～ wharf

@⚘ : ivan k 。 "you got this... you got this!"

that's what she's been telling herself after taking three deep breaths. she's been marching her way toward the man who has captivated and conquered her interests at least four times, and the only reason she hasn't actually gotten anything done is because she turns right back around or marches past him. this would be attempt number five at meeting up with the man she's only seen from a distance or from behind. this would be the first time she actually spoke to him and she was not leaving until she did! so, she finally stomps her way back over to him, actually standing before his little cart and putting two clenched fists against her hips with a look of determination on her face. she huffs in a quick breath, opens . "u-um..." is all she can manage at the time, but as soon as those words leave her lips, her arms fall behind her and her face points toward his cart instead. what was she actually supposed to say now?

@⚘ : xiuying t 。 In spite of his heritage, Llyr usually avoided the ocean as much as possible since he'd forsaken his sea legs to live on land. Rather than be captivated by the majestic beauty, just the sight of the waves rolling in was enough to make him sick to his stomach with anxiety as he imagined great tentacles rising up to grab him and drag him into gnashing jaws waiting below. Unfortunately, his fear of the deep blue didn't keep him from getting homesick, though. Even with how adventurous he had been, Llyr had always returned to the familiarity of the grotto his family had lived in for generations. Sometimes he wished he had heeded their words and never left on his reckless explorations... It was the sense of longing and nostalgia that tempted him to face his fears that morning, avoiding the inner portion of the island and instead deciding to jog along the coast. The blonde was halfway through his large bottle of water by the time he stopped at the amphitheater that led down to the waves and he made a point to sit on the upper portion to take a quick break. He idly noticed the person sitting at the bottom, danging their feet in the surf, and had to quickly look away when he imagined them being dragged into the depths. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

@⚘ : vera s 。 levi had supposed that this lady didn't know who he was — didn't know whom the mask he wore belonged to. perhaps it was better that way. at least, if all else failed, he wouldn't have to worry about risking the security of his identity. but he still had to wonder. just where did this lady get her confidence and why didn't she seem even the slightest bit bothered that he had just... taken her away without her consent? perhaps it would be safe to assume that she was used to this, which meant that she'd had enough experience with this kind of things for her to even feel that she was in the slightest bit of danger. levi himself didn't emit any malicious aura, and he wondered if she could sense even that.

"wha—" came his spoken surprise when vera suddenly leaned forward, running her tongue over his finger before leaving a kiss upon his skin. warmth filled his face, embarrassed that he lost his composure for a full moment right then. "g-gentle, what—" he sputtered, taking a step back away from the lady as though she scared him, even though he was the one who had kidnapped her. he cleared his throat as an attempt to calm himself down (because gods, what kind of a kidnapper was he if he was so easily flustered?), and he narrowed his eyes at the lady. "stop that, or i'll put a gag on your mouth again," he said, and his voice didn't shake. that was good, he supposed. he needed to be intimidating, damn it! "and no need to untie you. i already know your father's number," he continued on as he dialed the numbers, but before he pressed call, he stared at vera. "remember not to say anything unnecessary, or i won't hesitate in throwing you over that window." an empty threat, but still a threat nonetheless, and he then pressed call.

@⚘ : levi c 。 she almost felt like sighing softly again. even though she couldn't see him she could almost feel him psychoanalyzing her, she wasn't bothered by it as many people tried to figure out what went on in her mind. why did she react the way she did and honestly she had no better answer other than—been there, done that. vera couldn't lie though, she was still highly curious about him and just like that she felt a small plan hatch in her mind. a smile worked itself onto her lips, still hidden by the towel, of course when it came to her there was almost always an ulterior motive, and right now she wanted nothing more than to know who this was. this masked man who—judging mainly by his voice couldn't be much older, if at all, than vera—she had heard nothing about before. she decided then that she'd play by his rules and as soon as she saw her opening she would take it. her smile never left even though she already knew the other might figure something was off but she was confident she could play it off.

she nodded obediently, letting a moment pass before a sparkle of mischief lighted her eyes. first she had to see how he reacted when he was caught off guard. tilting her head slightly she leaned forward as much as she could and teasingly flicked her tongue over his index finger before kissing it, "i'll behave...so be gentle with me hmm?" vera batted her lashes innocently then her gaze fell down to the burner phone and they quickly turned serious. she wasn't sure how much she believed him but like she said, if she wanted to find out who he was she had to play by his rules. "so are you gonna untie me anytime soon or will you dial the numbers for me?" her question was accentuated by a raised brow, looking at him expectantly.

