𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐎, 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂. slow dancing with sea hawk? as if. somehow it would turn into an archaic ADVENTURE with an explosion involved, effectively ruining the moment. yet instead, the moment has blossomed into something so beautiful, so intimate… mermista was honestly speechless. as his arms wrap around her, hugging her close, it’s less about dancing and more about them simply letting their feet shuffle as her fingers lace at the back of his neck. eyes shut as he kisses the top of her head and when they open again, she’s avoiding looking at him; instead, mermista looks at how their silhouettes have become one, long shadow. this is what princess prom was supposed to be for them. an opportunity to truly rekindle and for mermista to feel comfortable enough to let him all the way in, embrace him publicly. instead, the horde had laid siege to their evening and she retreated back into her shell.
❛ 𝚖𝚖𝚖𝚖, 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝? 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝, ❜ she teases, finally mustering up the courage to meet his eyes again. hands slip back over his shoulders and down to rest comfortably on his chest. yet, sarcasm wanes once again as her smirk softens to a smile. head tilts as she listens, both of them slowly turning as their dance becomes more of a prolonged embrace. ❛ 𝚒 𝚍𝚞𝚗𝚗𝚘, 𝚒 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎… 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜, 𝚒 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝚒𝚏 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚍𝚘𝚖, 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚐𝚎, 𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚎, 𝚘𝚛… 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛. 𝚒 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎. ❜ she laments before tugging her lip with her teeth. eyes shy away once more, as they always do when she’s vulnerable. she knows that it always was because at times, she has avoided him; cancelled plans for vain reasons. she regrets it. ❛ ––– 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘, 𝚢’𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 … spend with you. ❜ mermista was going to make more of an effort from now on, knowing that he is always the one to chase. although she knows he will always continue his pursuit, even when she brushes him off… it must get disheartening. she hadn’t given it much thought until he spoke about having wanted to invite her here, but not wanting to interfere with her royal duties. it had been so thoughtful, and it made her heart flutter. he had matured, and she had noticed.
there have been too many spoiled occasions [ though most have been at his hand ], TOO MANY MOMENTS that have slipped between their fingers and left them alone with more holes in their relationship. but this cannot be sullied, cannot be touched by the outside world. her frame feels like it was made for him to hold like this, so perfectly slotted together. he knows that she’s exhausted, being pulled one million different ways with no relief. that cannot be changed by him, at least singlehandedly, but he silently vows once more to do all he can to help her in any way possible. her light may waver, but never extinguish he can never allow that. a slight hum erupts from his throat, grip tightening around her waist, her own hands heavy on his chest. ❛ i have never once blamed you for the time we have lost. in the past, i have made some POOR DECISIONS, pushed you further from me than i would like. but you can’t blame yourself. the horde must be stopped, no matter the cost. you are protecting your people, protecting etheria, my glorious pufferfish. ❜
there is a silence that hangs in the air, a comfortable quietness that makes something stir within himself. this is how it should always be, SEA HAWK & PRINCESS MERMISTA against the world. ( a quite formidable force ! ) there have been so many days he has wished to tell her how deep his feelings run, how he cannot imagine a lifetime without her. he almost says it now, another SINCERE PROPOSAL of his hand in marriage to her. pirate refrains, words a ghost on his lips: it would be yet another strain on her in these DESOLATE times. his movements are soft, gentle, taking her left hand and placing a delicate kiss on the fourth digit; a promise to both of them of his vow to her. but he’s decided that he’ll do it here, a grand gesture of his undying adoration for her. ❛ and when the war is over, you can sleep as long as you want, you can eat as much ICE CREAM as you want, and i’ll be here. don’t you understand, mermista I’LL ALWAYS BE HERE. ❜
