¿ɪꜱ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀʟʟ ʀᴇᴀʟ? ✰𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙭 𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙨✮

✰. 46

Though castles may crumble

✰

Sheets of turquoise were all that could be seen as far as the eye can see. The waves whispered rather than crashed, spreading thin sheets of foam that dissolved almost as soon as they formed and leaving small gifts of shells and kelp on the shore.

It was a little past the evening. The sun was still hanging above the warm water, painting the sand like gold under their feet. And the gulls, chasing each other for food without the disturbances of the hoards of humans in their homes.

Life felt all too good. And it was, temporarily.

She stayed on land, her sunglasses covering her wandering gaze as she watched Alex disappear into the ocean's waters.

He knew her slight dislike for beaches. One of the many reasons being was that the sand was stubborn. It never seemed to leave her skin and would appear in places that she would have never even thought to check.

While he was out in the calm waters, swimming with the tiny schools of fish, she'd make do with a typical beach chair, shells circling her on the sand, and a flower in her hair.

Alex emerged from the water, and the droplets of salt water fell and trickled down his physique. He ran a hand through his wet hair, pushing the locks out of his eyes as he slowly came out of the water.

"You're not joining me for a swim?"

In return, the answer he got was a smile, a shake of a head, and a little finger wave. All three signs meaning a no.

He couldn't help but chuckle softly at her reaction, her reluctance to swim was no secret. She seemed to prefer staying on land, which was a bit unusual for a vacation by the beach. Nevertheless, Alex respected her decision.

He walked up to stand in front of her, beads of water dripping from his skin and hair. He towered over her seated form, casting a slight shadow over her.

"You sure you won't reconsider?"

"I'm sure," she responded, wiping the water droplets that dripped from his hair off her skin. "Wouldn't want to ruin your adventures with marine life."

"It's quite boring," he muttered, reaching over to pluck a stray seashell from her towel like it was evidence in a crime scene. "Fish don't talk back." He flicked the shell away from his sight before leaning into her, "You do, though."

The kiss was short-lived. A sound of discontent left her mouth once she pulled away. "All of your kisses taste like salt."

He let out a laugh, finding her complaint both amusing and endearing. "Well, that's what happens when I've been swimming in salty water all day. Can't help it if my kisses are a little sea-salty." He leaned in closer, still dripping with water, and lightly kissed her nose. "But you know you secretly love the taste."

She rolled her eyes at his teasing before leaning back against the chair and bringing her knees close to her chest so he could have somewhere to sit instead of the sand.

Alex took her cue and perched himself on the edge of the chair, the dampness from his shorts soaking into her towel. He made sure to wipe his hands dry before grabbing her wrists. Gently, he started pulling on them, a sign for her to sit up closer to him. Alex's grin widened as he caught the slight quirk of her lip. It was a small victory.

"No? Not even a little? You swear you don't like the beach?" He tugged at her wrists again, this time leaning in so his voice was just above a whisper. "Or is it me you don't like?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at his teasing. She knew he was just messing with her, trying to rile her up. And it was working. "It's the beach, I swear," she replied, a mix of feigned annoyance and amusement in her voice. "The sand, the sun... it's all just so...beachy."