Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 6, 2021 23:53:22 GMT -5
Orpheus looked down at the water, letting his hand fall into it and wave around for a little bit before he withdrew it back into the boat. It was dangerous, yes, but swimming was more dangerous. Orpheus shuddered a little bit at the memory of the stories he and the other children had been told when they asked why they couldnโt go play in the water. โThe shallows arenโt safe, either,โ Orpheus replied after a moment, not looking away from L. โI meanโฆ at least in the stories. I donโt know how close you really come to the shore, butโฆ the war was started before we had the weapons to effectively fight you. We didnโt have any long range weapons, so you could come as close as you want to take children who were swimming in the shallow water. You could take adults, too, provided they werenโt armed. I thinkโฆ at one point, the people in the village decided it would be safer not to learn to swim at all, because so many people had been drowning while learning or justโฆ playing. And I think everyone who remembered how to swim died, so now itโs not like thereโs anyone who can teach it.โ Orpheus gave a small shrug. โI donโt know if thatโs the truth, butโฆ thatโs what weโve always been told. Not that thereโs nobody who can teach it, butโฆ we all know itโs true. So we take that risk when we go out in boats. If we donโtโฆ then we starve. I donโt think weโre as powerful as your people think we are.โ Orpheus gave a small sigh, relaxing against the side of the boat and shifting his head so he could better see L. โItโs always seemed rather scary. I think Iโd probably just sink if I tried it.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 7, 2021 0:11:12 GMT -5
L went quiet, looking away as Orpheus spoke. That made sense, he knew. They had nothing to fear from humans if there were no good weapons to be used against them. The spears had come later. Whichโฆmeant that it would have been hard for the humans to have started this war. L wished he could say there was no way menfolk had started it by attacking for no reason. But he couldnโt say it was impossible. He knew how much they hated humans. Had that come before or after the start of the war? Had it been provoked? Or had it just been an attack? No one knew what had happened, anymore. Everything was speculation, nothing more. โI hate the war,โ he murmured after a moment, looking away. He knew there were bad people in the world. Bad enough to have started this? He had no doubt. โI canโt imagine being afraid of the water,โ he added, pulling his thoughts back. โItโs justโฆeverywhere. I canโt really imagine not being in it. But I do think you could swim if you learned how, and that would make you safer, overall.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 7, 2021 0:25:26 GMT -5
Just because there hadnโt been spears didnโt mean there werenโt suitable weapons to hurt merfolk with. There were people who were good enough at throwing knives that Orpheus had no doubt there were a fair number of merfolk who had been killed by knife. In fact, humans who killed by knife were often regarded as some of the more skilled, as it took more precision. A sick feeling built up in the pit of Orpheusโ stomach. Over the past however long, one of the core traditions of the village had been built around the war. You werenโt truly a man unless you had gone on your first fishing trip and brought a merperson back as a prize. Orpheus wasnโt a man by that definition. He wasnโt a man by other definitions either, but the village didnโt care about the definitions he used for himself. They just cared about the one he was supposed to be going by. The coming-of-age ritual he had refused to even participate in. How long had the war been going on that it was such an integral part of their culture? โI hate the war, too,โ Orpheus murmured, shaking his head and staring into the water. โI really think we could both be more whole without it there dividing us. I thinkโฆ I think we could be helping each other instead of tearing each other down, butโฆ I know thatโs not how it works.โ He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. โI donโt disagree,โ he managed, hazel eyes lifting to meet black, โbut thereโs nobody to teach me how to swim.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 7, 2021 1:01:44 GMT -5
L knew both sides had claimed too many lives in this war. He hated it. He didnโt want to think about people Ike him being hunted for fun, or people like Orpheus being grabbed and dragged away to die. It was horrible. It was horrible and L hated it, every part of it. He had known it for a while, but he hadnโt thought there was anything they could doโฆhe had never thought he would meet a human with a plan to make it better, of all things. But he had, and here they were. Trusting each other. Knowing they could kill each other if they chose. L would have an easily time of it for obvious reasons, butโฆif Orpheus had wanted to kill L, all heโd have needed for do was to bring a weapon and stab L before he could react. The war had affected Lโs world, too. The ritual wasnโt exactly the same, butโฆit was close. He just didnโt know humans had anything like it. He hesitated. If Orpheus refusedโฆhe wouldnโt be hurt. He would understand. It was only fair, not to trust someone in the enemy side with your life, when you barely even know each other. And L wasnโt even human, who was he to think he even could help? โI could try to teach you to swim,โ he said after a moment, eyes wide as he held Orpheusโ gaze. โIfโฆif you would like to learn. And would like me to teach you. You wouldnโt have to, of course. If you would rather not. I just thinkโฆit would be a lot safer for you.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 7, 2021 1:09:03 GMT -5
