9. Chapter 9

I was such a goner. It had only been a few hours, and already Nemo had carved a place into my heart. Though a part of him had always been there, his face had lived in my dreams. It was ridiculous, this whole thing was ridiculous, but his complete and utter trust in me stirred this caregiver side of myself I didn’t realize was there.

I didn’t know if it was his size, his directness, or that he’d been there for me when I needed it most years ago, but I had this deep need to do whatever I could to protect him. Love at first sight? Before my accident, I would have laughed it off, but I couldn’t deny the connection I felt with him. Perhaps it was a bit of hero worship, or it could be those big brown eyes that looked at me with such awe, making me feel as if I was the one being worshipped. I didn’t know, but I was addicted already .

Grabbing another towel from under the counter, I scuffed it through my hair before drying off the rest of my body. I glanced up to see Nemo watching me, making my body feel warmer than it had under the hot water. We needed clothes. Fast. He was too open, too free, which was fantastic, but I needed to keep the blood flowing to the right head, so I could think clearly.

I was half-tempted to give Nemo something of mine to wear just to see it hang big on his slight form, but he seemed to be texture-sensitive, and I knew he liked the clothes he’d gotten from my shop, so those would have to do for now. Not that I really minded, since he looked fucking hot in the crop top and linen pants. Crop tops were my kryptonite. I wore them plenty in my surfer days, loving the way they caught the eye of others on the beach. But I’d grown out of my twink phase. I wasn’t quite in my dad-bod era, but the time in rehab had changed the contours of my body. Of course, growing older and hitting thirty might have played a role, too. I knew I could still sport a crop top if I wanted to, but I found looking at them much more appealing now than wearing them.

I gathered Nemo’s clothes and brought them to him. He smiled his gratitude and dressed on his own. As I was about to find some jeans for myself to wear, a knock sounded on the door. A very impatient knock. Nemo’s eyes widened, and he looked frightened. We’d been so caught up in each other that it was easy to forget the world outside, and that so much of it was new to him.

“It’s all right. It’s just someone here for a visit.” I winked at him and headed to the door with my towel wrapped around my waist.

When I opened the door, my grandfather came stomping in, without even a hello. “Where the hell have you been? Johnny called me because he said you closed your shop and left without saying a word to anyone. He was worried about you. I’ve been calling and texting, and you couldn’t even bother to answer. You’re not supposed to haunt us. We had a deal.”

My grandfather stood with his arms folded over his chest, his eyes catching my near-nakedness. I folded my arms in a matching stance, trying to cover myself up. “Haunt? What are you talking about?”

“You know, when someone doesn’t call you back?”

I laughed. “Oh, you mean ghost, like you’ve been ghosted.”

“Yes. That. You are not supposed to ghost me.”

Well, now I felt like an asshole. It was our deal. I’d texted him again earlier to say I was done on the water, but he was tight with a lot of the older folks on the boardwalk. Johnny ran the fish and chips place but was usually open for breakfast during the winter. Of course, I should have realized someone would notice me leaving or that my shop was closed .

“I’m sorry, Gramps. I didn’t mean to ghost you. I was a little…distracted.”

“What could have possibly distracted you so much that you couldn’t even send a quick text?”

Nemo walked out of the bathroom, thankfully dressed. “Is everything okay, Cory?”

I couldn’t stop the way my lips tilted up at his worried yet determined expression, looking as if he was ready to protect me, even as uncertain as he was.

“ Ahhhh . I see. So you must be the distraction.” My grandfather smirked, and I felt my cheeks grow warm. It couldn’t be more obvious, with me in a towel and Nemo’s hair still wet, that we’d likely been in the shower together. He held out his hand to Nemo. “Hi, I’m Woody, Cory’s grandfather.”

Nemo stared at the offered hand and held his own straight out, leaving a space between them. I bit my cheeks to hold in the grin that fought to stretch as my grandfather arched his brow and closed the distance, squeezing his hand and shaking it.

