Damien
there's some good in this
world worth fighting for
world worth fighting for
Damien shifted his weight, bracing the trunk hard against the bank as instructed. The wood bit into his palms, water sluicing down his wrists, until one of those slick coils wrapped around it and hauled the log up with far less effort than he could muster. Once it was settled alongside the others and not threatening to roll back in, he turned toward the real menace: Aria, spinning herself dizzy.
“Yeah, I think you could use a break too, girl,” he decided. Her whiskers dripped, her ears plastered flat with water, but she still made a swipe at the Pool as if she’d won some battle. Damien hooked her out anyway and plopped the sodden “landshark” onto the sand, where she shook fur and floatie alike with such gusto that droplets peppered his rolled sleeves.
Satisfied she wouldn’t immediately drown herself, Damien stepped out of the water as well. He much preferred solid ground under his boots; Torchline’s beaches were gentler than the ocean, but the way the Pool just sat there—still and waiting—made his shoulders itch.
Their hands clasping brought his attention back. Damien studied Remi a moment, dark gaze flicking briefly to the tentacles before locking on his face again. He took the demi-god’s hand in a firm, steady shake and let it go without fanfare. “Likewise,” he agreed simply.
When Remi bent to scoop water, Damien opened his mouth—probably to warn him about the incoming cub—but too late. Aria bounded over with a happy mrrow!, paws slapping the wet sand. She pressed the damp shark fin against Remi’s leg, clearly introducing herself with zero concern for boundaries. Damien gave a whistle that earned him a flick of her ear, nothing more.
His brow eased when Remi asked about Theea, though. “Oh, Theea…” A breath of humor stirred in his chest, a rare half-smile cutting across his face. “I’ve known her a while. Met her back when she was staying in Halo with her parents. She was just a kid then—just as eager, but still just a kid. I hadn’t seen her or her folks in years, then she turned up again last season, all grown up and talking about monster hunting like it was the most natural thing in the world.”
He shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping. There was fondness there, under his usual reserve, as if the events still surprised him. After a pause, he glanced back at Remi, brow lifting slightly.
“And you? How do you know her?”
“Yeah, I think you could use a break too, girl,” he decided. Her whiskers dripped, her ears plastered flat with water, but she still made a swipe at the Pool as if she’d won some battle. Damien hooked her out anyway and plopped the sodden “landshark” onto the sand, where she shook fur and floatie alike with such gusto that droplets peppered his rolled sleeves.
Satisfied she wouldn’t immediately drown herself, Damien stepped out of the water as well. He much preferred solid ground under his boots; Torchline’s beaches were gentler than the ocean, but the way the Pool just sat there—still and waiting—made his shoulders itch.
Their hands clasping brought his attention back. Damien studied Remi a moment, dark gaze flicking briefly to the tentacles before locking on his face again. He took the demi-god’s hand in a firm, steady shake and let it go without fanfare. “Likewise,” he agreed simply.
When Remi bent to scoop water, Damien opened his mouth—probably to warn him about the incoming cub—but too late. Aria bounded over with a happy mrrow!, paws slapping the wet sand. She pressed the damp shark fin against Remi’s leg, clearly introducing herself with zero concern for boundaries. Damien gave a whistle that earned him a flick of her ear, nothing more.
His brow eased when Remi asked about Theea, though. “Oh, Theea…” A breath of humor stirred in his chest, a rare half-smile cutting across his face. “I’ve known her a while. Met her back when she was staying in Halo with her parents. She was just a kid then—just as eager, but still just a kid. I hadn’t seen her or her folks in years, then she turned up again last season, all grown up and talking about monster hunting like it was the most natural thing in the world.”
He shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping. There was fondness there, under his usual reserve, as if the events still surprised him. After a pause, he glanced back at Remi, brow lifting slightly.
“And you? How do you know her?”
