On The Beaches
Author: Nat / @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69
Requested: Yes – Anonymous
Tagging: @habblez-the-babblez @thisismysecrethappyplace @ashwarren32 @laughwhenwefall @ateliefloresdaprimavera @aw-hawkeye
Fandom: Aquaman
Relationship: Pre-Established; Orm x Reader
Summary: Orm saves the Reader from drowning and understand why his mother left Atlantis all those years ago.
Word Count: 1.1k
Warnings: Drowning.
Disclaimer: This takes place long before the events of the movie.
Comments: I changed the request a bit, hope you don’t mind. xx
Orm’s father hated the surface. The surface was filled with filth and people who were poisoning the oceans, and the surface took Atlanna away from him and tainted her. King Orvax taught his son to have just as much hatred for the surface as he did, instilling in his son that there were two worlds, Atlantis and the surface, rather than one.
But, even though Orm was taught to hate the surface, there was still a part of him that was intrigued by it. There was a whole world above the surface filled with people and animals and it had to be amazing enough to enthrall his mother enough to abandon Atlantis for it.
The idea of the surface and what could lie beyond it was constantly running through Orm’s head, so, he would often times spend some time in what Atlantis would deem “risky areas,” meaning places of the Ocean that were close to shore, frequented by ships, etc.
And he met you in one of those risky places.
You loved sailing. You loved the ocean and spending time on the water in your trusty boat. You usually went sailing with friends because it was such a physically demanding hobby; but, the weather was had been so nice and you could just feel the ocean calling you, so you decided to go sailing.
And halfway through the afternoon, the weather changed for the worst very quickly. You tried to head back to shore as quickly as you could; but, it was hard when you were the only person on the boat. The wind was hard, the rain was cold, and the waves were rough.
The wind shifted quickly and the boat’s boom came flying at you while you were wrapping rope around one of the winches. One moment you were on the deck of the sail boat, the next you were in the cold water of the open ocean.
It felt like you were being tossed around under the water for hours, your lungs burning as you inhaled salt water, but you knew it was only seconds. Every time you made it to the surface and gasped for breath, you were pulled back under moments later and the cycle repeated itself.
“Help!” You screamed every time you broke the surface. Your boat was long gone by now and you could see nothing else along the horizon. You knew your screaming was pointless, but you screamed nonetheless.
But it wasn’t pointless. Orm was in the area, enjoying the thrill of the risk of being in such a human frequented area when he heard your scream. Orm knew that as a son of Atlantis, he should do nothing, but he could hear the fear in your voice and he couldn’t not do anything.
By the time Orm found on in the rough water, you were unconscious due to a lack of oxygen and caught in an undercurrent. Orm scooped you up in his arms and brought you to the surface. He coughed the water out of his lungs as he moved quickly through the water, bringing you to a small nearby island.
You were still unconscious when he reached the island. You laying on the beach was the first time Orm saw you for the first time. You were beautiful.
Orm hesitantly brought a hand up to your neck to check for a pulse. Your pulse was weak and he moved his hand down to your chest. It was still; you weren’t breathing.
“Think, think, think.” Orm whispered to himself. He had no idea how to revive someone from the surface. “Air. Water. Lungs. There’s water in her lungs!”
Orm quickly turned you onto your side, allowing water to drain from your mouth before rolling you back onto your back and starting compressions. He knew he had to be firm with the compressions but he also knew that he could so easily shatter all of your bones sine Atlantians were stronger than surface dwellers.
Luckily, it only took a few compressions before you started coughing. Orm quickly rolled you onto your side again where you coughed up more water before you were able to take some deep breaths.
Once you were able to breathe, you laid back down on your back, your muscles weak from fighting the currants. That’s when you noticed the blond man resting above you. His hair was pale and his skin even paler, and his eyes, his eyes looked as if they had seen things people could only imagine.
You were beginning to understand how Ariel fell in love with Eric when she only saw him once. You felt like the man before you was one you could trust, a man you could love.
“You were drowning.” He said softly. “And I saved you.”
You looked around quickly and saw you were on a beach. The last thing you remembered was the coldness of the ocean with no land in sight and now you were on the beach.
“How?” You asked, your voice rough from the inhalation of salt water.
He laughed lightly. “It’s hard to explain. But, I heard you scream and I couldn’t let you die.”
He looked so angelic, so perfect. You reached your hand out to stroke his cheek. Orm jumped slightly at your touch, but quickly melted into it. He had never met a surface dweller before and he had never saved anyone’s life before either.
“I’m Prince Orm of Atlantis.” He told you.
You laughed lightly and stroked his face. You were deadthat’s why a beautiful man, a prince from a make belief place, was standing before you. “You’re not real. I’m dead.”
He shook his head. “I saved you so you wouldn’t die. You’re very much alive.”
You laughed, but your laugh slowly faded to silence. Orm was staring at you so intensely, so seriously. Your body ached, your lungs burned and you could feel the sand beneath you. You didn’t think you could any of that if you were dead.
“You’re real?” You asked softly.
Orm chuckled and nodded. “Very real.”
Orm brought his hand up to cup your cheek, a smile playing on his cheek. His mother had abandoned Atlantis for the surface and fell in love with a surface man. His whole life he was told to hate the surface and he could never understand why his mother would choose the surface over her home, Atlantis; but, looking at you, Orm was beginning to understand. A part of him didn’t want to return to Atlantis either.
Orm decided that he would stay with you until you were strong enough to bring you back to the mainland, where you belonged. But, a part of him wanted to stay with you so much longer.