Orpheus was thinking about the war, too. It was hard to avoid thoughts of it when it pervaded every aspect of life. The way human society worked was built at least partially around their relationship with the merfolk. Humans couldnโt survive without the resources they got from fishing, and fishing was a risk no matter where they tried to do it. If they only fished in the shallows, they would overfish the shallows. If they tried to hunt beyond the shallows, the odds were good they would be killed. There was a reason there was such a short life expectancy in the village. If you werenโt killed by merfolk when you were young, there was a chance that you could die of grief when your children were taken by the war. There wasnโt a single person whose life hadnโt been profoundly impacted. It felt a little bit like Orpheus imagined being stabbed would feel like. They lived in a cruel world. Those taken by the war would never, ever come back. โYouโฆ would do that?โ Orpheus gasped, thrown almost immediately out of his thoughts by Lโs offer. He looked over the boat, eyes straining to try to see the bottom. They werenโt in a shallow area. Orpheusโ feet wouldnโt be able to reach the ground, which wasโฆ inevitable. If they were closer to shore, L would be a big target. If they were caught here by merfolk, L could just pretend to be in the process of drowning Orpheus. If they were caught in the shallows by humans, nobody would believe that L was in the process of trying to kill a merperson, especially if he was in the water with L. โI thinkโฆ I would like that. I guess it would be safer, andโฆ Iโve always thought it would be interesting. I donโt know that Iโll be very good at it, though.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 10, 2021 22:26:48 GMT -5
The war had invaded every aspect of life, human and merfolk alike. Human custom and traditions were colored by it, and so were merfolk customs and traditions. The war was such a huge part of everyoneโs lives, was it any wonder some people seemed almost afraid of it ending? A world without the war was almost unimaginable, especially for everyone who had never even spoken to someone on the other side of it. Which was almost everyone, and not counting shouted curses and insults, probably everyone but the two of them. Unless there were others like them, but that seemedโฆunlikely. It wasnโt as though a situation like that would happen very often, and it wasnโt as though L thought most humans were like Orpheus. If they were, there wouldnโt be a war in the first place. โAs long as youโre comfortable with it,โ he replied, eyes widening a little as he heard the reply. As Orpheus actually seemed to be considering it. He hadnโt expected that. He hadnโt expected it to be a real option. But he had meant it. โWeโd need to be careful,โ he added. โIf anyone saw me, theyโd expect me to kill you, and probably kill you for me when I didnโt do it. Also, I can rescue you if anything does go wrong, but Iโm not very familiar with humans and how they can cope with things, so youโll have to be completely honest with me about anything that doesnโt feel right. I suppose you wonโt be able to go under at all, will you? Do you know how long approximately it would take you to die if you went under? So I have a time frame of some sort, in case I drop you.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 12, 2021 1:28:18 GMT -5
The war was going to take a lot to end. Orpheus knew that it wasnโt going to be as easy as asking both sides to stop fighting. There were a lot of feelings mixed up in it. There were a lot of people who thought the war was justified. There were a lot of people who were probably right. If you were allowed to take a life to avenge a life you cared aboutโฆ then either the merfolk or the humans were going to die out. Nobody was innocent. There were no civilians who hadnโt had a part in it. This wasnโt a war that was fought far away. This wasnโt a war that could be ignored and forgotten about, like wars that happened far from home. โIโฆ I think Iโm comfortable with it,โ Orpheus replied after a moment, eyes wide as he stared at the water. He could drown here. He had no idea how far down it was, butโฆ far enough down to kill him if he wasnโt careful. He had never been fully submerged in water except to bathe. Thisโฆ this was nerve-wracking, but in a way that made Orpheus feel just a little bit more alive. He took a deep breath, then lifted his gaze to meet Lโs. โIfโฆ if another merperson sees us, you can drag me down a bit. Just enough to make them think that youโre going to kill me.โ He didnโt know if that would work, butโฆ he didnโt want L to get in trouble. Hopefully, they wouldnโt end up seeing anyone. โI can go under for a little bit. I think I can hold my breath forโฆ maybe a minute? Iโve never actually timed it.โ He frowned a little bit, letting his hand trail into the water. โDo people come by here a lot? I meanโฆ are we likely to be seen?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 20, 2021 6:16:36 GMT -5