@⚘ : vera s 。 levi was quite relieved that the other didn't seem... /that/ hostile. he wondered briefly if the other was far too used to this that she wouldn't even flinch anymore. but she was lucky that it was only him — he had no intentions of hurting her, and would never let it happen. if possible, he would let the girl come out unscratched after he got the money he wanted. but in all honesty, it would have been easier on his conscience if she were afraid. being this calm about it, not even a hint of fear in her eyes, meant that this was an experience she often had, and he, of course, didn't like it one bit. she didn't look any older than his age, even if he himself admitted that he was quite young — too young for him to dabble in this line of work, but nevertheless, he couldn't let go of it.

he reached out his hand carefully, the burner phone he'd gotten last week sitting securely in the pockets of his pants, and he untied the gag around the woman's mouth. "don't scream," he said, a warning lilt lacing his tone, "or i'll put this back." was he intimidating enough? he didn't know — the last time he had kidnapped someone, he was still with his team then, and of course, someone else handled the hostage. he could never do this on his own, but here he was. he ran his tongue over his lips, before he took the phone out of his pocket. "look, i'm sure you don't want to get hurt, right? you just got to tell your dad to send 5 million dollars here without informing the police, because believe me i will know if he informs the police." was that a bluff or the truth? it was for her to distinguish. "either he comes here alone or send a single person to this address. do you understand?"

@⚘ : levi c 。 if weren't for the gag he would've heard her sigh. she was trying so hard to be angry but it was quickly dissolving as he offered just the slightest amount of freedom, as long as she could talk her way into slowly getting her restrictions lifted she didn't care what she would have to do. although she would lie a bit, not that she wouldn't scream but he'd certainly get a scolding. even if she wasn't sure she was certain he'd go after the crystals she had on board, as he came closer she got a weird vibe off him. she wanted to say he was nervous but she reasoned that he had no reason to be, he wasn't the one tied up to a chair with his arms and legs also bound to said chair; with a roll of her eyes she nodded her head.

since he had successfully taken her she went through different scenarios and her still hazy mind latched onto one. it seemed the most probable, he had probably heard who her father was and wanted a grab at his money. not many dared to try and hold vera captive—the ones who were brave enough were more often than not, pirates—and she had gotten away just fine without needing her father to meddle.

however she was intrigued and even though she wouldn't say it out loud, just a bit impressed at his bravery and skill for having taken her so slyly in her sleep. so she kept for a while quiet as he explained things, nodding again to show her understanding.

@♆ : llyr m 。 It was always part of Xiuying’s day to pass by anywhere near the ampitheatre. He knew that it was the closest he could get to seeing Thalassans and even if he knew that they were almost alike terans, they were beautiful to him. Though it was difficult for some to know who was a thalassan or a teran anymore but they did have different eye colors. He’d take a spot and look around as he wrote down the letters for his grandmother, telling her little story times about what he has seen or just tell her how much he missed her. He’d also take notes on the things he knew about them in the notebook. He literally acted as if he was some kind of scientist but he had no intentions like most scientist had. He had a love for the thalassans and would love to befriend one. A smiles crept up on his face as he walked around the wharf. It was a good place for him to sit and just write his letters and it was more convenient for the thalassans to enter. He sits with his legs dipping into the water. Xiuying notices someone pass by and catches his eyes. Was possible that he was a thalassan? it was a question to him as many passed by. He looked at the water but still keeping the latter at his peripheral vision.

@⚘ : vera s 。 levi was most certainly used to not sleeping. and as such, regardless of it being creepy, he had spent the past hour simply staring at the lady in front of him, waiting for her to wake up. this truly wasn't him — this wasn't robin hood's way. this was more ciaran the second, the shadows of night raid's actions that only occurred within the dark hours of midnight. this wasn't him — that phrase had repeatedly run through his mind again and again, and for a moment, he contemplated just letting her go free and leaving. he contemplated just looking for someone else to rob, something to steal that would be easy to sell in the black market. but that would take time, and time was something that he couldn't afford to lose at the moment.

his front teeth dug into the soft flesh of his bottom lip, and he gulped visibly. he felt nervous, too anxious. what if everything went wrong tonight? what if this signaled the end of his legend, which hadn't even gone as far as he wanted? would he only be remembered as the thief that failed a kidnapping, the thief that held a heart too soft which caused his downfall? would that be a name that would be forgotten with more time that passed by, not even told by stories of the mouth?

he didn't want that.

when vera awakened, levi sighed quietly in relief, before he stood up, approaching the other carefully. "promise me you won't shout, and i'll take this gag off of you," he said, steadying his voice as to seem more intimidating. that shouldn't be hard, he thought, since he had a mask on — she wouldn't be able to see the nervous expression behind it. she wouldn't be able to catch how anxious he was about the whole set-up. "i'm certain you know why you're here, and i'm certain you know what i want. but just in case you don't—" he took a deep breath, and steeled his heart—this was for the children, he thought to himself, the children, "—i'll tell you. i want money, and you're going to get your father to give it to me."

