Page 57 of Music of the Ocean

Saxby glanced around. “Um, it was a joke. Granted, it was in poor taste, but it was a joke. No harm, no foul.”

Indigo wasn’t a violent person, unless he didn’t have a choice. That was the role the city had for him—to be a final option, not a first impulse. He was to be the voice of reason when others lost their heads.

But in that moment, watching Saxby’s careful smile wilt beneath a memory he clearly wished he hadn’t shared, Indigo imagined with perfect clarity what it would be like to hunt down the one who’d humiliated Saxby and tear him apart piece by piece.

There was a side of Indigo, built up over years of quiet observation and systematic problem-solving, that catalogued every weakness in a person’s armor. Not just the physical, but also the social, emotional, and psychological.

Indigo did not have to lay hands on the man. He could dismantle him over months or even years, with nothing but words and perfect timing.

But another part of him, older and darker, wanted to do it the old-fashioned way—slow, methodical, with a smile that showed all his teeth. He wanted to see if the man would break early or if he would hold together until his blood painted the water.

Everyone exhaled, the collective tension shifting as quickly as it had welled up. Rul ran a hand through his striped hair and exchanged a glance with Yash, whose feathery membranes had flared in alarm but now relaxed.

Saxby, still half naked, looked first at Divi, then at Indigo, searching for cues as to what would happen next. If he noticed the brief, predatory gleam in Indigo’s eyes, he gave no sign.

Indigo let the image fade, but the promise of it remained lodged in a quiet corner of his mind. If he ever got the chance, he’d take it.

Indigo cleared his throat. Violence was not the mood he was going for here. “I find you beautiful. Every inch of you.”

Saxby blushed. “Thanks.”

“Aw, love new mates!” Divi exclaimed. She held the measuring tape up for inspection, as if to demonstrate its harmlessness, then approached Saxby with a respectful gap between them.

“Okay, I’m going to start,” Divi said.

“Go ahead,” Saxby replied, raising his arms in anticipation.

She circled Saxby, measuring, then made a quick series of markings on a tablet. She called for Rul and Yash, and the two gathered an assortment of materials while Divi discussed colors and patterns with Saxby.

“Do you prefer your arms covered?” Divi asked. “Some newcomers do. But you might not want sleeves for ceremonial purposes.”

Saxby hesitated. “My uniforms had sleeves, so that’s what I’m used to. But water drags on the clothes, I’ve noticed. Let’s go with sleeveless for everyday clothing, too.”

Indigo watched as the three owners worked around Saxby, holding up different cuts and color swatches against his skin. Rul held a vest to Saxby’s shoulder, then swapped it for a lighter, more flexible wrap.

Yash darted between the racks, returning each time with something new. First was a set of shorts with reinforced panels at the thigh, then a slim pair of leggings made from a material that shimmered when the light hit it. There were cuts of material for shirts and vests.

The three owners conferred in low voices, then Divi turned to them. “Give us a few days, and we’ll have some casual clothes to get you by. Then, in about a month, we’ll have a full wardrobe.”

Saxby gulped. “That’s… That’s a lot of clothes, Indigo.”

“It is, but you have nothing. You are starting from scratch, and you need clothing,” Indigo said.

“I know, but… Yeah.” Saxby sighed. “Sorry. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. Really.”

“No one thinks you were,” Divi said. “Rul and I were newcomers once, too, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. So, I get it. Those of us who touched the water all started with nothing.”

Indigo nodded at Divi, then moved to stand beside Saxby as he stepped back into his clothing. Divi and her partners gathered the measuring tapes and swatches, organizing them on the worktable.

Saxby thanked each of the owners, shaking hands as they offered their well wishes and a promise to have some stuff ready soon.

Indigo waited until Saxby finished dressing, then gestured toward the exit. Saxby fell in beside Indigo.

In some workshops, the bustle was more subdued. Citizens hunched over glowing datascreens, their eyes flickering with concentration as they simulated molecular structures or reviewed diagrams for the next phase of city expansion.

Everywhere, there was a sense of collective purpose and a shared investment in making and maintaining the world around them.

They passed a fabrication bay where a group of young adults, their limbs thin and angular, argued over the assembly of a model city. The debate was lively but good-natured, punctuated with bursts of laughter and the occasional spray of bubbles as someone gestured with too much enthusiasm.