"V-vwe should be heading out. The sun vwill set soon and I bet you're hungry, plus vwe hawve to get you back to shore and to your family and, uh, you hawven't told me your name or anything, and..." The ground was very interesting, wasn't it? All the black and grey pebbles had been smoothed into thin disks, soft silt, and perfect marbles by the ancient unyielding tide. Some shell fragments could be seen here and there. In the silence scuttling from a crab or other small creature was heard.

I barely dodged the rock hurled at my skull, shouting in protest, "Hey!" This girl sure didn't know how to thank her heroes.
Reaching for another large rock, "_." said she.

"Vwhat?" Having been watching the new projectile in her hand warily, I didn't quite catch what she said.

"You asked my name and I answered. It's _." Crossing her arms the girl looked away as tough ashamed to be revealing her name to me. When next she spoke, her tone was brisk with just a hint of underlying hysterics. "Now tell me where my brother is. What did you do to him?"

Oh yay, back to studying the ground for me. There were a few pieces of coral over by that bolder I hadn't noticed before. Some seaweed, too. As much as I tried to stay distracted and poker-faced could feel her glare boring into my back as I desperately tried to come up with a feasible story to cover up my failure. "He svwam... That is he got avway from the snake... I think..." My tongue stumbled a few times before I managed to look her in the eye and lie cleanly. "...he vwas unconscious and floated avway on a shard of your boat, at least. The snake got in betvween us, and I could only savwe you. He could havwe floated, or svwam if he vwoke up, back to shore. Limp, the snake might havwe thought he vwas just junk and ignored him. He could be aliwve." Yeah, if he dodged being smashed onto sharp rocks, drowning, and being bitten in half, the little pessimistic part of me commented.

_ visibly relaxed. "So you didn't eat him."

"No. I newver hawve liked the taste of human. Too fatty."

"Tha-"

"CRONUS!" I yelped as a roar cut through what she was going to say. Was that... My father? The call repeated, sounding even closer. _ looked confused. Of course she didn't know my name yet, so for all she cared that could have been a passing ship captain yelling for a crewmate.

"Oh no, oh no, no no no no no; this is not good at all!" I muttered, slicking back my hair. It was a nervous I hardly noticed anymore. "Oh no... Vwhat am I going to do vwith you?"

(E/c) orbs were wide in the darkness, "What... What was that?" _ whispered. "How is someone being called for that worrying?"
"My father." Ignoring her for the moment to slither around the small beach, panicking, I found nothing to work with. Poseidon darn it all... Wait, didn't _ have a...?

She jumped back and tried to kick at my face when I abruptly lept at her, fumbling around for her belt. "What do you think you're doing?! This is far from the time to undress me!"

"I havwe to make it look like your my slavwe." Her fist finally knocked me away. My jaw was going to be buried tomorrow.
She shook a finger at me. "No way! Just leave me here. You can... Uh, sneak back later and get me!"

Grinding my teeth in frustration I hissed, "He'll check."

"Why?"

"Because he knowvs I like humans and I'vwe done something like this before, alright! Nowv just stop asking questions, giwve me your belt, and look vweak!"

My outburst was enough to quiet her. _ removed the thin strip of leather from around her waist, handing it over. Reluctantly, she let me fasten it loosely around her neck when I explained this way would give her the freest swimming ability. She was ready.

"Nowv my dad doesn't like humans at all. He thinks you're nothing better than interesting toys and food. But if vwe play our cards right, he might let me get avway with keeping you. Oh, and my brother might be out there too. Don't speak unless spoken to, don't try to fight, don't be a hero, got it?"

"But what if he says no?"

"Then it'll be plan B time. Aka vwe'll cross that bridge vwhen vwe get there."

Another roar called out, making us flinch. "Do you got it?" I repeated with a tone that suggested I wasn't taking no for an answer. With a nervous look, she nodded. She was chewing her lip. Softening, I put a hand on her cheek, making her look at me. "Hey, chin up. I sawved you once, and I'm sure as Hell gonna do it again." A small smile graced her now flushed lips. I was quite tempted to kiss those lips, but time was ticking.

"Let's go." Letting her lower herself into the water first, I slid in after. Her human colored gills were still functioning well. Gripping her makeshift leash, I surged towards my searching family and prayed this would work.

