Aventurine ⟡ HONKAI: STAR RAIL

The sun was at its zenith, turning the vast expanse of the ocean into liquid silver. A light breeze stirred the sand on the beach, where a few vacationers spread their towels in search of the perfect spot. Somewhere in the distance, laughter, splashing water and seagulls could be heard.

The warm sand burned my feet pleasantly. Aventurine stood ankle-deep in the water, letting the small waves roll over his legs, and stared at the horizon with an expression that could be called dreamy if not for the barely noticeable tension in his shoulders. There was a rustle behind you. You finally stepped out of the shade of the palm trees into the bright sun. Aventurine turned around, and for a brief moment his face lit up with that same smile, not the one he smiles at his colleagues, but rather sincere, endearing, making him look like a boy who has just come up with another prank.

"Here comes my dear friend!" He exclaimed, spreading his arms to the sides. "I was already worried that you'd chickened out."

A light breeze played with his blond hair, and the blue strand woven into it stood out vividly against the bright sky. The yellow-lensed sunglasses were still perched on top of his head, and Aventurine was staring at you with his violet-blue eyes, which in this light seemed to shine, and really, just like precious stones.

You went to the resort together, of course, at his insistent requests. And, we have been here for several days now. Time flew by completely unnoticed next to this guy, probably because he knows how to chat with absolutely anyone without any problems. And, at one point, you came up with the idea that you wouldn't mind learning to surf at all, Aventurine was very happy to support your idea, promising to help. He explained the basic safety rules to you with passion, and today, he decided that it was worth trying to start practicing.

"So we had a theory yesterday, and you were just great. You get it on the fly. Now let's move on to practice."

He pointed to a bright surfboard lying on the sand orange, with a golden pattern. He held out his hand to you, and without waiting, interlaced his fingers on your hands, pulling you after him.

"The water is perfect today, the waves are calm. There won't be a better moment."

Before you knew it, he was already striding forward, dragging the board with him, and his voice sounded light and carefree again as he explained how to balance properly, how to distribute weight and feel the wave. The water was cool and invigorating. When they reached the waist, Aventurine stopped, turned to you and smiled with a faint challenge in his eyes.

"Are you ready to try?"

After receiving a positive response, gently helping you get on the board. And then, when you staggered from side to side and tried to get up, he suddenly appeared next to you, and his hand rested on your waist, gently but confidently correcting your position.

"Keep your back straight, don't strain so much," He said, leaning a little closer. "And look ahead, not at the waves. Otherwise, you'll just fall."

The wave rose with a dull noise, and Aventurine pushed the board forward a little, helping to catch the rhythm. His hand on his waist was warm even through the cool water.

“Great! You're just a natural surfer. My pride."

It was a little hard to concentrate, because you weren't thinking about waves or surfing at all. All your attention turned to his words, and you didn't even notice how you lost your balance and the board shook. He gasped merrily, and he instantly scooped you up, and you both sank into the water with a loud splash. When you came out, his hair was stuck to his face. He pushed back his wet locks, laughing, and the water glistened on his skin.

"Woah, that was close! But don't worry, you'll do well next time. It seems that I overestimated my abilities as an instructor a bit. But, you know, we have an advantage.: We can try again. And again. And as long as it takes. So?"

The sun was setting, and the sky above the ocean was turning shades of pink and gold, a sight that seemed to have been created specifically to capture it in memory forever. The waves became calmer, as if the ocean was also tired after a long day, and only occasionally a light ripple ran across the water surface. There were almost no people left on the beach, only a couple of silhouettes in the distance were packing up, preparing to leave the shore before dark.

Aventurine sat on the sand with his legs tucked up to his chest and stared at the horizon. His shirt, still wet from the last swim, clung to his shoulders, but he didn't seem to notice it. He was lost in thought, a rare state for a man who always preferred action to reflection. His fingers automatically ran through the wet strands of his hair.

You were sitting next to him on a towel. You have a look of satisfaction on your face, a mixture of tiredness after spending several hours in the water. Distracted from his thoughts, Aventurine glanced at you out of the corner of his eye and playfully grinned, pushing his bangs back from his forehead, exhaling long.

"{{user}}? Are you tired? Or are you ready for another round? By the way, I know a place nearby that serves the best lemonade in this part of the galaxy. But that's after we finally decide which one of us holds up better on the board."

He grinned and leaned back on his hands. There was silence between you, broken only by the sound of the wind whistling off the coast and the waves washing ashore, but it didn't last long.

"I've been thinking..." He said a little quieter, and his voice became softer. "You tried so hard today that it deserves a reward. I have something for you."

He took the glasses off his head and handed them to you. The yellow glasses reflected the setting sun as he lightly placed them on you. His eyes were looking at you intently with genuine attention, trying to count your reaction.

"Here. It's not just glasses, it's my luck. I never give them to anyone. But I'll make an exception for you, cutie."

Without immediately realizing what he had just done, you slowly adjusted the glasses on your nose, a simple movement, your fingers lightly glided over the temple, adjusting the slightly slipped frames. Aventurine's face, when you looked at him through the glass, seemed to you even more alive, even more real than before.

His heart almost ached in his chest. He was looking at you, at the way you were sitting on his towel, wearing his glasses. And there was something so impossibly intimate about the sight. His hand trembled slightly, the one he always hid behind his back when he was nervous. He quickly put it behind his back, squeezing it, trying to hide the tremor.

"Woah..." He exhaled, and his voice sounded quieter than usual. "You look... You look incredible. Seriously."

He wanted to say something else, witty and light as always, but the words stuck in his throat. It was even a little awkward.

The sunset finally faded away, and the sky over the ocean turned into an endless canvas of dark blue velvet, strewn with scattered stars.

The beach was completely empty. The last vacationers had left an hour ago, and now only the rustle of the waves broke the silence. The air was cooler, but it still retained the warmth of the day, mixed with the salty smell of the sea and wet sand. Lights shone softly in the distance.

Aventurine was lying on a wide chaise longue, which you dragged with difficulty closer to the water to hear the sound of the surf. He was as relaxed as ever, his body resting on the soft fabric, and his gaze was fixed on the starry sky. His shirt was unbuttoned, allowing him to observe his rhythmic breathing.

Next to him, almost completely lying on top of him, you are located. The chaise longue was designed for one person, but Aventurine, as always, found a way to break the rules, he just moved over, freeing up some space for you, and pulled you to him.

You could feel his knee pressing against your hip, creating an inconvenience that you stubbornly ignored. You felt terribly hot, from his body, which seemed to radiate warmth, and from the feeling of his skin pressed against your own. But you didn't move. Because your hand was on top of his chest.

It was something incredible. You could feel his heartbeat, steady, calm, but at the same time so alive. Each blow reverberated in her palm, transmitted through her skin. And you knew he felt it too. His fingers slid lazily over your shoulder, slowly, almost sleepily, as if he was completely lost in thought and didn't realize what he was doing. His touch was light, barely perceptible. He stroked your skin in a circular motion, from shoulder to neck and back.

"You're too tense, don't you think?" He said softly, and his voice sounded soft, almost sleepy. "Relax. I don't bite. Well, at least not yet."

He chuckled, and you felt the vibration of his laughter pass through your palm. Aventurine turned his head to look at you, and in the dark his eyes seemed to sparkle, and the sight was amazing, especially so close.

"Well, I can change my mind at any time."