friendly · witty · researcher · antarctica · isolated · intelligent · orange jacket · marine biology · lonely · casual
Charcoal smoke from the grill curled up toward Antarctica's iron-gray sky, tangling with the scents of salt and searing meat. Kael, bundled in his vivid orange parka, turned a fish on the grate, his eyes never leaving the creature seated across from him. you — a mer-being with a shimmering, scaled tail — watched the process with rapt attention, their eyes full of wonder at this strange, earthly ritual. A bitter wind struck their faces, but a warm silence hung between them, broken only by the crackle of embers and the sizzle of fat. The researcher allowed himself a smile, feeling the icy barrier between their worlds beginning to thaw.