#ormseries3

Will I ever stop imagining what if I'd done things differently and Will you find it a corner in your heart For me long after we part Funny how time doesn't care who we Love and who we wish we could repair So into this great unknown I will wander on my own

Y/N had never planned to be running from Atlantis. She hadn't meant for any of this to happen. She had just wanted to help the people in the lower city, the non nobility in Atlantis, to have a better life. How handing out supplies and funding small businesses to help them flourish became attempted murder she didn't know. But here she was, in her room at her mother's mansion, packing a small bag so that she could disappear.

She wasn't sure how a person's entire life could fit into a bag the size of small sea turtle but that's all she had. Into the bag went the mosaic of her father and she, when she was barely walking and he was still alive. They were poor, but they were happy. Then the plague came through, killing him in days and she was immune, meaning that her blood was noble. A DNA test later and it was discovered her mother was a councilwoman for King Orvax, so she was sent to live with her. Her mother didn't want her, Y/N was the result of a foolish night of 'slumming' as her mother said and her father had been so happy to have a daughter that, Roux Velix, never had to bother with the child again. But now she had to face her mistake and bring this child into her home. She put a smile on her face, making a story about Y/N being kidnapped by her father as a baby to save face, and welcomed the child like she was wanted.

Y/N put a bracelet into her bag next. The only gift that had been given to her in kindness, from the daughter of another council member, her first real love when she was a teenager. That had ended when her mother had found out, already having wild ideas about her marrying the prince, whom she had yet to meet. They fought, screaming at each other until Roux revealed that she had never wanted Y/N and that she wished that the plague had been made to kill anyone with low blood. Y/N had been suspicious of that comment so she started digging into what actually went on in those council meetings between her mother and the king. She was disgusted by what she found.

A flier for a meeting of the Atlantis for All activist group was slid into the front pocket of the bag. Y/N had snuck out in her early 20's, finally getting up the courage to seek out others with similar ideas, hiding under a maid's cowl, to meet with the small Atlantis for All group in the lower city. It had been cleared of the sickness that had taken her father by now, and this group had been operating for years, doing small acts of kindness for the low class Atlantians. When she arrived they didn't trust her, thinking she was coming in as a plant from the nobility to spy on them. It took a few years of hard work and providing funds from her mother's accounts before they really welcomed her. She bonded with one particular person, Aria, who soon became her best friend.

Finally she put letters into the bag. Letters between her and members of AfA, notes from Aria encouraging her to be her true self, things that made her feel happy and reminded her of the fun times she had before Hendrix arrived to begin tearing everything apart. Just as Prince Orm was readying to become king another member of the nobility had joined them. Y/N had never met him before but that didn't surprise her. Her mother didn't let her come to events where someone might ask her about her home life or her history, and she didn't seek out others in the nobility. The few times she had she had either gotten her nose or her heart broken. But Hendrix came in and he was charismatic, he knew how to make people believe him and even more, believe in him. Soon he was nearly running the show and he tasked Y/N with something so that they could protest the coronation of Prince Orm. She had to find out from her mother the route that the parade would travel that day.

"How did you know my mother was in charge of the schedule of events?" she had asked. She assumed he hated the nobility and despised Orm and what he stood for as much as she did, how could he even speak to enough of them to find out this information. He had smiled sweetly at her, and she couldn't lie, she had nearly melted at the attention. She loved when sweet, kind attention was given to her. She was going to soon realize that those who paid that kind of attention to her were just out to use her.

"We must know our enemy if we are to actually interact with them on their level," he said. "Most of you are lower city, those without noble blood, you were raised with them Y/N, I was raised with the royals. I have found that if I want to enact change I first have to understand what they are about. I spoke to several council members at the coronation announcement and was able to convince one to tell me some details. Please, just ask your mother. Once we know the route we can choose the best spot for our protest."

What an amazing liar Hendrix was. The AfA was planning a protest while Hendrix was planning an attack. What no one knew was that Hendrix himself was in line for the crown should anything happen to Orm and well, he always loved to put on a crown.

