Chapter 3: Une Fête (Ch. 3 of 5)
Merry, good-humored, approachable, a bit foul-mouthed—mostly Clint— and overall amazing. Those traits seemed to cover Tony's men fairly well. Saffron was certain that once Tony located his men they'd all be eager to leave, but that wasn't the case. They were in no rush to depart Amore instead electing to drink and chat the night away. And she listened to every word.
They spoke of the amazing tales—of ghosts and ghouls, sword fights, and treasure—and every word was just as intoxicating as the alcohol she opted not to partake in. These men truly were a force to be reckoned with.
"Remember the first time we all went to Asgard? Man, was that a day or what!" Clint exclaims before he takes another large gulp of beer.
"Yes. It's rather strange to think that's where we first came across Thor," Bruce states almost fondly.
"That and about how much he wanted our heads!"
Saffron blanches at Clint's bellowed words and she quickly turns to Tony in pursuit of an explanation. He notices her gaze almost instantly and he grins, leaning in close before speaking.
"The big man there used to work for the navy—hell he used to be the captain of his own naval fleet—and boy did they want us dead."
"It is true. Before these men all became my brothers they were but a menace. Top of the wanted the Captain was, Clint following closely behind."
Clint winks at her and gives her a 'thumbs up' at Thor's words, clearly pleased with them.
"I thought if I could capture the crew of the Romanoff and send them off to the gallows then the world would be that much of a better place, but I was wrong."
Thor's eyes held a sliver of guilt, but there was something that seemed to relay his relief at having been incorrect with his former theory.
"How so?" Saffron asks softly, reaching out a hand to lay it gently atop his.
He grins that trademark grin of his before siting up slightly, rectifying his posture.
"My country was under siege by the Frost Pirates."
"Frost Pirates?" she repeats having not the slightest as to what a pirate was much less the ones who seemed to be accustomed to winter's frost.
Thor nods, "Led by my own flesh and blood—my brother—they sought to overrun our country and take it for their own. Our men were strong, prepared to fight, but it wasn't enough against the Frost Pirates and the Tesseract. Asgard would've fallen had it not be for the Captain here and his crew."
Saffron glances over to Tony with an almost proud smile and he grins, clearly aware that she was impressed by his prowess.
"They all came with a plan and pulled my people from the steely grip of the Frost Pirates, managing to obtain the Tesseract and seal it away in the process. Asgard will be forever indebted and these man, pirates or not, shall always be welcomed in our land."
"Aww, shucks!" Clint slaps Thor hard on his back and the two begin to laugh, "The big man's really got a way with words, dont'cha think (y/n)?"
"Uh…I suppose. I'm not exactly an expert when it comes the English vernacular."
Clint eyes her silently, "You talk like you're from Asgard too. You from Asgard?"
The red head quickly shakes her head, "No, I'm…not."
"It's called having an education, something you clearly aren't familiar with," Bruce teases and Clint gives him a lazy roll of his eyes, mimicking Bruce's words playfully.
As everyone ripples into laughter something dawns on Steve, "You know, we've spent all this time talking about ourselves, but we haven't even bothered to ask the lady about herself."
Steve's smile reaches his eyes and is altogether genuine and Saffron is fully aware he means well, but…
"I don't mind listening. My life couldn't possibly be as exciting as yours."
"Steve's right. It'd behoove us to learn a bit about our lovely new acquaintance," Bruce adds politely and she fidgets under their curious gazes.
"Ease off boys. You're making the lady uncomfortable," Tony teases as he ruffles her hair.
Everyone laughs and the crisis is adverted. She turns her head to look at Tony, eying him gratefully, but he plays it cool only responding with a wink and a devilish quirk of his lips. The rosy tint spreading across her cheeks are thankfully hidden beneath the yellowish glow of the candles in the tavern and she sighs. Now she's almost certain. With the way her heart skips, how his voice soothes her, and how his touch entices her to her core, she is certain. Tony has got to be the one.
"Hey, kid, you alive?"
Startled, Saffron gasps at Tony's hand waving in front of her face. She looks to him expectantly and he begins to speak.
