A/N: All credit goes to Disney and the original creators of the characters used in the story below. This is my first Little Mermaid fanfic, and the story is set in the live action universe. This is my take on something that could have happened while Ariel and Eric were on their honeymoon voyage. I appreciate you taking the time to view my work!
Ariel wakes to the sound of coughing. She twists to see Eric, who is currently turned away from her, his back rippling from the force of the spasms. Why was he coughing? Did he have water in his lungs? She reaches out a hand and lightly thumps his back in an attempt to help him expel whatever is stuck there. He faces her, his dark curls mussed from sleep, eyes bleary.
"Sorry I woke you." He offers a half smile, dimple carving a hammock into his cheek. He takes a deep breath and leans against the headboard of their bed below deck. The couple were still on their honeymoon, enjoying the journey from each new destination to the next. They were set to make landfall in the next couple days, so they'd been spending the last few mornings preparing supplies with the crew for their upcoming expedition. Usually Eric was above deck before dawn doing whatever he could to help the crew, but judging by the sun streaming in through the porthole window, it was much later than that.
"Eric, are you okay? How did you get water in your lungs?" Her eyebrows draw together in worry and she places a hand on his shoulder. For a moment Eric looks at her, confused, but then lets out a light chuckle.
"Ariel, I don't have any water in my lungs, but I understand why you might think that." Her mind drifts back to their first meeting when she heaved Eric onto the shore after he nearly drowned. She was so concerned it had been all for naught, that she had saved his body but not his spirit from the sea. But then he had pulled in a quiet, life-giving, earth-shaking breath, quickly followed by a cough to clear his lungs of the water lodged there.
"Then why are you coughing?" She didn't understand. If there wasn't water in his lungs, what was he trying to get out?
"Sometimes this happens to humans. I think I may have caught a cold, and coughing is a symptom," Eric explains.
"But you don't feel cold." Ariel moves her hand to his chest, his face. In fact, Ariel would wager he felt a little warmer than normal. Eric smiles and Ariel can feel the divot in his cheek against her palm.
"It's an expression, and a bit of a strange one at that. What I mean to say is I think I'm getting sick." He reaches up to take her hand and strokes his thumb between the small ridges of her knuckles. He brings her hand down to rest against his thigh. "Which means we probably shouldn't be sitting so close. I don't want to get you sick, too."
"Oh." Ariel scoots further onto her side of the bed, but her hand remains on his thigh.
"I'll be alright. It's probably from the cooler temperatures we've experienced on this part of our voyage." Ariel hadn't noticed much of a change in the air, but her body was used to the ever-changing conditions of the sea, so she wasn't surprised.
"What can I do to help?" she asks. Eric shrugs.
"There isn't much that can be done. These things just have to run their course." Ariel frowns.
"That doesn't seem fair." Eric gives a light laugh.
"Unfortunately, most things up here aren't." He straightens out a bit, props himself up further on the headboard. "But I appreciate that you feel so strongly. It's one of the reasons I love you so." He reaches over and tucks a loc behind Ariel's ear, hand lingering against the hollow of her neck.
"I thought you weren't supposed to be close to me," Ariel chides.
"I find it very, very hard not to be close to you." Eric's voice is low, still rough with sleep. His blue eyes, slightly glazed, peer up at her through his long lashes. And Ariel can't resist. She finds herself moving closer to him. He is her own personal sea, drawing her in like the tide. She leans in, but Eric almost immediately turns away, another coughing fit wracking his body. Ariel sighs. She wishes she could do something to help. Once he's done coughing, he faces her again.
"I think I'm going to go above deck for a little while, get some fresh air. See if the crew needs any help."
"Why don't you rest?" Ariel thought being exposed to the elements would make Eric feel worse, but he seems to believe otherwise.
"The fresh air will be good for me, I think. I won't stay up long, I promise. I just want to see where we are, see who needs me," he reasons. Ariel still isn't quite sure, but she figures Eric knows his body well enough to make the right decision.
