Written for QLFC S2 Finals!

I don't remember being born. I don't know if you could even call it that, really.

All I know is that I woke up one day and you were there.

Right there by waters, just at the edge of my consciousness, I could feel your presence. Hey, did you know? You were bright. Even back then, even when you were hunched over and trying not to cry, you shone out bright to me.

So I blinked myself awake and peered at you.

You were a curious little thing, both then and now. So full of contradictions. Strong, but not. Miserable, yet happy. I can't be blamed for trying to bring you closer to inspect you. You see, I don't see or hear as much as sense. So I didn't see you turning an interesting shade of blue, nor did I hear the strange gurgling sounds that came from you.

I simply held you in my embrace, prodding at you curiously until one who looked like you came by and wrenched you away. The two of you disappeared; off to somewhere in the distance I couldn't follow.

With nothing else to occupy my attention I gently stilled, and drifted to sleep.

…

The next time I awoke was to something falling into me. I instantly shook myself awake, and bubbled at it. Then I realized it was you again.

Hello, I greeted, properly this time. You didn't reply, but that was to be expected because it seemed you were busy flailing around in some sort of odd dance. I didn't question it, and helped push you around.

You people are very strange, I commented again, louder and clearer this time, but it seemed you either did not understand or could not understand. Disappointed, I gave you one last gently push, and then watched as you floated deeper.

If it weren't for the merpeople that lived in me, I'm sure you would've died. I was still young, and did not know the meaning of the word 'drown'.

I lapped against the shore as they dragged you onto land. They pushed against your chest, and you rolled over, coughing out the water I was made of, and heaved in a breath.

Once more, your people came down the path into my view.

"Neville!" one of them called.

"I-I'm fine," you said feebly, stumbling to your feet. You turned to the merpeople and said, "Uh, thank you for saving me."

The merpeople regarded you coolly, and then dove back into me. For a moment, you just looked at me, a little lost. I stared back.

As you left, I waved.

…

Time, for me, has no concept. I was born sometime, and I would either continue to stay awake, or I'd one day lose consciousness. It was simple. It was easy. I didn't question it much, simply drifting through my days either playfully learning or dozing lightly.

For you, I think, it's a bit different. You started coming by more often, which delighted me to no end.

I was half tempted to envelop you again, but I knew better now. If I did that now, I was sure you would die, and for some reason that was a bad thing. I thought it was bizarre perception, but who was I to question a human's ways? Either way, I was forced to dismiss the idea of having you as a decoration on my floors.

I'd often urge you to play with me, but you never came close enough for me to do more than lap at your toes. You would just sit there, where I could see you, and talk to me.

Sometimes I wish I could've done more in those days than just listen. I don't know how much time had passed since I first met you, but you seemed tired. Shoulders slumping, voice weary – and yet, you were still shining so brilliantly. You told me about your friends, how bravely they were fighting.

Fighting against what, I wondered. You didn't respond and stood to go. I send up a last bubble in reply.

…

I soon found out very quickly what that something was. It started with the Giant Squid's screams. I glanced around me frantically, searching out the cause of the panic. He lashed out, and I saw a flash of black before a human was tossed against the ground somewhere far away.

Another human fell into me and started going through the motions of what I had dubbed the drowning dance. But it was apparent from everyone's behaviour that these humans were not supposed to be here. So I pushed him down and held him in my arms until he stilled.

I did not do anything else but that. I couldn't tell these people apart. Enemy, ally— they all looked the same to me.

But you, you were a human too. This was your war, wasn't it? I didn't understand why you were fighting, only that you had to. It occurred to me that you could just as easily fall as the one I killed.

So I simply remained there, because it was all I could do. I still remembered what you said to me earlier, before all this.

I might not come back here. I hope I do, though.

Then you smiled a little tremulously at me.

Thanks for listening when no one else did.

You're welcome, I told you. But I smiled a little at you, because you hadn't changed since the day I met him. Still so bright, and still unable to see it.

It was such a shame.

You turned to leave, and I thought your back looked a little stronger. You had changed a little, after all.

…

I don't know how to war ended – only that you came back one day smiling and happy. You crouched by my waters, closer than you had been in a long, long while.

Hello, I said.

"Hello, again," you murmured. Whether or not you heard me, I'll never know, but you continued on. "I'm going to propose to Hannah today."

You held out your palm to me, a small, circular object sitting on it. I peered at it curiously, and you chose that exact moment to fumble and drop it.

I grabbed and swallowed it.

"Wait, no!" you cried, lunging for it. I tugged it back and you made an interesting strangled nose.

Mine, I said.

"That's Hannah's!" you said, increasingly desperate. "Hey!"

By the time you managed to get it back, you were drenched.