Day one wasn't even over, and Fontaine was ready to scream.
She's spent the day with either Kaiko taking it easy on the bridge and Will studying the Chronicle. Going between the two places meant she needed an escort, which meant Ant following her.
Of course, Fontaine loved her parents and would gladly spend the day with them. It was the knowledge of Finn having to be alone that put Fontaine on edge.
The day had been intense for Fontaine, so she could just imagine how Finn felt. Between the flashbacks, revealing of the "curse," and uncovering his heritage, Finn needed company now more than ever.
But Fontaine was stuck in the study, staring blankly across the desk at the runes she'd never understood and wishing Finn was there to translate. And Finn was alone.
All because her parents wanted to protect her.
Finally, finally, Fontaine escaped her family. With a fair bit of nagging and pleading, Fontaine convinced Will and Kaiko that she would be safe in her room at night. Kaiko insisted on locking down the Aronnax and probably set some alarm to go off if Fontaine's door opened before dawn, but Fontaine could live with that.
As soon as the door closed and Fontaine was sure nobody was going to bug her again, she darted across the room and pulled off the grate. She stood on her bed to climb in, then jumped backward when she saw Finn waiting.
"Finn!" Fontaine yelped, startled but pleased.
"Sorry," Finn said with an apologetic grin.
"I was just coming to find you." Fontaine glanced at the door. "It's safer to talk here, anyway. Mum will freak if she sees I'm in the ducts."
Finn sighed. "Do you really want to continue keeping me a secret? Wouldn't it be easier to just tell your parents about me?"
Fontaine shook her head hard. "No way! Don't you realize what they would do?"
"Send me away?"
"They'd-" Fontaine blinked. "Do... do you want to leave?"
"No!" Finn said, then lowered his gaze. "But what if Nereus is right? What if I have cursed you? What if you'd be safer with me gone?"
"Curses are nonsense," Fontaine said firmly. "I don't know what the writer of the Chronicle was seeing, but this 'curse' can't be real."
"If that's true, why don't we just tell Kaiko and Will?"
"Because they would send you away 'just in case,'" Fontaine said. "And you heard Nereus. It could be dangerous for you to be with anyone else. As far as I'm concerned, the Aronnax is the safest place for you."
"And for you."
"For all of us."
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A/N: I promise all these little snapshots are important.
YOU ARE READING
Interning on the Aronnax
Fanfiction(AU starting on S1E7; mostly drabble-sized chapters) Finn makes his choice, but somehow gets kicked off of the Aronnax and the Dark Orca. Joining the Nektons is still his hope, but first he has to convince them that he's a good guy. Luckily, he's go...
