never had the siren though she'd find herself in such a predicament, completely swept away from everything she'd ever known; lost to the world she knew, the life she led, the people she'd grown to care for with no real solution on how to return. never did she expect to wake up after being completely knocked out and washed ashore by the very waves she once found solace in. and she never expected to see such a face peering over her, curious and filled with concern. in that moment, she'd felt an immense sense of distrust and fear, having backed away from the man who had very clearly rescued her from a possible demise. but now sawyer was starting to feel less and less urgency to return home.
less urgency to leave him.
soren had taken her in, kept her hidden and safe from the prying eyes of other humans. a safety that she knew was necessary for her survival. sirens weren't unfamiliar to humans; their greed, their violence, their undeniable and unwavering need for power and knowledge. it was why her kind kept to themselves, only ever feeding on them when it became beyond necessary or was easy. yes, she was an apex predator in her own right, but every beast of the sea was wary of the wooden hulls of ships that glided across the surface of the water and how nets often lingered not too far behind them.
unfortunately, sawyer had always been curious, chasing after ships and, instead of being adverse to their presence, seemed to fall under a similar spell that her own kind bestowed upon others. all the small siren ever wanted was to know more, to understand why those who could not survive within the ocean depths desired so greatly to become a part of it in whatever way they could. how blind she was to her own folly, her own dangerous curiosity. it was because of such curiousness that she began to trust her saviour, a trust that began to grow into something much, much more.
besides, staying close to him finally allowed her to indulge in that interest in humans, and how could she pass that up?
more often than not, sawyer was oblivious to just how dumbfounded and giddy she was whenever soren mentioned something new. even through their language barrier, they still managed to communicate, almost as though there was a deeper understanding between the two of them that sawyer was beginning to crave more and more as time went on. not only was he her gateway into the world of humans, but to the new sensation of connection that began to burrow itself deeper and deeper into her very being.
for the first time since they'd met, soren felt comfortable enough to take her out of their small, cozy bubble that was his lighthouse and out into the world. the first time sawyer would be in the presence of other humans, she'd been given a small pep talk as to how to behave, large, doe eyes wide and simply looking over his face while nodding in understanding as he managed to explain to her that giving away her identity could lead to danger.
the car ride had been exhilarating, climbing into the passenger seat before taking a good minute or so trying to figure out the seatbelt situation. only after fumbling with the contraption and growing ever more frustrated did soren step in, adjusting the belt and clicking it into place for her before the locomotive began to move. all that frustration immediately melted away when she realized just how fast they were going, how the landscape began to whizz by them at a rate she could have only ever dreamed of. yes, her speed in the water was quick, but never had she experienced anything quite like that. hands pressed to the glass, she leaned her face forward, wordlessly showing excitement in the way her body moved, giddy in nature as she turned her head to face soren as her fingers pointed to sights she found too compelling to ignore.
by the time they reached the marketplace, all that excitement began to morph into a newfound sense of anxiety and overwhelm, immediately taking the sailor's hand in her own before she moved close and wrapped her free arm around his, pressing her side against him. hazel gaze continued to scan her surroundings, though her hold on soren remained true as he lead her down and around the stands and boutiques that lined the walkways. she knew they were there for her, to find clothes that actually fit her, and sawyer did her best to keep that focus in mind as that anxiousness began to fade away into that all too familiar curiosity.
shopping had been far more fun than she had anticipated, finding entertainment in trying on different dresses. time after time, she came out of the dressing room, only to realize the reason she enjoyed it so much was the fact that she was able to see the way the sailor reacted, the red flush of his cheeks almost as addicting as her thirst for knowledge. and by the time they'd made the decision on which dresses they'd purchase, the craving to see more of that had become almost too much for her to hide.
as if the universe knew of her struggle to keep her feelings at bay, while soren paid for their small haul, sawyer watched an exchange between two people that had her entranced. it was a man and a woman, a playful aura surrounding them as the woman pointed to her cheek first, simply saying the word 'kiss' before the man pressed his lips there. the woman repeated that same request, pressing her finger to her lips while once again asking for a kiss. it was as if it were some sort of magic word, watching as the man did as she asked, pressing his lips to hers without hesitation.
only the sound of soren's voice pulled her from her trance, easily following after him as he gestured that it was time to head back.
the whole way home, sawyer couldn't stop thinking about what she'd witnessed, fingers absentmindedly pressing to her lips as she peered out the window. even as they made their way back into the lighthouse and started to settle back into the environment they were both used to, sawyer seemed almost completely enchanted by the notion of a 'kiss', gently murmuring it beneath her breath.
just as it always did, his voice drew her back to reality, peering up towards him as he asked what had her so preoccupied. there was very little hesitation, genuine innocence laced within her tone as she lifted her hand to her lips, finger pressing against her lower one before speaking, ā kiss. ā no, the concept of kissing wasn't foreign to her, she'd just never heard the mortal word for it; and now that she had, it was all she wanted to ask of him.
she didn't move from where she stood, simply keeping her attention on him with the crippling hope that he'd not only understand but want the same.