Bonus Art - Lifeguard Lamia (Plus Short Story)

(Hello! Apologies this post was a few days late from the usual time. I was just melting in the heat on top of some other stuff, but I hope you enjoy~)

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Summer. Sunny skies. Sweltering heat. Days that never seem to end, filled with infinite possibilities.

We're halfway through July now and things are only getting warmer, winter but a distant memory as the cloudless skies stretch as far as the eye can see and that chill that had been so persistent in the air has finally given way to unyielding warmth.

Protecting my eyes from the sun, a hand redundantly shading my already concealed features, I admire the azure sky overhead with a look of awe before looking back at the giant pool I'm standing at the edge of now.

Yes. Today I'm going swimming, apparently. Who would have thought? Certainly not me.

I've never been one for pools, really, if I'm being honest--as stripping down to naught but my shorts and mingling with other, equally scantily-clad people in a cramped space for someone as self-conscious as myself isn't my idea of a good time...but when it starts to get THIS hot, how can I refuse the allure of the cool, chlorine-infused water? I'd only be hurting myself and boiling alive in this heat!

It's with these sweaty thoughts in mind that I finally gave in to Ren and Cynthia's relentless badgering--mostly from Ren's side--and joined them in an outing to a public outdoor swimming pool. I figured even if I don't get too involved in the actual swimming, maybe I can at least sit by the water's edge and paddle my feet around. Soak in the experience, you know?

But wow... This place is packed. It looks like we weren't the only ones with the grand idea of going to the pool today. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, given it's an especially warm one today, but still.

As I take in the oddly enticing mixture of chlorine and suntan lotion alike that hangs so heavy in the air, I glance at the teeming, splashing masses packed so tightly into what I THOUGHT was a pretty big pool. Looking, you know, respectfully, of course, given how so many of Rhan's most buxom women have come here to cool off, and certainly weren't shy about the swimsuits they chose to wear. Some swimsuits cover so little I have to wonder if any kind of public decency law is being broken here or something!

Who knows. Maybe I'm the weird one, here, worrying about something as trivial as skin on display at a public pool no less. Or am I just trying to come up with ways to cope with how inadequate I feel with my scrawny stature put alongside a near literal sea of curvaceous frames and chiselled physiques?

I wriggle my bare feet anxiously against the damp poolside flooring. What's taking the other two so long, anyway? I came out of the men's changing room ages ago! I get that it's probably a slightly more involved process on the women's side when it comes to putting on a swimsuit, but this is getting silly!

"Sorry to keep you waiting~"

Just when I'm on the verge of daring to poke my head into the forbidden realm that is the women's changing room to see what's going on, a familiar, chipper voice catches my ear. I whirl about on the spot with a silent breath of relief. Thank goodness I didn't go down that dark route!

Just as expected, I'm greeted by the dazzling sight of two women I know very well--yet, at the same time, both Ren and Cynthia are clad in decidedly unfamiliar outfits; swimwear, to be precise, because, duh. This IS a pool.

It takes every ounce of willpower I can muster within my scrawny frame to keep my head inclined at a respectful level and to remain fixed on their faces. And NOT everything past their slender necks, because--...ahh...I failed. Guess I didn't have enough willpower after all. Must have used it all up when I was inspecting all the women already in the pool. Ogling time it is!

The first to catch my eye is surprisingly not the busty flirt Ren, but rather, the blonde-haired woman to her side, Cynthia, who's typically far more modest in how she dresses when it comes to that well-toned frame of hers. Not today, apparently.

Clad in a black bikini that seems to be actively struggling to conceal everything it's been stretched and pinched against, my mouth is left hanging in awe at how much of that wonderfully pink skin Cynthia has on display.

Typically she's stuck to sweaters and blouses--or on the odd occasion I'd catch her post-gym workout with a more form-fitting vest that shows off her defined abdomen--so I've never really paid much attention to just how...stacked...she really is, but...wow...!

