Sunfish¹

After what felt like an eternity inside the glass case, Xander was finally released. The moment the latch clicked open, he stumbled out, stretching his arms with an exaggerated groan. His muscles were stiff, his pride slightly bruised, but his mischievous smirk remained intact.

Valeria watched him with amusement, arms crossed. "I hope you’ve learned your lesson," she teased.

Xander rolled his shoulders, giving her a slow, knowing grin. "Oh, definitely. Next time, I’ll make sure you’re the one getting distracted."

Valeria scoffed, but the way her lips twitched upward betrayed her enjoyment. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?”

Xander leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Not when it comes to you.”

For a moment, Valeria hesitated, her cheeks warming. But then she flicked his forehead and turned on her heel. "Enough with the theatrics. We still have a sunfish to find."

Xander chuckled, rubbing his forehead. "Right, right. Back to the original mission."

And just like that, the hunt resumed, but the air between them crackled with an unspoken challenge.

As they turned the corner of the aquarium, their footsteps slowed, and their eyes widened in awe.

Floating before them, bathed in the soft glow of the massive tank, was the biggest sunfish they had ever seen. Its wide, flattened body moved slowly, its strange, tranquil expression making it look almost otherworldly. The sheer size of it was staggering—easily larger than Xander himself.

Valeria gasped, pressing her hands against the glass. "It's… enormous," she whispered, her eyes shimmering with fascination.

Xander, still recovering from his time in the glass case, let out a low whistle. "Okay… I admit. That thing is kind of amazing."

The sunfish drifted closer, its enormous, round eyes seemingly staring right at them. For a second, it felt as if the creature was observing them just as much as they were observing it.

Valeria didn’t tear her gaze away. "This… this is why I wanted to come here," she murmured, completely enthralled.

Xander glanced at her, watching the way the soft blue light reflected in her eyes. His usual teasing remark died on his tongue. Instead, he simply stood there, watching; not just the sunfish, but Valeria, as she gazed at it like she was seeing something truly magical.

As they gently lowered the massive sunfish back into the ocean from their boat, the creature drifted for a moment, its wide, peculiar eyes blinking slowly as if adjusting to its newfound freedom. The sunlight glistened off its smooth, silvery skin, and then, with a slow, rhythmic motion of its fins, it began to glide forward.

Valeria leaned over the railing, watching intently. "It's moving with the waves," she murmured, almost in awe.

Xander, standing beside her, nodded. "It looks like it's dancing with the ocean."

The sunfish didn’t dart away like other fish might. Instead, it floated effortlessly, letting the natural push and pull of the water guide it. Each swell of the waves carried it farther and farther, yet it didn’t seem to be struggling. It was as if the sea itself was leading it home.

For a long moment, they simply stood there, watching it become one with the endless blue horizon. Then, as the wind picked up and the boat gently rocked beneath them, Valeria finally exhaled, a soft smile touching her lips.

"Goodbye, big guy," she whispered. "Go where the waves take you."

As they watched the massive sunfish disappear into the waves, Valeria’s attention shifted to a small, bright-red starfish clinging to the side of the boat. Its five arms stretched out symmetrically, its texture rough but somehow captivating under the golden afternoon light.

Valeria chuckled, reaching out to touch it gently. "Look at this little guy. It has such a unique charm, doesn’t it?"

Xander crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Unique charm?" He scoffed. "Are you seriously saying that starfish has more charisma than me?"

Valeria turned to him with a playful smirk. "Well… it does have a natural aesthetic. It’s symmetrical, effortlessly eye-catching, and—"

Xander narrowed his eyes. "Symmetrical? Effortlessly eye-catching?" He gestured to his own face dramatically. "Valeria, I literally have the most perfectly proportioned face here. And you’re saying a starfish—of all things—is more charismatic than me?"

Valeria burst into laughter, leaning slightly toward him. "Oh, are you jealous of a starfish now?"

Xander huffed, running a hand through his already-perfectly tousled hair. "I just think it’s unfair. I work hard to look this good, and that little sea pancake just sits there, doing nothing, stealing all the admiration."

Valeria patted his arm, still giggling. "Don’t worry, Xander. You’re still the handsomest human on this boat."

Xander exhaled dramatically. "Barely," he muttered, shooting one last glare at the starfish before stepping away.

Valeria's gaze followed the gentle ripples in the water as a smaller sunfish surfaced near their boat, its golden-hued fins shimmering under the sunlight. Before she could react, Xander leaned in, his voice carrying a teasing lilt.

"Alright, your highness, since you’re too busy admiring sea creatures, why don’t you have your guards catch this one for you?" His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable; except for the slight edge in his tone.

Valeria blinked before a smile tugged at her lips. "You do have your uses, after all," she remarked playfully, signaling to her guards.

As they moved to capture the fish, Valeria glanced at Xander, warmth flickering in her gaze. "Thanks, Xander."

He huffed, turning away with an exaggerated stretch. "Tch. If I knew you'd thank me over a fish and not my good looks, I would've kept quiet."

As the boat cut through the last stretch of waves, the familiar coastline came into view. The golden sand shimmered under the setting sun, and the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore welcomed them back.

Valeria stepped forward, feeling the gentle sway of the vessel as it neared the docks. Xander stretched his arms lazily, glancing toward the horizon with a smirk. "Finally back. I was starting to think we'd become part of the ocean."

The crew secured the boat, and as Valeria stepped onto the wooden dock, she turned to Xander. "Admit it, you had fun."

Xander scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, yeah. But next time, let’s skip the part where I get jealous of a fish."

Valeria laughed, the sound mingling with the sea breeze as they made their way back to the shore, their adventure lingering like salt on their skin.

________

Back at their temporary residence, Valeria and Xander stood before a medium-sized aquarium in the corner of the living room. Inside, a small sunfish drifted slowly, its wide, round body and soft, silver skin shimmering in the filtered light. The fish, clearly out of its natural habitat, moved languidly, caught in the constraints of the glass walls.

Xander leaned over the aquarium, his eyes fixed on the creature. "You sure this little guy is going to be okay in there?" he asked, watching the sunfish twist and turn in circles, seemingly unsure of its surroundings.

Valeria stood beside him, her gaze soft yet thoughtful. "It’s temporary. Just until we can release it back into the water," she said, her voice calm and collected. There was something serene in the way she looked at the small fish, almost like it was a symbol of something fragile that needed careful handling, much like everything in her world.

Xander smirked, his fingers tapping lightly on the glass. "I hope it's got more patience than I do. I’m not sure I’d stay still for long if I were that fish."

Valeria glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "You? Stuck in a tank? I’d love to see that."

Xander chuckled, but his eyes softened as he continued to watch the sunfish, silently acknowledging the quiet moments they shared in this small bubble of peace.

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