A Mermaid for the Lonely

~ Nighttime Swim ~

The sky was a rich, inky blue by the time Lyam and Sirène anchored just off the coast of a secluded cove, the moon casting a gentle glow over the rolling waves. Stars glittered overhead, reflections twinkling in the water's glassy surface. The air was warm with only a faint sea breeze that whispered through Lyam's hair as he watched Sirène slip from the boat and into the water with her usual graceful ease, her pink tail shimmering like a soft blush under the silver light.

"Come with me," she beckoned, her voice a soft ripple over the lapping waves. She raised her hand that held the translucent sphere that Lyam has used a few times before.

Lyam hesitated, glancing into the dark water, but the warmth in her gaze held a pull he couldn't resist. He stepped out of his clothes, leaving them in a small pile on the deck before he eased himself into the water beside her. The coolness of the sea swept over his skin, refreshing and invigorating all at once. Lyam grabbed the stone and lifted it to his lips, dissolving immediately and giving him breath for the sea. Sirène's hand slipped into his, her touch delicate but sure, anchoring him to her in the vastness of the night.

"Ready?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

He nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Lead the way."

With a small tug, Sirène pulled him deeper into the cove. The water embraced them, and soon the familiar rhythm of the waves transformed into a world of its own as they swam further beneath the surface. All around, the sea seemed to come alive in the moonlight. Schools of tiny silver fish darted past them in graceful, synchronized movements, glimmering like stardust. Soft, feathered plants swayed with the gentle current, creating a mesmerizing dance along the seabed.

Sirène led him through the underwater forest, her pink tail flicking gently as she guided him along. Lyam felt as though he was following a beacon in the night; her vibrant scales were like a soft blush of light in the deep shadows, illuminating their path. He was entranced by the way the moonlight caught the iridescent hues of her tail, shimmering in shades of rose and silver. In moments like these, he thought, she was more like a dream than anything he could've imagined.

They paused near a small rocky outcrop where clusters of coral lay like natural sculptures. Lyam's breath caught as he noticed tiny bioluminescent organisms blinking in and out, casting a faint, magical glow that pulsed with the rhythm of the sea. He looked at Sirène in awe.

"Is it always like this?" he asked softly, his voice muted by the water.

She smiled, her eyes warm and soft. "It's always beautiful, but with you here, it's even better."

He felt his heart beat faster, even in the calm of the night. She leaned close, her voice low. "There's something more I want to show you," she whispered, her gaze softening.

With that, she pulled him further out, guiding him toward a stretch of open water where they were surrounded by the endless depths of the sea. When they finally surfaced, he gasped at the breathtaking view before them: the horizon was lined with phosphorescent waves, each crest glowing a bright blue-green as the movement of the water stirred the bioluminescent organisms to life. They seemed to sparkle, as if the stars themselves had fallen into the sea.

Sirène watched his expression, her own face radiant with quiet joy. "I came here sometimes when I felt lonely," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Seeing the light dancing on the waves... it reminded me that I'm never really alone."

She turned to look at him, her eyes shining as she let her hand drift to his cheek. "But it's different now. You're here with me."

Lyam took her hand in his, pulling her closer as he looked into her eyes. "Sirène, since you came into my life, everything has changed. The sea, the stars, even my own thoughts." He paused, struggling to find words to capture the depth of his feelings. "I love you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I want you to know that, here and now. You're the reason I want to live this life."

Sirène's breath caught, her eyes widening as his words settled over her, filling her with a warmth she had grown to recognize. She reached up, her fingers tracing his face with a tenderness that felt almost sacred. "I think I felt it all along," she replied softly, her own voice tinged with awe. "The pull, the reason I kept coming back to you. It was love, wasn't it?"

Their faces were so close now, the gentle sound of the waves the only backdrop to their shared confession. In that moment, she brought her lips to his, a soft and lingering kiss that seemed to carry all the words they couldn't say. It was slow, a kiss woven from every glance, every shared smile, every stolen touch they'd had. This was no longer just a tentative brush, but a promise—a vow wrapped in the warmth of the sea and the silence of the night.

Lyam pulled her closer, allowing the waves to cradle them as they floated together, wrapped up in one another. The world around them faded until there was only Sirène, the steady rhythm of her heart against his chest, and the gentle push and pull of the water carrying them along.

As they pulled apart, Lyam let his fingers trail through her damp hair, marveling at the way she looked in the moonlight—wild, ethereal, like something born of both sea and sky.

"Thank you for staying with me," he whispered, his voice barely a breath. "I don't want to spend another day without you."

She smiled, her face soft and radiant, and leaned her forehead against his. "I'll always be with you," she murmured. "The sea brought me to you, and I know it will keep us together."

They stayed like that, wrapped in each other's arms as the night deepened around them, the waves rocking them gently as if the ocean itself wanted to keep them safe. The world may have been vast and uncertain, but in that moment, they had each other, and that was enough.