Chapter Text
“Halsin, I already know what the lake looks like, why is this necessary?” Despite her question, her light giggle signaled the prominent amusement in V’s voice as Halsin carefully guided her down the hill behind his backyard, through the dark woods.
He huffed a laugh in response, heart thumping in anticipation the closer they came to the edge of the tree line. “You’re not peeking, are you?” He rumbled a quick chuckle as he peered down at V whose eyelids were still snapped shut.
He had one hand resting on the middle of her back, with his other hand guiding her forearm as he carefully led her across the forest floor, assuring she never tripped or stepped on anything that would harm her bare feet. He was initially going to offer to carry her but decided against it after witnessing her excitement to be fully on her feet again.
“We’re almost there,” Halsin said, feeling the side of her body leaning into him as they moved in careful unison. Her long spirals occasionally brushed over his bare arms, sending a fleet of tingles up his side.
Aside from being barefoot, per his request, she was only dressed in black denim jeans and a crop top, which he learned was one of her preferred types of shirts to wear. And he loved the softness of her back, the gentle warmth that radiated from her skin, the feel of her smooth arms pressed against his own.
“Mmhm,” she mumbled, but she never opened her eyes nor took the slightest peek.
Reaching the edge of the trees, it opened out into the wide view of the lake as the ground merged from the cool short grass, to warm, soft, dark sand. Eyeing the lake, Halsin grinned with pleasure as his gaze landed on the dazzling spectacle before him. He slowed his pace to a stop and her steps quickly seized as she stood there still guided by his arms.
“We’re here,” he announced richly. “You may open.” He watched her eagerly as she slowly blinked her eyelids open, gracing him with the sight of her mesmerizing, silver eyes, already finding it difficult not to be completely absorbed in them.
But it was her reaction he longed for, as she looked out ahead of her, gaze sweeping across the lake, slowly widening. Her mouth slightly parted in a show of amazement as a soft gasp flowed from her lips. Then she laughed, a sound of innocent disbelief, as though she was trying to grapple with what she was witnessing. Halsin’s heart paced faster as he followed her gaze towards the lake, feeling anxious for the rest of her reaction.
The large body of water that was normally difficult to see on moonless nights, was now illuminated in a vibrant, blue-green glow just beneath the surface, the ethereal light extending across the entire lake as far as their eyes could see. The stars twinkled above, a painting of galactic wonder, faintly reflecting over the surface of the luminous lake.
“Holy hells,” V gasped, taking a small step forward as her mouth continued to hang slightly agape. “Are you freaking kidding me?”
Halsin let her arm slip out of his grip as he rumbled out an almost shy chuckle; all of his nerves that she would not be impressed began to dissipate. He stared out over the surface, watching the glittering current make the glowing turquoise color appear to be shimmering.
“I never noticed this on any other night,” V said, the sound of astonishment still ever-present in her voice.
Halsin stepped up by her side again, smiling when she turned her head to look at him. “It is not for lack of observation, most nights the lake is bathed in darkness. But this is a very rare occurrence in lakes compared to the high seas. Perhaps that just makes the High Forest all the more special.” He waved his hand over the panoramic view of the lake like he was revealing a presentation. “A few nights out of the year, during the summer months, something seems to awaken the organisms that linger in the bottom of the lake, and they rise to the surface, gracing any onlookers with their light.”
V stared at him with pure admiration, as if he was the one responsible for this rare show of nature. Her expression made his heart swell and his body fill with warmth, and he couldn’t help but mentally descend into the bright pools of her eyes, even more dazzling and enchanting than the bioluminescence spectacle set before them.
“Is it safe to swim in?” she asked, raising a brow inquisitively.
He nodded once, smiling. “It is. Some algae of the seas can carry toxins that may not be suitable to swim in. But these are safe, and those with elven blood are naturally more resistant to any perverse effects they may be known for.”
“Good,” she spoke swiftly. And without another word, Halsin was raising his brows, momentarily stunned as V unbuttoned her pants and slid the fabric down to her hips before bending over to pull them off from her feet, dragging each side fully off her legs.
He took a sharp intake of breath as she exposed her legs to him, the surface of her skin appearing so smooth and warm to the touch. He didn’t miss the way her underwear hugged her, giving him a peek at the plumpness of her cheeks. Her hair dangled just above her backside, and for the first time since he met her, he wondered just how long it truly was if she stretched her curls. So full and thick her hair was, how easy it looked to grab a fistful and–
“Well?”
