Summary: Osvald and Partitio run into each other yet again in Montwise, where their feelings for each other blossom into something much more serious.

It had been a long, long time since Osvald had set foot in the Crestlands, but he did not have the time to appreciate the breathtaking views from the peaks nor the beautiful rainbows cast upon the cascading waterfalls. He was on a mission for revenge, nothing would stop him from getting it, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.

There was one small problem with that, however: Osvald couldn't stop thinking about Partitio.

Osvald's brow furrowed and he rubbed at his temples. Since he had developed some rather inexplicable and irritating feelings for the charming and handsome merman, Osvald found it very hard to think about anything else without Partitio worming his way into the forefront of his mind.

As time went on, it was slowly getting easier to concentrate on getting his revenge on Harvey, and Osvald knew it was only a matter of time before he could push Partitio from his thoughts completely. After all, the chances of running into him again were slim to none-

"Well, well! Look who we have here!"

…Or not.

Osvald's jaw hung open with disbelief as he stepped off of the bridge that crossed over the river far below. He pushed his glasses up and rubbed at his eyes, hoping that his mind was playing tricks on him. Alas, the only thing that was waiting for him when he refocused his vision was that bright, breathtaking smile that could only belong to one particular seahorse merman. Shit.

"Howdy there, Osvald!" Partitio was elated at this turn of events. He sure hadn't expected to see Osvald again so soon, and a bubbly warmth blossomed within his chest. Whew, and he was just as handsome as the last time that Partitio saw him, which brought his not-so-little crush on Osvald back to the forefront of his mind. Oh boy…

Osvald brought a hand to his face and cleared his throat in an attempt to hide the blush on his cheeks. "What are you doing here, Partitio?"

"Just gettin' more advertisin' in for the Fair, of course!" Partitio beamed and shot Osvald a wink, "I gotta get the word out to the folks not on the coast too, you know!"

Osvald blinked slowly as he glanced over the cliff before him, spotting the water far below, before his gaze followed the two sets of ladders that were fixed into the face of the cliff.

"Did you…climb all the way up here by yourself?"

Partitio let out a deep sigh and rubbed at his arms. "Ah, yeah, and hoo boy do my arms hurt something fierce! Ya see, I did send a letter ahead of time to schedule a carriage to give me a lift, but I've been waiting all day and they never showed up…"

"Er, speaking of that…" Partitio let out a nervous chuckle and wrung his hands together. "I hate to ask ya, but would you mind going into Montwise for me and sending another carriage?"

Osvald could do that, certainly, but he had a better, more practical, and definitely more selfish idea. He hummed and turned his back to Partitio before crouching low to the ground.

"Uh, what're ya doin'?" Partitio stared at Osvald with wide eyes as he cocked his head to one side.

"It would take too much time to get to town, find an available carriage, and come back for you. I do not want to risk leaving you here when night falls," Osvald said, glancing over his shoulder with a small smile on his face, "Let's go."

Partitio's face flushed and he quickly pulled his hat down over his face to hopefully mask his embarrassment. Ugh, why did he always get so flustered at just the thought of Osvald carrying him? This big ol' crush of his was turning into a big ol' problem…

"Are ya sure, partner?"

"I wouldn't have offered otherwise. Hurry up."

Osvald's eyes narrowed with annoyance, and Partitio took a mental note of how much he enjoyed being bossed around by Osvald before quickly pushing that thought to the deep, dark recesses of his mind. Biting his cheek, Partitio wrapped his arms around Osvald's neck and Osvald stood up. His arms throbbed with pain from his exhausting climb up the ladders from the river, but Osvald grabbed hold of him before Partitio could slip off his shoulders.

"Is this okay?" Osvald asked as he held Partitio's wrists in a gentle grip, and his breath hitched when Partitio's tail snaked its way around his waist.

"Yeah, thankee kindly, Osvald!" Partitio beamed and lay his chin on Osvald's shoulder. "Is my tail okay like that? Not making it hard to walk at all?"

"...'s fine."

Partitio raised an eyebrow at Osvald's quiet mumble of a response, and he held on as best he could as Osvald started walking down the path towards Montwise. Running into Osvald again after such a short amount of time…Partitio wasn't so sure that he believed in fate, but this kinda coincidence happening not once but twice was shaping him into quite the firm believer.

"So, how was your trip here? Didn't get into trouble or nothin', right?" Partitio asked, and Osvald shrugged.