With a swimsuit this skimpy, practically every inch of the well-maintained body that Cynthia works so hard to keep in top shape is on full display to my widened eyes. Any misguided ideas I had about self-control or restraint go out the window as my increasingly bold gaze laps up what it can.

Soft curves blend together with toned muscles in all the right ways as my eyes struggle on where to settle first, flitting from muscled legs, following up to the wide flare of her hips, going up just a little more to marvel at her perfect abs...and then, yes...of course, her chest. That impressively sized, heaving bosom of hers that pushes right out against the skimpy black bikini top in a defiant act, longing to be liberated from its prison of taut fabric. All of these aspects work together in such perfect harmony it's hard to believe that Cynthia would keep a body like THIS under wraps for so long! Why didn't I take them up on their offer to go swimming sooner?!

Cynthia rubs at one of her slender, yet toned arms as she shifts from foot to bare foot in a manner that is decidedly awkward--perhaps my intent ogling is to blame, oops--before bobbing her head my way with a whip of her golden locks.

"Indeed. Apologies to have kept you, Matthew. Things would have gone by MUCH faster if a certain somebody didn't insist on sharing a changing room with me," she says, throwing a glare Ren's way, who simply beams back at the bikini-clad blonde.

"Aww, heehee... Don't be that way, Cynthia! All the others were taken!"

"That's a lie and you know it! A-and what excuse do you have for 'helping' me to change, then--especially when said help involved nothing but feeling me up!"

Ren flops her head to the side at that, drawing a finger to her glossy lips for good measure. "Hmm. I haven't thought of one for that yet, but I'll let you know when I do! You can't rush these things, grumpyboobs! My mischief is calculated, you know! It's not as chaotic as it seems!"

"O-ohhhh...!"

...Cynthia stomps a bare foot against the slick poolside ground with a comical slap of her sole. A clenched fist trembles with rage, veins bulging across it for good measure. And we haven't even gotten into the water yet. This is an impressive start for Ren and her 'mischief', as she likes to call it.

...Huh. My mind starts to wander, though. The pair of them cramped together into a tiny little cubicle, Ren tearing ravenously at Cynthia's clothes whilst her grabby hands get their fill of her softness, sleek curves, and--... Oops. I probably shouldn't follow this train of thought too far, lest I want a bigger problem than I'm already starting to get downstairs in the presence of such buxom beauties. Eh-heh... Blinking back to reality--sadly--I find a set of large green eyes peering my way. Looks like at some point or another Ren stopped harassing Cynthia and now the focus is back on me.

"So, whadda ya think, Matty-hoo? Hot, or what? I know you had a pretty good ogle at Cynthia already if that drool down your front is anything to go by, heehee... But I'm pretty stunning myself, right?" Ren beams as she gestures a hand over the contours of her swimsuit-clad body. I follow her hand with initially excited eyes, but...

Ren's swimwear is...

Well. It's fine. Nothing to write home about, or go on for multiple paragraphs like I did with Cynthia--which is something considering she's not even the focus of this particular short story, is she? I mean, it's still a pretty tight-fitting, navy blue one-piece with a neckline low enough to show off a fair amount of tightly-bound cleavage...but one word comes to mind over and over after having gawked at Cynthia's more extreme getup for so long. Plain.

"Yours is...surprisingly plain. You know, for someone like you."

I answer bluntly. Honestly. And even Ren herself seems to agree with a shrug as she straightens back up from her 'sexy' pose.

"Hmm... You're right. I thought maybe if I went with something more traditional, my outrageous figure would contrast against it to some kind of super ultra special effect! But I guess that backfired on me. Okay, fine, we're switching, Cynthia! I don't wanna disappoint my fans!"

At that, Ren really does reach for Cynthia with grabby, eager hands. The poor blonde has to clutch at her jiggling chest defensively, just to keep her bikini top from being torn right off. She squeaks out in protest as colour flushes her cheeks and her typically deep, commanding voice rises in pitch. So cute.