@⚘ : levi c 。 on her way back to her room she did wonder why he had stuck around so close to the stairs. of course she'd keep all the prized treasures hidden deeper but she didn't dwell on it. after all she still didn't even know when he had come. she caught herself giggling as even with the mask on she had seen the way his body had stiffened, almost like he was frozen in place just a bit when the weight of her words and true intentions finally caught up with him, it was almost imperceptible but thanks to her father's strict training she could spot a person's shift in demeanor quite easily. following that train of thought she couldn't help but let out a loud laugh, the mirthfilled melody bouncing off the ship's interior and down the winding halls. oh the money she'd pay to see what was going on in that head of his.

now warm and cozy in bed she couldn't help but wonder just a bit who he was. she hadn't lied when she said it was too late for her to even be bothered with dealing with him, on the other hand though she had never heard about a man who prowled the night with a fox mask on. a slight frown marred her features as she mulled her options over but that was quickly disrupted by her own yawn. to anyone else it would seem odd as vera seemed almost cheerful to lay down and go to sleep when there was an unknown masked man running around on her ship. "whatever...if it's my time then it's my time."

vera always had the weirdest dream. in fact they freaked out so much she had almost been spooked enough to seek some help, keyword being almost. she truly wanted to see what her subconscious was trying to tell her or if she was just crazy. of course her dream made no sense as she was back in her family home. except this time the walls started melting. all she heard was her father's distorted voice telling her she needed to stand up for this family. she saw herself rolling her eyes as suddenly hoards of men start disappearing and reappearing before suddenly only two were left. vera couldn't quite piece together anything, it was hard to explain as one second she was looking at a fox then the next she was falling into the abyss while scratching at herself until angry red lines appeared. again she had no clue what this dream meant and really she had no desire to find out for the time being. so it would be an understatement to say she was relieved to wake up. at least she was for the first few seconds.

when her eyes snapped open they instantly narrowed at the familiar masked man sitting in front of her. she didn't know what time it was but the sun was still a bit low in the sky, just now starting to rise, she had probably woken up due to being uncomfortable. she could already feel her back again, she let out a muffled groan that grew even louder when she realized she was tied up. this crossed a sort of line with vera who hated being restricted, knowing she couldn't move much she lifted her foot as much as she possibly could and stomped it down to get his attention.

[post deleted by owner]

@⚘ : vera s 。 levi definitely stiffened at the moment he met the owner's eyes — vera skinner. he'd heard too many things about her from the surrounding people, and those things were the reason why he was here right then, attempting to steal from the lady in front of him. though he couldn't see anything that was worth stealing yet — there wasn't even something that the black market would have asked for in the ship. he thought vera was rich, and obviously she was, but definitely not the kind that would lump her in the same category as the ones he'd previously stolen from. this was why he should plan this kind of things even more, shouldn't have been spontaneous when this could possibly ruin his life, but he was here already, with the lives of a hundred kids resting upon his shoulders. if he couldn't find a way to give money to the orphanage, then they would be shut down, and the kids would have nowhere to go.

but what surprised him even more was the calm demeanor that the lady exhibited — her words even managed to shock him to silence. "i would've let you dirty me some more getting in." w... what was that supposed to mean? he wasn't aware of the clear intentions of the other's words, until he heard her mention "no matter how hot i think you are, fox boy." that left him blinking dumbly in his place, and his cheeks flushed when he finally registered what it was that vera had just told him. first of all, he had never once interacted with the people he was stealing from like this — in fact, he made a conscious effort not to be seen, or even if he were seen, not long enough for them to have a conversation such as this one. second, what kind of person would react like this to someone who literally had just broken into their home?

to say that levi was stunned wasn't an exaggeration, but he'd only managed to regain his composure when he noticed that the other was already gone. that was dangerous, though he didn't quite feel any kind of danger that surrounded the unfamiliar setting he was in. that was the strangest thing out of all he'd just experienced that night — he didn't feel as though he was going to get chased or anything like that. as someone who had been, say, living on the riskier side of life, his sense of danger had sharpened, which was what aided in his survival throughout the years, but right then and there, he felt nothing.

nevertheless, he supposed he should get out of here soon but... if he came out of here empty handed, what then of the kids' future? he pursed his lips, and followed the gal to her room. there, he saw her already sleeping. his heart pounded against his ribs — this wasn't exactly the first time he was doing this, but it still made him feel guilty. his policy had always been to never harm someone else, but... for the sake of his resolve, he would have to do this. making sure that vera stayed unconscious and dragging her out of the ship were easy enough for him to do. despite not doing this quite as often, he was still capable of smoothly doing it. when the other would wake up, the two of them would be in a building in the middle of the city, not exactly isolated, but hidden among the innocents and the crowds of the city, which would then limit the enemy's movements if it came to that.

this was a risky move — he could get arrested and imprisoned for kidnapping, but he had to do it. if anything, vera wouldn't know his face — only his body type — but just to be safe, he had tied her up to a chair, hands to the armrests of the wooden chair, ankles to its legs just so he could see her every movement. a towel to the mouth to avoid screaming and doing any other unnecessary things.

he sat in front of the gal, legs crossed as his heart anxiously beat inside his chest. he waited for dawn, to see when the other would wake up — which wouldn't take that long then, he supposed.

