“You are quite the swimmer.”
Ico chimed, sitting firmly as she glanced at Tau who was swimming around in front of her, going back and forth from shore to sea. He would come in with the tide and pull back with it until the waves covered his face fully. She laughed as he did this.
“You think so? I am half fish, after all.”
He grinned at her, pulling himself out of the water just enough to bat at her left paw, snickering before pulling himself back into the waves, as if to hide from her batting paw.
“Sure you are.”
Ico laughed, nodding.
“So tell me fish, why do you insist on coming out of the water to pester me so?”
She was teasing him, as always. The two had become pretty close friends it seemed.
“What! Me? I’d never!”
He joked, rolling himself up onto the shore as he rested himself at her paws, his mane dripping wet.
“Must have been another lion-fish.”
As he spoke he rolled onto his back and gazed up at the sun; sand trickled down his sides as he sighed in deeply and laughed again, glancing at her from time to time.
“What is it?”
Ico questioned, noticing his glances and chuckles. She frowned at him some.
“What? Do I have something on my face?”
She wanted to know what was so funny!
“No, no. It’s nothing like that.”
He nodded, chuckling as his eyes met hers.
“You just look really pretty when the sun hits you, that’s all. You shine.”
Ico couldn’t help but laugh at that statement, it was way too funny. With a soft nodded she glared at him and spoke out.
“It’s because my pelt is so white, haha.”
“Maybe.”
Tau nodded and rolled himself up, far enough to be at her level. His mane was wet still, dripping every so lightly onto her paws as he moved in and spoke out, softly.
“Or maybe it’s because you are pretty.”
Ico, a bit stunned by his words blushed bright red and turned her gaze elsewhere.
“Haha. You aren’t so white anymore…”
He teased and batted at her paws some, moving himself back down to lay upon his back.
“Mmm.”
After a few seconds of silence Ico’s gaze moved back to the tan male below her, her dull eyes narrowing as the sunlight hit her face.
“You really think I’m pretty?”
She questioned him, her tone unsure and a bit soft. As if she felt weird asking him.
“Yeah, I do—or else I wouldn’t have said it.”
He nodded and glanced up at her, frowning.
“What’s wrong?”
She seemed upset--
“I just, I have never thought of myself as… pretty.”
She admitted with a slight nod, looking away from him. Her tail curled along her back paws as she sighed and thought to herself.
“Well. You are..”
Tau moved himself up again, this time he sat himself right beside her, the sand on his body trickling down his body as he moved his nose to her own, speaking out in a soft, light hearted tone.
“You are really pretty…”
As he spoke he licked her cheek, very slowly, before pulling away.
Confused, Ico’s face just blushed brighter; she felt… so strange. Why had he kissed her? Her eyes dropped as she glanced at her paws, looking for the right words.
“Mmm.
Tau frowned.
“Ico?”
“Y-Yes?”
She rolled her head up and glanced at him.
“Smile.”
At his words the female couldn’t help BUT smile. Tau was something else. She really liked being around him.
End