"H-hands off! Would it kill you to behave for ONCE in your life?!" Cynthia continues to protest as she's just about able to pry Ren from off of her with a firm hand to the girl's face. Ren grins around the fingers squashing up against her.

"Heehee. Probably. I'm too scared to find out! Best we don't risk it, huh?"

Before Ren can go much further with her obligatory antics for the day, a sharp whistle pierces the air and leaves all three of us wincing in unison.

"You two over there, no rough-houssssing! And you, sssstop running! Walk when you're near the pool! Walk!"

A voice with a decidedly serpentine rasp to it calls out just as our ears recover from the whistle, and with the first part of that scolding being directed solely at Ren, the unrepentant girl releases Cynthia from her clutches with a grin, letting her breathe a sigh of relief for her modesty remaining intact. For now.

"Oohhh... The Hissy Missy is on lifeguard duty today, is she? Guess I gotta be a bit more covert with my antics if I don't wanna get dragged out of the water by a coiled tail, heehee... Which, actually happened last time we were here, believe it or not!"

Oh, I can believe it, Ren.

Still... The 'Hissy Missy', huh? Now that's something worth investigating further. I follow Ren's gaze towards the lifeguard chair on the opposite end of the pool. I'd been so entranced by all the beauties in the water that I hadn't even thought to spare a glance for who was watching over us today. But now I wished I'd taken note of her a whole lot sooner!

Reclining in her high seat with the gentle breeze stirring at her short, sleek green hair, she's like something straight out of a TV show that might revolve around lifeguards. In other words, utterly stunning, to a near perfect degree.

Flawless, silky, tan skin glistening in the sun thanks to a fresh helping of sunscreen, ample curves that generously fill the red top adorned with a white cross that unmistakably signifies her as a lifeguard alongside a sun visor perched atop her head to compliment her reflective shades, she's the very picture of a lifeguard. I feel safer around the water now just from a glance at her impressive striking facade!

But the more I take in her appearance--and certainly am not just ogling her, honest--I also realise something else about her. Which I probably should have noticed sooner, given her more pointed ears, really, but... This lifeguard, is in fact...

"A...a lamia?"

I can't help but voice my surprise aloud as my eyes finally trail further down--past the enormous, heaving bust that could rival both Ren's and Cynthia's--and realise that her wide hips transition not into shapely legs as I'd expected...but rather, a large, bulky tail that drapes around the lifeguard chair in a manner that keeps her secure, yet ready to spring into the water at a moment's notice if need be.

"Heehee... Took ya quite a while to realise there, didn't it?" Ren leans in from the side with a teasing grin. She jabs my ribs for good measure. "Just where exactly were you looking all this time, huh? You can't MISS that giant tail of hers!"

Trailing an increasingly sweaty hand through my hair, I let out an awkward laugh. But very quickly does it devolve into a series of pained yelps as Ren continues to assail me with her finger.

"A-ahh--ahaha... That--I..uhm... O-ow--quit poking so much, Ren!" Rubbing at my increasingly bruised side, I straighten up and give Cynthia an appreciative bob of my head as she tugs Ren away by the scruff of her swimsuit. "Still... A lamia. I guess that explains the, uh...hissing?"

"Yup! The Hissy Missy starts to hiss her words the angrier she gets, it's really something!"

Why do I get the feeling Ren is speaking from first-hand experience? Poor lifeguard... Nobody is safe from her antics, are they?

"I wish you'd stop calling her that, Ren. Be more respectful!" Cynthia adds from the side with a cross of her arms. Over her enormous bust, I might add, providing a convenient shelf for all of that bikini-bound heft. Ahh...

"Aw, but it's a term of endearment, honest! Like how I call you 'grumpyboobs'!"

"I've never once considered that a term of 'endearment' and would rather you didn't call me it at all..." Cynthia says with a sigh, arms still tucked under said grumpyboobs. "Have you ever considered the possibility that maybe the things you call people aren't as harmless as you think? Oh, who am I kidding, of course you haven't..."