"We're heading out."
"Out? Where to?"
As if Tony's grin couldn't get any wider, but it does, "To my ship, of course."
"Your ship? But I thought…"
She ponders about the plausibility of his words as he stands to his feet.
"She's a little banged up and needs some renovation, but my boys managed to keep my girl above the water."
"Your ship is female?" she asks as she takes the hand he's extended to her so that he may pull her to her feet.
"Don't hurt yourself. It's just a figure of speech," Tony teases as he places a hand on the small of her back, following after his stumbling men—excluding Steve who firmly remains abstinent of alcohol—escorting Saffron towards the front door.
"Oh, of course. I knew that."
"No you didn't."
"No I didn't," the ginger agrees as she shakes her head, eyes looking down to the flowers in her hand.
Saffron and Tony silently follow after the others and never does he remove the hand resting on her back.
It's spectacular, Saffron is sure, even beneath the cover of night. She'd never been on a ship before, but even still she's certain that the Romanoff is beyond words. She truly was a sight to behold, damaged or not.
"This is amazing!" the mermaid sighs breathlessly.
"Ain't she? Never seen a ship half as gorgeous," Clint says as he walks by and over to Tony, who's been surveying the damage since the ship came into sight.
"Truly. The Romanoff is a vessel unlike any other, though that could simply be my heart speaking," Thor says with a soft smile as he moves to stand beside Saffron.
"Your heart? Does that mean you can feel her?" she asks, gingerly leaning over the edge of the boat to look down the moonlit waters.
"I certainly like to think so."
Saffron smiles at his words. She could certainly relate. She often fancied thinking she could feel the ocean, as though the salty waters ran through her veins substituting itself for blood.
"She's definitely going to need some work, but a tough old gal she is. Steve, how close is the next city?"
"2-3 days. Give or take."
Tony hums in thought and Saffron watches him, heart skipping a beat when he looks to her.
"I was thinking we'd stick around. You know, get Natasha all fixed up. Amore has a lumber shop so," Clint says as he rubs a hand up and down the wood of the first mast.
"Natasha?" Saffron wonders aloud.
"That's what Clint calls the Romanoff. Says she's too good not to have a sexy name…such as Natasha," Tony helpfully explains with the roll of his eyes.
"Could it be you just want to stay for the festival tomorrow?" Steve asks with a sly smirk.
"Yes, Brother Clint did mention this festival quite frequently back at the bar," Thor adds in absently.
"Oh sure guys. Just throw me into the sea why dont'cha."
Bruce chuckles, wiping his hands against one another after he ties the last rope down.
"Hmm…a festival, huh?" Tony ponders aloud, a hand under chin as he contemplates. He smirks and his eyes swiftly flick over to Saffron, "What do you say we stick around for this 'festival'?"
"Me?"
"I'm looking at you, aren't I?"
"Yes…it's just that," she turns her head towards the lapping waters that seems to circuit—back and forth, back and forth—in time with her heart.
"One more day won't kill ya…will it?"
The last half of Tony's question is genuine seeing as he has no idea about the limitations of being mermaid. Saffron shakes her head with an amused smile.
"No, it wouldn't. I'm just afraid my sisters may begin to worry."
"Sisters?" Steve repeats.
"Well if you're sisters are half as striking as you are then you may just have to introduce me to them," Clint says, voice full of mirth.
Saffron laughs awkwardly, "Perhaps it'd be best if I didn't."
"Now why in the world would she want to introduce a heathen like you to her sisters?" Bruce asks, brazenly taunting the man.
Hmm…she had said that less so for her sisters and more so to keep the whimsical man alive. The red head sighs heavily, running a hand through her hair. A festival sounded absolutely exciting, but…
"I'd love to!" she says ecstatically taking Tony's hand into her own.
"Then it's settled. We'll stay for the festival, get Natasha fixed up, and then get you home safe and sound!" Clint exclaims with the clap of his hands.
"But tonight we rest," Bruce says tiredly as he runs a hand through his messy hair.
