Classy, Controlled Chaos - The STEAM Team Adventures

🧊 Open Ocean [5/5] 🧊

Tia's POV:

The window in Arthur's room overlooked the south end of Northwynd and the entirety of the kingdom's harbor, giving us a scenic view of the central city.

We both had our canvases set up, facing the landscape with our easels ready to paint.

After that very traumatic experience Permafrost had us endure, we decided we could use a bit of a break.

"You have a very rubbery, soft tail." My mentor commented, stroking my tail flukes. "Similar to a dolphin."

"Actually," I began, gently dipping my brush in a jar of water. "Orcas are dolphins, just bigger. Or at least, they're members of the same family, if I remember correctly."

"Right you are." He chuckled, dabbing the tip of his brush against my nose. "They do indeed share the same family... Delphinidae if I'm correct."

I cocked my head to the side. "How do you know that?"

"You keep talking about cetaceans. Did you think I never listened to any of your mini-lectures?" The king laughed, staring out into the landscape before us. "Just because I hear you ramble doesn't mean I don't listen. Hearing and listening are two different things."

That was just one of several hundred reasons why he was the greatest mentor I could have probably ever had in my life.

He was a great listener, he respected me, he knew my boundaries and didn't push them... Must I elaborate further?

I loaded my brush with some cerulean blue ink, diluting the paint with some water. "I didn't know you actually liked to listen to me talk about, I dunno, random things."

Arthur gave me an endearing smile. "I love to listen to you, Tia. I always have."

A subtle twinge of deja vu pulled at my chest. "You said that before."

He nodded. "Well, technically Permafrost made me say it. She's not wrong, though."

I remembered the intense event where him and I had to fight one another, almost to the death.

What he did to me was his power, but someone else's intentions.

That applied to everything that happened in the brawl; Especially the words he exchanged with me.

It was all Permafrost's doing.

"I have a question about that... What Permafrost said, really," I began to ask. "Was it true?"

"You could be implying any part of that." My mentor dipped his head. "May you please specify?"

His gaze met mine, searching my eyes.

I wouldn't give him the answer by looks alone.

"Uhh, guess." I squeaked, applying a light wash to my canvas.

The king frowned at me, crossing his muscular arms. "I'm not playing your game, kiddo. Just tell me. Please?"

"No." I mumbled, sweeping my whale tail into a protective arc around my legs. "I don't want to tell you directly. It's... Weird, to say the least."

"If it makes you feel better, I promise not to judge you." He stated, reaching for my head but pausing just before he could brush his glove against my hair. "May I?"

I subconsciously leaned into his touch, nuzzling my cheek into his palm. "Yes, please..."

We dropped our brushes, sitting down on my bed for some quality time.

In the eyes of everyone else, I was supposed to be the powerful, fierce protector of the kingdom, merciless in battle and imposing to whoever laid their gaze on me.

However, in Arthur's eyes, I was his hard-working, affectionate, touch-starved apprentice.

Sometimes I like to call myself his little murder weapon, but we don't talk about that.

Anyways, if anyone saw me in the state I was currently in and word got out about it, my reputation wouldn't be so good...

I was leaning against him, my head in the nook of his neck.

He was delicately rubbing the base of my orca tail with one hand, supporting me by the shoulder with the other.

"Alright, I'm gonna start guessing." Arthur began, moving his hand from my shoulder to cup my face. "You better tell me if I'm right or no more petting."

I gave him a quiet squeak, eagerly nodding. "Deal! I mean, uhh, got it!"

He placed both hands on the tiny dorsal fin at the base of my tail, holding it firmly. "Is it about the whole 'I love you' sort of thing?"

My face flushed, my cheeks tinted a rosy shade of red. "First try."

"That's surprising." My mentor chuckled, massaging my fin with his thumb. "What about it? Do you think I don't mean that? Of course it's platonic, though."

I gave him a nod, subtly lifting my tail. "So, you platonically love me, Arthur?"

"Of course, Tia." He mumbled, patting me on the head. "Of course I do."

At those words, I pulled him into a tight hug, letting out a series of contented clicks and whistles.

I realized I only do that when I'm flustered, but does that really matter when no one is watching?

"I love you, Arthur." I whispered, resting my chin on his shoulder. "Platonically, because the other way is weird."

The king reached down, supporting the base of my bulky tail with the palm of his free hand. "And I love you too."

A blanket of silence settled over us as I savored being in his arms, breathing in his crisp, clean scent.

His hands were loosely wrapped around me, making sure I was comfortable with where he placed them.

I was too busy relaxing to care.

"Tia," Arthur began, leaning back. "You know people will think this is wrong, you and I."

I stared down at him, realizing the position I had gotten myself in. "I... I'm aware of that. But it's not like they have to know."

"Mhm." He sighed, setting one hand on my shoulder and softly pushing me back. "There's thousands of people in this kingdom that would disapprove of our friendship. I know one of them is Addison."

The next words that came out of my mouth gave me a twinge of guilt. "To Heaven with Addison, I could care less about her. I'm just worried about you in the moment."

To lighten my mind, I rolled to the side, pushing my easel aside with my tail and pointing out the window. "See the ocean? I want you to tell me where it ends."

My mentor propped himself up with his elbows. "It extends beyond the horizon, Tia. It has no end."

I nodded. "Exactly. Standing here, the waters seem endless; They open for miles without a single island in sight."

I flopped back into his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Every island you see is a person I would betray you for."

He gave me a skeptical look. "You just said there's no islands around, Tia."

"I know."