Private Finished The Best Ships are Friendships

Nessie glanced back at Edward and smiled her gentle smile, the breeze from the sea blowing her fiery locks forward over her shoulders. He certainly looked like he could stand to gain a few pounds...she worried silently about him for a moment before letting the idea drop as she got used to the way he looked rather quickly. She tried not to be terribly judgmental of how people looked. He was underweight, but hopefully the issue would fix itself over time. He must have had a poor time of it before he'd come to the island.

It is nice, she replied, turning back out to the sea so that he wouldn't feel self-conscious with her looking at him. Nessie continued in, wading until the water reached her hips. The waves rolled past her easily. She felt at home here in the ocean, the vast expanse of water called to her more primal instincts.

She continued out further until her toes could no longer feel the sand beneath them. They were getting further from the shore, but it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. She dipped her head below the water as a wave rolled over her, feeling the familiar sting of salt in her eyes as she looked around before surfacing. It didn't bother her as much, and even less in her true form. Her hair straightened out and hung in long, wet strands that stuck to the back of her neck and floated like tentacles in the water behind her.

I'd like to show you something, she told Edward, then ducked into the water again and let the change take her, sliding easily from her small human form into the giant sea monster that she was, her neck rising from the ocean. It was a little shallow for her here considering her size, but not uncomfortably so. She craned her neck and gazed down at Edward, now much smaller than she. This is who I truly am.​

There was a gentle kindness in her eyes that could have conveyed a smile as she gently pressed her head against Edward's outstretched hand. Her skin had a leathery kind of texture to it in this form, not as soft as human skin, and much thicker. I can't say that I have met anyone quite like you either, Edward, and I have been around for a long time, she told him. She didn't show people her true form very often. Nessie was a secretive and shy kind of creature. Perhaps it was her large size and unusual shape that made her conceal her true self...she would never really fit in if she wasn't able to appear the size of a normal human.

After a little while, Nessie shrunk back down to her human form again. I love the water. I grew up in the Loch. She didn't often share her history, either...Edward was somebody she was comfortable enough around to not feel like she had to hide what she was from him. He was a friend...the first true friend she had ever had.​

She tilted her head at him and smiled. It is unusual indeed, but not unheard of. You're just special, is all. Special, indeed. She felt lucky...to be so close to somebody. Despite their age difference, she wondered briefly if they'd get along as...something more. The thought caused a light blush to cross her cheeks, as well. The beginnings of a wave rolled by them, picking her up off the sea floor and pushing her towards him. She flailed a little but the tide ended up putting her right up against him.

Her hand landed on his bare chest as the current stopped pushing her and her blush deepened. She looked at him silently, she could feel his pulse beneath her fingertips. She was still for a long moment, and for a split second, it felt as though the rest of the world was fading away as her eyes stared into his.​

The kiss seemed easy, almost too easy. Nessie's pulse picked up a little and her eyes slid closed, a hand coming up to the side of his face as she returned his kiss willingly. It felt like the world had just suddenly come to a halt, the noises around her faded from existence, and it was just...him and her and nothing else. It was a new sensation. She'd never had this experience before in all her years of living.

Then he pulled away, and things started to move again. The cry of a flock of gulls as they flew overhead, his voice in her ears, the feeling of the water around them, and the midday sun beating down from above...she dropped her hand from his face and tried to comprehend what he was saying, but by the time she'd caught up, he was already gone.

Nessie watched him go in silence. She bit her lip, collected herself, and went to lay out on the beach and try to sort things out for a while. By the time evening came, she packed up her things and headed back home...wondering when she would see him again.​