Proteus tried not to smirk as he gestured for Ellie to come closer to the entrance where Proteus lurked. He had retreated back to the water after trying to help her move sand, and was only now feeling relief from the drying that had curled his scales up.
She sat down with her legs dangling into the sea, not a care in the world. He’d seen countless humans terrified of the ocean. They feared what would bite them from the depths, or if they would drown if they slipped in. This woman couldn't even swim, and yet she sat here with her legs in the water.
Perhaps that was because she'd seen death so many times. She didn't fear what waited for her beyond all the darkness.
Proteus took a moment to look at her. When did the sight of her make him so soft? He wanted to linger as he peered at herfeatures, listening to the sound of her breathing and the quiet, steady beat of her heart. He could listen to her for ages. The sounds of her body, the whispering truth of her mind, all of it made him want to touch her.
With a flick of his tail, he coasted a little closer to her. "Are you hungry?"
She shrugged. "I suppose. I'm still getting used to eating anything that isn't liquid."
Hm. He wasn't sure what he could bring her that would replicate that liquid packet that had brought her so much comfort. He knew it likely had all the necessary vitamins and nutritional needs that would keep her alive. While he had to guess at what humans ate, he barely remembered what they had consumed years ago.
"Would you like more fish?" he asked.
She made a face, but then immediately cleared it from her expression. "That would be fine, I suppose."
"You don't like fish?"
Ellie shrugged. "I don't really know what I like. Nutritional packets have little flavor."
He ran through all the things he could think of in his head. Obviously, clams and oysters were an option, although they were a little deep for him to find those. Starfish were a delicacy, but he wasn't certain her kind ate them outright. Which meant he would need to find something else for her to feast upon, or at the very least, a way for her to cook them.
Perhaps she would like sea urchin. He had seen the humans taking out their yellow innards before and eating them. It was surprisingly briny, and usually eaten raw, so he could see her enjoying that.
"I will be back," he said, and with no preamble, he disappeared beneath the surface.
He caught her a few extra fish as well. Eating those raw hadn't seemed to bother her, and there were a few other delicacies he could find. The water weeds that had always annoyed him were edible, and the seaweed that tangled around his tail actually had a decent flavor according to some of the humans he remembered.
So he brought those up with him and then placed them all in front of her. Each one he delicately set out, even the fish, before slicing into the first one so she would eat it before it went bad.
"Try this," he said, staring at her expectantly.
She looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "What?"
"If you do not know what you like, then we will discover what you do. Together." He gestured at the food. "Please. Take your time, but tell me what you like and dislike about each of these."
To the music of Pilot clanking behind them, creating horrific looking droids that were clearly meant to be terrifying, Ellie picked up the slice of fresh fish he had offered her.
The barracuda was one of the few fish brave enough to fight him back when he tried to get them for food. He admired them, in a way, but the fresh slices of its flesh would keep her healthy. So he didn't mind killing the beast.
Watching her place the slice of raw fish on her tongue did something to him that he hadn't expected. He liked feeding her. He liked knowing that he was the one giving her energy.
At least, until her face creased a bit. "It's... fishy."
He arched a brow. "It is a fish."
"Yes, but..." She took a deep breath and then shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I wasn't expecting it to taste like it smells."
Like it smelled? Proteus leaned forward and took a deep breath, inhaling deeply the scent of the barracuda to make sure it hadn't gone rancid. There was nothing wrong with it. And he'd even say it didn't really smell like fish either. There was a scent of the sea on it, but that was all.
"Hm," he muttered, before nudging an oyster closer to her. "Try this one then."
When she struggled to crack it open, he reached for it and expertly opened the delicacy. He personally loved oysters and knew many creatures in the ocean liked them as well. They were easy to eat, and they were plentiful. The People of Water grew them in farms, and he remembered them being abundant and so sweet with many flavors depending on where and how they were grown.
Handing it over to Ellie, he watched as she slurped it up.
There was a long pause as she seemed to think about what she thought. But she hadn't even chewed. How was she supposed to get the flavor if she didn't chew? She kept forgetting to do that with all the food he gave her.