L thought that the war actually was justified, in a way. Not in any way that made him want to support it, of course, but the truth was that there was cause for vengeance on both sides, and anyone who had lost someone to it had ever right to want justice. The problem was that it was impossible to pursue actual justice, with them both as divided as they were. No one asked the name of the person they were drowning, and there was no way to prove who had killed who, even if there was some unbiased judge who could decide who was guilty of which crime. So everyone coped as best they did, which usually meant they took their own version of revenge and started the cycle all over again. He searched Orpheusโ expression, considering how easy it would be for him to drown him, if he were so inclined. He wasnโt. He had no intention of killing him, butโฆthe implied trust here wasnโt lost on him. Orpheus not only believed L wouldnโt intentionally kill him, he seemed to believe he would make an effort to save him, too, which was entirely different. Plenty of people wouldnโt take steps toward something they would allow without blinking an eye. Orpheus was right. But he had no way of knowing that for sure. โNo, this is a fairly isolated area,โ he replied, shaking his head a litte. His hair was beginning to dry in the sunโฆhe dove down for a moment to soak it again, then re-emerged, looking up at Orpheus. โI think if anyone does come, our best option would be for you to pretend to be dead. If you seem to be alive, most of my people would either try to help me, or take over to steal the glory. If you seem to be already dead, most will either ignore me or congratulate me and move on.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 21, 2021 19:14:15 GMT -5
Orpheus wished there was a way to get justice for the people who had died. He understood why people killed. It was impossible not to understand. Everyone in the village knew people who had died, and Orpheus had no doubt that every merperson knew someone who had been killed by humans, too. The only way to get justice was to make sure that nobody else died. It wasโฆ not justice, exactly. It was just the best way that Orpheus knew of to honor the people who had died. If he could look his father in the eye and say โI would like to honor your memory by making sure that nobody else dies the way you did,โ heโฆ well, he didnโt know if his father would be proud of him, but he had to hope that he would. He couldnโt make either of his parents proud anymore. He could make Mr. Hermes proud, though. There were people who didnโt want to let go of the war. Orpheus didnโt know if Mr. Hermes was one of those people, butโฆ surely an end to the bloodshed was good, right? He took in a deep breath, shaking the thoughts off. He didnโt need to waste his energy on it now. Not in the middle of a conversation. โI can pretend to be dead, probably,โ Orpheus said after a moment, not seeming to understand just how dangerous this could be. He knew, of course. He justโฆ trusted L. He trusted that his new friend would hold him up if he started to think. He trusted that L would be able to protect him if another merperson happened to swim this way. โJuts donโtโฆ drag me too far under, please?โ He took in a breath, then dangled his feet into the water. โAreโฆ you ready for me to come in?โ The water was warmer than he was expecting. Heโฆ didnโt have very many expectations at all, actually. He had never done anything like this.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 22, 2021 1:37:01 GMT -5
It wasnโt fair. The war wasnโt fair, and it wasnโt fair to ask anyone to justโฆlet go of their hunger for justice for those lost. It was a situation L didnโt know how to fixโฆor even if he could fix it. He was almost certain he couldnโt fix it on his own. With Orpheus, thoughโฆwell. Orpheus had managed to convince L that he was a friend already. That was no small accomplishment, under the circumstances. He hoped no one caught them, though he knew they were in no more danger from this than they were from just deciding to talk to each other. If they were caught, as long as no one figured out that L was actively trying to teach a human to swimโฆthe consequences would be the same. Which was probably death, for L at least, and Orpheus too if he didnโt make it back to his own people quick enough. Was it worth the risk? If it had only been them talkingโฆit probably wouldnโt have been. But if they might be able to end the war, then it had to be worth it. That would be worth almost any sacrifice. He took a breath, lifting his arms to prepare himself to catch Orpheus before he gave a small nod. โIโm ready,โ he told him. โWhenever you are.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 24, 2021 20:55:39 GMT -5
