Damien
there's some good in this
world worth fighting for
world worth fighting for
Damien’s eyes had followed Aria’s, but what he saw wasn’t what he expected. Not the still water shifting, not some menacing L'ma rising from the Pool—but a man hauling half the forest across the sand, with… tentacles?
For a second, he just blinked, hand tightening reflexively around the stone. Caido had its share of oddities, but watching extra limbs wriggle out of someone’s back and snag driftwood was still enough to put a hitch in his pulse.
The thump of a log in the sand broke it. Another went rolling into the Pool with a splash. That, at least, was easier to wrap his head around. He heard the apologetic tone on the breeze and shrugged. "No worries, I got it!"
Damien shoved the stone into his pocket, rose, and waded into the shallows without ceremony. Cold water lapped his boots, soaking the worn leather as he angled himself toward the bobbing trunk.
One good heave and a grunt later, he had a hand on it, steadying the thing until it was up against the shore. He would've pushed it up and over the small bank. In fact, he tried, but it was too waterlogged and heavy for him to manage it easily. "Hmm.."
His gaze slid over the log, then the tentacles—retreating now—as if measuring whether or not to mention them.
"I can push it up from this end if you can gra — oh."
Recognition sharpened his expression as the sentence died on his lips. He remembered the repairs on Theea’s house, the easy way Remi had stood with Ronin, the quiet weight of someone with power woven into his name. Flora’s father. A demi-god. Not the kind of man Damien had expected to bump into by a wishing pool with a cub in a floatie.
Still, he tried to keep his cool about it. “Remi, isn't it?"
"We crossed paths last season—Theea’s place. Sorry I didn't properly introduce myself.. I'm Damien,” he offered an open hand out over the log. Then his dark gaze flicked over toward the 'shark' cub, "and that is Aria... who is learning to swim, yes.” Her fin was starting to tilt a bit too far to the left so, despite her best efforts, she began going round-and-round in tight circles.
For a second, he just blinked, hand tightening reflexively around the stone. Caido had its share of oddities, but watching extra limbs wriggle out of someone’s back and snag driftwood was still enough to put a hitch in his pulse.
The thump of a log in the sand broke it. Another went rolling into the Pool with a splash. That, at least, was easier to wrap his head around. He heard the apologetic tone on the breeze and shrugged. "No worries, I got it!"
Damien shoved the stone into his pocket, rose, and waded into the shallows without ceremony. Cold water lapped his boots, soaking the worn leather as he angled himself toward the bobbing trunk.
One good heave and a grunt later, he had a hand on it, steadying the thing until it was up against the shore. He would've pushed it up and over the small bank. In fact, he tried, but it was too waterlogged and heavy for him to manage it easily. "Hmm.."
His gaze slid over the log, then the tentacles—retreating now—as if measuring whether or not to mention them.
"I can push it up from this end if you can gra — oh."
Recognition sharpened his expression as the sentence died on his lips. He remembered the repairs on Theea’s house, the easy way Remi had stood with Ronin, the quiet weight of someone with power woven into his name. Flora’s father. A demi-god. Not the kind of man Damien had expected to bump into by a wishing pool with a cub in a floatie.
Still, he tried to keep his cool about it. “Remi, isn't it?"
"We crossed paths last season—Theea’s place. Sorry I didn't properly introduce myself.. I'm Damien,” he offered an open hand out over the log. Then his dark gaze flicked over toward the 'shark' cub, "and that is Aria... who is learning to swim, yes.” Her fin was starting to tilt a bit too far to the left so, despite her best efforts, she began going round-and-round in tight circles.