@⚘ : levi c 。 vera could only watch with an unimpressed grimace as the last of her crew stumbled off her ship. truly she should fire the lot as she was capable of getting around on her own, with a sigh she laid down on deck and stared at the stars for a moment. it barely took a minute but she shook her head immediately and snorted for even considering the idea that she'd run the ship by herself, sure just cause she had the capabilities didn't mean she had the drive to do so. no it was much better to keep those fools around. at least she got away with paying them the bare minimum—call her callous but her father was a businessman, she had learned some of his tips and tricks—not like they'd know where to put their money anyway. after a bit more stargazing she got up and went below deck to where her living quarters were, gathered her clothes and toiletries before heading down the hall into her own bathroom. it would be a lie to say she hadn't fallen asleep standing up in the shower, yes it was weird but vera has always had that penchant of being able to sleep anywhere and at any time. with a small hum she dried and dressed herself. her hair was still dripping wet but she wanted nothing more than to either continue to stargaze or perhaps go back to her room and finish that book she started weeks ago. which would she choose? with a shrug vera stepped out of the bathroom and decided to let her body take her where it wanted without a second thought. blankly she realized she was on her way to her room when a sudden loud sound reverberated throughout the ship. she couldn't place her finger on it, seemed like someone tripped or something and was trying to regain their balance, anyone else would've written the noise off but vera had spent years on this very ship. she should be the only person on board at the moment.

in less than a heartbeat she had whirled around and was quietly making fast work towards the noise. it sounded like it came near the top deck but just a bit below, which meant her intruder was still somewhere near the stairs. in record time she made it, her brow twitching in frustration as she realized there was in fact an open door, the open door to not a few of her past bounties but mostly booze. with a tired sigh she stomped right up to the open door.

"Wade! for the last god-damned time..you canNOT-" her fit of rage was abruptly caught off as she stared dead straight into a fox mask. definitely not the face of her idiotic brute who, at times, loved coming on board to sneak gulps of her booze.

clearing she looked the man up and down. he was dressed inconspicuously, the only thing that stood out was the fox mask. she should probably be worried. if she was anyone else she'd be screaming, demanding an explanation, even kicking him off ship which is also a very logical reaction. yet vera wasn't like others as exhibited that the only thing she could seem to focus on was the faint trace of a lithe yet rugged build. so it was no surprise to vera that opened and words escaped before her brain had even finished comprehending the situation. "you should've come before I took a shower....I would've let you dirty me some more getting in."

turning on her heel she meant to walk away before suddenly back around to face him. "also do you know how late it is?! don't touch my booze! oh and uh don't steal. I'll bloody kill you no matter how hot I think you are fox boy."

with that she sauntered off. she didn't expect much. perhaps he'd steal a few gold pieces and be on his way, and a couple gems, maybe he'd follow her, maybe he'd leave, whatever it was. vera was tired and as far as she was concerned it was past her bedtime.

[] hey no worries!! I like the details so issok :") also sorry vera kinda sprung that on him dkkkff but I'm tryna explore her chaotic neutral indifference jdjdj

@⚘ : vera s 。 levi wasn't usually the type to make risky decisions. he hadn't survived this long because of pure, dumb luck (though he would have to attribute some of his successful escapes to exactly that), but because he was also quite careful. however, he had panicked, he supposed, because of the urgency of his recent problem. the orphanage was going to close down soon, because levi might have been slow on his heists recently. it wasn't as if he had thoroughly planned whoever he was going to steal from — he was spontaneous in the way that he would only move if something caught his interest, something that he knew would be enough to pay off or at least fund the orphanages he would visit. but this time, he had no time — the orphanage needed that money that week, and if he couldn't give anything... then would those children go?

so that was how he ended up inside the ship by the docks with his fox mask on his face, where he'd heard the daughter of a rich man lived. he was only going to steal something, though he didn't know what yet. he didn't know much about the daughter, and he couldn't understand why his heart kept pounding against his ribs. he felt a little too nervous — anxious at what could come out as a result of this endeavor of his. this wasn't planned too well, he knew, but he needed the money — he needed it, and he just hoped that whatever god of thieves out there would take pity on him because he badly needed that luck.

he had a gun by his hips, just in case he needed it — it wasn't as if he was going to actually use it, however. he would never harm someone else, no matter what. he silently threaded through the halls of the ship, eyes darting around to see whatever would catch his interest. there were a lot of things, a lot of fancy things, but none of those would be enough to sell the first night it was up in the market in the price he wanted it to be. with all his looking around, he seemed to have pushed a door open, and he stumbled inside it rather dumbly—he almost rolled over the floor, but he managed to regain his balance.

what kind of thief was he? the prince of thief, he'd like to say, but this wasn't how it was supposed to go, damn it.