Orpheus knew that people deserved some sort of justice for the pain they had been through, but he didnโt think that revenge was the right way to do it. If everyone was allowed to kill the person who had killed their family memberโฆ then both populations would still end up decimated. The war had gone on too long for it to be fixed like that. Orpheus let out a soft breath, instead focusing on the fact that he was getting in the water. He had never been fully submerged in water except when bathing, and that was shallow. Thisโฆ he couldnโt stand in this, though he trusted L to make sure he didnโt drown. Accidents could happen. Other merfolk could appear. Other humans could appear. What if another human stumbled across them? What if they took aim at L and Orpheus drowned because L was hurt? What if they both died? Orpheus pushed the thought away as best he could. If he imagined the worst case scenario, then he wasnโt going to enjoy this. โOkay,โ Orpheus whispered, catching Lโs gaze before he lightly pushed himself away from the boat, his body reacting to the cold water with a shock. He jolted, arms swinging out to try to push himself up to the surface. It was a gut reaction, instinct to try to thrash and stay afloat. โSorry,โ he gasped, water entering his mouth as he tried to speak.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 26, 2021 0:00:30 GMT -5
L waited, tensing in preparation as Orpheus seemed to hesitate at the edge of the boat. It was understandableโฆeven if he did trust L, he had never done anything like this. Had he ever even touched water, except to drink it, and perhaps when he got in and out of the boat? L knew, on some level, about rain, but it wasnโt something heโd ever actually experienced himself, so the thought didnโt occur to him. And it wasnโt as though he understood how humans bathed to get clean, so without the need to swim to stay alive, he couldnโt think of many other occasions humans might have to interact with water. And then Orpheus pushed off and L caught him, the sudden weight pushing him down just a little bit more than heโd planned. He fought to adjust himself, trying to keep Orpheusโ head above water, even as one of Orpheusโ flailing arms nearly hit him in the face. โItโs alright, youโre not drowning,โ he said quickly, trying to calm him as he managed to steady himself enough to hold him up properly. โItโs alright. Itโs only water.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 26, 2021 17:49:46 GMT -5
Orpheus forced his limbs to still, eyes wide as his body seemed to realize that he was okay. He wasnโt drowning. He wasnโt going to drown. Wellโฆ if he kept flailing around he might knock L off balance, and then there was the smallest chance he would drown. It was probably better to eliminate that risk entirely by calming himself down. It wasโฆ nice, now that his body seemed to recognize he wasnโt in concrete danger. The water was colder than he expected, but not in a bad way. It wasโฆ well, it was rather relaxing. Orpheus gave a small smile, letting his hand pass through the water, disturbing a little bit of it and creating a ripple that moved through the water farther than Orpheus had expected. The waves carried them up and down, but no more than it wobbled a boat. It wasnโt nearly as terrifying as Orpheus had anticipated. โWow,โ he whispered, letting his eyes close for just a moment before he turned his face enough to look at L. โI donโtโฆ I guess I donโt know if I really expected anything in particular butโฆ I donโt think this is what I was expecting. Itโsโฆ it feels a little bit like being weightless. Amโฆ I too heavy to hold up?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 27, 2021 21:22:51 GMT -5
Orpheus was surprisingly easy for L to support. He had expected to struggle under the weight of a whole other person, but it seemed staying still like this, and letting the water help support him, made it simpler than it had looked. Orpheus was calming down a bit, it seemed. l kept a firm grip on him, making sure he didnโt go under, even for a second. If it didnโt hurt him, it would just make it harder for him to stay calm, and L getting shoved off balance wouldnโt end well. โNo, youโre actually pretty easy to support,โ L told him, keeping himself steady as he watched Orpheus closely. โAre you alright now? I think the water surprised you.โ Which made sense. He had never been submerged like this beforeโฆit was bound to feel strange to him.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 27, 2021 21:32:59 GMT -5
โIโฆ think youโre right,โ Orpheus breathed, getting used to the feeling of the waves and the slight bobbing up and down they caused. He hadnโt expected the water to feel like that. He had never tried floating beforeโฆ there was always the danger of something underneath you. If you ended up in the water, it didnโt matter how well you know how to swim. In the open ocean like thisโฆ the likelihood was high that a merperson would see you and decide to take you down. There were no lakes near enough to the village that they could practice in. He would be the first human in multiple generations to learn how to swim. He didnโt know if it would be a useful skill, but L seemed to believe it would be, and Orpheus had no issue with trying to learn. It wasโฆ kind of exciting, actually. โSorry for almost hitting you,โ he added, letting his hand rest at the surface of the water. It was interesting, how the water seemed to flow around it. They were both so small compared to the ocean surrounding them.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 27, 2021 21:46:25 GMT -5
