Warnings: Character death, drowning. Uses lines from Feuer und Wasser by Rammstein.
The Being was back, swimming gracefully above him. It was amazing how the Being looked so relaxed despite not being designed for the water. The Being was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He wanted to get closer, be able to touch it.
It was a forbidden dream. From birth, Under creatures are taught the most important lesson: Under creatures cannot be with Surface creatures, it is forbidden. They cannot mix.
Fire and water don't come together.
But oh, how he wanted come to closer. The Being only appeared every seven days, and every time he found himself swimming just that little bit further, nearer and nearer. Soon he would be able to touch it, but he shouldn't, mustn't.
The day finally came when he got too close, and the temptation to reach out became too much. He grabbed ahold of the Being's ankle, startling it and causing it to thrash about.
This wasn't the expected reaction, and he quickly released it, swimming up so that he may see the Being face to face. The Being appeared even more shocked, but this time was still, frozen even.
He tried clicking soothingly to it, to calm it down. He didn't want to scare off this beautiful creature. The Being stayed frozen, seemingly unable to react. He clicked some more, and slowly it began to work.
The Being made some of its own noises, a mixture of various sounds and what one could only assume to be it's own language. Even the noises it made were beautiful, twinkling and silky.
He reached out and touched it again, carefully this time, feeling its damp hair, brown and soft, Sun darkened skin. The Being flinched at first, but slowly relaxed after sensing no danger, even reaching out a hand of its own. Little water-crinkled hands felt his pale hair and face, curious and fascinated.
All too soon it stopped, the Being retrieved its hands and gargled some more, slowly swimming backwards. It waved to him, and he could only hope that meant a promise of return.
He felt a lot lonelier during the Being's six day absence. He wanted to see it again, wanted the beauty back. He had seen for himself that Surface and Under creatures could be together, so that fear could not hold him back anymore. He just wished more than anything for the Being's return on the seventh day.
And on that seventh day, the Being swam into the middle of the lake, just as it always did. The only difference is that this time it stopped, waiting.
He swam up eagerly to the Being, clicking and whistling greetings that were inaudible on the surface. The Being smiled at him when he broke the surface, making what must have been its own greeting in its odd sounds.
It was the best day of his life. He and the Being swam and splashed in the lake for hours, genuinely enjoying each others company. But again and all too soon the Being had to leave. The Being made its sad farewell noises, and he realised that he didn't want it to leave. He wanted to reach out and grab it, have it stay with him.
A little voice in the back of his mind told him that fire and water don't come together.
The next six days were the worst. He hated it, the loneliness, the absence of its beauty. He couldn't stand it, couldn't bare it. It was like nothing else existed but that being, and without it there was no more than sheer nothingness. On the morning of the seventh day he knew he couldn't feel like that again, wouldn't.
When the Being returned however, all his negativity faded. He enjoyed himself again, enjoyed the Being's company, even more than last time. However time seemed to move even quicker. All too soon, the Being had to leave.
He didn't want to feel like that again, the emptiness. He couldn't. He wouldn't let the Being leave.
He swam forwards and grabbed its arm. The Being turned, startled, then smiled, garbled, tried to pull its arm back. He pulled it closer. The Being's eyes widened, then before it knew it, his grip tightened and he started to swim down.
Deeper and deeper, heading for his nest. The Being thrashed and struggled, much like the first time they met. It was clearly just startled and shocked, it would calm down in a moment.
Just as he predicted, the Being relaxed, now almost limp in his arms. Bubbles stopped streaming out of its mouth, and its eyes slid shut.
Down and down, further and further, right to the bottom and to his nest. He laid the Being down, happy he managed to persuade it to stay. It was his now, all his.
Something seemed wrong though. Its eyes had shut, and it didn't seem to be blinking. He leaned forwards. No breath. He placed a hand on its chest. No heartbeat.
It is forbidden for Under creatures to be with Surface creatures.
Fire and water never come together.