It's hard to imagine the difficulties Myca would've faced with his inability to really communicate with people effectively. He doesn't yet know that Myca had to learn about the whole human world on his own, but even the smallest of things have an added difficulty when there's such a huge language barrier. He doesn't think Myca is human but that's not an assumption he really wants to make. If Myca is human, then asking him if he's something else could potentially point toward Aqua, himself, being something other than human. Sure, he's not really doing much to hide the fact that he isn't human, but he's not trying to advertise it either. He just doesn't know how this place operates and what words to use to make himself fit in. He should've paid more attention those few other times he's come to the surface. He should've listened closer and watched what they did. But it seems he has Myca to help him with that, at least.
Aqua keeps his hands as flat as he can and walks especially carefully when Myca hands over his precious food. Myca is trusting him with this and he will protect it as best he can. Which also means staring at the food as he walks, glancing away periodically just to make sure he's not going to walk into anyone or anything. "Oh! Oh that makes sense. That's probably why I keep hearing so many voices coming from the phone. They're talking to other humans." It doesn't escape Aqua's notice that Myca refers to them as 'human' as well instead of 'person'. Aqua knows that 'person' and 'people' is what they call each other but he doesn't like using it (even if it is probably a word that would help him to fit in. But is it really that strange of a world for him to use? He doesn't think so). He's not one of them and it sort of feels like a word that's not his to use. It would be like hearing humans calling him by what he and the rest of his herd call themselves instead of humans just saying 'seal' (or 'selkie' if they know a little too much). It's not right. Is that why Myca is referring to them that way too?
Yes, it's dangerous for non-human creatures to advertise that they are, in fact, not human. Myca hasn't experienced it much personally as he's done all he can to blend in among humans: contacts to hide his inhuman eyes, high collars and hairstyles to mask his gills. They gills he knew to hide right away. His eyes took longer. But he fits in at a glance now and that's what matters.
They communicate that way often. Sometimes they live very far apart and that's the only way they can communicate.
He couldn't imagine that for himself. He, a thing without a voice. Or rather, a thing with a dangerous voice. Even these very modern people in little peril of being lured by a siren's call still reference it. He's heard and read it.
Myca does pass for human at a glance. He's certainly making Aqua question whether he's really understanding human or something else entirely. Which is actually a little difficult to deal with for the selkie. He wants to be able to ask more pointed questions, or make certain comments but without knowing a little more about Myca, he can't. And maybe Myca is thinking the same of him. Appearance-wise, Aqua has never had an issue passing for human. To look at him, most would think that's exactly what he is. It's in speaking to him where things start to fall apart a little. People wouldn't necessarily peg him as something different, but they'd likely see him as rather strange. Gaps in his knowledge where there shouldn't be and the like. But Myca doesn't seem to mind. He's been very helpful without question and is working around the things that Aqua doesn't know.
Human or not, maybe they're both just a little odd.
Aqua wrinkles his nose at Myca's response. "Why would they live so far apart?" He lives with everyone he knows and can't imagine it any other way. Even now with him on the surface, his loved ones aren't that far away. He always knew things were different up here, but he didn't know they were that different. Living far enough away from your people to need to talk to them on one of those phones. It sounds lonely.
"No, I just-" Pulled himself out of the ocean to temporarily join human society to see what all the fuss is about. He shakes his head. "No, I don't have one. Where do they come from?"
It's been hard for Myca living away from his sisters. There are times, very late at night when the beach is quiet, that he swears he can hear them singing in the distance. Do they miss him? Did they mourn him? Do they think him dead? He wonders sometimes. And sometimes, he knows it's just his imagination that brings those familiar voices to the shore with the waves.
If you're going to spend any significant amount of time on land, we should get one for you.
He could at least let Myca know when he's visiting. It could be something similar to what the siren has: one of those pay as you go deals.
Aqua nods his head enthusiastically. They're very strange indeed. He's been gone only a short while and he already desperately wants to go back and surround himself with his loved ones. He would never dream of living so far from them that he'd need some kind of weird device just to hear their voices. This isn't even the longest he's been out of the ocean but he already longs to go back. Maybe it's all this talk of such long distances between humans that's putting that intense feeling in him.
Suddenly, Aqua stops walking and turns toward the ocean. He should steer Myca away from thinking he's not something that lives on land to keep up the charade that he might be human for as long as possible, but that's not really the part of Myca's statement that Aqua really latched on to. It's the 'significant amount of time' part that really got him. He's never been away from home for very long before. Should he just call this off? Exploration and adventure over?
Aqua shakes away the thoughts and turns his attention back to Myca. "What would I use it for? Everyone I know is nearby."