"No, it was uneventful, but I did run into an old friend when I stopped by New Delsta for supplies."

Partitio grinned when Osvald let out a tired sigh and shook his head. "He's a rather scatterbrained scholar named Regulus. We studied at the academy together. His specialty is astrology, and he is apparently working on a most curious invention called an 'astronomical telescope.'"

"An astro…what now?"

Osvald chuckled and glanced at Partitio out of the corner of his eye, and Partitio was close enough to really appreciate how beautiful his eyes were. "Astronomical telescope. Apparently it will allow him to see the celestial bodies in the night sky up close."

"Wow…Like, the moon and the stars and stuff?"

"Indeed."

Partitio let out a long whistle, and his arms tightened around Osvald's shoulders. "Hoo-eey! I don't really get to see the pretty night sky all that much, since I usually spend my nights underwater. Sounds like quite the sight…"

"It is. It has been a long time since I've visited Montwise, but from what I remember one can get a rather breathtaking view of the stars from the wall."

"Really? Hm…" Partitio fell silent as he bit his lip. Boy, he sure would love to go stargazing while he was here, and he wondered if Osvald would ever consider joining him. However, Partitio remembered exactly why Osvald was visiting Montwise, and he reckoned that he would definitely not be in the mood for that, as much as Partitio longed for that not to be the case.

They continued to chat as Osvald carried Partitio towards their destination, and soon enough, they ended up in Montwise. Osvald took Partitio to the center of the marketplace and helped him to set up shop.

"Thankee kindly, Osvald! I'm gonna do my business here for a while." Partitio beamed at him, and Osvald was given pause at the fiery determination that he saw in those dazzling blue eyes.

"Very well. I need to take care of some…'business' myself. I will come back when I'm done."

Partitio frowned slightly and gave him a slight nod. He knew that Osvald was here to get some way past due revenge on his bastard of a former research partner, but he was still sad to see him go nonetheless.

"Alright, but be careful, ya hear?"

"I will, thank you." The nauseous feeling deep in his gut settled slightly at Partitio's concern for him, and Osvald set off to gather the information that he needed at the library.

The sun was starting to set by the time that he returned to the marketplace. Osvald had pinpointed Harvey's location, which was an underground laboratory located beneath the library. However, Osvald needed to be well rested and fully alert before confronting him, so he decided that it was only logical to wait until morning to finally get his revenge.

"...And here's somethin' that you won't find anywhere else!"

Osvald stopped when he heard Partitio's voice carry over a crowd of people, who had his little temporary shop surrounded. From what he caught from the many people talking excitedly among themselves, it seemed that merfolk were not a common sight around these parts.

Partitio beamed as he lifted a large conch shell into the air. "This here might look like a regular ol' conch shell, but if you put your ear right up to it, you can hear the sounds of the sea, as clear as if you were standin' right on the beach yourself!"

"Here, give it a try!" Partitio handed the shell to the woman standing closest to him, and she shot him a dubious look before slowly bringing the shell to her ear. Her eyes slowly widened and her jaw dropped.

"O-Oh my, I hear it! I hear the waves, and the seabirds too!" she exclaimed, and she passed it around to a few others in the crowd.

"See? Don't underestimate the power of good ol' mermaid magic!" Partitio said, winking as he flicked up the brim of his hat. "Now, I've only got a limited stock with me, but we're hosting the first Merfolk Merchant's Fair in a few months and we'll have plenty more of these beauts to sell there, plus many more fascinating treasures!"

A wave of excitement passed through the crowd as the lucky people in the front bought out Partitio's stock of shells, while the rest eagerly took the fliers that he was handing out. Osvald watched the spectacle with wide eyes. From how Partitio conducted himself, Osvald had deduced that he was a skilled merchant, but seeing him in action made him realize that Partitio really was someone special. His charisma and natural charm were through the roof, and his sincerity and genuine love for his craft had captivated Osvald, in more ways than one.

"Oh, hey there, Osvald!" Partitio said when the crowd had finally dispersed. Osvald smiled as he approached and started to help Partitio pack up his shop.

"That was very impressive, Partitio. You really are an expert merchant. It was as if I was watching the Trader himself work his magic."

"B-Bifelgan?" Partitio's face flushed a bright red and he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Golly, that's mighty high praise, partner…" He swallowed thickly, trying to chase away the dryness that had suddenly occupied his throat. A giddy happiness flooded his chest, and he couldn't stop a goofy grin from crossing his face.

