“ Sorry,” I mumbled.
When at last I was content to be undressed, I stepped into the pool. It was heaven. Warmth more than I could have ever imagined. The water cradled me as I lay on my back. I spread my arms wide and closed my eyes. The cold couldn’ t touch me now. I was free. The world muffled as it flowed into my ears. Darkness enveloped me; its gentle embrace was a reward greater than the finest delicacy or the deepest sleep. I did not dare dream. What dream could be so sweet as this?
For a minute, I was at peace until Wolfram jumped in right beside me, pushing me under the waterfall, at which point I was reminded that water was only peaceful when you weren’ t coughing it up. When I opened my eyes, I noticed he kept his goggles on his head. Of course, he did. Then again, how was he to know how water feels in your eyes?
Wolfram clambered onto a rock, just barely able to pull himself halfway out of the water.“ Oh, I shouldn’ t have done that!”
I swam over to him.“ Why not? You’ re excited.”
He brushed away the soaking hair that covered his face to reveal the saddest eyes he could muster.“ It burns.”
I fluttered my eyes at him.“ It’ s called a hot spring, Wolfie.”
He pouted.“ Shut up.”
Meanwhile, Mercury was still out of the water, sheepishly folding his clothes and tucking them behind a rock.
“ What?” I called out to him,“ Scared someone’ s gonna catch you?”
“ No, I’ m not,” he retorted, his face turning flush,“ Well, maybe a little. Yes. Are you sure this is safe?”
“ You just crawled through a random hole in the side of the wall that Wolfram found and you’ re worried about safety all of a sudden?”
He looked away from me. Breathed once, then again. I swam away from Wolfram and over to him. When he glanced over to me, he slowly knelt down to the bank.
I took his hand. I knew what it was, but I couldn’ t say it. The tear stains were just visible in the dim light.
“ I’ m sorry. I’ m really sorry. I forget you two don’ t have what I do sometimes.”
He rubbed my hand with his thumb.“ I forgive you.”
I swallowed nervously.“ But at least we have each other now, right?”
My throat closed. Mercury slowly looked up at me. Was he angry?“ Yeah, we do, don’ t we?” I sighed in relief.“ Do you wanna get in the water now? It’ s pretty cold out there.”
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