The next day, Feferi had begun messaging Gamzee over Trollian. She was surprised that she never spoke to him much, even though she already had his Trollian handle. She definitely had to remember to talk to him more.

CC: So Gamzee, w)(en can I come over?

TC: WhEnEvEr yOu dAmN WeLl pLeAsE, fIsH SiS. i'm nOt bUsY ToDaY.

TC: AlThOuGh kArBrO AnD I ArE GoNnA GeT OuR MoThErFuCkIn' ChIlL On tOmOrRoW, sO No sWiMmInG ThAt dAy.

CC: Alrig)(t! We'll squeeze in some swimming time today t)(en!

TC: MoThErFuCkIn' MiRaClEs :O)

TC: I HaVe mOrE Of tHaT SwEeT FuCkIn' ElIxIr hErE FoR YoU If yOu wAnT It tOo.

CC: I'll be rig)(t over!

TC: :o)

She grinned. Talking to Gamzee really cheered her up. Not that she was feeling down. However, Gamzee certainly had a certain charm to him. Perhaps it was the way he spoke, or how his voice sounded, or how stress-free he seemed.

Nevertheless, Feferi had prepared to leave her hive when she heard a knock on her door.

"Fef? You there?" The voice of Eridan, her moirail, was heard.

"Come in, Eridan!" she said. Eridan promptly opened the door and gave Feferi a strange look.

"Are you going somewwhere?" he asked, his accent as present as always.

"Yes," she said. "I'm going to visit Gamzee."

He made a face of disgust. "Eugh. The Makara. Wwhy do you wwant to see him?"

"Because," said Feferi, matter-of-factly, "He is my friend. I enjoy seeing him."

"You enjoy seein him?" he repeated. "I've spoken to him just one time, Fef. I don't think he's stable."

"While I agree that he may not seem the most sane, he is certainly the most harmless troll I've ever spoken to!"

"I highly doubt that," said Eridan. "His debilitating sanity may be the cause of future problems. What if he hurts you?"

Feferi was insulted that Eridan would suggest such a thing. She certainly was not a little girl, and could see herself fighting her way out of any situation. "If ANYFIN happens, and NOFIN will, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it, Eridan."

"But-"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Eridan, please," she held his shoulder. "You're overreacting!"

He frowned. "I still don't think I'm ovverreacting, but if you are going to see him, so be it I suppose."

She smiled. "Thank you. I'm going to leave now," And with that, she exited her hive and made her way to the surface.

Once Feferi had reached the shore, she saw Gamzee waiting patiently with a smile. She smiled herself at this, and walked across the shore to hug him.

"Gamzee!"

"Hey, Feferi!" he said. That was the first time she had heard him say her actual name. It made her feel good.

"Are we going to start now?" she asked. Gamzee nodded.

Soon after, Feferi was back in the water, helping keep Gamzee afloat.

"Remember what I taught you yesterday," she said. "Wave your arms and push away from your face. One arm and then the other. For swimming underwater, use both arms at once and push away at your sides."

He nodded and slid under the cool water, figuring he was a better underwater swimmer than a surface swimmer. Feferi smiled. He was already improving. He would learn to swim in no time.

Gamzee had swam to her and then resurfaced, grinning. "How was that?"

"That was good!" she said. "You swim a little better underwater than on the surface for some reason."

He nodded. "So then I gotta work more on surface swimmin' then."

"Yes. Let me show you how I do it."

Feferi began swimming quickly, circling around Gamzee a few times before seemingly gliding away and returning. Gamzee's eyes never left her. She was like a water ghost in her movements. Quick and sudden with her turns and an expert with her maneuvers. She made her way back to Gamzee and kept herself afloat.

"Now let me see you do it!"

Gamzee nodded, although he was sure he couldn't swim as gracefully as her. He began to swim haphazardly around her before swimming further out to sea. Feferi took this time to notice just how toned Gamzee was. He was definitely two inches taller than her, at least, and he was quite built. Not overly muscled, but not too lanky. She had to inquire about his exercising routine. It certainly interested her.

Gamzee's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she looked up at him. "What?"

"I said was that all up and fine?"

"Yes, it was definitely better than last time!" she said with a grin. Was she fantasizing about Gamzee's body? Then again, she had never really ventured out much outside of her hive, aside from the occasional friendly visit. The closest thing to attractive male down in the ocean was Eridan, and Feferi did not want to wander down that road again. Moirallegiance was fine for the two of them.

But while Feferi had seen her friends, she had never seen anything past a shirt and pants. Gamzee was the first "naked" troll she had ever seen. The immediate realization brought hotness to her cheeks. Feferi had certainly seen naked trolls, having an internet connection and everything, but Gamzee's bare chest was the first thing of the sort that she had seen in person.

Gamzee tilted his head. "Are you all up and alright? You're blushing."

Feferi found herself stuttering. "Uh-Uh yes. I am fine," she cleared her throat. "Fine..."

"Is it the water making you do that?"

"Yes," she lied. "Say Gamzee, I think you made great progress today. I would very much like to have some more, um..."

"Wicked elixir!" said Gamzee, grinning. "Race ya there!"

Gamzee kicked his feet and began swimming towards the shore. Feferi stood for a moment, smiling at him, before swimming after him. She surely wasn't going to lose.