The waves of kindness (Kire)

I don't know what I'm expecting to see, walking along the docks as I am. Most people would look for animals, or a nice spot in the sun or shade - whatever they prefer - but my gaze is locked on the twisting, rolling ocean. The blue-green waters, seeming somewhat rough at the moment, reveal nothing more than the seafloor for about three meters around me. I feel disappointed, but I'm not entirely sure why. Without knowing in truth what I was expecting there shouldn't have been any reason for me to feel disappointed, but I do anyway.

Standing at the end of the dock I take a moment to breathe in the atmosphere and breathe out my disappointment. It wasn't a feeling I could banish right off but I certainly did my best to. Watching the waves roll and break was one of my favourite pass times, with few other things comparing. It took me some time before I noticed the girl sitting not too far from me, watching the ocean as I was - or similar to as I was. There was some rational part of my mind that knew she wasn't searching for the submerged bulk of a submarine, no one was, even though she still seemed to be searching for something. Probably a ship. I tried to judge her age without staring but it was hard. There was no doubt she was at least a few years younger than me, but what her exact age was I couldn't begin to guess. Her father's perhaps? I shrugged, trying to pretend it was a stretch, and turned my eyes to focus on the ocean again. I've never been that great around people, even those younger than me.

If a stranger wants to talk to me, they talk to me. If not, then I stay silent.

I was still enraptured with the rolling waves when a foreign voice reached my ears. "Good morning." My head jerked to face the girl I had noticed before, and I wondered why I had jumped so much when she spoke. I attributed it to how quiet it was around here, all the boats having sailed already and only the odd fisherman sitting in a chair with his fishing rod tucked in a niche near him or her. They all waited for a bite, in a similar manner as how I waited for the elusive appearance of a grey hulking shape under the water. Though perhaps fish were a bit more than slightly more common.

"I've got nothing for you today buddy sorry." It took longer than it should have for me to realize she was talking to a seagull and not me. I had been about to retort that I had no idea what she thought I was here for but it certainly wasn't true, but if I had I would have looked foolish - as if I hadn't already made a fool of myself in my search for a submarine. The splash of a pelican diving into the water, discerned as the cause from the view out of the corner of my eye, wasn't enough to distract me from taking another look at the girl. A hand rose to rub the back of my neck, as I had a habit of doing when I was thinking. Right now I was wondering how I might talk to this girl, because she had already said good morning to me so maybe I should respond in kind?

I was always more awkward around people than was good for me, and it didn't help that most people thought me insane for my belief that the Capitol spied on us from submarines. Maybe it wasn't fully true, but I certainly wouldn't put it past them. The technology was most certainly available to them and I wanted in on it. "Morning." I had to work my jaw a bit until the word for form, and even still it sounded stiff - whether gruff or fearful I had no idea. There was no doubt about it; my people skills suck.

The slosh of the water under the dock was as soothing as the undulating sea that was causing it, and I had once again drifted to absently staring at the expanse before me in silence. One word from me and then silence, it was more than typical. The girl beside me seemed to have other ideas, or she didn't feel like leaving me be. I was truthfully more interested in searching for one of the submarines I knew must lurk somewhere in those waters, but I suppose human interaction was something I could take part in. Actually, I might be better off trying to learn how to deal with people, because right now I was horrible at it - not like anyone would know.

"I'm Kai but the way. Its a lovely morning isn't it." I was nearly startled yet again by this girl, and I shook my head to try and sort myself out. This was getting ludicrous. Almost the instant I looked up my heart jumped into me throat. Then I realized the shape on the horizon was not a submarine, it was a normal fishing vessel. Disappointed, I had not had the time to respond to the girl before she was speaking again. "What brings you out here this morning?" I worked my jaw, it having gotten stiff again after its short use only moments before. As I did that I tried to figure out how I could explain it, at least in a way that wouldn't make me out to be the idiot everyone seemed to think I was. They didn't understand my need to do this, and the knowledge I had that this was as possible a thing as catching a fish.

I shrugged. "The salt air is nice." Perhaps she wouldn't have noticed my searching gaze, my desperation for any sign that I was right. I would prove my validity one of these days, just hopefully sooner rather than later.

My eyes drifted to the boat the girl must be avidly staring at, seeing that it was still a ways out. Instantly I went back to scanning the waters, hoping I might see some other hulking shape in the waves. Occasionally I caught her glancing at me, looking slightly puzzled. I ignored her for the most part though, not wanting to have to explain myself to her. No one understood why I did what I did, and it was impossible for me to tell them without fumbling over every other word. That's why people thought I was crazy, or at least dim witted.

When I had spoken her head had tilted to the side, like a dog's does when you tell them something. "It is but that's not why you are out here." I let out an indignant sigh, not really looking forward to dealing with someone so determined to have me look like a fool. "Its alright if you don't want to tell me. Its just always so peaceful out here." I determinedly kept my eyes averted, knowing she would see me looking and try to pry from me. "My brother's ship pulling in will disrupt that for a little bit though." Unconsciously I recognized that that must be the ship that was approaching. Her brother's, not her father's? It was odd to think that a son might be out without his father, assuming the brother wasn't much older than the girl I stood beside.

The girl's giggling took me off guard and I looked at her quickly. Immediately I remembered why I hadn't been looking at her and turned my head away. "Can't a guy just enjoy the ocean?" I didn't bother talking about the ship that was slowly growing bigger, preferring to stay off the subject of family, especially around a stranger. Why does why I'm here matter to her so much?