Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

Sailing

I didn't mind much, the most I was planning with Will was a few brief kisses. I did hold his hand tightly as we stepped into the surf, the waves foaming around us as they broke on the shore. I gently tugged on it, anxious to get in, but he hung back. I looked over my shoulder, "Will?"

He shook his head, his eyes distant. "I'm sorry Ana, it's just the last time I was in the water..." He trailed off, staring out past the lighthouse. I knew what he meant, even if he could not say it. He hadn't been in the ocean since the sinking, when he almost drowned, or froze to death. Even I had a brief moment of remembrance, the water around my ankles suddenly chilling before I shook it away.

I stepped closer, brushing my lips across his. That seemed to get him to focus for a moment, resting his forehead against mine. I placed my fingers along his cheek, "Will, come along. The water's nice and warm, you're not wearing all that wool, and I'm with you. You're fine, as am I." He gave a hum at that, and when I began to walk backward while tugging on his hand, he slowly followed. Soon enough we were knee deep, then waist deep, and then we were treading water. His eyes had focused on me, and I couldn't help the little smirk breaking out on my face. "Besides Will, you have to catch me."

"Catch you?" He furrowed his brow, looking down at our clasped hands.

"Yes, the dashing sailor has to catch the beautiful mermaid." I slipped my hand out of his, pushing myself away from him. "Otherwise, he won't get a kiss." With that I took a gulp of air, ducking underwater and swimming down. The cove was as familiar to me as the house, the currents sending my hair out around me as I swam with them. I briefly looked back, seeing Will only a few feet under the waves. I opened my mouth, letting a bubble of laughter out before swimming for the surface. I broke into the air, shaking my eyes clear of water. Will was only a few feet from me, close enough to hear me laugh. "Come on, my dashing sailor. You won't catch me like that."

"Ana, I can't." He shook his head, lifted slightly by a wave. "I can't go under like that."

"Come on Will, it's fine."

"I can't." His voice was firm, and when I saw his hands moving across the top of the water I could see them shaking slightly. "Ana, I can't."

I ducked my head, giving a slight kick to slide down the wave and closer to him. "Will, I was just playing."

"I know." I felt his hand reach out, gently dragging through my hair where it floated in the water. "And I wish I could forget it and just join you."

I tangled my fingers in his, pulling myself closer to him. "You don't have to, we can just swim like this." I started up the next wave, tugging him along with me. He was a strong swimmer, and kept up with me even when I rolled onto my back to look up at the sky as I swam. I looked over, smiling at him. "See? Nothing wrong with this."

"No," Will was staring at where my body broke the surface, the swell of my breasts only briefly hidden when a wave sent me into its trough. "I don't suppose there is." He cast a look back at the house, still visible but the porch was rather indistinct. He swam closer, his arms twining around my waist and pulling me to him. I set my hands on his shoulders, looking up to him. His eyes were a little far away still, "Ana, I'm sorry about this."

"Shh," I shook my head, lifting myself up a bit to clasp him to me. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

"I should be able to swim without thinking about it."

"It hasn't been that long." I muttered, "This was just the first time."

I felt him sigh against me, clutching me a bit tighter. "I guess I did catch you."

"You did." I whispered against his ear, "Which means you do get a kiss." He shifted, pressing his mouth to mine. I sighed into it, enjoying the feeling of floating while kissing him, our legs twining around each other as we gently kicked to stay above the surface. It felt good to have him pressed to me, and he crushed me to him as he deepened the kiss. It wasn't uncomfortable, and I eagerly sucked on his tongue as he slipped it into my mouth. I moaned as he crushed my breasts to his chest, "Will, ah, this is lovely."