Sarit
I felt the softness of an embrace that felt like home. Part of my mind conscious of it but in a cozy slumber. His arms were so warm, so safe.
I didn't need to pretend to be strong in his arms; to him I already was. My exhausted mind and body taking refuge in that soft space.
I found myself trusting him not to hurt me then, despite everything I always told myself.
I could feel, even in my slumber, when he reluctantly let me go in the car so he could drive. I instinctively wanted to pull that safe presence closer, but he gently kissed my forehead and buckled my seat belt as that voice whispered to keep sleeping.
I didn't like that empty rest, but I could feel the whole time at least he was near. So I rested until he softly tapped me when the car had finally gone still.
I opened my eyes to look around; I was still in the car but Abyss was already walking off briskly to reach Onyx and Pixie. The man in front of me was looking at me with soft eyes, a gentleness to this muscular man. Chada unbuckled my seat belt saying, "I'd let you sleep but they will get on our case if we don't shop, so how about we do that and sleep more later, okay?" he said sweetly.
I nodded, rising up by putting my arms around his neck and clinging close, letting him do the work of scooping me up out of the car and onto my feet. He laced his fingers in mine, holding my hand and gently pulled me toward the shopping center. "I can walk myself," I said. "It's right there."
Yet he just smiled and did not let go. I let him pull me in with his insistence; however, somehow he never actually hurt me even if he was a bit pushy.
I found myself walking around this shopping center looking very lost and confused. We'd already lost track of the other three, which was good because I was worried I would choke up not knowing what to say or how to act around the kid again.
I was now glad that Chada had grabbed my hand so tightly; I would have gotten lost otherwise. I followed him, now stopping when I saw TV screens on a wall playing videos. They were of two men, kissing. I continued watching, studying what was happening in front of me. There was some interesting dialogue on it. Chada walked closer to me backwards so he wasn't pulling my arm.
He stood next to me and watched my reactions. Suddenly the screen switched to some clothing ad. I huffed and said, "Nooooo come back on!" Chada just smiled at me in amusement. "Did you like that? What was on the screen?" he asked, pointing to it. I nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, you definitely got that sparkle in those eyes," he said while wrapping his arm around my shoulder, explaining, "Sarit that's a BL, meaning Boys' Love. They're a popular type of story around here; we have some at home I can set up so you can watch."
I looked at him with glowing eyes. "Yes! You better or I will kill you!" I said, pointing my finger close to his nose at his eyes.
"For you, I'm already goner," he replied smiling. He mocked taking off an imaginary hat and doing some weird bow thing like we do as the final moves after dances.
We walked and bickered over some clothes. He was clearly the jealous sort but he didn't actually stop me from picking the clothes I wanted, no matter how revealing. "Freedom of choice — you are your own adult and I will respect that," he said. He even offered to pay for everything. He was far from bored picking out things for his sister and for me.
I liked that this human world had many, many new styles for me to choose from. I could look however I wanted and sparkle as much as I wished. We had slightly different concepts of design and beauty, yet still I found some things I liked.
"Now you look like you're from some expensive drama," he said, clapping from his chair. I swished around and said "of course" in my usual manner.
We were enjoying ourselves and he started feeding me himself so I wouldn't get it on my clothes. Mid-bite someone behind us said, "Sarit is that you?" I turned around wondering who would recognize me up here.
My eyes settled on a familiar face: a boy with gorgeous siren-like eyes lined in darker mascara, a very, very sweet sassy face and light blue hair that faded into a soft pink that hit just above his shoulders. He was dressed up, wearing a bow tying the front of his blouse and a fading look into a pitch-black sophisticated style. He wore one long dangling earring with a butterfly crystal at the end. His nails were glossy and pink; my eyes drifted to the very indicative pattern, a lotus flower pattern hemline on the corner of his black pants. The complete picture of grace and bubbly softness. I didn't even need to look for the tattoo I knew lay under his hair and clothes — the one Abyss and I had.
I quickly swallowed my food without chewing. "Kuak!!!!" I exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?" He walked up to me excitedly with his own sassy demeanor, grabbing my hands. "I should be asking you the same thing," he said, now looking at Chada who was staring at us in confusion.
"It's a long story, but I'm basically here helping Abyss," I said. "Ahhhhhh, that makes sense now," he said while still eying him.
