A Mermaid for the Lonely

~ Precious Memories ~

The morning was sunny, with a light breeze carrying the scent of salt and sand as Lyam and Sirène walked along the shore. He noticed she kept drifting to the tide pools, her fingers skimming through the shallow water or picking up shells half-buried in the sand. She'd do this often, but today, she was particularly focused, inspecting each shell with great care before either putting it back or slipping it into her pouch.

Lyam couldn't help but chuckle, tilting his head as he watched her tuck away a particularly delicate shell. "Do you ever get tired of collecting those?" he teased gently. "I mean, you must have seen thousands by now."

Sirène looked up at him, a small, shy smile forming on her lips. She tilted her head, as though she were deciding what to tell him. "They're more than just shells to me," she said softly, brushing a thumb over the ridges of a small white one she'd just picked up. "They remind me of things I don't want to forget."

Lyam blinked, intrigued. He'd never really asked her much about her little collection before. He knelt beside her as she pulled out a few of the shells she'd chosen that day. She picked up one, a soft lavender-colored shell with a gentle spiral, and held it up to him.

"This one," she began, her voice full of warmth, "it reminds me of the first time you tried to teach me how to fish. I had no idea what I was doing, and I managed to scare off every fish in the area." She laughed, the sound light and full of joy. "But you were so patient with me. You didn't laugh... much."

Lyam grinned, reaching out to gently touch the shell in her hand. "I remember that day," he said, his voice soft. "You kept calling the bait 'strange sea snacks.'"

Sirène smiled, slipping the shell back into her pouch and pulling out another—a smooth, slightly iridescent one. She cradled it in her hand, her gaze growing tender.

"And this one," she murmured, "was from the day you showed me the sunrise over the sea. I'd never seen it from the surface like that before." Her gaze softened, her eyes meeting his. "It was... breathtaking."

Lyam felt his heart swell at the thought. He'd shared so many of his favorite things with her, but knowing she had cherished them in her own way made him feel an immense sense of warmth and pride.

"So... all these shells," he said, gesturing to her pouch, "they're like a collection of memories? Of things that matter to you?"

She nodded, her smile bashful. "Yes, exactly. Each one is special in its own way."

He watched her as she continued collecting, his heart warmed by this unexpected quirk of hers. He had always thought Sirène's fascination with shells was simply part of her nature, a connection to the ocean, but this was different—it was a piece of her he hadn't known. He found it so endearing that she could hold so much meaning in such small, simple things.

As they walked back toward the boat, Lyam spotted a small, perfectly round shell, its color a bright, rich coral with tiny white speckles. It seemed almost too perfect to be lying in the sand like that, and he picked it up, brushing off the sand before slipping it into his pocket. He'd give it to her later, as a little surprise.

That evening, when they were back on the boat, Lyam found her on the deck, watching the sky as the sun dipped below the horizon. He walked over to her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the coral-colored shell.

"For you," he said, offering it with a small smile. "For today."

Sirène's eyes widened with delight as she took the shell, her fingers gentle on the surface as though it were a rare treasure. She looked up at him, her gaze full of surprise and affection. "You... you remembered?"

He nodded, feeling a little bashful under her intense gaze. "I did. And I thought maybe I could start collecting a few shells for you too, just to remember the moments that mean something... to both of us."

She beamed, her cheeks tinged with the faintest blush as she leaned closer, brushing her lips softly against his cheek. "Thank you, Lyam. This... this makes me happier than I can say."

They stood there together as the sky deepened into night, with Sirène holding the shell as though it were her most precious possession. And Lyam, his heart full, decided then and there that he'd make it his mission to fill her life with countless shells, each a reminder of a memory they shared, a little piece of their story together.