A warm smile touches his lips. Humans are very strange mammals. That's very true. Somewhere along the lines in their evolution, they seemed to have lost (or suppressed?) their need to be communal animals. So strange. But also interesting!
If you wanted to see me again. You could use it to let me know when you're at the beach.
Edited (small typo) 2024-07-28 21:00 (UTC)
every time you mention typo, i go back to the original notif in my inbox and look for it LMFAO
They live far away from their loved ones, yet they often gather in groups. Whenever Aqua has seen fit to pull himself ashore, or whenever he's poked his head above the surface of the water and looked toward the beach, he's so rarely seen humans sitting alone. There's the odd one dotted here and there, but mostly it's groups large and small.
Living alone but coming together as groups for other tasks. Strange creatures. Aqua doesn't get it. He doesn't really want to get it either.
"I do want to see you again!" He's been so nice. And interesting and helpful and not at all put off or judgmental about Aqua stumbling his way through the strange, human way of doing things. Whether he knows he's being non-judgmental with something not human or not (though he suspects that Myca knows... something). "So you can show me where to get one?"
They are very different from the sorts of creatures Myca's always been around. Perhaps that makes his loneliness sharper. Perhaps that's what makes him so eager to make this new friend, who smells like sea salt and acts so new to life above the waves. Maybe Myca's projecting something he misses onto Aqua, but... maybe he's not wrong that he's something other than human.
It will cost human money. But we can trade for it. I will get it for you today if you promise to tell me whenever you visit this beach.
having a way to check the answer after i've gone hunting for the typo would not be unwelcome!! LMFAO
Maybe Myca is simply projecting something he misses onto Aqua. Maybe Aqua is nothing more than a strange young man that lead an incredibly sheltered life. Sheltered enough that he knows virtually nothing of the world around him. Or maybe he's not wrong, and Aqua really is something other than human. It could simply be that Aqua is, indeed, a creature who just crawled out of the ocean. Something here to unknowingly help ward off just a bit of Myca's loneliness.
When Myca calls money 'human money', Aqua practically vibrates. He wants so badly to ask Myca if he's also something other than human. Maybe he's a selkie too and they don't need to hide it from each other. But it's dangerous to ask those kinds of questions. They risk outing someone who doesn't want to be outed. They risk outing Aqua too.
"I promise. I promise to tell you every single time I'm at the beach. And I can bring you beautiful rocks and seashells and I'm really good at catching fish if you like those and, um, I don't know what else. But please can I have one of those phones?" As though Myca didn't already say he would do it based on a single condition that Aqua quickly agreed to.
Myca laughs silently at Aqua's enthusiasm. The little selkie is absolutely adorable. Not unlike how Myca was when he first came to shore. It's admirable for anything who lives in the sea to swallow back its natural fears to explore the land.
I like all of those things very much. But you're never obligated to bring me anything.
You'll need a safe, dry place for your phone. It don't work if it gets wets.
It's terrifying and exciting, being on land and venturing further in than just the beach. Striking out on his own (as though he isn't still close enough to take a few dozen steps and bury his feet in the sand, or take a few dozen more and jump into the ocean) and being so brave. There's so many new sights and sounds and smells and it's all so overwhelming and it would be so easy to run back into the ocean but his curiosity is winning out over everything else.
It's hard to explain just how big of a difference it is, especially given he's been on land before. But he was always here as a seal. He rarely shed his pelt and walked around as a human, and even on the occasions that he did, it was always still at the water's edge, hovering near where he'd hidden his pelt. If only he knew that Myca understood.
"No I want to! I want you bring you things. You're doing something really nice for me and I want to do something nice for you too. Lots of nice things." He blinks curiously a Myca, and then nods his head enthusiastically. "I have a safe, dry place! It won't get wet at all. I'll take really good care of it, I promise."
Edited (thought of a little more to add right after i sent it lmao oops ) 2024-11-02 12:59 (UTC)
If anyone could understand, it might be someone like Myca. Someone who also left the sea for land. Though, unlike Aqua, he's not here just for a day to explore. No, Myca can never go back to the sea. It calls to him, his sisters call to him. But he knows if he gets too close, he'll never be able to resist going back out to sea with the tide... and watching everyone who tries to love him die.
So maybe he doesn't understand how different the world even just some steps from the beach feels for Aqua. Myca knew he'd never go back, that he was leaving one home to make another.
Okay. As long as you know you don't have to bring me things. I'll accept anything you give me.
Treasure them, even. Because chances are anything Aqua brings him will come from the sea. Their beloved sea.
There's a shop just across the street we can get a phone from. Will you come with me?
