Work Text:
Norman’s mouth drops as the beach comes into view. A blue, ethereal glow dances along the surf, bobbing in and out with the tide. Above, thousands of stars are crammed into the blue-black expanse of the sky, which stretches to the horizon. It is absolutely magical. “Bioluminescent dinoflagellates,” he breathes. “Spectacular.”
Emily studies the ground, running a hand through her hair. “I figured you’d like it.”
“I love it,” he says, and he means every word. “Thank you for showing it to me.”
She gestures for him to follow her, and they walk down the beach. A gentle breeze wafts through the air, stirring up the smell of salt and the fruity scent of her shampoo. His nose twitches. He has never been this close to her before. Normally, she’s scoffing at him or giving him the finger from a distance. Now, he can see the amber and gold flecks in her brown eyes and hear the rhythm of her breath. He swallows, feeling his temperature spike. He's still not used to this costal weather.
“I’m, uh, sorry I’ve been kind of dick this whole time,” she says after a long period of silence. “I’m not great with people, especially new people.”
He blinks. Is she really attempting to apologize? He didn’t expect that—especially considering how stubborn she’s been for most of the summer. It’s kind of touching, actually. “That’s okay.” His voice wavers uncharacteristically. “I guess I haven’t been the most gracious guest, either.”
She sighs. “I just like things the way they are, you know? I don’t want Cumberland Island to become this tourist trap. And then, you showed up, and you were like, this outsider, and I don’t know. I guess I felt kind of threatened.”
He bristles. “I’m not a tourist. I’m a marine biologist.”
“Same difference.” She gives him a playful shove, and his shoulder burns where she touched him.
He laughs. “We want the same things, you know. I want to preserve this ecosystem, just like you do. We don’t have to be enemies.”
“I don’t know.” She folds her arms. “You’re weirdly fun to hate.”
He grins. For reasons he doesn’t quite understand, a light, fluttery feeling fills his chest. “I don’t think it’s hate at that point.”
“Then what is it?”
He hesitates. “I don’t know.”
She smiles. The moonlight streams down from the sky, casting her in an otherworldly light. His breath catches in his throat. He knows he should be studying the dinoflagellates, but right now, all he wants to look at is her.
And in that moment, the truth of his situation becomes utterly, painfully clear: he likes this girl. He really likes this girl.
I am so screwed, he thinks.