Sorry for the late chapter!

- Sian

Kaerius woke up to the smell of cardboard and burning oats. He wrinkled his nose and curled up against something warm. Kaerius didn't have to look to know that Rowan was the warm lump that lay next to him. He didn't have to look to know he had successfully pressed his nose into Rowan's shoulder. Rowan's scent entirely masked the burning breakfast and the cardboard mattress.

Kaerius allowed himself to drift in and out of sleep for what felt like hours. Rowan wasn't awake; therefore, Kaerius didn't have a reason to get up. Kaerius had already gotten up in the early hours of the morning to throw saltwater over himself. The werewolves only had showers, though they kindly hooked one up to saltwater for the Thalassic Mortals.

Rowan's body felt warm against Kaerius. In his human form, Kaerius enjoyed the content feeling that came with the temperature. In the sea, however, the colder, the better.

Kaerius was just about to drift into his dreams, but Rowan moved against him. Kaerius kept his eyes closed and hid a small smile as Rowan's arms wrapped around him, and his lips softly grazed Kaerius's ear.

"Good morning," Rowan said in a deep morning voice that made Kaerius's spine shiver.

"I'm asleep," Kaerius thought, wanting to lay with Rowan forever. He wished he could. If they were at Rowan's home and didn't have crazy hunters to fight soon, Kaerius didn't doubt that they would lie together for the rest of the day.

"I see," Rowan thought, lowly chuckling.

His hands touched the skin on Kaerius's lower back. His hands felt hot, and Kaerius wanted more of his warm skin. He snuggled closer, well, he tried to. They were laying so close already, tangling their legs was all Kaerius could do to feel more intimate.

They laid together for half an hour more before Michael and Mandy leaned over them, nudging them with their feet.

"Boys, breakfast is ready," Mandy said. If the progression of technology in twelve years hadn't confused her, she would have taken a picture using a phone.

Michael had already beaten her to it. He was collecting embarrassing and funny pictures for the boys, knowing they were too busy with the hunters to manage their priceless memories. In the years to come, when they looked back through photo albums, Michael wanted them to remember the good times, not the bad.

Kaerius grumbled, and Rowan looked up into the face of his mother. He was still getting used to her smile being sincere. "Smells like breakfast is on fire."

"That was the first batch. The second one's good. Jenya's beta wolf even managed to find some honey for us to put in the porridge."

Rowan's stomach grumbled at the thought. He tried to sit up, but Kaerius was so tightly hugging him, Rowan could only lift his head. "Kaerius, we have to get-"

"No."

Rowan dropped his head back onto the cardboard with a sigh. "Five more minutes," he said, and his parents left him to peel Kaerius up from the floor.

Kaerius first felt Rowan's arms untangle from his; then he felt Rowan's legs struggle to break free. Then he felt Rowan's hands slot under his armpits and attempt to lift him off the cardboard. "No," Kaerius mumbled, curling tighter into a ball. "I sleep more."

"You'll have plenty of time for that after this thing with the hunters."

Kaerius didn't budge, and when Rowan stopped trying to lift him, Kaerius snuck a glance through one eye. Rowan stood over him with hands on his hips.

"Up," Rowan demanded.

Kaerius refused.

"Alright, don't say I didn't give you a chance first." Rowan dove on him and jabbed him in his sides. Kaerius squirmed on the floor and quickly scrambled away from Rowan's fingers that enjoyed tickling him until he cried from laughing. Kaerius hurried through to the other room where they were serving breakfast. Rowan was right on his heels.

While they waited in line for food, Rowan whispered, "I would have preferred to lie with you for hours too. I feel tired today."

"Tired mean body train hard," Kaerius said and pinched Rowan's bicep.

"One thing's for sure; I'm physically ready for a battle. Mentally, maybe not," Rowan mumbled, looking around the room. He wasn't sure anyone was mentally ready. Hunters had proven how dangerous they were in the past few weeks, and how willing they were to rid the world of the supernatural.

After breakfast, Kaerius approached Michael, who sat in the corner, checking all the weaponry. Kaerius used to think Michael was a little intimidating. Michael was tall with a cautious stare. He always stood with crossed arms that showed off his muscles, though Kaerius had judged Michael based on his physical appearance. The man was lovely and gentle and calm. Rowan had the same presence.

"Michael," Kaerius said when he didn't see the sea creature standing near. "I go back to ocean, maybe?"

Michael put down the spear. "You want to go back to the ocean for a swim?"

Kaerius shook his head to say no. "Rowan and I were talking, and we thought that it might be better if I'm fighting in the sea and Rowan fight on land. I know you wanted us to stay together, but we're not sure if that's wise. What do you think?" he asked in the Thalassic Tongue.