“It’s nice to meet Cory’s elder. You look very similar, though your face has a lot more lines on it. Are they scars, too?”

I snickered as Gramps shook his head. “No, not scars, wrinkles. Wrinkles are a sign of wisdom.”

“Oh. You must be very wise then. ”

I barked out a laugh before tugging Nemo to my side and kissing the top of his head.

My grandfather’s eyes held a hint of amusement before he straightened and held his head higher. “Yes. I am. And who might you be?”

“Gramps, this is Nemo. He’s a…friend.”

“Friend, huh? Since when? I’ve never heard him mention you before?”

“Cory didn’t know my name before today,” Nemo said, beaming with pride. God, he was so fucking adorable.

My grandfather turned toward me with a half smile. “Is that so?”

He wasn’t judgmental and had always been supportive. In fact, I’d gotten way too in-depth of safety lectures from him, since sex had never been a comfortable topic with my parents. Not that it was comfortable with him, either, but it sure was thorough.

“Yes. He found me on the beach today. I was naked, but he was nice enough to give me clothes.”

Gramps coughed on a laugh and leveled a stare at me. “You brought home a naked stranger from the beach?”

I really didn’t know how to respond because that was exactly what I’d done, so I simply shrugged. Except Nemo wasn’t a stranger, not entirely, but there was no way to explain that.

My grandfather burst out laughing, shaking his head. “All right. Well, it’s good to see you’re alive. Just maybe try to remember to at least send a text next time, so I don’t have to think about you lying dead somewhere.”

“I will. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

It might have been a little over-protective, but I wasn’t the only one who'd been hurt by my accident. Physically, yes, that was all me, but I knew it had been really hard on my family, too. My mom didn’t bother me as much as long as she knew I stayed in touch with Gramps. Communication with him was non-negotiable.

“Good. Now, your Nemo, here? Is this a one-time thing, or is he going to be around for a while?” My grandfather asked.

I looked down at the petite man at my side, who gazed back at me with a longing expression. It held a hint of worry, too. Worry about us? I didn’t know what would happen with him, but I couldn’t imagine letting him walk, or swim, out of my life now. “I hope he’ll be around for a while.”

Nemo gave me a slight smile. My grandfather clapped his hands, drawing our attention away from each other. “Excellent. Then you’ll join us for Christmas Eve dinner, won’t you?”

“Oh? For your holiday? That is a special event, is it not?” Nemo asked.

“Yes, it is.”

Nemo bobbed his head excitedly. “Yes. I would very much like that, thank you, Cory’s grandfather. ”

My grandpa smiled warmly, clearly won over by the man as much as I had been, well, maybe not as much , but I was happy to see him received well by someone whose opinion meant more to me than anyone else.

“Well, I guess I’d better let you two get back to whatever it is you were doing.”

“It’s okay, we aren’t having any more sex right now. Cory said we have to wait.”

My cheeks flared hot, even as I couldn’t stop the grin. I might have to have a discussion with Nemo about the difference between private and public information. Luckily, my grandfather just laughed and waved goodbye before closing the door behind him.

I pulled Nemo into my arms and kissed him hard. He really was something else. And now I didn’t have to hide him either, not that I’d planned to. In fact, my grandfather was the furthest thing from my mind when it came to Nemo. Now it was out there, and he would be joining us for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Already, I could picture him with my family. Something I’d never been able to do with other guys I’d been with. There was just something about Nemo that had him fitting right into my life as if he always was meant to be there.

“I like your elder, Cory. He seems very nice.”

“He is. He’s a really important part of my life.”

“And you introduced me, like you said you would, with my name and everything. I’m so happy you named me.” Nemo pushed up on his toes until our mouths met, and he played his tongue over mine. Fuck, this man had me wrapped around his fingers… and cirri.