"Just… be careful, okay? You're allowed to take care of yourself when you need to." Eric's gaze softens. He places a hand on her knee and rubs small circles into her skin.
"I know. Thank you, love." He gives her knee a gentle squeeze and proceeds to get out of bed. Ariel stretches and rolls out of bed herself.
"I'll go up with you and head to the galley. We need more food down here." She wants to make sure Eric has what he needs, just in case he starts to feel worse.
"Good idea." He tugs a light linen shirt over his head and begins lacing up his boots. Before he opens the door that will take him above deck, he turns to Ariel.
"I love you." He's only heading upstairs–they'll barely be apart–but her heart tugs and she smiles.
"I love you, too." He winks, then heads out the door. Ariel doesn't know what she did to deserve this man, this life, but she silently thanks whatever force out there that wove their two stories into the same tapestry.
Ariel slips off her nightgown and gets dressed. She pulls her hair into a high ponytail and heads above deck. The first thing she notices is the cloud cover. She doesn't think a storm is likely, but it certainly could rain. She feels the moisture in the air, and the breeze has a touch of chill. Not cold by any means, but cooler than the breezes back home. Perhaps Eric is right about the air causing his sickness. She looks around until she sees her husband. He's on the port side of the ship, leaning out over the railing and breathing in the sea. She chooses not to disturb his moment of peace and heads to the galley. Several of the crew members greet her, and she makes small talk with a couple of the sailors. When she reaches the galley, she peeks in to find the cook, Ernesto, busy behind the counter.
"Good morning, Ernesto." Ariel gives a little wave as Ernesto turns to face her. By Ariel's estimate, he is around Grimsby's age, maybe a bit older. His beard, though dark, is dotted with considerable gray, and wrinkles crinkle his eyes and cheeks when he smiles.
"Hello there, Ariel." She appreciates how he doesn't address her as "princess" or "majesty." Here she's just, well, Ariel. "What can I do you for?" His accent lilts and reminds her of her dear friend Sebastian's. When they dock in a couple days, she'll make it a point to contact some of the sea creatures in the area to send a message to him and Flounder.
"Eric and I will need some provisions, but I was wondering if you could help me with something first." Intrigued, Ernesto sets down the iron poker he was using to stoke the stove fire. He leans onto the counter.
"Happy to. What is it you need?" Ariel isn't exactly sure how to word her request, but she tries her best.
"Well, Eric woke up cold this morning," she begins.
"Do you need extra blankets? I'll have to go in the back, but I can get some for ya." He turns, but Ariel stops him.
"No, Ernesto. Thank you. I think I said it wrong. Eric woke up with a cough," she explains.
"Oh, you mean he has a cold."
"Yes! That's what Eric said. I was wondering if you had anything that could help him. I don't know much about human remedies yet, I'm afraid." Saying it aloud makes her realize how ill-equipped she is for situations like these.
"Not to worry, child. I've got something we can try. Was it just a cough, or does he have a fever, too?" Ariel scrunches her brows.
"Fever?"
"Was he warm to the touch?"
"A bit, yes." She watches as Ernesto runs a hand through his beard, thinking.
"Ernesto, why do they call it a cold if you're actually warm?" The cook cracks a smile.
"Ariel, child, you'll drive yourself mad trying to understand the inconsistencies in the human world. Believe me. I've been here fifty-six years, and I hardly understand it all." He chuckles and heads to the other side of the galley, opening the door to what appears to be a closet. After rustling around for a few minutes, he returns and hands her a teacup with something ground up at the bottom.
"This is a mixture of peppermint leaves and other herbs. This should help ease a cough and reduce a fever, should it get worse. All you need to do is heat some water over the fire and pour it into the cup, then give it a nice stir. It won't cure him, but it'll make dealing with the symptoms easier." He proceeds to give Ariel some bread, a few pieces of salted meat, a block of cheese, and a woven bag to carry it all.