Ren beams. "Right you are~ Now, are we gonna just yap all day and boil in this sun, or are we finally gonna swim? C'mon, let's play tag! If we get lucky, Matty-hoo might grab somewhere he isn't supposed to!"

"Wahhh! Wh-what do you mean if you get 'lucky'?! Reeeeen!"

"Whooosh! Super Ultra Cannonball! C'mon, guys!"

Both Cynthia and I are left crying out in a fluster as Ren grabs both our arms and pulls us towards the pool with unrelenting force. Our watery fates sealed.

But as Ren leaps at the pool's edge, and time seems to slow to a crawl as all three of us sail majestically through the air, even as I let out an elongated cry, my thoughts can't help but drift towards the one overseeing all this chaos. The lamia lifeguard. Or...the Hissy Missy, as she's so affectionately (question mark) dubbed.

I don't even know her name, yet there's something about her that I'm drawn towards. And I'm not just talking about the huge chest. Which...okay plays at least SOME part in my initial awe...but it's not just that. Honest!

Maybe it's just the exotic nature of her being a monster? Because while in recent days, monsters and humans have integrated pretty well in a harmonic society, but humans still vastly outnumber monsterkind. Depending on where you live in the city, you might not even see a monster for months at a time.

Or maybe it's that proud way in which she seems to carry herself as a lifeguard? Sitting diligently in her high chair as she is, constantly glancing between different parts of the pool and wrapping those plump, glossy lips of hers around her whistle to scold the ones playing up. There's something to be admired about a dutiful woman, after all.

...Before I can delve too much deeper into these strange new feelings storming about inside, I'm rudely interrupted by a tremendous splash of water as we finally crash into the pool.

--

Playing in the pool with Ren and Cynthia goes about as expected. Which is to say, it's moments of actual fun interspersed with chaotic bursts of energy and 'antics' that got my poor heart going faster than I think is healthy for a guy. Especially in the times that I'd find myself squashed right up between both girls for reasons I can't even remember--if there ever was one--and I found myself more at risk of being smothered against their chests more than drowning in the actual water itself!

That being said, though, all of this culminates in a series of shenanigans that go just a little too far. And again, for some reason or another I can't even recall after having to endure so much in such a short span of time, I find myself sinking to the bottom of the pool in a daze. Alert enough to know that I'm actually at risk of drowning this time around, but not quite lucid enough to do anything about it as my arms float uselessly around me. All the while, I can hear the muffled sounds of Ren and Cynthia arguing directly above me, neither one aware that I've sank down this far in the fray.

Ah. I open my mouth and watch with hazy eyes as what might very well be the last of my air escapes me in a cluster of bubbles. I hadn't really thought about, what with how foggy my mind is right now...but I might actually be drowning right now. I might actually...be dying?

Is this how it ends? After everything I've endured in life? I simply...go out with a drowned croak as the ones capable of saving me are so caught up in their squabbles they don't even realise I'm missing? I almost want to laugh.

They were the ones that were so insistent I come out with them, and now they're the ones to kill me! Or maybe this was a part of their devious plan all along? Guess I'll never know. Especially not with how dark my vision's getting. If I close my eyes now...I might not...ever...open them...again--...

A familiar sound screeches with urgency on the surface. Even so deep underwater, I can hear it reverberate back at me. Both Ren and Cynthia cease their squabbling at once. Everyone in the pool freezes up. Like they've all collectively realised that something is wrong at once.

Then a lengthy, serpentine shadow passes by overhead. It cuts into the water like a torpedo and flits towards me with a speed unlike anything I've ever seen. Certainly no human could swim this fast! Scaly tail undulating to a rapid rhythm, my saviour scoops me up in slender, yet powerful arms and before I know it we're flying out of the water and landing at the pool's edge. My drenched, barely conscious form is delicately lain down. My vision is still so foggy, so I can barely make out anything around me--save for the hushed murmurs of the crowds--but more importantly, I can breathe again!

