Floating in a Blue Lagoon // Ariel and Eric
I’m getting close to being gone at this point, so I’ve written an ending thread with the incredible curious-mermaid. I have loved every moment with Eric, and I will miss him dearly.
The evening was cool and mild, just as it had been the first night he’d brought her there a month prior. The lagoon was still -- only agitated when Eric pulled the oars through the dark water, as he rowed them further out between the willows. The air carried the scent of water lilies, and the sound of crickets, chirping in the dark like a miniature orchestra composing a song to introduce the moon.
Not everything was the same, this time. There was no doubt in his mind now that the redhead sitting across from him was the love of his life, and it felt like it took all of his energy not to stop what he was doing, just to kiss her knuckles and remind her for the millionth time just how much she meant to him.
Instead of saying anything at all, Eric blushed, and looked over his shoulder with a dumb smile on his face, focusing on where he was going, before saying anything too foolish, or too soon.
Ariel held her breath while she craned her neck upwards. The moon, large and full, offered the perfect amount of light for the couple. Besides the occasional soft splash of the oars dipping into the water, she could only hear the crickets chirp and her own breathing. The whole thing was familiar, comforting and exciting.
What was going to happen next?
The redhead looked over and gave him a bright smile.
“Feel free to give the oars to me if you get worn out, okay? I don’t mind!”
She blushed slightly and ran her fingers through her hair. Well...she might not do it very well...but she offered, and it was the thought that counted, right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eric looked back to her and smiled warmly. With anyone else, he would have insisted he take care of it, but with her… Ariel had such spirit, and such passion for new things. Just watching her experience life put a spark of affection through his heart, and he ached to be the one to show her more -- to take her hand, and guide her through. Even in this. He scooted to one side, making room beside him, and held up the handle of one oar.
“Do you want to take this one?”
Ariel’s eyes widened. Her gaze quickly darted from his gentle smile, to the oar offered towards her, then back again.
“Really? I really can…?!”
She leapt lightly from her seat to his, taking care to not rock the boat or turn it over. Her light giggle filled the empty air around them for a moment before she took ahold of it and dipped it into the water.
“Am I holding this right?”
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Almost… Here.” Eric let go of his oar, letting it rest on its own for a moment, while his hands moved to rest over her dainty ones. “Move both hands to the end, like this. Yeah. Okay, now I’m going to keep one hand over yours to guide you through it a little, okay?”
He took hold of the other oar again, and pulled them both through the water, letting them slip out at the end. “Just a long, even movement through the water. Make sure you bring it back up, or else it’ll create drag. Can you follow my movements?”
Even though Ariel had held Eric’s hands before many times in the past, their warmth still made her stomach aflutter just like the first time. Just like him, they were strong and gentle. No better words described the man she loved more accurately.
She looked down at their hands and nodded before moving her hands under his, mirroring his placement. Her cheeks burned just like all of the other times, and her smile grew. Biting her lip gently, she continued to stare down at his hand over hers.
“Yes! Thanks.”
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
How was it that he could make her bubbly one moment and so shy the next so effortlessly?
Ariel exhaled a breath slowly while bringing her oar smoothly through the water. Her timing was a little off from his, but the motion along the water already felt natural to her.
Almost like swimming against the current at home!
~~~~~~~~~~~
“That’s perfect.” Eric murmured, grinning. Perfect like she was. Perfect like this moment, and every other moment he’d had with her. Perfect like a long, full life with her at his side would be. He looked at her there at his side, their shoulders pressed together as they moved in sync with each other. It was all so right that his heart felt full to the brim, like it could tip over at any moment, spilling all that fondness and emotion he carried within himself. He sighed softly, and leaned over to press a kiss into her thick red hair. “We’re almost there.”
Ariel moved to put her head on his shoulder. Her body turned slightly to face him, but she still kept a good hold onto her oar. It was almost like the two of them were puzzle pieces; she felt like she could fit easily right there next to him. It was definitely a place she knew she belonged.
She hummed softly while looking straight ahead. It was different riding the boat from Eric’s seat. With her back turned like this, she had no clue where she was going.
However, things did look a bit familiar…
Ariel nodded and turned to kiss his cheek gently. “I can’t wait,” she whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~
Eric blushed a little, and glanced over his shoulder. ‘Almost there’ was right. With a few more strokes of the oars, the pair slid between a number of willow trees, and into a secluded area, hidden away from the world. He pulled his oar out of the dark water, and rested it just inside of the boat, before reaching over Ariel, and helping her pull that one out too. He shifted then, moving to sit across from her, before wrapping her hands in his.
“Do you recognize this place?”
~~~~~~~~~~
“I…” Ariel’s voice trailed off as she allowed her surroundings to sink in.
Oh my gosh!
It was their secret place, the clearing they found together near the end of their first date. She revisited it often in her dreams, recalling Sebastian’s accompaniment and singing every time.
“I...I remember. When we were finally getting close, before the boat tipped over, we were here. It was so beautiful with the lights and music!”
The redhead sighed softly and closed her eyes.
