I stumbled back, not taking my eyes away from those that were staring at me with equal intensity.
As I moved, the water lapping up at my thighs and some inconveniently placed seaweed put me off balance and I ended up splashing down into the salty water, with an incredibly many yelp, it engulfed me completely.
I quickly surfaced, spluttering at the intense salty flavour that had entered my mouth, and with my eyes closed I reached backwards towards the ledge I’d just jumped down from. Blindly waving my arm around until I caught onto it and hauled myself up so that I was sitting on the side.
I sat there spitting out the water and using the bottom of my soaked through shirt to wipe at my face, to try and open my eyes against the sea water that had filled them.
As I manically wiped at my eyes I noticed a small chuffing sound, unlike that of the waves brushing up against the rocks.
Forcing one of my eyes open, whilst still wiping at the other I glanced up to where that sound was coming from.
The person sat where they had been before I’d slipped, the same way, with their eyes above the water, but everything else hidden below.
The noise was coming from them.
It was a low chuckle I realised, muted a little by the waves that were hiding their mouth, but a chuckle none the less.
That and when I looked into their eyes again I could see the smile in them as they so obviously enjoyed my embarrassment.
I glanced up away from those eyes for a moment, taking in the mess of hair I could see above them. It was strange, neatly braided, though all the lengths were varied. Amongst the braids, and sewn into parts of them seemed to be shell pieces, pierced through on a string. Not unlike those bracelets you might see sold at a seaside fair. Along with strips of what might be seaweed? I wasn’t sure, too far away to tell.
Either way their hair was a stark contrast to mine, I couldn’t see its length as it dipped into the water around them, but I’d bet it went into their shoulders at least.
This truly was the most fascinating person I’d ever met. Granted, I’m not the most social of person so it might not be all that grand of an achievement.
But what kind of person goes swimming along these beaches willingly, it might be summer but the sea here is cold all year round. Only the bravest of the brave on the most sweltering of days, face it willingly.
They noticed how still I’d become, lost in thought, and slowly stopped their laughing. Though a few chuckles slipped out still.
I slowly dropped my shirt from my face, and again met their eyes.
I coughed in the awkward silence that had formed and tried to think of what I could say to this strange person.
“You okay?” I managed to croak out.
The person jolted a little, they seemed startled by me talking.
They glanced down into the water for a while, and I thought that they might not answer. Though with their nose underwater all this time they should probably need to raise up for some air.
Moments past and I started to open my mouth to ask another question, before they quickly turned around so their back was to me and raised up a little out of the water, leaning a little into one of the rocky outcrops near by.
With their head raised above the water, I could see more of these many braids throughout their hair. As I thought, they weren’t uniform, some were short, finishing just below their ears, but others, still sank down beneath the waves at their shoulders. It was a mess, but a beautiful mess. The dark brown of the hair, contrasting with the greens braided in, along with the pale shells. I couldn’t look away.
“I am fine” A distinctly masculine voice replied eventually, once he was settled on his Rock, “Just… surprised”
“At what?” I almost gasp, completely dumbstruck by the beautiful sound of that voice.
It had a slight accent, of which I couldn’t place, almost definitely though, English was not his first language. His voice wasn’t too deep sounding, it had a soft edge to it which made him seem like a very gentle person.
“That you speak this language.” He replied quietly, still turned away from me.
“English?” I question, hoping I don’t sound too much of an idiot.
He is quiet for a second and I see the back of his head move around, like he’s searching for something.
“I guess” he sighs.
I frown to myself in confusion. This truly was a strange man. Though, it seems he wants to speak with me, even if its not to my face. Perhaps anxiety? I shouldn’t pry.
“Well…” I start, pausing for a while whilst I think of something to actually say.
My social skills were also incredibly rusty.
“What were you doing out there? Not many swimmers in these waters…” I ask quietly, almost mumbling the second part to myself.
Again a small pause, as if he’s thinking hard about what to say.
“I was swimming” He states, and I see him lift his head a little.
I open my mouth to let out a sarcastic comment to that, because really, that was quite obvious.
But before I can say anything he continues “And …. Searching…”
“For what?” I ask, confused, “Not much out there other than crab pots and rocks mate” a laugh a little, attempting to make a slightly more comfortable atmosphere, even if it’s just for myself.
I hear him sigh, “I cannot say.”
“Oh.” I look down to the waves lapping at my feet, sincerely wondering what on earth someone was looking for in the sea, but trying the calm my curiosity and not pry any further.
I let the silence stretch on, really not sure what to say as I continue gazing at the waves.
“Are you… okay?” He suddenly asks.
“I- um- yeah” I reply quickly, intrigued that he wanted to initiate conversation with me, “Don’t worry I’ve fallen into this little pool hundreds of times. Well- maybe not hundreds, but at least twice, and then a bunch of times when I’ve willingly gone in to test my endurance -haha” I was rambling, majorly. I took a small pause to compose myself, but then I again hear that little chuffing sound that was this mystery mans laughter.
With his face out of the water I could hear it more clearly, It was more of a musical sound but still sounded strange, like he was holding it back as best he could.
He cleared his throat “I see you are well adjusted to these waters then” I could hear the smile in his voice.
