To Be Honest (MxM) (18+)

Chapter 10: Cards

Chapter 10: Cards

I bite my lip as I sit up in bed. I'm sweaty, my hair sticking to my forehead, and my heart is still racing. I don't even remember what the dream had been about. Which...is more disconcerting than if I knew what the nightmare had been about. Clearly, it was something that freaked me out. And not knowing what it was stresses me out so much more. None of this is new, but it's still just as scary as the first time it had happened to me.

Despite the sweat, I feel chilled to the bone, my heart in my throat. My chest is tight, making my breathing ragged and labored

I try rolling onto my other side, but I'm too distressed to sleep. After several minutes of trying, I give up and just get out of bed.

Sally grumbles, rolling over to glower at me sleepily.

Even half-asleep, her glare is just as angry as it is when she's awake. "...I'm um...I'm sorry. I'm just...going to get some fresh air. Cool off, you...you know?"

"Don't fall overboard. Simone wouldn't like that."

"...I don't plan on falling overboard." I quietly slip out the cabin door, and up onto the deck. It's not until I'm up there that it hits me, the second part of what she'd said. Why would Simone care?

It's cool up here in the slight breeze, but it does little to help my racing heart. The stars and the moonlight are nice, though. Simone's at the wheel, but he hasn't noticed me. I prefer that. I don't really want to have to talk to anyone right now.

I hold onto the ship's rail tightly, forcing myself to not look down and worsen my existing stress. That lasts for awhile, until I catch sight of something shiny in the water that basically forces my gaze down. It takes a moment for it to appear again, and even longer for me to decipher what it is.

Scales, rippling in the water. Flashes of skin.

Are those...merpeople? I can't make out from here, whether their ears are humanoid or the frills typical of sirens. They're chattering amongst themselves, rapid, high-pitched noises that echo across the water. Maybe Hyrah left something behind when Aiden let him leave? So he sent friends to retrieve it before we got too far? He'd ended up insisting the merman stay for three full days before allowing Hyrah to go home, at which point Ciden had raised the anchor, so we could sail again. I don't remember Hyrah having anything with him, but he may have been given something to take and then forgotten it, I suppose. I can't think of any other reason a group of mers would approach the ship like this.

As I'm watching, one of them pauses to look up at me, eyes practically glowing in the moonlight. They've got bright green eyes, contrasting slightly with their muted green skin. They look away, say something to the other merperson next to them, then gesture up at me.

I look away, feeling as if I'm being creepy by staring at them. And then a different chattering pierces the quiet night, louder than the others. I glance back down at the water just in time to see something rapidly swimming through the water, chattering as they go. They barrel through the other two, and I watch the pair complain about it, voices rising in pitch, but the newcomer doesn't seem to care.

Huh. Interesting. I wonder what- I step back from the rail as the new merperson half throws themself against the ship, smacking it with their hands.

"WHO TOOK MY LADDER?!"

I turn away from the rail completely, looking at Simone helplessly. He's already striding over, a smile on his face and a rolled-up ladder in his arms.

"We had a...an unexpected guest and forgot to put it back," he calls down. "And please stop shouting. You know how Sally gets when she's woken up." He holds the top of the ladder and lets it unroll, watching as they start clambering up.