This was dangerous, even with L present to try and stop anyone from thinking Orpheus was an easy target. He wasnโt weak, but he was far from the strongest person out thereโฆhe could easily be overpowered, if they were caught. But it wasnโt much different than what they had been doing before. Just being in a boat was a hazard. At least this way, if Orpheus were ever in a situation where it was the water he was in danger of, not the merfolkโฆat least he would be able to keep himself afloat. It was important, in Lโs opinion. And Orpheus didnโt seem to mind it. โThatโs alright. I ducked,โ he replied, steadying Orpheus as another wave bobbed him a little bit. โBesides, youโve probably been taught to fear water. Itโs natural to be nervous about it now., even if youโre not in danger.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 27, 2021 22:11:02 GMT -5
โI donโt know what I expected,โ Orpheus admitted, shifting a little bit so he could see L a little better. โI meanโฆ the water is solid enough that it can support the weight of the boat, but itโs so easy to slip in. I thought it might hold me a little bit better even without you there to support me. Iโve never been in water this deep before. Or reallyโฆ deep at all. It was hard to imagine what it was going to be like before I actually got in, andโฆ well, what I thought isnโt at all accurate. Not in a bad way, justโฆ in a different way.โ Orpheus was well aware that his words werenโt serving him as well as they usually did. This was so unlike anything he had ever experienced that he was having a hard time conceptualizing it. โItโs hard to believe that you spend your entire life in the ocean, and it feelsโฆ well, it feels to me like entering another world entirely.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 27, 2021 22:29:31 GMT -5
โOhโฆthe boat is shaped that way so the water supports it,โ L explained, glancing at the boar beside them, which was still gently bobbing up and down with the waves. Theyโd have to be careful not to let it float too far away, but for now, it wasnโt an issue. โI canโt imagine what being on land would be like,โ he admitted, glancing at the water surrounding them. โThis is justโฆwhat the world looks like, for me. The thought of not being able to even see any water is a bit frightening. Air is so thin, and fast when it moves. I donโt know what it would be like to move through it all the time.โ He looked back at Orpheus. โSo I think I know what you mean by that. Do you like it?โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 27, 2021 23:02:47 GMT -5
โThat makes sense,โ Orpheus replied, glancing back at the boat. โI havenโt given much thought to boat craftsmanship, but I know there are lots of things that donโt float when you put them in the water. I guessโฆ I kind of wonder what about the boatโs shape makes it different. And why it floats, but people donโt. Unlessโฆ do you float, or do you sink, generally? Likeโฆ when you just let the water do what it wants with you? That was, of course, assuming that merfolk had the same density as humans. Orpheus didnโt know enough about science to be able to understand that. โI do like it,โ he added, taking in a breath and leaning backwards enough to wet his hair. โItโsโฆ comfortable. If a little bit cold.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 27, 2021 23:11:53 GMT -5
L hesitated, a little bit surprised by the question. He had to think about it for a moment, because really, he was always controlling how deep he went. Diving down was easy, but so was floating. He wasnโt sure which one was more natural. โI think I float,โ he said finally. โButโฆI donโt know for sure. Iโm usually paying attention to it.โ He didnโt know why Orpheus would naturally sink in that case, butโฆhumans were different in a lot of ways. It was possible they just werenโt made to float like L and other merfolk were. โIs it cold?โ He asked, eyes widening a little in surprise. โI hadnโt noticed it. The wind can be, sometimes, but not the water itself.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 27, 2021 23:24:14 GMT -5
โOh,โ Orpheus murmured, frowning a little bit. He supposed that made sense. He wasnโt actually certain whether he sank or float. He would discover eventually that humans were more prone to floating than they were to sinking, but it was harder when they were laden with soaking wet clothes. Those tended to drag them down. That, and floating didnโt necessarily mean their head was above the water. โAndโฆ yes, itโs definitely a little bit cold. Itโs pretty warm above the water when itโs sunny out, like today, but the water is comparatively really cold. Colder than I anticipated. I guess thereโs a difference between just sticking your hand in and actually being completely submerged. I wish tehre was a way for you to feel how warm it gets on land, butโฆ I have a feeling that wouldnโt work out too well.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 27, 2021 23:33:51 GMT -5
L didnโt know for sure that humans would be the same way. He didnโt even know for sure that he was that wayโฆhe was guessing, really. It wasnโt like heโd ever tested it. โI donโt know that Iโve ever been much warmer than this,โ he mused, blinking at Orpheus as he considered that. โThis is warm, to me. Especially at the surfaceโฆitโs only colder, when you go deeper. I donโt think Iโve ever noticed it before.โ Odd, that there was yet another thing he hadnโt anticipated. It made sense. But he couldnโt help thinking how strange it was that there were people who had no idea what his life was like. That Orpheus couldnโt even imagine it.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 27, 2021 23:48:13 GMT -5
