Authors' note: Speed update here *yawns again* Same drill - Read, enjoy, flame/criticise/review, and we'll love you 3
AND BENNY FINALLY APPEARS *total Benvolio fangirls here*
...Just watch the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet. BENVOLIO IS SO CUTE.
Ooohhh no.
She had thought salvation had come when a dolphin swam up to her and brought her back to the surface- that was what dolphins did, right? She had heard loads of stories about dolphins bringing shipwrecked sailors to land and all-
But then she realized that it was the same dolphin which had been idiotically circling their ship for the past hour.
In other words, the retarded one.
She bit back a scream as the dolphin leapt out of the water, instead focusing on getting herself some air- taking deep gasping breaths, Juliet tried not to think about the strange whooping noise the dolphin was making.
And then - 't - Juliet took a deep breath and braced herself as the dolphin re-entered the sea with a gigantic splash and the force of a stampede of horses.
The dolphin chirped something, seeming to ask a question. She opened her eyes a fraction- the sea-creature was grinning, and trying to turn its head to look back at her without much success. It chirped again, oblivious to the fact that Juliet did not understand it-
Juliet tugged hard on the fin. The dolphin yelped in pain, and Juliet felt almost sorry for it - then she remembered the dolphin was the reason she was back in the water. Well, serve you right.
Not too gently, Juliet nudged it in the direction of the longboat.
She clambered onto the wooden boat, dripping wet and shivering, watching the larger ship- a pirate ship, now she knew- sail away. Captain Rosaline leaned over the side, waved once with a smirk, and disappeared below the hull to steer the ship away. Juliet scowled, resisting the urge to scream for the boat to come back- she would not give in to these lowlifes hired by the evil Friar- and instead searched the longboat for an oar.
Below the longboat, Romeo circled around the baby whale anxiously. Was the pretty octopus safe? Did it die? Oh no! Mother and Father would be so angry with him!
And then something stuck out of the baby whale and began to push it forward. What strange narrow fins the whale had! He followed the whale, wanting to make sure that the octopus was safe.
From in the boat, Juliet sneezed, but kept rowing. "Go away, dolphin."
The dolphin chirped excitedly and butted against the ship in a friendly manner.
"No, I meant- oh, nevermind. Go find some land for me, will you?"
The dolphin swam a circle around the boat.
"I mean, land- gah, do you get it? Land? I- oh, nevermind."
"Romeo, your parents are very worried, do stop beaching yourself-"
"Bbbbuuutt-" The dolphin prince whined, eyes wide and watering. The dark-haired merman beside him gently took Romeo's flipper, leading him along. "Romeo, you've got to understand that the surface is dangerous-"
"But pretty Octopuuuussss!"
Benvolio twitched, then sighed. Romeo had been chattering about this 'pretty octopus' nonstop for the past few days, whatever it was. "Don't "but" me! I've spent my entire life looking after you! Does anyone ever care? Do I "but" anyone?" His voice was taking on a dangerously angsty note. Romeo appeared not to notice, and clicked once at a passing shoal of fish.
"NO ONE UNDERSTANDS!" He breathed heavily, running a hand through his curly locks. Benvolio contemplated slapping himself. Or maybe Romeo. Hard.
Romeo pouted. "But the Octopus was pretty! And drowning!" He swam a few circles around his best friend, clicking depressedly.
Benvolio rolled his eyes. "Octopi do not drown. They are sea creatures for goodness' sake!"
He tried tugging Romeo along again, heading back towards the Sea Palace- they passed a young mermaid.
"Pretty fish!" Romeo chirped. Benvolio twitched again, his tail this time. "Romeo, you do not call ladies that to their face-"
But he was soon distracted by the mermaid as well, who seemed to be blinking her eyes rapidly and staring at him in a rather imploring manner. "Um...are you alright, Miss?"
She blinked her eyes even more rapidly - worryingly so. "Oh..." she murmured breathily, leaning forward and grinning somewhat deliriously. "No... good gentleman... But I do... oh..." She put her hand to her forehead, and flopped over suddenly, sinking into the depths.
Benvolio quickly darted over and caught the mermaid, worried. "Miss!" He fumbled, the grip on the mermaid's arm not enough to keep her from falling over. Biting back an uneasy yelp Benvolio shifted and caught the mermaid as she fell, bridal-style. "A-are you alright? You're in no condition to be out- is there anything I can do? Should I escort you home? I must get you to a safe place! What do you think you are doing, coming out to open waters when you are clearly not well?" he chided anxiously. "You must take care of yourself!"
The mermaid seemed to get worse; her cheeks flushed and she flailed in Benvolio's grip. "Oh...ooohhh! I- I- If you would please, carry me home?" she asked weakly, one hand on her heart. Her eyes blinked even more rapidly. "I feel so faint..."
"Of course! Romeo, please stay here and don't go wandering off again, alright? Where do you live, miss?" Benvolio began to swim away with the mermaid, totally concerned for her health and not in the least aware of the possibility that she might have been flirting with him. "What sickness do you have anyway? I've never seen anything like it. Can I do something to help?"
"Yes... It can... only... be cured... by true love's kiss..." she said, smiling weakly. Her eyes blinked even faster, if that was possible. It was really worrying, Benvolio thought, horrified.
"Oh no! Come, rest well and then I will help you find this true love!"
In his arms, the mermaid sighed in despair. No wonder no mermaid had been able to get to (the rather dashing, she agreed) Benvolio's heart. He was simply so innocent and unaware- but so dreamy, too...
Benvolio didn't pause to think about why this was already the fifth mermaid who approached him that day.
Behind him, Romeo was now a clicking speck in the distance.