Léan, someone whom had remained mate-less for all his life, rarely thought about anyone as a potential mate. He was not a fan of romance, and often ignored any feelings of attraction. He had a fear of rejection, though he didn't quite realize it yet.

His brother, on the other hand, was a bit different. His brother had gone through two mates already--one who violently broke off their relationship and another, more recently, who recently died of serious illness.

As Alice floated there she thought about all her past relationships. There weren't many, and they all ended terribly. No one under stood her daydreams or fantasies and they all rejected her. The thought made her frown and she let out a sigh as she thought of the one guy she thought was perfect until he hit her. She stared up at the sky wondering how her brother managed to find girls so easily, he must have gotten all the looks in the family, she thought. She glanced over at Lean wondering if he had ex's out there somewhere or if he had always been alone.

Léan was a loner. A pure loner. He had no one, and wanted no one. It was an odd way to go about living life, completely apathetic towards love and companionship. But it worked for him. It was rare for him to even slightly befriend someone. He was usually hostile towards other people...

Especially humans.

Alice opened her eyes, the clouds were starting to gather and the bright blue sky was getting darker. She ignored the signs of a potential storm and looked over at Léan. "If you are nomadic, don't you ever get lonely?" her voice was soft not wanting to offend him. She just couldn't think of someone living completely alone all their life.

Léan sniffed slightly, glancing over at her. "No," he replied, honestly. "I am the kind of person who could live on my own for the rest of my life. I don't necessarily need companions, or friends...or anything. However, those kinds of things could be nice...given the chance."

Alice smiled. At least she seemed to be getting him to open up. It still bothered her to think that he would go his whole life alone. No one should have to do that. She let out a sigh wondering how she would be able to show him that friends were good and helped make life happier. "Friends are nice. Gives you someone to talk to and hang out with so you aren't alone all the time. I know i get tired of being alone all the time." She didn't know what alone meant to Lean but she knew what alone was like to her and she didn't like it.

"I've never gotten tired of being on my own," Léan informed her. There was no hint of dishonesty in his voice. He...he really wouldn't get tired of being on his own...friends were nice to have, but he didn't need them...

Alice frowned. She didn't really know what to say. She felt a drop of rain hit her cheek, but she ignored it as she tried to figure out what to say, but she couldn't seem to find the words. Alice let herself slip under water so the cool water surrounded her. She stayed underwater for a few moments, before she came back to the surface and sucked in a mouthful of air. It would be nice to be able to hold her breath longer of breath under water like him.

Léan had the distinct, nagging feeling that she was going to ask him if it was possible for her to change into his species, somehow. He was not going to bring it up, however, until she did. He had no need for companions, but that did not mean he wouldn't benefit from having them.

Alice flipped back onto her back to float as she stared at the storm clouds building, not really registering how far out she was. She idly wondered if would be possible to turn into his species. Was it possible? would she be able to turn back? She glanced over at him. If she did turn into a mermaid would he still rather be alone or would she still be his friend? She bit her lip and decided to ask anyway. "So this is probably going to sound idiotic, but there wouldn't happen to be a way to turn into a merperson would there?" She paused as her face turned red. "Never mind that was probably a really stupid question." She looked back to the sky.

Léan, luckily, had been expecting her question. If she'd asked it right out of the blue, he would have choked, and possibly, his entire face would have gone red. He instead cleared his throat, pointedly averting his gaze.

"...Erm. There is indeed a way...though, I don't think you'll be very keen on it. And at this point, I'm not willing to offer my help...not to change you."

At hos comment, Alice lost her concentration and slipped below the surface sucking in a mouthful of water. When her head broke the surface of the water she was coughing and gasping, her face turning red. struggling to tread water and cough at the same time, she slipped below the surface again. This time when she broke the surface she was able to hold herself up long enough to clear the water from her lungs and breath properly. Her face was bright red now as she treaded the water.

"There really is a way?" She asked surprised by the fact. "And you wouldn't help me?" her voice sounded slightly hurt, she thought that maybe she had done something wrong.