Michael was about to say absolutely not, but he saw Jaiker and Laiken from the corner of his eye. They were clumsy and would be one of the first to get hurt on land. Kaerius wasn't the best at fighting either. Did he have a stronger chance of survival in the water? If the situation flipped, Michael wouldn't want Rowan to be in the water to fight because he was clumsy with the unusual strength of his tail.

"Forget about Rowan and me for a moment. Kaerius, what do you want to do?" Michael asked, watching him look around with a concerned frown.

"I would feel more confident in the water. I know I don't need to worry about Rowan, though I will if we're separated."

"But you might be safer apart." Michael didn't want to be the one to make the decision. He was protective over Rowan, but Rowan was also an eighteen-year-old who was sensible enough to decide for himself. "talk to Rowan and decide while it's still safe for you to get to the ocean."

Kaerius nodded and left him to finish cleaning the weaponry. He watched Jaiker and Laiken make fools of themselves for a while, then watched in horror as a few werewolves shifted in front of him to practice fighting. Kaerius watched Jenya and Jack being all shy and cute, wondering if that was what he and Rowan looked like to outsiders.

Kaerius decided to let Rowan train or plan, or finish doing whatever he was doing, while he went to sit under the shower for a while.

The shower blocks were small cubicles covered in white tiles and steel showerheads. Peach curtains were used for privacy, and the floor was rough to stop anyone from slipping. Kaerius stripped off his clothes and sat down. He didn't bother shutting the curtain because when the icy saltwater hit him, his legs stitched together. His precious turquoise tail returned in seconds. Kaerius smoothed his hands down his scales and settled against the cold tiles, planning to stay under the water for at least half an hour. Kaerius wanted to dream of the waves and the currents and the pressure of the sea miles above him. He tried to imagine he was chasing the fish and his mouth watered at the thought. Oats were not appealing. Maybe if he begged Rowan, he would take Kaerius to the café again, and they could order the salmon.

Water ran over him for almost twenty minutes until he heard someone enter the shower blocks. Rowan chuckled when they made eye contact.

"I'm not sure if you sitting on the floor like that is cute or sad," Rowan said, leaning against the tiles. "You should be in the sea. Do you want to go?"

They stared at each other and Kaerius wanted him to answer for him, but Rowan said nothing. "Yes," Kaerius said eventually. The word, unfortunately, felt right. "On the day we first met, you saw how we fight. I'm scarier with a tail than with legs." Kaerius clamped his sharp teeth together, and Rowan chuckled again.

"You were pretty terrifying that night." Rowan crouched by the shower curtain, not wanting to get wet. "I know we don't want to split up, but it's for the best. If things go terrible on land, at least we'll be right next to the sea, so we can jump in and swim away."

"Yes." Kaerius looked down to his scales when he suddenly felt nervous. "I take Jaiker and Laiken?"

Rowan nodded. "Braiken will take you back to the beach. He's going soon anyway." Rowan had to look away when he said, "then I'll see you on the day we fight."

Kaerius turned the shower off and dried himself. When his legs returned, he got dressed, all while watching Rowan. They had reached the end of their comforting words. They would fight apart. They had to pretend like that was what they really wanted. At least it was the better option for their skills.

After an hour, Braiken was ready to take Kaerius, Jaiker and Laiken back to the sea. As they stood in the alleyway to say goodbye, the boys hugged extremely tight. Their chests squished together, and Rowan cherished the feeling, not knowing when he'd feel his arms around him again.

They kissed and whispered reassuring things, then Braiken was pulling them apart and patting Rowan's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll look after him," Braiken said with a sympathetic smile. He guided them down the alley, and Kaerius stopped to look back. They smiled at each other and Kaerius hesitated.

"I'll see you soon," Rowan said and waved.

Kaerius gulped down his emotions. He pursed his lips and walked around the corner and out of sight.

Rowan felt like he wanted to yell at them to stop and that it was all a big mistake to split up. Despite the words climbing up his throat, he couldn't say them. He didn't know if being apart would be for the best or the worst. Nobody knew. All Rowan could hope for was a strong group of Thalassic Mortals willing to help them in the water. He didn't want Jaiker, Laiken, and Kaerius to be left to defend the water by themselves.

"I just need a minute," Rowan said when his father stood watching him in the doorway. Rowan couldn't look at him, not when he knew his eyes would be heavy with sadness. At least his father knew what it was like to leave a soulmate's side, and he respected his son's wishes and left him alone.

Rowan pushed his back against the cold brick wall and stared down to his feet. He felt Kaerius moving further and further away, but at least they could still hear each other's thoughts.