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 Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:06 pm
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Menelie Well, Jessica had gotten herself into quite a pickle. While foraging in the kelp forest, she'd somehow gotten her tail tangled in a couple pieces of seaweed. She had a pretty flexible torso, but she just couldn't quite reach down to the tip of her tail where she was caught. At first she'd tried to power-swim away from it, but she couldn't get away, plus now she was tired. She blew a puff of bubbles which lifted her bangs away from her eyes. This was just embarrassing. Best she could do now was hope someone else swam by.
Fea Line Sedhain had been running low on supplies and was out for a bit of harvesting/shopping when something inside him told him to take the longer route home today. Call it a gut feeling, he couldn't explain it but he also couldn't escape it. And probably for good reason as the closer he got to the kelp forest, the more it became apparent why he felt this way. Someone was stuck. While he didn't consider himself a hero, he at least could lend a hand to someone in need, so he set down his supplies and called out gently as to not startle the other. "Excuse me? Don't mean to alarm you but you seem stuck, may I lend a hand?" he blinked, his tail tip curling in and out slowly as he hovered himself closer, weaving between fronds.
Menelie Jessica looked up, startled despite the other's gentle tone. "Oh! Oh, yeah, that would be really helpful. Thanks." She couldn't help but blush. "I'm always like, real careful out here but seems like today the kelp got the best of me anyway." She tucked a strand of hair behind her earfin, doing her best to look dainty and cute. She couldn't help it--her rescuer was a guy and he was hot.
Fea Line Sedhain offered a smile to help the mood stay calm before he swam forward, using his tail to latch himself to a couple strands for stability, or as much as one could get under water. "Don't worry about it, these things have minds of their own even at the best of times." he smiled, taking a moment to pin point where exactly she was stuck before he noticed her peculiar tail. It was unlike any he had seen before, and despite the fact that it seemed to hinder her swimming, it was rather beautiful. "Forgive me a moment." he said as he reached down to trace the kelp strands and gently pluck them from her tail, trying not to be too terribly handsy or invasive. Once he managed to get her untied, he offered a hand and finally took a moment to just look at her face, the way her hair framed it and her striking eyes. Did he literally just find a damsel in distress? Was this some kind of blessing??
Menelie Jessica's tail didn't seem to respond to his touch as he freed her, though her brain certainly did. Her cheeks turned bright red and she fidgeted with her hands. After what seemed like eternity, and yet, somehow too soon, she was free. She took his hand with a thankful smile and pulled herself up to her full height. The tip of her tail rested in the sandy lakebed and she sort of held herself up on it as a pedestal. "Thanks again," she said, taking him in. His striking green color lit up the dim waters, and she couldn't help but linger over his curved tail. "Er--I'm Jessica," she said, somewhat belatedly.
Fea Line Once she was free, he nodded, a small pleased smile to see her unstuck from her leafy cage. Though the way her tail seemed to almost cause her to sink caused it to vanish. Had he hurt her? Or had this happened due to being tangled? He didn't want to come across too nosey but he felt compelled to at least check if she was alright or needed further help. "Lovely to meet you Jessica, though I despair it's not on better terms. Are you alright? Is your tail hurt?" he asked, his own curling and uncurling a moment in thought. |
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:10 pm
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Menelie "Hm?" said Jessica, looking down and backward at her tail. "Nope? OH." She blushed and made a bit of a dismissive hand motion. "No, no I'm not hurt, that's just like, how my tail is." She shrugged with a cheerful smile. "It's, um, lovely to meet you as well. I hope I didn't like, delay you or anything." She chewed on her bottom lip cutely and wondered if he'd swim her back to Alu Spring.
Fea Line Sedhain let out a brief sigh of relief. "I am glad to see you are unharmed." He had questions but felt it was too soon to ask, less he risk being rude. After all she only just got untangled from an unpleasant predicament. She probably had business to attend too that she was possibly now late from. "And no worries on that, what I had planned today has no real time frame." he said, pausing a moment before he tilted his head curiously and extended a hand. "Would you like company perhaps?" he offered, just incase she'd need untangling again.
