Chapter Text
Sunbathing in the shallows of the grotto, his iridescent, golden scales shimmer and refract the light as the warmth seeps into his bones. He wiggles contently, burrowing partially into the sand. Sun perks up at the vibrations he feels approaching through the sand.
He groggily breaches the surface, ignoring a wave that laps over his head and flops the majority of his fins over his face, merely shaking his head out like a wet dog as he swims lazily to shore to greet you.
He can tell it’s you without really looking just by your scent. You smell like a human of course, but your scent is particularly sweet to him. It smells better than home.
Your smile when you greet him today is tired. It usually is, but today it seems more so than usual. “hellooo, you tiredd?” Sun queries low and drawn out, smiling up at you.
Your nod answers his question silently and when you sit down by the shoreline, Sun notices your necklace finally. He tilts his head and braces his hands on either side of your hips, causing you to lean back with a slightly alarmed expression.
“whasss that? ‘round your neck?” Sun inquires, tilting his head to poke his nose at the puka shell necklace. You squirm as his nose touches your soft skin, Sun can’t help but to observe how soft your skin is. He pulls away regardless when you squirm and shiver, putting one hand up on his face to shove him back.
He lets out a little gleeful titter, finding that funny, but he settles in front of you, slinking back to wait in the shoreline where the water can lap over his body.
“It’s a necklace, something humans make with found or made objects to put around our necks for decoration. This is a puka shell necklace… My grandparents got me it before they uh… Died.” Your voice falters at the end and Sun can put together that ‘grandparents’ is the human word for the parents of your parents.
He frowns and tilts his head, “why that one sspecifically?”
You shrug your shoulders, looking away to your side to avoid his curious gaze. “Dunno… Never got to ask.”
Your answer leaves Sun to wilt. He feels a little bad now. What you just answered is awfully personal, he was expecting it to be a gift from a friend or something, similar to the ribbons on his wrists that he and Moon share.
Sun hasn’t breathed a word about his family to you - aside from Moon of course… So, any snippet of information he gets about your life, family, or friends is very exciting to Sun. He'd feel bad if he didn't return the favor.
Sun mulls over this for a moment before he holds up a hand. Before you can ask a single thing he flops back into the water, rolls sideways, and slinks into the sea. He propels himself forward with a strong flick of his tail fin as he skims the seafloor, eyes traveling across the sandy bed to try and scrounge up a gift for you.
He doesn’t realize he left you there, confused and alone. It doesn’t process in his easily distracted mind. For once he stays on task though, diligently searching for a shell…
He returns about 40 minutes later.
When Sun returns, he breaches the waves triumphantly, incredibly pleased to find you still waiting for him. He was a little worried he was taking too long and you’d leave, but you’re still here.
You set your phone down when you hear Sun’s triumphant trill to announce his return. Before you can really even get a word out, he presents a Murex to you, thankfully empty, and shockingly in tact.
Your eyes widen as you accept the gift hesitently. “Is this… For me?”
Sun nods eagerly, “yess! and you can asssk mee why i got it for you!”
You freeze at his words, your eyes flitting across his face as the silence drags on for a painful moment. Sun’s big smile slowly starts to drop, his hands fidgeting as he worries he maybe overstepped.
He takes a shaky breath to quell the pain in his chest, swallowing thickly. He doesn’t have time to worry too much before the softest, most beautiful smile graces your face. Such a smile melts Sun a little and he shudders involuntarily, forcefully petting his spines down to calm them since they’re sticking out.
“Thank you, Sun… Why’d you pick out this specific shell for me?” You ask with such a genuine, happy smile, it breaks Sun’s heart in a positive way.
“becausse it looksss dangerouss, BUT- looking closser, it’ss really hauntingly beautiful; and desspite the appearance, it’ss a home… jusst like how i sssee you!” Sun declares excitedly and honestly, poking at one of the spiny parts of the shell you hold delicately in your hand.
You look to be in disbelief, eyes widened and jaw dropped. Not only is it such a beautiful shell, but Sun just gave it an even more beautiful sentiment. You’re not used to such kindness and it shows. You’re frozen in place, staring at the pristine Murex shell.
“too much…?” Sun chuckles cautiously, ducking his head nervously.
You shake your head and clutch the delicate shell carefully to your chest, biting your lip to try and quell the tears rising up. “No… Not at all Sun… This is one of the nicest gifts I’ve ever gotten…”
Sun lets out an excited trill, frills and fins fanning out in joy as he wiggles happily. He puffs up and squiggles in the sand until he’s riiighht up next to you, tail draped across your legs while he lays his head down in your lap.
You don’t push him away much to his pleasant surprise… Then he feels your hand petting down his head fins. It’s like a soothing massage that ripples through his skull. His fins aren’t touched often unless it’s Moon nipping or pulling at them, so this is a very nice change in pace.
The two of you sit contently on the beach in some shade and a gentle spring breeze drifting over you. It’s a wonderful start to spring.