When he settled back down on the flats of his feet, I brushed his hair aside. “Is there anything you want to see or do today? Whatever it is, I’m happy to take you.”

Nemo’s eyes fell, and he stared between us. “I’m not entirely sure. Your home feels like a safe place in the middle of the human world. I don’t know if I’m ready for anything else. And well…”

When he stopped talking and bent to rest his forehead against my chest, concern flared through me. I rubbed his back. “What? What is it?”

“Well, I don’t want to leave, because I like being with you very much, but I’d really like to get my shell. I’ve never been away from it for this long before.”

His shell. Shit, I’d completely forgotten. It was a big deal that he’d even come with me, knowing he was leaving it behind. I didn’t understand that when I first offered, but I did now, sort of. As much as I could understand based on my limited experience.

“Of course, little one. Let me get dressed, and I’ll take you back to the beach.”

Nemo pressed his cheek against my bare chest. “Thank you.”

The ride back was a quiet one. Nemo watched the sights through the windows again, and I was lost in my thoughts. His shell. What would happen when he got it? Would he want to retreat into it as he said he often did? Would he want to return to the sea to be in his nautilus form? Would he show me that part of him?

I had no right to feel a claim on him after mere hours. It was mid-afternoon, and I had only just found him that morning. It was completely unreasonable to feel such a weight at the idea of him leaving, but I couldn’t fathom knowing what I knew now about who and what he was and suddenly having to go back to a boring existence without a man with tentacles. I needed to say something, to let him know I wanted more time with him.

Though he had agreed to Christmas Eve, which was in five days. He might not know the calendar days, but he seemed thrilled about it. I really liked the idea of having him there. I even imagined him in my home on Christmas morning as we opened presents by the tree. A tree I didn’t have. Getting one suddenly felt like a top priority.

“I think I should get a Christmas tree,” I announced into the silence of the truck’s cab.

Nemo turned to face me and wore a sad smile. “I think that would be very nice.”

“Would you want to help me decorate it?”

His eyes lit up, and the worry on his face lessened. It was still there, beneath the surface, but seeing him respond positively made me feel better. “Yes, Cory. It would make me very happy to decorate it with you. ”

“We’ll get your shell first, okay? Then you can help me pick out a tree.”

“An artificial one, right?”

“Yes. Artificial. And we might need some ornaments, too.”

He reached over to twine his fingers through my hand and continued watching out the window. After a few minutes, he spoke in a soft tone. “Did you know that many species of both land and marine origin have nesting instincts as a form of courtship?”

I’d heard about various birds doing so, trying to attract their mates with fancy nests. I hadn’t known there were marine animals that did it as well. Still, I liked the idea. Add some sparkle and flash to catch Nemo’s eye. I didn’t think I needed it, but I wanted to impress him all the same, and if I got to share some of my favorite holiday with him, all the better.

Before I got ahead of myself, I needed to see if he was anywhere near the same page as me. “Courtship? Is that something you’re interested in? With a human?”

Nemo looked over at me. “With another human? No. With you? Yes, I am quite interested. Though courtship isn’t necessary.”

I squeezed his hand and felt a grin tug at my lips. “Neither is the build-up before sex, but it makes it more worthwhile, more meaningful. ”

Nemo made a contented hum in the back of his throat. “You may court me, then, Cory.”

The grin broke free. “All right.”

The parking lot was full of cars by the time we returned to the beach. It was late enough in the day that the sun broke through the morning overcast and was warm enough to walk around comfortably in long sleeves or light jackets. Nemo, of course, was happy in his crop top, while I’d thrown a hoodie on.

I got out and hurried around to help him down, and his hand immediately returned to mine. I loved how easily touch came to him. There was no hesitation or concern, no worrying about who might see. Nemo’s hand felt so natural in mine that I didn’t care either. I didn’t usually, but I’d been with a couple of guys who, understandably, were unwilling to show any kind of public affection. It wasn’t what I wanted, though. I wanted someone who could fearlessly hold my hand or kiss me when we were swept away and the moment called for it. Nemo didn’t have any reason to know otherwise, which was refreshing in its own way. I vowed to myself to ensure he always felt safe to be himself.

