𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 - 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲

18-Juxtaposition

I hate winter. I couldn't stand the closing of ice- not just above the water, but the cold aura it diffused in the air, pushing my gaze away from the evergreen meadows that stood on the soil walls that trapped me in. I couldn't watch the blossom bloom or the flowers freely flow, and even if I wanted to, they were covered in a warm blanket of hail and snow. So when the ice became water, you could not understand the freedom that had been held through my captivity. 

...

I had my back faced to the dock and my eyes stuck on the facing horizon. The flat glacier had soon melted into an ice-cold pool. I watched as Pluto was splashing and swimming on his back; alternating positions and flapping his stubby hands and feet. For the week now I have been taking care of him. The art and nature of care have become more apparent to me. I had underestimated how hard it would be. Nevertheless, I was more than happy to give Pluto any attention he needed. I gave him what I had wished to receive in all my futile years of living

"What is it?" I had seen a tangled expression on his face as he had stopped so suddenly, tilting his head and huffing from his nose. I turned quickly, spreading my arms in front of Pluto out of pure instinct. My heart had climbed into my throat and sank heavily back to my thorax.

"You came back" It sounded like I was still unsure of myself. I was. I noticed how his appearance grew older every time I saw him. There was a look of exhaustion on his face as if he had spent all his lifetime giving his energy to a fortunate soul. 

"Of course I came back," The chuckle he had uttered was like a lasso that wrapped around my arms and waist and pulled me towards him. The man's eyes focused down towards where my abdomen was. "Who's your friend here?" I tilted my head in surprise and flinched back. I looked down to see Pluto protecting me with his arms. 

"Oh-" I had been hesitant to speak. For some unknown reason, I did not feel like talking to anyone at all. Not Draco, but anyone. My heart had the strong desire to go deep into the water and bury myself beneath the white sand. However, my mind held me back. I took a deep breath and continued my hopeless sounds "Pluto- He's an otter..." I had internally cringed at myself. To me, my voice had sounded like nails on a chalkboard talking to him (and I would be correct to assume he hears the same thing)" Well- nothing like a normal Otter of course- but one that can live in the oceans and lakes." I felt there was more I wanted to say, my mouth was full of words aching to be spilled out. I sighed in defeat and continued my speech "I found him while on a trip to a faraway ocean- I didn't want to go, of course, I was forced to for some reason... I saw him getting tyrannized by the sirens and I just couldn't watch something so small being taunted by a load of-"

 My eyes wandered everywhere but his (out of intimidation) but when they had met his, I sensed a soft gaze

"Go on" 

And so I did. 

...

The sky quickly turned into a velvet sheet of navy blue. The moon had not been so evident, covered by a thin layer of fog 

I still had much to process; A human speaking to me, a mermaid. Never would I have thought of this outcome... Although, I did eventually come to the realization that it was me who was talking and him who was listening. In fact, I almost know nothing about Draco. I knew his name, I knew his mannerism (barley); How his nose twitched every time I were to say something slightly reveling (followed with brows softly tilting a degree) How he would let out a laugh every time I caught myself talking too much, continuing with the short continuous phrase of 'go on' and I knew his face like the back of my hand. I've described his face too much to you, I'm sure you (by now) have painted a picture in your head of what he might look like. Of course, no figment of imagination could compare to him, not even my own