"oops," he mumbled to himself, before he straightened his posture, as if an attempt to regain whatever composure he had earlier.

[] please don't feel pressured to mirror !! lkJSLKD I FORGOT TO ASK WHAT LENGTH YOU PREFERRED

@♆ : perse k 。 "Look who's talking," she scoffs, her lips pursing as he pulls away, and points towards his discarded hoodie. Her heart melts at his thoughtful gesture since she knows he did it so she won't catch a cold, but she can't let him just disregard himself to protect her. "You took off your hoodie, love... that's dangerous!" She's wagging her finger at him now, a soft frown evident on her face. She remembers how he explained that Thalassans tend to feel uncomfortable when on land if they're not wet. But even if it won't kill him, she'd rather she get sick than he feel squeamish whenever he's wish her. "You know I hate being a burden. I don't want you to be uncomfortable because of me. Put that back on, or I'll jump in the water myself and tug you down with me!" It's not entirely an empty threat and she knows he knows this and a mischievous smirk is now visible on her lips. "What do you say, huh?" She tries lowering her voice an octave and puffing out her chest, acting all macho in a playful attempt to intimidate him. She looks like the world's biggest dork and honestly? It makes her laugh, but she'd do just about anything for Perse.

In the few moments they'd been together, the sky had fused and weaved itself into an elaborate painting, hues warm and soft as the sun slowly dips below the horizon. There's something about the sun setting that ignites a swirl of content and hope within her. With all the colors of intimacy pirouetting across the sky, sunsets are proof that every day can end beautifully, no matter how bad the events before it were. Sunsets were like a final breath of passion by the sun as it said goodbye, greeting the moon with a kiss of a cotton candy landscape. "You know, Perse," she starts, squeezing his hand softly before bringing it up to peck the back of it, "sunsets make me think of you. It's the colorful conclusion to dreary days, just like you are to mine. It's nice... having serenity and comfort in the middle of hectic workdays and lonely nights. A balance between daylight and darkness, just like you." She's so in love with the beauty of nature, and she watches him through their corner of her eyes as he gazes at her and listens to what she loves most. She could tell her loved her, she could see it in the way he let her talk about what she loves. She can see it in this sincere eyes and his adoring smile. In his eyes, she sees their future.

@⚘ : nöelani k 。 "Really? Don't regret that when I randomly show up there." He let out a laugh, half joking and half serious. "Mhm, I'll bring her when I visit you, I think you'd like her." Perse frowned slightly at her sigh and the way she set her head on his wet hoodie. He loved their close proximity, but he knew how Terrans got sick easily when they were cold and wet, unlike their Thalassan counterparts. "Baby, you'll get sick--" He softly chastised her before tossing the hoodie off so that she could rest her head on his shoulder without being cold. He knew that he'd probably regret it once his skin dried out, but he'd rather himself feel uncomfortable instead of Noe getting sick.

"Mhm?" His gaze turned from the setting sun to look at Noe, eyebrows furrowing when he heard how downtrodden she sounded. His lips curled up in a gentle smile after he heard her next sentence. "You make me happy too, more than you know." It was true--Perse had never felt happier than he had been these past few months that he had gotten to know Noe, and he never wanted this feeling to end. "I will-- didn't I promise that?" His tone was light and teasing, but he knew how serious she was. He was too, it honestly boggled his mind when he thought about how much he cared for the girl sitting next to him, since he's never felt these feelings before. He cupped her chin in his hand so that she was angled up to look at his face and smiled reassuringly down at her. "Don't worry, little fingerling. I'm not going anywhere." The nickname that he sometimes called her slipped out, common for Thalassans to use as a pet name. Perse placed a soft kiss on Noe, their lips molding together perfectly like pieces in a puzzle and pulled back with a soft smacking sound. "Don't be sad, I'll come visit you more often hm? I just worry that you're thinking too much about me and not taking care of yourself"

@♆ : perse k 。 "I'd love to show you my sketches sometime. You know you can drop by my house whenever you want, right?" She asks, a foolish grin directed at him. Oh yeah?" She's intrigued now, an eyebrow quirking upward as she looks at him talk about his new addition to the family in awe. Truthfully speaking, Nöelani was never the biggest fan of animals. Not because she didn't like them, but because they didn't seem to like her. All she has are memories of the strays chasing her along the Bali streets when she was a small child. She wasn't particularly fond of cats, but she didn't hate them either. However, she now smiles to herself every time she sees a feline — not because she's grown to exactly love cats themselves, but because she's grown to love Perse and only he himself could know how much he adored cats. "I wish I could meet her," the woman sighs softly to herself, turning away to look at the gradience of the sky as she leans her head onto the man's shoulder. His shoulder is cold, soaked from his hoodie, but she could care less. All she can think about is the cat he mentioned, about how she'll probably never get to meet the little creature, about how once again she couldn't simply integrate herself into his daily life no matter how hard she tries to.