"Agreed. Some sleep would do us all some good."
"Where's the kid going to sleep?" Clint inquires as he points to Saffron.
Tony casually drapes an arm across her shoulder with a smirk, "With me, naturally."
Bruce yawns before he gives Tony this 'look,' one of which Saffron couldn't quite decode.
"Alright, but Tony do keep your hands clean."
Tony feigns to be wounded and Bruce rolls his eyes.
"I can't believe you'd even think that had to be said!"
"I mean it Tony. Squeaky clean."
Tony gives in, clearly putout, nodding his head with compliance. With a firm nod and a goodnight the good doctor heads to his room. The others follow suit, each bidding goodnight before heading to their quarters—though Thor said his farewells with a kiss on Saffron's hand. When they'd all cleared the deck, Tony makes way to his own room and Saffron follows behind.
The Captain's cabin was bit of a mess with extravagant goods and treasures sprawled about the room's expanse. Whether the state of the room was a norm or the cause of the storm she would likely never know. Saffron moves to sit on the bed, bouncing lightly in place as a smile spreads onto her face.
"I've never sat on a bed before," she whispers ecstatically and Tony grins.
"Well tonight's your lucky night because you'll be sleeping on that one for the duration of your stay."
"But isn't this your bed? Where will you sleep?"
"On the sofa over there…unless you'd prefer I sleep with you."
Saffron's face flushes red and she quickly shakes her head. She may be fairly clueless—being a mermaid and whatnot—but even she could understand the implication of those words.
"You know, you could've at least pretended to have contemplated or looked upset that you had to decline."
She laughs as she shakes her head, "Now where's the sense in that?"
"Are all mermaids this sassy?" he asks playfully as he pulls a blanket from an opened trunk in the corner, nestled up beside the sofa.
She decides not to say anything, hoping Tony wouldn't feel inclined to ask anything more of her and her heritage.
"Well goodnight, Saffron," Tony says as he bundles up in the blanket on the sofa, turning to have his back face Saffron.
"Oh, yes. Goodnight," the fiery haired mermaid replies as she mimics Tony, slipping beneath the covers and turning her back towards him.
She'd never slept beneath a blanket before. Tony's sheets are soft and smooth, spun from the finest of silk and the blanket is as soft as clouds. She sighs happily at the sensation of the fabrics against her skin and the scent of him before drifting off into a pleasant slumber.
The streets are all but filled with the scent of fragrant flowers, fresh paint, aromatic foods, and laughter. Everyone is bursting with lively energy and she can't help but feel it rubbing off on her. The wind shuffles gently through the air, ruffling through her hair and her navy blue dress, tangling loose petal in her pale copper locks.
"It's a floral festival!" she says happily, snatching a soft yellow petal from the drifting wind.
"It would seem so," Bruce replies, lightly patting Saffron on her head before walking off ahead to investigate some plants in pursuit of medical potential.
It was amazing how close she'd grown to these men in the past day and a half. This morning though had rather sealed the deal. Needless to say she was rather surprised to find that Steve could actually cook, spectacularly so! Bruce—who she later learned was the ship's doctor—wasn't so bad himself either, she discovered as she eagerly watched them work. It was fascinating to see what humans could do with their hands, things she could only image doing down below. When she heard the clanking of metal against metal, she leapt from the kitchen counter and headed up to the main deck to find Clint and Thor sparring. She moved further up, climbing the stairs to the quarter deck to obtain a finer view.
It was a sight to behold considering their significant differences in size, but Clint held his own and Thor simply looked pleased to have someone to fence with. It was apparent neither meant the other no harm, rather aiming to assist in the other's personal growth. Brilliant it was: the ringing of steel against steel, the stealthy movement of swift feet, and furtive—almost clandestine—twists and turns of bodies and jabs of hands. Though Saffron focused more on their feet, loving the quick bout of movement, mesmerized and envious.
"Impressed, are you?" Tony asks as he makes his way over to lean on the railing beside her—elbows upon the raised wood and chin resting upon his open palms.