"Um, so, how'd your…'business' go?" Partitio asked as he packed up the last of his leftover goods.

"I found out where Harvey's laboratory is. I plan on confronting him there tomorrow."

Partitio bit his lip to stop himself from sighing with relief. He did want Osvald to get his revenge and all, but he couldn't help but worry about him and curse the fact that he could be by his side for it.

"Well, I'm sure glad your day was successful!" Partitio said, and he opened up his travel bag so that Osvald could shove the rest of his supplies into it.

"I could say the same to you. And you managed to finish right before dark."

"Yeah…" Partitio glanced up at the darkening sky, and his eyes lit up when a few stars became visible. Maybe he could drag himself up to the wall himself, but his arms were still so sore from earlier…

"Partitio…Do you want to look at the stars with me?"

Partitio sucked in a sharp breath and jerked his head towards Osvald, who's gaze was fixed up at the sky as he tugged at his beard. Partitio really, really hoped that this wasn't a dream, and he nodded his head vigorously, so much so that he made himself a bit dizzy.

"I sure do!"

"Here." Osvald quickly bent over and scooped Partitio into his arms, making sure to avoid making eye contact; he wasn't sure if he could handle Partitio looking at him with any kind of fondness in his eyes.

Osvald made haste and carried Partitio up onto the wall, and he gently set him on the ledge, and he curled his tail around himself to keep his balance. Partitio placed a hand against the cool stone to steady himself, and he lifted his gaze to the sky, which was already shining so bright with a multitude of stars, and the beautiful glow of the full moon. This was…amazing!

Standing silently beside Partitio, Osvald braced his hands on the ledge of the wall, one brushing against Partitio's not-so-accidentally. His gaze flicked briefly to the sky, before fixing upon Partitio again. Osvald had never seen the stars shine so bright. It was almost as if they were shining just for Partitio, and Osvald honestly couldn't blame them. He looked absolutely ethereal while bathed in their light, and the yellow skin that covered his upper torso and tail seemed to shine a brilliant gold. Osvald could feel himself falling, and falling hard, for him, even though he knew that he wasn't good enough for Partitio. He was too angry, too cynical, too consumed by his lust for revenge…

"Hey, Osvald?"

Giving his head a quick shake to clear his mind of his self-loathing thoughts, he turned to look at Partitio, who was somehow smiling brighter than Osvald had ever seen before, and his chest tightened; he felt that such a precious and beautiful thing was wasted on him.

"Thankee kindly. I reckon I won't ever forget this night." Partitio's voice dropped to a whisper, and he slipped his hand into the one that Osvald had brushed against his. He knew that this was a bold and risky move, but to his surprise, Osvald didn't pull away. Partitio's heart hammered hard within his chest, and he was given hope that there might be a chance of his feelings being reciprocated, after Osvald had gotten his revenge, of course.

They stayed like this for a while, with their hands clasped the entire time, and only when Partitio started to shiver when a cold breeze blew by did Osvald reluctantly tear his gaze from the sky.

"You must be freezing, Partitio, here." Osvald took off his coat and wrapped Partitio in it before picking him up again.

"O-Osvald! You don't have to do that!" Partitio blushed as he covered his face with his hands.

"Nonsense. It would be foolish to allow you to catch a cold."

"I-I guess…" Partitio swallowed thickly and averted his gaze. "A-Anyway, um, do you wanna share an inn room for the night? It'd save us both some money." Partitio tried to act casual, but asking the object of his affection to sleep in the same room as him was getting him all hot and bothered, even though nothing of that nature was ever going to happen.

"Yes, that is a valid point. I'd be glad to," Osvald said, hoping that Partitio couldn't feel how hard his heart was beating within his chest. Well, he certainly hadn't expected to be sharing a bedroom with Partitio this night, and he was going to cherish their time together, no matter how fleeting it was.

Osvald stepped into the inn, ignoring the stares of the other occupants. Walking up to the counter, he cleared his throat to get the innkeeper's attention, as he couldn't ring the bell with his arms full.

"Ugh, the bell is right-" the innkeeper started to complain, but he cut himself off with an 'oh!' when he turned around and looked Osvald and Partitio up and down. A sly smile slowly spread across his face, and Osvald's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"My, my! Isn't this a rare sight!" The innkeeper clapped his hands and leaned an elbow against the counter. "It's not every day that I see a merman, and certainly not one coupled with a human!"