The parade had gone as it was supposed to, until they rounded the corner closest to the palace. The group was gathered, Y/N at the front with a projector, voice singing out a song of resistance, asking for equal rights for all. Hendrix was supposed to shoot off a cracker, bringing attention to the group. Then Y/N noticed that the canister was ramping up. It wasn't a cracker, it was an energy pulse. She grabbed it from him just as it shot off, barely missing Orm's head, instead hitting the back of the floater he was in, sending it spinning. She knew she had to run and just before the guards descended she and few others took off. She made it back to her room in minutes.

Now here she was, bag packed, ready to run.

She had no idea what to do once she got to the surface and was lucky that Aria had run early and had the sense to do some research before going to land. They met on the way to a small town in the state of Maine. Aria had the knowledge and Y/N had stolen enough from her mother that they were able to get fake documents and rent a duplex on the beach, rooming together for awhile before Aria found someone in town to love and marry. Y/N remained in the duplex overlooking the water. She knew that she probably would never be able to travel far from the rocky shore but she still wanted to see the ocean. She loved the sea and would forever regret what had happened.

For 10 years she settled into a life in Maine, opening a cafe, learning all she could about the surface, and continuing to try and help anyone she could. She had no idea that soon she would be forced back into the Atlantian world and would have to face the man she almost helped assassinate.

When everybody filled me up with pride I was only looking for a place to hide I am no statue or monument to raise But I try my best these days Funny how time doesn't mind who we Keep and who we bear to leave behind So into this great unknown I will wander on my own

Orm couldn't tell Arthur but he was going to miss him. He was going to miss his brother, his mother, his nephew, and especially his kingdom. He knew it wasn't his anymore, and he had been imprisoned for years, but in that time he had thought about everything he would do differently if he were able to go back, go make things right. Now though, he couldn't go back, not yet, possibly not ever. And that broke his heart.

He took some time, mostly walking up the east coast, still living in the ocean when he could, sleeping on beaches and in coves, still wanting to feel close to his home. He didn't bother much with the surface world, choosing instead to let his pity fester. He didn't want to be on the surface and as much as Arthur touted the pros of living on the land Orm didn't want to bother. It was after Orm started garnering attention on the surface news that Arthur finally had to come in and tell him he had to settle somewhere.

"I know you don't want to, you're restless, but that's making you conspicuous and since Atlantis has been revealed, people are traveling to the surface to explore. Someone is bound to recognize you if you keep making waves," Arthur said as they drove up the coast of Maine. He had said he found a place he could stay. It was near Tom's lighthouse and Atlanna had agreed that she would use part of the stipend she received for being the former queen to help fund Orm's needs. He didn't enjoy the idea but the king wasn't really giving him a choice.

"Making waves, funny," Orm grumbled. "So I am expected to live in this house? And what?"

"I don't know, read a book, watch some TV, you have a neighbor, meet them, make a friend, get laid, who cares? Just keep laying low," Arthur said, pulling up to a house that seemed split in two. There were two doors sharing a large porch, it was two stories, and to Orm's happiness at least, was boarding a rocky beach that allowed him to walk to the ocean if he wanted. "We got it furnished already, fridge is full, and I left information about places to eat and different sites you could visit." Orm got out of the truck and grabbed his bag, just a single backpack, and headed to the front door. Arthur let him know that Tom's lighthouse was only 10 miles north and he could go to them any time he needed anything and they would get Arthur. Orm waved back to the truck and watched it pull away.

He was about to enter his new home when the other door opened and a woman stepped out. He turned to look at her, not sure what he expected from this neighbor, but the look of surprise wasn't it. She recovered quickly and he decided to ignore it. He had probably made a similar face, considering his surprise at how pretty she was. He had seen pretty surface dwellers before, but not like her. Maybe she thought he was just as pleasing to look at. Arthur had said to get laid.

Y/N had covered her shock at seeing King Orm standing on her porch, apparently moving into the other side of the duplex, but she was still panicking inside. What was he doing here? What had happened that the man who's major selling point to the Atlantian people was how much he hated the surface world. She put on a smile, resolving that she would try her best to keep him from realizing that she was Atlantian and also keeping it secret what she had done, what she had been involved in.