"Thanks, Ernesto. I appreciate your help."
"Any time, child. Let me know if you're in need of anything else."
"I will." The cook turns back to the stove, placing a pot over the fire. She leaves him to it and heads back above deck. The moisture is getting heavier, and she's not sure if the mist kissing her skin is from the sky or the sea. Eric is helping a crewmate tie a knot at one of the sails, and he seems to be alright, so she heads back to their quarters to prepare the food. After laying out the provisions and nibbling on some cheese, Ariel allows the gentle sway of the ship to lull her back to sleep. The next thing she registers is the sound of the door creaking open as Eric returns downstairs. She props herself up on an elbow and gives him a smile, but that quickly sinks to a frown as she notices he's wet and pale.
"Eric, you're soaked." She meets him at the door and reaches up to push his tangled curls from his forehead.
"The rain picked up, and Julian was struggling with the mast, and I'm one of the taller men, so I wanted to…" He stops as a cough catches in his throat. Ariel guides him to the foot of the bed and makes him sit. His body trembles a bit, unsteady.
"Let me get you some dry clothes. I'll start the fire so we can dry the ones you're wearing." She opens the dresser and pulls out a change of clothing for him, handing him a towel as well. He gives her the wet clothes as he discards them. She goes to the small fireplace and lights a match, something Eric taught her to do before they left the palace. Once Ariel is satisfied with his state, she offers him something to eat.
"Here." She hands him a slice of bread and a block of cheese. "You need to eat something, even if it's small." He nods and takes the food as Ariel sits beside him, careful to keep several inches away. The distance doesn't stop her from rubbing his back, though. She notices its warmth even through his shirt.
"Eric, you're warm." He stops eating and gives her a sly smile.
"That's because I'm sitting next to you." Ariel blushes but elbows him lightly in his side.
"I'm serious, Eric. I think you're getting worse." Eric doesn't disagree.
"I'll be okay, Ariel. I just need some rest, that's all."
"Will you stay below deck?"
"I will."
"Will you try to get some sleep?"
"I will. Though I very much dislike the idea of sleeping without you by my side." Ariel laughs, though Eric seems perfectly serious.
"I think you'll manage. Besides, I need to get us packed for landfall, and like you said, you don't want me to get sick, do you?" Eric shakes his head.
"Not even a little."
"Then you'll be fine. Besides, you're cute when you sleep. This will give me a chance to sit back and admire you." Now it was Eric's turn to laugh.
"Whatever you say, love." He finishes the bread and cheese, then coughs again.
"Why don't you lie down?" She notices that his cough seems deeper than it did this morning. He doesn't protest as Ariel gets up to stoke the fire. When she turns back around he's under the covers, pillows arranged so his back is propped a bit so it's easier for him to breathe. His left arm is tucked behind his head and his cheek rests on his upper arm. He smiles at her and closes his eyes.
"So this is cute, eh?" He raises an eyebrow, but she can see the exhaustion settling in his features now that he's finally laying down. She can't help but smile back, though.
"You don't sound asleep to me." He chuckles.
"Fair enough." He goes quiet for a few moments, and Ariel thinks he's starting to drift off.
"I love you, Ariel." His voice is low and quiet, but the timbre sends shivers down her spine. The good kind.
"And I love you, Eric. Now get some rest." She watches as he relaxes into the mattress, swears she can see some tension release from his shoulders, his jaw. She keeps her eyes on him until his breathing evens out and she's sure he's asleep. Careful not to make too much noise, she moves Eric's damp clothes closer to the fire and cleans up the food, storing it so they can use it later for dinner. As she clears off the table, she realizes the teacup is still sitting there, untouched and forgotten by her. She feels a bit guilty, but she knows she can make it for him later. The last thing she wants to do is wake him now that he's finally resting.
