In the deep, with the brine flowing past his limbs, Naoki feels the temperature drop. It’s colder now, so late into Ubgao that the leaves are steadily losing colour and taking on the translucent cloak that lures in so many people in those early months of the year. He feels the goosebumps on his skin as near-violent shivers run down his spine and finds himself with the realisation that the seasons have passed him by faster than he anticipated. In truth, he’s been coming out here for so long now that he’ll have to remember to bring a wetsuit the next time; the next time. Ever since naming his siren friend — Kaius, he scolds himself — going out to sea has become a, somewhat excessive, daily habit.

Slowly but surely, he’s running out of excuses.

Especially at a time in which he finds himself faced with the one person capable of seeing right through him like an Oizes leaf. 

“Those glasses make you look stupid.”

“Thanks,” Naoki sighed, placing the crate he’d been carrying onto the others at the back of the store a few Xai ago, “I see you’ve decided to go with a new look this time. Did you really think your eyebags needed to be accentuated even more?”

“Nonaoki still knows nothing about proper Gos fashion; not at all surprising.”

A pause.

“Don’t call me that.”

Pout still on his lips, he felt as arms wrapped around him, not failing to tousle his hair at the same time. “Nonaoki,” Lex sang, voice comically high-pitched, “your hair’s so much shorter. Did you cut off too much accidentally?”

Against his will, the very edges of his lips began to curl up at their words. It’d been too long since they last joked around with each other like that — it almost felt like a lifetime ago that they sat at a café in Gos amidst laughter and teasing remarks. He remembered one evening, after they had given up on saving one of Naoki’s terrible essays and moved to the dingy bar right next to the Gos Nauwai district, and after quite a few shots of Koimai, their banter had turned into one of the more rare heart-to-hearts that they used to have. It had left him split open, as if Lex had reached into his chest and dropped him gutted like one of the fish in the harbour. It was the most free he had ever felt. A sigh escaped his lips at the memory. “I missed you, Lex.”

The arms around him tightened. “Missed you, too, Naoki.”

The peace did not last long, as it never did with these two. He watched as Lex jumped away from him and struck a pose, their form illuminated by the light streaming in between the two aisles. “But don’t fear,” they bellowed, “we’ll be able to renew our sacred bond of friendship at this year’s Oizesa Lai!”

This year’s Oize— “Wait,” Naoki blinked, “what?”

“Naoki,” the rumble within Lex’s voice promised doom, “you did not forget the festival.”

Qixa.

Even now, Naoki still feels the telltale ends of embarrassment flow through the skin on his cheeks. To think that he had been so preoccupied these past weeks, so lost in his own attempts at self-realisation, that he managed to forget one of the most important events in the entire Kalypsian coast-side, is almost laughable. It is not an unknown problem for him, this forgetfulness, and he bites back a curse at the resurgence of habits he had presumed dead. 

Speaking of presumed — the creature that was meant to be swimming by his side appears not to be as a sweep of his surroundings reveals. A tiny flare of panic sparks in his chest, but he forces it down, swallows heavily in an attempt to preserve air. Determination at his brow, he reaches out for one of the kelp growths and pulls himself forward, scanning the ground for any sight of siren movement or anything that has ended up as a siren’s dinner, he supposes. The first few strokes yield nothing, only some smaller fish and glowing Okoi that build anticipation for the Maema he will inevitably find at the festival once it comes about. He pushes himself further, and just as he does, sees a fraction of a movement at the forest’s ground floor. 

It’s not much, perceivable only because it wanted to be perceived, he quickly realises. Buried in the sand, colour changed in a way that perfectly matches the off-white soil, Kaius lays in waiting. A part of Naoki explodes in almost childlike excitement — he’s never seen anything like this; forgotten to take his time whilst diving and observe the world around him instead of remaining so hyper-focused on gathering his usual rocks. Another twitch from below, almost scolding in a way, warns him of approaching danger; or food, for some. Naoki wills himself to still, muscles straining. His heart drums against his ribcage. His lungs burn.

With a squint, he spots it.

__

Ubgao [ub'gao̯] - Kalypsian month early in the year

Oizes leaf [oi̯tses] - Leaf from one of Nauwai's unique trees that turn translucent in the early months of the year, lit. Clear leaf

Koimai [koi̯'mai̯] - basic rice based alcohol found all across the Island; in its pure form particularly popular in Gos

Oizesa Lai [oi̯tsesa lai̯] - Festival of the clear leaves, a Nauwai tradition