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There’s something so familiar about her.
It’s strange, sure, knowing damn well Jay has never met a water spirit in his life, but he can’t help but get a bizarre feeling of nostalgia whenever they meet.
Maybe it’s her eyes, and their soft, sapphire glow that reminds him of his mother’s, or maybe the curves of her supple frame. Maybe her sweet smile, or the gentle, lulling cadence of her voice. He doesn’t know, can’t put his finger on it, can’t diagnose the symptoms of whatever muddle of emotions he experiences while in her vicinity.
All he knows is that she’s… something special. A pearl in the sea, a rose in a bush of thorns, a rainbow amidst a summer’s storm. And she’s just so lovely; with her tender touch that makes him melt, and her curious nature.
Jay doesn’t remember his home, or if he even had one. All he’s known are bleak, eggshell white cubicle walls, the droning dull hum of computers and machinery alike, and tedious, never-ending monotony. In fact, he used to appreciate the Administration, – loved it, even – but at some point, the human mind craves for something new, an excitement, a thrill.
And, as if the Gods above answered his silent prayers, she fell right into his lap.
Or, rather, she creeped up on him as he napped by the seaside. (In hindsight, maybe he did deserve to be startled awake by a glowing sea woman for slacking off, but who’s to say?)
The sky is painted a rich ruby hue, melting into amber and honey tones with sparse flecks of clouds across the brilliant canvas. The gentle breeze rustles Jay’s hazel curls, and he feels a smile tug at his lips as the goddess next to him closes her eyes to relish in the brief gust.
Her name is Nya, she told him, and he felt that odd rush of nostalgia and yearning all over his body. The simple name rolls off his tongue perfectly, almost as if it was meant for only his voice to speak.
Fiddling with his yin medallion, he stares at the whitecaps sparkling across the sea’s surface, running his thumb over the smooth, onyx-black and gold surface. He has no idea where it came from or who gave it to him, only that it’s been on his desk since the day he found himself wound up in the Administration.
“What’s that?” Nya asks, shattering the silence. She’s staring at the pendant, her hand palm-up and outstretched.
“Something of mine,” he replies, placing it into her hand.
She holds it up to her face, and turns it over a few times, letting its glossy surface catch on the gilded sunlight. “Shiny,” she comments, fascinated.
“Shiny, indeed,” Jay echoes. The way she inspects the pendant reminds him of a cat: wide-eyed and inquisitive, always eager to learn and explore.
“Where did you get it?”
He shrugs indifferently, running his fingers through his hair as another gust of wind billows past. “I dunno, guess it was a gift or something. Cool, isn’t it?”
After a prolonged period of silence, she answers, “I like the dragon.”
Humming softly, he nods.
She holds the medallion’s cord with her fingers, batting her eyes, and Jay ducks his head. It fits easily over his curly hair, settling perfectly around his neck. The pendant hangs in the center of his chest, like a badge or symbol of sorts.
“Pretty,” Nya gawks.
And there it is again– that fleeting, wistful feeling. Akin to déjà vu, feeling like he has lived this life before, sensing something so familiar and domestic about their dynamic. But it’s on the tip of his tongue, just out of reach, and he can’t exactly pinpoint its location through the foggy memories clouding his head.
“Yep,” Jay plainly says, placing his hand on hers. It’s warm, almost as if she’s soaking up the setting sun’s warmth.
Tilting her head, she frowns. “Shouldn’t there be another piece?”
He never really gave that notion much thought or consideration before. “I… I guess.”
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know that. If I had it, I’d bring it to show you.”
Jay can practically see the cogs turning in her head, the concentration and intense rumination evident in her luminescent face. “Well, who do you think has it?”
“I don’t know that either,” he sighs, smiling fondly, letting his head flop against his left shoulder.
“Maybe… it’s someone special.”
He muses, “You’re pretty special.”
“Not like that,” she scolds half-heartedly, rolling her eyes. “Like… a loved one. Or your past lover.”
At that, Jay barks an amused laugh. The idea is so preposterous for some reason; he’s no Romeo, that’s certain. “You think?”
“It sounds plausible. Yin, yang, you know. Haven’t you thought about it before?”
In all honesty, he hasn’t, but maybe he should have. He has no life outside of the Administration, no memories, no relics from his past life to hold onto– nothing. So, why would he waste his time mulling over something so pointless and inane? If anything, he should be thinking about his future; no way in Hell is he spending the rest of his pathetic life holed up in an office, mindlessly scanning documents and overseeing pointless form after form.
“Not really,” he ends up saying, finding his fingers instinctively back at his pendant. After a moment, he raises his eyebrows, interest piqued. “But, who knows. Maybe.”
Nya nods slowly, redirecting her attention back to the ocean. The distant crashing of waves against the escarpment of the cliff echoes in the air, followed by the quiet squawks and trills of overhead gulls.
“Maybe they were as lovely as you,” he finally adds before ending that train of thought.
He basks in the giggle he receives, letting it seep through his skin and bury itself into the very marrow of his bones.
Jay likes a lot of things. He likes video games, sleeping, everything bagels with cream cheese, but he never really considered himself loving anything– or anyone, for that matter.
Yet, as he stares with raw admiration at the beautiful girl in front of his very eyes, he can feel his pulse quicken, his cheeks flushing a subtle crimson, and a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. Right then and there, he comes to a fateful conclusion.
He loves his girl.