Ariel busies herself with creating a couple piles of clothes suitable for their next excursion on land. She stacks hers in one of the woven baskets Lashana had gifted them for their wedding, but waits to pack anything of Eric's just in case he wants something different. Satisfied, she moves those items to the side and peeks back at her husband. He's shifted a bit; the covers are piled at his waist rather than spread over his chest, and his right arm is splayed out to his side, fingers curled into the bottom sheet. That's the side she sleeps on. Ariel realizes he's unconsciously reaching for her. She longs to lay beside him, nestle herself into his chest and have him pull her close. But there will be plenty of time for that in the future.
To pass the time she pulls out a journal, a gift from Grimsby they could use to document their travels, and starts writing about the day. She details the weather, notes how Eric is feeling, and writes down the new things she's learned about colds and fevers. When she's finished, she goes back to the beginning of the journal and recounts their adventures together from the start. About halfway through, she feels herself begin to drift off, so she curls into the wicker chair and gets some rest herself.
"Ariel." The former mermaid startles awake to the sound of her husband's voice. Ariel blinks a few times and shakes her head, trying to clear it of sleep.
"Ariel… no..." Eric's voice is louder, breathy. He sounds like he's in pain. She jumps from the chair.
"Eric?" He's tangled up in the sheets, and even from here, Ariel can see the shine of sweat on his forehead, down the v of his shirt. His eyes are shut tight and his chest is heaving like he's struggling to breathe.
"No! Ariel!" He all but screams. She rushes to him and scampers onto the bed beside him.
"Eric, shhh, I'm right here." She pushes his sweaty hair back from his forehead, alarmed by the heat radiating off his skin. His fever is much worse. She places a hand on his chest, trying to ground him, and finds that his heart is beating wildly. Eric cries out again. Loud, pained. She tries to pull the covers off him–it's clear he's too hot–but he remains unaware of Ariel's presence. She needs to wake him.
"Eric, you're dreaming. Wake up." She runs her fingers through his hair, but he continues to thrash unconsciously. She takes his shoulder and gives it a firm shake, but the movement doesn't seem to faze him. "Eric." Her voice is sterner, louder. "Open your eyes, please. See me." She shakes him again. He's breathing harder, faster.
"I need you to wake up. You're scaring me." She feels his heartbeat accelerate, though she's not sure how it can beat this fast in the first place. She needs to calm him down. Fast. She jumps from the bed and hurries to one of the water buckets that's stashed by the fireplace. He yells out her name again as she rushes back to him. She says a quick prayer to whoever chooses to listen that this will work and promptly dumps the bucket onto his head and chest. Eric sputters and shoots up, gasping. His eyes finally open, and he blinks at her, slow. She sits in front of him, places a gentle hand on his shoulder so as not to startle him. His body trembles beneath her touch. He makes eye contact with her, but his eyes are hazy. He's still struggling to steady his breathing, and when he notices he's wet, he panics.
"I can't… I can't breathe." He clutches his chest as though he's trying to hold himself together. It's clear to Ariel that he can breathe as she sees him draw in breath after breath, but she realizes that he truly believes he can't. She wonders if he's still stuck in his nightmare, but it doesn't matter. She has to get him calm.
"You can, Eric. I promise you can." She takes his hand and pulls it to her chest, pressing it against her heart. "Feel me breathe." She pulls in deep breath and exhales, overexaggerating for his benefit. "Now you do it. Breathe in." Ariel places her other hand on his chest and feels him gather in a stilted breath. "Now out." His exhale is shaky.
"I… I can't…" The panic in his eyes makes her heart hurt. She gently shushes him.
"Yes, you can, Eric. You are. You're doing great." They go back and forth like this for a little while, with Ariel coaching him through his breaths, until finally he seems to gain his bearings. When his eyes meet hers, there's more clarity in them, and the heartbeat beneath her hand has slowed considerably. He blinks at her, hard.