Halsin blinked, stirring at the sound of V’s voice. He met her eyes to find hers fixed on him, quirking an eyebrow in question. She asked him something, he assumed. He faintly remembered hearing what sounded like her voice after she discarded her pants and shuffled them to the side.
When he failed to respond in time, given the playful sigh she released, V began back walking towards the water. “You do swim, right Halsin?” The cheeky smirk on her lips was the last he saw of her face before she turned around and gradually sauntered through the radiant waters until it reached her hips.
The water glowed brighter in the areas she waded through, reacting to her presence. Halsin observed her from behind, swallowing lightly as the surface reached her midsection, then her upper back.
V stopped, glancing over her shoulder, her eyes daring him to join, silently calling for him. Then she turned and dove beneath the surface in a quick flourish, barely splashing any water as she disappeared.
A welcome excitement raced up his body, stimulating his nerves at her invitation. His hands moved first, tugging at the top back of his shirt before swiftly pulling it up and over his head. He discarded it near V’s jeans then swiftly lowered his trousers until he was down to just the dark green of his briefs. The water was mildly cool, warmed by the sun throughout the day, and lightly cooled in the night making it most comfortable for a swim. In a few large strides, Halsin had reached the same spot V dove in before inhaling deeply and plunging after her.
Beneath the surface, the glow was just as bright but its reach was limited as shadows loomed dozens of feet down. But it illuminated the waters enough to see nearly the whole stretch of the lake. More importantly, it didn’t take long for Halsin to see the tail end of lengthy, flowing hair swaying in the water as the back of V’s feet pushed her body deeper and deeper. She swam until she reached a shadowy area, where the blue-green glow did not reach and she shifted her body, floating freely as she turned to look behind her.
Halsin smirked as those silver moons found his, her expression still displaying a similar sense of daring while the slight uptick in her mouth told him she was pleased he followed. Halsin waved his arms through the water, then propelled forward to close the space between them, but she turned away and kicked off before he could reach her. He blinked, slowing his glide, awestruck by the sudden speed she possessed. But her pivot triggered something in him as his heart pumped faster, his budding excitement monumental. The muscles in his arms and legs rippled with energy, and without wasting another moment, he swam after her, enticed by the chase.
Halsin waved his arms in a fast arc and dashed after her, feeling a familiar heat in his chest as he pushed through the sparkling waters. The lake was large, and V swam through it faster than he expected as he kept an eye on the back of her feet kicking through the water, the long tendrils of her hair waving rapidly behind her. She swam like she was a being of the sea, back in a similar habitat, expertly passing through the waters. She was a sight to behold, but Halsin had little time to marvel at the elven creature ahead of him. Whatever her game was, he was thrilled by it, more than eager to pursue her if the reward meant what he imagined: V enveloped in his arms as he claimed his prize.
So he carried on, chasing her throughout the lake without wavering, practically feeling her excitement rippling towards him through the water they shared. He kept her in his sight, catching the glance over her shoulder as she checked to see how far he was – to her mistake. Halsin noticed that such a move caused him to gain more distance, or perhaps where he lacked in speed, he gained in endurance.
He grinned, heart pumping, invigorated by the rare prize directly in his sights, the distance growing smaller. V’s feet still kicked hastily, though not with the same power she began with as the two of them circled their way to the massive center of the lake.
She was right there, so much closer, and Halsin buzzed with energy as he extended one arm forward. V looked behind her again, and what sounded like both a surprised and excited squeal rippled through the water as she turned around again, her hair flowing wildly. Halsin kept his eyes peeled on her, and with one more thrust of his legs, one large arm encircled around her waist. The pressure was enough to halt her, but not jolt whatever breath was left in her lungs. He swam around to the front of her, hand sliding across her stomach as he glided forward until it rested at her back. Without thinking, his other hand lightly gripped the back of her thigh, pulling her closer.
Her smile was bright and wide, her eyes glittering in pure delight as they met his. He imagined she would burst into laughter if she could. Halsin matched her smile, blood still pumping swiftly in his veins. His body acted before his mind as his hand reached just to the side of her, sliding through her full, silken hair as it slithered through his fingers with ease. Her hair appeared much straighter in the water, swaying like a ribbon in gentle winds. Their legs touched and Halsin felt a chill dash up his thick thighs even though his body was so hot.