Osvald had to take a moment to process what the man was implying, and when he did, he quickly shook his head, his face flushing a bright red.

"P-Pardon me?"

"Oh? You're a couple, aren't you?" The innkeeper tapped his finger against the counter and raised an eyebrow. "Why else would you be holding him like that?"

"Because he can't walk, obviously."

The innkeeper let out a groan and rolled his eyes. "Oh please. You don't have to lie to me. It's pretty uncommon to see a human and merman together, but I certainly am not one to discriminate!"

"Y-You've got it all wrong!" Partitio finally found his voice after being stunned into silence by the innkeeper's very incorrect assessment of their relationship. "We're just…friends, trying to save money, that's all."

"Ah, right, that's what they all say."

"Can we just get a room, please?" Osvald's tone had turned deadly, and the hairs on the back of Partitio's neck stood on end as he watched him glare daggers into the innkeeper.

The innkeeper didn't seem phased, and he just shrugged and let out a deep sigh. "Whatever you say. I don't see why you're trying so hard to hide your relationship, but I won't pry." He turned around and plucked a set of keys from a hook and tossed them to Osvald. "Up the stairs, last room on the left."

Osvald continued to glare at the man as Partitio took the keys from him and fished a pouch of leaves from his bag. "Here ya go! Is there a tub in the room already? I'll need to sleep in water."

"Oh yes," the innkeeper covered his mouth as he chuckled, and he gestured to two of his staff, who nodded and rushed off, "I'll send someone to fill it for you. And it's big enough for two!"

Partitio glanced at Osvald's face, and immediately regretted it, because if looks could kill Montwise would be on the hunt for a new innkeeper right about now. Partitio let out a nervous chuckle and gently pat Osvald's chest, which luckily seemed to calm him down. His face burned when the innkeeper shot him a knowing look, and Partitio rubbed at his temples as Osvald turned towards the stairs without another word.

"Do have a good night, you two! And make sure to get some sleep, hm?"

Osvald froze and Partitio could feel him start shaking with rage. "I'm going to kill him."

"No, Osvald."

"...Can I just set him on fire-"

"No."

Partitio tried to stifle his giggles when Osvald pouted, and he was happy when Osvald relaxed and let out a soft chuckle as he ascended the stairs. Well, that innkeeper sure was a character, but Partitio secretly wished that he had been right all along about their relationship.

Partitio opened the door to their room and Osvald stepped inside, letting out a tired sigh when he saw that there was only one bed; that innkeeper was very lucky that Partitio had stayed his hand.

"Ah, only one bed?" Partitio let out a nervous laugh and shook his head. He noticed that the tub was already full of steaming water. The innkeeper might have been annoying, but his staff sure were quick on the draw.

"Well, good thing I have the tub to sleep in, eh?" He tried not to sound too disappointed, but he wasn't sure that he masked it well.

Osvald grunted in response, and Partitio swore that he saw a glint of disappointment in his eyes as a deep frown crossed his face. He carefully helped Partitio get into the tub before changing into his nightclothes; Partitio tried not to stare too much at Osvald's bare chest.

"Ahh, that sure feels good on the sore arms…" Partitio said, sighing as he submerged himself to his neck. He stayed like that for a few moments, before Osvald's voice broke the silence.

"So…" Osvald started. He had moved to sit at the edge of the bed after changing, and he paused to clear his throat; Partitio noted that he wasn't making eye contact. "Is it…truly that uncommon for merfolk and humans to get involved romantically?"

Partitio stared at Osvald with eyes as wide as saucers, and Osvald felt his face heat up as he quickly added: "I'm only asking because, well, that obnoxious, nosy innkeeper brought it up."

"Ah, right…" Partitio felt deflated as his shoulders slumped slightly, but he pulled himself together and kept a straight face. "Well, considerin' that humans and merfolk haven't really had much positive contact with each other until recently, then yeah."

"But…" Partitio shrugged before folding his arms and resting them on the rim of the tub, "There are exceptions to that. My stepdad is a human, for example."

"Really?"

"Sure is!" Partitio chuckled and shot Osvald a wink. "My pops actually met Roque about…24 years ago, right after he married my ma. They became fast friends and slowly started to create relations between merfolk and humans."

Osvald hummed as he tugged at his beard. "I see…They've made some impressive progress."

