They had never been so close. Or they were never afforded the opportunity to be this close, not with all the men in the ship’s crew always somewhere nearby when they were sailing. This was the first time that the both of them actually had true privacy. Ella didn’t have to put up with hearing those snarky remarks or insults thrown at Ariel when they were just walking to the galley, nor the bitter glares while going back to their small bed in the brig. Selaerys had somewhat caught on as to why the rest of the men were so bitter. They were jealous of Ariel for his new job. But there was a pre-existing hate for the man that she never understood. Being away from that sort of atmosphere was far more freeing than anticipated to say the least.
Each morning, she woke to Ariel’s arms wrapped around her waist and his chest pressed against her back. No longer were they surrounded by the smell of wood rot, instead being awoken by the sea breezes and flowers just outside their window. This wasn’t a fancy inn by any means, though Ella thought the world of it. Most of all, she wanted to live and die on that bed… It felt far better when he fucked her on this bed rather than the slab they had in the brig, and her drive heightened given the comfortability. And after the two had finally slept together, it opened up a whole new list of possibilities - - including her waking him up with her beneath the sheets and between his legs.
But she’d woken him with sweet kisses that morning and they found themselves at the cove shortly after despite the somewhat nervous look on his face. While she had thought about what her life used to be with her own kind, only one thing was keeping her from returning. It wasn’t the fact that the captain had one of his men watching her at all times, but it was because of Ariel himself. If she didn’t feel so strongly for him, Ella would have been gone by now… It wouldn’t have taken mush, after all. She could have ran off in the middle of the night if she wanted to, but in all her years, she’d never felt this sort of love for another being.
They arrived at that small, enclosed cove that was concealed from the rest of the world and her eyes seemed to light up instantly. “Not since we first met-” she added, noting how she hadn’t seen her tail for a while either. At times it was uncomfortable, and she felt like she needed to stretch out without an outlet to do so, but it was bearable. “Sit near the water then. So I can see you too,” Selaerys spoke, taking his hand and tugging him close to the edge of the water before slipping off her clothes. First her shirt, and then her shoes and skirt until she was completely bare. Nudity now had a different meaning after being with Ariel - - it usually meant that he would be taking her to bed, but this was different. A one-off.
And before she could say another word, the siren was getting into the water, stepping down into it before diving beneath the surface. Within moments, that golden tail emerged and it felt like she could finally breathe again. Ella stayed beneath the water for another minute, taking everything in and making sure to savor the sensation of the tide at her skin before swimming back to the edge where she told Ariel to sit. The look on her face exuded comfort, though she felt happier than she was in that candy store when they first arrived. “Come in with me…” she asked again, reaching out to take his hand and kiss at the tips of his fingers. “You can see me closer if you are in the water too-” she attempted to explain, though she hoped that her pleading was assisted by her pushing herself up on the rock to kiss his lips before lowering herself back in the water.
Ariel felt her hand tighten around his when the cove came into view. He looked at Ella, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape as she stared at the little cove. As nice as it was to see her so happy it stung as well. He was supposed to keep her away from these sorts of things. Keep her under lock and key. Obviously he’d done a poor job of it but he was still her ‘captor.’ Even if they gave each other soft kisses morning, evening, and night. She wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without him. Not aloud to swim freely. Even if he gave her everything he could it was still the facts.
Ella pulled him towards the waves, telling him to stay close. He felt pulled, knowing she wanted him but also painfully aware they had been forced together. Still he wouldn’t deny her his company. Especially not when she smiled at him like that. She started to undressed and Ariel followed suit, taking off his shirt and shoes before cuffing his pant legs up. Despite having seen Ella naked a dozen times-- including when they first met, seeing her slender body wade into the water excited him. Her skin as pale as the sea foam that washed against the rocks. She stepped in and Ariel followed, sitting down on the rocks and dipping his feet in the ocean.
She dove under the waves and instead of seeing her feet kick up over the water a golden fin waved back at him. Ariel blinked, surprised by how quick the change occurred. Then she was gone. Ariel lifted his head, spotting what looked like a large golden fish swimming about-- Ella just below the water. She returned, already looking refreshed. Her face listened in the sunlight and even below the water her golden scales caught the light. Ariel was just as mesmerized by her now as he had been when he saw her in the tank. Feeling himself falling in love all over again.
Her lips started to move and his eyes locked onto them. Come in with me. Still entranced by her lips he jumped a little when she took his hand and kissed the tips of his fingers. He didn’t watch her lips when she spoke a second time but it didn’t matter what she was saying. When she pulled up to kiss his lips Ariel almost followed her down into the water right then, not wanting to pull away from her touch. He slid into the water, his hands reaching out to touch her hips, no longer greeted by smooth skin but scales. “It’s warm,” he said, thinking aloud. His hands ran all along her hips. “You still feel warm.” Was her whole tail like this? Or the further away from her human parts would she become more cold and slimy like a proper fish?