“You said it was in Pirate’s Cove , right?”

“The cove beyond the rocks over there.” Nemo pointed to the rocky cliff that separated Pirate’s Cove from the main beach. We began walking toward the path that would lead us up to the top of the cliffs .

“When I was a kid, the cove was one of my favorite places at the beach. It always felt like a little magical world of our own, cut off from everything else. Of course, we would just climb the rocks instead of taking the path; it was part of the adventure to get there. Once I took an interest in surfing, though, I didn’t go as often, since the water tends to be calmer, the waves blocked by the rock wall. Sometimes, I would return to sit and ponder and appreciate the beauty, but I spent most of my time on the bigger beaches, following the waves.”

Nemo gave a thoughtful hum. “I was drawn to it for the calmness and separation as well. It felt like a safe place to come on land.”

“It is now, but it gets pretty busy when the weather is warmer. Unfortunately, a lot of other people know about our private world over here, too.”

The path was a gentle slope, but as we neared the peak of the rocks, it was enough of an angle that I was starting to feel the twinge in my knee. An ever-present reminder that my rock-climbing days were over. In fact, it dawned on me that I hadn’t been back to the cove since my accident.

At the top of the rocks, we reached the steep set of stairs that led down to the private beach. I exhaled heavily as I looked at them, and Nemo and I both said at the same time, “ Stairs .”

I caught his eye, and we chuckled. “Not a fan either, huh? ”

Nemo shook his head. “No, they are quite tedious. I am used to being able to ascend and descend with little to no effort in the water. Perhaps it will be easier this time since I’ve been in this form longer than usual and my legs are steadier.”

“Well, I’ll probably be slow going down, so you don’t have to wait for me.”

Nemo squeezed my hand before stepping in front of me to grasp the single rail. He looked over his shoulder at me. “We’ll do it together.”

I had to laugh at the determination on his face, as though we were about to conquer a much greater feat than a single flight of stairs. I gripped the rail tight, and we went down, one step at a time. The way I had to land on my bad leg, bring my other one down, and then lead again with the first leg made me feel like I was seventy instead of thirty, but my physical therapist would be proud. Up with the good, down with the bad. It had been said so many times during my time in rehab that it was now a mantra I repeated subconsciously.

Nemo walked just as carefully, though not as stilted as me, and we made our way down. It would have been laughable to see from the outside, but we cheered when our feet hit the sand at the bottom.

“All right, we made it.” I held my hand up, and Nemo looked at it, leaving me hanging. I chuckled and grabbed his hand and put it up, before clapping mine to it. “It’s called a high five. It’s used as a brief celebration.”

Nemo gave me a half-smile, but he turned away, his attention on one of the caves. It wasn’t quite high tide yet, but it was getting there. Depending on the time of year, the high tide could reach all the way to the rocks and the caves, but for now, it just lapped at the entrance of the low-roofed cave.

I’d spent a lot of time in those caves as a kid, feeling like the cove’s namesake. It was said that the cove was once used by smugglers, so maybe there had been pirates of sorts. It was funny how things seemed so big when you were a child. Looking at the cave now, I would have a really hard time getting into it, especially with a bad knee.

Nemo pushed up on his toes and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll be right back.”

I had no choice but to wait there. It was beautiful, though, just as I remembered. Calm water, no one around. Seagulls sounded nearby. There were a few voices that drifted down from the lookout point above, but it still felt as magically isolated as it had before. Why hadn’t I been back?

The rocks? The stairs? Sure, it wasn’t easy, but it was doable. I’d made it down here just fine. Slow, but here, nonetheless.

