[Cerise is more than thrilled to engage. Like L, she adores games, and even when she gets into her more melancholy moods, they serve as a reliable distraction.
She slices easily through the waves in the shallows. L's bony knees look a little blue as he wades out, which he's doing as briskly as possible so as to get it over with sooner.]
I can hold my breath for just over a minute. You'd mentioned oxygen?
[He nods slowly. It sounds absurd; it makes a certain amount of sense, however he might feel about straining himself with too many extra bonds, temporary or otherwise.
He doesn't admit openly that he could think of worse bondmates than Alex, that she is an altogether pleasant and undemanding presence who even seems to earnestly like him.]
Yes...
[His hand tightens around hers as Cerise moves supportively against him to bolster her witch. Reflexively, he fills his lungs with air before submerging his face in the deeper water once he's chest-deep in the waves.]
[ Alex submerged with him, a film of air surrounding his head just as she said. She taps a scaly finger against her lips, reminding him to breathe.
Once she’s sure that he’s making use of her little trick, Alex starts to lead him beneath the cliff. Some pockets allowed for light to stream through, showcasing the corals and stones that made up the passage way. Some schools of fish swam around the intruders, many making way for the much larger predator behind the two.
Swimming next to him like this, the length added by her tail surpasses Linden’s height. But she doesn’t pay much attention to that, shifting her hold so that she was on her back, taking both of Linden’s hands as she leads from beneath him. From this position, she could look at him properly, the blue of her eyes glowing bright against black sclera. The gold scales that littered her belly and the underside of her tail shone warmly in the dark depths of the cave.
Feeling playful, she spins them around one another, slow and graceful so as to not make him too dizzy. ]
[The process is smoother than L expected, almost imperceptible until he's reminded to breathe. There's no issue whatsoever with the process; the bubble seems to be in no danger of budging, and the air he inhales is high-quality. Maybe even cleaner than the air in Aefenglom, at least in the harbor district.
Cerise is in her element, darting after larger fish but never straying far from their side. The witch is the only one who seems a bit out of place, more like a scrawny frog than the sleek and graceful creatures at his side, but fortunately, they have his best interests at heart. They're not going to let him sink or drown, and for even the detective to be sure enough of the fact to agree to this says something fairly profound.
He's startled to see Alex suddenly beneath him, smiling, holding his hands as they swim. Small wonder that men have been drowned this way by merrows; as a man who is rarely regarded tenderly by women, L is especially aware of how easy it would be, for one who desired this above all else, was willing to give themselves over entirely to desire for the privilege of feeling this gentle acceptance however briefly.
Not men like Light Yagami, Mello, or even Myr. Anyone even glimpsing a man like L would assume that his desire eclipsed his outlook, which might be a reason that he's always been determined to be detached from it, separated from it, superior to those base motivators. Regardless, he's here now with a merrow who holds total control over whether or not he makes it back to the surface or drowns in this cave.
At the very least, Cerise seems unconcerned, exploring the more spacious parts of the cave, darting through the bits where light filters through.]
It's nice...
[The words don't really do it justice, but it's a faltering attempt to start, anyway. Can she even hear him through the pocket of air?
Cerise clicks and chirps a similar sentiment that travels far better through water. L feels it in his chest, almost more than he hears it as clearly as he would if his ears were properly submerged.]
[ If he doubted that she could hear the compliment, the way her ears perk up and her face brightens should dispel that. With Cerise scattering the fish ahead of them, Alex leads them both right behind her, a rainbow like wave if fish swimming all around them. She continues to watch his expressions, pleased with how he’s relaxed so far, but eager to see him feel more. ]
[It takes a lot for L to relax, generally. When it actually happens, the moments seem to stretch out for not being under the strain they typically are, the awareness of what might be coming lapsing temporarily. L can seem innocent in moments like this, almost childlike, because while his life experiences have left him jaded in so many ways, there are also things he missed, simple pleasures that passed him by in his humming case of metal and glass. Sometimes, in Aefenglom, their presentation can catch him wholly and blithely off-guard, and then he's not so dissimilar to other humans, however much he might detest those comparisons being drawn or noted.
Comparison invites perception of weakness, ignorance and inadequacy, after all.
L's swimming suit is a makeshift thing, in that he purchased an ill-fitting piece and cut and pinned it strategically with awkward metal fastenings to keep it in place. Ordinarily, it requires frequent adjustments to remain worn, which is one reason he prefers to forego it entirely if he's confident it'll just be him and Cerise on a moonlit swim. He seems to have lost a few pins as a result of Cerise's earlier race with Alex, though... and as the rush of rainbow fish cascade by, the suit responds to water and movement without its former structural integrity.
