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 Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:03 am
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Mene Aysun was on her way to meet up with I'a at their usual spot. They'd become quite good friends, sharing an easy companionship, lots of laughter and joking around, and the occasional thoughtful conversation. In any case, they always had a good time together. And gone were the days where I'a would come to pick her up from her home--Aysun now met him in the kelp forest. It was just easier that way, and she didn't have to deal with entirely too many prying eyes.
Today she had something more serious on her mind. Now that she'd come of age, she was set to start as one of Queen Tariel's ladies in waiting soon. She'd train under Auntie Xoana and then once she got the hang of things she'd start doing them on her own. But this sort of future planning had gotten her thinking--as she typically did--about other kinds of futures. It made her wonder about her and I'a. She was happy with the way things were between them, but wondered if they could be something more? After all, romance was just intense friendship, wasn't it?
She'd been turning a romantic pink as she approached their meeting place, but when she saw I'a already there a bright yellow splashed over her face and neck, matching her bright smile. "You're early!" she teased, giggling.
Wolf From Aysun's encouragement to think more about the future, something he probably would never have given a thought to without her, I'a had taken up an apprenticeship with one of the market vendors, mostly using his talents for swimming to help with the fish catch. To him, it felt like the job took up most of his time, but he always had time for Aysun. At least his time spent working was also a lot of swimming so he could be content in that need. I'a had brought with him a fish for each of them, carefully wrapped in seaweed. He had been laying in the bed of kelp, watching them sway in the current. As Aysun approached him, pointing out that he was early, he sat up and could see her vibrant and happy yellow. I'a had gotten much better at interpreting her color changes, picking up on some of her more common patterns. "Am I?" He asked, sounding relieved. Time keeping had never been one of his specialties, and it was something he had been told off about a lot more recently. Although he was a little better about keeping time when Aysun was involved since he cared about her feelings. "I was starting to think you had forgotten about me." He said dramatically, a teasing grin on his face.
Mene "Oh stop," giggled Aysun, sitting next to him and curling her tail underneath her. "You know I'd never forget about you," she added, knocking her shoulder against his playfully. It had taken a while, but it seemed she was finally able to tell when he was joking, and able also to play along. He certainly did bring out the playfulness in her.
"How was work?" she asked, leaning back on her hands. She was starting to be apprehensive about her own role, but hearing about I'a's day-to-day work stories calmed her, somehow. She hadn't forgotten the question she wanted to ask him, but decided she didn't necessarily need to open with it.
Wolf The grin on his face remained, turning proud. "Yeah, I know." I'a said cockily. After all of their time together, he couldn't imagine that she would ever be forgotten, no matter how old they got. As Aysun asked about work, I'a gave an exaggerated eye roll, he was slow to grow up. "The guy is a blowhole, and before you say anything...," I'a said defensively, "I didn't do anything to deserve it. This time. You know, you would think given that I could accidentally impale him that he might be a bit more forgiving." He menacingly stabbed a piece of kelp with his horn and waved it around like a flag, wearing a goofy expression the entire time.
Mene Aysun laughed softly and reached up to gently remove the kelp from I'a's horn. "It'll get easier," she said, trying to be reassuring, but her facial expression belied her own anxiety. "You're still new, and learning. It'll all click together soon." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. It had gotten so long, and it seemed to always be in the way. "I'm just lucky I've got Xoana to show me how everything's done," she said, nodding to herself. Her first day was in two sunrises.
Then she shook her head and smiled brightly. "Nevermind that," she said, waving her hand as if to clear the waters. "What've you got planned for us today?" It was partially a joke, since I'a pretty much never planned everything, but also served to change the subject. She didn't want to think about the future today. She wanted to have fun!
Wolf I'a listened to Aysun's encouragement, she always had the right words. He took a deep breath of water, "You are right," he agreed, hoping that she would remember that she was right when she started her own job. "Are you excited?" "Uhm, the plan, yes." He held up the fish on either side of his face, the goofy smile returning. "I have fish." Of course there were some things that I'a would certainly love to do today, but he didn't have a plan. He never had a plan. Maybe someday he would blow Aysun completely out of the water by planning some sort of amazing thing. He would have to try out more of her 'thinking' activities in order to do something like that. |
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:05 am
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Mene "Ooh, a picnic!" exclaimed Aysun, perhaps giving I'a more credit than he deserved for the activity. "Are these from work?" she asked, taking the one closest to her and unwrapping it. She was hungry, now that she thought about it. If I'a had brought these from his work, then she hoped she could look forward to more fresh fish picnics together.