The exit had its own current, but not one that was super hard to fight. We were now in open water, the hollow spire we left just far enough that we wouldn't be thrown against it with the waves. It was nighttime of course, and the moon was waning. Scanning the horizon, I saw him.

Dualscar looked half raging half concerned as he swam effortlessly towards us, splitting the waters and leaving trails of foamy bubbles in his haste. "Where 'ave ya been, boy? I've been searchin' deep all day and scoured the surface soon as the moon rose!"

He didn't yet notice _. I could feel her unconsciously slide behind me, and for good reason. Father was ancient by human standards, just over middle age by a violet's, and the years showed in his eyes. With broad shoulders and solid mussel crisscrossed by battle scars, he certainly struck an imposing figure. It didn't help that his fangs, far larger and sharper than mine were bared, or that his spiky gold studded fins were splayed wide.

Sheepishness took over. "Uh, hey dad... I vwas... Hunting... In a vway..."

"You. Hunting." The tone dripped with doubt. I was far from a hunter. This might have not been the best story to go with.

My lips were dry. Wetting them with a flick of the tongue I yanked _ forward gently as possible without giving the act away. "Vwell... Yes. But not the killing kind. More like... Tracking. And trapping I guess. This human vwas floating in some vwreckage that I… happened upon." Now for the main pitch. "I caught her and vwas vwondering if I could, you knowv, keep her?"

Silence thickened the air. Even the ocean seemed to quiet in wait of the decision. Sweat started to coat the back of my neck as father's hard eyes bored into mine. Desperately I tried to keep the gaze and not do anything to mess this up. His gaze finally flickered to _'s cowering form.

She recoiled when he leaned in to examine her closely. "... Why should I let ya keep this pitiful human wench? She doesn't even look like she'd be strong enough to carry anythin' worthwhile." A single thick eyebrow rose as he glanced at me. "Unless yer wantin' 'er fer some... Ulterior motives. I'll tell ya right now that won't work. Anatomy is all wrong." That comment seemed to fly right over poor sweet innocent _'s head, lucky for me.

"No!" I had a record of 'ulterior motives' but not this time. Unless she wanted to of course, then I'd be game... Ugh, I'm getting sidetracked! "No." I repeated steadily. "Not that. But you knowv I'm not going to eat her, and I'm sure not letting you either. But I'm not gonna leawve her out here to die... Plus howv much do you honestly like doing all the house vwork?" Dualscar's brow furrowed.

I kept going as _ completely snuck behind me. I could feel her warm hands pressed against my shoulder blades. It burned pleasantly. As a cold blood in a cold ocean, warmth was scarce. She was peaking cautiously over my shoulder. "Come on. Most of our rooms are like oinkbeast stalls. I'm not gonna clean until I absolutely hawve to and Eridan's out training too much. Vwe could use a vwoman's touch," Sharp nails dug into my skin and I was suddenly reminded of Porrim. "To keep things orderly and giwve us much more free time. Plus better cooking."

"Are ya insultin' my cookin' lad?" A scarred violet eye twitched.

Time to backtrack, "Vwell I'm sure your cooking is great... For your tastes. But I prefer a bit less cannibalism and human meat. The she can prepare my meals plus yours if you're evwer tired. And I'll take care of her, bedding and food and exercise and stuff."

He hummed thoughtfully which was in my experience a good sign. "Bring 'er out from behind ya and let me see 'er again."

I did so, trying to make it look rough and uncaring without actually hurting her. "Give me yer hand girlie." The eldest sea troll demanded. With a nod from me, she placed her much smaller hand in his much, much larger webbed claws. He examined it, prodding her bones, the spaces between, and her new webbing. "Ya've kissed her." He commented.

"It vwas easier for us both to svwim instead of me hawving to drag her on the surface."
He finally sighed, resigned to drop her hand. _ immediately took her place behind me. "She's a healthy one, and can build up some strength. But yer goin' to be takin' all responsibilities, aye?"

My grin was so wide I didn't even try to hide it. "Aye, sir. Thank you."

With a final suspicious look Dualscar turned and dove in a hiveward direction. _ followed me with only a bit of hesitation, visibly much more relaxed.

No one spoke during the trip. We swam out and down, down, down into the dark chill of Ampora territory. Every now and then at the beginning of the trip I'd check back to see how my new 'slave' was holding up. Her face stayed calm as she swam at first, but as we got deeper she started to hyperventilate. It was almost pitch black at that level and only 50 degrees. The only thing that let her know I hadn't left was the gentle tug on her leash. I swam back to her and calmed her down silently and quickly as possible. We didn't want to lose Dualscar.