...Or at least I thought I'd be able to, but my lungs are so waterlogged, my body so weak. I still can't keep my eyes from fluttering shut as I fight to take in some much needed air, only to be steadily losing this battle. Am I doomed after all? Were they too late...?

"M-mff?!"

Just when I dare to give up hope for a second time, I can't help but jolt in shock and delight alike as something plush and tender pushes down on my slack lips. The...unmistakable presence of another mouth. One which sees fit to take command of my lips with an insistent and plush seal formed between us. And then, in a series of lengthy exhales from the other side...my body is gifted with air. Sweet, sweet air! It's enough to revitalise a body that was on the brink up until now, and leaves me hacking and wheezing with a burst of life as those plush lips withdraw from my face, almost disappointingly so. Some absurd part of me almost wishes my body HADN'T responded to that treatment as well as it did, just so I could have enjoyed the sensation of that wonderful mouth upon me for just a little more.

"G-ghhkk...gahckk... Hahhh... Ackk..."

That fresh surge of air being just the jumpstart my body needed for things to start working again, I thrash about from my spot on the floor with increasing vigor as more and more water is expelled out with every new cough I can muster. Before I know it, I finally even find the strength to open my eyes again, greeted almost immediately by an intense set of amber hues as I do. Narrowed in concern and bearing the telltale serpentine slits in place of more traditional circular pupils, the lamia lifeguard's--my saviour's--eyes give me another thorough inspect just to be sure.

"Lookssss like you're okay. That was a closssse one," she rasps out as a great deal of tension escapes her shoulders. Her severe expression softens as she brushes some damp locks of green to each side of her face. "Had I spotted you any later, we might not have been as lucky..."

"Ahhh... Th-thank--..." I attempt to say alongside a struggle to sit up, but break into another sputtering fit instead as yet more water works its way out of my system. Slender fingers gently push against my bare chest, gently coercing me back into a lying position.

"Shhshh. Don't talk just yet. You don't have to force yourself. Just rest," the lamia insists, her tone almost...motherly in a way, that I can't refuse. Instead, I simply bob my head instead.

It's only now, with the immediate danger of death out of the way and the knowledge that I'm going to make it after all, that I become acutely aware of just how...close the lamia is. The scaly woman who had caught my eye from across the pool before, now sits at my side, leaning in with her palms splayed out to either side of me as she continues to ensure my safety. Remnants of her swift dive into the water still cling to her impressive figure in glistening rivulets that stream down her, before dripping onto me in turn. Her massive, sopping wet bust heaves from the lingering exertion of everything she just did, lending an especially sensual quality to each new breath she takes in.

And...said massive, glistening bust practically grazes against my bare chest every time she exhales, only further adding to enrapturing sight before my bleary eyes.

All of this combined together serves for one captivating display. One that I can't help but continue to marvel at my from spot on the floor, culminating in...

"A-ahhh..."

Realising that the heat is pooling into my core far faster than I can handle, and my arms are as good as limp, still, I fail to conceal the VERY obvious reaction that my body has with everything this lamia is almost literally thrusting up against me.

Indeed, a shameful tent pitches itself quite rigidly against my swimming shorts. One that catches the lamia's sharp, serpentine eye immediately. Almost as if she'd been expecting it. Or at least...paying SOME sort of attention to my lower half for whatever reason. I boil over in red-faced shame as the lifeguard chuckles. Ahh...I don't even have the strength to cover my face. Was being saved from drowning even worth it now if I have to endure...THIS now?!

"Kukuku... Well... I suppose this just means you're recovering far quicker than I expected, doesn't it~?" she says with a sly grin levelled my way and a waggle of her eyebrow. Which certainly doesn't help with the rising problem. And, perhaps sensing how flustered I am--or maybe it's just burning all across my face--her expression softens. Those plump, luscious lips of hers curl into a gentle smile. "Don't worry. These things happen. Saving someone from drowning is a rather...intimate experience, after all, wouldn't you say?"