They chatted as they ate. Aysun's skin mellowed to a buttery, contented yellow. She told I'a about some fun she'd had with Nanna the day before, and how Mama's creepy coconut pet had eaten an entire stick of butter, and how Uncle Anxo had visited recently and how nice it had been to see him. As they talked, Aysun couldn't help but feel how nice it was to just....be together. A rosy pink started creeping up from her tail. She put one hand on his casually as they were talking.
Wolf I'a nodded his head enthusiastically. Yes, a picnic. That was exactly what he had planned. "Yup! As fresh as it gets. Unless you catch it yourself that is." He loved listening to Aysun talk, she always had such exciting stories with her bustling family. I'a enjoyed their relationship, the ease of talking, the added benefits in their close companionship. He hoped things never changed, but he did wonder if once she started her job in the palace if she would meet new friends that were better than him, at least in the ways that might matter more. Obviously they would never be as fast or funny as him. "Speaking of family... I've been feeling kind of cramped in the space I share with my mom and sister." I'a said, finishing his last bit of fish. "Maybe I'm ready for my own space, I'm not sure how that will go over with mom... But hopefully she understands."
Mene "Ooh, that sounds exciting," cooed Aysun, who was still nibbling on her fish. She'd been talking instead of eating, so she still had some left to go. "D'you think you'll live in the palace, or out here somewhere?" she asked. Aysun hadn't ever thought about moving out of her home. Sure, it was chaotic and she often needed to dip out to get some peace and quiet, but they were her family. She wondered what she'd do, if she ever did leave. Would she live in the palace? It would be closer to work, for sure. Or would she live somewhere more secluded, less busy?
Her mind went to the question she wanted to ask him. If he said yes, maybe they would live somewhere together? That sure got the wheels turning in her mind. She imagined about what it'd be like, being together all the time. Coming home after a long day and falling into each other's arms. They wouldn't have to swim all the way out here to talk and be together, unless they wanted to.
Aysun realized that she might've missed whatever I'a had said in response to her question. She'd turned fully pink by now, but her cheeks turned a slightly different color as she blushed. Whoops.
Wolf I'a was glad he had told Aysun about his idea to move out, because she did what she was best at. She had made I'a realize that his idea wasn't as well thought out as it could be. Where was he going to live. He didn't give much thought to his answer, answering impulsively as he did so much of everything. "Out here would probably give me the space I need..." He said thoughtfully. I'a waited for Aysun to respond with something remarkably insightful, maybe something about how he already showed up for his job late, and if he lived out here he would never be on time. But she didn't say anything. She had that distant look she sometimes got. And then she turned super pink. "What are you thinking about?" He asked, a mischievous grin on his face.
Mene Aysun giggled gently. "Sorry," she said. "I was listening, I just got caught up in a little daydream." After a little pause, she took a breath and decided to just...go for it.
"So, I'a...I've been thinking...." She bit her bottom lip but pressed on. "I'm wondering if...if you wanted to try being together. Like, boyfriend and girlfriend." She hurried to add, "I love what we have now and I don't want to change anything! I just...we've tried new things before and it's always been wonderful. I still want to be friends. But also...all the adults in relationships I know are also friends, so...." She trailed off anxiously and glanced up at him. She'd begun to pale as she spoke, still pink, but her anxiousness coming through.
Wolf "You've been thinking?" I'a asked with wide eyes as if he were surprised, Aysun thinking wasn't anything new. But then his face quickly grew serious as she actually surprised him. He was surprised by the question, he was surprised that she: shy and quiet Aysun, had asked the question. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Serious relationships were not something he was familiar with, his parents weren't together, he had never met his father. I'a was frozen, being serious was really not his thing, but after all his seasons of friendship with Aysun he was painfully aware of her feelings and how she might feel as he sat there holding his breath. He watched her colors shift, thankful that his colors didn't betray him. It didn't feel like much of anything would change with the title change, it only really implied exclusivity which at the moment they were anyways. There were probably more thoughts he could have about how the seriousness might change things, but I'a wasn't the type to think things through. He smiled, he almost had the gall to suggest they decide it with a race, but decided it was best not to torture Aysun any longer when she was being so brave. "That's pretty much what we already are, right? I think I would like that." |
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:06 am
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Mene Aysun let out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding, bubbles escaping and rising up. She managed a tiny, relieved "Hooray!" as she turned a familiar combination of pink and yellow, then closed the short distance between them with a kiss. She wrapped her arms and then her tail around him, her heart pounding excitedly. She couldn't stop smiling even as they were kissing.
