I took one last glance in the mirror. I wore the dangly earrings that I had worn last night. My makeup… well, my mascara was neat and even. I never quite grasped the whole makeup thing, and the mascara was the only thing I could manage.
“You ready to go?” Genevieve asked pinning back my hair. I nodded. “Good, and remember what I told you. Now off you go, don’t be late for the opening” she handed me my bag and walked me to the door. “I’ll see you later, dearie. I have to go and deal with Effie, hopefully she hasn’t broken any more windows or stabbed the chef or something” she kissed both sides of my face and disappeared.
I reached the portal where a small group waited for the opening. Thankfully I didn’t have to wait long. The heat wave effect started and they all started filing through. I closed my eyes and followed and felt the warmer waters brush against my face. I opened my eyes and found I was in the large room of archways. Following the others, I made my way back to the main entrance.
As I swam through the last archway my eyes locked onto his deep hypnotic blue eyes. A smile slowly crept onto his face. Dropping my bag I swam into his open arm, pushing him to the ground. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and feeling a bit bold, planted my lips onto his. I felt him become ridged under me, shocked by my abrupt actions. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. Hmm the citrusy smell today.
“I missed you,” I whispered. I felt his body relax under me as his arms encase me. The dance boys didn’t come anywhere close.
“I missed you too,” he whispered back kissing my head. He shifted me in his arms so that he was able to carry me. He awkwardly bent down and picked up my bag and carried me out. I must have fallen asleep as he nudge me when he got to the door. “Aubrey I need to get the keys,” he explained. I sheepishly hopped out of his arms and allowed him to open the door. I flopped across the couch, not caring about all the hours I had spent learning to sit.
While Sebastian took my things upstairs I waited until he returned to run through the routine of lifting my head and plonking himself down beside me, before laying my head on his lap. What did Genevieve want me to do again?
I looked up into his curious eyes with a Mono Lisa smile playing on my lips. I slowly close my lashes as I turned my gaze elsewhere. What was this was supposed to do? I knew I shouldn’t have bothered with Genevieve’s advice. I felt Sebastian stop stroking me and began playing with my hair. “So how was your week?” he asked. I smiled.
“It was interesting, wouldn’t want to do it again, but interesting. You were a very cute kid, honestly what happened?” I giggled.
“What was that? What’s wrong with me now?” he asked poking at my sides making me squirm laughing.
“Nothing, just something Genevieve showed me,” I giggled as he continued to tickle me not satisfied by my answer. I made the conscious effort to sit up and rest against his bare chest delicately putting my hand on his skin, as Genevieve had instructed. He instantly settled down, his heart beating just a little faster. “I think it’s sweet that you are so close to your brother, reminds me of my own,” I pushed my ear to his heart listening to the beat.
“What’s it saying?” he asked placing his heavy hand on my shoulder and looking down at me. I pressed my ear closer trying to hear a voice but failing to do so. I shook my head.
“I can only hear it beat,” I admitted lowering my head in shame. The few times I asked him, he had it right, every time. I slumped against him and played with his free hand.
“I’ll give you a hint,” he smiled. I shook my head my hair wrapping around my face.
“That’s not the point, I won’t ever be able to hear it. Tell me something about you, something I don’t know,” I repositioned myself so I was tucked neatly under his arm as if ‘it was made for me’. Genevieve’s words were already getting to me.
“Hmm let me think. I have an older brother who’s a lawyer and I had a pet clam when I was six.” He laughed at the thought.
“Was it a very well behaved pet?” I asked thinking it must have been as interesting as, a pet rock.
“Oh yes, he would sit and stay, but he was very lazy, he wasn’t keen on going for swims.” We both laughed.
“I had a pet guinea pig, she was my favourite little munchkin,” it had been ages since I had thought of her or anyone from back home. “I miss Paul,” I mumbled.
“Didn’t you say it was a girl?” Sebastian asked confused. I nodded.
“I was talking about my brother. He was really the only one at home who cared about me. Even if he’s a lazy waste of space.” I closed my eyes again. What time was it? “Keep going,” I added. There was long period of silence. The clock ticked and the distant rumble of the street outside mixed with our steady breaths were the only sound. I opened one eye and found him staring down at me. “Is there something on my face?” I asked rubbing my face. I instantly stopped remembering last time. Funny how things have a tendency to repeat themselves.
I looked away and to the room, it wasn’t messy, but it could do with a tidy up. Then something to the side caught my eye. It took me a minute to register what it was. I suddenly bolted out of Sebastian’s arms across the room and picked up the photo frames that were sitting on the table. The brightly coloured photograph shone at me. The first was from way back in Australia with Sebastian caressing my face. The second was at the patisserie with him playing that stupid spoon feeding trick. There was another one with all the sisters surrounding me on one of their visits. And the last was of just me all dolled up at the graduation. I didn’t’ even remembers anyone taking it. To be honest I didn’t see anyone take any of the other photos.