It's coming apart in places, simply floating free in others, and not doing its job as a modest garment particularly well.
Cerise, generally unconcerned with modesty, doesn't rush to his side to censor him with her large translucent body. L's left clutching and grasping at the material and trying to hold it in place around his hips, all why trying to remain buoyant.
The struggle is such that he doesn't have a statement to accompany this turn of events, quite yet.]
[ Alex’s attention had shifted to the fish, both in playful excitement but also realizing there’s a lot more than she realized. While she doesn’t think he’d be in any danger, there were some fish she could see coming in that had a tendency to be a bit nippy. Not wanting to risk it, she makes a sharp turn towards a divide in the passage, which called for some maneuvering. She’s still conscious of Linden’s presence, turning over so she’s facing forward.
Only when the path clears up does she slow down, looking back at him apologetically. ]
Sorry about that…Are you alright?
[ Her voice is surprisingly clear in the water, softer and pleasant to one’s ears. An effect water had on merrows. ]
[He realizes, in some corner of his mortification, that this is his fault. He could have been more prepared, more conscientious, more grounded in reality to the point where he was aware of the pins slipping.
Goes to show what happens when you let your guard down.
He nods tensely; Cerise rounds back toward him, reflecting his frustration. Things didn't go according to plan or hold up as well as they were meant to, and as a part of his soul, she can't remain blithely unaffected and in her own little world forever. Eventually, L's more melancholic and neurotic one will bring her back.]
Not your fault...
[Mine.]
I should have asked Light to stitch those down, but I thought the pins would hold.
[ It’s only when she’s facing him again that she realizes what happened. She opens her mouth to say something, but decides against it. If it were here…well, she’s been in somewhat similar situations, she would hate for someone to bring too much attention to it. Instead, she pulls him forward and up towards a clearing, breaching the water so that only the rest of his body remains submerged.
There’s a stream of light from a hole above, a small embankment with soft sand on the side.
She keeps her hands beneath his elbows to help him stay afloat, her expression soft. ]
It’s alright. It’s happened a few times to me too. No on else comes here.
[The irregularly-shaped suit floats and flounders around him as he attempts to hold it in place. He averts his eyes because this was never intentional, never something he was trying to do to Alex.
Monsters are stronger. He's easy to pull along, with Cerise gliding along beside him, and he busies himself with propelling himself with kicks so he's not preoccupied with the situation's awkward implications.
At best, he's incompetent and not capable of dressing himself. At worst, he's a pervert who wanted Alex to see every rangy, pale inch of him at an unexpected time. Misa Amane's uncharitable words echo in his mind as they draw near the embankment.]
It's happened to you.
[He sounds disbelieving. It seems a bit unbelievable, but... well, maybe a skimpy bikini top has flown off her at some point during a dive. The imagination supplies ample possibilities, perhaps a bit too quickly.]
That's kind of you to say. I don't suppose you could...?
[ She…probably shouldn’t get into how some of her customers have left her clothes in tatters, leaving with her with very little to go back with. So she gives an awkward laugh instead before leading him closer to shore, at least far enough till his feet can touch the ground so he’s still submerged. Once she does she turns her back to him. ]
[Later, that other possibility will flash into L's mind. The obvious one, the distressing one. For now, his own distress is plenty to keep his brain occupied.]
Healing and mending spells never worked out for me.
[Alex would probably know this about L. Like many things in his life, magic follows the pattern of his performance being either brilliant, or abysmal.
He hunches over in the shallower water, peeling the fabric away. It's frayed in places, seemingly where the pins pulled too much at it.]
I imagine it would take a bit of effort.
[Even for someone who knows how. Replacing it would be better. And neither option are really available to him here and now.]
I can cast an illusion. You'd know that I was naked, but... if it holds up, hopefully no one else will. I'll need to climb up on the sand to work out some runes, so...
[Right; no one else comes here. She'd mentioned that. Is this all a silly and frivolous waste of magic?
No, ultimately he would be more comfortable wearing even an illusion so that he can look Alex in the eyes. The only thing is that clothes are typically outside of his normal wheelhouse, and so they might come out... odd. Especially in an underwater context.
Cerise suns herself nearby, lounging, as L uses a fingertip to trace runes in the sand. He has nothing to draw blood with, on top of everything else; will they be see-through? He recognizes that adding bulk might be a good idea, since anything too form-fitting might have its contours disrupted by movement.]