Wolf It made I'a feel good when he made Aysun happy. Although he might spend some time overthinking (for once) about what this meant when he laid down for the night, for now he was happily in the moment, wrapping himself around Aysun, his girlfriend. His mind temporarily broke over the thought, but kissing was as quick of a fix as any. When there was finally a pause in the kissing, I'a had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach that he was going to screw this up because he didn't know what it meant to be a boyfriend, and she probably had expectations. "So what comes next?" He asked her.
Mene "Whatever we want!" said Aysun, giving him another kiss. "I mean, what were we gonna do before I brought this up? We can still do that." She herself had a couple ideas but I'a always came up with something fun.
Wolf Whatever we want? Yes, I'a was definitely going to screw this up. He started to give Aysun a suspicious look, but it was gone with a kiss. I'a certainly had ideas before she had brought up their new titles. "Well... We should mark the occasion with a celebration..." I'a said thoughtfully as he trailed a finger along Aysun's arm.
Mene Aysun turned a deep pink and giggled. "I agree," she said, doing her best to make a serious expression, but ultimately failing. She couldn't help but grin. "What did you have in mind?" She asked innocently, situating herself comfortably with her tail draped over him.
Wolf "Well..." He started, although they were so comfortably wound together. He would hate to have to unwind themselves from each other just to to wind back together again. Then, a new idea came to him, although it still requires unwinding. There was just no way around that since he hadn't planned ahead enough to have some sort of treat or drink for them to enjoy after the fish. There would be plenty of time for other entanglements after. "I was thinking a celebratory race." He announced his new idea with a big smile on his face at his clever throwback. "To there," he said pushing aside the kelp 'curtain' that shielded them from the rest of the lake with his free hand, and pointing to the nearest coral landmark. "And back. Winner gets bragging rights. Of course, I think I'm winning either way since I get to brag about you being my girlfriend." He was sure she would think the idea was silly, but he had every intention of letting her win this one, if she didn't do it on her own. |
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:08 am
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Mene "A race!" Exclaimed Aysun, giggling. Playful turquoise polka dots popped up on her skin amid the pink. She saw what he was doing and it just tickled her.
"I'll have you know I've finally grown into my tail," she said matter-of-factly, flicking her tailfin. "So don't hold back!" Aysun kissed his cheek then got up and got ready. Of course, she had some ideas of her own for what the winner should get, but she was having fun going along with I'a and his plan.
Wolf As he watched her colors shift, I'a beamed proudly, certain she had liked his idea when he had been guessing she would be rolling her eyes at him for his silliness. "Well we will just have to see about that, won't we." he teased Aysun as he looked her over. It was hard for him to notice the change over time, but thinking back to what she looked like when they first met, it was possible she was right. She was certainly more gorgeous than ever, any teenaged awkwardness had been replaced by a lovely female form. It was I'a's turn to blush. "Alright then," he said, giving her a kiss in return before getting into position. "Ready... Set... Go!" He gave a big push off out of the kelp, but not as strong as he could have.
Mene Aysun wasn't naturally a competitive Naiad, but she was determined to win this one. When I'a said "go", she took off with a big push, her heart-shaped tail acting like a fan behind her. With a burst of speed she made it to the coral landmark I'a had indicated, looped around it once, then started back to their little "picnic" setup. She grinned as she realized she was in the lead. Was she actually going to beat him?
Wolf I'a had planned on letting Aysun win this one, and was left staring at her flabbergasted as she showed him that he didn't need to let her win anything. His competitive spirit took over when she started actually winning on her own because that meant that he was actually slower than her. I'a's face was determined as he gave some strong flicks of his fin, but it was too late, she was going to win. Aysun had disappeared in the kelp and I'a was following shortly behind. He reached out to grab her and pull her into a rolling embrace.
Mene Aysun shrieked with laughter as he grabbed her and they rolled onto the lakebed, all tumbled together. "I won this time," she giggled when they finally settled. "Does that mean I get a kiss?" Her tail flicked against his playfully.
Wolf I'a laughed as they got all tangled up in the kelp together. "Hmm," he said thoughtfully, "I thought the prize was bragging rights... but I think a kiss has been earned too." He had his favorite playful smirk on as he leaned in to kiss Aysun, it was different then that first kiss he had won so long ago. There was no hesitation or awkwardness, and where those had vanished, passion had taken their place. He wondered which one of them had gotten the better prize, but he was glad this new title hadn't changed anything. |
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