Archive of Our Own ^beta

The sand is velvety as it shifts between Hermann's toes, somehow cool and warm at the same time.

Hermann giggles.

„Having fun?“ asks Dee, strolling up.

„Mmhm! It tickles!“

Dee smiles widely. „Want to help Karla and I collect shells?“ Brandishes a small bucket.

„Sure!“

Dee offers a hand, Hermann accepts it, and they stroll through the surf toward Lala's spot near the jetty.

Hermann spreads his wings as far as they will go, sighs happily as the breeze plays among his feathers.

„I bet it feels great to have them open outside for once.“

Lifts his face, closes his eyes. „The sunshine feels so good.“

„We're lucky Mother's friend lent us his house like this.“ Smiles ruefully. „It's a lot warmer and more private than anything back home.“

Hermann agrees with a hum as another gust catches his wings and tugs him a little off-balance.

Dee steadies him with a hand on his back.

They pass in front of Mother and Bastien—

Bastien chirps and waves.

Hermann waves back.

—resting in the shade of an umbrella well away from the waves.

„Hurry up, you two!“ calls Lala. „There're are lots of 'em here.“

Dee and Hermann wade faster.

Lala dumps a double-handful of shells into the bucket as soon as Dee sets it down, then skips off. „Over here!“

Dee follows, then heads out a little deeper than she does.

Hermann stops when the waves break against his ankles. He frowns at the mirror-y surface, huffs. Then, with a huge grin, he bends at the waist, raises his wings up toward his head.

Their shade erases the glare and he peers at the tiny silver fish darting about and all the shells and pretty rocks in the sand.

He digs his toes in, watches with fascination.

Dee and Lala wade about, laughing and exchanging teases.

A flash of brightness across the water catches Hermann's eye.

He straightens, peers out.

Boats!

Hermann pads out to the end of the jetty, focused on the yachts creeping across the sparkly water.

„Manny! Get back here!“ Lala hisses. „Someone might see you!“

Hermann cringes, slinks back to shore.

Dee wraps an arm around him, pulls him close. „I'm sorry, Manny. I know this is a private beach, but there are still people about. We can't take chances. Alright?“

Hermann nods miserably, mumbles, „I wanted to see the boats better.“

Lala squints at the horizon. „What boats?“

„There are three big yachts out there, to the left of the wall.“

„I don't see anything.“

„His distance vision is better than ours, remember?“

Manny straightens a smidgen.

„I thought that was only at night.“

„This's the first time we've been able to check in daylight.“ Dee shrugs. „Now we know he can see far all the time.“

Lala sniffs an acknowledgment, returns to her hunt.

Dee pats Hermann's shoulder and joins her.

Hermann takes a deep breath.

Exhales.

He wades back across the shallows, wings open and up, and concentrates on the softness of the sand and the air tickling his feathers.