This type of illusion is famously difficult. I'm going to try to do something that looks like diving gear, since it's... well, appropriate for our purposes.
[He traces.]
By the bye...
[A pause, as he speaks to her turned back.]
Light and I were conscripted to find a particular statuette for someone in the aristocratic district. I've seen it very recently, it happens...
But her thoughts are distracted by the sudden mention of a statue. Did she ever take one…? She…might have. Sometimes she doesn’t remember. But she looks to the side, her shoulders stiffen like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. ]
Is…is that so? Ahaha…
[ she looks over at Cerise, not that she could help her or anything. ]
[It's a lot of work, considering that clothing isn't something L does. He's working off of a template, rather than creating even a very simple "normal" outfit for himself. Even that, seemingly, would be more difficult than a general costume.
At least there's something else to talk about while he works it out.]
That's typically why people hire detectives.
[Regretfully.]
I won't turn you in. You don't have to worry about that. It's not the first time a merrow has made off with something that has a metallic sheen, I'm sure.
[He seems to find that amusing. He smudges out a rune, furrowing his brow, fidgeting his bony legs restlessly as Alex beaches herself next to an orca that wiggles and keens in wide-mouthed pleasure. She hopes that Alex will pet her tongue.]
This is tougher than I thought it would be. I think it'll look right, but... it's possible that the result could be unexpected.
[If it's not a chicken costume or a sumo suit, he thinks he can live with it. It's just Alex, after all.]
[ She can’t even answer that, looking at him pitifully over her shoulder. Linden teasing her was such a rare thing.
Remembering why she had her back to him, she faces Cerise again, carefully reaching to touch the orca’s tongue. This was her first time doing so…such an interesting feeling. ]
[Orca tongues are certainly interesting, even alien in their slimy strength. Cerise is sweet, gentle, unassuming, lapping up all the affection Alex might have to offer.
L meets her eyes briefly over his own shoulder, his own bony white ass on full display. Not exactly his greatest asset; not exactly what he wants shown. No matter; his body is a human one, not tremendously irregular, not a trespass. He's here because she asked him to be. If parts of him could be used as a weapon, they are guarded with hunching posture, shameful thoughts.
He's never been with a woman, never lain with a woman. The Merrow's form and figure (and even sex) are alien to him. Not unattractive; maybe that's the worst problem, that he's bisexual, and feeling it at times like these.]
We will.
[Innocuous enough, and his illusion manifests and takes form. it's gorgeous, detailed, careful. It's also wholly inaccurate, because a diving suit would look different. There's more white to this one, more thickness. It's a spacesuit, and L is blinking and staring in his rounded glass helmet as the costume takes form around him.
Does Alex remember an interest in astronomy and space? Is he betraying himself this way? He doesn't know yet, because he thinks he's manifested a diving suit, after all.]
[ She doesn’t look away, her gaze steady, non-threatening, but unlike a predator watching something to play with. But she holds herself back, her hands busy with minding Cerise. The merrow remembers how light Linden was. How easy would it be to toss him around…
But any of those more feral thoughts get thrown out, her head tilting to the side when he suddenly takes the form of… ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Hey, there~
[ She coos, forgetting Linden for a moment as she and the orca circle one another in a little chase. ]
Oh— well…I might not be the best judge…
[ She’s not as affected by the cold water in this form. ]
But it helps to jump in. You’ll warm up eventually!
no subject
She slices easily through the waves in the shallows. L's bony knees look a little blue as he wades out, which he's doing as briskly as possible so as to get it over with sooner.]
I can hold my breath for just over a minute. You'd mentioned oxygen?
[He doesn't actually know how this works.]
no subject
[ She explains, taking one of his hands and leading him deeper into the water. ]
There’s an easier method, but…it only works between bonded.
[ Which Linden has probably had enough of. ]
Ready?
no subject
He doesn't admit openly that he could think of worse bondmates than Alex, that she is an altogether pleasant and undemanding presence who even seems to earnestly like him.]
Yes...
[His hand tightens around hers as Cerise moves supportively against him to bolster her witch. Reflexively, he fills his lungs with air before submerging his face in the deeper water once he's chest-deep in the waves.]
no subject
Once she’s sure that he’s making use of her little trick, Alex starts to lead him beneath the cliff. Some pockets allowed for light to stream through, showcasing the corals and stones that made up the passage way. Some schools of fish swam around the intruders, many making way for the much larger predator behind the two.
