A Triton's Siren

|| Cole & Benjamin

"Really?" Astrid gasped. "As am I!" Her lips quirked into a frown as he said he didn’t sing. "Ah, alright. Maybe you could try singing with me sometime?" she smiled hopefully, the upset expression quickly leaving her face. She was never one to remain saddened for long. "Sorry, where are my manners? I’m Astrid, Astrid Triton. And you are?"

A small smile flashed across his face for a second at her excitement before it dropped almost as soon as it appeared. "I don't think that can happen. I'd be up to anything else though." Wringing his hands absentmindedly, Cole thought about it for a second. "Cole. Cole... um... just Cole."

Astrid looked up at him as he stood, chewing her lip softly in thought. “Cole?” she hesitated, unsure of why she bothered. “Sweet dreams.”

Watching her curiously when she said his name, Cole smiled faintly before nodding. "Sweet dreams, Astrid. Make sure they're the ones that come true."

"Oh?" her face lit up, "Where are you from? Have you ever tried to sing?” she smiled excitedly. Astrid adored singing - there wasn’t a doubt about it. If anyone even mentioned being able to maybesortakinda sing, she automatically wished to hone and listen to  their abilities.

"Denmark," he stated simply, now feeling shy once again as he felt like he was saying too much. He remembered what his brother had done when he tried to tell him about themselves being twins and he was just hoping that his sisters were going to be better about it. "No. I don't sing."

Astrid mumbled an embarrassed “thank you” as he wiped her face. She noted him sliding away and frowned slightly, but decided not to push it. After all, he had just stumbled upon a crying girl he didn’t know very well. She figured Tobias would’ve acted the same way. “Everything’s better,” she confirmed with a wobbly smile. 

Nodding once again, Cole stood up and held his hands behind his back tightly. "That's good. I guess I should leave then, right? You probably want to go back to bed..." tightening his shoulder muscles, Cole rocked on his feet before dropping his shoulders and letting out a breath.

Astrid beamed at his feedback. “Lovely! Thank you kindly.” She surveyed his face briefly, pondering as to why he was in the music room. “Do you play? Sing, maybe?” she wondered curiously, tilting her head. 

Nodding in returned, Cole thought of his reply a little as he was unsure if he wanted to keep it simple or give her a little information. Choosing the latter, he shook his head before continuing with "no, I don't but I've heard other people sing. People where I'm from."

Astrid wiped her wrists underneath her eyes to get rid of any leftover tears and let out a slight laugh. “No more crying,” she nodded. 

Cole nodded before wiping a spot she missed and sliding away from her a little out of habit. He wanted to be close to her as he knew she was his sister but he was raised by a different family; one who wanted her and their siblings gone. "Everything's better?"

Astrid laughed. “Not the lyrics, silly. I like being a girl, thank you very much. How were the singing and the piano-playing? I know I added a few riffs in there that probably sounded awkward and over-done but-” she clamped her mouth shut, ending her rambling. “Um, sorry. I get carried away,” she explained sheepishly, eyes downcast.

Smiling slightly, Cole pulled his chair closer but still, was at a distance. "You have a high voice. Really high. But those low parts- or quiet parts- they were nice in there too. The piano was good. No mistakes I think." He really didn't know what he was talking about. Not one bit.

"I know," she mumbled. It felt real. She lifted her head, sniffling. “I’m sorry for ruining your shirt,” Astrid mumbled, eyes a bit red and cheeks shining but no more tears falling. 

Looking down at his shirt, Cole shrugged and took his arm off of her almost instantly after she moved and placed his hands in his lap. "I have more. Are you better now? No more crying or anything like that?"

"M-Melody and Toby a-and Isabelle and Arun and-" she cut off, eyes shutting tighter. Her breathing began to settle, cries coming out in soft heaves of air. "They d-died and I didn’t."

Isabelle? "Hey, uh, you know nightmares don't come true right? Only dreams and wishes and, uh, I think other things but nightmares don't so they're all safe."

Astrid automatically leaned in to the embrace, touch always being something that calmed her down. She buried her face into his shoulder, trying to steady her breathing as best as she could. “Th-they died a-and I,” she hiccuped, trying to convey her nightmare. It was three am; she didn’t even remember when she fell asleep in one of the many parlors or why she was there in the first place.

Awkwardly rubbing her shoulder, Cole kept his eyes off of his long lost sister in fear that he would catch her staring for too long and stiffened when she talked about dying. "Who died? You don't have to say who; I'm just curious, sorry. I'll shut up."

Cole bit down harshly on his lip and went against all his thoughts as he wrapped his arm around her lightly. "Come on. You can. Just-  uh-  breathe."

"Don’t leave! I need someone to tell me how this sounds," she testing a few notes on the grand piano.

"A-Alright..." Cole slid his chair a little closer but was still a great deal away from her. "I've barely heard a piano so you might want someone elses judgement afterwards."