I FINALLY FINISHED THESE AAAAAAA 😭💕💕
I kept imagining this little scenario where Salem just… quietly disappeared one afternoon because he knew Cordelia usually spent her free time swimming around the lake.
So instead of calling for her or throwing rocks into the water or anything, he just sat on the pier and waited.
Because if she was nearby…
…she’d find him eventually.
She’s just swimming around collecting pretty shells when she suddenly looks up and—
Like she immediately swims over because HER HUMAN CAME TO VISIT HER.
She rests her arms on the edge of the pier and starts talking a mile a minute about literally everything she’s seen that day.
“The fish are nesting over there!! AND I FOUND A REALLY PRETTY STONE!! Oh! And I think one of the frogs likes me now!!”
Meanwhile Salem’s just listening with that little tiny smile he gets whenever she’s excited.
Then Cordelia suddenly gets the brightest idea.
“…Do you wanna come see? 😄”
“…I can’t breathe underwater.”
Cue Salem getting absolutely YANKED into the lake before he can process what she means.
She gives him the merfolk blessing—the little magical kiss that lets surface folk breathe beneath the water—and the SECOND he realizes he isn’t drowning…
She’s already grabbed his hand.
And she’s practically dragging him through the lake like an overexcited tour guide.
“THIS IS MY FAVORITE ROCK!!”
“And THAT’S where the turtles sleep!!”
“OH!! THAT EEL IS GRUMPY DON’T GO NEAR HIM.”
Salem doesn’t even realize how deep they’ve gone because he’s too busy watching her.
Watching how comfortable she is.
How much brighter she looks underwater.
How she’s completely in her element.
And I think that moment would mean so much to Cordelia because…
Nobody’s ever really entered her world before.
She’s always the one coming onto land.
She’s always the one adapting.
Someone wanted to see where she belonged.
And I just KNOW she’d treasure that forever.
This one makes me laugh because this is literally just…
Cordelia being Cordelia. 😭
I don’t think she has any concept of “too many kisses.”
She’ll see Salem after not seeing him for, like…
“Oh! Your hair looks nice today.”
“I found a really pretty shell.”
Poor Salem is just standing there while she absolutely litters his face with lipstick marks.
He’s got one on his cheek.
He just accepts his fate.
And the BEST PART is that he doesn’t wipe them off.
He forgets they’re even there.
He’ll go the entire day attending classes looking completely composed while everyone else is trying not to laugh because there are lipstick prints ALL OVER HIM.
He pulls out a little mirror.
Sees approximately twelve lipstick marks.
Doesn’t even look embarrassed.
Just quietly smiles to himself.
And puts the mirror away.
UNTIL THEY NATURALLY FADE.
Meanwhile Cordelia is blissfully unaware because to her…
Of course she kissed him.
I’m so sorry for the late reply, but this is so touching 😭 the amazing art, bc just look hpw beautiful they are together! I can never thank you enough for drawing my boy so handsome, and ofc baby Deliah is a beauty as always (move, Salem, she is mine 😭)! Thank you thank you thank you, I love them and look at them and I am going to just go and scream in the corner bc they are amazing together!
Kiss him good, Cordelia, he deserves it!