I felt Sebastian behind me but I ignored him trying to remember the exact time these were probably taken. I felt him kiss my neck and hold onto my hips. I subconsciously tilted my head to the side to let him continue. So this one was taken by Earl, I knew that for certain. That must have been taken by that ditzy fan girl; I bet she had a million better ones stashed away in her room. Only Sebastian could have taken this one and…
I let out a sudden groan and Sebastian continued. Oh my god, what were we doing? I instantly pushed at him. Thankfully he stopped but what I didn’t expect was that smug grin across his face. I sat on the floor in shock.
“What were you doing?” I asked surprisingly out of breath. I didn’t like how calm he was. He returned to the couch and reclined back, never once loosing eye contact with me. “What were you trying to do?” I asked again, nerved by the lack of conversation.
“I was just marking you,” he answered simply.
“YOU WHAT?” I yelled my hand inching up to my neck. I couldn’t feel anything. “What do you mean by ‘mark’?” I asked paranoid. He tapped his neck and I rushed over to the hallway mirror and practically screamed when I saw the little blemish begin to appear in the side of my neck. “You gave me a flipping hickey,” I instantly dashed to the freezer and took an ice cube, it would melt quickly due to the saltwater, so I had to be fast. While I was at it I chucked a spoon in the freezer. My brother had come home countless times with them, so we use to repeatedly keep a spoon in the freezer. I rubbed the cool lump over my neck hopefully reducing the swelling.
“Why are you making a big deal out of it?” he asked across the room. I turned and glared at him. I could have easily thrown something at him. It was a big deal, these things could last over a week. I went through half a dozen ice cubes and my icy cold spoon until my neck felt numb. I retreated to the bedroom and slammed the door shut. I had only been back an hour and things were already heading downhill. I grabbed a pillow and the blanket off the bed and rested against the door creating a blockage as it had no lock. Laying down on the floor I feel asleep letting the jet lag kick in.
***
I woke feeling someone patting my head. It was now dark and I ached from the hard floor. I peered into the darkness. Just the familiar empty room, laid in front me. I was about to nod off again when I felt another pat. I looked up to see an arm flailing awkwardly above my head. Like a cat, I instantly sprung away cocooning myself in the blankets. Slowly the door opened and Sebastian drifted in, rubbing his arm. I must have rolled away from the door a little so that only his arm was able to fit through.
Seeing me in the middle of the floor wrapped up to my neck with a petrified expression, he swam over and curled around me softly kissed my cheek, before resting his head on my shoulder.
“Sorry for scaring you,” he whispered. He gently bundled me up and placed me on the bed, chucking the pillow from the floor, up next to me. Slowly he unwrapped me the coldness leaking in. “The couch isn’t really comfortable,” he explained. “Though I’m guessing the floor was probably worse.” He smiled at me and draped the blanket over the both of us.
‘Just as you go to bed, brush your scales across his,’ Genevieve’s words echoed. I scooted over closer and ever so delicately moved my tail to brush against his.
“You heart is not saying what your actions are suggesting. So please, for your sake, stop tempting me.” he said breaking the silence. I instantly shot back to the opposite side of the bed. “Don’t let Genevieve press you into making her great great grandchildren so readily,” he explained, annoyed he rolled over away from me. I felt like I was going to faint, or possibly puke as the horrid realization slammed into me like a semi-trailer. I cringed at the thought of going down the path of childbearing. What a desperate Great grandmother-in-law. I will admit that I was pretty stupid for listening to her. I felt Sebastian reach over and take a hold of my hand giving it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t let Genevieve bother you. You go at your own pace, and I shall follow along side you,” he whispered softly kissing my hand, before drifting off to sleep.
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Ok, this was a bit of an iffy chapter to write. I'm not a flirt so I didn't know what were subtle ways of doing it. (mysterious look, physical touching, and brushing scales...neh) Genevieve honesty isn’t an evil s in-law (well maybe a little). She just desperately wants the Great great grandchildren and is giving her a shove.
Anyway I need to know what you guys think, and give me some suggestions on what you would like to see happen (no promises that I will use them).
Also, would you guys mind if later down the track, they both went to the land to meet Aubrey’s parents *dun dun dun daaa*. Or would the ‘fin to leg’ thing kind of ruin it? I’m not sure if I should go there or not.
Also I just got my scuba diving licence, so now I can write with a little more hands on experience of the underwater world. (Once legs and back are better errr)
Leave a comment on what you think.