I blink at that. No kidding. Especially when someone like you is giving mouth-to-mouth, Ms. Lamia! It's probably rarer for the guys NOT to be getting all worked up down there after coming into contact with a pair of lips like yours!

"If anything..." she continues, STILL leaning over me with so much of her ample heft swaying pendulously before my starstruck eyes, "I take it as a compliment. Especially when you get to my age, kukuku... Knowing that I can still bring such...joy...to hot-blooded young men such as yourself...well that's just a perk of the job." She winks, and any hopes of my throbbing tent going down any time soon were completely dashed.

"A-ahaha... Abuh...well...ahhh..." I say in response. 'Say' being used loosely here, because I'm not really saying anything am I? I'm more just...babbling like an idiot. All with a goofy grin plastered over my bright red face. What is one even SUPPOSED to say to something as sensually-charged as that, anyway?!

"At any rate..." she says as she pushes up and off of me, giving the pool a once-over. It seems people have largely gone back to playing now that the big emergency is over. "I suppose I should get back to my duties. Especially when that...girl...is here today. I always feel like I have to work overtime with her around..."

Ahaha... I wonder who she's talking about...?

Directing her serpentine gaze back to me before slipping her shades on again--that she must have stashed away somewhere during her dive--she offers up one last enrapturing smile my way. "I'm sure your little...ahuhu...problem will solve itself in time. But if it persists for too much longer, why don't you come and find me? I'm sure I can think of a few ways to...alleviate it..."

With those parting words, she blows a kiss at me before slithering on away. I'm still left lying on the ground in a daze, wondering if all of this really just happened.

Was...was she just messing with me...or...w-was she serious...?

Before I can dwell on the potential ramifications of my encounter with the lamia for too much longer, I hear frantic splashing off to the side before someone heaves themselves out of the pool dramatically.

"Maaaaaatt! Are you okay?!"

Sheesh. They sure took their time getting over here! Were they THAT wrapped up in their squabbling that they didn't even realise I was the one the lamia was having to save?!

Just as I'd surmised, a very concerned Ren looms in over me, essentially taking the place of the lifeguard of before as she places her hands to either side of me and looms in close. Bust-squishingly close. Perhaps more so than the lamia, given how mischievous Ren can be. But...surprisingly, none of the usual cheek is present in her expression right now. Just...genuine concern and worry. I do my best to reassure her with a weak smile, the worst of the choking fits having passed now. I think my lungs are RELATIVELY free of water.

"I'm...I'm okay, Ren...!" I wheeze out, her chest applying more pressure than I expected against my own as it becomes difficult to breathe with so much heft weighing against me. "Th-thankfully the lifeguard swooped in before it got any worse than it did..." I gesture to the lamia now perched atop her chair again with a weak motion of my chin. She's wearing shades again now, but I'm SURE she looked my way. If only for a moment.

"Ohh... The Hissy Missy did, huh?" Pursing her lips together in an expression I can't really place, Ren glances between both the lamia and me before furrowing her brow. "What happened, anyway?!"

Is this the part where I tell her that all her chaotic antics were responsible for making me sink to the bottom of the pool--and then said antics were also responsible for her completely failing to notice I was drowning just under both hers and Cynthia's floating forms?

...I do consider it, if only to see if Ren is even capable of expressing guilt...but ah. Whatever. What's done is done. I survived. And even got a chance encounter with with a lamia who looks like she's straight out of a flashy TV show on the beach! I think that more than makes up for a little drowning.

"N-nnn... It's a long story...b-but anyway...c-can you get those huge things off of me, already, Ren? They're the last thing I need after I almost drowned!"

I say as I flail against her immense softness still crushing down on my ribs. Glancing down, as if only just realising how close she is, Ren ease off with another grin.

"Oops. Heehee. My bad! But I'm glad you're okay, Matt!"