"Definitely," she replies quickly, eyes hurriedly following their dashing footwork.
"So what is it you find so attractive?" He inquires, almost hesitantly, but Saffron fails to notice the tone in his voice.
"Their feet!"
"I'm sorry. What?"
She rolls her eyes playfully, before leisurely leaning across the wooden railing—stomach flattened against its surface, to point down below.
"Look at how they move. And it's all because of their feet. Well their legs too, but you know…"
She pushes off from the railed structure, stepping back and slightly tugging her dress up to look down at her own lower appendages.
"I could never do something like that," she sighs as she lets the fabric sweep back down into place.
"Nor can most women. Sword fighting isn't exactly a sport for the female population."
"I wouldn't know. My life is comprised of nothing but a female population."
"So all mermaids are women?"
Saffron nods slightly with a small smile as she takes in a deep breath of the salty breeze. Tony places a finger to his chin before he turns around to leisurely lean back on the railing and face her.
"So how exactly does that work, seeing that you're all women and whatnot."
"It doesn't. Not anymore…"
Saffron trails off, preferring not to say anymore, and Tony quickly takes the hint and mentally backs away from the topic. Saffron then notices Clint stop abruptly, spinning on his heels to face to the archway that led to the lower deck.
"Grubs up!" he exclaims, sheathing his sword and mirthfully making his way down the stairs and out of their sight.
Thor bellows loudly before he looks up to Tony and shakes his head, "I tell you, Brother Clint has the nose a Doberman Pinscher!"
With that the large man heads down below after Clint.
"Grub?!" Saffron asks slightly alarmed as she climbed down the stairs, looking over her shoulder expectantly at Tony.
"It means food."
"Grub means food? Hmm…I'm afraid I cannot condone that word. Especially when you consider that grub is also a term given to a species of larvae."
"What?" Tony questions, eyes wide and disturbed.
She chuckles softly and having reached the bottom she spins on her heels to face him with an amused smile.
"What? You didn't know."
Tony says a string of abstruse words before clearing his throat and moving past her to head downstairs.
"Clint! We have got to discuss your usage of the word 'grub!'"
With a hearty laugh and a grin Saffron follows that silly human of hers down. After everyone had eaten and Tony had officially banned the word 'grub' from ever being spoken on his ship again, everyone left for the festival winding up where Saffron currently found herself. Walking beside Tony, hands close enough to touch, but never quite in the way she preferred. Somewhere amongst her musings everyone had taken off to do as they pleased—Steve though headed for the lumber shop having always been the man to get the job done.
"Oh, Anthony, look!"
Quickly Saffron snatches up his hand, dragging him through one crowd and into another. There were spectacular colorful structures all about the ground, all comprised of flourishing flowers. She grins happily as she tugs at Tony's hand.
"What are they?" the red head inquires almost breathily, eyes never once moving from the gorgeous arrangements of florae.
"They're flower sculptures," Tony manages to utter.
"Flower structures…what do they do?"
"Nothing really. They just look nice."
"Nice doesn't even begin to cover it. It's miraculous! And all of it's made up of flowers?"
"Mostly, yeah."
"Humans can be so amazing! So inventive and so appreciative."
"Appreciative?"
"Well who would waste their time doing this if they didn't care? Sometimes it's just good to marvel at what the world has to offer. Back home my favorite thing to do is watch the coral grow. You never quite know what color they'll turn out to be, but you always know they'll be just as beautiful as their ancestors before them. A lineage of beauty."
Tony finds himself stunned, astounded really, at just how much this affects Saffron. He's never given flowers—or coral for that matter—much thought and less so their 'ancestor' before them—if you could even call them ancestors. A creature of the 'earth' she just may be. In tune and in sync, completely aware. It's fascinating. He turns to look ahead, watching as the villager layered flowers upon flowers building a floral masterpiece. Maybe he just never noticed their beauty because no one in his life had bothered to point them out.