V looked absolutely radiant under the water, mystical even, her smile so alluring within this glowing lake. When he looked into her eyes again, her smile was still present but calmer than before. Halsin wanted to remain there forever, floating in an element that mirrored the hovering orbit of space. And instead of stars, the bioluminescent lights of the lake took their place, enhancing this most ethereal visage.
It was a moment made of dreams, the sudden thought making Halsin’s heart leap at the possibility that none of this was happening in their physical reality.
He wanted to pull her into him entirely, thinking back on Thaniel’s counsel. But then V, with a smile of urgency and a rushed motion, started pointing upwards towards the surface. Eyes going wide, Halsin was snapped back into reality, for they would not need to breathe were it just a dream.
Holding her securely in one arm, he kicked his legs and reached for the surface in large, powerful arcs. There was a part of him that believed she’d be just fine swimming on her own, but he refused to take the chance and he certainly wasn’t going to wait to confirm first.
They breached the surface and she took in a deep breath, laughing joyously, but Halsin’s brows were already furrowed in concern.
“Are you alright?” The words rushed out of his mouth as he scanned her face for a reaction, it was only then that he took notice of her amused state.
One hand was at her side, the other guiding his balance as they both began to tread water.
After catching her breath, she just rumbled out a few soft chuckles. “More than alright. But you sound like you barely needed that breath.”
He began to calm down, laughing along with her. “Perhaps the lungs of the bear pass through to me in spirit.”
“Perhaps…” she repeated, narrowing her eyes teasingly. “Still, a lucky advantage.”
“It certainly can be. And you’re a remarkably fast swimmer, V,” Halsin said, both surprised and delighted.
She exhaled a half laugh, half sigh as though that couldn’t be further from the truth. “Well… I’d say I’m average, but these mods in my legs definitely help the boost.”
“Ahh, I see.” He tilted his head, a sly smirk marking his wet face. And when he spoke, his timbre was deeper, daring. Daring just as her eyes were before she took off on her swim. “Well I enjoyed the challenge, it made the chase all the more thrilling.”
She reached forward and a shiver surged through him as she began tapping her nails up the center of his chest “Oh, so you like challenges, bear man? Noted.”
“On occasion,” he replied, the same deep character of his voice passing up his throat.
“Good.” She pressed the palm of her hand against his chest and shoved – which pushed herself back more than it did him – and nodded her head. “Then keep keeping up,” she said with a cheeky grin before diving back under the surface.
Halsin chuckled, feeling that familiar drive again, that exhilaration rippling over his skin. This time they dove just a couple feet beneath the surface instead of dozens of feet down. He soon realized that she wasn’t swimming as fast this time, but rather flowing through the water at an almost exploring pace. He was close behind her, immediately enthralled by her, how graceful her body moved, the way the light danced over her body in shimmering waves.
It wasn’t long before he made it to her side and his heart swelled at the tender smile she presented him with when their eyes met. He wasn’t sure how much time passed as they swam throughout the lake, both above and below the surface. Halsin couldn’t remember the last time his heart felt this amount of joy both in the presence of another and in general. He had swum in this lake several times, but never like this, not simply for fun but rather for exercise or to cool down on extra hot days.
And there, in V’s company, beneath the stars, his cheeks were starting to sore from the number of times spent smiling more often than not. V was a delight to be around, more than a delight: a light in the middle of a dark void, a burst of sunshine after days of rain. And he couldn’t help but feel she awakened something within him no one had in years, if ever.
And now, after spending however long swimming and laughing – he wasn’t sure – Halsin found himself floating lazily on his back with V hovering next to him. The stars stared back at Halsin, some sparkling and twinkling, fueling the ethereal aura he found himself quite literally swimming in.
A welcoming shiver fluttered down his side as V’s fingers and the silkiness of her hair brushed over his forearm as she leisurely hovered at the surface. And when the melodic pitch of her voice touched her ears, he realized he could stay there forever, just like this if given the chance.
“Tell me, Halsin…”
Anything, he thought to himself, ready for her whatever was on her mind.
“As a werebear, does the full moon affect you?” she asked, the gentle sound of the water stirring followed her inquiry as her fingers waved idly. “One night you came back after your walk and you seemed… on edge. I couldn’t help but wonder if it had anything to do with the moon or– well now that I ask out loud it sounds silly—
Halsin couldn’t help but feel his cheeks growing warm as he chuckled lightly. “No, not silly at all. I rather enjoy your curiosity.”