She helps me to more of an upright, sitting position with careful hands. Sheesh...she can be pretty dependable when she wants to be, can't she? I just wish she showcased this side of herself more often!

"...Apologies for the delay," Cynthia announces as she joins me beside Ren, kneeling down to better meet my gaze. She throws her sopping wet locks behind her with a toss of her head. "Is everything alright with Matthew...?"

I open my mouth with the intention of giving her the same story I gave Ren, but she's quicker on the draw than me.

"He's fiiiine. The Hissy Missy gave him some special, tender love and care, heehee. Isn't that right, Matty-hoo?"

"W-well--..."

"But...what even happened?!" Cynthia says with a concerned tone.

"Matt bonked his head when we were play-wrestling and sank to the bottom of the pool like a rock--and then I guess we were too caught up in our arguing to notice, until it was too late!"

...So Ren was able to glean that much from my hesitation to tell the truth, after all? She always HAS been scary like that. I just wish she'd been sharper at the time so all of this could have been avoided! Or...given it let me meet the 'Hissy Missy' up close in person...maybe it was fine, after all...?

"A-ahaha... I thought you might feel bad if I said it outright, but I guess there's no point trying to fool you, huh?" I admit bashfully with a scratch of my head. Ren beams back at me whilst Cynthia looks utterly horrified at this revelation.

"C'mon, Matt! What kind of man doesn't use a situation like this to his advantage? Leverage that guilt! Make us feel REALLY bad, to the point we'd do anything just to atone and not be wracked with guilt!" She leans in over me on all fours again, green eyes burning intensely. "Leverage it! LEVERAGE IT!"

"Wahhh! I don't want to leverage it!" I wail in a fluster as Ren leans against me so much I flop right back over.

--

...Things continue like this for a little while longer, with Ren strangely obsessed with trying to make me turn both of them into my maids for a day. Something which...Cynthia doesn't object to, because just as Ren suggests, the both of them really do feel guilty...and I guess...in some strange way, this IS some kind of attempt to make good on almost letting me croak at the bottom of a pool.

And whilst I'm not THAT comfortable being in some position of power over two of the strongest women I know...maybe it wouldn't be all that bad if it was their own idea...? I'll...I'll think about it at the very least!

And like that, the day goes on. Ren and Cynthia go back to having their fun in the pool, whilst I keep to just padding my feet in the shallows. Something which Ren no longer pushes for me to join them in the deep, because...yeah. We don't need a certain hissy someone needing to dive in and rescue me again when things--and they WILL--inevitably get out of hand with Ren again. Even now, I can hear Ren cackling with glee in the deepest end of the waters as Cynthia squeaks in a fluster. Something about how she'd finally claimed her bikini top...? I don't even have the desire to look.

Because...my mind is elsewhere. Preoccupied with the very one who saved my life. Sitting upright in what might as well be a throne in my eyes, the buxom lifeguard keeps a vigilant watch over the denizens of the pool, as if they were her loyal subjects, occasionally barking raspy commands at them with a sharp blow of her whistle.

At first, it'd just been an occasional peek here and there, letting my eyes roam back over the water if our gazes awkwardly met...but with time, my glances get increasingly bold. Before long, I'm maintaining eye contact with her, grinning like a smitten idiot...before finally...with my boldest, longest look at her yet...she beckons me over with a wave of her tail.

Heart thumping in my ears, I navigate around the pool as if my legs were being pulled forward by some unseen force. I tried to resist it, time and time again, knowing nothing could possibly come of it...but the allure of the lamia is just too great. Even with her shades on, I can feel that piercing, serpentine gaze of hers bewitching me.

"Well, hello there~" the lamia rasps out playfully as I find my way to the base of her chair. She peers down at me with a teasing smile, feeling more like a queen in my eyes now more than ever. Even that sun visor is looking more and more like a crown! "Feeling better now? No more 'problems', yesssss?"

"Ahaha...ahh... N-no... No.." I grin like an idiot as I run a hand through my hair. No more 'problems' thus far, but if she keeps looking at me like that, well...