He recalls how there had always been flowers at the manse, every hall and every room ornamented with them. Even then he never noticed. They'd simply been there and they always would be. When the priors died, the maids would always replenish the vases and flowerbeds with fresh ones. It was almost depressing really, how much he'd always felt like a flower in that manse. Trapped within its walls and likely to remain there until he too withered away.
"Anthony, look!"
Again Tony is dragged from his former spot and in turn from wallowing the depths of his mind.
"What on earth is that?" Saffron queries ecstatically, eyes wide at the sight.
"It's called magic," Tony explains softly moving closer to her side, her cheery nature chasing all his internal demons away.
She gasps, crouching down as she watches the man pull a rabbit from his hat, giddily clapping alongside the plethora of children that too were watching.
"Isn't amazing?" the little girl to Saffron's left asks and the mermaid nods eagerly.
"It is! I've never seen someone remove a rabbit from an empty hat before! Actually, I've never seen a rabbit before!"
The little girl giggles before flashing Saffron a bright grin as she reaches into her basket of flowers and removes a white flower. Delicately she arranges it in Saffron's red hair before placing a kiss on the mermaid's cheek.
"May Flora bless you!" the little girl says happily before glancing over to Tony, "And your husband too!"
She takes a quick curtsey before waving and heading over to a man and a woman—likely her parents—placing both her hands in one theirs mindful of her basket. Saffron waves as she rises up to properly stand to her feet and quickly turns her smile to Tony. From the corner of his eye, Tony notices the wooden table of flowers being carried by two men and as it passes it by he slyly snatches a purple azalea from the table. He leans forwards and Saffron's eyes flutter close at the close proximity of his large hands. She feels his fingertips moving about in her hair and eventually they withdraw. She opens her eyes, gently placing a hand to her hair noticing he'd place the one he snagged beside the white flower from the little girl. He eyes Saffron with something akin to pride and she smiles..
"Thank you."
He nods before offering his arm, one of which Saffron takes up eager to be as close to this human as well…humanly possible. The day is heavenly. They'd both run into Clint at a food vendor and the three of them had lunch together. Well Saffron and Tony had lunch; Clint rather shoveled it all down. The two then ran into Bruce and Steve at the parade and they'd all watched the floral floats glide elegantly down the crowded and cheerful streets. As the day grows old and the night begins, candles and lanterns are lit and the festival burns strong. It isn't until then Safrron and Tony find Thor, drinking pleasantly with an array of women, though he only seems to have an eye for the brunette sitting at his side. Tony laughs as Thor chucks his mug to ground and the women swoon with cries of the wondrous customs of Asgard.
"Do you hear that?"
"What? The music?" Tony questions halfheartedly with a grin as he watched Thor throw down yet another mug. That honestly never got old, unless it was his flatware being tossed hazardously about.
"Yes! Do you dance?"
"Absolutely. Do you?"
Saffron gives him a playful flat look, clearly stating that of course she did not dance. He laughs knowingly before taking her hand and pulling Saffron along.
"Would you be interested in learning?" he asks still leading the mermaid along and her heart flutters.
"Yes!"
Saffron finds it impossible to halt the fit of laughter that consumes her as she dances about struggling to copy the other dancers. Tony is, unsurprisingly, a phenomenal dancer. His hands travel from the middle of her back, lingering a while before moving down to her waist. He is swift and elegant and despite Saffron's lack of skills, she still finds that she's quite enjoying herself…the dancing as well as his touch. Tony is all smiles as he glides a hand down Saffron's arm and then to her wrist, gripping her hand and pushing her out and away, only to pull the copper haired woman close and twine his arm about her. Another turn and she's slipped under his arms, hands back upon his shoulders and his on her waist. She laughs loudly when she accidentally steps on his feet, yet again. He pays it no mind as he twirls her again. With each movement Saffron finds it increasingly difficult to keep the pace, her ever present laughter robbing her of the necessary air.
"I…I can't," she pauses to let out another bark of laughter as Tony smirks wickedly, "Anthony, I can't!"
"I can't quite hear you! The music's a bit too loud!"
"Tony!" Saffron exclaims, trying her best to come off as serious and failing miserably, as she pulls herself from him, "I can't breathe!"