Menelie "I'd love some company," said Jessica with a little giggle, trying to turn the charm on a bit. "I was just heading home to put this away..." she paused and looked around, then held up a finger and bent to retrieve her basket, which she'd set down in the struggle to get away from the kelp. "So I've not got like, real plans either. I'd, uh, be happy to accompany you on whatever you were doing, though," she offered with a little doe-eyed smile.
Fea Line Sedhain smiled, glad she wasn't late for something. "Then if I may, I'd be glad for some company today." he said, offering an elbow for her to take, but of course letting her lead to where she needed to be. "I was actually just out for a bit of leisurely shopping and harvesting but I'm not always great at picking the freshest things." he said with a half laugh, feeling more relaxed now that any sense of urgency had been hopefully avoided. "Forgive me for saying...but I don't think I've ever seen you around before? Or perhaps I've been lost in my own world...." he added softly, his free hand rubbing the back of his head in an embarrassed apologetic way.
Menelie Jessica happily took his elbow, looping her arm through his and transferring her basket to the other hand. "Me? Oh, I'm a childminder, so I don't get out much during the day," she explained. "I work at the palace and have an apartment there as well. Makes the commute easy, right?" She giggled. "So that's probably why you haven't seen me around." She swam with him, gently directing them toward the palace. She was an obviously slow swimmer, but she didn't mention it, or seem to struggle. She did contemplate pretending a little bit just so she could lean on Sedhain more, but decided that would be dishonest. The way she swam was somewhat unique; she didn't use the muscles in her tail like most Naiad. Instead, she used the muscles in her torso to maneuver her tail like one large fin. "What about you?" she asked with a little flirtatious tone. "Why haven't I seen you around?"
Fea Line He nodded but smiled. "Ah the palace, they would be why. I don't believe I'm super familiar with the area. After all, I'm not originally from around here." he chuckled softly before pointing down at his tail which was vastly different from hers despite hers not being normal either. As for why he was never seen? Well, he didn't ever try to be seen but he also didn't usually go out of his way to talk to others also. Not that he disliked conversation, he just usually was always busy. "I suppose I have a bad habit of becoming one tract minded when I'm out. I usually go for what I need then go home?" he said with a half laugh. "I should probably work on that....after all I just met you so it can't be all bad." he added, perhaps a tiny bit of pink rising to his cheeks along with the comment. |
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:11 pm
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Menelie Jessica laughed cheerfully. "I suppose not," she agreed. She hadn't met many of the Lake's most recent arrivals, these wild-looking Naiad, but there were one or two little ones she looked after whose parents were. "I'd be curious to hear more about where you're originally from," she said, interested to hear more about Sedhain. "It's a long swim to the palace, after all."
Fea Line The seara smiled, chuckling and blushing a bit again. "I'd be happy to tell you what I remember. Before the darkness that is..." he paused with a soft frown, his swimming speed admittingly not exceptional but she would have noticed a brief slow down in 'speed' from him. After a few seconds however he shook his head and smiled. "Sorry, sometimes it still feels as fresh as the day it happened." he said before waving a free hand. That was the past and the Queen had called his kind 'home' for more reasons than one. "It was very spacious, wide open ocean views. Sometimes even the water itself seemed to change shades of blues and greens throughout the day. Sometimes you could see forever, sometimes there was just what was in front of you. Fish and all variety of naiad life lived together." he nodded, glancing over at her, her company reminding him a bit of his old life. How could he have forgotten how much he enjoyed the company of another? "We Seara held the best dance parties." he chuckled again, a brighter smile on his face. "We aren't honestly great swimmers either, but man could some of us dance."
Menelie "Dance parties!" repeated Jessica, delighted. Admittedly she hadn't ever done much dancing, but that was for lack of a partner, not for lack of enthusiasm. "I'd love to see that! How fun!" And how fun it would be to dance with this gorgeous guy~
Jessica saw a large rock on the lakebed and gestured to it. "Mind if we stop here a minute and rest?" She blushed a little. "Takes a lot of effort to swim a long ways," she explained. She seated herself on the rock and pushed a strand of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her earfin.
"I wish I could've seen it," she said, continuing the previous conversation. "It sounds beautiful. I've never even left this lake," she said with a laugh. "Good thing it's a big lake, right?"