"Kukuku... A shame. I would have very much enjoyed assisting you there."

...I still can't tell if she's joking. But putting all this flirting aside, I try to keep myself from getting TOO flustered in her divine presence.

"A-anyway... I realised I never got a proper chance to thank you for what you did back there--without hacking up a good amount of water, eh-heh--so...thanks..."

...At least, that was the convenient excuse I made up when waddling my way over here. Just in time, no less. The lamia bobs her in something of a nod as she slithers down from her throne and joins me in the mortal realm. Lengthy eyes twitching now and again, she still keeps a close eye on the goings on of the pool. A true professional through and through.

"Ahh... You're mosssst welcome, my dear~" she rasps out playfully. "It's sssssimply part of the job, though. You needn't go out of your way this much."

And yet, despite saying that, she still seems elated that I've come over to see her. Especially when I catch sight of the bulky tail swishing behind her. Do, uh...lamias wag their tails when they're happy? I wish I knew more about monsterkind...

"You're right...but...I guess I felt like I should, anyway, b-because--uh..." I started off strong, but fumble towards the end, losing any confidence I may have had on the walk over here. I'm...I'm attracted to her, okay?! I want to spend any and all amount of time with her that I can to indulge in these warm, fuzzy feelings I get in her presence! But I can't just say that much out loud, can I? Ahhh... I wonder what it's like to be confident? Must be nice.

Perhaps picking up on my feelings--not like I was doing much to hide them--the lamia gives another a chuckle; a hearty laugh that brings her bosom to a rather enticing quake before she extends a slender hand my way. "Lucille."

I gawk at the hand offered my way, tilting my head in a daze before finally registering both the meaning of her gesture AND what she just said.

"H-huh? Oh--names...! R-right! Right! Ahaha..." I clutch her hand with a far more clammy pair of digits as I nod at her. "M-Matt... Or Matthew... Or Matty-hoo--wait...no... Don't call me that last one!"

Her soft, slender digits ensnare my hand in a tender shake. "Matt it is. It's a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance. Though, I suppose a handshake isn't nearly as exciting now compared to when I had my lips wrapped around yours, hmm? Perhaps it was poor form to have done so without giving a name first back then~"

"A-ahaha... Well..." I scrub at the back of my head with my free hand as we conclude our friendly little handshake. My hand flops back to my side, limp.

Folding her arms in under her bust, the lifeguard--Lucille--levels a curious look at my goofily grinning form from under her shades. "Honestly, I have no idea what you're hoping to get out of this, fawning over me so openly as you are...but I have to admit that I'm not entirely put off by the notion, kukuku... I would even dare to say that I find it...cute."

Leaving me to stammer some more in the face of everything she just said, she slithers back up to her tall chair and gazes back out to the pool. At this point Cynthia has regained her top and is pummelling Ren half to death with a pool noodle. For whatever reason, Lucille isn't calling for a stop to this foam-based violence.

"You may join this old lamia in watching over the pool if you wish, as it may make the time pass by a little more quickly. But if you get bored, don't feel obligated to stay."

"O-oh--I'd be honoured to!" I say perhaps just a little too eagerly as I jump to attention and take up a spot by her chair like some kind of eager dog. She chuckles at this, a wide grin gracing her plump lips.

"Wonderful, then. And perhaps...when my shift is over...we could go somewhere a little more private, and...well. I'll leave that to your vivid imagination, shall I~?"

And thus begins my time together with Lucille, the bewitching lifeguard. Today being just one of many amazing days I spend in her company, both by the poolside and out of it.

To think something so wonderful could bloom from when I found myself sinking--literally--in despair... I never quite imagined life would turn out this way--and I especially never thought I'd get together with a lamia, of all people...but hey, that's just how it goes sometimes.

As for Ren and Cynthia becoming my personal maids for a day... Well... That's a story for another day, because I think this one has run its course, don't you think? Needless to say, that was an experience all of its own.