Soft waves lapped at the oars of Killian's rowboat. He moved in a swift, steady motion: swish, floosh, whoosh. He moved farther and farther out to sea, focusing all the while on a small outcropping of rock. It was, at the moment, little more than a speck in the distance. Killian kept his eyes on it as his arms pushed and pulled, back and forth. The steady motion consumed his body but not his mind, and his thoughts drifted out to the rock where a red-headed lass was waiting for him.
In the east, the sky had faded to a dusty blue. Out west, the last dregs of sunlight filtered out over the ocean and turned the water orange. Soft clouds fluttered through the sky, twirling and twisting playfully as if dancing to music that couldn't be heard by an untrained ear. The end of one cloud looked like a fish's tail, tapered and curling. Killian smiled when he noticed the cloud; it reminded him of Ariel. He rowed harder. Perhaps he would be able to reach his fish lass before the sun vanished beneath the horizon and its light faded altogether.
When at last he reached the rocky outcropping, he fended his rowboat off of the rocks with the end of his oars. The last thing he wanted was for his boat to be dashed to bits. A fine thing it would be, if he were stranded here with no means of returning to his ship. Carefully, Killian rose to his feet in a crouched position and brought his rowboat as close to the land as he could. He tied one end of a line to his boat and tossed the other to the rocks. He leapt after it quickly and caught the rope before the tide could carry his rowboat away. He tied it securely to a large bit of rock.
A splash. Killian looked to his left, where the sound had come from. He saw nothing.
"Ariel?" he called.
A giggle came from somewhere to his right.
"Ariel," he repeated. Not a question; joking reproach.
This time, there was a reply. A light, female voice floated out to him and crooned, "Killian, you came to see me."
"Aye, indeed I did," said Killian, "But as it is, I can't see you. Where have you got to, love?"
Killian got on his knees and looked carefully over the edge of the rocks. He was greeted by a sudden splash of water in his face. He spluttered out a mouthful of the salty water and wiped it out of his eyes.
"Found you," he grumbled.
He wasn't actually mad, though, and Ariel knew it. She giggled again. Killian smiled when he heard the sound. Opening his eyes after the onslaught of seawater, he found himself face to face with his red-headed love. Her sea-green eyes sparkled; her eyelashes were speckled with salt. Her hair looked even redder in the evening sunlight, and it hung about her in long, bedraggled tendrils. She could not have looked more beautiful if she tried.
"How about a kiss?" said Killian.
Ariel smiled impetuously and stuck out her chin. "And why should I?"
"Because you've quite soaked me through," said Killian.
He gestured to his head and shirt. He had dressed plainly in just a loose white shirt, but it was drenched through, as was his hair. Killian ruffled a hang through his hair and shook his head about, trying to dispel some of the water.
"I suppose you think I ought to make up for that?" said Ariel, nodding toward his shirt.
"That, and the fact that I rowed out all this way to see you. I'd be mightily disappointed if I didn't get a kiss for all my efforts," said Killian.
He smirked in the way he always did when he knew he was about to get what he wanted. Ariel couldn't resist Killian's innocent yet oh-so-mischievous smile, but she held out as long as she could. After a few seconds of glaring petulantly at Killian, her resolve crumbled and she huffed as if put out. She grabbed hold of the rocks and made to lift herself out of the water.
"Let me help you," said Killian.
While Ariel hoisted herself up, Killian wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her onto the rocks. When Ariel was sitting as comfortably as possible, she nestled back against Killian so that her head was tucked just above his collarbone. Killian's arm was still around her waist; he brushed against her skin softly with his thumb.
"Now how about that kiss?" he said.
Ariel laughed. Her light trill floated out to mingle with the crashing of waves against the rocks and the faint whistling of the salty breeze. She turned her head toward Killian and placed a hand on his cheek.
"Aye aye, captain," whispered Ariel.
She closed her eyes and leaned in. Killian did the same. With his free arm, he reached up and curled his fingers into the wet tendrils of Ariel's hair. He cradled the back of her head gently, winding but never tugging his fingers through her red locks. Her lips were soft, and they tasted of the sea and something else that Killian couldn't name.
They pulled away. Night was beginning to fully fall by then. Killian looked around them, at the moon creeping its way higher into the sky and the first stars beginning to bleed through. The clouds, now wispy blue-silver, streaked through the sky as if following the sun towards sleep.
"It's getting late," said Killian bemusedly.
"Are you going back so soon?" asked Ariel.
Killian looked back at Ariel. She looked so utterly beautiful and vulnerable; he did not know how he ever endured a moment away from her. He raised a hand to brush softly against her cheek. Her eyes brightened a bit at his gentle touch; the answer was in his very skin. He didn't really need to say it, but he did anyway.
"My men are busy drinking themselves into a stupor and enjoying the company of some busty barmaid. They will not miss their captain for a night," said Killian.
Ariel smiled. She said, "Would that you could stay longer."
"You'd grow weary of me all too quickly," said Killian, shaking his head.
Ariel leaned forward and rested her head on Killian's shoulder. Killian ran a hand up and down her spine. He twined his fingers through her long, wet hair and down to the base of her back where her skin melted into sea-green scales.
"I will never grow weary of you," said Ariel.
Killian smiled sadly. He placed a kiss on Ariel's forehead, and the two settled in for a long, peaceful night together. The sea air was crisp and cool, and though both of them were soaked, no chill sunk into their skin. Killian did take off his shirt to let it dry on the rocks, however. In the morning, they were awoken by the sunrise off in the far east streaming over the ocean. The light was almost blinding. Killian knew that his crew would be waking up hungover soon, and before long they would wonder where their captain had gotten to.
"I fear it's time for me to leave," said Killian.
Ariel stirred beside him on the rocks. Her eyes were still closed, but Killian knew by her sly smile that she had heard him perfectly.
"I should hate to have to leave without giving you a proper goodbye," said Killian.
Ariel perked up at that. She opened her eyes and did not even bother pretending she had been asleep. She sat up and rested with one hand stretched behind her to support the slope of her frame.
"A proper goodbye, you said?" she said.
"Aye," said Killian.
He leaned in and kissed her, long and deep. It was very much like their kisses from the previous night, but then again it was so different. This kiss tasted of bittersweet goodbyes, and neither Ariel nor Killian liked it half as much.
Killian helped Ariel back into the water and then readied his rowboat. He brought in the line and grabbed the oar to start rowing. Just before he set out, though, Ariel appeared at the side of his rowboat.
"One more kiss?"
Killian could not deny her that.