wave after wave 🌊 [rini au]

fall ; 28

Returning to Kauai, Ricky was an absolute sweetheart to Nini, like he always was. Coming back, Nini had to pick herself back up from the conversation at the beach with Hailey, and how the blonde girl had carelessly commented about how she might have failed in her trying a career in pro-surfing or how her birth name wasn't a cute name. It wasn't the first time that Nini had heard people say those things about her. In fact, her whole high school life was all about dealing with others' snide remarks about her, in comparison to her brothers. However, it didn't mean it hurt less. It might have even hurt more since it was coming from her boyfriend's ex-fling or girlfriend or whoever she was; it might have felt like ripping out a scab from a healing wound, causing it to bleed all over again. Ricky helped her pick up the pieces, showering her with hugs and kisses whenever possible, calling her Nina as he usually did, but with intentional affection dripping in his voice. Emma had commented that they were inseparable lately, going a little overboard with their display of affection at the Roberts house. That was until they were indeed separated.

Nini was getting more and more offers to do gigs, even at night at their local bars. As a fresh graduate from high school, she was going to take any offer to any job that was offered to her, hoping that the next help her put a name and a better price for each set she played. After all, Hawaii was beautiful and it was her home, but it was also expensive. If she was going to carve out a life of her own, she was going to have to find a way to pay her dues, and this was it. Her first gig, the owner of the Shipwreck bar that Ricky waited tables at had asked Nini if she would play for an evening that a tourist couple had made a reservation to celebrate their anniversary. They shook hands to seal the deal and she ran over from the bar to Ricky's lifeguard tower to tell him the good news.

His arms were held open for her when he could see her sprinting in his direction. Nini collided into his chest, hugging him tightly for a few seconds, before pulling away. If it were up to her, she would stay in his embrace as long as she could, but her lifeguard boyfriend needed to do his job and she was not going to be the reason he was subpar. She turned toward the sea, hand holding onto his right wrist. The brunette girl pulled his arm around her small waist and leaned against his firm chest. Ricky's left arm instinctively rested over his right, and he pressed his cheek against Nini's temple, "Why the good mood, Nins?" It was not that he didn't like to see her smile, he just loved when it was not just him that could make her smile, the ends of her lips reaching her ears; he wanted her to be happy, for every other aspect of life to treat her the way she deserved. "Nahele offered me a gig, he said I was the first one who came to mind when he was thinking to hire a live musician," Even if Ricky wasn't looking at his girlfriend, he would know that she was absolutely ecstatic; except that he was actually looking at her, he could feel her glee a hundred percent more. He simply gave a congratulatory kiss — it was chaste, short and sweet — giving her room to share more details regarding the opportunity she was given. Nini's excitement was bubbling over the top as she told Ricky about the songs that she was planning to include in her sets that day, leaning further into his chest as his fingertips tickled the skin under her Seas the Day uniform top. He was in the middle of pressing a long kiss on her temple when his body tensed up and he stopped whatever he was doing, eyes glued to the ocean.

"Sorry, baby, I'll be back in a few. I'm proud of you, okay?" He ran off into the water to save a kid that wadded in a tad too deep during the high tide, leaving her to miss the warmth of his body and touch. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't disappointed, but at the same time, she completely understood why he'd left her, in the middle of their conversation. It was just bad timing, much like how it was in the beginning of their something special. She watched as Ricky swam to the little girl and helped her cling onto his buoy before pulling her back to shore. He brought her back to the shore and spoke with her parents, ensuring that they were fine and aware of the risks of high tide. As he spoke to them, it was clear to Nini that they were building rapport as the initial faces of worry turned into smiles and laughter. She took one last glance at the family and the lifeguard before heading back to Seas the Day to continue with her work for the day.