Someone who understands, but doesn't quite understand. Someone whose situation is the same but vastly different. Their similarities practically overlap, but their differences are quite significant. Myca purposefully banished himself to a life on land and Aqua will slip back under the waves tonight. Or tomorrow. Or two days from now. Whenever it is that he misses his true home, he can go back. Whenever it is that things on land get to be a little too overwhelming for him, he'll simply go back to the ocean.
Aqua is a guest and Myca is home.
"Don't worry. I know I don't have to." Everything Aqua brings will be from the ocean. As lovely as things on land have been, nothing compares to the ocean. Nothing at all can compare to the beautiful, wondrous things from there. And Aqua's sweet new friend deserves the most beautiful things Aqua can find for him.
At the mention of the street (a word he's familiar enough with. He's heard humans talking about it and saw them pointing to it even just today), Aqua turns to look at it. And more importantly, at the vehicles moving up and down it. The street is close enough to one of his favourite beaches that the sounds no longer startle him quite so much (minus the loud honking noises they make. That still gets him) but he doesn't like the idea of going out there with the cars. That seems dangerous, and a little terrifying.
Aqua follows Myca's hand, looking toward the crosswalk and his eyes grow wide and he quickly shakes his head. That looks no more safe that crossing right where they are. There are still cars driving up and down the street there too. He doesn't understand how that spot is supposed to be any safer. Even as he shakes his head though, he reaches out to grab Myca's hand.
Typing on his phone becomes a little harder with one hand, but he manages. There's a signal that will make it safe for us to cross. The cars will stop.
Aqua squeeze Myca's hand tightly and wraps his arm around the arm of his friend. Even with Myca's reassurance, he clearly doesn't feel all that great about this crossing the street thing. He trusts Myca to not lead him astray (it helps that anything that happens to Aqua upon crossing would happen to Myca too, given the way the selkie is wrapping himself around him. An unintentional way of assuring his own safety) but he's still nervous about it. "The signal makes them stop? Are you sure?"
He's lived on land for a while, so he's no longer afraid of everyday things like traffic and crossing streets. It wasn't always that way. And, unlike Aqua, Myca didn't have anyone to help him.
Aqua looks toward the traffic lights then at the traffic itself. His eyes are wide and his face pales as he watches all of the vehicles pass. They're loud and fast! And they're so big. How could they possibly stop in time to keep from hitting him and Myca, even with the light that makes them stop? And how does it make them stop? He steps in closer to Myca, pressing tightly against his side. Despite his fears, despite all of his questions, he nods his head.
Watch the light across from us. It's red now to tell us it's unsafe to walk across. But when it turns green, the cars will stop and we'll be safe to cross.
And, of course, Myca will be there to guide him across. To check to make sure the cars have stopped before he steps them out into the street. In just a moment more, the traffic begins to slow and does, in fact, come to a halt. Just in time for the crossing signal Myca indicated to turn green and beep for them to cross. Myca checked the traffic in both directions, then stepped out, nudging Aqua to come along with him.
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marothius2024-06-14 04:07 am
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Aqua keeps his hands as flat as he can and walks especially carefully when Myca hands over his precious food. Myca is trusting him with this and he will protect it as best he can. Which also means staring at the food as he walks, glancing away periodically just to make sure he's not going to walk into anyone or anything. "Oh! Oh that makes sense. That's probably why I keep hearing so many voices coming from the phone. They're talking to other humans." It doesn't escape Aqua's notice that Myca refers to them as 'human' as well instead of 'person'. Aqua knows that 'person' and 'people' is what they call each other but he doesn't like using it (even if it is probably a word that would help him to fit in. But is it really that strange of a world for him to use? He doesn't think so). He's not one of them and it sort of feels like a word that's not his to use. It would be like hearing humans calling him by what he and the rest of his herd call themselves instead of humans just saying 'seal' (or 'selkie' if they know a little too much). It's not right. Is that why Myca is referring to them that way too?
no subject
They communicate that way often. Sometimes they live very far apart and that's the only way they can communicate.
He couldn't imagine that for himself. He, a thing without a voice. Or rather, a thing with a dangerous voice. Even these very modern people in little peril of being lured by a siren's call still reference it. He's heard and read it.
Do you have a phone?
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Human or not, maybe they're both just a little odd.
Aqua wrinkles his nose at Myca's response. "Why would they live so far apart?" He lives with everyone he knows and can't imagine it any other way. Even now with him on the surface, his loved ones aren't that far away. He always knew things were different up here, but he didn't know they were that different. Living far enough away from your people to need to talk to them on one of those phones. It sounds lonely.
"No, I just-" Pulled himself out of the ocean to temporarily join human society to see what all the fuss is about. He shakes his head. "No, I don't have one. Where do they come from?"
