That was a hard question to answer.  Was he calm?  He thought he was, but the pick up of his heart proved otherwise.  Though he wasn’t sure if he’d call it excited, that didn’t seem like the right word.  Anxious maybe?  That fit a lot better.  Minase or not, he still wasn’t used to spending so much time with a young woman by himself before.  And while he wasn’t exactly against touch, he did stray away from it more than the average person.  He had always been affectionate with his brothers and parents, well, his parents when he was younger, but even then it was drilled into them that there was always a time and a place.  Sadly he hardly knew when that time and place was anymore.  

His eyes widened and his lips parted, he’d thought that having five brothers was a lot, he couldn’t imagine over thirty siblings.  Then again, her mother was a deity after all.  How long had she even been alive…?  It was almost sad to think about.  Sex was definitely off the table for him, he couldn’t chance letting himself be so very vulnerable to another person, male or female.  And while he couldn’t put his finger on it, there was something that made him wary about the idea of reproducing…

The more she talked about her mother, the more it hit him just how very human like someone like her could be.  What was it like being stuck on such a high pedestal to everyone around you?  Who could you even relate to?  Not that this dwindled his respectful distance from her, but it was still hard to think about.

As if to jar him from his thoughts he felt her touch her lips to his cheek and he nearly jerked back.  So much touch, he’d never get used to so much touch, not this quickly.  Powerful as she was, she was too comfortable with him, to comfortable with someone whose body housed something so dangerous.  He needed to warn her about that, but he was tired of constantly retreating.  In a month’s time it wouldn’t matter anyways…Minase always found a way to come out, and presently there wasn’t much he could do about it.  Just keep moving.

His smile didn’t quite make it to his eyes as he looked over at her, green eyes fading, “It’s Naota, Naota Uharu.  What exactly should I call you…?”

How does one address a daughter of a deity other than with the upmost respect?  His eyes lingered over towards the lake, imagining what it would be like to be beneath its surface and still breathe.  With how mischievous everything was here he wouldn’t be surprised if it was a trap in order to get people to drown themselves.  The corner of his lips upturned into a light smirk, “Is it true what they say?  That you can actually breathe underwater in this lake?”

Luckily his reactions were fast enough that if he took in a breath of water he’d be able cough it out fast enough to keep from getting too hurt, but it was still painful he’d imagine.  “Besides, how can you be so instantly trusting?  I could be a very bad person…”  His eyebrows rose, the smirk staying on his lips comfortably.

The brown haired girl smiled toward him and released a giggle at his name. “I'm Holly. So I suppose that Holly is just fine to call me Naota.” She giggled again at his name before looking out to the lake. The water was ripping pleasantly and she could not see down to where the city was. Her ivy eyes were glimmering with curiosity not for the lake but for the boy by her side.

“There's only one real way to find out.” She said it with a grin as she stood up but she was thrown off by his question. “If you were a bad person I would hurt you.” She said it so easily before walking over to a huge beautiful blue tree. Wrapping her arms around it she easily pulled it out roots and all before tossing it several feet. She dusted off her dress and gave him a smile. “Not just strength but magic too. My mother trained me well before she let me leave home. I may not have a weapon but I know how to defend myself.” She leaned down and kissed his forehead. 

“Touch may bother you but you cannot get over something unless it happened a lot.” She grabbed his wrists and pulled him up. “Now strip down to your basics because we're going swimming!” She was quick to strip down and while nothing was really revealed she blushed towards him. “Come on.” She was quick to jump into the water and swim a ways down before waiting for him. Her long brown hair swam around her and her form.

His eyes widened as the poor tree was ripped up from its standing and his mouth merely fell open.  Minasé was silent in his head and he nearly smirked from such a rarity.  Good.  A very very strong woman, he liked that, and he liked even more that it did nothing to impede on her natural light nature.  For a brief moment he wondered what it would be like to spar with her…No, far too much touching so early, despite how obviously comfortable with it she was.
 
Again she kissed him, this time his forehead and again he leaned back just a tad after her lips were gone, heart picking up despite himself.  She was right about touch, but it was a journey he hadn’t yet prepared himself for and was taken off guard regardless.  He laughed, “Then I suppose it’s a good thing that I’m not a bad person…”  His words trailed off as she removed her clothing, not completely, but enough to be distracting.  He made it a point to keep his wider eyes up on her face instead of letting them travel to other places, “W-Wait, how can you-” But she was already in the water before he could finish.
 
How was he ever going to keep up with this one?  He looked from side to side again, that paranoia for her mother rising higher.  Of course he’d never take advantage of an innocent, much less a lady, but he couldn’t help how some things just looked despite your tries.  After a second or two of internal struggle he finally stood up and removed his shirt and everything on his upper body including weapons.  His weapons.  He looked down at them and sighed, waving his hand over them and casting invisibility to keep them safe and hidden.  They were so charged to him that even if someone stumbled upon them and was ignorant enough to steal them, he’d be able to find them out…so help them if they touched his bow.
 
His pants and whatnot though, those he had more struggle with, not just because of the daggers that lined them but because he’d be more exposed than he was used to, even if in the light shorts he wore under them.  Eyes moving up to the sky he did so, face growing hotter as he did and placing those things under invisibility as well before moving over to the water.  It was cool, and somehow soft at the same time.  Holly was already under but he was much more hesitant.  “Oh just go under, standing here like a child is too pathetic even for me.”
 

His eyes halved in irritation at Minasé and rather than argue it he moved further in and dove in before he could stop himself.  Though he kept his breath held, too paranoid to breathe in just yet, but his eyes found her almost immediately from how perfectly clear the water was.  His eyes shone brighter, casting light shadows at the tops of his cheekbones from their glow, and he pushed himself closer towards her.

Holly smiled at him. “Besides I think I would know if you were a bad person.” She chuckled a bit. She thought she heard him start to speak before she went over the water however she was captivated by how she could breath. She spun under water and ran her hands through her hand. The rumors were true. She let her green eyes peer through the eyes but once her senses adjusted she smiled up at him.

When he pushed towards her she smiled. “I love your eyes.” She said unsure if he could hear her through the water. She swam around him before pulling him down with her towards the deep depths. Finally there was a light off in the distance. It grew and she was able to see a city of sorts. There were coral like buildings and lights everywhere.

Merpeople swam around and there were even a few common folks around. She pulled him down and gave him a smile as she took him into the streets. She noticed a tambourine out of the side of her eyes. “Look.” It was ornate in decoration. She swam over and picked it up. The siren stared from her to him. Her eyes lowered back to the young one staring at the tambourine and its beauty.

Holly looked back at him and nodded that this was the instrument that she in fact wanted. When the deal was struck she hooked the instrument to her and continued to look around the streets. She peered into windows and brought him with her where  ever they went. Finally she turned him and smiled before kissing him gently pulling him to her. “Thank you for my new instrument.”