Chapter Text
The Pride Art Festival had completely taken over the town square. Rainbow banners fluttered between lampposts. Local artists displayed paintings, sculptures, pottery, photography, and handmade jewelry beneath colorful tents. Music drifted from a nearby stage while children ran around with faces painted in every color imaginable.
It was chaos. Beautiful, colorful chaos. And right in the middle of it stood River Ronan.
Isaac had lost them three times already. Not because River was trying to disappear. River simply wandered through the world like an enchanted forest spirit that occasionally remembered they were supposed to be a functioning member of society.
Today they wore a flowing oversized shirt splattered with old paint stains, black shorts, several necklaces, and enough rings to potentially interfere with radio signals.
Their shoulder-length brown hair was tied back loosely. Their sea blue-green eyes practically glowed as they examined a display of ocean-themed artwork.
Isaac smiled. He'd been watching River for nearly five minutes. River always looked happiest around art. And water, especially water.
"You're staring."
River wasn't even looking at him. Isaac blinked. "You literally weren't facing me."
"I can feel it."
Isaac laughed. "That's creepy."
River finally looked over. "You like it though."
"I really do."
River grinned. That grin was dangerous. Isaac had learned that months ago. It was the grin that got him talked into midnight beach trips. The grin that convinced him to help paint a mural that ended with both of them covered in blue paint. The grin that somehow made every ridiculous idea sound reasonable. The grin that made Isaac want to kiss them immediately.
River tilted their head. "You thinking about something?"
"No."
"You were."
"No."
"You were absolutely thinking about kissing me."
Isaac sighed dramatically. "You make it impossible to deny anything."
"Good."
River looked pleased with themself.
A nearby vendor laughed. "Are you two always like this?"
"Unfortunately."
"Fortunately," River corrected.
The vendor nodded. "I like their version better."
"Everyone likes River's version better."
"As they should."
River looked utterly unashamed. Isaac rolled his eyes affectionately.
Then thunder rumbled overhead. The entire square seemed to pause. Everyone looked upward. Dark clouds had appeared with surprising speed.
Isaac groaned. "No."
River immediately brightened."Yes."
"No."
"Oh yes."
"You are way too excited."
River spread their arms dramatically. "The sky has chosen violence."
Another rumble echoed overhead. River looked thrilled. Isaac looked concerned. "You're smiling."
"I know."
"That's not normal."
River leaned closer. "I'm not normal."
"Fair point."
The first raindrop landed on River's nose. They froze.
Isaac recognized that look immediately. It was the exact expression River got when they saw the ocean, heard seagulls, found interesting shells or smelled saltwater. Something old and wild awakened behind their eyes.
The second raindrop landed. Then the third. Then the sky opened. Rain crashed onto the festival.
People immediately began scrambling. Artists rushed toward displays. Volunteers grabbed tarps. Visitors ran for cover.
Meanwhile River laughed. The sound burst out of them like pure joy. Isaac couldn't help smiling. River tilted their face toward the sky. Rain soaked their hair almost instantly. Their shirt clung to their frame. Their eyes closed. The expression on their face looked almost peaceful. Isaac stepped closer as River opened their eyes.
For a moment neither spoke. Rain poured around them. People shouted in the distance. Music cut off abruptly. But none of that seemed to matter.
River looked alive. Not just happy, absolutely alive. More alive than Isaac had seen them in a while.
River smiled softly. "Feels good."
Isaac nodded. "It does?"
River laughed. "You forget."
"No."
"You do."
River stepped closer. Their wet hair stuck to their cheeks. "Half-selkie."
Isaac smiled. "I know."
"The ocean's in my blood."
"I know."
"The rain too."
"I know."
River's eyes softened. "Then why do you sound surprised every time?"
Isaac thought about that. Because every time he saw it, it felt magical. Because every time River connected with water, every time Isaac looked at them in moments like this, he fell in love all over again. "I guess I just like seeing it."
River stared at him. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Rain continued falling. Harder now. Around them people rushed beneath tents.
River stepped forward. Isaac met them halfway. Their hands found each other automatically. River's fingers were cold. Isaac squeezed gently. River looked at him. Then kissed him. Rainwater dripped from their hair. Their fingers tangled in Isaac's jacket. Isaac pulled them closer. The kiss deepened and everything else disappeared.
The festival. The rain. The noise. The world. Gone. There was only River and this moment. Only the way their lips moved against his. The way River smiled against the kiss and the way Isaac's heart completely forgot how to function. When they finally separated, both were breathless.
River looked very pleased with themself. Isaac looked slightly stunned. "Wow."
River grinned. "Good wow?"
"Very good wow."
"Excellent."
Isaac laughed. "You menace."
"I've been called worse."
A voice shouted nearby. "GET UNDER THE TENT BEFORE YOU BOTH DROWN."
They looked over. Coach Finstock stood beneath a nearby canopy. Completely dry and completely annoyed.
Isaac laughed.
River shouted back. "WE'RE FINE!"
"YOU ARE NOT FINE!"
"WE'RE VERY FINE!"
Finstock pointed dramatically. "YOU LOOK LIKE TWO DROWNED RACCOONS!"
River considered that. "That's fair."
Isaac snorted. Finstock threw his hands into the air. River leaned against Isaac. And Isaac realized something. Rain never made River smaller. Never made them seek shelter or made them hide. Rain made them more alive.
River squeezed his hand."You okay?"
Isaac looked at them. At the rain dripping from their eyelashes. At the happiness radiating from them. At the beautiful strange person he'd somehow fallen in love with. "Yeah."
River smiled. "Good."
Isaac kissed them again.