Stavanger Bay with flowers in the sunshine

He lifted a single brow and fixed Sandpiper with a disbelieving look.

"Got a funny way of tellin' me I did a good job," he said. Raptor chewed the inside of his cheek and shifted his weight to lean on the other paw. It had felt strange to say that. He wanted her approval but he would never admit it and saying what he did came a little too close. Once more, he regretted not biting down on the first sentence to form on his tongue. Especially since he sensed that Sandpiper was making an effort of some sort and he was not letting her off easily.

Raptor looked down the coast with a long exhale, turning his head away from Sandpiper. He had an intense need to confide in her — he carried some long repressed desire to belong and to be understood — and Sandpiper had somehow weaseled her way into becoming as a trusted friend... but lol that was not going to happen.

"I think..." Raptor started to say as he got to his feet. "I think I am going to try to kiss a shark." Annnnd with that spectacularly immature and nonsensical comment, he started to walk away.