Lec hadn’t expected Issa’s reaction to the docks. They’d grown up in the backyard of the unforgiving body of water Issa was so enamored by, so to them, it was little more than a source of food, a railroad for the ships that came from the other ends of the world. But Issa would never have seen water so endless, and Lec scolded themselves for being so inconsiderate. Of course he’d want to take in the sights; didn’t tourists travel from all over the world to see for themselves the shining sunlight reflected off the shimmering waves? They were likely rushing him, so consciously, they let Issa take charge for a little while.
They watched him, the way his eyes lit up again. Had Lec ever had that wonder for the water before? They looked back out over the ocean and sighed. Likely, they’d never experience that awe again, but watching their companion, seeing him take in this world for the very first time; Lec was happy for the chance to witness that.
Much of the dock was surrounded by rope, a safety measure for clumsy people and curious children, but Issa didn’t seem satisfied with that. The two walked further from land, stopping at the end of a stretch of planks without any rails. A sign where the rope stopped warned against the dangers of getting too close to the water, and another had regulations for fishing. Again, Issa gazed at the waters as if they were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Perhaps, Lec thought, they were.
“Huh?” Lec was caught off-guard by a question they had an answer to. “I think it’s a bit less than five thousand kilometers to the next port,” they replied, forgetting the exact numbers they must have read in a book once. “Disregarding the size, I’d advise against not trying to swim it. There are constant storms over the ocean, even if they rarely make it here. Sometimes they help speed boats along, and other times they slow them down. But our, ah, floating buildings are made for that. A human would be killed, easily.” Lec paused, then added, “Or a Lucet.”
They followed Issa’s gaze to the horizon and casually looked over the brewing clouds, the gulls hunting their seafood entrees. Just being here brought back countless memories, family holidays and school trips and even a date or two. The ocean brought with it a peace that few other places in the world could know—
The moment came to a halt when Lec heard Issa fall. Their eyes snapped to him, now kneeling on the planks, trying to… go in the water? Lec panicked, moving to Issa’s side to help him away from the lapping currents, but Issa’s expression stopped them. He was happy. Issa wanted to touch the water. He was in violation of every rule of the docks, but he was curious. As long as he held onto the boardwalk, as long as the age-old planks didn’t suddenly give way, what was the harm? They’d be able to save him if he fell, and Issa seemed too careful for that anyway. So, ignoring the glances that came their way and the occasional verbal warning by a well-meaning onlooker, Lec let Issa have his fun.
After a few moments, the human too stretched their body across the planks, wincing as sun-kissed wood touched their bare belly. They cursed their outfit again, preferring to be trapped in anything but this, but for now they waited for their skin to become accustomed to this new temperature, and they lay beside Issa. The water below was a deep blue, and Lec could see flashes of green, yellow, and brown kelp tangling through the small waves. Tiny fish pecked at the surface of the water, not yet big enough to be served on silver dishes, seasoned with spices from all corners of the world. How long had it been since Lec had enjoyed a view like this?
And as they got lost in the colors underneath them, the sounds of waves and gulls and people, the saltwater smell of their childhood, Lec thought they didn’t want this moment to end. They felt like a child again, without responsibility, enjoying a small moment of peace in their war-torn world. They were falling in love with the way Issa was reacting to things, as if everything Lec had to explain was exciting, the most fascinating thing he’d ever heard. The way he tried to twist his perceptions to fit human life, smiling all the while, it was enough to distract Lec from their gnawing hunger, their newfound homelessness, their father’s grudges, their utter hopelessness.
Issa’s next question interrupted their thoughts, and they took a moment to consider it. Was anyone sure of how deep the ocean stretched? They tried to remember every book they’d ever read about their waters, marine life, the mysteries of the ocean floor. “I’m not sure,” they admitted, “but I’d guess it’s at least as deep as it is wide. Maybe even deeper. The researchers who study the ocean haven’t even been able to catalog all the creatures down there yet. It seems a new one is discovered every few years.”
They wondered how many fish Issa had seen. Living in a forest, he’d likely never have seen the whales, dolphins, or sharks that Lec had sometimes seen surfacing along the horizon. Would Lec, a mere human, get to teach a real Lucet about animals? Lec laughed at that. They would probably be the first human-Lucet pair in such a situation in the history of the world, they thought.
Lec’s eye caught on something in the water, and an idea blossomed in their mind. They reached for Issa’s hand, the one dancing along the ocean. Lec closed their eyes and muttered something under their breath. They were silent for several moments, until the waters seemed to spiral away from their hands. A cone of waves shot out from beneath their touch, wrapping their hands in a liquid veil. When the water fell away, Lec released Issa’s hand, where they had left the thing they’d seen floating. It was a shell, one with shades of brown washing over its otherwise white surface. The deep crack in it brought a frown to Lec’s face, but they supposed it was to be expected. “For you,” they said with a smile. “A souvenir. There are many more where it came from.”
They pulled themselves away from the water and sat on the edge of the dock. Lec held their hand, as if their small feat of magic had somehow injured it. Their stomach growled in protest, and their headache lightly drummed against their skull. They were too weak to be using magic carelessly but… They looked back to Issa. This stranger, this man born of enemy blood; was he worth it?
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