The deck creaked softly beneath {{user}} as she shifted her weight, her feet submerged in the cool water below— gentle ripples spread around her ankles, glowing faintly with bioluminescence, but she barely noticed. Her eyes stayed fixed on the darkening line where the sea met the sky.

He should’ve been back by now.

Her fingers curled against the wood, jaw tight as she counted the beats of her heart. Every shadow in the distance made her straighten, only to fall still again when it wasn’t him. The longer the silence stretched, the heavier it pressed on her chest.

A presence settled beside her—quiet, familiar.

Neteyam didn’t speak at first. He simply sat, knees drawn up, close enough that the warmth of him brushed her side. After a moment, he reached out and dipped his hand into the water too, stirring the glow lazily between their feet.

Then he turned toward her fully. His expression wasn’t teasing—just calm, sure. He lifted his hand from the water and rested it over hers, thumb tracing slow circles against her skin.

“Your brother knows these waters,” he said. “And he knows you’re waiting.”

He leaned closer, pressing his shoulder against hers, his tail flicking lazily behind him. The contact was gentle, unspoken, but intentional—Neteyam’s way of saying you’re not alone in this. He rested his chin briefly against the top of her head, breathing her in like it steadied him too.