Swimming next to him like this, the length added by her tail surpasses Linden’s height. But she doesn’t pay much attention to that, shifting her hold so that she was on her back, taking both of Linden’s hands as she leads from beneath him. From this position, she could look at him properly, the blue of her eyes glowing bright against black sclera. The gold scales that littered her belly and the underside of her tail shone warmly in the dark depths of the cave.
Feeling playful, she spins them around one another, slow and graceful so as to not make him too dizzy. ]
no subject
Cerise is in her element, darting after larger fish but never straying far from their side. The witch is the only one who seems a bit out of place, more like a scrawny frog than the sleek and graceful creatures at his side, but fortunately, they have his best interests at heart. They're not going to let him sink or drown, and for even the detective to be sure enough of the fact to agree to this says something fairly profound.
He's startled to see Alex suddenly beneath him, smiling, holding his hands as they swim. Small wonder that men have been drowned this way by merrows; as a man who is rarely regarded tenderly by women, L is especially aware of how easy it would be, for one who desired this above all else, was willing to give themselves over entirely to desire for the privilege of feeling this gentle acceptance however briefly.
Not men like Light Yagami, Mello, or even Myr. Anyone even glimpsing a man like L would assume that his desire eclipsed his outlook, which might be a reason that he's always been determined to be detached from it, separated from it, superior to those base motivators. Regardless, he's here now with a merrow who holds total control over whether or not he makes it back to the surface or drowns in this cave.
At the very least, Cerise seems unconcerned, exploring the more spacious parts of the cave, darting through the bits where light filters through.]
It's nice...
[The words don't really do it justice, but it's a faltering attempt to start, anyway. Can she even hear him through the pocket of air?
Cerise clicks and chirps a similar sentiment that travels far better through water. L feels it in his chest, almost more than he hears it as clearly as he would if his ears were properly submerged.]
no subject
no subject
Comparison invites perception of weakness, ignorance and inadequacy, after all.
L's swimming suit is a makeshift thing, in that he purchased an ill-fitting piece and cut and pinned it strategically with awkward metal fastenings to keep it in place. Ordinarily, it requires frequent adjustments to remain worn, which is one reason he prefers to forego it entirely if he's confident it'll just be him and Cerise on a moonlit swim. He seems to have lost a few pins as a result of Cerise's earlier race with Alex, though... and as the rush of rainbow fish cascade by, the suit responds to water and movement without its former structural integrity.
It's coming apart in places, simply floating free in others, and not doing its job as a modest garment particularly well.
Cerise, generally unconcerned with modesty, doesn't rush to his side to censor him with her large translucent body. L's left clutching and grasping at the material and trying to hold it in place around his hips, all why trying to remain buoyant.
The struggle is such that he doesn't have a statement to accompany this turn of events, quite yet.]
no subject
Only when the path clears up does she slow down, looking back at him apologetically. ]
Sorry about that…Are you alright?
[ Her voice is surprisingly clear in the water, softer and pleasant to one’s ears. An effect water had on merrows. ]
no subject
Goes to show what happens when you let your guard down.
He nods tensely; Cerise rounds back toward him, reflecting his frustration. Things didn't go according to plan or hold up as well as they were meant to, and as a part of his soul, she can't remain blithely unaffected and in her own little world forever. Eventually, L's more melancholic and neurotic one will bring her back.]
Not your fault...
[Mine.]
I should have asked Light to stitch those down, but I thought the pins would hold.
no subject
There’s a stream of light from a hole above, a small embankment with soft sand on the side.
She keeps her hands beneath his elbows to help him stay afloat, her expression soft. ]
It’s alright. It’s happened a few times to me too. No on else comes here.
no subject
Monsters are stronger. He's easy to pull along, with Cerise gliding along beside him, and he busies himself with propelling himself with kicks so he's not preoccupied with the situation's awkward implications.
At best, he's incompetent and not capable of dressing himself. At worst, he's a pervert who wanted Alex to see every rangy, pale inch of him at an unexpected time. Misa Amane's uncharitable words echo in his mind as they draw near the embankment.]
It's happened to you.
[He sounds disbelieving. It seems a bit unbelievable, but... well, maybe a skimpy bikini top has flown off her at some point during a dive. The imagination supplies ample possibilities, perhaps a bit too quickly.]
That's kind of you to say. I don't suppose you could...?
[Not look, while I try to fix this?]
no subject
Can it still be fixed…?
