CROSSING RIVER (B×B×B..) *COMPLETE*

Chapter 24- Feelings and Trust

When Olivia saw River being teased by the Siren, she felt like she was intruding on their moment. She found herself being embarrassed by not being able to look somewhere else and her heart beat increased. This was the moment when she finally felt sensation in her arms and sensed it moving down her body.

She looked down then tried moving her tail and it worked! She used her hands to feel her entire body, smooth, scaly and strong, that’s what she felt. Her scientist mind was thinking all this to just be a dream that it created while she was taking her last breath, she thought all this was the brain’s work to help her die in peace.

But then she thought why would she imagine two boys flirting as her last imagination. Her brain should have created the most happy scenario she had ever lived which have to be that night she spent with Erina. She had always found the woman to be mysterious, she even believed that she knew everything there is to know about Erina Mills but apparently her future self liked to differ that claim.

“This is definitely not my last breath hallucinations. This experience is remarkable! I was shot and now I am in a new, not very human body! You know something like this is just everyday normal thing”, she scoffed as she whispered to herself. Even though the boys were standing at huge distance away from the tank, she could still hear muffled conversation.

She wondered if she lifted her head out of water, she could clearly hear their conversation. She noticed how far her eyes could see through the glass in the darkness. Olivia had heard them sing scary and mesmerising songs and also use such sound as weapon. She knew she could now do that too which just made everything bizarre.

Finally after her excitement settled, she thought of her old life, Work and family. She had an older brother who had taken over family business, only her mother and herself were scientist in the house. It was a typical high class family, her parents made themselves available for them financially and occasionally they would spare their son and daughter with emotional connection.

Olivia was close with her brother until he took over the business and started family of his own. It was just herself and work for nearly four to five years now. Meeting her family during gatherings were the only familial bond she had with them but she still thought that she should leave them a message about her traveling the world and being out of reach when she tallied along with these new people.

If she was being honest, the only person she knew best among all of them would be River. She had joined the facility when she was told about a special boy in the organization’s care. Erina had only then asked her to work for the research to learn the genetic make up of the boy and slowly made Olivia think of making clones.

The only person she knew everything about, however it was one sided. The boy had no doubt grown close to two people and Erina just fit in with them as the mastermind. Olivia’s social life was non existent and finally she felt the emotions that had long been suppressed slowly start bubbling inside her, insecurity. She had a successful career as Bioengineer which boosted her confidence but once she was on her own, it would vanish.

However, she would spend her free time reading, watching movies and series, traveling all by herself. She rejected all the offers to go to seminars, to give lectures in universities because she never fit in anywhere. Not until she joined this organization where she discovered a whole new species and now she herself had become one of them.

Olivia snapped out of her inner Saboteur when she saw River quickly make an escape from Wayde and run towards her. The boy’s ears were deep red and the clothes he had been wearing just made him look cute. “Hey! I see you gained the sensations in your new body. I’m guessing you are also going through some inner conflict?”, he asked but it felt like he was talking facts.

“You went through it too?”, she asked then heard River say, “I didn’t understand what you just said but I’m guessing it’s about how I know that?”, he checked with her and she felt embarrassed then nodded and popped her head out of water.

“At first I thought the transformation causes such side effects but apparently It’s just the nature of our kind, being emotionally sensitive. In few hours or in couple of days, you will start becoming more instinctual. I think it’s like going through puberty but in a whole new level”, he explained as he sat on the chopper and watched as Wayde made his way towards him.

River said the experience was similar to going through puberty because he felt like he was going through one all over again. In his case it was a fact as he now had ovaries and being around with two other hormonal boys, had made him feel things that normally he never did.

“So, I heard you have two family members that you will have to look for. It’s been some time since you were separated from them, will they still hang around or will they leave?”, Olivia asked Wayde who had made himself comfortable next to River. He looked up to the Sky and River saw rare emotion flash in Wayde’s eyes, loss and hope.

“Don’t know, We look for new home. My sister is warrior, can keep each other safe when travel. They might not wait”, he said jumble of words then he looked down to his foot. He, Erina and Riley were wearing brown spotted uniforms with black boots.

“I believe he and his family were traveling because where they were before, hunting for food had become scarce. Other members of his tribe had left early while his grand mother stayed behind with the two of them. She had believed every one were making wrong decisions by traveling at that time but a new leader had rose and despite her warning they chose to leave. They even tried their best wanting to take Wayde and his sister with them but the siblings declined. This was his first time traveling far from home, so he doesn’t know what his family would do when one of them disappeared”, River explained properly on Wayde’s behalf.

River yelped when a strong arm wrapped itself around his waist and pulled him towards the strong and hot body. Wayde placed his nose in the crook of River’s neck and breathed in his scent. The boy who was being showered with affection and attention went stiff and felt embarrassed.

Wayde was thanking River for helping him explain his situation, he had felt grateful. Olivia smiled seeing a very affectionate giant and a very shy River. She saw Erina and Riley finally come out with five big white plastic containers.

River saw them too and felt the arm around his waist tightened, he even felt Wayde suck the skin on his neck, strongly enough to leave a mark. The sensation made butterflies in his stomach and he felt his mini me getting up but then something moist slipped down his thighs. River quickly stepped on Wayde’s foot and heard the boy groan in his neck. He even felt teeth on his skin but thankfully the guy didn’t bite but he did lick the sucked part as he moved away.

