who: @baashirdayne setting: following some days from their big argument regarding his late arrival home and some home truths regarding starfall not feeling like home, myriam allyrion is able to pinpoint her husband on starfall's private beach. context: its turtle hatching day where the baby turtles run back to the ocean.
the beach was quiet, the rhythmic crashing of the waves soothing the tension that had gripped starfall for the past few days. myriam moved silently across the soft sand, her bare feet barely leaving a mark as she approached her husband's distant figure. baashir stood by the water’s edge, eyes fixed on the delicate hatchlings making their way toward the ocean. the baby turtles, small and fragile, instinctively moved towards the water, their tiny bodies carving paths in the sand, destined for the vast, waiting sea. myriam’s crimson chiffon saree fluttered lightly in the breeze, the fabric shifting with the motion of the wind.
her dark hair hung loose, cascading over her shoulders, a stark contrast against the golden sand beneath her. the black bindi on her forehead was a silent mark of strength, a quiet defiance of tradition.
she didn’t need to announce her presence for baashir to feel her, but still, there was a hesitation in her step. the argument between them still lingered, heavy in the air like the saltwater mist that clung to her skin; whilst they had continued to push through their days, it were clear they had been walking on thin lines. multiple times she had opened her mouth to say something and found no words; and she had noticed him do the same. the atmosphere was not one of anger, or resentment; but the quiet, the feeling of being on edge, was something she would try to also give to the waves this afternoon.
myriam settled herself onto the sand a few feet behind her husband's figure, her arms resting backward as though to settle herself, her gaze drifting to the tiny turtles as they fought against the surf and then back to him. the sight was calming, but it didn’t quell the ache she felt inside; still, the warmth of the sun upon her helped her feel at ease. as though things would end up being okay.
“i come in peace,” she said, her voice a noise that carried over the sound of the waves, as though testing the waters between them. she was keeping her focus on the hatchlings, watching their clumsy, determined journey toward the waves. a beat of silence passed before she sighed softly, her body sinking slightly into the sand as she shifted; she cared not for it getting onto her skin, or into her hair. and she waited to listen; to really listen. to try and listen to what was between the lines.
myriam paused, her voice thick with unspoken words. “do they all make it to the ocean?” she had never been one to share her vulnerability easily, but this... this was different. there was no pride or bravado here, just the raw, unfiltered need for him to understand. she was desperate to do it correctly this time; perhaps they had dived into taking their vows for life had stirred in her womb, and he was the only man she had been with in that time. but they needed to make it work; to find a way to talk.
she then noticed one seemed to be stuck, turned upside down; she flickered her gaze toward bash, uncertain in what to do. "do i-?" she began to ask, before she saw him move.