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River Ronan had always believed the sea understood strategy better than people did.
It never attacked the shore head-on. Not really. It advanced, retreated, circled back. It found cracks in stone and softened sharp edges over years. It waited. It coaxed. It pulled things toward itself so gradually they sometimes didn’t realize they were moving until the water was already around their ankles.
River respected that. More importantly, River had learned from it.
“You know,” Isaac said from somewhere behind them, “when you said you wanted to come to the beach, I assumed that meant we were actually going to do something.”
River remained exactly where they were, sitting on a weathered piece of driftwood with their jeans rolled halfway up their calves. The evening tide had begun creeping closer, cold water occasionally washing over their bare feet before slipping back toward the Pacific.
They glanced over their shoulder. Isaac stood several feet away with his shoes dangling from one hand, curls being thoroughly abused by the ocean breeze. “We are doing something.”
“We’ve been staring at the ocean for forty minutes.”
“I’m communing with my ancestors.”
Isaac blinked. River kept their expression perfectly serious. “You told me your father was human.”
“He was.”
“And your mother was a selkie.”
“Yes.”
“And you can’t turn into a seal.”
River narrowed their eyes. “You’re dangerously close to making this sound like an interrogation.”
Isaac walked closer, dropping his shoes beside River’s before settling behind them on the driftwood. Almost immediately, his arms slipped around River’s waist.
There it was. Isaac Lahey apparently possessed a biological requirement to maintain physical contact with River whenever they were within arm’s reach.
River had never minded. They leaned back against his chest, feeling Isaac’s chin settle on their shoulder. “You’re clingy.”
“You like it.”
“Unfortunately.”
Isaac kissed their cheek. River turned their head just enough to look at him. “Did I say you could do that?”
Isaac immediately leaned away. River caught his shirt. “I didn’t say stop.”
Isaac stared at them. River smiled sweetly.
“You’re evil.”
“I prefer strategically flirtatious.”
“That’s not a thing.”
“It is now.”
Isaac groaned and dropped his forehead against River’s shoulder. River laughed, but their fingers remained curled into his shirt.
This was why they had brought Isaac here. The sea made things easier. River had inherited plenty from their mother without inheriting the thing everyone expected. They couldn't shed their skin and become a seal. They couldn't disappear beneath the waves and return hours later with stories of what existed beyond the horizon.
But water still recognized them somehow. River could feel tides changing before anyone else noticed. They could swim farther than they should reasonably be able to. The ocean quieted something inside them that nothing else could touch.
And tonight River needed quiet. Because they had been thinking about Isaac. More specifically, they had been thinking about Isaac naked. Frequently.
River reached down and traced an idle pattern over Isaac’s forearm. “You know what I’ve been thinking about?”
“That question terrifies me.”
“You.”
Isaac went still. River felt it immediately. Interesting. They turned slightly within his arms. “That got your attention.”
“You usually have my attention.”
“Very romantic.”
“I have moments.”
River studied him. Isaac was trying extraordinarily hard to look casual. It was adorable and it was also complete bullshit. River shifted around until they were sitting sideways, one leg brushing Isaac’s. “I think we should have sex.”
Isaac’s mouth opened. Nothing came out. River waited. Isaac closed his mouth. Opened it again. River raised an eyebrow. “Should I throw you back in the ocean and see if restarting you helps?”
“River.”
“What?”
“You can’t just say that.”
“I quite literally just did.”
Isaac stared toward the ocean as though requesting divine intervention. River bit the inside of their cheek to keep from laughing. They had known Isaac would be surprised, but they hadn’t expected him to look like River had casually suggested robbing a bank.
“Okay,” Isaac finally said.
River waited. Isaac looked at them. River waited some more.
“That’s it?” River asked. “Okay?”
“No. I mean —” Isaac rubbed the back of his neck. “You’ve never really talked about wanting that with me.”
“I’m talking about it now.”
“I noticed.”
River smiled. Isaac pointed at them. “And stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re enjoying watching me panic.”
“I am enjoying watching you panic. Gay panic looks good on you.”
“Asshole.”
River leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn't hurried. River didn't want hurried. Isaac relaxed beneath the kiss, one hand coming automatically to River’s waist while the other rested carefully against their thigh.
Carefully. That was the problem. River pulled back. “You do that.”
Isaac frowned. “Do what?”
“Treat me like I might break.”
“I don't.”
“You do when things start getting sexual.”
Isaac's expression changed. River watched the teasing disappear from his face.
“I don't want you thinking I'm pushing you,” Isaac said quietly.
There it was. River had suspected as much. “Asexual doesn't mean incapable of wanting sex.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Isaac hesitated. “I know intellectually.”
River laughed softly. “That might be the most Isaac answer possible.”
“I just…” Isaac looked down at their joined legs. “You told me you've had sex before. You told me you can enjoy it. But you also told me attraction doesn't work the same way for you. I don't want to assume touching you means more.”
Something warm settled in River's chest. Damn him. River had been prepared to tease Isaac mercilessly tonight. They hadn't been prepared for sincerity. “That is disgustingly considerate.”
