A/N: I retract my statement from Day Two. There's no big reason for Fontaine to be frustrated. She's just a stressed out teenager with no clear plan and no adult help.
RandomIsCJ wanted more Jeffrey and Prophe-Cass asked for cookies, so this happened. XD I got kind of bored with my snapshots, so everything is slapped together til the end of the week, sorry.
Response to Random Fan: Finally, reviews are showing! I've never seen the movie, either; I actually discovered the lullaby when I was trying to figure out the title of a song used in a Voltron comic. :P But, yep, it was a whole nother AU featuring Finn being raised from childhood by the Nektons. I surprised myself with 50 chapters. 0_0 -hugs Finn-
Finn hadn't thought about how bored he would get without Fontaine to talk to. But with Fontaine under a near-constant watch, Finn was starting to realize that he didn't like being alone for so long.
Finn turned to the runes on his tablet. Fontaine had gotten a picture of the section of the Chronicle explaining the "curse," but Finn couldn't concentrate.
Eventually, Finn shoved the tablet away and flopped backward on the floor. He listlessly traced the lines of paneling in the ceiling for a bit, then sighed and sat up. He'd been cooped up for too long, so Finn decided to take to the ducts for a bit.
Half an hour later, Finn was still bored. Something that had changed, though, was a pang in his stomach. He knew it wasn't from hunger and it was just a twinge, so he chose to ignore it.
After several minutes, though, the pain had increased. Finn gave a slight groan, then crawled up to a grate in one of the less-traveled halls to lay down.
He checked his tablet to ensure he was alone, then let out a heavy sigh. He crossed his arms and rested his chin on them, then closed his eyes to ride out the pain. He wondered if his breakfast had disagreed with him, and whether or not he'd have to head to the little-used bathroom he borrowed.
Thankfully, the pain eased before long. Finn opened his eyes and stared into the hall.
Several minutes later, movement in the hall caught Finn's eye. He lifted his head slightly, and saw Jeffrey swimming through a tube. Finn checked his tablet again, and saw all the Nektons were on the bridge.
"What are you doing?" Finn asked Jeffrey.
Jeffrey swam in a quick circle, then turned to Finn. The boy waved, wondering how he'd gotten so bored that he'd converse with a fish!
Nevertheless, Jeffrey was content to react. He changed direction and swam back the way he'd come. He only went a few feet before pausing and looking at Finn.
"I can see why Ant always talks to you," Finn said. "Okay, I'll bite. Lead the way."
It was a bit tricky following a fish by way of the ducts, but Finn was glad for the distraction. Especially when Jeffrey ended up leading Finn to the kitchen.
Since the kitchen didn't have cameras, Finn chuckled lightly. "Are you hungry, Jeffrey?"
Jeffrey swam into a large tank of water rising from the middle of the floor. He stared expectantly at the grate.
"Okay, I'm coming out."
Finn eased the grate open and hopped to the floor. He stretched experimentally, relieved when he didn't feel the pain again.
"What now?" Finn asked Jeffrey.
Jeffrey turned and stared pointedly at the jar of cookies on the counter.
"You dragged me out here for cookies?" Finn asked.
Jeffrey blew a bubble.
"Why are there always cookies in the kitchen?" Finn asked. "And can you even eat cookies?"
Jeffrey just gave him a look.
"I'll take your word for it."
Finn grabbed a cookie and put it in Jeffrey's tank. Jeffrey wriggled his tail like a happy puppy and grabbed the cookie in his mouth. Because he was bored, Finn also took a cookie for himself.
"This is too easy," Finn told Jeffrey, nibbling his cookie. "Well, except for the whole isolated part."
Jeffrey swam in a slow circle, lugging his cookie with him. Then he swam to the top of the tank, where it was open. Jeffrey twitched his tail down, turning himself vertical with his cookie held over his head. With a flick of his tail, Jeffrey shoved his cookie outside the water to balance on the edge of the tank. He turned to Finn, then back up and flung himself straight up, out of the water. He landed with a plop, then leaped out again.