"Ariel?" His voice breaks a little as his body shudders again. He sounds confused. She offers him a small smile.
"Hey, you." She squeezes the hand that's still pressed against her chest.
"Ariel, I…" Whatever he intends to say is cut off as he doubles over in a coughing fit. The last several minutes must have caught up with him because it takes a while before he gains control. Ariel rubs small circles on his back as she waits for him to catch his breath. She's thankful he's able to do it on his own this time. Instead of sitting up, he wraps his arms around his knees and pulls them to his chest. He rests his chin on his arm and lets out a quiet sigh.
"I'm so sorry, Ariel. I think… was I dreaming?" He looks so exhausted; his eyelids are heavy, his cheeks are flushed with fever. Sweat has started to bead at his forehead again.
"I think so. You were yelling for me, but I couldn't wake you up. I'm really sorry, but I had to dump water on you. It's the only thing that worked to get you out of the dream."
"It's okay, Ariel. I suppose I forgot that fevers can cause dreams to be more… intense." He pauses, brings his tired eyes up to hers. "That must have been scary for you." Ariel just squeezes his shoulder. She doesn't trust herself to respond without crying. They both take a moment to breathe.
"Would talking about it help?" She wants to be there for him, but she also understands if he wants to keep the dream to himself. He adjusts so he's laying against the pillows again and looks up at her.
"It was about that night." Eric doesn't have to specify. Ariel knows he's speaking of the night they defeated Ursula. "I dove in after you, but the eels, they…" His voice, normally so soft and sure, shakes. "They were ripping you apart, Ariel. I had to watch, and I couldn't do anything as you died. I tried to get to you, but it was too late. Then they came after me, and they pulled me down until I drowned. I couldn't breathe, and my chest was tight, and then I woke up and I was all wet and I thought…" He doesn't have to say the rest. Ariel understands why he responded the way he did. She reaches for him but he's already pulling her into him, cradling her small frame to his body. Her ear presses against his sweat-soaked chest, but she doesn't care so long as she can hear the steady thump of his heart beneath. It's still a bit too fast, and not at all relaxed, but it's there and it's strong.
"It's okay, Eric. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
"I know. It was just so real."
"This is real, too." She pulls away from him a little and leans up to press a kiss to his brow. He's still so warm. He sighs and relaxes into the pillows. "But you being sick is real, too, and I need to take care of you." She sits up beside him. "You're burning up, and your shirt is soaked with water and sweat. How about we take it off and cool you down a bit?"
"That would be good." He sits forward and lets Ariel slide the shirt over his head. He gives a half-hearted laugh. "I need to be more careful. Might run out of clothes. Although below decks, with you, that might not be such a bad thing." A mischievous grin settles on his features, and Ariel may have been tempted had a cough not shuddered through his chest at that exact moment. She watches his muscles tense.
"Slow down, sailor. There will be plenty of time for all that once you're feeling better." She gently guides him back down to the pillows. "How are you feeling, by the way?" Ariel knows he's feverish and has a cough, but she isn't sure what's going on beyond that, and she still isn't one hundred percent sure what feverish even means.
"Tired. Very tired. And achy." Ariel furrows her brow.
"Achy?" She wasn't familiar with this term.
"You know the feeling you get in your throat when you start to cry?" Ariel nods. She is very familiar with this new sensation. After all, she'd felt it just minutes ago. "It's like that, except all over my body. Especially in my legs." Ariel made a face. That sounds awful.
"Are you feeling anything else?"
"A bit dizzy, and my chest is still tight. But I'm okay. I think we're past the worst of it." She notices how he says "we're" instead of "I'm," like he knows she's suffering with him, too.
"I hope so." She stands. "Why don't you rest while I get some things around to help you feel better?" Eric closes his eyes.
