When sleeping, otters hold hands so as not to lose each other in the stream.
Yet another night found Nautilus wandering the empty corridors of the Institute.
Nighttime was the hardest. Ever since his awakening, he had never felt the need for sleep; when he was still in the depths, day and night didn't matter as no sun rays penetrated the deep waters. However, he was now above sea level and there was sun. There was warmth. Yet, when the sun disappeared below the horizon, everyone would retire to their bedrooms and the former diver would be left alone.
He'd toss and turn in his bed and think of those traitors, until it was a crumpled soaked mess. In the morning, the maids would glower at him, so he had taken up taking walks at night so as not to increase their workload and his headache. Of course, when he did so, certain people complained that he made too much noise and that they couldn't sleep, but really, you can't please everybody.
Apparently tonight he wasn't going to be the only visitor.
Out of the corner of his glowing eyes he saw a drop of water and stopped. As it fell, it made the loudest noise possible. For the first time that night Nautilus focused on his surroundings and noticed a small trail of water on the floor which was leading him to the left turn at the next juncture. He lifted his head and sniffed the air – it was more humid than usual.
Okay, that piqued his interest.
Out of sheer curiosity, he followed it and what he found at the end of it shocked him.
A small sleeping form, in a puddle of water. Or rather, trying to sleep, as it turned and turned, as though trying to find the best position, but never managing to do so.
Nautilus started walking towards her, but his slow and heavy steps echoed off the walls and woke her up. She sprung up immediately and his eyes registered a tail in the dark. Alright, so it was the champion Nami.
Equally ruby eyes stared in his own, as the mermaid shuffled uncomfortably in her place. The fallen diver simply waited for her to say anything – of all things, being quiet was one of the easiest things to do and, really, more people had to try it.
Finally she spoke.
"What are you doing?"
A small smile might have erupted in the abyss of his diving suit. His voice then boomed, shadowed by an echo which had always annoyed him.
"I can't sleep and decided to take a walk," he pronounced every word clearly and slowly, in contrast to her shrill, albeit a bit slurry voice. He could practically see her nonexistent ears perk up at his answer, though her face slightly fell a moment later.
"I can't sleep either," she drawled on, trying to sound still sleepy but it was obvious that she was now wide awake. She hesitated for a second, a single crease forming in the space between her eyebrows and murmured almost shyly, "You can make me company if you want. This is a pretty nice spot."
Nautilus simply shrugged and decided it was better to be with her, rather than ruin other people's sleep.
However, the real problem came with him trying to sit down next to her. Usually, when he sat down, everyone in the Institute heard it; but now he had to keep quiet. Name helped him as best as she could (which wasn't much but still), and in the silence of the night, he thought he could hear her subdued giggling and for once he didn't tick off.
After the small round of laughter an awkward silence ascended upon them. How long it was, nobody knew. He wasn't the type for chitchat, and truth to be told, he didn't know what to say (and frankly, he didn't mind the silence).
She didn't say anything either, instead opting to splash her fin up and down in the small puddle of water she must have summoned. Nautilus observed his companion and noticed something really interesting about her.
"You must breathe with difficulty on land," he inquired, though it was more of a statement, rather than a question.
Nami glanced at him, quizzical, and her forehead wasn't obscured by the crown, her eyebrow would be in the middle of her forehead.
"I don't breathe on land," she explained quietly, her small hands balled into tight fists on her lap, "I summon water to keep my gills wet."
The wheels in Nautilus' mind started their slow reel, as a realization dawned on him. He might be slow, but he wasn't stupid.
"Isn't it hard, keeping water summoned on your gills all the time?"
For the first time that night she glanced at him, and in her eyes he saw a flicker of something he couldn't put his finger on. She remained silent for a few minutes, as though pondering what to answer.
"… Actually, yes," eventually she answered, lower than a whisper, but the diver still caught it.
He knew Nami the Tidecaller: he had played with her a few times over the last months and he knew she was a very powerful champion and she could very easily turn the tides of a match with her abilities. Also, he had heard her story quite a few times and was awed by her power of mind and her determination. She was by no means a weakling – quite the opposite really.
And now she was admitting to a weakness she's had ever since she swam out of the ocean so long ago. Nautilus wondered how she had endured the last few months, with all the matches and fighting. And he tried to imagine her prowess without this handicap; he couldn't.
"And I don't plan on returning to the sea," she all but snapped. Apparently he'd taken too much time to answer. A smirk found its way on his hidden face. Quite the impatient one, wasn't she?
"Why?"