โI guess that makes sense,โ Orpheus murmured, dipping his head back underwater for another moment. He made sure to hold his breath, eyes squeezed shut as he wet his hair. It was refreshing. The heat from the sun felt like it might bake him alive sometimes, but being able to cool down in the oceanโฆ he knew he could never do it when L wasnโt there, but it was a tempting idea. It made him even more excited to see what the world could look like when the war was over. Would humans learn to swim? Would they know what it was to soothe the burn of the sun on their scalp, exacerbated by their dark hair? โIt felt the coldest when I first got in, I think. Now it just feels nice. Itโs not like Iโm freezing or anything. Butโฆ I wonder if your skin is thicker than mine or something, because I canโt imagine being able to tolerate however cold it gets when you go deeper.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 27, 2021 23:55:43 GMT -5
L nodded a little. He supposed it did make sense, didnโt it? He didnโt know when heโd last felt cold, butโฆyou tended to get used to things over time, even if they werenโt comfortable things. As long as Orpheus wasnโt too uncomfortable now, at least. He didnโt want him to freeze just because he was human. โThat makes sense,โ he agreed, though he didnโt know if it did for sure. His own skin felt fairly normal. Would it feel differently, having human skin? He probably wouldnโt have noticed it much, to be fair. The rear of the changes would probably have been more obvious. โYou might feel a fish, if you wait long enough,โ he observed. โSometimes they bump into things that stay still.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 0:12:32 GMT -5
L couldnโt help realizing more and more things about Orpheus the longer they spent time together. Fish, which were a common sight for L, were probably mostly only seen as food for Orpheus. Especially if his trips out here werenโt to fish, which they didnโt see to beโฆhe had probably never just seen fish swim by. Of course, he couldnโt have. It made sense, but it still somehow surprised L to think about it. โThere. Like that,โ he confirmed, feeling his tail brush Orpheusโ now still legs. He still struggled to understand how the limbs could be useful, but he guessed walking wasnโt as hard as it sounded to him. He kept Orpheus firmly above water as he waited. He didnโt want to lose him, even for a second. โDo you feel anything?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 0:25:40 GMT -5
L blinked, eyes widening just a little as Orpheus held his breath. That wasnโt strictly necessary, butโฆit couldnโt hurt, he supposed. Plus, if L needed to dunk him suddenly, it would mean he didnโt breathe any water, so it was probably a good thing. He didnโt think the fish recognized him as one of them. As something that was supposed to be there, yes, but he was no more fish than Orpheus wasโฆwhatever land creatures there wereโฆas far as he could tell. โThat was a fish,โ he told him, a bit of excitement creeping into his own tone. โI donโt feel them bump into me all that often, because Iโm usually moving, but they will bump into things that stay still. They might even nibble you eventually.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 0:32:04 GMT -5
โWouldnโt that hurt?โ Orpheus asked, eyes going wide. He wasnโt sure he wanted to be nibbled on by a fish. Maybe it was payback for all the fish he had eaten in his life, though. Living as near to the ocean as he did, fish was a staple of his diet. He wasnโt sure how long he would be able to survive without eating any fish at all. Maybe they deserved to be able to nibble on him. Stillโฆ he didnโt think it sounded very pleasant. Thew ay L was talking about it made it soundโฆ well, not unpleasant, so Orpheus was inclined to trust him. If it hurt, he could probably just kick his feet and make the fish go away, right? He would just have to be careful not to kick L in the process. โI think I just felt another one,โ he added, trying to peer into the water to see if he could make out the shapes of the fish who had come near them. โOr maybe it was the same one. How do you tell?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 0:48:32 GMT -5
โThey arenโt the sort of fish that have teeth, hopefully,โ L explained, looking into the water to try and see where theyโd gone. โSo theyโd just be mouthing you, not biting you. It doesnโt feel bad, to my skin at least. Iโm curious how it would feel to you.โ He glanced up again, meeting Orpheusโ eyes. โAs for how you tellโฆyou really canโt. Unless thereโs only one, and then you can tell which it is, of course. But I canโt really tell them all apart, either. Maybe I could recognize one in particular, but they do look very much the same to me, most of the time.โ This was,.,surprisingly fun so far. L hadnโt expected it to be. He had thought of it as a way to keep Orpheus safe, but it was actually enjoyable all on itโs own.
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