He could sense her smiling as he let his fingers tap hers. “But it depends,” he continued. “The influence of the moon is stronger when you’re young, newly discovering this wild identity, and transformation is inevitable. But for someone of my vintage and experience, the pull of the moon is that of a tickle, a faint itch that can be easily ignored. Sometimes, however, under unique circumstances, resistance becomes… difficult.”
“Hmm, circumstances like… me?” V tested, her voice laced with a mischievous tenor.
Halsin felt his blood rush back to his cheeks again and a cool shiver rushed down his chest, and his legs. It felt like such a juvenile response, yet he could not control the way his body would react because there was truth in her words.
“I’m only joking.” She dragged her index down the side of his arm, and he shivered at her touch. “Partially anyway.”
He could practically feel the wink she gave him, could almost see the sly smile etched onto her face. He would’ve looked over for confirmation but didn’t want to risk jeopardizing his balance on his back. He remembered that night clearly, the foreign sensation of not being able to handle the heat in his body, the fire burning through his veins as V’s scent flowed through him so enticingly while the moon shined down in its full, vibrant glory.
“I find that intriguing, though.” He heard her say, a genuine feeling found in her voice. “I just hope it wasn’t too unpleasant.”
“A peculiar feeling, but not unpleasant, so long as I don’t force away the bear.”
“I see…” Her voice drifted on the water, and he wondered what she might be thinking next. But then he heard her release a long exhale of contentment. “Gosh I’m going to miss this place, this forest, this sky…”
Her words hit him harder than he expected and the gentle warmth of the water started to feel cold and uncomfortable. His heart dropped at the reminder of how temporary her presence was, how these joyous times spent in her company would soon reach its expiration.
A light hand around his arm stirred him from those thoughts, and he looked to find V now standing over him, the water stopping just beneath the curve of her chest. They had glided their way to shallower depths, closer to shore.
“But I’m still here now,” she said softly, her eyes so calm and reassuring, like she could sense his thoughts, could feel his sudden trepidation.
Halsin tucked his legs inward, shifting his body to stand in the soft sands of the lakebed as he came to face her. “Yes, you are,” he spoke lowly, holding her comforting gaze. “And your company is everything.”
A soft gasp wafted from her lips like she wasn’t expecting such words, and if Halsin was honest with himself, he had thought he spoke them in his mind. But the look on her face proved otherwise and it made his heart race in a most pleasant way.
Towering before her, in the beautiful, glowing yet clear waters, he drank in her appearance, eyes scanning shamelessly. He reveled in the way her hair was shiny and moist, sticking to the side of her body while the rest of it floated at the surface. He admired the way trails of water dripped down her face, her neck, and chest; and how her thin, white top clung tightly to her. He exhaled a low breath, imagining how were it not for her bra, he’d be gazing upon the teasing poke of her nipples and the natural curve of her breasts.
V reached for his forearm, gripping it softly, testing, her eyes never leaving his. Her squeeze alone was enough to make desire pool in his belly, and he reached for her in turn, moving his hand underwater until it rested on the small of her back. His other hand moved of its own accord, and he was unable to stop himself from sliding a wet strand of hair off her cheek and behind the long tip of her ear. The palm of his hand rested there a moment and he slid his thumb down the length of her ear, careful when passing over the two, silver-hooped earrings along the edge.
Oak Father preserve him, for the sight of a small bead of water sliding down her bottom lip made him shiver, aching to catch it with his own.
Halsin followed the trail of V’s gaze, watching as it traced down his face in silent yearning. Then the water stirred as she lifted her hand and palmed his cheek, and he couldn’t suppress the low groan he emitted as she ran her thumb down the side of his lip, gently tracing his scar. The faintest hint of a smirk showed on her face, her bright eyes drawing him into their light.
V took her other hand off his forearm and rested it against the center of his chest. He swallowed as she touched him tentatively, only breaking eye contact with him to watch her hand feel up his broad, hard chest. Her touch was curious, exploring him, and he allowed it, finding himself stepping even closer to her. The air felt charged as his hand on her back gently drew her in and Halsin felt himself swelling in his underwear, the tension in his core almost maddening.
She looked beautiful, ethereal, and so incredibly sexy as she stared up at him through wet eyelashes. Her makeup slightly streaked down the top of her cheeks, and her lips looked moist and aching to be touched, to be kissed. And her eyes – Silvanus give him strength – for the eyes of the stars were staring up at him, longing for him.