"Yeah, it was apparently rough at the start. From what Pops told me, mer and men were pretty wary of each other back then." Partitio frowned and pursed his lips. "Hostile in some ways too. Humans would abduct merfolk to sell for profit, and mer would sink merchant ships to loot."

"But my pops and ma and Roque worked hard, and managed to play a part in quelling the hostilities and starting to forge a lasting relationship between our people."

Osvald continued to listen silently, and he frowned when Partitio's gaze fell to the floor as a wistful smile crossed his face. "When my ma passed, Pops was devastated, and I was so young and probably made it harder for him. He was really lucky to have Roque by his side, and it didn't surprise me at all when they eventually fell in love."

Partitio suddenly flushed a bright red and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Shoot, sorry partner! I guess I rambled on a bit there! Long story short, it's rare but not unheard of."

"Hm." Partitio cocked his head to one side as he watched Osvald's brow furrow as he crossed his arms over his chest. He seemed to be thinking hard about something, and he really wished that he could figure out what that something was.

"They must have to spend a lot of time apart, though," Osvald finally said, chewing on the inside of his cheek, "Does that…make things hard for them?"

Partitio cocked his head to one side, and he could feel his heart start racing. Osvald sure was interested in this particular subject, and Partitio could only hope that it was because he might have feelings for him.

"I mean, kinda. Pops would always have to be the one to stay on land with Roque if they wanted to, uh, spend some 'quality time' together, on account of humans not having gills and all."

A smile slowly spread across Partitio's face as he rest his chin on the rim of the tub and swished his tail back and forth. "But, that time apart seemed to make them appreciate the time that they spent together much more, and, well, you know what they say: Distance makes the heart grow fonder!"

Osvald nodded slowly, rubbing at his chin. "A valid point."

"I see it with us too!" Partitio blurted out, and he chuckled when Osvald raised a dubious eyebrow at him. "Well, we keep on havin' to part ways and always pick up right where we left off when we've reunited!"

Osvald stared at Partitio, his mouth suddenly going dry as his heart hammered hard within his chest. He had…compared them to his father and step-father. Osvald wasn't sure if it was wise to assume that it meant anything, but he couldn't stop his heart from longing for that to be the case.

Partitio blinked slowly a few times, before the implications of what he had just said hit him like a ton of bricks. "A-As friends, I mean! It's not, uh, the exact same thing as my pops and Roque, haha…" He rubbed at the back of his head and averted his gaze, mentally beating himself up for his careless words.

"Um, anyway, it's gettin' kinda late, and you've got a busy day tomorrow, so we should, uh, get some shut eye!" Partitio quickly changed the subject and stretched his arms out, making a show of yawning loudly. He watched as Osvald just nodded in response, his gaze distant, and as he lay down on the bed, a single question fell from his lips that stole the breath from Partitio's lungs:

"...Would you ever fall for a human?"

"Eh?"

"It's…nothing. Goodnight."

Partitio's cheeks flushed and his heart hammered hard within his chest as he stared at Osvald, who quickly blew the candle out and rolled over, ending the conversation prematurely. Biting his lip as he let himself sink further into the bathwater, Partitio wished that Osvald would have given him the chance to answer, because he would have said that he had already fallen for a human, and that human was him .

A terrible, aching longing settled within Partitio's gut, and he let out a sigh as he stared at Osvald, until the sound of his snoring filled the room.

"Goodnight, partner…" Partitio mumbled, and he decided to try and get some shut eye himself, if he could just get comfortable in this damned tub…

Osvald awoke in the middle of the night, pulled from his slumber by a noise coming from somewhere in the room. He narrowed his eyes as he fumbled for his glasses, and as he put them on, he realized that it was Partitio making the noise.

"Ugh, this is hopeless…" Osvald heard Partitio mumble, and as he let out another frustrated groan, the sound of sloshing water hit Osvald's ears.

"Partitio? Is something wrong?"

Osvald's eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he saw Partitio whip around, and he let out a nervous chuckle as he wrung his hands together.

"Oh, did I wake you up, Osvald? Sorry 'bout that…" He shrugged and shook his head. "I think that innkeeper was full of seahorse shit when he said that this tub was big enough for the both of us. It's not big enough for just me!"

"Hmm, I see…" Osvald opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure if what he was about to propose was wise. He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, and after not coming up with any logical alternatives, he decided to throw caution to the wind:

"...We should share the bed."

