Night Swimming (Open)

[asharpertongue]

It's been a trying day...week...month, if she's honest. The situation with Bach and the missing elders was getting on her last nerve.

She needed a swim.

Pulling her phone from her bag, she sent a text to a few of the more senior members of the siren community:

Night swimming tonight from sundown on the wrecking beach. All welcome. Food and drink provided. Please spread the word.

That should do it.

She send another note to her contacts at the police station so the unaware human element would be steered away. The wards would be up around the beach, discouraging vanilla humans from coming down there but it didn't hurt to have insurance in these matters.

Hopefully the sirens would come, maybe some of the witches. It would be nice to sprawl on the rocks for a few hours with friends.

Comments

[chasingtwisters]

Moira smiles at Lara's text, always happy for an excuse to hang on the beach with friends. And even she happens to be the sole witch among sirens, well. Night swimming is exciting enough as it is, and Moira is happy to stick it out as the lone witch for such occasions.

Dressed in a simple sundress covering her swimsuit, she makes her way over to Lara with a bottle of Lara's favorite wine in hand.

"How goes it, Lara?"

[asharpertongue]

Lara turned at the sound of Moira's voice and smiled broadly. One person she could always count on being at the night swims was Moira.

She nods at the bottle in her hand. "If that's for me, I might have to kiss you."

[chasingtwisters]

Moira grins, always happy to see Lara, especially on the beach.

"So, if we kiss, does that turn me into one of you guys or is that pure myth?" She asks with a teasing grin as she hands over the bottle.

[asharpertongue]

Grinning, Lara leaned in close, allowing her scales to ripple across her skin. "Would you like to test the theory?"

[chasingtwisters]

"You know me, I'm always up for a challenge," Moira leans right in, grinning at the beauty of Lara's scales sweeping across her skin.

[asharpertongue]

Lara grinned back, stroking a finger down Moira's throat. "If only you weren't involved in all of this..." She hums thoughtfully. "I'd love singing for you I think."

Laughing, she nudged her friend with her shoulder. "But swimming and drinking this," she snags the bottle out of Moira's unresisting hand, "will have to do for now."

[chasingtwisters]

Moira shivers delightfully at her touch before shrugging. "Ah, well. C'est la vie, right? Or something like that."

"Swimming and drinking sounds like a solid plan to me," Moira agrees, nudging her right back. "Though I'd definitely love to hear you sing sometime."

[asharpertongue]

Opening the bottle Lara smiled ruefully. "Only if you'd be willing to wear one of the charms. I wouldn't want to influence you against your will."

[chasingtwisters]

"Of course," Moira nods. "I'm all about taking precautions."

[louise_abasi]

Lou looked at the new sari she was ready to purchase. She re-read Lara's text before replying:

"One: since when do sirens know what I need? Two: may I come?"

[asharpertongue]

Lara laughed and took a seat on a flat rock, warmed by the sun, tapping a reply.

Sirens always know what you need. That's what sirens do. And yes. Get your backside down here.

[louise_abasi]

She rolled her eyes, told the shop assistant that she would take it and if she could please bag her clothes before answering.

"Keep the sales speech for those who can be bothered. My backside will be around soon."

[asharpertongue]

Lara laughed and felt lighter than she had in a while. The fresh air and the possibility of friends in the near future was doing her the world of good.

"Be prepared to get wet."

[louise_abasi]

For a moment Lou doubted the bright all-shades-of-pink sari. It was very bright and not very professional. Don't think about work.
Besides that, it could be a bit windy on the beach. And she was only wearing a plain set of underwear, nothing fancy.

"Oh, stop." She looked around until she saw Lara and waved at her. "When Godzilla will rise from the waves, I'm sure she'll let me live because of how good I look."

[asharpertongue]

Lara laughed. "Of course she will." She smiled and patted the rock beside her. "Been shopping?"

[louise_abasi]

She twirled. "I'm inviting Summer to come over. Is it too much? Too young?"

[asharpertongue]

"Not at all. And we could use a few more sunny days here." Lara plucked at the edge of the pink cloth. "It suits you."

[mattthesiren]

Ugh. People.

It was a beach kind of night. More attacks, more fear and anger and hurt everywhere. Between dealing with that and the beach? No contest.

Except suddenly he hears women's voices not 50 yards ahead of him on the shoreline. He can see them a little, too, in silhouette.

Matt freezes. He should go. Really, talk about a situation that never ends well.

[asharpertongue]

A young man is hovering at the edge of the beach. He looked torn as to whether he should join them so she waved, smiling a friendly smile. The little boy she was teaching to control his change in the shallows followed her line of sight.

"Who's he?" He asked, pointing.

Lara smiled. "I don't know. I can't see his face from here. Shall we get him down here and find out?"

The boy nodded and let out a warbling cry using his siren voice and Lara laughed. "We're going to have to get you singing lessons, little man." He grinned up at her and Lara ran a hand over his hair, ruffling it. "Shall I try?" He nodded and Lara sent her will across the beach to wrap around the newcomer in a friendly welcome.

"All are welcome. Come down. The waters lovely tonight."

[mattthesiren]

Matt feels a rush of calm joyousness, and it's pulling him towards the group. Shit. They must be sirens. Matt shouldn't be here, he definitely shouldn't be here. But there's something about that song -- he can really see how a guy might swim to his death to pursue it. Matt can't resist satisfying his curiosity. He walks forward.

[asharpertongue]

Lara smiles and sends the little boy off to his parents as the man approaches. She lets her scales recede a little and splashes out of the shallows up the beach to greet him.

"Hello. Come to join the fun?" She gestures out at the groups of people splashing around in the waves.

[mattthesiren]

::laughs it off nervously:: "Better not. I didn't come to swim. Just... walking. Nice night."


To be honest he has no idea if all the other sirens know what he is. But if he can avoid the question entirely, all the better.

[asharpertongue]

Lara cocked her head at him and hums thoughtfully. "Well swimming isn't compulsory." She waves a hand at the buffet and drinks. "Eat, drink and be merry. It's all on us, mister....?"

[mattthesiren]

Oh right. "Matt. Hi. I, uh, I teach at SCCC." He looks at the food and rink. "I shouldn't, I mean, I don't want to impose." Is that brie? It definitely might be brie.

"Ah, but," he refocuses. "I don't know your name either."

[asharpertongue]

Lara nods. She'd heard of him but he'd never made a nuisance of himself so she'd let him be. Traditionally speaking he should have declared himself to her a while ago, but those kind of rules were for the older families. She didn't enforce them on sirens that wanted to live quietly.

"You're the teacher. I've heard your name before." She smiled. "My name is Lara. Lara Quinn. I'm the Matriarch of this town." She watched to see if he'd react.