selkiesaoirse | for Luke

The rumors about the monster in the sea are, Saoirse is certain, just that: rumors. The seals aren't afraid, and she knows Daine would tell Greta not to let her go into the water too deep or for too long if there was anything to be really worried about. But Big Mona must be at least a little bit real, because there are pictures, and people keep talking about it, even when they don't find anything.

So she'd called Luke up and asked if he wanted to go with her and Regan to the beach, and see if they could find something. Regan's mostly just there so Greta doesn't fret about two kids out by themselves. Cu is there, too, of course. He's as good a nanny as any, but Regan is also using the time to test out the latest modifications to her drone, so it works out all around.

Right now, she's further up the sand, while Cu, Saoirse and Luke run around. Saoirse's found a few shells that she wants to take home and add to her carefully growing collection. For now, they're set aside with her backpack, and she's throwing a stick into the water for Cu.

"D'you think we'll see her?" she asks Luke. "That Big Mona everyone's talking about."

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They live right next to the beach now, so it's almost like he doesn't have to ask to go to the beach, though he does of course. Plus, where they're going is a little further up from just Luke's backyard or anything. But he's gotten even better at swimming and Regan's going to be there too, and Michael and Alex don't give him any issue about heading out. They're busy with working on Michael's new business at the same time as planning the wedding, anyway. They probably could use some time without him being a little bored, even though they've been even more huggy than usual ever since after he was big.

He still doesn't remember any of that, except he's had a lot of dreams he can almost-not-quite remember that leave him feeling unsettled. That makes him glad to get to get out of the house too. It's nice just walking on the shore with Saoirse instead of thinking about things too hard.

He looks over at Saoirse, trying not to look too hopeful. "Maybe," he says, and grins. "I know it's probably just a story, but so are ghosts, supposedly, only they're not. And things are weird in Darrow, anything could be real."

"So are selkies," Saoirse agrees with a giggle. Luke's right. Just because it's a story doesn't mean it isn't real. "It would be cool, if we saw something," she decides. Then, because she doesn't ever want to lie to Luke, she adds, "But, I don't think we will. If there were any monsters out there, I don't think the seals would be so close."

And they are, just like normal. They keep their distance, but as always, they seem drawn to Saoirse. But she knows that if they were afraid, they wouldn't stay close, even with her there.

"That's true," Luke agrees solemnly, then thinks about it. "I don't think they would either," he says slowly, "if it were a monster. But what if it's like -- a friendly monster? An, uh-- herbivore, or it eats plankton, like a whale? Maybe it just doesn't hurt seals so it's not scaring them."

He gives her his best smart look, which might also be a little hopeful.

It's a long shot, but it'd be cool. It'd be cool if there were a whale, too, but he doesn't really want it to get close enough to the beach for them to see if there is, because that'd probably be dangerous for the whale.

"I wish we had a boat," he says, "then maybe we could get out far enough to really look. I mean you could, with your coat, but I can't. Stupid being human." He grins.

He has a point: seals aren't afraid of the whales that don't eat them, but probably the plankton think the whales are monsters. If plankton can think, that is. Saoirse isn't sure.

"I suppose," she agrees, meeting his smart, hopeful look with a thoughtful one of her own. Then she smiles. "I could probably carry you out there," she reasons. "But I don't think Regan would like it, if we just went off into the water. Especially if we went out far."

She makes a face like maybe he's made a good point, and he smiles when she says she supposes. It feels good to persuade people things, but he also just likes sounding smart to Saoirse, because she's older and awesome and she knows so much.

"Whoa, really?" His eyes go wide and he thinks maybe he should have known she could do that, but he hadn't ever thought about it. "That's so cool!" Luke sighs a little when she points out that Regan's not going to let them. It's not like Saoirse would let him drown or something! He's a good swimmer, anyway. He glances sideways up at where Regan's watching them from up the beach. "I guess probably not," he agrees, poking the sand with his toe.

"But we should sometime. Even if it's not for Mona. Maybe we can go out in a boat sometime with like, your mom and Alex and Michael, and even Regan and Caleb if they wanted, so if anything happened they'd be there, but we could all hang out and you could carry me way out."

That has Saoirse brightening. The idea of all of them going out there, together, and splashing around with the seals and Luke, is a wonderful idea.

"I'd love that!" she says. "We could all spend time together, and Mum would get to see that I'm not in trouble, and if anything did happen, there'd be plenty of grownups to make sure it was alright."

She's never really met Caleb, but he seems like a grownup, and he's sort of Luke's big brother the way that Regan is Saoirse's big sister, so he's probably alright.

Luke beams, proud to have had an idea that Saoirse wants to actually do. "Exactly! It wouldn't scare anyone if we explored a little more. And we wouldn't get in trouble for doing it," he adds, because that's a little bit part of thinking up ideas too. Even back home there was a little part of him that liked sneaking around; he got a lot more timid after the ghosts, but it's been mostly safe here for a while and he's a little bolder than he was before.

"I don't think anything would happen, anyway. You're a good swimmer, and you wouldn't ever put me in danger," he says, honestly, smiling over at her a little.

"I would never," she promises, almost fiercely before she grins back at him. The level of trust that Luke feels for her is warming and makes her happy, and she'd do everything she could to ensure she doesn't let him down.

They continue playing and exploring on the beach a bit, finding bits of sea glass and emptied out crab claw. Saoirse puts one on the end of a stick and makes a playful roar at Luke, pretending to bite at him with it.

Luke darts away from her makeshift crab claw, shriek-laughing, the collected bits of sea glass he's found rattling in the cargo pockets of his swim shorts. Cu bounces next to them, barking happily at whatever game this is. "Hey, no fair, I don't have one," he says, though he doesn't really mind at all and it's pretty clear from his face.

"If you're a giant crab, I get to be a giant squid," he grins, and grabs some of the dry seaweed left at the high tide line, waving it around like tentacles at her. It seems fair. Squid eat crab, but sometimes crabs eat squid, too.

Saoirse shrieks out a laugh and skids in the loose sand as she forces herself to stop before he can get her with the seaweed. She's grinning hugely, even as she thinks that boys are so gross! She would never pick up seaweed like that!

But it is clever, she has to admit, to use it like a squid.

They chase each other around like that, Cu dancing all around them with happy barks and his tongue lolling. Distantly, Saoirse's aware of the photos that Regan's taking of them on her cell phone. She's sure she'll get to see them later, when Regan shows Greta.

for Luke

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