When Riley and Erina got closer, they saw River with red cheeks and ears then they looked at Wayde who looked rather smug and content but dazed as if he just had some drugs. They placed the containers on the ground and stretched. “Alright let’s eat this and hurry, we only have five hours till the full moon and it will take two hours to make a round trip from that island. I think we might have to spend some time in that Underwater cave”, Erina suggested then opened the first container and threw big crabs at every one.

Erina and Riley sat on top of the containers as they ate and after fifteen minutes, they had gulped down two entire box of meal. “Alright, we will leave now and after you all get on the boat, I will press the button and destroy this place”, there was a loud horn behind them as she finished saying that and all five if them turned to see the ship slowly moving.

River got up and ran to the other side of the chopper, he saw Brandon standing on the back balcony of the ship and waving good bye. River waved back and felt his heart hurt a bit. Maybe he indeed had some feelings for the boy and only now that it registered in his mind that he might never see Brandon again, did his emotions ooze out.

He knew his best friend well enough to know that he will leave the country as soon as possible. River waved his hand as hard as he could as the ship went further away. What he couldn’t say out loud, he let his hand express it for himself but still decided to shout, “Take care of yourself! Live your life to the fullest! You will always be my family! I love you and I will always miss you!”.

Brandon tightened his palm on the railing as he heard what River had shouted. There was a bang over his head and sparks of light fell down, the light had exploded from River’s intense yelling. Brandon scooted to further left from the spot and Chuckled then yelled back, “And You will forever remain mine! Stay alive and happy, River. I Love you too! More than those two combined!”, he teased.

River had tears falling down from his eyes as he laughed after hearing Brandon act cheeky. Now he knew the boy would be fine since he could still joke, given all that he went through today. When the ship grew smaller in River’s eyes, he finally dropped to his knees and sobbed. He cried for the loss of the only important person who was the most real in his life, he cried in the pain from the tragic loss of his parents. Both of them died protecting him and he only remembered their sacrifice after twenty one years.

Wayde curled his fingers and made a fist because he couldn’t help River not feel such sadness. He had to let it all out now that he had stopped suppressing his emotions. Being tied down by heavy emotions meant death in the world that’s under the sea, so it was healthy to let yourself grieve. He stopped Riley who was about to run towards River and shook his head.

“He needs to let it out, Riley. It’s for his own good. His life has changed since couple of weeks and he had probably suppressed his emotions. Now he finally has reasons to let go. Give him space, he definitely doesn’t want anyone to say anything to him”, Erina said and Riley remained still as he gritted his teeth in loss.

Olivia and Erina left after a while and River had calmed down a bit. His eyes were puffy and his nose was clogged. He got up and went to the building to sleep, Riley and Wayde followed him after safely securing the food containers. They would need food in Erina’s house until they were ready to start their journey.

River took the first room in the ground floor and shut the door behind him. Wayde nearly crashed into the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder and heard, “That means he wants to stay alone and we should let him”, Riley explained.

Wayde turned back and looked at Riley with narrowed eyes but still gave a nod. Riley nodded back and went to the only remaining room on the ground floor. There were two separate big rooms in this level while the building was three storeys tall.

Wayde got inside the room with Riley who raised an eyebrow at him, “There’s only one bed here. It’s big and all but don’t you have some problems with my existence?”, Riley questioned. Wayde walked forward then kicked his boots off then tore open his shirt and plopped on the bed. He had seen River do this in his memories.

“I do, yes. But we like one and he like both of us. River,... Happy when I am nice to lander. I want him happy”, he said and followed everything from the memories of River that flashed in his mind. He stretched then cracked his bones and wiggled his toes.

“That’s reasonable, wha what are you doing?”, Riley asked as he saw Wayde sit on his knees and stretch like a cat. Wayde turned his head to Riley and said, “Isn’t this regular thing? River do this... every day after he enter room”, Wayde informed. Riley was about to ask how the guy knew this but remembered the exchange thing.

“No, not everyone does that. He used to work in a water park so after swimming all day, his muscles would have felt sore and he did all this to lessen the stress in his body”, Riley explained as he sat down and cracked his neck. Wayde turned around and laid on his back, he started feeling the bed which was soft and jumpy.

“All Lander sleep like this? Alone? Why?”, Wayde was trying to get to know Riley so that he could understand why River liked him. He could admit the guy looked nice but he felt like he was better. He wondered if River liked how thoughtful and caring Riley was towards him.

Riley was about to explain when Wayde grabbed his hands and pulled him closer. Riley forced his hands back, thinking Wayde wanted to fight but heard the guy say, “Information exchange”, and reach out his hands. Riley narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He thought, ‘Why is he being so talkative? He only talks to River. What is he planning?’.

“Don’t you already know everything you need to know?”, he asked as he folded his arms. Wayde had his eyes hidden behind the black lid, he stared at Riley for while and decided to reveal his eyes to the guy as a sign of trust. Riley’s eyes widened when he saw Wayde’s crystal blue eyes, his hands loosened and slowly unfolded.

“Want to understand you”, Wayde said and Riley felt how hard it was for Wayde to act nicely to him. “Taught to see other males out of tribe as enemies. Especially when they want.... You want”, his eyebrows knitted as he tried to properly explain. Riley understood what Wayde meant then thought for a while and sighed then finally gave a small nod, agreeing to exchange information.

Wayde remembered how River had done the thing and grabbed Riley’s shoulder and pressed their foreheads together while using the melody. Riley was feeling uncomfortable and was still doubtful but still followed, ‘For River', he chanted. After few minutes he felt tingles forming in his forehead and strong ache soon followed.