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It had been stormin’ the first time he laid eyes on her. Thrashing about out there in the sea surrounded by broken planks of wood and random items Wayne hadn’t even known the source of. Illuminated clearly for only mere moments at a time by the eels in the sky. She had been such a little thing back then- with limbs that looked good for a whole lot of nothin’ and a desperate look on her face as she tried to break the surface’s waves.
Wayne had wanted to reach out to her, to push her back up to what he knows beings like her need. But- he had been too far away to reach before someone had beaten him to it. He couldn’t forget the way she seemed to point towards him before going limp in their arms.
A single purple beaded cord that slipped off one of her weird fins and fallen serenely into the sand below being all he had to remember her by. He hadn’t realised it at the time but that would be the start of something special, something different to what he’s used to.
An angel in the flesh.
He didn’t see her again for a long while after that. Not until he’d fully grown into his fins and could put a name to that feeling in his gills that had overtaken him so long ago. Not until he had found himself in new cleaner, calmer waters. Not until he’d found a den to call his own.
It had been luck findin’ her again, pure and truly. Or maybe he just always was meant to. He’d been curious about the pod of creatures like her that were just off the shores. He’d been warned of the danger of getting too close, but he’d always been too curious for his own good. So, he found himself hidin’ quietly behind a large rock one night. It had been closer than he ever gotten before.
He wouldn’t claim something as silly as he was huntin’ for her, but by the flow of the water, he’d never had let go of them beads. Even long after the first cord had melted away. Keeping a watchful eye on his wrist and rethreadin’ the beads anytime it seemed even a little worn down.
Still, he hadn’t thought any of them would even be out. Not with the moon so high in the sky like it was. It was only meant to be a test to see how close he could get. To find the waterline. Seein’ her was startlin', to say the least.
She hadn’ seen him which he was rather thankful for. He didn’t even have his courting charm on, after all. He’d left it somewhere in his den. He’ll have to actually wear it now. Even if it might make things more difficult in the pod. Maybe he can just start carryin’ it until he reaches the shoreline. He stayed until the moon was low and heavy in the sky and the sun was sure to begin to rise.
If he hadn’t been worried about being caught, he’d likely have stayed even longer. Just to watch her move that shiny metal cutter even more.
He’d quickly taken to leaving gifts. Nothin’ that big or too obviously courting related, at least not yet.
Just small thing trinkets from those giant broken creations of her kind left washed up near that wood structure of hers. Fresh fish that he placed reverently in the strange contraption she would set out overnight. Stones found on the seafloor that seemed far too pretty to not have the honor of being graced by her presence.
Even if he always has to ignore his pod scoffing over his attempts at courting. He found the attempts to be worth it.
Simply from the way she smiled, smug and confident over her catch.
Or the way that she looked at the trinkets with the curiosity of a guppy as she turned them over and over in her hand, when deciding what to do with them.
Even from the way she threw stones not to her standards back into the water. He still has a whole pile in his den to choose what to do with. He’d been considering carving them but hadn’t gotten up the nerve to try it just yet.
Even if somethin’ he made around her neck would look mighty fine if you asked him.
If he did work on one it would hurt if she still returned it, that Angel of his sure is a picky one. Still he can’t help but smile over the thought of it. If it ends up not good enough, he’ll just have to get better.
After many many attempted failures he’d made something he was proud enough of to feel confident in leaving for her. A small striped stone carved into the shape of a fish. In reality, even after multiple days of work, it really wasn’t all that great. Still it was fairly clean, with soft edges that took forever to slowly carve down. It fit well in his hand as he made his way to the surface again.
Because of carrin’ it he did have to just wear his courting charm for this trip. Which of course also meant havin’ to dodge a few other pod members to keep them from seein’ him. The last thing he’d want right now is someone tryin’ to start a ritual when he’s just so close.
He should have expected that it would make him late, but he was still a bit disappointed to see the small speck of her already in the distance. He’d have to hurry if he wanted to place it safely and not get caught.
So he swam as fast as he could, only barely managing to duck under the water in time. He watched in fascination as he got the closest view he’s ever been blessed with of his Angel as she picked up the carved stone. He could barely breathe as he waited for her verdict. As he waited to know if she’d throw it back to the waves. When she slipped it away somewhere unseen, like all her other accepted treasures, he had to will himself to stay silent. He needed time to calm down. Time for water to swirl a little more in his lungs.
Once he has calmed down- then, then he’ll try to talk to her.