“About as best I can be. Grown up here.” I smiled. This was the best interaction I think I’ve ever had with a person, maybe him facing away was as good for me as it was for him.
“Speaking of-” I remembered “Are you from around here? Mr….?” I trail off hoping he understands my intention to learn his name.
“Yes and no.” He says, glancing out at the sea, “We visit from time to time.”
A holiday goer then? I assume by “we” he means his family but I don’t want to pry any further.
“And” he continues “My name is Rayin”
He pronounced it with a strong “In” dividing it into two harsh sounds.
“Though you may call me Ray” he finishes quietly
I smile down. It suited him, though I have yet to see anything but his eyes and the back of his head. I could tell it fit him and his strange self very well.
It is silent for a moment whilst I’m lost in my thoughts until he breaks it with a soft “And you are Mr..?” He mocks my earlier wording.
“Oh!” I gasp “ God, yeah, my names Theo, don’t really have any nicknames, sorry” I chuckle awkwardly.
He is again silent for a few moments then sinks down into the water again to turn and face me.
Those golden eyes staring me down.
He moves closer and I can see him in more detail. His caramel coloured skin clearer in the closeness.
I notice under his shaggy looking fringe, that I cannot see any eyebrows. They might just be thin, and who am I to judge, my bushy ass eyebrows could win awards.
He moves so he is at the other side of the pool to where I’m sitting with my legs over the edge. His face still hidden, though now the waves lapping over him give me a slightly better view of his flat nose.
We are staring at each other for a little while before I decide to begin letting my avalanche of thoughts and questions out.
“If you don’t mind me asking” I say, making sure I keep looking into those beautiful eyes, not wanting him to turn away from me again. “Do you swim a lot?”
I see the bottoms of his eyes pull up and assume beneath the waves must be hidden a smirk.
He nods slightly.
“Were you-I know this is going to sound crazy- But, the other day-“ He sits up as I mention it and I pause, gauging his reaction, but when he makes no further movement I continue “There was this massive freak storm, I don’t know if you’ve been here that long - but, If you were - were you out in it?”
He stares down into the water frowning, I can now clearly see that he does indeed not have eyebrows, but that’s besides the point.
He seems a little at war with himself. I’m confused why, this really is quite a straight forward yes or no question.
“You don’t have to answer” I mutter to him, trying to alleviate this internal battle he was having.
He looks back up at me and edges towards me again, shuffling over on the floor.
He gets half way across the pool, when his eyes light up. Just as they had before.
My mouth drops open.
He freezes.
We stay still for a moment, I was lost in the beauty of his eyes, though for a second I thought I saw a flicker of fear creeping in.
He suddenly turns with a splash, and quickly goes back to his little perch where he can comfortably face away from me.
I expect silence, as my mind is still reeling over what I saw, and whether I truly am going crazy, and whether this is all a fever dream. Instead I hear a solid “Yes”.
I shake my head a little, struggling to even remember what question I’d asked, before he clarifies “Yes, I was in the storm”
“Oh” I gasp, brain still reeling.
“I am sorry” He says suddenly “I should not have come”
His head is hung low from what I can see. I’m confused, as to why he’s suddenly sorry but just as I’m about to voice my confusion he continues.
“This- I- Argghh!“ he growls, shaking his head so harshly his hair splashes out water around him.
“Wha-“ I start before being quickly cut off.
“Please, this is hard enough to explain, and I do not want to scare you, but this- I do not know how to say it.” He struggles out.
“Hold on, what are you going on about?” I frown, confused about his sudden change of demeanour. Surely, I was the one seeing things, unless I wasn’t.
“I saw you in the storm too” he says.
I freeze.
“And, I saw your eyes- which means you must have seen mine too…” He trails off.
I sit in silence waiting for him to finish. He saw my eyes? What does that mean? It was his eyes that were glowing so crazy.
Under the water.
I suddenly have a thought. A crazy, Ridiculous, nonsensical thought. That, although all those things. It would explain an awful lot.
But I remain silent, eyes widening as he slowly, turns towards me, his face fully above the waves this time and I take him in.
I was right in that he had a flat nose, but he also had a rounded face with rather prominent cheekbones. His lips were large and didn’t have much of a Cupid’s bow, they were also rather flat to his face.
I couldn’t see even a hint of stubble on his cheeks, though that might’ve been the distance he was still sitting at.
Overall his face looked rather alien, but stunning none the less.
I take in a sharp breath as he opens his mouth to speak.
“I do not know the name of which you call us” He pauses, glancing at my face, seeing my full attention was on those lips of his, “But I am not like you..” he trails off.
I could very much tell. Each time he opened his mouth to speak a word I saw a glimpse of them, those razor sharp pointed teeth that lined his mouth. In my head my previous thoughts were already practically confirmed. I was talking to a sea creature.
And as if to erase any doubt I had as to whether that was really what he was, he raised up a little in the water.
I saw the gills lining the base of his neck, there were two either side, tinted a brown colour towards the edge, darker than the rest of his skin. They were open and uncomfortably gasping in the open air. He sank back down and I looked at the obvious discomfort on his face.
Then it all sank in, and my fight or flight kicked in.
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