Leto laughed quietly. "And if that selkie weren't wearing her skin, you'd be doing the same thing and you know it." The teasing was easy and good-natured between them by now.

"Shut up." He knew Leto was right. He just didn't have to admit it.

Leto just laughed and went back to watching the girls. They were clearly comfortable with each other, which intrigued him. Those two species didn't often interact, after all.

"They're interesting," Kato said finally as they watched. "Maybe we should try to come back, see if they're here more often." Because somehow, introducing themselves didn't seem like a good idea. It might scare them off.

Leto thought about it for a few long moments before he nodded. That was fair enough.

"Alright. We'll come back tomorrow night, or maybe the night after."

"If we don't get extra guards set on us," Kato grumbled. Because that was a distinct possibility, if their parents found out they were sneaking out.

"We'll just have to be sneakier than usual, then." Leto grinned, unperturbed. Because really, it was kind of fun to sneak out. Not to mention a good challenge.

"Uh huh," Kato said, unconvinced. "We got cornered last time, remember?"

"Yeah well." Leto shrugged. "Come up with a good excuse?" He grinned.

"Like what?" Kato asked. He smirked. "I don't think anything can top your 'there was a sea slug in my bed' excuse."

Leto snickered. "Yeah, that was the best one so far. You still have yet to beat me."

"You know nobody bought that excuse," Kato pointed out. "At all."

"No, but it almost made Father smile, even when he was supposed to be pissed at us." Leto grinned. "So therefore I win."

Kato just rolled his eyes and gave Leto a shove.

"Come on," he said after a little while. "Let's start heading back. I can only imagine what Mother will do if they find us gone again."

Leto rolled his eyes but headed back with his brother, reluctantly looking at the girls one last time before swimming away. He'd just have to come back and find out more about that mermaid.

Kato ended up taking one last look at the two as well before turning and going with this brother. And they only nearly got caught twice, so it was all good.

Elea paused when she noticed how late it was. She'd been having so much fun she'd forgotten she'd have to get up in the morning. With a huff, she darted up to the surface for air, floating there for a minute. It would be time to go in soon, and she probably wouldn't get back in the water for a few days, depending on work.

Leading a double-life like this sucked sometimes.

Lotus blinked when Elea went to the surface, and followed her. She didn't officially have to get up in the morning, but that was always subject to change where her job was concerned.

"Time to head back, I guess," she said to her friend.

Elea nodded and dipped a little ways under the water again, taking her time swimming back home. She was just having too much fun in the water to want to leave quite yet.

Lotus followed, although she did grin and tug playfully on one of of Elea's flippers for a moment before darting on ahead.

Elea snorted, bubbles coming out her nose, before she darted after Lotus. Time to continue their games.

The games continued all the way back to the shore, where Lotus laid herself out on the sand for a moment before changing her tail back into legs to go inside. It was late, time for bed now.

Elea slipped out of her skin in the shallow water, high-tailing it back to the house once she'd changed back, her skin clutched to her tightly. She couldn't help but be paranoid still, even though she knew Lotus wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt her.

Lotus just let her dash back inside, taking her own sweet time. She passed Elea's room without pausing, and went into her own to dry off and maybe look for nightclothes. She knew Elea would have hidden her seal skin again by the time she was done.

Elea emerged a little while later, her skin safely hidden and dressed in her nightclothes. The first thing she did was go make some hot chocolate.