"Hey, Perse?" Her tone has dulled down quite a bit, her hand reaching for his before she entwines their fingers together and uses her thumb to caress his callous hands. "You make me really happy," she admits softly, still staring at the sun setting. "I hope you stay around for a long time." Wherever she went, a small part of her wishes he will be there, too. In reality, she wanted to say even more than this. She wants to tell him that she is so in love with him and the simplicity of the concept of 'us,' that sometimes she looks and him and can't understand how no one before her saw what she saw. How did the countless women in his world never notice the whole beautiful universe hidden within his soul? How did they look at the Thalassan and brush him by without realizing every single cell within his body radiates a warmth that makes her crave his presence so desperately? Nöelani had to admit she's grateful they didn't, though, because if they had... even for the slightest second, seen what she sees in him, she might not have been blessed with the chance to.

@⚘ : nöelani k 。 "Stop what? I'm just telling the truth."
He pretended to play dumb but couldn't help the goofy grin that spread across his face. She was so cute without even trying, it was way too easy to .
"I am--it's nice knowing I make someone all flustered." His feet skimmed the surface of the water, eyes darting between the mesmerizing sunset to the beautiful Terran he was sitting next to. Although they had only really spent a few times together, in secret most of the time, with rushed hellos and goodbyes, Noe felt like home to Perse. She radiated the same warmth and purity that his mother did, and he couldn't seem to tear himself away from that.

"That's exciting, you'll have to show me them some time." Perse knew how much she loved what she did, and he loved how hardworking she was when it came to her career. "More than I can imagine huh? I don't know about that..." His words were teasing but truthful. He had never felt this way about anyone, and the fact that Noe was a Terran made him conflicted both because he knew that they weren't supposed to be together, and also because all he wanted to do was be with her, which was impossible because of their distance. He pressed a chaste kiss onto her temple, letting out a content sigh before pulling back and caressing her hand with his thumb.
"Make sure you're getting enough rest, alright? I know you get tunnel vision when a deadline is coming up but you need to take care of yourself. I can't be around all the time to do it for you." His last words were teasing as he placed another soft kiss on the tip of her nose, laughing loudly at her surprised expression.

"Did I tell you I got another kitten? A girl this time, she reminds me of you." He chuckled slightly, thinking back to the kitten that was most likely roaming around his tattoo shop creating havoc. "Shy and sweet, but a little firecracker on the inside." It still boggled Perse's mind as to how he could've caught the attention of Noe, to him, she seemed almost like a figure of his imagination the first time he saw her. Running after a kitten similar to the one he had brought up, he was in a panic trying to find the little creature, when she suddenly appeared, looking like an angel sent from the heavens. Perse had been awestruck the first time he saw her which was a change to how he normally was, which made him even more confused at how he had suddenly gotten her to fall for him.

@♆ : perse k 。 At his flirtatious remark, she can feel the blood rushing in her veins and making its way up to tint her pale cheeks a roseate tint and the pounding of her heart spread warmth throughout her entire being. "Ah, Perse, you've gotta stop doing that," she whines softly. "You know how flustered I can get! Are you enjoying this?" Nöelani can tell that he obviously is, the mischievous grin evident on his face as she turned to look at him. Although it's definitely not the first time she's met up with him, she can feel her heart nearly stop. He was gazing at her with those eyes of his with the hues of the sunset dancing upon his skin and that was it — that’s all it took and then everything fell right into place. Falling in love with Perse was the most exhilarating experience in her entire life. The way he makes her feel is beyond any language and Nöelani is sure about one thing: she's right where she's supposed to be.

"Missed me already? It's been, what, 24 hours?" She jests, nudging his arm with her elbow jokingly. Deep down, though, his confession ignites a flurry of emotions within her and there's an inexplicable happiness that emerges from within her. It seems that whenever she is with him, she seems to reach highs she's never known. She loves hearing him talk about his day, his thoughts, his feelings, everything and nothing. She finds comfort in just being with him, watching him do nothing yet smiling just because it's him. She can only hope that she can make him happy as happy as he makes her. She hopes she can make him fall in love with life and all the small beautiful things. She wants to let him lay down on her lap, let her fingers run through the locks of his hair, let him listen to her heartbeat and know that he'll never be alone again. If he'd let her. All she wants to do is make him happy and fill him with immense light and give him all the love he deserves.

