three days to love - day one 3/3twiceunluckyMay 23 2013, 07:31:19 UTC
The knock on the door startled her, made her trip again, but she managed the dash over (she was getting better!) and was even able to stop herself from falling a fourth time when she opened it to see Flounder standing there, wrapped in a blanket and looking sheepish. His face was still an open book, even as a human.
Ariel laughed to herself and pulled him into her room, twirling him around a couple of times just for the sheer pleasure of it before they collapsed on her bed. Sebastian, fortunately, had scuttled off her pillow just in time to avoid being crushed.
She didn't ask how he'd found her room; he'd always been more observant than her. She was so, so glad he was here, even as she was so afraid she was going to screw this all up and ruin his life, because what would she ever do without her Flounder? It was hard to brave when you were all alone. (Sebastian didn't really count.) Having him here with her, even just laying here in silence, she could really believe that this was all going to work. Tomorrow, tomorrow was when she would get Eric to recognize her, and then they could get be together, and Flounder...
Her hands curled tightly around his. She could still hear Ursula's laugh echoing in her head, like she was back there in the witch's cave, surrounded by the eels and the horrifying little...things...that she hadn't wanted to think about. It felt like only yesterday-it had been only yesterday-that they'd both given up everything, all so Ariel could be happy.
If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain human…permanently.
And then Flounder had broken in, begging, pleading with a desperation she'd never heard from him before-me too, please, let me go with her, I need to make sure she stays safe, I need to be with her…
Ursula had said no, then Ariel had said no, and then Ursula had changed her mind and said yes (maybe she'd just thought it would be funny, because Ariel had been so shocked and horrified by it). But the deal had still been Ariel's to make; Flounder had just been...an add-on, an extra bit of fine print, something to make the stakes higher. Something else, she supposed, for Ursula to gloat over.
If you do get a kiss-not just any kiss, the kiss of true love-you'll remain human permanently, and your little fishy friend will be himself again. But if he doesn't...
If he doesn't...
You turn back into a mermaid.
You belong to me.
Your friend...belongs to my babies.
The eels had laughed, and Ariel had almost called the entire thing off right then, because she couldn't risk Flounder like that, not her best friend, not him...but Flounder had just smiled at her, and told her it was okay, and somehow she'd been able to pick up the pen and sign them both away.
No. It wasn't just about her, not this time. She had to make Eric understand, for Flounder's sake as much as hers, even if...even if fish couldn't come up on the land. Even if being with Eric meant leaving Flounder behind.
And...well, it wasn't like they were never going to see each other ever again, she wouldn't stand (so to speak) for that. They'd just...see less of each other, that was all. He couldn't come on her adventures anymore, he couldn't help her explore the above-water sunken ships (or whatever they had up here), but they could still meet and talk and just be together. Flounder would still be there for her, and everything would be okay.
She pressed her face against his chest, trying to feel relieved, determined to feel relieved-and as Flounder's hands squeezed hers, she did relax, just a little.
Ariel laughed to herself and pulled him into her room, twirling him around a couple of times just for the sheer pleasure of it before they collapsed on her bed. Sebastian, fortunately, had scuttled off her pillow just in time to avoid being crushed.
She didn't ask how he'd found her room; he'd always been more observant than her. She was so, so glad he was here, even as she was so afraid she was going to screw this all up and ruin his life, because what would she ever do without her Flounder? It was hard to brave when you were all alone. (Sebastian didn't really count.) Having him here with her, even just laying here in silence, she could really believe that this was all going to work. Tomorrow, tomorrow was when she would get Eric to recognize her, and then they could get be together, and Flounder...
Her hands curled tightly around his. She could still hear Ursula's laugh echoing in her head, like she was back there in the witch's cave, surrounded by the eels and the horrifying little...things...that she hadn't wanted to think about. It felt like only yesterday-it had been only yesterday-that they'd both given up everything, all so Ariel could be happy.
If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain human…permanently.
And then Flounder had broken in, begging, pleading with a desperation she'd never heard from him before-me too, please, let me go with her, I need to make sure she stays safe, I need to be with her…
Ursula had said no, then Ariel had said no, and then Ursula had changed her mind and said yes (maybe she'd just thought it would be funny, because Ariel had been so shocked and horrified by it). But the deal had still been Ariel's to make; Flounder had just been...an add-on, an extra bit of fine print, something to make the stakes higher. Something else, she supposed, for Ursula to gloat over.
If you do get a kiss-not just any kiss, the kiss of true love-you'll remain human permanently, and your little fishy friend will be himself again. But if he doesn't...
If he doesn't...
You turn back into a mermaid.
You belong to me.
Your friend...belongs to my babies.
The eels had laughed, and Ariel had almost called the entire thing off right then, because she couldn't risk Flounder like that, not her best friend, not him...but Flounder had just smiled at her, and told her it was okay, and somehow she'd been able to pick up the pen and sign them both away.
No. It wasn't just about her, not this time. She had to make Eric understand, for Flounder's sake as much as hers, even if...even if fish couldn't come up on the land. Even if being with Eric meant leaving Flounder behind.
And...well, it wasn't like they were never going to see each other ever again, she wouldn't stand (so to speak) for that. They'd just...see less of each other, that was all. He couldn't come on her adventures anymore, he couldn't help her explore the above-water sunken ships (or whatever they had up here), but they could still meet and talk and just be together. Flounder would still be there for her, and everything would be okay.
She pressed her face against his chest, trying to feel relieved, determined to feel relieved-and as Flounder's hands squeezed hers, she did relax, just a little.
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