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It's been hard for Myca living away from his sisters. There are times, very late at night when the beach is quiet, that he swears he can hear them singing in the distance. Do they miss him? Did they mourn him? Do they think him dead? He wonders sometimes. And sometimes, he knows it's just his imagination that brings those familiar voices to the shore with the waves.
If you're going to spend any significant amount of time on land, we should get one for you.
He could at least let Myca know when he's visiting. It could be something similar to what the siren has: one of those pay as you go deals.
no subject
Suddenly, Aqua stops walking and turns toward the ocean. He should steer Myca away from thinking he's not something that lives on land to keep up the charade that he might be human for as long as possible, but that's not really the part of Myca's statement that Aqua really latched on to. It's the 'significant amount of time' part that really got him. He's never been away from home for very long before. Should he just call this off? Exploration and adventure over?
Aqua shakes away the thoughts and turns his attention back to Myca. "What would I use it for? Everyone I know is nearby."
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If you wanted to see me again. You could use it to let me know when you're at the beach.
every time you mention typo, i go back to the original notif in my inbox and look for it LMFAO
Living alone but coming together as groups for other tasks. Strange creatures. Aqua doesn't get it. He doesn't really want to get it either.
"I do want to see you again!" He's been so nice. And interesting and helpful and not at all put off or judgmental about Aqua stumbling his way through the strange, human way of doing things. Whether he knows he's being non-judgmental with something not human or not (though he suspects that Myca knows... something). "So you can show me where to get one?"
I can tell you exactly what it is lol
It will cost human money. But we can trade for it. I will get it for you today if you promise to tell me whenever you visit this beach.
having a way to check the answer after i've gone hunting for the typo would not be unwelcome!! LMFAO
When Myca calls money 'human money', Aqua practically vibrates. He wants so badly to ask Myca if he's also something other than human. Maybe he's a selkie too and they don't need to hide it from each other. But it's dangerous to ask those kinds of questions. They risk outing someone who doesn't want to be outed. They risk outing Aqua too.
"I promise. I promise to tell you every single time I'm at the beach. And I can bring you beautiful rocks and seashells and I'm really good at catching fish if you like those and, um, I don't know what else. But please can I have one of those phones?" As though Myca didn't already say he would do it based on a single condition that Aqua quickly agreed to.
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I like all of those things very much. But you're never obligated to bring me anything.
You'll need a safe, dry place for your phone. It don't work if it gets wets.
no subject
It's hard to explain just how big of a difference it is, especially given he's been on land before. But he was always here as a seal. He rarely shed his pelt and walked around as a human, and even on the occasions that he did, it was always still at the water's edge, hovering near where he'd hidden his pelt. If only he knew that Myca understood.
"No I want to! I want you bring you things. You're doing something really nice for me and I want to do something nice for you too. Lots of nice things." He blinks curiously a Myca, and then nods his head enthusiastically. "I have a safe, dry place! It won't get wet at all. I'll take really good care of it, I promise."
no subject
So maybe he doesn't understand how different the world even just some steps from the beach feels for Aqua. Myca knew he'd never go back, that he was leaving one home to make another.
Okay. As long as you know you don't have to bring me things. I'll accept anything you give me.
Treasure them, even. Because chances are anything Aqua brings him will come from the sea. Their beloved sea.
There's a shop just across the street we can get a phone from. Will you come with me?
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Aqua is a guest and Myca is home.
"Don't worry. I know I don't have to." Everything Aqua brings will be from the ocean. As lovely as things on land have been, nothing compares to the ocean. Nothing at all can compare to the beautiful, wondrous things from there. And Aqua's sweet new friend deserves the most beautiful things Aqua can find for him.
At the mention of the street (a word he's familiar enough with. He's heard humans talking about it and saw them pointing to it even just today), Aqua turns to look at it. And more importantly, at the vehicles moving up and down it. The street is close enough to one of his favourite beaches that the sounds no longer startle him quite so much (minus the loud honking noises they make. That still gets him) but he doesn't like the idea of going out there with the cars. That seems dangerous, and a little terrifying.
"Can't we stay on this side?"
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Myca points ahead to a traffic signal with a crosswalk. Then he gives an encouraging smile.
I can hold your hand if it helps.
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"That doesn't look safe either."
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He's lived on land for a while, so he's no longer afraid of everyday things like traffic and crossing streets. It wasn't always that way. And, unlike Aqua, Myca didn't have anyone to help him.
Will you trust me?
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"I'll trust you."
no subject
And, of course, Myca will be there to guide him across. To check to make sure the cars have stopped before he steps them out into the street. In just a moment more, the traffic begins to slow and does, in fact, come to a halt. Just in time for the crossing signal Myca indicated to turn green and beep for them to cross. Myca checked the traffic in both directions, then stepped out, nudging Aqua to come along with him.