Léan blinked, watching her flounder with amusement clear in his expression. "...Er..." Finally, the hints of a light pink blush could be seen on his face. "...There is a reason I'm not keen on helping. And if you don't want to slip underwater again we had best head into shore..."

He wouldn't just right-out refuse if there wasn't a real reason...

Alice nodded, he had a point about shore so she started heading back, swimming awkwardly when she coughed on occasion. She had caught a glimpse of the blush on his face but she didn't understand it. Once she had her breath back to normal she looked over at him. "I'm not trying to pry, but you seem to be dancing around something, why exactly aren't you too interested in helping me?" She asked just as her feet were able to touch the bottom.

"I'm purposely trying not to say it out loud," Léan replied, a grumble in his voice. "If you want me to be blunt, I certainly can be, but...I have a feeling you won't like what I have to say." He frowned, as they reached shore. He stayed out deep enough that it wasn't easy to figure out what he was from the house in case anyone was inside.

Alice stayed out in the water with him, but she could tell she was starting to wear on him with her questions. "But if you don't actually say it how will i know?" It seemed like a stupid question, but it was the truth. "If you want to explain it gently go a head, or just be blunt." She shrugged with a sigh. "I just want to know." she paused for a moment as she wrapped her arms around herself. "What would you think if i became like you?"

"I wouldn't think of you any differently," Léan replied, easily. "However..."

He looked down, and then to the side. He was silent for a minute or two before he cleared his throat again and finally looked at her, having decided to try and explain. "To become a merperson, a human first has to find a merperson," he began, having to avert his gaze again. "They must bring this merperson on land, and...erm..."

He paused again, briefly. "...Sleep with them."

Alice was glad he wouldn't think differently of her, but the however he said scared her a bit. When She heard his explanation her face instantly turned red. No wonder he had danced around it. "Well, uh, no wonder you don't want to help me out. I don't blame you." She smiled nervously trying to avoid the moment becoming more awkward than it already was. Eventually her smile faded and her serious thoughts came back. Too bad he didn't think of her in that way even remotely. She sighed, losing hope for ever escaping her dull life.

"It isn't that you aren't attractive or anything," Léan backpedaled, hoping to save some kind of face. "I just...I don't think of anyone or anything in that way. Plus, we have not known each other that long. Another plus...I do not like humans in general, and I hold some fear for them. If anything at all is going to happen..."

He paused again, seeming sheepish. "It will take a while."

Alice nodded as he spoke. He seemed sincere so that made her feel a little better. She looked up at him as he continued. She didn't like the idea that he still spoke of being scared of her. Honestly it hurt a little bit, she had thought they were finally past that part.

She shrugged and gave him a small smile. "I know. I wouldn't expect you do do anything like that for me. I mean, you don't like me hardly at all, especially in that sense, besides i wouldn't do that with anyone i didn't care for alot."

"As I said...if anything is going to happen, it's going to take a lot of time," Léan repeated, reasonably. "I have never been in any sort of relationship in all my life. I have had feelings, perhaps...but I've never acted on them..."

He was a real loner, in almost every sense of the word.

Her nose wrinkled a bit. "Relationships are tricky things. I've never had a good one." She shuddered at the memory but then looked back to her friend. "Relationships are supposed to take time anyway. But I'm sorry you never found that one person that makes you happy." she gave him a small smile as more rain began to fall.

Léan enjoyed the rain--his eyes closed and he leaned back on his back again to float. The raindrops hitting his tail were the nicest sensation. He shrugged. "I'm not upset by it. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen...no need to try and force it."

"Fair enough." Alice said as she looked up at the sky, her eyes closed as the ran hit her face. She grinned as she let the fresh water trickle down her cheeks and neck. She held her arms out to catch more of the rain that was starting to come down harder. She shivered, but in a good way as the rain dripped down her body leaving goosebumps. "Rain's nice isn't it?" She asked with a smile, but it was not really a direct question.

"I prefer storms." Léan grinned. He had a crooked, wry sort of grin that wouldn't work on most males his age--it was more of a rough-and-tough kind of grin--but it worked beautifully on him. "Rain is nice, though."