LU 260 - Nautilus 10

**Keep them smiling.**

Nat opened his eyes, in pain. He rolled off his bed, now screaming and flailing in agony. Scratches and tears ripped and tore at his body, appearing left and right, as if he was putting put through an invisible grinder. A spark of pain started up from the small of his back, to the bottom of his neck. It felt like it was being torn apart. A glowing symbol slowly exited his back, somehow untouched by the blood that poured out. White tendrils ripped from his cheeks, marks of white streaked on his face, his eyes bore white, his tears blinding and burning all the same.

Nat woke up. Was he dreaming? Whatever he saw, it shook him to his core, and he immediately got out of bed. He felt something drop from his fingers. Blood. He quickly rushed to the neighboring room, and patched himself up with the bed sheets accordingly. Whatever had happened, he managed to get injured, and luckily nothing got on the bed, or Edelle for that matter. Speaking of which... she was still asleep from the Illusion fight. He decided to make one of his favorite foods- a dish Edelle introduced to him. Stuffed pumpkin.

He gathered the ingredients Edelle had stored away for reserves, for the whole group of course. He grabbed what he needed, including the recipe book, and began cooking. When he was done, he had whole meals worth, that would likely last a week or two if they ate nothing but stuffed pumpkin. He had hoped the group would be proud of him, or at least happy with him that he tried making something for them all to enjoy. When the time came, they all did! Mira loved it so much they made rainbows :).

**Getting Married isn't for food?**

Marriage? Nat was excited- for the most part. It meant a party! And most parties had food! But *why* did he have to dress up. The black suit he wore was really.... restricting, or at least he thought it was. Nat wasn't used to wearing formal clothing, it usually didn't suit him, and it sure has heck didn't feel right that he couldn't run around and flip wherever he pleased. The tie he put on himself was so crooked, it might as well be a 45-degree lever on his throat.

They forced all the men downstairs in the musty, root-decayed room. Also where Nat made the stuffed pumpkin, but we don't talk about that. Sytamni asked Nat odd questions, like "You know what marriage is? Do you even know what Edelle thinks of you? Do you *loooove* her?" Love. Interesting... intriguing, even. Is he in love with her? Nat didn't really know, in the process of playing questionnaire with Sytamni, the small boy fixed his rooked tie, and by then they were lead by Mira back upstairs, and out travelling to some long-distance location. Nat was happy he got to move about, but why was Mira dressed decent as well? Illios wasn't even seen for a while either, plus why is it so far out? Although, these may have been questions Nat had, he was quite hungry. Probably the most noise that was made from him was his stomach.

Standing about and waiting for Edelle to arrive was nearly agonizing, the food was right there and Mira didn't even let him near it! Shame! Mira scolded him every time he tried sneaking over... Until eventually a woman dressed in a white dress walked down the isle. In the middle of a forest, table set aside as if set up for a party, a platform in which Nat stood on, and seating arranged in front of the stand as if it were a church, was a woman walking toward him as if she was meeting a whole new person- she was nervous of course.

But by Katharos- Nat was at a loss for words. Edelle was the only thing on his mind for about a week. Mira, Illios, Syt, Space, Jeremy, and even Zinnia was there to celebrate the wedding... and the make out sessions after.

**It was only a matter of time.**

Nat woke up, groaning. Of *course* his head hit the wall, denting it again, right after he patched it with... Tree root. How did he manage to make a dent *every time* was beyond him, or anyone else that dared to question his super power of his wonderous waking. Besides that, he realized he was basically holding Edelle still, before quickly letting go, embarrassed. Was it really that embarrassing? They slept together every day at this point, in fact Edelle stayed with him in the room a lot, during the times he was there anyway.

Edelle was knitting something, it was somewhat familiar but not, likely because she was adding something to it. Nat asked what she was making, she brushed it aside with a question of her own: how was his sleep? This particular question made him smile a bit, he couldn't help it. He answered, and returned a question whether she was free or not. She was, and in fact she was planning on revisiting the ocean with him today, and that brought his motivation for the day... seeing tomorrow was "the day."

Turns out, the clothing she was knitting was her water protection. She liked it so much she wanted to patch up Nat's original work... he wasn't really the best at that. They dived in, and she guided him into a crevasse in a wall. The cave that opened around him was magnificent, both to his eyes, but also to what was there. Crystals aligned on the walls in multitudes of colors, matching the coral almost perfectly. Seaweed grew like grass and shrugs, only in smaller, perfect quantities. Edelle led him further into the water cave, and swam upwards into an air pocket. Nat followed, sitting next to her on a ledge.

They talked for a bit... Until they stumbled on "the day..." which was tomorrow. Nat tried to smile. His right arm was shaking, but she couldn't see it from his left side. He gripped the ledge hard.

*"Are you sure you're okay... Nat?"*

*"I'm fine."*

She pressed, Zinnia keeping quiet. He couldn't tell her yet. Not now. Not now. Not n-

Zinnia spoke. "You don't have to hide it anymore Nat. She knows."

The weight from his chest dropped harder than ever. She knew! She... Nat looked over to Edelle. She was crying. He had been focused on himself... She had secluded them from everyone else so she could talk to him. And he couldn't admit what was going on with him, likely breaking her to the core. He scooted closer, and told her everything he knew. From what he was told, the memories he was forced to remember as "Fallen," and even... His feelings.

*"Edelle?"*

*"...Hm?"*

*"If you could wish for anything, what would it be?"*

*"...Anything?"*

*"Anything."*

*"For.... You and Zinnia to stay."*

*"...That all?"*

*"I mean... there's plenty, really."*

*"...Can I do something for you?"*

*"What like?"*

*"What if I told you I'm about to turn your world upside down? What if I told you, that I loved you? And as for what I wished for... Is for you to never forget me."*

*"I could never forget you... I could wait another 500 years and never forget you. Especially... If I love you too."*

They leaned on each other... And spent the rest of the day in the air pocket, wishing for an alternative. Wishing for another future. Wishing, somewhere out there, the lights in the sky tell a different story, a story where they'd be able to see each other again, with nothing to pull them apart.