Fea Line Sedhain nodded, a rest did sound nice now that he thought about it, as he had just stated he also wasn't a great swimmer. "Not at all, rest as long as you like, I'm in no hurry today." he said, feeling a smile still tugging at his lips. He hadn't thought about or actually danced in quite a while. He had gotten too focused on trying to find his place in new waters. "Maybe...someday I could show you." he chuckled, a bit of pink rising to his green cheeks. "I mean... I'm not as good as some of the other friends I had but... well. There's just something much easier about 'swimming' motionless than actually....well swimming forward." he chuckled, not sure he was making sense really. When she mentioned having never left the lake he paused a moment, before he turned back and smiled softly at her. "Good thing. Otherwise.... with what happened in my home waters... I'm not sure we'd all fit here." he said again, trying to be cheerful about it but parts of it still stung really. He wondered if some of his good buddies and family had made it here and perhaps, due to the lake being big, he just hadn't run across them yet?
Menelie Jessica tucked her tail beneath herself as best she could as she rested. It was good to sit down, and she was thankful Sedhain seemed to also want a break. She rested her chin on her palm and her elbow on her tail as she listened. She felt her cheeks grow warm when he offered to dance with her sometime. The thought made her heart leap. She allowed herself to daydream a little about what that might be like. If it was easier, as he said, than swimming forward, she couldn't wait to try. "I'd, um..." she giggled nervously and cleared her throat. "I'd like that."
Despite the flirtation, she still noticed a sadness in him, especially when he spoke of his home waters. Taking a chance, she reached out and put her hand on his. "I'm glad you're here now," she said, trying to sound reassuring.
Fea Line He couldn't help but grin when she said she'd enjoy a dance. It was probably his favorite past time and he loved sharing it with others, but she was also... well she seemed special and he found himself quite enjoying her presence. He had been caught off guard by the hand touch however, but it wasn't all that unwelcome either. He smiled, taking his other hand and resting it atop hers gently. "Thanks." he smiled, truly meaning it. "No one's actually told me that since being here.... not that you know... I expect it. But its rather nice to hear...out loud." He knew he didn't need to explain how big of a change it was, for himself, for others, probably even for her as all these new folk seemed to just float on in with the tides. It was nice to know he wasn't a bother. "I'm um... really glad I met you today as well." he added, a bit flushed. |
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:13 pm
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Menelie Her breath caught in her throat a little when he put his other hand on top of hers, and her eyes glimmered. "Me too," she agreed with a little giggle. "And not just because I'd probably still be stuck in the kelp forest if I hadn't met you." Jessica wrinkled her nose cutely, still attempting to flirt. "But really," she said earnestly, her smile turning warm. "I'm very much enjoying your company."
Suddenly she wanted to be even closer to him, to scoot nearer as they sat, or to lean her head on his shoulder, or to tuck her arms around his. But they'd only just met, and while Jessica was a bold Naiad, she didn't want him to think she was too forward. So she tried to stay content with the touch they were sharing now.
Fea Line Sedhain laughed, he had already forgotten he had just saved her from being tangled just before this. He kept his hand their longer, her hand felt cozy and warm, even under the waters. "Maybe.... we can see each other again sometime? When you aren't stuck." he laughed, adding on to the tease. "A day totally set up and planned. Then maybe... I can share some dancing lessons." he smiled, only jus realizing he had let himself sit closer to her than he had first thought. The tip of his tail curled inward a bit, like a sort of happy tic.
Menelie Jessica's face flushed pink and she nodded eagerly. "I'd like that a lot," she agreed. They should start swimming back toward the palace, she thought, but she was in no real hurry, and sitting here with him was so nice. She didn't want to move and break the spell. "I'm free most evenings," she said, "And I have two days off in a row coming up." She couldn't imagine what it would be like to be on a real date, something planned just for her. Her heart leapt just thinking about it.
Fea Line He smiled and tilted his head. He didn't have much in the way of work or appointments yet so he found himself rather free most days. He wasn't sure he should mention that however, at least not yet. He didn't want her to think of him as some kind of dead beat. "Then perhaps one of your two days free we can plan for a get together. Perhaps lunch then sight seeing followed by dance lessons before a nice dinner?" he asked, hoping it wasn't too much or two little. He had a bit to learn still about all the best parts of the lake but he'd learn them just for her.
