Chapter Text
Stupid Jade and his big mouth. He just had to tell Grim where tuna came from. And now you were stuck with Grim on a dingy little boat with wave after wave crashing into you as he complained loudly about how long it was taking to catch a single fish. You knew this would happen but explaining for the umpteenth time that fishing took patience took patience you currently did not have. You were so frustrated with Grim’s whining that you hardly noticed how quickly the skies had shifted until the gusts of wind were growing increasingly stronger by the minute.
“Hey, I think we should head back…” You said with an impending sense of dread. You didn’t have to be a great sailor to know how quickly conditions changed at sea, especially on a boat as small as yours.
“But we haven’t caught anything yet!” Grim pawed at your leg, ignoring the distant darkening clouds.
“We can come back later.”
“But-!”
Grim was interrupted by a sudden crack of thunder in the distance. No doubt the storm was quickly approaching as you grabbed the oars and started rowing in a panic back to the far out shore of Sage Island’s docks.
You simply weren’t fast enough however as the rain came down hard on you and Grim in a sudden and brilliant impact. The waves had grown and you were quickly being pushed further and further from your destination, much to your chagrin. You knew it had been a foolish idea to go out fishing with the impatient Grim. And now you would pay for your hubris.
A big wave slammed into the side of your row boat, sending you and your helpless feline companion into the choppy chaos of the sea. Thinking quickly, you swim to Grim’s aid and help him back onto the wobbly boat but not before a loose oar hits you on the head hard. The knock was strong enough to have you sinking deeper into the water, thinking what may be your final thoughts as your bleary eyes tried to look up at the boat floating further and further from your vision until finally, a quiet and cold darkness overcame you.
You could have sworn you heard something as you floated deeper but the next thing you remembered was suddenly coughing up salty water that burned on its way up and being gently turned on your side as a melodic voice cooed at you from above. You swore it was an angel if such a thing existed but you quickly succumbed once more to your exhaustion, noting only a faint shadow above you illuminated by the fading sun behind them and the most brilliant blue eyes you’d seen before as your own eyes shut.
You couldn’t tell how much time had passed as the next time you woke up, you were on one of NRC’s clinic beds deep within the school you called your temporary home. Grim had been the one to call for help once the boat finally drifted back onto the shores just a ways down from where you had been found. He had been inconsolable at your side since you were brought in by the kindly citizens of the port town. It must not have been too long but the guilt had definitely affected the little guy, you could still hear his sniffles and see the tear tracks on his pudgy little face.
It would take a little extra consoling between visits from your classmates but after a few days, Grim was back to normal and you were feeling much better. Most of your classmates were just thankful you had washed up on shore after hearing about your harrowing tale from Grim, who likely exaggerated it with each telling. But it was nice to be fussed over sometimes, even if it did come with some teasing from others.
One of the people who had come to tease you was Jade. It was all his idea in the first place but even he could not have predicted the storm that had wrecked you and poor Grim. Even with his apology, you could tell he was more amused than anything with the results when he visited you along with his brother and Azul. Floyd’s reaction was just as teasing but it was when Azul pointed out the likelihood of you washing up on shore so close and safely that both he and Jade’s expression became more pensive. Floyd simply shrugged it off and smirked.
“Maybe you were saved like that one story with the prince and the mermaid.” He snickered as he walked off, likely now bored of teasing and on the hunt for something more entertaining.
Those words followed you for a short while after but were eventually forgotten as time passed, however. It sure was some coincidence that you washed up so close to that little port town near RSA. But whatever luck you had seemed to dwindle fast as you were saddled with yet another task by the ever gracious head mage, Crowley. This time you were tasked to deliver some paperwork or letters or something in the town down the mountain in that fateful port town. If you never saw it again it would be too soon but you needed to maintain a good standing to guarantee your residence and meager allowance until you could find a way home.
Once you were back in town, you stepped off the bus and walked to your destination, thankful to be free of any distractions while on your mission. It was the perfect getaway for the afternoon and you’d score some extra madol. You were in and out of the post office when you heard a familiar voice bounding nearby, not thinking too hard on it until it became too close to ignore. It was just as quick as the sudden embrace you found yourself in, dropping your bag as you processed what was happening.
“What the-?!”
“It’s you!” A bubbly red headed man exclaimed, grinning ear to ear at you. He looked deeply into your eyes as if they held some secret understanding of who this must be or why he would be so entitled to so much of your personal space.
“I’m sorry, have we met..?” You press gently away and look up to the taller man.
“Rielle! You can’t just run off like that!” An angry but no less smooth voice came up from behind him.
“Sorry, Minajeal! I just never thought we’d meet again!” ‘Rielle’ was quick to turn back to you and grasp your hands in his with the brightest smile you had ever seen on anyone other than the literal ball of sunshine that was Kalim. “I must know your name!” He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet and beaming at you with what could only be described as puppy dog eyes.
“Rielle!” There was that chiding tone again from the tanned man behind him. Mina-something, right? Not like you’d ever seen either man before. “You can’t demand that sort of thing from someone you just met.” He looked over at you with judgemental eyes until they softened a touch with something akin to frustration. “Wait. Is this the person you helped last month?”
“Yep! I saved their life but got stuck until you came looking for me with that potion! Thanks again for that.” Rielle laughed brightly and smiled at his ‘friend’.
Wait. ‘Saved their life’? Could he possibly? But it was impossible! He would have to be a mermaid to have survived such a sudden storm at sea and he seemed perfectly human at first glance, nimble on his feet and bright, unlike every other sea dweller you had met before. Then again, he did mention taking a potion so perhaps? And those big blue eyes…They did seem familiar somehow, like something you had seen in a dream perhaps…
It was as if he could see the gears turning in your head slowly as you realized what he was talking about. “Hey, are you doing better now? You seemed pretty out of it when I left you on that beach. What were you even doing out there in that storm?” He suddenly pouted, almost childishly puffing out his cheeks and looking a little upset with you. “You obviously aren’t the best sailor if you went out in such a small boat.”
It was your turn to huff now despite his obvious concern. Even if he was right it still stung your pride to hear him say it outloud. “Fine. I’m just fine. Thanks.” You said shortly, ready to head back to NRC already.
“That’s great!” He linked his arm with yours and started pulling you along, happily oblivious to your souring mood. “You really should consider taking swimming lessons at the very least if you plan on doing that again. Not that I mind saving you again!” He giggled and leaned in close, almost cheek to cheek with you as he continued on his merry way, guiding you who knows where.
A sudden hand on his shoulder quickly straightens him up however as your unexpected savior frowned at the excitable man. “Rielle. We have things to do in town. We can’t keep bothering strangers. Come on.” He tugged on Rielle’s shoulder which only made the red head pout and whine in displeasure at the idea of letting you go.
“No, no. I really should get going too! Thanks again for saving me, mister. Um. Bye then!” You mercifully took the opportunity to slip out of his hold and took a big step back from the clingy guy. You shared a quick nod with the tanned gentleman and started on your way back to the bus station.
“We’ll meet again! Then you have to tell me your name, okay?!” The redhead called out as he waved enthusiastically at you. Your pace only quickened, flustered as strangers watched the scene unfold. It was like something out of some cheesy romcom and you wanted nothing to do with it so you scurried off, thankful you wouldn’t see him again.