He noticed her lips parting and she steadily decreased the small space between them, rising on her toes. And like a magnet, he bent down towards her with ease, heart racing in anticipation, his nerves firing with desire, with eagerness.
“V…” he whispered with a low and heavy breath, suddenly aware of how close she was, how the soothing warmth of her breath coasted over his lips. “I…” The rest of his thought drifted on the wind as he tilted his head, bending himself towards her of seemingly a will not of his own.
He watched her eyes slowly close, her head angled and ready for him. Halsin followed suit, closing his eyes until he felt the sensation of cool, wet lips pressing into his own. An electric surge raced down his neck at the connection and everything around him paused, growing quiet as the song of the nocturnal wild faded from his ears. For just that one second that their lips touched, that was all that mattered in that moment. It was all that existed. A kiss shared beneath the stars, in a glowing pool of the High Forest.
So much was felt in that single moment, and he’d never forget it. He was starting to move his mouth, to learn the rhythm of her lips when a sudden anxious bolt of fear and doubt spilled into his stomach. In an instant, the sounds of the forest came alive again and water splashed as he broke the kiss and rapidly stepped away, leaving her gasping.
“I cannot,” Halsin muttered quickly, turning away with a frown, unable to look into her eyes. “Forgive me.”
“Oh,” she breathed swiftly. “We don’t have to if you’re not feeling, um…” A dejected sigh left her lips as she was unable to finish her thoughts, confusion present in her voice.
A million thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to focus above the sound of his rapidly beating heart. The air suddenly felt much colder despite the warm summer night, and he couldn’t repress the wave of shame that began to bubble within him. And though he could no longer see her, he could feel the shift in her energy, the charge that he severed – that he ruined.
He stared ahead at the dark woods, feeling a pull to them, feeling he no longer deserved to be sharing this magical space with her. “The hour is late,” he said quietly, hesitant to steal a glance. “We should return and clean ourselves.”
Silence lingered in the air for several moments, making the pounding in his ears sound even louder, torturous. Then, a sullen whisper flowed over the water.
“Sure…” V answered.
He took in a deep breath, trying yet failing to release the coils of disappointment he could feel prickling around his heart. Still, he began to move towards the shore when the rise of her voice halted him.
“Halsin, am I misreading things?”
He frowned deeply, though she could not see. He then turned his head, glancing at her from the side, sensing she wasn’t done speaking.
“I can’t help but feel like there’s something here. I feel it and see it.” She blinked away for a moment, her brows narrowed in a slight tug of vulnerable confusion. “And when you touch me, I lean into it. But when I touch you, you slink away. What am I missing?”
He finally turned back to look at her, his heart aching at the solemn, worrying look in her eyes. “Nothing. You are missing nothing.” His words rushed out in a helpless breath, and before he could think, he was standing directly in front of her once more.
He took both of her wet hands in his and closed his eyes as he fondly kissed both of her knuckles. A deep sigh of remorse and dejection flowed from his large lungs as he held her to him, hesitant to open his eyes for fear of what he would see.
“Then what’s happening here, why are you turning away from me?” The tenderness in her voice made his heart beat with a shame he couldn’t explain, and he finally peered his eyes at her, overcome with a surge of emotions as he looked down at her.
Her eyebrows were tugged inward, a sincere concern marking her face while a cloud of confusion and rejection hovered in her eyes. And it made his chest feel tight for potentially causing pain in the one person he’d never wish to inflict such a feeling upon.
But when he parted his lips, slightly, no words escaped. The thought was there, on the forefront of his mind but failed to reach his tongue. A gentle tug on his hands and a small smile of encouragement flowed from V’s gestures.
“Talk to me, Halsin. Is there something you’re afraid of?”
He breathed deeply, lowering their hands to the water but not letting her go. “Do you remember our first night gazing beneath the stars, when I spoke of my… relationship experience?”
V nodded slowly, sincerely, her eyes patient and waiting.
“I have become accustomed to their inevitable ends, for they were temporary to begin with. But now…” He wanted to close his eyes again, but he settled for a glance away, taking a deep inhale before releasing. “…now, I feel I want more. More than temporary. More than I believe either of us can give.”
“I see…” V sighed, and his heart stung when he felt her tugging her hand away, slowly, but with intent for him to loosen his grip. He immediately relented, letting his hands fall to his sides.
