When David was little, his father used to take him out sailing on Lake Michigan. His dad was in the Navy, and the sea was like his religion. It was the only thing David ever knew he could count on. When he was younger, he used to dream about sailing around the world, never touching land at all. They're some of the best memories he ever had, soaking up the sun and riding the waves.
He hadn't been on a boat since his parents divorced. Since Donny. Afterwards... it didn't feel right. David had found something the sea couldn't give back to him.
Then came Everworld. And the Viking longboat. The moment his life flipped upside down. And he found that he still had his sea legs. He still knew how to row in time, which was fore and which was aft, which was port and which was starboard. He could look out over the bow without being swallowed up.
He went out nearly every day on the sloop he built for himself. He likes to get up so early Christopher sleeps through it. Misty mornings, and sometimes he sees mermaids on the north cliffs, singing. He wouldn't be surprised if April wanted to see them.
When he got home, Christopher was sitting at the table, sipping coffee. He lifted his cup in greeting. "Mm. Back all ready?"
"All ready?" David tossed his wet shirt over the back of the chair. "It's mid-morning, you lazy ass. I've been up for hours."
"Sure, 'cause you got up at the crack of fucking dawn," Christopher grumbled, lifting his face to David's, and then grimaced. "You smell like mackerel."
"Do you even know what a mackerel is?"
Christopher raised an eyebrow. "So, did you fall off the boat, or what?"
David rolled his eyes, walked towards the counter. "Oh, yeah. Nearly drowned, until the mermaids saved me. Gave me mouth to mouth and everything."
"Oh, haha. Funny man!"
David shrugged.
Christopher tilted his head to the side. "Can I come with you tomorrow? Just, you know. To see."
"You'll get up that early?"
Christopher shrugged, blushed.
"You just want to check out the mermaids."
"Maaaaybe."
"You can come if you promise to stay in the boat. And away from the mermaids."
"Spoilsport."
"I'll make it up to you," David murmured. "Even if you smell like mackerel."