I back up away from the edge suddenly very scared of getting close, anything that has teeth like that is probably not made to be friendly. Oh god, what if it’s like those old tales.
Sirens singing sailors to their death. Am I the sailor? Was I getting swept in by the sweet sound of his voice and charming laugh? Maybe….
Oh god it was working.
I backed myself up against the wall, where I was originally sat, and took deep breaths, debating whether it’s a good idea to run, or whether this may be the once in a life time chance to speak with a hidden species.
If I’m not dreaming that is.
On that note a give myself a solid pinch on the arm, and screw my eyes shut. Willing myself to wake up if this truly is a dream. The wind and waves continue their noise as if nothing has changed, but I confirm for myself that this is all real as I peak through my squinting eyes, at the person -Fish person(?)- opposite me.
His face is still above the waves, I guess he has nothing to hide now that the cats out of the bag with those razor sharp teeth he’d been keeping out of sight.
He held a concerned expression, his hairless brows furrowing above his golden eyes, tense, as if waiting for me to bolt. Like I had been debating.
I take another deep breath, accepting the reality of this for now. If I wake in a few moments I know I’ll regret having run.
“Sorry” I hesitate “I was just… surprised.”
He remains silent, though I feel he wants me to continue.
“It’s- you know- not every day you find out another species exists,” I chuckle to myself, barely believing my words as I say them “Let alone have a conversation with them.”
He raises an eyebrow and I feel my mouth open in a little gasp from the incredibly human gesture.
“You are not going to run?” He questions, sounding very uncertain.
“Honestly, I don’t think my legs have it in me at the moment anyway…” I murmur, more to myself but I know he’s heard.
He edges forward slightly, glancing at said appendages, but then looks back to my face.
“You are not scared?” He doubts, more unsure sounding than he did with his previous question.
I frown at that and purse my lips, really not sure how exactly to answer this question. I was hesitant sure, but scared? It seemed like much too strong of a word to describe how I was feeling, especially as curiosity seemed to be my most prominent emotion.
I braced myself and looked back up to him, straightening myself against the wall as I did so.
“No.” I said clearly, daring him to doubt me. He raised his eyebrows and seemed hesitant but edged closer towards, me, to the point that he was now sat halfway across the pool of water.
His eyes began glowing again.
“Wha-“ I go to ask about his eyes but he seems to jump the gun.
“They will go away soon” He sinks a little lower into the water.
I give a slight nod, confused, but taking this opportunity to study him, from the closest point I’d seen him from. His skin texture seemed a little strange, he looked very shiny, though he was in the water. But I was almost convinced he was covered in tiny scales…
“I am sure you are confused,” He broke the silence that had fallen on us.
That was an understatement, but I nodded in agreement.
“I am sure you have questions.”
Once again I nodded, this time with a little more vigour. I had a lot of questions.
“You may ask, but I may not be able to answer all.” He sighed and glanced away towards the sun.
I am silent for a moment, gathering my thoughts into the coherent questions. Wanting to get my most important ones out of the way, incase I was to never see him or any creature like him again.
“Ah-hem,” I clear my throat and gain his attention once again.
“What actually are you, if you don’t mind me asking? Is that rude? Was that too direct? I’ve never really had to ask someone for their species before…” I trailed off sheepishly.
Rayin let out a small chuckle, and I had the pleasure of seeing the smile that came across his features as he let out that strange chuffing sound once again. It was a slightly toothy smile, I could see those pointed teeth clearly. But the relaxed expression he held through his face, made me a lot less scared of them.
“It is fine” He chuckled “I also have not had the displeasure of asking for another’s species” He smiled up at me and I felt my heart jolt a little in my chest.
“But since you asked at least somewhat politely” he continued “I am Neraima”
I made a little ‘o’ shape with my mouth but he could tell that really meant nothing to me and so elaborated.
“In this tongue it roughly means Water Blood” he edged a little closer to me again “You are Gimia, to my people, it means Earth Blood”.
I raised my eye brows at that and he produced a small smirk.
“We used to be Olaima, together, but went our separate ways, chose different places to live”
He glanced up to me again gauging my reaction.
I let out a gasp,
“No freakin’ way!” I exclaimed, leaning forwards towards him, I couldn’t help the smile on my face now.
“You mean to say there is an entire other type of human that nobody has ever even seen living below the waves?!” I looked out over towards said waves, as if to suddenly see an entire group of sea people, just below the surface, though I was obviously dissapointed.
“How is that even possible?!”
I look back to Rayin and he only pulls the smallest of shrugs, but he has a small smile on his face.
