Chapter Text
The sky burned even after the sun had dipped below the ocean horizon. Wisps of peach-colored clouds trailed over the powder sky, still bright and clear at eight pm.
Satoru couldn’t help but sigh, feeling the sharp ocean wind whip his hair as the waves pushed and pulled. Nowhere else in the world could match it here. The soft fall of Malibu’s silhouette dragging into the deep blue highlighted the lasting golden color of the evening. Stunning views matched with the playful fight of the waves caught his heart: hook, line, and sinker. Satoru had been to many places, but nothing felt quite like this.
His eyes flitted toward the shore. The expanse of sand, dotted with an occasional pale blue lifeguard shack, seemed much further than it was. He’d only gone out just past where the waves crashed. Typically he loved to wrestle with them. He loved the push-back the ocean gave him here. But right now he just wanted to float.
Wiggling his fingers and toes upon the surface, the platinum-blonde man closed his eyes, relaxing into the ocean's sway.
“Watch out!” a voice screeched.
His eyes shot open just in time to catch sight of a pink board zipping inches past his leg. He gasped just as the wave crashed, shoving him deep under. A thin cord caught his arm, pulling him painfully from the white water.
Wriggling away, he kicked to the surface (it was much deeper than he thought).
Just as he opened his eyes, another wave crashed down, drowning out the hint of a voice. It burned. The saltwater up his nose, down his throat, and the coarse sand against his skin. CO₂ burned in his lungs, begging for air as he tumbled wildly.
After what seemed an eternity, the water stilled. Afraid to open his eyes, it was impossible to tell which way was up or down. If he kicked upwards, would he actually be going deeper?
Before he could test his hypothesis, an arm hooked under his own, tugging him away and hopefully, upwards.
His head broke the surface as the stranger hoisted him, lacing their fingers behind his head.
Satoru hacked and coughed atop the incredibly buoyant stranger.
“You alright?” a girl’s voice asked.
Satoru rubbed his eyes, realizing he could feel her body very clearly against his back. He scrambled, embarrassed to have been saved by someone. She held him firmly, clearly at an advantage in the water.
“Here,” she turned him over. “Grab the board.”
Strangely enough, he did exactly as she asked. Completely transfixed by the evening’s shine on her sea-tossed hair. She waved to the shore, shouting something before turning around.
“Sorry I almost hit you,” she laughed sheepishly, hoisting herself atop the other side of the pink and white longboard.
A piece of stray seaweed tangled over Satoru’s ankle, but he couldn’t look away. An irrational part of him feared she might disappear if he did. He reached for the shades on his forehead, finding only wet hair and warm skin. Rapidly looking side to side and peering deeply into the darkening water, he began to pout, “Noooooo, I lost my shades!”
She giggled and he wasn’t sure if he should be offended. It was hard to be upset at all upon noticing her blue bikini top showing through her white rashguard.
“Good luck finding them, they’re long gone,” She paused, bringing a hand to her chin and him back to reality. “And probably broken.”
“But they were Ray Bans!” Satoru sulked.
Water splashed at him, and he looked up again to find her smiling.
“C’mon, it's not the end of the world! Aren’t you glad to be alive?” she pointed to the side.
His breath caught in his throat. The tangerine sun flirted with the indigo horizon. Dipping further and further until only a sliver remained, still bright enough to paint the entire sky.
It was the prettiest thing he’s ever seen. His eyes turned back to her as she stared directly to the west. She took a deep breath, eyes fluttering closed as if she could taste the candy-colors of the sky.
Scratch that. The sunset was a top contender for the most breathtaking sight.
Something else took the spot.