The many vendors peeked his interest, as did the many sights and sounds, and he couldn't help the fascination that filled him as he examined each source in turn. His guilty pleasure was collecting and examining the articles from shipwrecks had given root to his knowledge of the surface folk and now that he was among them it was nearly unbelievable. Several times he questioned if this was all nothing but a dream but catching sight of her amused eyes proved otherwise. His hand grasped her own when he spotted a separated area that had music coming from it and urgently directed her attention to it.

The smile fell from her face for a split second as the heart in her chest gave a thump of longing. She suppressed it though and instead pointed in the opposite direction to where an acrobatics demonstration was taking place. "Shall we go see them?" The step she had taken in the direction of cheers was taken back as he remained unmoved, the hand he held acting as an anchor that kept her from going any farther. Cerulean met amethyst as she glanced over her shoulder. His lips had fallen from the bright curious smile into a firm serious line that made his features seem made of stone. It was impossible for her to guess what he was thinking. "Something tells me you're not going to let this go without a fight."

His head tilted back in the direction of the twirling pairs. What he saw last night, up on the balcony and the secrets she had told him, he was sure that there was still a part of her that wished to dance again. The dance he had seen upon the ship was unlike anything he had seen before and it made the tricks of the brightly colored acrobatics seem like child's play compared to what she had accomplished. She had been dangled several feet up in the air but she had moved so freely that it was as if she had learned to fly all on her own, her movements fluid and graceful while performing high in the air or within the water. To hear that she had sworn off such talent, that she now refused to step onto a stage, he had to know why. Amethyst calmly drifted down to her legs as she attempted to deter him again. The skin of her calves were completely healed over, a few patches here and there were still pink, but even those made her all the more beautiful to him. They would be reminders of the times they had spent together and testimonies of how their feelings for the other had grown.

Her gaze drifted downward when his thumb gently rubbed her skin, as if he was encouraging her, but it was still too soon. The stockings she had opted for confined her from moving freely but her once unwavering self confidence had been shaken thanks to the accident. She had tossed out all of the clothing that would once showcase her proud legs for fear that her scars would attract unwanted attention and only remind her of the broken heart she still nursed. "You're not going to stop unless we go over there, are you?" Her eyes narrowed when he nodded. It was times like this that she was was left confused yet intrigued. This man would sometimes act as though he knew her, though she had already ruled out his possible identity, then there were times when he would react honestly with surprise or calm acceptance when her mood took a turn. Many others before him would ridicule or reprimand her for being indecisive in many areas while being just as stubborn, if not more so, than her older brother, yet this one took everything she dished in stride from the flares of her temper to the tears she had shed. The pavement beneath her feet disappeared and the surrounding conversations were replaced by the screams of people in need as angry flames danced across frothy waves that were threatening to drown her.

The lump in his throat grew tenfold when she clung to him, her breaths becoming gasps and he moved by instinct when the hint of fear entered her oceanic eyes, his arms wrapping around her tightly as she trembled. Deep within those blue pools he had seen the recount of the accident that had nearly taken her life. Could this be part of the reason why she have given up her passion?

"…help…me…"

His lungs felt as though they had been turned to ice, causing the breath he had taken to stall. The distress within her hoarse whisper caused his heart to strain against the confinement that was his ribcage as he glanced around the busy street. Where could they possibly go? An idea, possibly a stupid one that would earn him her sharp words, came to mind as his gaze found its way back to the little taped off section. Each step he took was carefully executed as he took note of the music currently playing, recognizing it as one of the songs she had played while he had treated her legs in the loch, and shifted so that his hand was cradling the back of her head while the other eased one of her own to relax just enough for his warm fingers to replace the cloth. Her grip was surprisingly strong as he eased them around the yellow tape and swallowed the near suffocating pressure that had take root in his throat as their hips brushed when he swayed to the left. Relief flooded him as her body, though still trembling, ever so slowly moved in time with his own as the slow rhythm and notes surrounded them. The death grip she had on his shirt also loosened with each shift until they were rotating in a clockwise interval and the breath he didn't know he was holding slipped from between his lips when her head rested fully upon his shoulder, her face hidden within the crook of his neck, and gave a brief squeeze when droplets met his skin. His relief grew tenfold when she finally fully relaxed as the song changed to something more upbeat, her body molding against his own instead of being stiff as a board of wood, but his amethyst eyes widened as they caught sight of her left leg move farther out than what was necessary, sweeping outward just a few inches before it returned to where it was supposed to be. That move…

Her lips quivered as she unconsciously tensed. It had been so long since she had moved like that, or felt the compulsion to, and yet here she was testing the boundaries that the physicians had established. The air in her chest warmed as his breath tickle her ear and she found herself smiling as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and dipped her slightly. The part of her still afraid wanted to reprimand him for his audacity, that he should have been more considerate of her wishes, but it was quickly quieted by the part she had been fighting to contain.

Elation filled him when she raised her head as they righted, those glistening pools that were her eyes brighter than the diamond studs in her ears met his gaze, and was further surprised when she adjusted her hold then used her body to nudge his to break their rotation. He quickly altered their course and it was as if the sun came out from behind the clouds as she smiled while leaning against him so she could repeat the sweep of her leg. Readily, he accepted her weight while wrapping an arm around her waist to better assist as she twisted her being so that she was perfectly arched against him.

Gifts, flashy things, complicated words, many had tried their hand at enchanting her into courtship. None had succeeded and she hadn't been afraid to turn any of them away. This young man that she had found upon the beach had tried no tricks nor flaunted himself like a peacock as several others had before her. Yes, he was quiet, she has yet to hear him say a word, but everything she needed to know was within his eyes and actions. Humility, the confidence that resounded within his lifted chin, gentleness in nearly every motion he made, knowledge that twinkled within his eyes; everything about him was beginning to affect her lonely heart. She pulled away slightly when they righted, her smile not as bright when her thoughts traveled back to the one who had saved her upon the beach and helped to heal her legs, the one with the voice so deep it caused her heart to swoon. Perhaps her brother was right for once. It's been over four months since he saved her from those sirens who wanted to devour her…maybe it was time to let go of the hope that Yami would return to her.