Nemo got down on his hands and knees and crawled into the cave. I smirked at the idea of him doing so completely naked. Thank God, no one had found him like that. It was a marvel he’d made it as far across the beach in the buff as he had. Well, fortunately, it had been early and cold.

I waited for Nemo to come back out. Waited several minutes. I didn’t expect it to take this long. I heard shuffling, scraping sounds from within the cave. I hunched down and called out. “Everything okay in there?”

“I…I don’t know.” Nemo’s voice had an edge of panic in it.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

More scraping and sludging. The sound of wet sand plopping. “I can’t…I can’t find it.”

The fear in his voice cut right into my heart. I didn’t know what that would mean for him, but I knew his shell was important. Standing outside the cave, I felt completely helpless. I could try to go in, but I didn’t think there would be room enough for both of us in there, and then I would feel more in the way than anything.

“Are you sure you have the right place? We passed a few other caves.” I felt bad for even asking. He migrated across oceans, I imagined he had a fair amount of directional instinct.

“It was this one, I know it. I buried it here, and I’ve looked all around, and I can’t find it.” Nemo sounded like he was about to cry, making the pain in my heart dig deeper .

“Do you want me to come in?” I asked. I knew it wasn’t logical, but I would feel like a complete shit if I didn’t offer. I would do it, though. For him, I already felt like I would do pretty much anything.

“No. Stay there. I need…I need some time.” Nemo sniffed loud enough I could hear it over the laps of the water.

“I’m right here, Nemo. I’m not going anywhere.” Feeling useless, I leaned against the rocks and put my head in my hands.

After a long few minutes, Nemo crawled back out of the space. When he stood, his eyes looked vacant, and he didn’t move. I tugged him to me and wrapped my arms around him. He was frozen in my grip for a moment before I felt his body tremble and a pained sound escaped him.

“Shh. I’ve got you, sweetheart. It’s okay.” I whispered meaningless encouragement, because the truth was, I didn’t know if he would be okay. I didn’t know enough about him or his kind. My hoodie grew damp where his face pressed into it.

Nemo sniffed hard and mumbled something I couldn’t hear. I lifted his chin so his face wasn’t buried in my chest. His cheeks were streaked with tears, making me hurt for this man nearly as much as I had when my knee had been shattered. “What did you say? ”

“I…think…I’m…broken.” He sniffed between words before wiping a finger over his cheek. “I lost my shell and now the ocean is leaking from me.”

He looked so horrified by the tears, so na?ve, that I almost wanted to laugh, but I couldn’t, not when he was as devastated as he was. “No, sweetheart, you’re not broken. Those are tears. It’s a natural thing that happens when emotions, either good or bad, feel too big to stay inside. They come out as tears. Every human’s tears are salty. It isn’t the ocean.”

“Nautili don’t have big emotions. Not like this. I don’t know if I like it.”

I kissed the top of his head and rubbed his back. “I know. It can be hard. But it can be wonderful, too. I’m not saying it is right now—I know it’s not—but there is good in it sometimes.”

I mentally scolded myself. Now probably wasn’t the best time for lessons on human-ness. Nemo clung to me, his hands gripping the back of my hoodie. “I lost my shell.”

“I’m so sorry. What…what does that mean to you?” Was it something fatal? Would he die without it? I sent up a quick prayer to anyone who might be listening, because I couldn’t stand the thought of losing him when I’d only just found him.

Another loud sniff. “I cannot return to the sea without it. ”

I didn’t know what to say to that. When I woke up in the hospital and was told they were doing everything they could to save my knee, the first thought I had was of surfing. The devastation of losing something that was a part of my daily life. Losing the sea felt like losing a limb. How much more so would it be for someone who lived in the ocean, not simply played in it?

“I’m sorry, Nemo. I’m so sorry.” I continued rubbing his back, not sure what else to do but hold him.

“I don’t know what to do,” he said in a raspy whisper.

“Would you be able to sense it if it was nearby?”