"Sounds good, Ariel." His voice is breathy, tired. She turns from him and heads to the fireplace, tossing his dirty shirt into the corner; that was something she could deal with later. She pulls an empty glass from the small cabinet above the fireplace and fills it with clean water from one of the remaining buckets. She lets it sit in front of the fire to warm up. While that heats, she takes a clean cloth from the dresser and picks up the water bucket. She makes her way back to the bed. Eric's eyes are still closed, and for a moment, she is reminded of the day she saved him. He was unconscious then, too, soaked in seawater rather than sweat. And vulnerable, so vulnerable. But she rescued him then, and on a much smaller scale, she's rescuing him now. She dips the cloth in the bucket and wrings it out, bringing it to his forehead. Ariel hopes the cool water will soothe his fever. Eric stirs and leans into her touch.
"Feels nice." His words slur a little. Ariel swipes the cloth across his forehead slowly, gently. She does this a few times and runs her fingers through his sweaty curls. Eric sighs. She continues to thread her fingers through his hair as she dips the cloth back in the bucket. She squeezes out the excess water and drags the cloth down his neck, slides it over the divot of his collarbone, trails it down to his abs.
"Didn't know my condition qualified me for a sponge bath." His voice is nearly spent, but husky. He cracks an eye open at her while she rolls hers.
"Hush. This is helping you."
"That it is, love." She continues this for a few minutes and actually thinks she's lulled him to sleep, but then his muscles go taut and he coughs again. She thinks the water will be heated enough now to mix the peppermint and herbs.
"Eric, can you sit? Ernesto gave me something that might help your cough and bring down your fever." Eric slowly pushes himself in an upright position, and Ariel arranges the pillows to better support him. She returns to the fireplace and dips a finger into the glass of water. It had certainly warmed, but not to the point that it would be painful to drink. She wraps one of their dinner cloths around the glass, careful not to burn her skin on the side that faced the fire, and pours the water into the teacup. Using a spoon from the table, Ariel gives the concoction a mix and watches the water change color as it absorbs the herbal blend. She inhales the peppermint and feels her own senses start to clear. She hopes it will have the same effect on her husband. Once satisfied, she takes it to Eric.
"Here, sip this. It should help." He gingerly takes the cup from Ariel and sips. Ariel waits a moment.
"How is it? Too hot, too cold?" Eric shakes his head.
"It's good. Tastes lovely, too. Remind me to thank Ernesto." He finishes it within minutes and Ariel takes it back to the table. When she returns, he's still propped up, but his head has lolled so it's resting on his shoulder.
"That can't be comfortable," she says.
"Bring me some comfort?" He looks at her, tired eyes not fully opening.
"Aren't you the one who said I shouldn't be close to you?" She chides him lightly, but she's already halfway on the bed.
"I say a lot of things, Ariel." His voice, rough with sleep, with sickness, couldn't sound more beautiful. Ariel has no choice but to slide in next to him. She snakes an arm behind his back. The flesh is still warm, but no longer alarmingly so. She realizes in the moment that she never got him a clean shirt, but Eric doesn't seem to care as he rests his head in the space between her neck and shoulder. Her fingers trail down his skin, fingertips swirling in what she hopes is a soothing motion. Her other hand returns to his curls and she gently plays her fingers through his hair. Absent-mindedly, she begins to hum, and she can feel Eric melt into her, relaxing.
"Ariel?"
"Hmmm?" He pulls away from her for a moment so he can look her in the eyes.
"Thank you for always bringing me back to the surface." He presses the lightest of kisses to her cheek and settles back against her.
"Always." And she continues to hum, holding him close until his breaths are even and he's finally asleep. She carefully scoots out from behind him and gently lowers his head to a pillow. He unconsciously reaches for her. And though it's still daytime, as evidenced by the light streaming in through the window, and dinner is untouched, Ariel is drawn into his embrace. She stays with him, and his nightmares are lost to the sea.
A/N: Thank you for reading! It's been a long time since I've written in third person, and I hope it worked for this story. Please feel free to leave a review with your thoughts! :)