"Kuak Kittikhun..." Chada mumbled in a confused tone. I turned to him. "Do you know him, Chada?" I asked. "Yes, uh, well no, I don't know him, but I know OF him. He's a famous singer," he said, gesturing to him.
I turned, glancing at Kuak who was giving a sheepish smile. I looked him up and down. "And what happened to you? The last time I saw you in the sea, you looked much... less pastel than this. Your hair isn't black anymore? New deviation from the aesthetic?" He nodded. "Yeah, I'm into stardom now. It's perfect for creatures like us. That means we switch up aesthetics more, and people LOVE my cotton-candy femininity," he said, twirling his hair.
Chada looked at us with shock dawning on his features. "Two—two divas and singers, and both of them are sirens?" he said. Kuak glanced at me. "Who's this? He knows?" Raising his eyebrows at me. I nodded. "This is Chada; he's my pet human. He's the one helping me get on land."
Kuak looked over him, scanning him and turning his chin to both sides. "Hehe, looks like you picked a good one." Before he quickly withdrew his hands, "Ah, my bad, I shouldn't or my mate would get jealous. He's a really possessive human that loves the sea. Not as much as he loves me though," he said in a sing-songy flirty and definitely sassy tone.
"So, how do you guys know each other? Are you friends? Because I thought Sarit only was close with Abyss," Chada said, glancing between us.
I smirked, nodding at Kuak who nodded back. "Kuak is one of five siblings; his other four are also all divas and just as sweet-faced. They're the 'Power Bottoms' of the sea. They're all Abyss's second cousins," I said, putting my hand out gesturing to the bubbly diva.
Kuak nodded next to me. "But the thing you said about Abyss is true. Abyss is the one closest to him; we only see him occasionally since all of us moved to land more than half the time. Since half of us are already paired," he said.
"Oh? So if you guys spend a lot of time on land, that means you guys will probably run into each other a lot at events or work, because Sarit also is in the industry now," Chada said.
"Omg really?" Kuak switched to sassy English. "Kuakkkkkk, you know I don't speak much English," I said. "Oh my bad," he said, flicking his hand.
"But it will be really exciting to have you around now," he said, clinging close to me. Contact wasn't much my thing but he just felt too harmless to push away; however, Chada didn't look the happiest so I gently patted his shoulder and scooched away.
A very built, older-ish looking man walked toward us and put his arms around Kuak's waist, pulling him in toward him. "Hey uncle," I said, teasing him.
"Hey you little imp," he said back in a somewhat monotone voice, before turning to Kuak speaking in a sweet voice, "Come now, I want to go home." They exchanged a glance before Kuak was now waving goodbye and squealing a long "Byeeeeeee."
We watched them go. I had an amused look on my face as I was shocked to see a siren and human form a lasting relationship. Well, technically just half siren.
I turned to Chada to tell him, "Kuak is half siren and half qílín-húli jīng. He's a tribrid of what you may call sirens, a mythological creature born after someone of great importance like a god, sage, or leader is born. The huli part of him came from one of his parents that was a nine-tailed fox. That's why he has such a mixture of features."
I explained to him. He seemed to soak up the information. "I never expected this from the star; this changes my whole worldview," he said in a calm, almost deadpan face of awe.
"He's the mostly Chinese-type mythological creatures that are also at least half land-dwelling, so he doesn't fit in the ocean as much. He actually has an easier time on land," I said, continuing my explanation.
"I don't really care for his mate but as long as he treats him well I can't do much about it."
He nodded, watching, staring at what they once were. "Well yeah, I saw them on TV a lot. They're VERY in love. I think they're getting married soon; they took in one of their nieces as their own didn't they? I wouldn't want to get in the way of that pair," he said nonchalantly.
I whacked him. "Didn't ask," and he just shrugged at me smiling.
"Keep eating okay? We have more shopping to do, then we can go home and watch some BL and sleep, okay?"
In response I bit the fruit off the skewer and glared at him as I chewed but enjoyed the sweetness that I was so unfamiliar with, having an honestly peaceful time.
"This is a nice first date, right?" he said. I looked at him in shock. "This is not a date!!!"
"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever you want to make yourself think," he said, now continuing to tease me as I started whacking him but failing to do any damage.