Menelie Jessica smiled and angled her body toward him, resting her elbow on her tail and her chin on her fist once more. "That sounds lovely," she agreed. "Let's do [whatever naiads call specific days of the week idk]." It was the first of her two days off. That way, if it went really well, she wouldn't have to worry about working the next day. Normally she could send word if she couldn't show up, but the other girls would be terribly jealous if she missed work because she was with a guy. "Once we get back to the palace I'll show you where my apartment is, so you can pick me up." She smiled a cheeky little smile and raised her eyebrows.
Fea Line Sedhain laughed, again running a hand through his head fin. His mind wandered at that last part but there was also a bit of nerve about going to the palace. "Is it ok for me to just.... swim in?" he asked, probably a silly question but he wasn't familiar with it. Would some kind of guard try to arrest him and he'd have to prove he was there for Jessica? Or was it more of an open palace and guests were free to come and go as they please. "I mean. If all is good, then yes. Please do, I'd like to get the right door." he winked, hoping he was being... semi funny? Not silly? |
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:16 pm
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Menelie "Mhm!" agreed Jessica brightly. "The parts that are off-limits, like the Queen's chambers and stuff, those are pretty obvious with like, guards and stuff." She shrugged and shook her head. "But lots of Naiad live in the other parts of the palace so it's more like a village than just like, a building? So yeah, totally free to come and go."
She giggled and put a hand over her mouth. "That happened to one of the other chidminders once, she was like, gonna go meet this guy? And she knocked on the wrong door!" She waved a hand dismissively. "They figured it out eventually, she was only off by like one, but yeah. My door should be pretty distinctive, I've got like this little shell hanging on it." She crinkled her nose and smiled. "But I'll make sure you know how to get to it."
Fea Line Hearing that made him feel better and also surprised. "Oh I never would have imagined. I suppose growing up, something like a palace seemed more like a fairy tail." he admitted before he gently clasped his hand around hers, ready to go but only when she was ready. He chuckled at the story. "I wont make that mistake. I'm not there for other naiad after all. Just one." he smiled, making sure to take mental notes of the hanging shells on her door. When they got there he'd also make sure to make mental notes of other details, such as the color and amount of shells. "That said, I am glad she eventually found him. I would have been so embarrassed...." he trailed off, trying not to think about making that same mistake.
Menelie Jessica's gaze lingered perhaps a little too long before she cleared her throat and blushed a little. "Yes, well, she came to work the next day looking, like, extremely smug so I assume the date went well." She giggled. "I feel well-rested now. How about you? Are you ready to continue?" She hated to end this moment, but truthfully she was beginning to get uncomfortable from sitting on the rock, and the sooner he got her home, the sooner their date would come. Or something. Perhaps she could invite him in this afternoon? Nah, not before their first date.
Fea Line Sedhain nodded and fluttered off the rock but slowly, turning so that he still had her hand to help her off should she need be. "That does indeed sound like their date went well." he laughed before adding. "I am good. We can continue, I'll swim with you back to your door, that way I know the proper one for sure." he winked, though he hated to see her leave so soon. Thatday couldn't come soon enough he thought already.
Menelie "Wonderful," said Jessica, lifting herself from the rock and tucking her arm into Sedhain's again. Did she need a lot of support? No. Was she going to take the excuse to be close to him? Obviously.
They continued without much incident to the palace, where Jessica showed him how to get to her apartment, and pointed out the shell decoration on her door. "Thanks again for rescuing me," she said with a flirtatious smile.
Fea Line The green seara made sure ot make every mental note along the way of where her apartment was, how to get to it, including which door with the shells. He smiled as they neared it and he perhaps lingered a bit. "Any time. I am only glad it was I who happened to come along to find you rather than someone else." he smiled but blushed at her wink. Why in all the waters had he never noticed her until now? Good thing for him, she didn't seem to be of the taken variety. "And I will see you (thisday), if we are still on?" he grinned, his hand lingering on hers for just a moment longer.
Menelie Jessica giggled in response to his statement, then nodded. "I'll be waiting," she said, then slowly pulled away and entered her apartment. |
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