Aha, so the splashing was intentional. The water sent his way stole a little half-laugh that sounded like more of an amused huff. It was kind of funny… but he was still a priest. Dignified and authoritative, or something like that.

He could certainly be that, and most of the time he was… but not always. That much seemed clear from the way he had to force himself not to splash at her again.

Malachi hummed, unsure of how to respond at first when she offered her sympathies. He glanced out over the water, just to have his attention dragged back to Mable when she asked a truly silly question.

“Of course not,” he was quick to say, but his face? It suddenly looked more than a little unsure, despite his haste in denying such a thing. “I…”

…Was this his first time in a river? Why couldn’t he remember?

He knew how to swim, he knew that much, but had he ever actually stepped foot into a flowing river like this?

“…Maybe.”

Huh. It wasn’t something he’d ever thought about. Malachi’s brows furrowed for a moment, and his free hand lifted to push his hair behind his ear again.

“I suppose I have not done the other things either. At least not that I can remember. I spent most of my time-” practicing, he almost said, but then he’d have to deal with the follow-up question. Working, next, but that would bring similar issues… it wasn’t a lie though. “Working, usually.”

Malachi put his hand back into the water and sent another splash, slightly bigger.

Had he disappointed her? Perhaps she only wished to spend her time with those who knew well the joys of climbing trees and walking over riverbeds. Malachi’s expression was open, almost curious as he listened to her shift in tone.

Another hand was held out to him. He glanced down at it, then to the one he held already, so small against his own.

If there was anything suspicious about the whole ordeal… that question of hers was at the top. Ever so slightly, Malachi narrowed his eyes and considered it.

‘Yes’ was always the wrong answer.

His other hand lifted to take hers, and he gave a decisive nod.

“Yes, dear,” Malachi admitted against his better judgment. “I trust you.”

All he had was a moment. One fleeting second to watch her take a breath. That was all it took for him to know.

Swift as he was to take a breath of his own, it was knocked out of him but a moment later when Mable charged forward and crashed into him. He felt her arms encircle his waist as they fell, plummeting the few treacherous feet back into the water – and instinctively he threw his arms around her shoulders in turn, holding her close, lest she fall aside and get hurt on the rocks.

How cold it had been when it reached only his knees, and how much colder it was when the water swallowed him whole. It was freezing! Bone-chilling! It felt like a breath of fresh air, fed into his lungs after his old doubtful breaths were knocked free.

Her laughter was muffled, distanced from him by a watery barrier. When Malachi lifted his head out of the water – eyes wide, black hair dripping wet where it clung to his face – he fixed Mable with a shocked look.

Then he laughed.

And he laughed some more, delightedly splashing a small wave at the girl that, due to her close proximity, ended up splashing back at him as much as it did her.

“Is that what I get for telling you to hold onto me?” he teased, “your brother is the one that needs water, I am quite tall enough!”

This was quite possibly the most ridiculous thing he had done in years – and Malachi had done a lot of ridiculous things. Splashing around in the river, drenching his vestments, laughing and playing like a child instead of a dignified priest.

It was so refreshing.

Another tiny wave crashed over his face, and he couldn’t tell if he’d sent it or if she had. He shut his eyes against the water, tiny droplets clinging to his lashes while bigger ones were falling from his hair. Never too much of a good thing, huh? That sounded entirely untrue, and he had no desire whatsoever to dispute it.

Malachi pushed himself to sit when Mable stood up, holding an arm out near her in case her balance shifted too far to one side or the other. When it didn’t, he took her hand and straightened up fully, and pushed a hand back through his hair to get it off of his face.

“Worry not,” he met her gaze with a small (but confident) smile. “I am a very fast learner.”

Pausing only to take and hold his breath, Malachi leaned down, threw his arms around the girl’s waist, and lifted her right up. One spin around, and he threw himself backward, crashing once more through the cold surface of the water.

And what a jolt it was! Even after falling into it once, it was still such a shock to his system when the cold leeched through his skin into his bones. At least he had not dropped Mable in the process, still holding her almost protectively in his arms.

“Well-” he released her and lifted his head, spitting out water. “How did I do?”

Had there been a slight worry that Mable would not appreciate his methods? Certainly. Even with years of experience being around and taking care of children, not all of them were alike. There had been plenty over the years that preferred to stay farther away and cling to their mothers’ skirts, while others were all too happy to join the group and play with other children without issue – and others still clung to him, grateful to receive the affection and care that they did not get at home.

None of them had ever pulled him into a river in the middle of the night and pushed him into it, of course. So he had been slightly wary.

Mable did not spook, though. No, she wiped her eyes and flashed another one of her bright smiles, and Malachi heard himself laugh as she praised herself in the process. He took the splash to the face without resistance this time, simply closing his eyes to let it wash over him.

It was a good thing Father Richards was not around to see him flailing about in the water like this. That probably wouldn’t have given the best impression of the newest head priest, now would it?

“Ah, I see,” he nodded sagely. “Only one question.”

Conspiratorially, Malachi lifted a finger to his mouth in a gesture for silence. Careful not to move around and disturb the water much more than he already had, he pointed behind Mable and off towards the other side of the river, where the moonlight cut through and revealed a few small, scaly shapes beneath.

He leaned close enough to whisper, “do you see those fish?”