“Even though it ended a little roughly...that is one of my most favorite memories. Even though I wasn’t able to say anything to you, I haven’t felt that happy in a long time before that.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eric smiled, and raised her hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “Me either… I wish I’d gone for it just a little quicker. Looking back, I feel like I wasted loads of time.” He kissed her knuckles again, before letting their hands down, hanging between them. “Ariel…?”
Ariel bowed her head, blushing. “Aw, don’t! There was no way you could’ve known about my time limit, if that’s what you mean.” She shook her head and smiled, squeezing his hands gently. “I wanted to get to know you for you, Eric. For that reason, even though I did feel pressure to, well, kiss you...there was no way I couldn’t have rushed you. I felt too much respect for you to do so.”
She beamed at him for a moment until he let go of their hands. Smile slowly fading, she gazed at him curiously. “Yes?”
He watched her steadily, his eyes soft, and glinting a little in the bright moonlight. A crooked smile pulled at one corner of his lips, and he glanced aside bashfully. “... Can I kiss you?”
Ariel nodded slowly and looked down at her lap, continuing to blush. She absentmindedly ran her fingers through her hair before speaking softly.
“You didn’t need to ask, but...thank you.” Smiling once more, she closed her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eric grinned, his eyes shining with deep love for her. His princess. He took her hands again, and leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers, softly at first, before fitting his kiss to her lips warmly. He lingered there, feeling almost drunk on the moment, before leaning away only a hair, his forehead touching hers. His grey blue eyes gazed at her. “I have one more question…”
One of his hands slipped away, reaching into his pocket.
Ariel leaned forward and locked her lips to his with no hesitation. She didn’t meet his lips as gently as he did for her, but that wasn’t who she was. Always charging forward, always acting intensely and passionately instead, she knew she stood out from other women.
Here, she wasn’t any different. Moving herself closer to him, she ran her right hand through his hair while placing her left one on his shoulder, trying to close the gap. If only she could kiss him forever, keep on going and further!
Ah, but he was pulling away.
Ariel pulled away and leaned back, her eyes big. Immediately, she began to speak.
“Oh no...I did too much there!” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I-- Sorry!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
“No! You didn’t.” Eric grinned and moved his free hand to rest against her cheek, as he pressed kisses to her nose and forehead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ariel exhaled and opened her eyes. “Oh…” She leaned against his hand, smiling softly. “Good! I’m glad.” She looked into his eyes for a moment, allowing herself to get lost in his gaze.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
To hopefully soothe any remaining embarrassment she might have felt, Eric pressed another chaste, sweet kiss to her lips, and then another to her forehead. “Ariel…” He went quiet for a moment, and paled. Everything he had wanted to say seemed to have blown away from his memory, and suddenly, hours of asking Grimsby to marry him seemed wasted. “Uh, I…” He gulped, his face gaining a bit of color again, but all in the cheeks. “Are-are you happy? With me, I mean?”
Ariel opened her eyes once Eric called her name. Gone was the easy-going smile, and in its place was nervousness.
“Hm?”
She blinked and gave him a reassuring smile, starting to feel a little worried.
Is he okay? I wonder what’s wrong.
Ariel opened her mouth to speak before pausing.
Ariel giggled softly at the sight of Eric’s bashfulness. “Of course!” Leaning forward, she took his hand and squeezed it gently. “Being here in the human world with you, it’s more than I’ve ever dreamed of! You’ve been so kind and patient with me while I have been learning human customs, and you’re always by my side.” Smiling, she continued.
“But most importantly, you’ve allowed me to be myself, to be free where I really belong, and accepted me for who I was, a mermaid. I...I can’t imagine being any happier.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eric grinned wide, visibly relaxing. “Me neither… You know…” He squeezed his right hand a bit, clutching the ring in his palm nervously. “You can stay forever, if you’d like…?”
“Forever? You...you mean…” Ariel drew in a breath, and her eyes grew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
He gulped again, flustered, and nodded a little. Careful not to upset the boat, Eric eased to one knee in front of her, and opened his hand. He carefully held it up in his fingers -- a silver ring with a delicate marquise cut aquamarine at the center. “Ariel… Please say that you’ll be my wife? Please say that we can spend the rest of our lives together, until we’re old and grey, and…” He laughed lightly, “and can’t even remember anything but being in love with each other. Please?”
“Oh...Eric…”
She centered her surprised gaze on the ring. For a moment, the world seemed to become even more quiet around her, if possible. The ring glimmered softly in Eric’s fingers before it became blurry in her vision; she started to tear up and clasped her hands close to her mouth.
“I-I’d never thought I would have this asked to me in my lifetime…” she sniffed and chuckled, wiping her eyes. “This is...it’s so b-beautiful, Eric…” She paused to take a deep breath.
“Yes! Yes, Eric, yes!”
Ariel laughed, feeling her tears go down her cheeks. “Is...is this really a dream?” she asked softly, reaching out toward him with her left hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hands trembling, Eric slid the ring onto her finger, smiling so hard his face hurt. The moment it was in place, he clasped her hands with his again, kissed her cheek, and leaned his forehead gently against hers. “If it is, I hope we never wake up…”
They shared a kiss then, sweet and quiet, hidden away between the trees in a perfect, private moment. He helped his princess get situated with the oar again, and they rowed back out into the open moonlight together, just a little different than before.
The End
