Pg. 230 the kiss after the fog (and leading up to it)
Quince waited in the island's pool as Lily created the fog to divert the fishermen's attention, his body up against the rock side wall. He was not happy with this plan, he did not like it. His heart was racing from the moment she suggested it, and he still couldn't help but fear some bizarre almost fictional-sounding scenario where the men somehow caught her. He never would have imagined a world where he was worried the woman he loved was getting caught in a fishing net or getting a hook in her tail, but now, it was a very real concern of his.
He could barely hear the men's voices, but he could hear two separate voices speaking to one another. Their words were muffled, but after several moments, they looked to be packing up their things and they took off from the island. Quince gave them a solid minute of time before he paddled himself closer to the surface of the blue hole, but he did not breach, in case they were still within eyeshot. Come on, Lily, come on…you've got this, just come back, he waited, holding onto a rock to keep from sinking to the bottom. His heart was racing, anxiety pulsing through his veins, scenarios playing out in his head.
What if her dad comes to administer the last test and it's me stuck in this blue hole? And Lily is nowhere to be seen, and we don't know where she went, or what happened? After all of this time-three years of pining after her, making that mistake to kiss her in the library, causing all of this strife in her life and seeing what it would be like to be with her, and to lose her to some dumbass fishermen who see her as inhuman? His stomach was churning at the thought. He shook his head to himself, trying to reassure himself that wouldn't happen, it was irrational, when her shadow cast over the pool and she fell into the water next to him.
Quince grabbed onto her shoulders and pulled her close, "You're all right? They didn't see you?"
Lily shook her head as her legs transfigured, morphing into her tailfin in Quince's grasp. "No," she breathed, bubbles rising from her mouth. "It went perfectly."
He shook his head, pulling himself away from her shoulders to look down, giving her a once-over. Her gold and green scales still shone as bright as they always did, no hook, no damage, no one else had touched her.
"I did it, I really-"
Relief washed fully over Quince, instinct taking over as he wrapped his arms down and around the waist of her tank top. He held her close and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply, their emotions mixing and swirling together. Quince felt her anxiety-or was it his? And her relief, her pleasure, the closeness and connection that they shared holding him there. Everything felt so right for Quince in that moment. He was proud of Lily, even if he was scared shitless, she was brave and literally saved the two of them from being discovered. She was incredible.