"I've been doing good, I suppose. Been sketching out new designs for our next investors' meeting," She says, her legs swinging slowly as they hang off the pier. "But most importantly, I've missed you too. Probably a lot more than you can imagine," she admits, staring at the Thalassan with nothing short of pure adoration. She settles for that simple answer because how can she tell him that every waking moment without him is when she misses him the most? The need to be with him, to just be near him, to simply hear his laugh or admire his smile? When they are together, nothing feels impossible. Because he makes her feel like she can do anything and everything. Perse's made her feel things she'd never truly experienced before and she's starting to think this is true love.

@⚘ : nöelani k 。 The look on her face when she realized he was behind her was priceless, and Perse wished that he had a camera with him so that he could capture the moment to look at forever. It was like he held the moon in his hands, the way she was looking at him, and his heart couldn't help but beat a little faster. No one had ever looked at him with such adoration, and yet--here was this etheral creature that seemed to like him for whatever reason.
"Cheesy."
He let out a snort but laughed nonetheless, her bluntness so endearing to him, especially since many were too afraid to speak their mind around him.
"I haven't, thank you for thinking of me." The smile on his face only grew wider, his heart melting at the simple request she voiced aloud. No one had ever just wanted to sit with him and basically do nothing but bask in his presence, and he loved that she wanted to just spend time with him. "I've been mostly bored anyways--lacking inspiration you know? Maybe this will help me with it."

"Of course there's beauty up here--you're here." He booped her nose after grabbing her smaller, more delicate hand in his own rough and tattooed one, hoisting himself up onto the edge of the pier. His hoodie was obviously soaked, but it kept his skin wet enough that he wasn't worried of drying out his skin and could focus on the girl smiling up at him. He kept their hands intertwined, loving the feeling of her fingers caressing his own. It wasn't often that they spent time together, being that they were from two separate worlds and well--it was technically frowned upon for the two of them to be as close as they were.
"It's beautiful, just like you." He nudged her shoulder with his own slightly waiting to see the pretty blush she got on her cheeks whenever he complimented her. It was his favorite pastime, trying to see how often he could make her flustered. "How are you though? I've missed you."

@♆ : perse k 。 They say love is supposed to take your breath away and steal the air from your lungs. But Nöelani begs to differ, because it was like the air in her lungs were restored—cleansed and purer than ever before—when she hears the melodious tone of his voice. She turns herself around as dulcet laughter leaves her lips and she greets the handsome Thalassan her mind's been wrapped around (although she wishes it was her arms wrapped around his frame instead). "Actually, yes," she admits shyly, a playful simper gracing her lips before she continues, "you." Her tone is lighthearted and lively, yet her simple answer held so many truths in it. In all the months since she had met Perse, he had made a home for himself within in her soul. When she thinks of him, she can taste sweetness on her tongue and butterflies bury themselves into her stomach. She lets it happen because he's all she's ever wanted. Perse was a daydream and Nöelani doesn't want to be lonely anymore.

"I wanted to watch the sunset with you," she says, the smile on her face still not leaving her lips. Nöelani can only think about how wondrous it is to smile from within the depths of her heart, in all its effortless kindness and ease whenever he's around. "Have you ever been?" She hopes not. "I know you tend to spend your time perfecting your designs. I just want you to have some fun. I know you might not think so, but there's beauty up here on the surface, too." She offers him her hand, ready to guide him onto the empty pier. Although a sunset seems mundane for many, she finds a sense of alluring comfort when the sun meets the seas. It seems like a metaphor for intimacy between a Terran and a Thalassan, and she wants to share these visceral moments with him and him only.

@⚘ : nöelani k 。 Perse sat in his empty tattoo shop, doodling aimlessly on different pieces of paper to figure out what design he wanted to practice next, when suddenly his phone rang.
"hey noe. sure, gimme a few minutes."
Perse's stoic face had completely changed after hanging up the phone, happy that the one person that nearly always occupied his thoughts, whether he wanted them to or not, had called him, since he always felt a bit hesitant reaching out himself. The raven-haired Terran beauty he had become close to over the past few months seemed to haunt him, since Perse himself was hesitant about interacting with Terrans. His father had beat it into his head that they were destructive, his way of thinking only increased after Perse's mother left her life with them to be with the Terran she fell in love with. Ane yet-- even with all his hesitations, he couldn't seem to stay away from her.

Perse quickly closed his notebook and grabbed his hoodie before swimming towards the top of the sea, popping up near the wharf where he agreed to meet Noelani. A smirk graced his features as he saw her back turned towards him, stealthily swimming towards her to try and scare her, softly splashing some water in her direction.
"Thinking about someone?"

