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Kyrie pulled himself up on the beach. Melody wasn’t around yet. Normally he’d wait, but today he had something to show her. He dug his claws into the sand to help pull himself up to her home. It would probably be smarter to just go to the cliff, but she laughed when he did this.
As soon as his body touched the grass he reached for her door. Sometimes he wished he could go inside again. Spend days where she could show him her world. Although she hadn’t stopped since he grew. Using the thing she’d taught him with for movies. Still reading to him while leaning against his arms. He almost liked it better this way.
Carefully he tapped a claw against the entrance. Melody told him to be extra gentle when he did this. He heard a bit of noise from inside. That meant she was coming. Kyrie pulled his hand back and placed his palm under his chin. He tried to make one of the faces that usually made her laugh. A weird grin along with crossed eyes. Sometimes he stuck his tongue out too.
“Which of you is-” Melody cut herself off with a hearty laugh. That made Kyrie lose the face he made for a big smile. “Kyrie, what are you doing?”
“Came to see you,” he said.
Melody walked out without hesitation. He loved that she trusted him. Loved that she chose him. Still he noticed the times she looked darker. As if there was something she didn’t say. He assumed it was from the way her parents’ visit ended, but she kept saying it was fine. She stopped close enough he had to push himself up to look down at her.
“I keep telling you not to dig your claws in to climb up here,” she said. He could hear the laughter in her voice. “It makes a lot of deep holes.”
“I’ll fix them,” Kyrie said. He leaned down and pressed his nose against her. She laughed again. He loved to hear her laugh, even more than her singing. “I always do.”
“I guess that’s true.”
Kyrie purred. He was glad Melody liked it when he did. She laughed more. Slowly Kyrie brought his hands up to her. Surrounded her. She leaned into his fingers. Always a feeling of ice against his skin from her. The cold used to scare him. Not when it came from Melody.
“Come with me?” he asked. Melody’s hands sat on his nose. She hummed unsure a few times.
“Only if you keep me dry,” she said.
Kyrie couldn’t stop his chirps. Melody agreed, he loved when she agreed. It felt like an eternity before she was willing to go out on the sea with him again. A deep breath to take in her scent. She pushed against him, more laughter. Slowly he pulled his claws in around her. Until she could push her feet against them, push herself up.
A careful tilt of his hand. Melody flat on her back. Warm brown eyes that stared up at him. He never thought she’d be this comfortable. Trust him this much. He pushed himself up onto his elbows. Used them to force his way back down to the water. The smile on Melody’s tiny round face made his ear fins wiggle. Another laugh from her.
“Don’t forget to fix the holes from your claws!” Melody shouted. Kyrie chirped in agreement.
He pulled the hand with her up to his chest. Pressed her against his heart, where the ice of his little mate bled into his soul. He dug into the sand just below the water to fill in the holes he made. Pressed down to make it blend. Licked the spots on the grass to try and help it grow over. Melody had never watched him do this, he didn’t really want her to.
“All done,” he purred. Melody pressed her hands into his chest. More purrs flew out of him.
“You’re worse than a cat,” she laughed.
Kyrie chirped loudly. He went back to leaving the land. It took care in order to make sure Melody stayed dry. Her laugh kept sneaking in as he shuffled down. A few more times he had to fill holes he missed. There were easier ways to do this, but he got Melody’s laugh for longer. To feel her ice filling his heart every second.
As soon as he got into the water enough he forced himself up as tall as he could. Melody’s fingers dug into him, the laughter gone. Soft chirps left him as he turned towards the water. The ice disappeared, replaced with warmth. As if the fear bled warmth as her trust bled ice. The chirps shifted a little sadly.
“I’m fine,” Melody said. The laughter in her voice was gone, but it wouldn’t be much longer.
Kyrie placed his hand on the cliff near her home. Shoved himself back while pressing Melody tighter to his chest. The splash of water always felt nice. She screamed, but he knew the screams that meant bad. This one had laughter in it. He curled his fingers around her as he started to float in the water. He wouldn’t mind spending the day like this.
“Ready?” he asked.
“For what?” she said.
Kyrie grinned as he flipped himself over in the water. It dunked him and caused a massive splash. Another laugh filled scream from Melody. His own chirps were full of mirth. He forced his head to the surface, only his eyes above it. Pulled the hand with Melody close to his face. A grin beneath the waves as he unfurled his fingers to show her the sky.
“You are such a dork,” she laughed.
Kyrie chirped at her. She smiled. He kept her right near one of his eyes as he swam. It wasn’t far for him. He liked to take a long time when he held her. Especially when she looked at him with a smile. Showed her trust in him. A trust he’d do anything to prove he deserved.
They traveled in silence. Now and then Melody would look away from him. Off his palm and into the waters. A few times she felt warm, the way she felt while afraid. Miniscule fingers would dig into his skin. He wished he could know what was in her mind, what she saw. Before he could ask, the icy feeling of her weight in his palm would return. She’d look at him with a smile that pushed the curiosity far away.
He was so focused on her smile he swam right into the stone in front of him. Melody smiled a bit, but still reached up towards his claws. A small gesture of worry. He chirped to reassure her. Although his ear fins folded against his head. He wanted to hold her a little longer. He swam around to the opening. She’d stay dry as long as he held her right.
“One quick dive,” he whispered. Melody looked at him with wide eyes. A little warmth, but mostly ice. The ice he needed.
“Gonna keep me dry?” she asked. With how close she was he saw the small dimple from her half smile.
“Promise.”
“Go ahead.”
Kyrie brought the hand without Melody up. A few shakes to clear off all the water he could. Then covered Melody tightly. No water would get into his hand; especially with his fingers laced together. He dove down quickly. Swam through the entrance he’d made a few days ago. Then rushed to the surface of the small cave he formed.
As soon as he was there he pulled his hands up from the water. Free from any chance she’d get wet. He knew she wouldn’t actually mind, but he wanted to keep his promise. To always keep any promise he made her. He set his hands down on the floor he’d carved for her. The image he’d drawn just to see her smile. Slowly he pulled his hands apart for her to see.
“We’re in a cave?” Melody asked. Kyrie nodded. He moved closer. Nudged her with his nose to climb down. She laughed again, but did as he wanted. He lowered himself in the water so his eyes were level with her.
“I made it,” he whispered. A little worried she’d hate he did this. “Look in the water, it’s pretty. Like you.”
“Like me…”
A laugh he didn’t like, but she looked. The design was covered in a thin pool of water. He didn’t think too much as he made it. Carved things that matched how he felt. It looked pretty under the water. Kind of like something Melody called stained glass. Cracked design that sort of reminded him of a flower, his flower. His song. His Melody.
She walked towards it. Kyrie lowered himself deeper into the water. Worried she’d hate it. Think he was scary for making it. Instead she turned to him with a wide smile. One as beautiful as he pictured while carving the image on the stone. A smile that set his heart ablaze and covered his skin with the icy feeling she always gave him.
“Kyrie, this is amazing,” she breathed. “It reminds me of a blue rose almost, but like stained glass at the same time.”
“You like it?” he asked. Melody smiled at him widely. Her eyes were glowing. Another laugh as she nodded.
“I love it,” Melody walked towards him. Stopped just at the edge and leaned forward. He lifted himself from the water to meet her. Icy hands on his nose. A small kiss that set him aflame. “Like you.”