I bring her coffee in the morning She brings me inner peace I take her out to fancy restaurants She takes the sadness out of me

Orm let out a breath, seeing it as it drifted into the snow-covered forest. It was getting dark soon so he better head back to the house. Everyone would be arriving soon, and he wanted some time to get ready. He piled the wood onto the sled and called for Rex to get moving. The Pyrenees barked and started walking back through the trees to their home. He unloaded the wood into the shed, grabbing a few for the fire and walked into the mudroom of the cabin. The wood went into the holder, his hat and gloves into the cubby and his coat on the hook. The dog ran deeper into the house, and he heard the joyous laugh of a baby and smiled. The mudroom led into the kitchen where Y/N was standing by the counter, decorating a cake meticulously.

“It looks and smells amazing,” Orm said, walking over and kissing her head. She took some of the frosting and made to let him lick it off her finger. He leaned in and she poked his nose with it instead, laughing.

“Your nose was red, wanted to give it a blanket,” she teased. He laughed, wiping his face and stealing the bowl of icing from her as revenge. “Orm! I cannot chase you in this condition!” she said, motioning to her stomach, just barely a bump showing. He set the bowl down again, but not before taking some and eating it. “Go see your son, get yourselves ready for the party.”

Orm headed into the living room and lifted his two-year-old son from the playpen, carrying him up the stairs. If you would have told Orm five years ago, but when he and Y/N took off from Maine in the night that he would be living in north end of Yukon Canada with a son and a daughter on the way he would he laughed. They had been so scared for the first year, moving at night, staying away from the water and major cities, not sure if Atlantians tourists would see them. They didn’t talk to anyone, dropping communication with Arthur, Aria, Atlanna, everyone. They were in Alberta, just roaming, when Y/N found out she was pregnant and they decided to find a place and settle, at least for a while.

They bought some land outside a small town and built a cabin, adding to it when they needed the room. Now it was just enough for them and their children, and Y/N even got to open another café in the town, becoming popular quickly since she was the only place to get decent coffee. Despite all their safety and happiness, they still wanted to see their family and friends again. Orm took it upon himself to get back in touch with Arthur and the others, inviting them to surprise Y/N with a birthday party. She still thought that evening was going to be just her, Orm, and Naut.

Orm put Naut, named for Y/N’s father, in the tub and helped him get cleaned up before dressing him in his pajamas. No reason for him to be uncomfortable when he was meeting new people.

“Play in your room while I get dressed ok?” Orm said, sending him off. He dressed and was just getting finished when Y/N came in.

“The cake looks great. Still don’t know why you requested so much, its just us,” she said, getting a dress on. No matter if it was just them, she still dressed up for birthdays, wanting to celebrate them as much as she could.

“That cake will be gone in the morning, and you know it, now we can enjoy it for a few more days,” he said, pulling her to him, kissing her softly. His hands drifted to rear, pulling her against him. “I know you just put the dress on…” he whispered, kissing down her neck. She giggled, pushing him back gently.

“You can rip it off me later alright?” she said, kissing him again. There was a knock. “Who…who is possibly here?” Orm shrugged and waited for her to turn before smiling. She went to get Naut, wanting him close in case whoever was at the door was a threat. Orm answered, smiling at his brother who pulled him into a hug instantly. He led them into the kitchen where Y/N waited, eyes filling with tears. Everyone filed in, Orm reuniting with his family and getting reintroduced to AJ and to Arthur’s other 2 children. Atlanna was holding one with Tom holding the other. Aria, Dean, and their child walked in after and looked at Y/N holding Naut still.

“O God, Orm procreated,” Aria said, leaning to Dean for drama. She ran over, hugging Y/N gently and looking at Naut. “He’s beautiful, so blond.”

“It’s a very strong gene that hair,” Y/N agreed. “This one will probably match.” She patted her stomach and Aria squealed. “Now, can everyone quiet down for a second?” The group looked at her. Orm smiled.

“I thought, it’s been long enough, our family should be able to see us,” he said, moving over to her. She nodded and looked at him.

“Thank you, this is great,” she said. He kissed her softly before letting Atlanna come over. Y/N gently handed Naut to her, telling him that this was his grandma. He seemed nervous but soon warmed to the queen.

“He looks just like Orm did at this age, is he trouble? Orm was trouble,” she said. Y/N nodded. Orm and Arthur stepped aside as everyone kind of sectioned off, finding food or exploring the cabin.

“I’m glad you called,” Arthur said. He watched as AJ and his other kids played with Aria’s child and Naut while Aria, Atlanna, Mera, and Y/N watched them from the couch. Tom and Dean were discussing the cabin, looking at the fireplace. “This is amazing, who knew my dick of a little brother would be capable of all this.”

