summary: every springtide, a mysterious man comes to visit you.
word count: 583
warning(s): sort of adultery via the reader? more of emotional cheating than physical cheating, mention of husband cheating, mention of miscarriage
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You first saw him on the night of your wedding. You had been wed to a prominent fisherman—not exactly your first choice in husband, but you really had no choice at all. You were the oldest of five daughters, and your parents were eager to have you marry someone who could provide for you. Life was about moving up the social ladder, so it seemed. Love was a luxury that could only be afforded to the ones at the very top, and even then it was rarely given. And so, you were trapped in a loveless marriage.
You sat on the beach, far away from the celebrations. You were sure your husband hadn't even noticed your absence yet. The last you had checked, he was flirting with any woman who came within three feet of him. A loveless marriage, indeed.
You watched the tide roll in and out, trying to distract yourself from the realization that you'll never be happy with your husband. You looked up to the twinkling stars in the night sky, praying that a shooting star may pass by and you could wish for a kinder husband. When you looked back to the ocean, you swore your wish must've come true, shooting star be damned. Emerging from the water was a tall, lean man with dark hair colored blue at the front. Even from several yards away, his baby blue eyes shone. Good lord, how could a man be so attractive?
His feet hit the sand, and he headed straight for you.
"What's a pretty woman like you doing all the way out here?" he asked, his voice deep but somehow melodic.
You gestured back towards the celebration. "My presence wasn't going to be missed."
He looked at your white dress then back to the celebrations behind you. "A bride missing from her own wedding? I'm sure you're missed."
"Not when my husband is wrapped in another's arms."
An eyebrow quirked upwards. "He's a fool."
"You know nothing about him, or me for that matter."
You hardly noticed how close he was to you until he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, letting his touch linger on your cheek, instinctually leaning into his touch. "He's a fool. No good man would let a beautiful bride like you leave. I don't know anything about either of you to know that he's a fool and he should be ashamed to let you go."
"But I haven't gone. I'm still his bride."
"But are you with him? In a real way?"
"...No."
"And will you ever be?"
You froze for a moment before saying, "No."
He leaned in, his lips ghosting over yours. "Will you be mine?"
And you weren't sure why you agreed—perhaps some deep longing for someone to love you in a way that your husband never would—but you said yes. And so you were his, the promise of him returning every springtide lingering in the back of your mind as returned to the sea.
And so he did keep his promise. He always returned to you. Every springtide, you went out onto that beach and watched him emerge from the sea. You were his and he was yours. No matter how many lovers your husband took, no matter how many miscarriages you had, no matter how inadequate you felt, he always came back for you.
And, finally, he took you away from the life you never wanted and you finally got your happily ever after.