“Ah- right- sorry, I got a little excited there” I chuckle settling myself back down against the wall, debating whether now would be a weird time to move and go sit on my little built in seat.
“I was the same way” Rayin interrupts my thoughts, and I look back to him.
“When I found out about you” he finishes.
“Me?” I point at myself raising an eyebrow, I was really not very exciting.
I think I see the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks, before he tilts his head down, using his hair as a sort of curtain before continuing.
“No, when I found out about Gimia.”
“Oooooh” I let out a long sigh, feeling my cheeks redden also,
“Yeah that makes more sense” I chuckle out, laughing at my own embarrassment.
He also lets out a huff of laughter and again meets my eyes. When they meet I catch a final glimmer of their glow before they die down.
“What’s with th-“ I start.
“Please, I do not know how to explain them to you” He cuts me off sharply, and I see a sincere look cross his face. It is very clear he doesn’t want to talk about the eyes so I drop the subject with a shrug. Incredibly curious but not willing to push him.
“Okay” I sigh, ready to change the topic, “Where do you live? If that’s not top secret information.”
He gives me a weary smile, appreciating that I dropped the topic. He tilts his head out to sea.
I give him an incredulous look and let out a short laugh.
“No offence but I guessed about that much.” I give another laugh, “I was hoping for something a bit more specific.”
“I do not have a ‘home’ if that is what you are asking,” He frowns and I raise my eyebrows, “I live in the sea, I come and go anywhere I please.”
It takes a second for that information to settle in before I manage a small, “Alone?”
He shuffles and looks a little uncomfortable, down the pool I thought I caught a glimmer reflecting the sun in a splash but it’s gone before I can truly register what I’ve seen.
“For now, yes I am alone” He mumbles out.
Sudden emotions hit me, the pure sound of his loneliness hits me hard, I know that feeling all too well.
The feeling of being all alone in the world. Though mine was in a metaphorical sense.
He’s all alone, in the such a big ocean. The thought almost brought tears to my eyes, but I swallowed them down, I didn’t want him to think I pitied him.
“We-“ I cut off and cough as my throat had become suddenly very tight. “Well, I’m always here if you’re in the area”
He looks up at me in sudden surprise, “You- You will come back?”
He sounded almost hopeful.
“Ah- I mean- of course, if you want me to.” I give him the warmest smile I can muster.
“Not only are you literally another species-“
“Neraima” He interrupts, and I let out a quiet huff of laughter.
“Not only are you a Neraima, that I have tonnes of questions about, but also I’m not much of a talker, and yet, even before I knew what you were I enjoyed our conversation” I finished.
He let out a little smile.
“Also,” I add, “because I’m the only human you’ll speak to, I can share my deepest darkest secrets and not worry about you telling the whole village” I laugh.
He lets out a little chuckle, which I laugh at. He again laughs at, which in turn makes me laugh louder, until we’re both uncontrollably chuckling. I’ve got my head thrown back and he’s struggling to keep his head above the water as he throws it back.
I get the full view of his teeth from here though, they remind me of a sharks, neat and straight, but I’m convinced I can see multiple rows of them in his mouth. They don’t scare me though, not with the joyous expression on his face.
At the other end of the pool, I again saw a splash followed by the flash of scales once again.
I choked on my tongue and abruptly stopped laughing, coughing a little and remaining quiet as I watched the other end of the pool.
I hadn’t occurred to me until just now, that he may not look as human underneath the waves, as he did with his head held above. Was he really half fish?
Rayin’s chuckles died down and he saw me looking down near the end of the pool and frowned.
I shook my head from my thoughts and went to once again look to his face. If he doesn’t want me to see, I shan’t try and look.
We make light conversation after that, he keeps his replies short, but I learn that he does have a family, they just aren’t with him right now. When I tried to ask why, though, he refused to tell me. I don’t push, but he can defiantly tell I want to know more.
I tell him of my mother and my life here by the sea, of my job and studies. I don’t think he understands, but politely listens as I begin a rant about one of my classes and the annoying lecturer who’s supposed to be teaching it, though it definitely feels like a self taught module.
We continue our light conversations for hours, at some point I’d slipped my flask out of my bag, and began sipping on the warm coffee inside. It kept me going well into the afternoon as we sat and talked.
I’d offered him some and he’d come close enough to have a smell at what on earth it was I was offering. So close, I could see clearly the delicate scales covering his skin and his long eyelashes framing his eyes.
Too quickly he was gone, his face pulled in absolute disgust at the smell of my coffee and I couldn’t help but laugh again.
It was so nice, to have someone to talk to like this.
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