"Do you… want out?"
Jeffrey stopped his jumping to… to nod.
"You… Ant has a really strange fish."
Jeffrey looked annoyed, then jumped again.
"Okay, okay, I get it," Finn said with a chuckle. "Just give me a minute."
Luckily, Finn had been in the kitchen a few times, so he knew where to find a clear plastic water bottle. He found a bottle and scooped up Jeffrey, then dropped Jeffrey's cookie into the bottle as well.
Once he was done, Finn hurried back into the ducts. He replaced the grate and checked his tablet, suddenly aware of how much of a risk he'd taken out of boredom.
"You're stuck with me for now," Finn told Jeffrey, tucking the water bottle under his arm. "Or at least until Ant notices you're missing."
Jeffrey just returned to his cookie, his expression way too pleased for a fish.
Jeffrey was surprisingly good company. He watched attentively while Finn repeated what Nereus had said about the curse and Finn's heritage. Finn explained his and Fontaine's plan to wait out the "curse" and how he was struggling to translate the runes about the curse so he could find a reasonable explanation.
Finn tried throughout the day to get Jeffrey back into the tubes before Ant noticed, but the fish was adamant about staying. So, Finn just shrugged and kept carrying Jeffrey through the ducts.
"I wonder where the seahorse is?" Finn asked rhetorically so hours later. He was holed up deep in the ducts. "She left after the sea worm deal. I wonder if she's following us?"
Jeffrey bobbed his head.
"And I suppose you can understand her, too, huh?" Finn chuckled. "Wouldn't be surprised. Hey, can you keep a secret?"
Jeffrey swirled in a circle.
"Alright. I've named the sea horse. Luna, since I first met her at night. And I haven't even told Fontaine that, so keep your little fishy lips sealed."
Jeffrey blew a bubble.
"Thanks. Wouldn't want-" Finn inhaled sharply at a sudden pain in his stomach. "W-wouldn't- urg!"
Finn doubled over himself, wrapping his arms around his middle. He groaned as the stabbing pain pushed deeper.
Luckily, the pain soon abated. Finn, though, couldn't move at first. His entire body felt frozen in place, stiff with… fear? Finn didn't know what the fear was, but it twisted in his stomach like a living thing.
Finn exhaled sharply and opened his eyes. In the dull metal against the tip of Finn's nose, glowing blue stared back.
Finn gritted his teeth. He rolled onto his side, whimpering when the motion made his stomach twinge. Thankfully, the intense pain didn't return. Finn sighed and turned his eyes to the side.
Jeffrey's water bottle had been knocked over. Jeffrey watched Finn with what could have been concern.
"What was that?" Finn breathed.
Finn eventually convinced himself to get moving again. Thankfully, Jeffrey had discovered that he could nudge the water bottle along and Finn had left his tablet elsewhere, so Finn had both hands.
Finn made his slow way toward Fontaine's room. He still felt stiff and lingering fear tightened his throat, but it was still manageable.
Halfway to Fontaine's room, another pang dropped Finn onto his stomach. He groaned and breathed his way through the -thankfully less intense- pain, then forced himself on.
It took much longer than normal to reach Fontaine's room. Finn dropped to his side with a huff, then held his breath when he heard rustling from the room. He relaxed when Fontaine opened the grate.
"Finn, there you are!" Fontaine said. "I tried to call you, but… are you okay?"
Finn made a noncommittal sound, then squinted. "You?"
Fontaine's eyes were glowing. Her face was a bit pale and pinched.
"I think supper disagreed with me," Fontaine said.
Finn made the sound again. "Same here." Finn paused, realizing the ache was gone. "It's passed, I think."
Fontaine's expression relaxed into a smile. "I'm glad you're okay."
Finn smiled back, distantly curious when Fontaine's eyes lost their glow.
A/N: Plenty of people get random pangs, and assume they'll live, right? XD
This chapter was going to be way more intense, but I decided I didn't want to go that route. I dumped out the original version for Rejects. It's terrible, but it was more painful than I had thought. :P
