Love as Pure as Water

"May I?" he asked, voice just above a whisper.

"Yes," Alana replied, equally quiet.

He brushed that same stray lock of hair out of her face, and gently caressed her cheek. For once, he experienced exactly what he expected. She was warm, and soft, and entirely lovely.

Alana closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the moment, smiling at the sudden turn their exploration session had taken.

And then she felt his hand start to drift upwards, towards her ears. When she realized what he was about to do, she tried to speak up, tried to warn him, but she was too late. She felt his touch upon her head's fins, and any sounds of protest died in her throat. She inhaled sharply and swallowed hard as he started to stroke them.

"And these," he said softly. "These feel amazing to touch. And they're so colorful! How is it possible that they feel so soft?"

He was so close to her, and touching herfins like that? Alana unconsciously curled her fingers into fists and began to breathe harder. This was all too much. To be this close to him, to receive his soft, gentle praise, to feel him touch her? It was entirely novel to her. She had never felt anything this intimate, not ever!

And it proved to be too much. A soft, breathy moan of unrestrained pleasure escaped her lips.

Her eyes went wide as saucers when she realized what she had just done. She leaned back, mouth agape, and utterly mortified.

"I-" she squeaked, attempting to say something, but she could barely speak, let alone think of what to say.

How on Earth could she have let that happen? What was he going to think of her now? Why didn't she warn him, why didn't she say anything? And why wasn't she saying anything right now?

Thomas seemed equally stunned. He had withdrawn his hand, leaning back and staring at her with an awed expression.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she suddenly blurted, her voice rushing back into her like a surging tide. "T-that was not supposed to happen! I was trying to warn you, but, I, I just! And then you were touching me, and I couldn't think anymore, and...it just spilled out! Oh, I've never been more embarrassed in my entire life!"

Thomas only stared at her, his own voice not yet having returned.

In that moment, Alana felt like she would rather die than look him in the eye. She held her arms tightly against her stomach, looking down and away from him.

"A sea bishop's head fins," she muttered. "They're um...an...e-erogenous zone..."

"Oh," Thomas muttered dumbly. "Oh! Oh my god, I'm really sorry, I-I had no idea! I would never have done that if I knew, please believe me!"

"I think we would both like to just forget this," Alana laughed weakly. "If that's alright with you..."

"Yeah, uh, definitely," he agreed. "That's...right."

The two sat back down, looking in opposite directions. They were silent for a long time, unable to think of a way to break the horrendously awkward silence.

Alana found herself watching the tide recede, allowing the sound of the waves to take over her mind. It was easier than trying to think of something to say.

"Spilled out," Thomas muttered, too quiet for Alana to hear. "Wait a minute...oh. Oh, no."

He stood up frantically, gripping his head with both hands and grunting fiercely in frustration. Alana gasped in surprise and turned to watch him.

"Shit!" he roared, slamming his fists against his head. "Thomas, how could you have been so stupid? Damn it!"

"Thomas?" she asked in a concerned tone. "What's wrong?"

"The plane!" he burst. "Alana, we have to get back to the plane!"

"What? Do you need something from the plane? Just tell me what it is, and I'll-"

"No," he said, shaking his head fiercely. "It has to be me."

"W-why?" she questioned. "Thomas, tell me what's going on!"

"It's the cargo," he sighed. "I can't believe I forgot! Alana, my plane was carrying all sorts of chemicals. And there's a pretty strong probability that some of the containers were damaged or even thrown out of the plane during the crash. We have to get down there, and move anything that might be damaged out of the water, or this entire area could be at risk of contamination!"

Thomas placed his hands on his hips in contemplation. "Do you know how deep the wreck is?"

"A-about thirty meters?" she estimated. "I still don't see why you in particular have to be the one to go down there."

"A lot of the crates are magnetically bolted to the floor," he explained. "And there's no way to undo that, if you aren't a company affiliate. It needs to scan my handprint - if the damn scanner hasn't broken, anyway."

"I'm an okay swimmer," he groaned, starting to massage his temples. "But I don't know if I can hold my breath long enough to even get down there, let alone come back up with cargo."

