IoF Tales of 2024: Day of Love

That night on his way home, he stopped and picked up a few items he had tucked away in some thick kelp outcropping, and tucked it in a sack before picking it up with one of his hind claws. He had to get home fast and make what he wanted before he could go and meet his lovely on her way home. 

A few minutes later he arrived at his home and set to work. Placing the bones he had carefully been collecting in the pattern he wanted, he got to work using some magic to weave them and some cord together, along with beads that gleamed in the darkness of the ocean waters around him. It did not take him long before he raised the delicate necklace and smiled to himself. He was SURE she would love it, he just knew it. 

Packing it carefully in his pack, he took off towards the strong currents that would help him get to where he needed to go. Once he caught the strong waters under his fins, his mind raced some. What would he say to her to get her attention, what would she say to him? Would she scoff and turn away? Would she curse him and his unborn drakelings? She might very well do that....so should he turn around? Nah, he had to do it, he had to finally tell her his feelings. He had spoken to her before, and she never seemed THAT bad....right? Right?!

It was not long before he reached his destination and swerved out of the current, and settled into a large eelgrass patch on the ocean floor. Soon, hopefully, she would rise above the cliff edge and come into view, leaving whatever she did deep within the trenches of the dark ocean. He carefully hugged his pack between his front flippers and waited...and waited. But then in a flash of bright white, so stark against the darkness she appeared, moving slowly. 

As Siren arose from her home deep within the ocean, she stretched out her flippers and yawned...before catching sight of the black and white Shipbreaker before her. She froze, and stared at him with her solid orange orbs, as they cast an unearthly glow around her muzzle. She perked a cheek fin in slight curiosity. She had seen and met this fellow shipbreaker before. She thought he was a bit clumsy, and goofy, but kind-hearted and thoughtful. 

"Ahh...J....what are you doing here? Not like you to come around my area..." She gave a small devious grin. 

Big J shot to attention and fumbled with his pouch before swimming up closer to her, but still giving her plenty of space. 

"Ahh..ahh yes I um...well." He blushed deeply under his scales, his flippers fumbling with the pouch before hooking his gift and holding it up in the light. The bones gleamed against the soft light of their combined biolum. 

Siren froze, her eyes fixed on the necklace, made just for her, with some of her favorite things. So he WAS observant after all. Carefully Siren swam closer and reached out the tip of her flipper and hooked it and brought her face closer to it. It was...stunning. The bones were well cared for, some had decorations carved in them. The beads clearly made by skilled claws. She gave a glance up to Big J and held it back out to him. His face dropped some as he retrieved it from her and looked down at it for a second before she spoke. 

"Could you please place it on me?" She turned careful not to hit him with her tail and waited. He jumped to help, nearly running into her, and used his magic to clip the necklace around her neck. He moved back and watched her turn slowly and face him. 

Her face was devoid of any emotion as she took a deep breath and moved away from him, starting back off on her journey. But before she got more than a few paces away from him she paused and looked over her shoulder, a small grin spreading across her jaws. 

"Thank you J....see you tomorrow at the same time?" Her eyes grew soft for a moment before she turned and left, just as swiftly as she arrived. 

Big J sat stunned, and one may think he was terribly hurt...but it had gone MUCH better than he had EVER expected. Once she was out of ear shot he whooped and hollered and went soaring to the surface, flying out of the water in a giant leap before landing back with a massive splash. He chuckled to himself and lay there, floating on his back. He would get to see her tomorrow....he was pretty sure he was not going to be able to get any sleep.