[private] a wilderness of water

[Oceane]

a little white light in a
sea gone black

≋

She doesn’t catch it at first ─ perhaps attributes it instinctively to the time and space that had grown between them ─ but Oceane soon comes to feel there is something different about her finned friend. Something distant. But it disappears at the mention of the tour, replaced with enthusiasm that appears genuine, prompting the Loessian woman to brush it off as paranoia on her end. So she smiles in response to Aquaria’s preparedness and begins to follow her across the warm sands of the beach, only for the pair to be waylaid by her own inquiry.  Oceane’s amber eyes flick succinctly to Aquaria’s face with curiosity. Certainly her own encounter with Ivar was worthy of a distasteful scowl and, ideally, the banishing of the kelpie beast, but it had been years ago. The Ischian woman’s reaction tells Oceane there must be something more.

“I’m glad to hear it,” She offers quietly, but bites her tongue otherwise and falls dutifully in step beside the pearly nereid, a pleasant smile finding her maw at the mention of the waterfalls. “That sounds wonderful,” Oceane tosses her head to rid her eyes of a tousled forelock as they move into the jungle greenery. As they walk, the opalescent woman fills in her friend on the past few years ─ Soran’s arrival and the birth of their son, Altum, Castile’s disappearance, Alcinder’s decision to live in Icicle Isle with Leilan ─  but leaves out the harsh realities involving Loess and Pangea. She has no desire to revisit the problems that are waiting for her back on the mainland, nor does she want to add to the distress that still lingers at the edges of Aquaria’s expression.

Tropical avians greet them as they embark further into Ischia and Oceane finds herself with her head upturned for the majority of the trek, her amber eyes eagerly watching the birds and her ears trained upwards to listen to them speak. It’s been a long while since her Zoolingualism has been used outside of the familiar fauna who call the foothills home.

After a time, her attention reverts back to Aquaria and, prefaced by a brief pause, Oceane finally breaches whatever discomfort the nereid is trying so hard to veil. “You seem troubled. Please don’t feel obligated to share, just know that I am here if you need anything.” She offers a sad smile and twitches a singular ear towards a yellow bird who sits overhead that had just muttered something about Aquaria’s daughter.

@[Aquaria]
“”

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