Thomas squatted down as he considered his scant options. What could he possibly do? The wreck was beyond his reach.

Think, think! Is there anyway to override the magnetic lock? Any way to bypass the biometric scanner?

If there was an answer, Thomas didn't have it.

"There is a way," Alana said calmly, drawing him out of his mire.

"How?" he pleaded. There had to be a way to set this right.

"Sea bishops can temporarily imbue humans with the ability to breathe underwater," she explained. "As long as I am with you, you will have nothing to fear."

"That's amazing!" Thomas beamed. "How do we do it?"

"Come and step back into the water with me," she said, smiling softly. As he approached, Alana pushed herself further into the water, where it crept up to her neck. As he joined her, she offered her hand, which he took.

"Do you trust me, Thomas?" she asked.

"Of course I do," he said without hesitation.

"Why?"

"You saved my life," he put plainly.

"True," she laughed sweetly. "But there's more to it than that. Right?"

Thomas let out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. He smiled, relieved.

"I think you might be right," he said, returning the smile. "Each of us is something that the other has never really known. And we've only known each other for what - a bit more than a day? But I already feel closer to you than...well, pretty much anyone."

"That means so much to me," she said warmly, pulling in close and hugging him. "Thank you. I want you to know that I feel the same way."

He squeezed her back gently, returning the embrace. She pulled away, and she wore a confident smile upon her lips.

"Here's what you need to do," she started. "Submerge yourself completely underwater - and don't let go of me until I say so. You will feel a warmth passing through you - don't resist it. Just go with the flow. Simple, right?"

"Sounds easy enough," Thomas agreed. "I'm ready when you are."

Alana nodded, and gestured towards the horizon with her other hand. Thomas began to walk further out into the ocean, Alana holding onto him and floating just behind him. When the water reached his chin, he turned to Alana for one last look of confirmation. She nodded at him, and he took one final gulp of air, before fully plunging himself into the ocean. He decided to keep his eyes open - he was curious what it was that she was going to do. Breathing underwater - what an idea!

Alana spun around him, coming to look at him face-to-face. She still held his left hand in her own, and smiled sweetly at him. Her tail stuck out behind her, pointing towards the horizon. They watched each other for a while - Thomas found himself captivated by the way her hair spread out behind her when she was underwater.

When the moment passed, Alana reached towards him with her free hand, and began to gently stroke his face, mimicking the motions that he had performed on her, not all that long ago.

What happened next caught him totally off guard.

Alana's hand moved to the back of his head, and her other hand left his own to hold his back. She pulled him in closer to her and then...pressed her lips against his own. His eyes went wide, and he almost mumbled something into her mouth, until he remembered her advice. He silenced himself, and let go of his inhibitions.

Already, he was starting to feel the warmth that she mentioned. He closed his eyes, and gave himself over to the sensation. He wasn't frightened in the least - he would put his life into Alana's hands without a second thought, for there was no place he would rather be than right here.

As Alana pulled away, he realized that the kiss was far shorter than he would have liked. Alana smiled at him, and even underwater, he could tell that she was blushing.

So she liked it, too...

Her lips began to move, and somehow, he found that he could understand her.

"Now breathe, Thomas," she said. "Put your trust into me. Push aside your fear of drowning, and trust that I am here for you."

What she asked went against every natural instinct he had. You simply do not open your mouth underwater.

...but it was all so easy to shove aside. It felt like anything was possible, as long as he was with her.

He exhaled, and a stream of bubbles escaped his lips. Curiously, when he inhaled, no water entered his mouth, yet he felt his lungs fill with air all the same.

He laughed at the wonder of it all. The magic that this wonderful mermaid could work!

"Let's go," he grinned.

**********

Mercifully, the biometric scanner was still intact. After accepting his handprint, all of the locked chemical crates released, some of them beginning to bob up and down. More than one of the crates had already been knocked loose during the crash. The interior of the ruined plane was dark, but there was just enough light to inspect the containers.