@⚘ : kiara l 。 bastian didn't have a very specific reason for climbing the domed steps up towards the shore on this particular evening – sometimes he just liked to people watch. specifically, terran watch. having spent most of his life underwater, of course the man would be somewhat curious about a completely different species, and their way of live above water. it was why he occasionally made his way up the wharf to visit the shore, to watch and observe the difference in both thalassans and terrans alike. as he was making his way up, however, bastian noticed an odd sort of device sailing through the waters. he'd never seen anything like it before – how would he even begin to describe it? curiously, the man reached out to take the gadget from its spot in the sea, stretching slightly to reach out for it – he was lucky he had such long limbs. the device was odd – it looked like one of those aerial vehicles he'd heard about yet never seen, and inspecting it did nothing to quell the curiosity that filled bastian. was this device something of terran origin, perhaps? it must be – he'd never seen anything like in galini, or anywhere underwater, in fact.

the man inspected it for a few more minutes before shrugging – maybe he should return it? it looked a little fancy, a little advanced, so he was sure its owner, whoever that may be, would come searching for it. bastian continued to make his way to the shore, searching for anyone that seemed as if they were missing something important. there was a small part of him that was curious about what exactly this device was, and why it was sailing through the waters so easily as well. should he find the gadget's owner, he'd be sure to question them rather thoroughly.

@♆ : bastian m 。 It was another friday's evening, a time when everybody having fun after a week long of work but 'having fun' isn't in Kiara's dictionary. Right after everybody have gone home, she packed her bag and drove to the wharf where she usually do her weekly evaluation of life underwater. Some Thelessans staff of hers brought several pictures from their daily activities or weekend underwater which helped a lot to evaluate the Theessans changes in daily life a bit but she wanted to know more. Looking at pictures underwater motivated her even more to make her father's dream come true, reunification of Thelessans and Terran. Parked her car not too far from the wharf, she took her bag and walked to the edge of the wharf, setting on the drone equipment and tested it right away, checking on the monitor whether the camera is on. Once ready, she controlled it as close to the water and reflection of Thelessans village showed on the screen. It always amazed her how beautiful and well structured the village underwater created by The Godess. Kiara have another equipment that is able to be underwater but Thelessians who didn't know much about technology might think of it as a form of attacked from Terrans.

She moved it down a bit closer to the water to see the village clearer but suddenly the camera went black. "What the.." she tried to moved it to other direction but no use, the camera showed nothing on the screen. It's either the drone crashed onto something, which quite not possible since there's nothing on the vast sea in front of her or maybe.... A Thelessans thought of it as a weapon and smashed it away, the most possible scenario ever. "I should buy a new drone then." She sighed, unhappy to opened up her wallet to have another drone.

@♆ : perse k 。 growing up, nöelani's mother often told her that you'll know when you love someone because you won't be able to experience anything without wishing they were there to see it too. nöe didn't understand what her mother had meant, not until she met perse by chance while strolling along the wharf one day. with intricate swirls of black ink adorning his bulky arms and an abundance of piercings on his face, he was the epitome of the bad boy mothers warned their daughters about. but god, he was so damn gorgeous. so when the attractive man had approached her asking if she's seen a runaway kitten, nöe couldn't resist offering to help him. she's so thankful she did, because that one fateful encounter had led to late nights along the shore and abstract conversations with one man and his various cats. so as nöe stands along the wharf and watches the waves crash against the shore, illuminated by the hues of a sunset about to happen, she wishes perse was here to witness the picturesque scene together with us. so that's exactly what she does — she rings him up. "hey perse, there's something i wanna show you. can you come to the wharf?"

@⚘ : enzhe l 。 no, donnie most certainly doesn't pout at being ignored by a certain someone, in turn giving the other figure his full attention as he climbs completely out of the water. "hi." at least he was wearing swim trunks this time. once he's up on the pier donnie turns so his legs are dangling over the edge, lightly shaking the water out of his hair. "i mean, yeah, but it's kinda...refreshing? wakes you up at least."

@⚘ : hedon l 。 as the other gentlemen seems annoyed upon glancing at the one swimming and quickly pretends he doesn't exist, enzhe shows him an easy smile and a quick nod of the head, a quiet "yo" leaving his lips as polite and friendly as it can be. he takes another inhale of the cigarette in his hands and taps it over the planks, eyeing donnie with some wonder but soon to place his gaze back on the horizon. "isn't it cold at this hour?"

he doesn't really expect anyone else to be on the pier at this hour - at least, no one is usually here this early in the morning, so when donnie's hands grip the edge of the planks to heave himself out of the water (which he's probably not allowed to swim in) and his eyes come up to spy two other figures, he freezes. "hi."

shortly after the other exhales do his legs stride past the other and he heads toward the railing to lean his back against it and dip his head back, eyes squinted and staring up at clouds and different seagulls but soon falling back to the pier to stare into space.

stares out at the sea from the edge of the pier, sitting against it's surface with a cig in hand; he takes a quick drag, breeze blowing the smoke back in his face as well as the sides of his open shirt, but his mind too far at the horizon to really notice or pay it any mind.