Nemo pushed back from me and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, as if trying to dam the tears. When he let his hands fall, I reached out and used the sleeve of my hoodie to wipe away the remaining streaks on his cheeks.

“If I’m in the water, I can find it, like an invisible line I could follow to it. On land…I don’t know. I don’t have the same senses in my human form. Even in my hybrid form, the earth gives off very different vibrations than the sea. I’m not sure it would translate the messages sent to my brain in the same way.”

“Do you think it could be in the ocean? What if you change and go in the water?”

Nemo shifted his gaze to the calm water behind him. “I’m afraid of what will happen if I go in and I don’t feel it.”

“I’m right here. I won’t let anything happen to you. ”

“And if it confirms my shell is well and truly lost? What then?”

“I don’t know, little one, but whatever happens, you’re not alone. We’ll figure it out together.”

His small hand rested on my cheek. “Thank you. You are very kind, Cory.”

He turned and walked toward the water, removing his shirt along the way. At the edge of the water, he looked around before stepping out of his pants. Naked, he walked into the sea. I ran forward, splashing into the shallow water, and watched as he sank down into the water and several tendrils slapped against the surface. They were thin, snake-like, and there were more than I could count as he disappeared below the water. I would have been more intrigued if it weren’t for my heart lodged in my throat.

Again, I was left waiting, feeling helpless, but this time Nemo returned much quicker. Much paler. His brown hair appeared above the water. He gave a subtle shake of his head before flopping down, his head resting on his folded arms in the foot-high water, with his face below the surface.

I hurried to him, scooping him up. He was still in his hybrid form, his cirri formed below his waist and flowed from him like ribbons of flesh from the lower half of his body. It was a wonder to see him like this. I’d only gotten a tease with a couple of cirri in bed earlier, but seeing all of them was entirely different, each one flicking and moving on their own. Otherworldly, perhaps, but completely remarkable.

Strangely, they all seemed to react to my touch as they draped over my arm. Some danced over my skin, as if tasting me. A couple found their way beneath the bottom of my hoodie, wrapping around my waist. That mucus-type fluid they produced earlier when they’d locked onto my nipples released from the tips of some now, and I felt them grip my back and my belly. Being touched in so many places at once might have been alarming if I hadn’t been so concerned about Nemo. I didn’t mind it, though. It almost felt as if they were all seeking any comfort I could provide.

Nemo rested his cheek against my chest. I didn’t want to rush him, not while he was clearly trying to process the difficult news he’d had confirmed, but it was still daylight, and right now his cirri were on full display, beautiful and mysterious as they were. Anyone could come down those stairs or peer over the railing at the lookout point at any time. The last thing we needed was someone reporting the sighting or getting photos or videos. Nemo would never know peace again if he ended up on the internet.

I kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry, little one, but I think you need to change back. There’s no guarantee how long we’ll be alone here.”

“Yes. You’re right.” His voice sounded so much heavier than the light airiness it usually carried. From what I could see, his lower half was all cirri, no legs, so I couldn’t exactly stand him up. I lowered him to the sand and turned around to block him from view as much as possible, despite my curiosity to see his body transform.

It didn’t take long before he walked to my side, on two legs. I hugged him quickly before getting his clothes. Once he was dressed, he returned to my side, as if needing to stay as close to me as he could, much like his cirri, wrapping around my arm and waist.

“Why don’t we go back to my place and then we can figure out what to do next?”

He dipped his head, and I began moving toward the staircase. I hated to do it, but I had to let go of him in order to hold the railing for stabilization. Nemo moved like a zombie in front of me. Our ascension was much slower than when we came down the stairs.

When we reached the top, I pulled Nemo to me again. His arms hung at his side as he let me envelop him. “You can stay with me as long as you like.”

I had kind of assumed—or hoped—he would return with me anyway, but I needed him to know he wasn’t alone. He had somewhere to go, even if it wasn’t what he needed.

He let out a heavy breath and answered softly. “Thank you.”