Isaac glanced up. “Sorry?”
“You should be.”
River cupped his face. “I'll tell you when I don't want something.”
Isaac nodded.
“And if I tell you I do want something, believe me.”
Another nod.
River leaned closer. “And right now?”
Isaac swallowed. River’s smile returned. “I've been thinking very inappropriate things about you.”
“River.”
“Some of them involve that ridiculous scarf you wear.”
Isaac stared. River burst out laughing. “Okay, that one was a joke.”
“You are horrible.” Isaac suddenly caught River around the waist and pulled them fully into his lap.
River made a surprised noise before their hands landed against his shoulders. “Well.”
Isaac's hands settled securely around their hips. River looked down at him. “That was confident.”
“You told me to believe you.”
“I did.”
“So I'm believing you.”
River's smile softened. Isaac kissed them again. This one had more intention behind it. Still careful and still Isaac, but not afraid. River's fingers slid into his curls, and Isaac made a quiet sound against their mouth that immediately made River grin.
They pulled away just enough to whisper, “Interesting.”
Isaac's eyes narrowed. “Don't.”
“That noise.”
“River.”
“I liked it.”
“You're impossible.”
River kissed the corner of his mouth. “Make it again.”
Isaac's face turned pink. River absolutely delighted in that. “Oh my Tides, you're easy.”
“You're sitting in my lap talking about having sex with me.”
“Strategically.”
“You keep using that word.”
“Because I have a strategy.”
Isaac looked suspicious. “Which is?”
River glanced toward the water. The tide had come closer while they talked. Waves curled around the driftwood now, foam rushing across the sand before retreating.
River slipped from Isaac's lap and stood. They held out their hand. Isaac looked at it. Then at River.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“Water.”
“It's cold.”
River gasped theatrically. “Werewolf afraid of chilly water?”
“No.”
“Then come on.”
Isaac took their hand. River immediately started backward toward the waves.
“River—”
Water crashed around their ankles. Isaac cursed. River laughed. Another wave came, higher this time, soaking their rolled jeans.
Isaac grabbed River around the waist before they could escape. “You did that on purpose.”
“Obviously.”
“You know what happens when you antagonize a werewolf?”
River wrapped their arms around his neck. “No. Tell me.”
Isaac stared at them. River could practically see the war happening behind his eyes.
Want. Restraint. Want. Restraint.
River leaned close enough that their lips nearly touched his ear. “I think,” they murmured, “your problem is that you're waiting for me to give you permission.”
Isaac's hands tightened slightly around their waist. “Aren't I supposed to?”
River pulled back enough to meet his eyes. “Yes.”
Then they smiled. “But I've been giving it to you all night.”
Isaac's expression changed. River's stomach fluttered. Oh, that was new. Not attraction exactly, not in the way Isaac probably experienced it, but anticipation. Trust. Curiosity. Desire built from intimacy rather than appearance. River wanted him. Not because they had suddenly stopped being asexual.
Because they were River. Because Isaac was Isaac. Because whatever existed between them had reached another shoreline.
Isaac kissed them. River melted into it. A wave slammed into the backs of River's knees. They yelped. Isaac laughed against their mouth.
River pulled just a little back, “You bastard.”
“That was the ocean.”
“You're working together.”
“Maybe I’m part selkie now.”
River stared at him. “Take that back.”
Isaac grinned. River splashed him. Isaac retaliated. Within seconds, strategy was forgotten entirely. They stumbled through the shallows laughing, River trying unsuccessfully to escape while Isaac caught them around the middle and lifted them off the ground. “Isaac!”
“You started it!”
“Put me down!”
“You sure?”
River stopped struggling. Their eyes met. River slowly wrapped their legs around his waist. Isaac froze while River smiled. “Changed my mind.”
“You are absolutely going to kill me.”
“Not tonight.”
Isaac groaned. River kissed him again, softer this time. When they separated, River rested their forehead against his. “We don't have to do anything tonight.”
Isaac blinked. “I know.”
River nodded. “But I wanted you to know I'm ready to explore it. With you.”
Isaac's expression softened. “And if we start and you change your mind?”
“I tell you.”
“And we stop.”
“Yes.” River kissed his nose.
Isaac finally lowered them until their feet touched the sand again, though naturally he didn't actually release them.
River looked down at his arms around their waist. “Touchy.”
“You love it.”
River leaned back against him. They watched the horizon together as the last streaks of sunset disappeared beneath the water.
“Isaac?”
“Yeah?”
River smiled toward the sea. “I wasn't actually joking about the scarf.”
There was a long silence. Then Isaac whispered, “Oh my God.”
River laughed so hard they nearly fell into the water. The sea rushed around them again, retreating almost as quickly as it arrived.
Patient, not forcing, but persistent. River understood that better than ever now. Maybe intimacy wasn't a destination they needed to race toward.
Maybe it was simply another tide. Something they could approach together. Advance if wanted. Retreat if needed. Explore.
And when River finally turned in Isaac's arms and kissed him again, there was no hesitation left between them.
Only possibility.