Ocean Feelings

Chapter 15

Coco laughed as Barnacles yet again attempted to get the antenna out of the tree. Barnacles struggled to keep the smile off his face as the sound of her laughter made his body feel warm. The antenna was slightly above his grasp, even when he jumped. However, jumping seemed to make Coco laugh harder, so he tried to find other means to get the antenna down despite the warmth. Coco's voice got closer as she spoke, "You seem to be struggling, city boy."

"For once, I am not tall enough," Barnacles chuckled as Coco held her hand out. He grabbed it and pulled her flush against him. She shook her head fondly and grabbed his shoulders, "What are you doing?"

"Give me a boost, would you," Coco teased, and Barnacles lowered his hands to her hips, lifting her into the air with minimal effort. She reached her arms and grabbed the antenna, pulling it down as Barnacles rested her body against his. She rolled her eyes as he held her suspended in the air. "There we go, see easy as pie, now we just have to get me down."

"We make a great team," Barnacles smiled, ignoring Coco's sarcastic jab, and Coco laughed, resting her hand on his face. He turned his head to kiss her wrist. "Always have made a good team, haven't we? The Captain and the Co-Captain. Now together."

"Now together," Coco smiled before her eyes grew troubled, and Barnacles frowned.

"Love?" He lowered her slightly, "What's wrong?"

"Shouldn't this change my job position?" Coco whispered quietly, and Barnacles finally lowered her to the ground. He pressed his forehead against hers and smiled softly at the contact. She smiled briefly. However, she still had worry clouding her gaze.

"Why would it?" He asked as he pressed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose, "You are our Co-captain. We would be lost without you... I would be lost without you..."

"I suppose you... aren't my boss anymore... Were you ever my boss, though?" Coco mused as she intertwined her fingers with his hair.

"You certainly never listened to me." Barnacles hummed, and Coco laughed, leaning against his chest. "Besides, am I the boss?"

"You are the captain," Coco whispered as she twirled a lock of hair between her fingers, "Doesn't that make you the boss?"

"Can you honestly see any of our crew treating me as a higher authority?" Barnacles questioned back as he slowly saw a new side of Coco. Her soft caresses were different, and his lips quirked upward in a grin despite himself. "Has any of the crew treated me as a higher authority?"

"That is true," Coco laughed, "One small question: do we have an HR? I remember Tweak and Dashi joking about it."

"I think it is Inkling," Baranacles laughed, "He probably has a bet going on when you will come back, though."

"No... I heard Tweak and Kwazii whispering about a bet, but I don't think anyone else is in on it." Coco smiled as Barnacles gently tightened his hold on her

"Well, you knew Tweak and Kwazii were going to bet," Barnacles said as he gently swayed with Coco.

"That is true. They would bet on what time the sun rose if either were awake early enough..." Coco smiled softly as she murmured, "There is no music playing. Why are we dancing?"

He gently lowered Coco into a dip kiss and smiled at her breathy laughter. He straightened them both up with a fond smile, "I still feel like I am dreaming."

"Want me to pinch you?" Coco asked as he laughed, swatting her hand away playfully.

"No," He smiled and held her hand in his, his fond smile falling into something serious as they started back to the gups, "How far are you okay with going."