Between Waves and Clouds

14 - Can't stay, p2

''I can't leave him, pal. We can't stay, but I can't leave anymore either.''

Pouncer only whined in reply, then the viking looked back at the merman still resting in his arms. He didn't care about the fact the freezing water reached his shoulders, he didn't care about being cold, he didn't want to let go of Frost. He wanted to keep him in his arms until the end of time.

Staring at his peaceful sleeping face, he frowned as he noticed a purple bruise on his right cheek. He had not seen it before, surely because it had been blending in the purplish pale skin when the merman had choked, but now that his skin was back to its usual pearly-white color, the bruise stood out. Nuffink wondered if the sailors had done it, or if it had been him while patting Frost's face when he had tried to wake him up. No, he had not slapped him that hard.

The bruise seemed fresh, it looked like someone had slapped Frost in the face, someone strong. Looking closely, Nuffink found another bruise around the merman's right wrist. Same purple color, drawing a large hand. It looked larger than the sailors' hands, and he noticed there were tiny cuts at the tip of each finger printed on the pale skin, as if the person who had done it had nailed Frost. Not, it was not nails... it was claws. Claws like Frost's. Did a mermaid do this to him ?

Nuffink frowned deeper. Was it this Corail guy ? Anger crept back in his heart and mind, but he pushed them back. He sighed and gently took the wrist in his hand to take it out of water. He smoothly pressed his lips on each cut. He didn't know why he did this, but it certainly was not aiming to wake him up. Frost flinched and opened his eyes with a faint grunt. Nuffink would have lied pretending the grimace and noise weren't cute.

''What are you doing ?'' The merman mumbled, closing his eyes again.

Hearing his voice was back to normal made the viking feel better. Though, Frost woke up again in a jolt and quickly pulled back his wrist from the viking's hand. The viking instantly missed the chilly skin between his fingers, but he dismissed the thought to focus back and frowned.

''Who did this, Frost ?'' He asked, his voice more severe than he intended to.

The merman averted his eyes, keeping his arm close to his chest as if trying to hide the bruise though it was too late as the viking had already seen it. The blond sighed and grabed his shoulders to gently turn him face to face, cautiously keeping his friend underwater.

''It was Coreil, wasn't it ?''

Frost shook his head, he stayed silent for a while before finally answering, unable to look at him in the eye. ''... Father did this.''

Something snapped within the viking's mind. After all Frost had told him about his father, he couldn't even understand how it had happened. Granted the father was overprotective and a bit abusive, but he had seemed to be only wanting his son's safety. Hitting and bruising his son was the complete opposite of that. As if reading the viking's mind, Frost took his father's defence.

''H-He didn't mean to ! I mean, I think so... I hope so...''

The white-haired merman sighed and lowered his head, seeming pretty low. Nuffink calmed down his anger but still felt sorry for him. The worst argument he had had with his own parents was the time, when he was about fourteen, when he had set on fire the smithy while trying to help out Gobber. Frost's sadness seemed to bleed on him, and even managed to make him forget about the pleasant feeling of holding him in his arms. Nuffink gently lifted his pale face to him, meeting his eyes for the first time since he had thought he had lost him. It made shivers run down his spine.

''What happened ?'' He almost pleaded.

He hated seeing Frost so low and wanted to know what was going on so he could help him. Frost was a bit reluctant, but he ended up telling him. Just like he had retaled his bad day with his brothers, he told him about his argument with his father.