Aquata Cove Ch. 22

"No!" The woman held her hand out, as if prompting Adam to halt, "Do not run, please." She doesn't seem angry or disgusted, more like shocked, "What are you telling me?" Adam breaths erratically as he feels involuntary shame burn inside his chest, his eyes feeling more and more moist as he wanted to just run away, "Human?"

"Please, don't... No..." Adam took another step back as his hands pressed together onto his mouth, "I-"

"Please, do not be afraid," The lady took a small step, looking as if she's actually worried that she's upsetting the man before her, "I ask for the truth, only the truth." Adam shook his head with his hands still clutching his mouth, "I promise I will not invoke a consequence. Please tell me. I need to know what you are saying."

Adam feels tiny, as if he is being coerced into confessing an impactful incident to a principal, "H-He said something about a Lunar Eclipse..." The woman blinks a brief look of confusion, "T-T-That's a red moon -- humans call it a Lunar Eclipse..." Adam cannot stop shaking, "H-He said that he fell in love with me on his 3rd red moon? A-And that I fell in love with him without even knowing it..."

"You are... His mate?" The woman said, "Please... Be calm..." It's hard to say whether she's telling that to Adam or herself.

"For about 5 years now. He tried to break up with me about 2 weeks ago -- F-Fourteen suns, I mean... It broke my heart as well as his, but he says it's inevitable..." Adam has a seriously hard time keeping his breathing under control, "It devastated me when he tried to end it with us, when he tried to leave me behind, but... I... I still love him, after all that's happened... And he loves me too..."

"... I see... I see," The woman takes back a step, and turns back around to look to the ocean, "... Now it is clear..." She muttered, low enough so Adam didn't hear her.

"B-But listen, please!" Adam called out while moving two paces forward, "Please don't tell anyone! Don't say that he's with me -- E-Especially his mother and father, please," He begged, "His pod is precious to him... It'll tear him apart if he's banished. I-I-I shouldn't have said anything about me and him, I..." Adam whimpers a little, "Just... Please tell them that he's safe and he's recovering with Atarah in her river... A-And that he'll be back soon... Please. I don't want him to lose his pod so soon..." He shook his head, "I can't even stand the thought of him crying, not after he just almost died..."

"..." The woman pauses a for a short moment. She really dislikes deception, but...

"Very well. He will rest here, for the time," The woman said softly, "I trust he is safe in your care?"

"Yes, yes he is. He's always safe with me." The woman nodded, and took a step off the cliff, "Wait! You haven't told me who YOU are! And how did you know about Atarah?" The woman paused, and she chuckled with a smile.

"Amusing... Humans are so clueless, are they not?"

"Huh? Hey! What's THAT supposed to mean??" He said with an irk.

"To think I wove a beautiful shroud to wear for your sake, but to no avail. Are humans not notorious for their physical modesty?"

"Huh?" Adam blinked and gave a weird look, "What're you talking about? What's that got to do with anything? Who ARE you?" Laughing softly, the woman stepped off, and dove into the sea, "HEY!" He grumbled as he slouched, "... AH?! Oh shit!" He just realized that this entire time, he has been completely nude! He covered his crotch for a second, before realizing that he's alone right now. Grimacing, he quickly dashed back to the house, his face going red hot as the cold breeze played along his naked body.