"Oh yeah, that's a great ide-Huh?!"

Partitio stared at Osvald with wide eyes over the rim of the tub, and he slowly pushed himself up until his chin was resting on it. Osvald's face had turned a cute shade of pink, and Partitio's heart fluttered when he lifted a hand to his face and cleared his throat.

"You'll hurt your back sleeping in there. It's only logical…to protect your health, of course." Osvald told himself that, sure, but he knew deep, deep down that the longing to have Partitio closer to him was also a factor in this offer.

"O-Of course, partner…I'm plenty hydrated, so I'll be alright out of the water until morning." Partitio deflated slightly as he nodded, biting his cheek to prevent himself from letting out a dejected sigh. It was all for Partitio's health, because there was no way that Osvald would want to share a bed with him for any other reason…no matter how much Partitio ached for that to be so.

Pulling himself from the long since cooled bathwater and plopping onto the floor, Partitio toweled himself dry. His heart raced when Osvald got out of bed and walked up to him, and Partitio had to avert his gaze to avoid ogling at Osvald's bare chest…again.

Osvald held his hand out and asked, "May I?" Partitio nodded and took his hand, a smile crossing his face when Osvald gathered him into his arms and carried him to the bed; he relished in this brief physical contact. Osvald gently lay him onto it, and Partitio wriggled his tail around until he was comfortable before pulling the blankets over himself.

"G-Goodnight, Partitio," Osvald said as he quickly settled into his side of the bed and rolled over, facing away from Partitio with hopes of hiding his beet-red face. He squeezed his eyes shut and took some slow deep breaths, hoping to fall asleep before what little self control he had in regards to his feelings for his unexpected bedmate could shatter completely.

"G'night Osvald…and thankee kindly," Partitio whispered, letting out a deep sigh as he stared at Osvald's back. Oh, how he longed to reach out and run his fingers through that long, gorgeous hair, whispering sweet nothings into Osvald's ear until he turned around, their eyes locking for only a moment before their lips met in a tender, passionate kiss…

Partitio inhaled sharply when he snapped back to his senses and realized that he had reached out towards Osvald with one hand, his webbed fingers barely brushing against his hair. He yanked his arm back towards himself and hugged it to his chest, his heartbeat hammering hard in his ears. He remained frozen for a few very long seconds, until the sound of Osvald snoring filled Partitio with relief.

"Hoo-eey, control yourself, Partitio…" he muttered to himself, groaning softly as he pressed his pillow over his face. He was hopeless…hopelessly in love , and he was frustrated that he couldn't do anything about it. With that weighing heavily on his mind, he fell into a restless sleep.

The morning sun bathing the room in its gentle light caused Partitio to stir from his sleep, and he smiled, relishing in the secure warmth that surrounded him. Letting out a content sigh, his tail curled as he nuzzled his face against Osvald's chest…

Wait, Osvald's chest?!

A wave of panic coursed through Partitio as his eyes shot open, and he was indeed staring directly into Osvald's broad, toned, and hairy chest. He attempted to push himself away, but he found that his arms were pinned to his sides by Osvald's, and he was pulled flush against him in a tight embrace.

"Please don't be a dream, please don't be a dream…" Partitio mumbled to himself, and he took a few deep breaths to try and keep his heart from beating right out of his chest. Osvald seemed to still be fast asleep, and Partitio bit his lip hard when his arms tightened around him and he felt Osvald's lips brush against his forehead.

That wasn't the only thing that brushed against him. Partitio felt sweat start to bead at the back of his neck when Osvald's leg rubbed against his pelvis, and a spark of arousal ignited within his gut. If Osvald kept this up, a certain internal organ of Partitio's was going to become very external, very fast…

Luckily for Partitio, he heard Osvald snort and let out a deep yawn. Partitio slowly tilted his head up and his eyes met a pair of sleepy, half-lidded ones. "M-Morning…"

Osvald stared at him for a moment with squinted eyes, before they shot open and he let out a startled shout. What the hells did he just wake up to? As he scrambled for his glasses, he heard Partitio let out a yelp and a loud thud followed shortly after.

"Partitio?" Osvald put on his glasses to find that Partitio had fallen off of the bed and was tangled in the blankets. He was flailing about, trying to free himself, and Osvald had to actively dodge Partitio's tail to avoid getting smacked in the face.