He eyed her again when the pitch of her voice shifted, still soft but incredulous.
“And you came to this conclusion for us both?” she asked him, arching her brows. But there was no malice in her voice, no anger, only an ache to understand.
The weight of shame that festered in his belly quickly spread across his body. Halsin could picture his old, fey friend standing behind him, the frown on his young face telling so much. Halsin was never one to turn away from the offerings nature gave him, to explore and lean into his desires if they were welcomed. But his nature could not predict the company of this incredible drow woman before him, it could not predict the emergence of his heart yearning for more.
Halsin wanted to take her hands in his again but refrained when he noticed through the water her arms wrapped across her belly as though she was suddenly cold.
“That may have been unfair of me,” he admitted, the somberness of his tone hard to miss. “I should have spoken with you, but…” He paused, deeply filling his lungs with air and then releasing. “Perhaps I did not know how to begin or… or you’d have returned to the city before I had the chance.”
“Well, I’m still here,” she reminded him, sighing. “So what are you saying, exactly? That we shouldn’t kiss because I’ll be leaving soon?”
At that word, his gaze flicked to her lips that she pressed together, pursing them slightly. A warm flush filled his chest at the sight, how inviting they still looked, how he still ached to kiss her, to touch her.
Halsin tilted his head slightly, speaking deep yet soft. “Would you have wanted to stop at a kiss?”
Her lips remained sealed as her vibrant gaze seemed to ponder, but he knew the answer, he felt it just as she did. And when she didn’t respond, he took that moment to continue.
“V…” This time, he couldn’t resist reaching for her beneath the water, but instead let his fingers hover at the tip of her elbow. When he spoke, the graveness in his tone was unmistakable, the weight of his emotion palpable as he held her very attentive gaze, grateful for the lack of judgment in her eyes.
“I can’t help but feel the day of your departure will be a difficult one for me and…” He closed his eyes, breathing deeply to steel himself. “If we do this, if we explore this connection, I fear it will only make the inevitable that much harder. A feeling I would not like to subject either of us to. And I fear I do not have the strength to watch you leave after well… after bonding with your body and with your heart…” He turned his head away from her, unable to look into her eyes after his slight admission. “Forgive me, I am perhaps too old for such fears…”
He could feel the weight of the frown on his face, could imagine the lines dipping into his cheeks, extenuating his somberness. And his heart raced rapidly behind his ribcage, fearful yet still desperately yearning for her.
A soft palm on his cheek steadied him, spreading warmth and tenderness back into his being. It guided him to look into her eyes again, so bright and sparkling, full of silent understanding.
“It’s alright Halsin,” V said to him, a slight smile trying to find its way on her lips. “When I leave, I don’t know what that would mean for you and I… and, you deserve more than something temporary.” Her thumb stroked his cheek in a rather calculated way, sliding and tracing over the same pattern of his tattoo. “Still friends?” she asked tenderly, managing a deeper smile.
His heart warmed at her understanding, though he couldn’t deny the pain of his own rejection. “Always,” he answered, finding the will to smile in turn.
She looked at him once more then slid her hand away, stepping back as the low current moved between them. “You can go on ahead, I’ll be back in soon.” She gave him an encouraging smile, the silver gems he had fallen for blinking at him one last time before turning to gracefully dive into the lake.
He watched her form swimming through the translucent, glowing water just below the surface, getting further and further away.
Halsin’s head was in a sort of hazy fog as he made his way back over the short trek through the trees, up the hill, and to his quiet house. He didn’t bother drying himself, for he’d need to wash off the remnants of the lake’s ethereal glow from his skin. So instead, he retrieved a single towel that he’d leave for V to use so she didn’t have to walk back dripping wet as he had.
Not long after, he was entering the view of the lake again, the blue-green glow still present yet not as vibrant as before. His stomach tightened when he found V, far at the center of the lake, floating on her back. He wondered what thoughts were plaguing her mind, knowing he was the one responsible.
Setting the towel down beside her clothes, he rose to his height and looked upon her for a few moments longer before turning, leaving her to enjoy the lake in her privacy.
Head hung slightly low, his second walk back to his home was even slower than before, each step heavier than the last as part of him wanted to turn around and plunge into that lake to start over – and yet, his large legs kept pushing on.
Oak Father, please tell me this was the right thing to do.