We were a little over 3/4ths of the way when it happened again. She had completely stopped. Going into shock, I realized. Now even my adapted eyes had trouble seeing and the water was just above freezing. Though her altered biology would allow her to breathe in the deep without being crushed, it did nothing for her vision or warmth. I returned the short distance to her. Her eyes were open and staring blankly. No, she could not be dead. She would have said something earlier, right? Franticly I tried to warm her. My own body was only a bit warmer than the water but it was better than nothing as I wound my tail around her legs and hugged her to me. "Come on _. You can make it, easy. Just a little farther nowv." I kept muttering over and over as I rubbed the blood back to her cheeks and arms. Slowly, she blinked and looked to me. Her mouth eventually twitched into the sibilance of a smile.

Teeth chattered but she managed to speak. "It will ta-take a bit more t-too get rid of m-me."

"Thank Poseidon. Nowv vwe hawve to catch up to dad. Just a bit farther, " Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I prompted forward. "I'll stay vwith you this time, 'kay babe?"

Color returned as she kept up. "You're p-panicking Cronus."

"You're scaring me _."

"Good. I n-need to keep you on your t-toes... or fins, I guess."

Father announced out arrival shortly afterwards. I could see the grand sunken ship and connected quarters that made our hive in the distance, lit up like the night sky. Glowing seaweed flickered not unlike landweller candles between the cracks. A seeping volcanic crack provided more light and warmth not 500 yards back. Our sea horse lusus raced along its seem, nickering. "Vwelcome to your temporary home."

_ gasped. Her eyes were wide, awestruck, the lights dancing in the reflecting pools of (e/c). I smiled. "Come on."

-
Dad was nowhere in sight when we swam through the front door. He had gone to his rooms already. I would have shown _ around but I didn't feel like running into Eridan. That would have to wait till the morning.

She acted almost as if she were on vacation instead of in the home of deadly trolls that would eat her as soon as look at her. "How is this so well preserved? It looks so rotten and hazardous outside but you got the inside wonderfully decorated. It's really clean, why did you say it was dirty?"

Sighing I pushed her on. "You sure ask a lot of questions."

"Well I'm curious." She turned up her nose indignantly.

"Just keep your vwoice dowvn vwill you." I put a hand over her mouth when she opened it again, probably to ask why. "I'll tell you in the morning. Let's prepare you a room first and get to sleep."

My rooms were in the back, but I had an extra room used for music just across the hall. It would do for now. Telling her to, "Vwait here," I scoured my closet for suitable blankets and pillows. She watched as I passed her and prepared the couch. "This vwill hawve to vwork until I find something better... Unless you vwanna sleep with me." Wiggling my eyebrows I was disappointed when she wasn't even ruffled.

"No, this is fine, thanks." _ was examining my insturments. "How do these even work underwater?"

I stood by her, picking up the guitar. "They don't… not vwell at least. I hawve to take them up to the top."

"Oh."

The conversation became awkward. We were both tired. What had started as a normal, almost relaxing day had become a stressing adventure. I put my hand on her shoulder reassuringly as I turned to go. "If you need me... I'm right across the hall, all right? Don't be afraid to vwake me, even if it's something little."

"Yes. Thanks for everything, Cronus. I really mean it." She stared at the floor as she said it. "I guess you are my hero."

Then she spun around and hugged me, squeezing my neck. At first I was shocked, not knowing where to put my hands. This was a rare thing for me, affection. Realization flooded my heart along with amazing warmth. Arms finally found her waist and squeezed back as I burrowed my face into her neck. I had never felt so appreciated in my life as I did right now. "Thank you." I breathed into her soft skin. She didn't seem to hear me, but that might have been for the best.

We stood like that, swaying slightly, for a good while. But finally I had to pull away. "Vwe should better get to sleep. You'll havwe a long day tomorrowv. But before I forget..." Quickly I stole a kiss. She swung at me, a blow I barely avoided. My flirtatious streak was back. "That's so you don't find yourself drowvning as you sleep."

"Ugh, you destroyed the mood! Get out of here!" She bantered.

I slipped through the door, closing it behind me. Leaning against it with a content expression, I tried to bring back the memory of her touch. It faded though, drowsiness taking over. Falling into my recouperon, I let it win.