While the damage was worse than he had hoped, it was better than he had feared. Some of them had significant dents, and others bore cracks down the side. Thankfully, nothing appeared to be leaking. At least, not yet.

Alana helped transport the crates back up to the surface of the island. Beneath the waves, she was much stronger and faster than Thomas, and carried three crates up in the time it took Thomas to take one. In the end, it took them about an hour to empty the plane, and another twenty minutes to drag all of the chemical crates towards the center of the island. Thomas had planned to do that part on his own, but Alana had insisted on shifting into her human form to help out.

With their task complete, the reef's safety was assured. Instead of lounging in the waves for the remainder of the day, Alana suggested that he visit the local reef with her.

"You should see what you worked to protect with your own eyes," she had said.

The reef was small, but was dense with life. He had never witnessed such a variety of colorful life, all bound in such close proximity. There were tiny fish that lived within the coral itself - and others that swam around it in mighty schools, their scales glittering in the evening sunlight. The inhabitants of the reef did not shy away from Alana. In some cases, they even flocked towards her, greeting her like a beloved elder sister. Thomas was shocked when even a young reef shark approached her, swimming close to her as if it was greeting her.

"All creatures of the ocean instinctively recognize sea bishops as allies," she explained, affectionately petting the diminutive shark. "Even the largest of predators will never attack us. As long as you are with me, that protection is extended to you, as well."

"That's nice to know," Thomas said. "But I think I'll need a bit more time before I'm comfortable petting sharks, if it's all the same to you."

"Of course," she smiled.

It was a magical experience, utterly unlike anything Thomas had ever experienced. He had seen pictures of coral reefs, heard the excited tales of the odd tourist family. But this? Being given a tour by Alana, breathing underwater? It was incredible. No tourist paradise could have compared.

It dawned on him that she was showing him around her personal sanctuary - a place that had once been known only to her. She was opening up and revealing herself in a way that she had never done before. And in a way, that left more of an impact on him than anything else.

Day began to turn to night once again, and Thomas and Alana reluctantly parted, promising to meet again as soon as possible. This time, sleep did not come as easily, for each of them was consumed by thoughts of the other. Memories of the past two days, reliving every smile, laugh, and touch. What would become of them? His disappearance would have been noticed by now; rescue missions could not be that far off. How much more time would they have together?

Was it insane to hope that rescue never came?

**********

The next day passed fairly uneventfully. Thomas stockpiled more wood and improved his shelter, while Alana sang one of her wordless songs to keep him company. Thomas stole a glance at her when he thought that she wasn't looking. It was mildly infuriating how her cloak never seemed to be wet, despite being perpetually underwater. Seeing the curves of her body outlined against her wet clothing was quickly becoming a recurring fantasy for him.

Feeling hot and bothered, Thomas suggested that they dive beneath the waves again to escape the sun.

"I think that you just want to kiss me again," Alana giggled.

"It's definitely a benefit," he smirked.

The two spent their afternoon lazily floating about the reef, sharing whatever ideas came to them and talking about anything and everything. Alana revealed that she enjoyed learning new songs wherever she went, both human and mamono. She shared a few that she had heard from passing fishermen, some of which Thomas recognized. She told him that her mother had taught her how to read from a very young age, and that her collection of books was among her most prized possessions.

When Thomas asked how it was that she read underwater, she laughed and revealed the existence of her waterproof, electronic tablet - an incredibly valuable gift from her father. It even came with its own solar-powered charger.

"What?" she giggled. "Did you think that we all still carried around stone tablets? Modern tools for a modern age, and all that. I can even keep scriptures on there. Songs and pictures, too!"

When Alana asked him what it was that he wanted to do with his life, he admitted that he didn't really know. He had tried to join the air force, but that ended up falling through. Becoming a civilian cargo pilot was a way to get away - but talking like this also made him realize that it meant that he was a kind of wanderer, too. How many times had he missed out on some adventure, ignored a new song, turned down a new recipe?

It made him feel foolish. He had ignored so many opportunities, and why? Because he couldn't be bothered? Because it was more comfortable to focus on work? Sure, it made him some decent money, but what did that matter if he wasn't happy?

