Beneath The Waves (bxb)

5. Siren's Song

I couldn't bring myself to turn around or question what he had just said... because that was impossible. He had only been here for one day, and I had only said his name a handful of times. Stepping inside, I quickly slid the door shut and flicked off the outside light. I just needed to think about something else, but Jayson was the only other thing that came to mind.

Crap.

Noticing Jay sitting on the beige love seat, I licked my lips and hesitantly joined him, dropping down onto the cushion to his left. He'd brought over my share of food and set it on the coffee table with a fork.

"Thanks," I said as I grabbed the big plate of spaghetti and leaned back to relax and eat. He gave me a blank nod before I looked up at the television.

Of course. He can never focus on anything when Law and Order is on.

Well, at least that was good. That meant I got to enjoy my meal without him questioning me about what had just happened. I'd honestly hoped he hadn't even seen me freeze, but when he set down his plate about fifteen minutes later and turned to eye me, I knew a 'talk' was coming.

"So... what happened out there?"

"Um... well..."

"I heard him speak."

Guess that at least is out of the closet. Haha... but not me! At least not to Jay.

"Okay... I just gave him water. He used it to flush his gills out and probably drank some as well."

Jay nodded as he looked outside into the darkness. The outline of the mer was just barely visible, but it seemed like it was sleeping already.

"I really think he needs to go to the lab."

"No."

Jayson looked back at me and sighed. He wasn't meeting my eyes, staring a bit below them actually.

He's looking at my bruised cheek...

It had a bandage pressed on it, along with one on my ribs, and now, my hand. When he leaned over a little, I leaned back into the couch. Not that I wasn't crushing on the guy and enjoying being close to him on this rare occasion, but I didn't want to freak him out by acting all mushy.

"Wh-What?"

"What can I do to get you to call the research center?"

My face immediately closed off as I turned to 'watch' the television. "I will not do that."

He reached around in front of me, pressing his right palm to my left cheek, forcing me to face him whether I wanted to or not.

"You almost died last night, Park."

I glanced away, looking at our reflection in the glass since he wasn't letting me turn my head at all.

"...but I didn't."

He grunted, telling me that he was about to yell. Except, when he opened his mouth Jay just shook his head and lowered his hand before speaking quietly.

"Park, I had to do CPR on you for nearly five minutes to get you back. I'm honestly surprised you came back, and without any kind of brain damage."

I knew better than to turn away now, even though he wasn't making me face him any longer. Jayson was being serious for once, and I knew it would crush him if I tried to just ignore this conversation.

"Jay, I-I know I almost died, b-but it was my fault, not his."

"That's just it, Parker. You are so excited to have him here, which I completely understand, but you're letting it affect your judgment. He's already bitten you twice, slammed you into rocks, and drowned you. I really, really don't want him staying here any longer. It's just not safe."