia looked down.

“She is waiting for you, right? That shark girl is your Gura.”

(A)

Present

Amelia let out a shaky breath before she finally took a step to the beach area.

It’s been three years since she visited the beach and yet it doesn’t change at all. It still looks the same, just like hundred years ago.

Slowly, Amelia let her feet guide her towards the familiar spot - her spot and Gura’s.

Ina’s words - for her to try to forgive herself keep replaying inside her mind, while her hand holding the photo inside her pocket tightly.

She is nervous.

She is scared.

And she feels unworthy.

But she made Gura wait for her long enough… really really long.

A sight of a familiar girl, sitting behind the large rock caught Amelia’s attention and she quickly stopped.

The girl was watching the stars silently in the middle of the cold night while her shark-like tail (Amelia can see the stitches that connected the tail and the fin) she had thumped occasionally, following the sound of the ocean.

Amelia’s vision blurred as tears formed while her body shaking from fear or something else, she doesn’t know. Every fiber in her body tells her to either run away or sun towards the girl. She didn’t do any of that though, instead she stared at her.

She doesn’t know for how long she’s been staring at the girl but she supposes it was long enough for the girl to notice that someone was watching her because before Amelia knew it, the girl already turned around and was staring at her with the pair of deep blue ocean eyes she had.

The moment their eyes meet, Amelia feels like all of the emotions she’s been buried these past three years come rushing to her. The regret, the pain, the sorrow, the fear, but most of all - the love she feels towards Gura.

Clearing her throat, Amelia offered one shaky smile before softly said, “L-Long time no see… Gura.”

For a moment Gura didn’t say anything, she just stared at Amelia's face, as if deciding if the Amelia she saw was real and not just her imagination and when finally she realized that Amelia really is standing in front of her, a soft yet happy smile bloom on Gura’s face while tears slowly slide down from her eyes towards the sand.

“A-Ame,” Gura said in her loving voice - as if the pain, the waiting for hundred years never happened.

Gura took a step towards Amelia, however the blonde hair girl flinched and took a step back, making the shark girl frown.

“Ame?”

“H-How?” Amelia softly said as she hugged herself and looked down, “H-How can you smile at me, calling out my name with that tone as if you still-” Amelia closed her eyes.

“Still what?” Gura softly asked.

Amelia gulped, “As if you s-still love me.”

“Because I do,” Gura softly said, as if she was afraid if she said it in her normal tone Amelia will run away from her, “I still love you”

“Wh-why?” Amelia asked, finally looking up, her eyes filled with pain, “Wh-why do you still love me when I-I don’t deserve you? A-after everything you’ve been through because of me… Why?”

Gura smiled, “Because you deserve it. You deserve me.”

“I-I’m not!” Amelia shouted, “Because of me, you get injured! Because of me you are hurting! Because of me, the tail you’ve been so proud of-” Ameli shook her head before fell down to her knees, “Sorry… I-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I-” 

A pair of warm hands wrapped around Amelia’s body as Gura pulled  her into an embrace, making the blonde hair girl bury her face into the crook of Gura’s neck as she cried harder. Gura didn’t say anything, instead she just tightening her hold when Amelia’s body shook and buried her face on Amelia’s shoulder.

“Sorry Gura…. s-sorry- I-”

“Shhh, it’s okay Ame,” Gura softly said before she slightly turned her face to Amelia’s and left a soft kiss on the other girl’s cheek.

“C-Can you forgive me, Gura? Fo-For everything?”

Gura let out a chuckle, and somehow Amelia remembered Ina’s words.

‘Forgive yourself because she already forgive you’

Pulling herself slightly away from Amelia, Gura put her hand on Amelia’s cheek and softly caressed it, as she whispered, “I forgave you since the first day.” 

(A)

Present - 2 Year Ago

“A-Are you Amelia Watson?” Amelia looked up from the book she’s been reading, frowning when she saw two unfamiliar women - one with orange hair while the other with pink hair - looking at her - or more like scanning her as if she was some kind of wild excotic animal.

“Well, judging that you come to my office that has my name plate right outside the door, I thought by now that you should know who I am.” Amelia answered before putting her book down, “Anyways, welcome to Watson detective office, how can I help you?”

“No, you don’t understand-” the orange hair girl said.

“Well of course I won’t understand if you never told me about your case-”

“No, I mean you are Amelia Watson ?”

“Kiara,” the pink hair girl said in a warning tone.

Amelia sighed, well at least the other woman is sane, can’t say the same thing towards girl called Kiara, “Yes, I am. Now if you done with investigating my name-”

“You are Gura’s Amelia,” Kiara said, shutting Amelia.

Amelia looked up, eyes widened in surprise and fear while Kiara looked at her with a very satisfied expression on her face.

“You know, when Gura told me stories about you, I told her that I can easily find you because of how detailed she is when talking about you.” Kiara smiled, “Looks like I am not wrong.”

“I-If there is no case you want to give me then-”

“Please go and meet Gura,”

Amelia closed her eyes, “I-I can’t.”

Kiara frowned, “Why?”

“Because I can’t!” Amelia snapped, “J-Just if you don’t have any case for me, please kindly get out because you are disturbing my work here.”

“Look-”

“Kiara,” this time the pink hair girl interjected and Amelia almost let out a sigh of relief, “Now is not the time,”

“But Calli-”

“Kiara,” the pink hair girl said before she put her hand on Kiara’s and held it.

Kiara let out a sigh, “Fine, but this will not be the last time you see me,” Kiara said before she let Calli guide her out of Amelia’s office.

Little did Amelia know that small meeting will lead to a regular one for the next two years.

(A)

Present

“Feel better?” Gura asked as she looked at Amelia who was now sitting beside her as her back leaning to the big rock behind her.

“Yes…”

“That’s good,” Gura said with a smile before she reached out and held Amelia’s hand. 

“I-” Amelia closed her eyes, “I’m sorry that it took me three years after the jump to gather my courage to come here.”

“Don’t worry, I understand.” Gura said, squeezing Amelia’s hand tightly, “Kiara told me everything or at least she told me what she thought about you and your reaction every time she came to visit you.

“That stupid mendling chicken,” Amelia mumbled which made Gura laughed, “I have to say thanks to her though,”

Gura nodded, “You should, she is the only person who willingly updates me about you which makes me feel less worried. Although-” Gura frowned, “You really should cut off the alcohol.”

Amelia smiled, “Don’t worry, I won’t drink it anymore.”

“Good!” Gura exclaimed happily. She leaned closer towards Amelia before pressing their foreheads together,”Also I have to say sorry in advance....”

“For what?” Amelia asked, eyes locking with Gura’s.

“Because after this, I will become the most clingy shark you have ever met.” Gura softly whispered while brushing their noses together, “I don’t think I could ever let you go away for the second time.”

“Don’t worry,” Amelia softly said, cupping her hands around Gura’s face, “Me either,”

They fell into a comfortable silence, just looking at each other's eyes, reading each other's emotions that reflected in it before Gura softly whispered, “If you won’t do it, I will.”

Amelia gulped, “A-Are you sure? I-”

“Amelia,” Gura put her hand on Amelia’s and squeezed it tightly, “You deserve this, You deserve me and all my love for you.”

Amelia closed her eyes, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

Brushing their lips slightly, Amelia softly whispered, “Okay,” before finally letting herself go into Gura’s warm embrace.