Well, all of that could change, now. Being with Alana liked this had opened his eyes, shown him a glimpse of what he had been missing. He saw what he had done wrong, how he could improve...and for perhaps the first time in a very long time, he was excited for what the future held.

As the evening sun began to set, a small little red fish approached Alana, and buzzed around her ear. She nodded perceptively, and then frowned.

"Surface with me," she said seriously. "We should see this for ourselves."

When they broke the ocean's surface, Alana realized that the little fish was right. The water was slightly cooler, the sky a little darker, the wind a little fiercer.

Dark, angry clouds were billowing on the horizon. A storm was coming.

"That isn't good," Thomas whistled. "I don't think my little lean-to is going to help much against a tropical storm."

"You're right," Alana said. "It's not safe for you to stay on the surface tonight."

"What should we do?" he asked with a frown. "Can you maintain your breathing spell for an entire night?"

"Not on my own," she admitted. "Well...unless..." Alana trailed off, unwilling to finish the idea.

"Unless what?" Thomas prompted.

"Um...can we talk about this on the shore, please?"

Thomas gave her an inquisitive look, but relented, giving a nod and swimming towards the shore. When they arrived, they pulled themselves onto the shore. This had quickly become one of their favorite spots to talk and relax at, but tonight, the waves were not comforting. Each was ever so slightly stronger than the last, far-reaching whispers of the coming storm.

"You said you couldn't maintain the spell on your own?" Thomas asked again. "Can you elaborate?"

"Well..." Alana started fidgeting with her fingers, interlocking them and squeezing them. "Letting you breathe water like that? Ittakes energy. Not as much as maintaining a human form, but it adds up. And I naturally recharge that magical 'energy' over by time, but my total capacity isn't great enough to sustain you for an entire day. And I've already used up a good portion of it today. Are you still with me?"

"I follow you," he nodded. "So it's possible to do, but you would need have some kind of extra energy source to recharge your magic on. Is there some kind of special fruit for that, or something?"

"Not...exactly," Alana muttered. "I'm really going to have to just say it, aren't I?"

Thomas looked at her blankly.

Alana sighed. "Thomas, you're aware of spiritual and demonic energies, right?"

"More or less...they're the 'life force' of humans and mamono respectively, yeah?"

"Right," Alana nodded. "And what's the one thing that all mamono have in common?"

"They're all exclusively female?" Thomas finished.

"Oh, for Poseidon's sake!" Alana groaned and slapped her own forehead. "The other thing! What's the one thing that they all treat as a source of power, that they all love to consume more than anything else?"

"Spiritual energy," he finished, wincing at her frustrated burst.

Alana, caught up in the heat of the moment, stood up and balanced herself on her tail.

"And spiritual energy is released during...?" She shouted, arms held apart and aimed to the sky.

"Sexual acts?!" he shouted back. "Why are we shouting?"

Alana felt like tearing her hair out. How could he be so dense about this? Was this Poseidon, testing her patience? With a scream of frustration, she pushed off her tail and tackled Thomas into the sand.

"Thomas!" she cried out exasperatedly, "Who is the only human within a hundred miles of here, and is therefore the only human who could possibly serve as a power source for me?!"

"I am!" he cried back. "I'm the power source!"

His eyes went wide as he finally, finally, put two and two together. Alana's frustration melted away as quickly as it came, and she instead only felt the rising heat of embarrassment.

She also became very aware of the fact that she was lying on top of him with her entire body, pinning him to the ground. She lifted her tail off of his legs to give him some breathing room.

"Which means that," she said, voice soft and full of emotion, "In order to keep you alive, you would need to... to make love with me..."

Finally, she had said it. Why was that so difficult for her? What had her parents taught her, what was the very core of Poseidon's teachings? Love, of course. And what was sex but the purest, most intimate form of love?

She was doing the right thing, so why did her heart feel like it was about to burst out of her chest?

Thomas stared at her with a stunned expression, facial features unchanging.

"Say something!" she pleaded.

"Is..." His eyes darted away as he regained a sliver of composure. "Is that okay? I mean, do you even want to...?"