"Hold still!" Osvald said as he rolled off of the bed and tried to grab him. Partitio didn't seem to hear him and only got himself more tangled, and Osvald let out a frustrated huff. His hands shot out and he grabbed Partitio's wrists, and Osvald pinned his arms to the side of the bed as he fell to his knees, straddling him.

"Stop!"

Both men were panting heavily, and their gazes slowly found each other. Partitio's mouth had gone dry and his jaw hung open slightly, his face so close to Osvald's that he could feel his breath against his lips…those beautiful lips that he ached so badly to taste on his tongue…

Osvald's mind was a conflicted fog, and he unconsciously licked his lips as his eyes remained locked with Partitio's. He wanted nothing more than to close the meager distance between them and kiss him breathless…but he couldn't do it.

Clenching his jaw, Osvald squeezed his eyes shut as he pulled away from Partitio, and he busied himself with untangling the merman's tail from the blankets. Partitio just watched him, blinking owlishly as his brain tried to process what had just happened.

"T-There, that should do it," Osvald mumbled as he tossed the freed blankets back onto the bed. "Are you…alright, Partitio?"

Partitio nodded slowly and turned his beet-red face away. "Y-Yeah, thankee kindly…"

A few long moments ticked by, before Partitio forced himself to look at Osvald again, and a soft smile crossed his face at the cute pink blush that covered his cheeks. Osvald adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat, before he stood and offered his hand to Partitio. Partitio immediately took it, feeling very bashful at the moment, and he let Osvald help him sit on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry, Partitio. I, er, haven't shared a bed with anyone in a…very long time, and I just…uh, didn't realize that I…would do that …" Osvald rubbed his arm with one hand as he waved the other in front of him.

Partitio let out a chuckle and shook his head. "You don't have to apologize…It, um, coulda happened to anyone. Thanks for…keepin' me warm." Butterflies took flight in Partitio's gut when a beautiful smile crossed Osvald's face.

"I…was happy to help."

They gazed at each other for a moment, before both men burst out laughing so hard that tears fell down Partitio's face, and Osvald had started snorting.

"Hoo-eey, we're a real mess, aren't we?"

"...Indeed."

With the awkwardness in the air cleared, a deep longing lingering in both of their hearts, they packed up their belongings and left the inn, trying to ignore the innuendos of the piss-annoying, smug innkeeper.

Partitio knew that Osvald had pressing matters to attend to, so he was very shocked when he had offered to take him back to the river himself.

"Osvald, you really don't have to do this."

"How many times are you going to say that?"

Osvald narrowed his eyes at the merman cradled in his arms, and Partitio snickered as he flicked up the brim of his hat.

"Sorry partner, thankee kindly." He made sure to bask in the warmth of Osvald's arms around him one last time, because before he knew it, Osvald had descended the cliffside with Partitio clinging to his back, and they had made it to the river.

"Osvald," Partitio said after he had slipped into the water, and he reached out to take Osvald's hand in his, "I know what you're going to do today, and I know I've said this before, but please…be careful, okay?"

"I will," Osvald said, giving Partitio's hand a squeeze. He wanted to avenge his family and make Harvey pay, sure, but now he wanted something else too: he wanted to stay alive so that he could see Partitio again, to feel his skin pressed against his again as they lie in bed together, to tell him of his feelings and finally kiss him breathless…

"Thank you, Partitio. Safe travels to you," Osvald said as he regretfully let go of Partitio's hand and stood up. "Until we meet again."

Partitio beamed and did a back flip in the water. "Of course! I can't wait to hear how you clobbered that bastard!" He smacked a fist into his palm and Osvald laughed.

Their gazes lingered on one another, both men not wanting to break eye contact, but Osvald knew that he could not afford to delay his revenge any longer, so he reluctantly turned away and headed back to the ladder.

Partitio watched him ascend the cliff side, and a foreboding feeling settled within his gut. He couldn't help but worry for him, but he also knew that Osvald was strong and could take care of himself. Partitio was very confident that he could succeed, so why did he feel so… unnerved?

He wasn't usually the praying type, but that didn't stop him from shooting a prayer to the Flamebringer with the hope that he would help guide Osvald to victory. And with that, Partitio shifted his focus to his own mission, and he swam off to continue spreading the word about the Merfolk Merchant's Fair. Nevertheless, Osvald never strayed too far from the front of his mind, and Partitio was okay with that.