Lachlan's Love

A First For Everything

"W-w-where am I? W-w-who are you?"

Even though he was amazed at how her voice was as velvety as her hand, Lachlan could see how scared Kaitlyn was, so he chuckled as he softly answered her question.

"You're alright, Miss. You're safe here on the shore."

After lowering her hand while gazing at Lachlan in awe, Kaitlyn looked at his body before gasping when she noticed his tail, after which she quickly looked back up at him and gulped.

"Are... are you a merman, Sir?"

Once Lachlan explained that he was indeed a merman, Kaitlyn looked at him in awe before trying to reposition herself up a little, to which he grabbed a couple of rocks to support her back. After thanking him for his help, Kaitlyn introduced herself before admitting that she never thought she'd meet a real merman, to which Lachlan smiled as he stated that he had always wanted to meet a human. When they realized that they were each other's first interactions with a new species, Kaitlyn giggled before blushing and stopping as Lachlan chuckled, but Lachlan was quick to assure her that she was alright before complimenting her giggle. To him, it was a lovelier sound than anything the Royal Band could compose, and he wanted to hear more of it.

While slowly sitting up a little more and fixing her hair with her fingers, Kaitlyn asked Lachlan how he rescued her before finding out everything about him, complete with the fact that they were several miles above his homeland. A place full of merfolk was something beyond Kaitlyn's wildest daydreams, and when she asked Lachlan if she could join him there someday, he almost pulled her underwater with him before stopping when he remembered that she was a human. After he apologized for his actions, Kaitlyn told Lachlan that she understood his excitement before wondering if the merfolk would approve of him bringing her down there, but he was quick to tell her that humans weren't banned.

Since he had told her all about him, Lachlan then asked Kaitlyn about her life prior to their meeting, which she told him about without wanting to take over the conversation. When Kaitlyn mentioned how few real friends she had, Lachlan moved closer to her before taking her hand and gently rubbing it, causing Kaitlyn's eyes to widen a little as she asked why he did that.

"Well, I know we just met, but... I'll be your friend, Kaitlyn."

Kaitlyn couldn't believe that she would find a friend so quickly, especially since that wasn't her intention with the boat ride to begin with, but she gladly agreed to befriend Lachlan before unconsciously hugging him. Sure, her clothes were still a little wet from diving overboard, but she didn't care about that as she gently embraced her heroic friend. Just as she was about to worry if she was making him uncomfortable, Kaitlyn's eyes widened as she felt Lachlan's arms wrap around her, and she relaxed before smiling as they continued hugging. She cooed at his touch as his hands rubbed her back, and she giggled a little as her fingers started caressing his hair, causing Lachlan to chuckle before they pulled away and looked at each other.

It was at that moment when Lachlan saw the sun starting to set, and he sighed a little when he asked if Kaitlyn needed to go home, to which she nodded before starting to pull away. After carefully getting up and going to her boat, Kaitlyn adjusted her vessel until it was halfway off the shore, where she stopped and turned to look at Lachlan with an idea in mind. When she asked if he could take her boat to the little nearby cottage, Lachlan's smile grew before he nodded as he slipped back into the water, and he waited for Kaitlyn to board before they rode off together. As soon as they reached Kaitlyn's cottage, Lachlan pushed the boat onto dry land before popping out of the water as she climbed off the ship, and she walked to the shore before sitting close to him.

After thanking him for saving her and bringing her home, Kaitlyn promised to see Lachlan again in the future before he agreed to her plan, soon after which he asked if there was a way for him to remember her. With a little bit of thinking, Kaitlyn took off a shell bracelet that she was wearing before helping put it on his wrist, and he thanked her before offering to give her something. Remembering the necklace he had made before saving her, Lachlan offered it to Kaitlyn before she took it and put it around her neck, where they agreed that it looked better on her than it would on him. After re-promising to get together sometime soon, Kaitlyn and Lachlan waved to each other before she watched him swim away, complete with waving his tail before he disappeared.