Bound to Earth

41: I Change My Mind

The constant crashing waves made it impossible to climb to the surface. My eyes burned as I tried to grapple which way was up. My grip on Valentino was deathly tight. Every roll of water pushed us further and further down. 

We were going to drown.

Warmth coiled around my lower half, and tugged. The light from the surface had fully disappeared in seconds. My heart beat drummed in my ears and my lungs burned the deeper we were pulled. There was a point where I thought I could hear Valentino's heart beat pound in my ears.

Darkness surrounded me. I almost gave up, almost inhaled the water—chilled to a point my body couldn't bring itself to shiver. Not even the warmth surrounding my legs was enough. 

The only reminder I wasn't alone was Valentino's body pressed against mine. It was all that kept me from ending the burning in my lungs.

His arms tightened around me, hand buried in my hair as if sensing how close I was to giving up. Everything was happening so fast, neither of us had time to feel any fear.

From my legs, the water began to warm. A turquoise hue began to glow brighter the warmer the water became. Valentino's body became visible in the once pitch black water, his cheeks tinted red from the lack of oxygen. 

Both our gazes drifted down to the gray, leathery skin surrounding our waist. Bits of yellow peaked from where our bodies met the skin—teeth. A dark, human like eye was open and focused on the path ahead.

Shock seized me and I unconsciously opened my mouth. My head broke the surface of the water before it filled my lungs. I sucked in the air so fast, I became light headed. Valentino choked breaths matched my own, but he never let go of me.

The water glowed around us, our movement causing ripples of the blue to extend throughout the cavern. 

Beneath our bodies, more watered glowed around a dark, long figure. Its body moved with the grace of a snake, slithering around us. Its four fins extended well past our bodies.

There was a smooth ledge of rock Valentino dragged me to, where we were able to prop ourselves onto and let our bodies rest. Everything ached, inside and out. Despite being dragged to the bottom of the ocean and into a cave, neither of us were afraid—surprised, but not afraid.

Valentino had caught his breath enough to sit up and glare down at me. "We literally just finished having a conversation about talking things out before doing something rash. Then you go and jump off a fucking cliff minutes later."

The burning in my lungs had yet to cease. I laid there and listened as he continued. "I'm pretty sure I just had a heart attack." I barely registered him smacking my lips with his own, it happened so fast. "I don't know if I should strangle or kiss you again."

I groaned and pulled myself to sit up, eyes following the glowing path the monster swam. "What is it?"

A strangled noise emitted from deep in his throat. "Did you not hear a single word I said?"

"Sure." I peeled the strands of hair plastered to my face, away. My jeans were uncomfortably tight and heavy around my legs. The room and water was surprisingly warm for how deep under we were.

"Sure? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Valentino ran his hands through his hair. "Do you even realize the number of things wrong with you spontaneously jumping off a cliff? And now you're completely fine. Oh, I only had this urge to throw myself of a fucking cliff but I'm fine. We're fine now." He raised his voice a pitch to mimic mine.

He wasn't handling this well, at all. But I was too tired to argue with him at the moment. It was best if he got all his frustration out before we talked, or we'd sit here bickering for hours.