This place smelled so much like Ajax, it was like I was being wrapped in his scent. It was very relaxing.
I found the two of them in one of the corners. Ajax was working on a tree stump with a chisel while Theseus swished a brush in broad strokes against a canvas. I didn’t know Theseus painted. I tilted my head to peer over his shoulder to look at the scraggly stick figure in the middle of the splotchy green field-looking thing, and came to the assumption it wasn’t a hobby he indulged in often.
I cleared my throat, but Ajax didn’t bother to glance up from the wood, and Theseus wouldn’t hear me anyway.
I rolled my eyes and poked Ajax in the back.
“Mmm?” He hummed.
“Percy said dinner was ready.”
“Mmm,” he hummed again, continuing to tap on the chisel for a few moments before picking up a paintbrush on the table next to him and tossing it at Theseus without looking up.
Theseus turned around with a scowl. “I’m not getting up to get you water again, you have legs, you can do it yourself, Ajax. Oh, Atalanta.”
I chuckled. “Dinner is ready.”
Theseus smiled. “Okay.”
He stood from his stool and strutted over to Ajax, grabbing the back of his shirt and pulling him away from his work.
“Wait. One more minute.” Ajax grumbled as he reached towards his work stool while Theseus dragged him towards the door, with me following behind.
“It will be there when you get back.” I smiled.
Ajax pouted. Yes, pouted. “But…”
I poked his stomach. “You need to feed your body before you can feed your work.”
He nodded, yet I could still see the longing in his gaze as we walked out of the workshop.
Back inside, someone had woken Jason. Percy had set up dinner on the counter in a mini buffet style. The six of us sat around and ate the meal Percy prepared for us, like an awkward family. We didn’t talk much, but there wasn’t any tension that I could detect.
When we were done with dinner, Ajax told us to just leave the dishes in the sink, and he would get to them later. Percy had been right, I had really enjoyed his salmon. I wouldn't admit that my new fishy DNA was the cause. It was probably Percy's fantastic cooking. I could admit to myself, however, that I was stalling as I slowly stacked my plate on top of the others.
They would be with me, I reminded myself. There was nothing to be afraid of.
With a warm smile on his face, Jason herded me with the others towards the door and out the cabin. Ajax led us down a path through the trees which led to the ocean.
I noted again how despite the ground being covered in snow and the air having to be in the negatives, I didn't feel but a slight chill. Despite this, Hip brought my shoes and insisted I put them back on.
The water was calm, much like the first night I had moved to Argos. The tide was high, waves pulling in and slowly flowing back out, like nature’s rhythmic beat. It was extremely dark out, and I could hardly see the water itself beyond the churning darkness against the slightly lighter shale sand. Yet, the guys were surefooted as we navigated around rocks and drift wood, and I wondered if they could see in the dark. My anxiety of entering the water and my concentration on not tripping kept me from asking.
As we reached the surf, the guys began to pull off their shirts. I frowned, as it was too dark to see, but just imagining all of their shirtless bodies warmed my cheeks. Then when their silhouettes began to strip down to their pants…
“What are you doing?” I squeaked.
“Do you want us to go swimming in our pants?” Hip asked, and I could just hear the grin in his tone.
“Well…no! But do you have to be completely naked?”
Their pause made me think they all shared some kind of look, but I couldn’t tell.
“Wearing human clothes interferes with shifting to our tails.” I heard Percy say.
I bit my lip. Right, their tails. Tails which I had yet to see. I wished in that moment it wasn’t so dark out so I would be able to see their shifted forms…and not their naked forms.
“Okay, I’m going to turn around then. Just…hop in the water or something.” I closed my eyes and turned away from the boys. I knew it was silly, I wasn’t a white-as-the-snow virgin.
I felt someone step up close to me, their warmth seeping even through my clothes. “Does our little human feel shy?” Percy whispered wickedly.
“Like you said, I’m not human anymore.” I shot back, hoping he didn’t hear the hitch in my voice and see the shiver run up my spine.
“Correct, and as a Mer, you will need to get used to seeing naked bodies. Our people aren’t shy.” He purred, and I felt hands slide up my shoulders and gently turn me back towards the waves. I still kept my eyes closed.
“It’s too dark for me to see anything, so I think I’ll just keep my eyes closed and you all can go ahead and make yourselves decent in the water.”
“You can't see?” Percy asked, the curiosity in his voice almost breaking that sexy as sin tone he was using.
“No, it’s pitch black out. Of course I can't see!”
“It will take time for her eyes to adjust outside of the water, probably not until after she fully shifts.” I heard Ajax say, much closer than where he had been standing before. I felt a second wave of heat step up to my side.
My eyes snapped open. I couldn’t see much better than before, vague features amongst the silhouettes. “So you guys can see in the dark?”
“Some of us better than others. I can see perfectly.” Percy crooned as he stroked my cheek with the back of my hand. Had he taken off his glasses?
“I can see well enough.” I glanced over to where I felt Ajax and gasped when I saw his eyes glowing brightly in the darkness, one eye a bright amber and the other an icy blue.
Another body moved up behind me and gently gripped at my hips. “I am personally glad to be able to see your pretty lips.”
My eyes grew wide at Theseus’s words. The three of them were so close, and despite not being able to see, I was acutely aware that they were all shirtless, possibly naked. My own clothes felt like a measly shield against their attention.
I felt a hand grasp mine and pull me away from the intimidating mass of the three men. “Okay, you three, time to back off her.”
I let out a breath and smiled up to Jason, thankful for his intervening, then blinked when I realized his eyes were glowing as well, a bright green. I looked back and saw that Percy and Theseus’s eyes were now also aglow, as if the inside of eye sockets sported lightbulbs. Their freaking eyes glowed! Were mine glowing as well?
Jason leaned forward and whispered into my ear. "Don’t be afraid, Atalanta.”
I nodded and gulped down the bubbling anxiety in my chest as he gently guided me close to the water.
“You’ll want to at least take off your shoes.” Hip, who was already waist deep in the water, called.
I nodded, kicking off my shoes and awkwardly tugging off my socks with one hand while Jason helped me balance with the other. The shale and sand were cold and rough against my bare feet. Tentatively, I stepped into the oncoming surf.
I sucked in a breath as I felt a surge of energy shoot up from my feet and spread into my tired limbs. I stood up straighter and looked up at Jason, a wide smile spreading across my face.
Without a thought, I ran into the ocean like a little kid experiencing their first time at the beach. The deeper into the water I went, the more energy I felt soaking into my limbs. So much of the lethargy I had felt since I woke up washing away in the salty brine.
With a giggle, I dove into the water and swam further away from the shore. Under the waves, I instinctually held my breath and kept my eyes closed. Just feeling the pleasant sensation of the cold water wrapping around me.