Tony smirks as he follows her, tugging her close as she continues to laugh and struggle to catch her breath.
"Honestly, are all humans this much trouble?" Saffron manages to get out as she peers up to look at him, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes as they swayed in place.
There's something in his face—his eyes—and her heart skips a beat. It's as if all of the world has faded away leaving only her and this incredible human. Tony moves to rest his forehead against Saffron's and her breath shudders. He moves in and she's more than ready, eyes sliding shut with anticipation, but the sudden splash of wetness on her cheek makes her jump back alarmed. They both look to the sky and find that it's slowly begun to rain. Tony sighs, torn between being upset and relieved that the moment had been ruined.
"I have to go!" Saffron whispers harshly as she pulls away, untangling herself from his hands.
"What's wrong? It's just rain…or was it that we almost—"
"No. I can't get wet," she whispers leaning in closer so that only Tony could bear witness, "If I get wet, then I change back!"
"Change back?"
Saffron gives him a harsh look and an anxious huff and only then does it click. He swiftly looks down to her feet. There's a faint pale blue glowing swirling about her and his gaze snaps back to look around and then back to Saffron.
"Not good!"
She hums in urgent agreement as she shakes her head hurriedly. The pitter patter of water has become heavier, only picking up its pace.
"Let's go!" Tony says as he takes her hand and pulls her along, rushing past people as everyone tried to take shelter from the rain.
Saffron has fallen breathless, stumbling as she struggled to keep up and avoid crashing into others.
"Tony, I can't…I can't…"
"You have to!" he shouts back as he continues to race away from the town and to the safety of the ship.
"I can't!" she exclaims just before she runs into his back.
Tony has fallen still watching men in navy uniforms. He looks around before noticing a darkened alleyway, leaping into its shrouded darkness and dragging Saffron along. Saffron looks to him and he hushes her with a finger on her lips. The men rush by, footsteps slapping against the wet ground.
"Keep an eye out men! Those pirates are here somewhere!"
"Yes sir!"
In time the footsteps fade and Tony lets out the breath he'd been holding.
"That was the—"
"Navy? I assumed so."
Tony looks to before chuckling. Intuitive this one was indeed.
"Have you done something wrong? Why are they so keen on catching you all? I mean even Thor used to be."
"It's not that we've done something wrong per say, so much as it is we don't see eye to eye."
"Different goals?"
"That's one way to look at it. You honestly don't know the difference between us pirates and the navy?"
Saffron shakes her head sadly, "My sisters do not differentiate. All men are men no matter what ship they come from."
"I see."
At the mention of Saffron's sisters Tony recalls his prior goal. The blue is growing stronger and Saffron look to him panicked. Swiftly he sweeps her from her feet and makes his way down the street with her in his arms, never minding the pouring rain.
"Be sure to hang tight!"
Saffron nods into his chest, arms wrapping tightly about his neck as the water and wind whipped against her exposed skin.
Hurriedly Tony takes Saffron to bathroom within the Captains Chambers. When she was in this form water was of utmost importance. Gently he places her into the tub, promptly filling it with warm water and she sighs at the liquid's addition. With a heavy and exhausted breath, Tony kneels down beside the tub, arms resting on its porcelain edge. Saffron chuckles, pale copper tendrils clinging to her face, as she ran a hand through his drenched hair.
"This is not funny."
But at his mumbled words Saffron can't help but laugh out loud. Tony glances to her fighting a smile and failing miserably as he too falls into a fit of laughter. The laughter seems to go forever and it's become increasingly difficult to breathe.
"That was pure madness," Tony sighs and she nods, twirling his hair playfully about her index finger.
"Indeed. The rain was so sudden too."
"You could've told me about your whole water predicament."
"Small amounts are harmless, but rain well…yeah. I normally can tell when it's about to rain. I wonder why I didn't this time."
Tony's replies with yet another sigh, running his hand lazily through the water and brushing against Saffron's tail. She watches as his hesitance fades and finding some confidence he lays his hand down upon her tail eyeing it with definitive awe.
