My Aquaman (a.u)

Chapter 1

I didn't know why my dad had demanded me to come to this place. Dad had told me that my mom gave birth to me in the pub where she worked. He had worked on a fishing boat where he now was working again. I guess I felt bad for him so I guess that was why I came with him, so I could take care of him. 

I was turning 21 in 10 days and dad had arranged a job in the pub where I tended tables and helped Palina making food in the kitchen. It was hard fitting in with the crowd at my age here since I didn't spoke a word in Icelandic and never had been a social person. 

We had been here for about a month and I had already crossed eyes with the man who they called the "stranger". Some of the seamen said that he came from the sea and that he helped them when they were unlucky at their trips out in the wild open. He looked like a god compared to the other guys here. He also seemed to not bother about the cold sometimes the way he dressed. His upper body was covered in what seemed like tattoos and his eyes was as clear as ice. At least that was my few observations when he had brushed passed me towards the bar demanding some whiskey.

The man owning the place and usually stood in the bar said that he had asked for my name, but I didn't want to give it to him. What was the point of giving my name to a total stranger? I just wanted to survive this place and when I had earned some money then I would probably go back to England to keep studying and get an education. Even though I was old enough to move out and on my own, I didn't think that my dad would handle it very well.

I helped Victor clean up before closing time when he came bursting through the door demanding some whiskey. Victor did as he said and poured him a glass. "Svo hvað er nýtt?" His raspy voice says in Icelandic and Victor answer him back. I didn't understand much so I kept doing what I was doing and let them talk.

"Elena? You can just set the dishes out and then leave for tonight and I will see you tomorrow?" Victor says, and I just nod before I walk out back to collect my bag. I can feel some eyes following me as I leave the room. "Good night Victor" I say as I walk past them and towards the exit. I can hear a glass hitting the wooden bar surface with a thud as I open the door and walk outside into the cold nightly air.

«Can I join you?" I hear him say behind me. "Yeah sure" I say emotionless to this stranger was companying me on my walk home. "So, you haven't been around here for very long? It's not often people move here, this place is kinda not the number 1 of destinations" he says, and I just keep staring at the gravel road in front of me. "Aren't you going to answer me?" He asks firmly, and I pick up my keys as we are approaching my house. "Why should I talk to strangers I don't know?" I answer back to him and he chuckles. "I am Arthur. Now I am no longer a stranger as you know my name" he says, and I don't respond until I've unlocked the door and opened it. I turn around to face him. "Knowing your name doesn't make you anything else than a stranger with a name" I reply, and he smile over my attitude.

"Ok, I get it stranger Elena. See you tomorrow" he says smiling as he starts backing up towards the darkness where the light from the house don't cover. He disappears completely, and I walk inside before I shut the door and lock it.

Dad wasn't coming home for another three days and he left this morning, so I was all alone, but I managed. I made something easy for dinner and continued with my book about tales and adventures. I loved fictional stories and never seemed to grow out of them. They reminded me of the adventures I wanted to explore, but I guess I was crazy and weird. I had no friends back in England either because they all thought I was strange believing in these fairytales like these. Like that Atlantis was at the bottom of the sea somewhere and that mermaids existed too, which was weird for a 20-year-old to believe in, but I couldn't help it.

Next morning, I wake up with the book on my chest and my shift started in ten minutes which meant I only had time to put some clothes and run to make it. I grab my bag and an apple before I head out the door and lock it before I am running towards the pub.

I am bursting through the door and everyone's eyes looks at me as I stumble through the door. The kids my age on the table over in the corner laughs out loud and I get up as fast as I can only to drop all my belongings onto the floor. I hunch down and grab the most of them and just as I am about to grab my book, somebody beats me to it. "The tales of Atlantis? Is it any good?" he asks, and I grab my book before he can make any more fun of me. I look into those abnormally bright eyes and walk past him and into the kitchen where Palina was standing by the oven.

I put on an apron and she hand me the orders for two tables with a smile on her face. "Is he bothering you?" she asks, and I sigh. "Nothing more than I can manage" I answer her smiling back as I walk out of the kitchen with the plates. I had only been here for a month, but I already knew all the table numbers, so it was easy serving to the right table.

Some of the fishermen were back from their trip and were celebrating a good catch. They cheer, and I smile as they sing something in Icelandic as I serve them their ale. Arthur had been sitting by the bar for an hour now and he casually stared at me as I walked passed him back and forth to the kitchen. I tried ignoring it, but my eyes somehow wandered over towards him and trailed his tattoos.

I spent my lunch break out back on a rock looking out on the ocean, eating my apple while reading my book. Sometimes I couldn't help but stare out over the open sea. My eyes soon spotted Arthur walking towards the shipwreck and out into the cold water. Was he mad? The water had to be below zero or something.

"Elena?!" I hear Palina calling for me and I close my book to run down to work the rest of my shift. My mind wondered what Arthur was doing bathing in the ocean when it was cold. I managed through the rest of my shift and on my way home I decided to sneak over to the shipwreck to see if I could spot what Arthur was doing. Though this was going against what I had been doing for the past month I was curious on what he possibly could be doing.

But the place was empty, and I couldn't see him anywhere. Therefore, I continued home and when I got home I took a shower before I made something for dinner. I walked out to the bag in the hallway to pick up my book, but it was not in my bag. I couldn't believe that I had lost it. As I start looking for it somewhere else in the house someone knocks at the door. I walk over to open it but can already see who it is due to the window at the front door.

"What do you want?" I ask him as I open the door. Arthur smiles and pick up something from the pocket of his jacket. "I guess this is yours?" He says holding up my book. "Ah give it to me" I say and try to snatch it out of his hand, but he is fast, and he is smiling as he delays me having my book and end this conversation. "Where did you find it?" I ask and try once more to snatch it out of his hand. "By the shipwreck, what were you doing there?" he says, and I finally manage to grab my book. "I was just taking a walk" I say, twisting the truth. I wanted to ask him how he could possibly go swimming in this breezy weather. "Well okay see you later" I say and back up to close the door. Why did I tell him that I was seeing him later? I facepalm myself and freeze. What if he saw me, but I sigh in relief as I see that he is no longer standing at the door.