"I promised to myself and my people that I will only come back to them if I have the moonstone," her face slightly fell, but she didn't show it any other way, "Also―"
He waited for her answer, encouraging her with his calm. It seemed she couldn't find the words.
"Also," eventually she started again, "if I go in the ocean to sleep, who knows where the tides will take me."
"What do you mean?" the diver asked, confused, making the mermaid chuckle softly.
"I guess you don't have the same problem. You see, mermaids are really light, so the tides can help us move more easily. However, when we try to sleep, the same tides can take us anywhere. So, in my city, we have to tie ourselves to something heavy so that we don't float away somewhere… And I don't really want to go somewhere and tie myself up just because I want to breathe properly."
From what she told him he reasoned she hated being tied up. But she also liked her home back in the ocean. But she wouldn't return. Hard. However… As she said it, he didn't have the same problem as her. Surely, it was in his power to help her. The wheels in his head cracked from the tension.
And slowly, a plan formed in his head.
After sharing it with her, her eyes all but started shining.
…
"So-oo," Nami drawled on, as they came out of the portal they had used, on a coast, "Where are we supposed to be?"
It was a clear moonless night, with only the stars which, like enormous lanterns, dotting the night sky and giving a subtle glow to the whole scenery. The ocean was so quiet in its flow and a gentle breeze that could be felt only by the sea, was blowing. The air was thick with vapors and the specific aroma of salt.
Out of the corner of his eye, Nautilus noticed that his companion has closed her eyes, apparently relishing in the sensation.
"I think we are near Bilgewater," he told her and took step, enjoying the way the sand crunched underneath his feet.
Nami floated close by.
When they reached the edge between the water and the land, Nami hesitated for a second. Nautilus glanced at her, confused.
The moment of hesitation was gone, however, but this time a small hand gripped his big gauntlet. It wasn't shy, or nervous, or anything. It was firm and unwavering.
With that, they took a step into the water and went in. Just before their whole bodies were submerged, he mentioned once again:
"Don't forget that once we go into the water, I won't be able to speak."
His only response was a curt nod and with that they went in.
They walked for some time in the dark, which was broken only by his glowing eyes. She still wouldn't let him go but he noticed that she had perked up once she was in the water. She looked healthier and happier. A feeling of content settled in the belly of the former diver.
Eventually they found a good place where they could stop – a small valley underwater, where the currents weren't that bad.
Nautilus stopped in the middle of it, looked it over, tsk-ed (which resulted in a few bubbles of some unknown gas which made Nami giggle) and put his anchor on the ground, effectively gluing him on the ground. After all that was done, he extended his arm towards her.
The idea was quite simple. Since he was heavier and the currents didn't do anything to them, he would be her anchor which would keep her in one place. He would hold her hand so that she could sleep.
But she surprised him once again.
At first she extended a hand in a manner he could almost deem timid, but in the next second, apparently changed her mind, ignored his outstretched hand, went up to him and encircled her arms around his neck and rested her fin against his shin. Nautilus didn't register what she was doing for a few moments, but when he did, he let his own heavy hands rest on her waist, unconsciously drawing her closer. She was a bit cooler than the water, which felt amazing.
He looked at her face and, thanks to the shine of his eyes, he could see that this time a light shade of blush was coloring her cheeks. She stared at him in response, but not the determined look she sported during battles; a calmer, softer one. Sleepy, even.
Their eyes stayed locked for quite some time. He could see with his peripheral vision that she was smiling and suddenly remember bits and pieces of his old life. Bits and pieces filled with long hairs in long ribbons, shy smiles and soft lips. He wondered why he was remembering all this.
He wondered why their heads were so close.
Suddenly, she let out a laugh, rested her head against his chest and made herself comfortable. The sudden weight excited him in an interesting way. The bubbles of her laugh gravitated around his head for a while, before floating up to the sky.
They stayed like that for a long time and, right before she fell asleep, she murmured to him:
"You know, there was another way for us mermaids to sleep. They will hold each other, so that they won't be parted from the person they love the most and who cares where they were. However, such a way is reserved for lovers only…"
With those words she fell asleep blissfully, secured in his arms. It took Nautilus some time to actually understand what she meant, but when he did, boy was it funny.
He firstly felt a weird blush rising to his cheeks (though it was invisible to anyone else), but then, after a second of thought, he decided not to delve further. Anyway, he had made a promise and he didn't want to betray her with his promise (like those fools betrayed him once). He would be there for her in the morning.
For once all thoughts of vengeance left his mind and it was filled with other, happier reflections.