"Pretty strange, huh?" Saffron says mostly to herself as she lightly runs a hand up and down the aquamarine scales.
"It's different," Tony replies, shifting to further access her lower half, "It's lovely."
"You don't mean that…" the red headmumbles with reddening cheeks, lightly splashing water in his direction.
"Oddly enough, I do."
She turns—rustling the water in a small bout of miniature waves, to look to through half-open eyes much too embarrassed to look at him with her eyes fully opened. There was something there—she could feel it burning her very essence—but she wondered if it were unrequited. Perhaps Tony didn't feel what she felt. Perhaps he really wasn't…
When Tony leans in to kiss her all doubts are washed—no pun intended—from her mind. It's abundantly clear and doubt free. Tony is undoubtedly her soul mate, the other half to her unfinished emotional puzzle. Shifting against the porcelain of the tub she moves closer, tailing lightly lapping against the warm water. The hand that settles on the back of Saffron's neck is heated, its warmth mingling with her already present and rising temperature. The captain sweeps a tongue across her lips and the sensation is delightfully foreign and she sigh at the feeling.
Tony takes the opportunity slip is tongue past her lips and kiss her whole heartedly, titling her chin up to deepen the kiss. It's absurd really how taken—smitten—he is with her. Honestly, what good would it do a pirate to fall for a woman, more so a mermaid? But his mind is hazy, muddled and intoxicated by Saffron's very existence, and he finds himself no longer questioning the throbbing in his chest.
Saffron pulls away from Tony, breathing heavily with hands clinging to his broad shoulders.
"I have something to tell you."
"Yeah?"
She nods slowly, face flushed from her earlier enthusiasm, "I think your my soul mate."
Tony's eyes widen with alarm, "Surely that isn't your way of saying you love me."
"No! Well yes, but that's not why. It's because of who…what I am."
With her scent no longer drowning him in insanity, every fiber of Tony's being is screaming for him to run. To run from this, any form of commitment, to avoid being abandoned.
"Every mermaid has a 'soul mate,' though most don't seek their mates out these days…not with all the tension."
Tony forces himself to stay put and listen because the look in Saffron's eyes all but plead for him to hear her out.
"Before all the problems began mermaids used to await the day their mate would come. They were usually men who were drawn to the sea, men who often took up careers on or near the sea due to this calling. When a mermaid met her mate, or he was near enough, she would go to him and vice-versa."
She pauses to give Tony some time to process everything and when he gives her a nod she continues after a shaky breath.
"We can only be 'human' and walk on shore for the span of three days in our entire lifetime. That gives us enough time to find our mate and bond/mate with him before either remaining on land as a human and losing our memories of being a mermaid, as well as our gifts, or returning to the sea to our sisters."
"But you told me…"
"I sort of lied and for that I'm sorry. It's just that I wasn't sure if I could trust you yet, but I had this feeling that you were the one. The one I'd been waiting for my entire life."
Tony would call Saffron insane; chalk all this nonsense up to her being a mad woman if it weren't for the pale blue tail rocking gently in the bath water. Still this was crazy. All this talk of soul mates and destiny, it was simply much too much.
"So that means you have one more day before…"
"Before I have to decide? No…I meant it when I said I was special."
He looks curiously to her tail, furling and furling it as they both watched its movement.
"I change when I want to or when I get drenched."
Saffron bites down on her bottom lip, silently waiting for him to say something—anything! She takes in a deep breath, prepped to apologize, but the sudden harsh rocking of the ship rips the words from her mouth. There's the sound of rushed footsteps and the door swings open revealing Bruce. The doctor's face is serious, etched with disquiet. He's about to speak when he looks to Saffron, eyes widening with both curiosity and alarm.
"That," Bruce says as he points towards the mermaid, "Is something we will have to address later."
Tony looks to Saffron before giving Bruce a nod of agreement.
"What's got you all riled up?" Tony inquires as he leisurely stands to his feet, but there's something in his voice that lets Saffron know that the brunette captain is attune to the severity of whatever this situation is.
"It's Loki."