* ;D
From this thing!- Trying to keep warm
Jim’s strong arms pushed her into the inn and slammed the door closed behind them. The instant his hands were free, she grabbed them and pulled them around her shoulders in an attempt to calm her violent shivering. Melody blinked a few times, trying to get used to the warm lighting of this place after being caught in pure darkness for so long. It was a still a wonder to her that Jim had been able to navigate that storm so well at this time of night.
Jim obviously wasn’t as impressed with his abilities. He was studying the wooden door with his face drawn in a pained expression. “My solar surfer is going to be so wrecked…” he groaned. He moved to go open the door; assumedly to go retrieve the object from where he’d crash-landed it, but Melody caught the sleeve of his jacket.
“Jim, don’t.” If he went out again, she would follow him. And she didn’t want either of them to get swept up in that storm again.
Jim studied her for a second, then sighed and pushed a dripping wet piece of hair away from his face. After a second of deliberation, he pushed a few stray hairs away from Melody’s eyes as well. Then he grabbed onto Melody’s ice-cold hand and led them further into the inn.
“Mom’s probably asleep, I’ll go get us some blankets,” Jim said and sat the princess down in front of an already-lit fireplace. Mrs. Hawkins must have left it lit just in case Jim decided to drop in. The thought brought a smile to Melody’s blue lips. She snuggled in closer to the warmth and tried breathing on her hands to warm them up.
A minute later, something warm was draped over her shoulders. Melody wasted no time in pulling it around her small form. Jim sat down beside her, and she shot him a glance. His hands were shaking. He caught her staring and tucked them into his pockets.
“Where’s your blanket?” Melody asked.
“I could only find one.”
Melody barely thought before she opened up her blanket in a way that reminded her of a bird spreading its wings. She moved closer to Jim so that the blanket covered them both, then she dropped her arms and tucked her body into that spot under Jim’s arm where she fit so perfectly. For a second, Jim was stiff as a plank, but he relaxed soon. His arms tightened around her shoulder and she sighed.
At this rate, she would be warm in no time, but she could still feel the cold radiating off of the older boy. His hands shook where they held her. She reached up and grabbed them to bring them further into the warmth of the blanket, in near her chest. She wrapped her small hands around them and held them near her until their shaking subsided.
Jim chuckled lowly above her, and she looked up. In the firelight, his eyes glowed like stars that were fixed directly upon hers. Even after all this time, that look sent her stomach flip-flopping and formed an indulgent smile on her lips.
“I’m sorry about your solar surfer.”
“Don’t worry about it, Princess. You’ll just have to help me make a new one.”
Melody snorted. “We both know how helpful I am with tools. Remember last summer?”
Jim pulled a face at this. “You’re right. Wow, you break my solar surfer, almost set my workshop on fire… why are we dating again?” He chuckled to let her know he was kidding.
“Because I’m a mermaid.”
“Oh yeah, there’s that.”
“And you like me too much.”
Jim laughed at this and rested his chin on top of her head with a sigh.
“You got that right.