[ It didn’t look very durable to begin with. ]
no subject
Healing and mending spells never worked out for me.
[Alex would probably know this about L. Like many things in his life, magic follows the pattern of his performance being either brilliant, or abysmal.
He hunches over in the shallower water, peeling the fabric away. It's frayed in places, seemingly where the pins pulled too much at it.]
I imagine it would take a bit of effort.
[Even for someone who knows how. Replacing it would be better. And neither option are really available to him here and now.]
I can cast an illusion. You'd know that I was naked, but... if it holds up, hopefully no one else will. I'll need to climb up on the sand to work out some runes, so...
[Fair warning, and all.]
no subject
[ As far as she’s aware, her hoard is still complete. And he had his clothed back at the beach as well. ]
I can just keep my back to you if you’d like?
[ Might make for awkward conversation, but they’re probably past that now. ]
Do whatever is comfortable for you. I’m okay either way.
no subject
No, ultimately he would be more comfortable wearing even an illusion so that he can look Alex in the eyes. The only thing is that clothes are typically outside of his normal wheelhouse, and so they might come out... odd. Especially in an underwater context.
Cerise suns herself nearby, lounging, as L uses a fingertip to trace runes in the sand. He has nothing to draw blood with, on top of everything else; will they be see-through? He recognizes that adding bulk might be a good idea, since anything too form-fitting might have its contours disrupted by movement.]
This type of illusion is famously difficult. I'm going to try to do something that looks like diving gear, since it's... well, appropriate for our purposes.
[He traces.]
By the bye...
[A pause, as he speaks to her turned back.]
Light and I were conscripted to find a particular statuette for someone in the aristocratic district. I've seen it very recently, it happens...
[Extremely recently.]
no subject
But her thoughts are distracted by the sudden mention of a statue. Did she ever take one…? She…might have. Sometimes she doesn’t remember. But she looks to the side, her shoulders stiffen like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. ]
Is…is that so? Ahaha…
[ she looks over at Cerise, not that she could help her or anything. ]
Do they…also want to know how it went missing?
no subject
At least there's something else to talk about while he works it out.]
That's typically why people hire detectives.
[Regretfully.]
I won't turn you in. You don't have to worry about that. It's not the first time a merrow has made off with something that has a metallic sheen, I'm sure.
no subject
She shifts to beach herself next to Cerise, stroke her side. ]
If…there’s anything else you recognize, you can take it back. I try to return the ones I can remember, but…
[ Sometimes it happens fast. ]
no subject
[He seems to find that amusing. He smudges out a rune, furrowing his brow, fidgeting his bony legs restlessly as Alex beaches herself next to an orca that wiggles and keens in wide-mouthed pleasure. She hopes that Alex will pet her tongue.]
This is tougher than I thought it would be. I think it'll look right, but... it's possible that the result could be unexpected.
[If it's not a chicken costume or a sumo suit, he thinks he can live with it. It's just Alex, after all.]
no subject
Remembering why she had her back to him, she faces Cerise again, carefully reaching to touch the orca’s tongue. This was her first time doing so…such an interesting feeling. ]
I guess we’ll find out?
no subject
L meets her eyes briefly over his own shoulder, his own bony white ass on full display. Not exactly his greatest asset; not exactly what he wants shown. No matter; his body is a human one, not tremendously irregular, not a trespass. He's here because she asked him to be. If parts of him could be used as a weapon, they are guarded with hunching posture, shameful thoughts.
He's never been with a woman, never lain with a woman. The Merrow's form and figure (and even sex) are alien to him. Not unattractive; maybe that's the worst problem, that he's bisexual, and feeling it at times like these.]
We will.
[Innocuous enough, and his illusion manifests and takes form. it's gorgeous, detailed, careful. It's also wholly inaccurate, because a diving suit would look different. There's more white to this one, more thickness. It's a spacesuit, and L is blinking and staring in his rounded glass helmet as the costume takes form around him.
Does Alex remember an interest in astronomy and space? Is he betraying himself this way? He doesn't know yet, because he thinks he's manifested a diving suit, after all.]
no subject
But any of those more feral thoughts get thrown out, her head tilting to the side when he suddenly takes the form of… ]
An astronaut?
no subject
That's not what it was supposed to be, but... if it's the same...
[A cowardly cop-out, perhaps, for one subconsciously hoping]
I hope you'll just take me home.
no subject
Already?
[ A scaled hand reaches up to lightly tap on the glass. ]
Can’t we stay a bit longer?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)