Eyes of the Ocean

[Autodidactic]

"Well that sounds kinda like that you've got. Do you think that's what it is?" William asked. He took another piece of sushi and dipped it in his mixture of soy sauce and wasabi. His eyes watered a little but he just laughed through it.  

[Shiva_Goddess]

Shiva shook her head, "No, it isn't pollution. What I have had to come from somewhere else and it is only on the surface. The one I'm talking about can be on the surface but it can also appear in any part of the body on the inside. At first, it was hard to tell who had it, but Mother set up a system so that we could get everyone in the Healing Quarters to be checked if they have the disease. It's a sneaky, not even my magic can pick up if it's going to develop. Even the healthiest people I know got it. It has no pattern that can be followed, it can progress slowly or rapidly. It killed a lot of mermaids, but thank Neptune we found a cure for it."  

[Autodidactic]

William slowly ate while he listened to Shiva. She looked so beautiful sitting there in her new clothes. She looked like a million bucks. The sushi bar was beginning to fill up more, now that it was a little after noon and it was a popular spot for lunch. He wondered if she would get anxious about having so many people around.

"That sounds scary." He replied when she had finished speaking.  

[Shiva_Goddess]

Shiva nodded taking another bite and she looked up at him, "It is. Is there anything like that around here? It'd be impossible to make a cure for it on land," she shrank back a bit at the amount of people coming in. She was really getting nervous.  

[Autodidactic]

William noticed Shiva as she seemed to crumple under the eyes of all the newcoming guests. "I don't know much about diseases. Maybe it's kinda like cancer. People have been looking for a cure for that for generations. It's a really horrendous thing." He took a final bite and swallowed the rest of his water, then he reached across the table and grasped her hand. "Hey, do you want to get out of here?"  

[Shiva_Goddess]

Shiva nodded , "It is. Maybe that's what the disease is called. I don't know how we could test it..." she then looked at him and closed her hand around his nodding, "Yes, sorry, I am not used to this many humans around."  

[Autodidactic]

"That's fine. I'm done eating anyway. We can go home and maybe watch a movie." William looked up and caught the eye of Jacob, he nodded for Jacob to come over so that they could get the bill. Jacob bought the bill over and bid his friend goodnight. William lead Shiva through the crowded bar to the register, where he paid for the meal.  

[Shiva_Goddess]

Shiva nodded and stayed close to William, she held onto his arm tightly. she looked around at all the people around her and only held onto him more. "So many people..."  

[Autodidactic]

"I know. It's okay." William said, holding her waist and pulling her closer to him, trying to help her feel safe. As he walked with her out of the sushi bar, the full absurdity of the situation hit him with full force. Did he believe her? Yes, he did believe everything that she said, despite how illogical and strange it seemed to him. It shocked him this realization that he did fully believe her. He had no idea what he was doing, or what he would do next.

But there he was, with a mermaid on his arm, walking about the streets of the familiar and mundane town in which he had lived alone for so long. He wanted to show her everything and make her happy here, but he didn't know how, and didn't even know if she wanted to stay with him. What if she only wanted to go home? Would he be able to help her?

He started from his reverie at the wonderful smell of coffee from the best cafe in town.

"Hey, do you smell that? It's coffee. If you think it smells good we should go try it. I love it, but I think it might be an acquired taste, who knows though, maybe you will love it."  

[Shiva_Goddess]

Shiva held on to him tightly, she liked being with him. She knew that she could trust him, he was the only human she could trust. She did want to go home, but at the same time she didn't. She then smelled what William had mentioned and she smiled a bit, "It does smell nice. I'll try it, if you love it, maybe I will too."  

[Autodidactic]

"OK! I hope you love it!" William said, breaking out into a run. the weather was so nice, it reminded him of his childhood, when he would spend entire summers outside, not wearing shoes so that he would develop calluses so that it wouldn't hurt his feet even to walk on rocks. He would always be running in those days. He liked the silliness of it. He held on to Shiva's hand as he ran, making sure she wouldn't fall and could keep up.

He pushed open the door to the cafe. God, it smelled so amazing. He walked up to the register and ordered plain black coffee, it was freshly ground there and so flavorful, he was loathe to add anything to the drink.

"I take my coffee black." He explained to Shiva "But it might be too strong for someone who is new to coffee. I suggest something sweet for you."  

[Shiva_Goddess]

Shiva almost fell once when he started running but was grateful when they stopped. She then smelled the air and smiled a bit, it was nice. She nodded, "What would you suggest? I've never had drinks like this before."  

[Autodidactic]

William smiled at Shiva, then looked back to the stylish barista. "The pretty one will have a Milky Way." The woman chuckled then handed William his drink in a large porcelain mug, as his coffee took only minutes to prepare.

He took his mug and ushered Shiva to his favorite spot in the cafe, two overstuffed chairs with a low table between them that were nestled near the back of the cafe.

"Yours will take a moment to be ready. They will let us know when it's done. I think you will like it." He took a sip from the steaming cup and sighed. "I love the coffee here. Would you like a little sip?" he said, offering her the mug.  

[Shiva_Goddess]

Shiva blushed deeply when he called her pretty, but she relaxed when she sat in the chair. It was really soft and she felt like she could lose herself in it. She then thought a moment and nodded, "I suppose I could," she took the mug and took a sip, her face twisted a bit and she handed him back his mug, "It is...a little strange tasting. Tastes like old barnicles."  

[Autodidactic]

William made a face. "Gross. Barnacles?!" He took another sip and made a show of swishing it around in his mouth, pretending to be one of the connoisseurs. He then heard the barista announce that a medium Milky Way was ready. "I'll get it." William said, setting his drink down and getting up to retrieve Shiva's drink."