Page 23 of Ondine, Vol. 2 (Cash City Omegaverse)

Fisherman’s Poetry

Sebastian

I wake well before the sun is up. I didn’t get ready the night before so I have a lot to do this morning to get out to the pond. I load my boat with my tackle box, fishing poles, cooler with a couple beers and white bread sandwiches, but I can’t find my hat. And I just know the sun will burn me up.

I slept like a fucking rock last night. Thank god.

Freddie called in to say he needed one more day. Ondine and Arnold spent the night together in the spare room. Jake, Shadow, and myself took turns hovering around their door until we eventually all retired.

I want to spend time with her. But I’m not about to play tug o war for her attention. For now, I just need one morning, quiet on the pond, where I don’t have to challenge my core beliefs.

I find my hat in my truck, ease the door shut, and make my way across the lawn to the dock out back. It’s a canvas wide brimmed hat, soft enough to crumble up in my hands.

There’s a fine blanket of cold dew on everything. As I walk I kick up the dew in a wave of sparkles. It’s hard to be in a down mood when you walk through a dewy yard.

I do some switchbacks so I have more of a chance to hit the dew.

Then I hear a giggle from the patio.

I spin and see Ondine in the early morning light.

She looks like a dream.

She’s wearing oversized sweatpants and a hoodie. She’s holding a mug of her tea and is all smiles.

“Ondine, what’re you doing up?”

She shrugs and continues smiling at me.

“Where you off to?” She asks.

I shrug and she laughs at me.

“Fishin’.”

“You want company?”

My mouth falls open. Ondine wants to come fishing with me? When I said I wanted alone time I didn’t think Ondine was an option for company.

“If it would please you. I won’t be doing much out on the water. It won’t be much for entertainment.”

She puts up a finger, telling me to wait and runs back into the house. She emerges soon after without her tea, and someone’s boots on her feet. She meets me on the lawn where I haven’t moved at all.

“Am I good like this?”

I take time to look her over.

“Should work for the fish.”

I don’t think. I just take her hand and lead her to the dock. I hold her hand as I help her into the boat. There are two swivel seats in the boat and she sits happily on her seat.

Today is going to be a good day.

I climb in after her and get my things and get situated real nice.

Then I untie and push off. I have to fight the current a little to get to the pond.

So I don’t give her much attention as I navigate to my favorite spot.

If she doesn’t like the silence and lack of attention, then maybe she’ll think twice about joining a man on a fishing trip.

I nearly miss the turn off but I keep my grunting to a minimum when I finally maneuver through it, and through the overgrown reeds, and we finally end up in my pond.

There’s no access to the pond on foot. There’s no beach and the pond leaks out into marsh long before it’s visible to land. It’s my private spot.

Does she know I’ve never brought anyone here? I won’t tell her. That’ll be my little secret.

She watches intently as I tie my hook and set my bait.

It’s a ritual and she’s quiet so I don’t notice I have a sandwich halfway bit, hanging out of my mouth when I make my first cast. I sit down and offer her one to match my own.

I’d made four so there are plenty. She takes it and unwraps the foil.

It’s just a turkey and cheddar. No condiments.

I don’t know why I make them everytime. It’s just what I do.

I would have made something better if I knew she was coming.

The dawn is finally at its peak and she’s glowing.

“You come out here often?” She asks, meeting my eyes.

“As often as I can. I’m usually fishing or shooting or doing something when I get some time to myself.”

“Is it ok that I invited myself along?”

“I’m very happy you’re here.”

She smiles and takes another bite. My sandwich is long gone.

“Did you read the letter Jake sent me?” She finally asks.

I grit my teeth and twitch my lips.

“It was from all of us. I’ve been trying to write my own piece to add to it, but I’m not much of a writer.

” I look at her face glowing in the morning light.

She looks like a dream. “I already told you that I’m yours.

I’m yours to go fishing with. I’m yours to pick up your medicines and drive your mate to kidnap children. ”

She laughs. She finally connected with Freddie late last night and he told her about it. The five boys are not kidnapped. Freddie is sorting everything out with their families. He’s also gotten requests to check in on the well being of a few other kids.

“I’ll keep you then. You’ll be mine. Forever.”

A weight lifts off of my chest and I take an unencumbered breath. I feel free. Lighter and free.

I rub my palms against my jeans, and enjoy the free air.

She gives me a deep, gorgeous smile.

“Ok,” I say and it’s an agreement.

A little breeze picks up and it rocks the boat. The birds are out and loud singing their songs. Little bugs dance across the water.

“This is a nice date,” she says casually and balls up her tin foil and puts it in the cooler.

“Yeah,” I agree.

It takes me a full two minutes to realize what she just said. I’ve even handed her a water bottle and recast my line.

“Did you…I’m sorry. Is this a date?”

“Oh, I just thought…”

“Yes, yes. This is a date. I’m sorry, I never took anyone on a date. I didn’t know.”

She laughs.

“You’ve never taken anyone on a date?”

“No, don’t laugh. I’m an alpha. I don’t do that. I court. And Jake and Shadow courted me. Mostly Jake. And that wasn’t romantic.” I don’t think anyway. “If I would have known I would have done things differently. Maybe made better snacks.”

“I like the sandwich. And you look great in this light. I like looking at you.”

I can feel the blush come up the sides of my neck and color my cheeks.

“I like having you around, Ondine. If you’ll let me, I’d like to get to know you more. Take you on more dates. Would that be alright?”

She takes a minute to let my words sit in the air between us. I use that time to drink my water.

“Yeah, that’d be alright.” She gestures to my ear. “Tell me about your earrings.”

“Oh, well, all my sisters got their ears pierced at 8 years old, and I wasn’t about to be left out.

My dad told me that men don’t have pierced ears and I didn’t let them prevent me from things not being fair among my siblings.

I don’t think much about it except every few years I want to add another one.

I like going to the shop. Picking out jewelry. The pain. The recovery.”

“Maybe I’ll get one, too.”

I go still. She can’t know that’s a fantasy of mine. I have to move all my parts deliberately.

“I could do it for you. If you’d like,” I croak out.

She nods and looks over the water.

And we just talk.

We talk about movies that came out this last year.

TV shows we like to follow. Celebrities we like.

She tells me about work. How she likes all her gigs except the piano bar.

She can’t deal with drunks very well, and she has to wear too much scent blocker.

I tell her more about the neighborhood kids who exploit me for bike mechanic work and sodas.

I tell her how I’ve organized my department at work.

I have 30 security agents, so I had to come up with a system where I’m not hearing 30 people tell me their daily gripes.

She tells me about her audition in a few weeks with the Cash City Symphony Orchestra.

“I’ll take you. When it’s time.”

“Thank you, Sabbies.”

The sun shines down a little harshly so I plop my hat on Ondine’s head and am rewarded with the cutest smile.

I catch four fish and release them all. None are big enough to justify taking them home.

We eat all my snacks.

After that it’s time to go. I head back and we are both smiling while I tie up the boat and unpack my things.

She turns and kisses me on the cheek before she darts off into the house.

Ondine wants to keep me.