“It wasn’t just me,” Orm said. “Y/N is what brought this about.” Arthur shook his head.

“It isn’t just her either. You were already doing the work, trying to be a better man. That’s why she chose you,” Arthur said. Orm nodded with a smile. He went to the stereo and turned on a song. Y/N looked up as he approached, offering her his hand.

“Care to dance?” he asked. She smiled wide and nodded, taking his hand. He pulled her close, hand to her waist, the other in her hand. “Does this make you happy?” She nodded, kissing him softly.

“Yes, this makes me happy, you make me happy.”

We’re breaking all the rules To find that our home Has long been outgrown Throw me a lifeline Cause honey I’ve got nothing to lose Once in a lifetime

“Why did you settle by the ocean if you’re so afraid of water?” Orm asked, sitting on the back porch with Y/N, watching the waves under the moonlight. She was strumming, singing one of her songs. He was starting to recognize them by now and he knew she sang this one because he liked it. She looked at him and shrugged.

“I used to love the water, felt free and happy in it,” she said. “I told you I was accused of something that I didn’t do. I do bare some responsibility for it though, even though it was an accident. Ever since then, I don’t want to go back into the water, but I can’t let myself forget that day. Part of me wonders if it was my fault.” She stopped strumming and set the guitar aside, wrapping a blanket around herself.

“Did you want someone to get hurt?” he asked. She shook her head. “Not your fault, you shouldn’t stay here feeling guilty. What I did…I wanted to hurt people, all of the pain I caused was because I was angry. You didn’t have that malice.” He looked at the water before looking down at his hands. She reached out and put her hand on his arm, instantly calming him.

“Do you remember feeling like that?” she asked. “Do you ever feel like that now?” He shook his head. “Have you tried to make things right?”

“Yes, I’m trying,” he whispered. She smiled at him and squeezed his arm.

“You’ll get there, let the guilt go, but keep becoming better. I’ll help you, we are better together,” she said.

Orm startled awake, the memory fading from his dream to his waking nightmare. He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep, sometime right before dawn. Last he remembered his mother and Arthur were still there making plans on finding some kind of proof of who tried to kill Orm. The footage was enough to clear Y/N of active treason, but she still could be held for conspiracy. Conspiracy to commit treason was a capital offense in Atlantis and she could still be executed if they didn’t find and get a confession from the culprit.

He was alone now with a note from Arthur that they had left to find proof in Atlantis. Arthur planned to talk to Hendrix and Atlanna was going to talk to Y/N. Orm went over to Y/N’s place. He hated to invade her privacy but maybe she had something. He started searching, trying to ignore that her bed was still unmade from where they had been together, her same clothes from her birthday on the floor around it.

“There has to be something,” he muttered to himself as he went through her closet. He moved some boxes out of the bottom and saw a small door, probably another small storage area behind the wall. He was able to pry it open and inside was a bag. He pulled it out and sat on the floor, looking through it slowly. He pulled out the mosaic of her and her father. It was cheap but well made, a product of the lower city where technology to film wasn’t as widely available. He set it aside carefully. Next came out a flyer for Atlantis for All, listing their goals as equal status, better living conditions, and fairness in the workforce. Orm remembered his father telling him that all those below the nobility were lazy, they just wanted people to hand them money and food without doing anything for it. At the time he had agreed, but this notice listed things that anyone would need to survive and thrive, which is what he thought his father wanted for all Atlantians. He set it aside also and pulled out a stack of papers. This was what he needed, letters to and from different people in AfA.

I work from morning until night, I never see my family, yet they still starve…

My mother died because we couldn’t get her a proper doctor, the nobility never have to worry…

My father died of the sickness King Orvax released when I was a child. King Orvax made me an orphan…

We can fix this. There is a way. King Orm’s coronation is on the first day of the Great Migration…

Here is what he needed. He read through the letter, it laid out a plan to protest, nothing else. They were to have Y/N sing, and Hendrix volunteered to bring the cracker. This was almost enough, but Orm needed something else. Aria was mentioned as one of the leaders of the group. He had to find her; she might have more proof.

Orm wasn’t sure where else to go so he went to the café. It was empty except for Y/N’s friends when he arrived. They were all glaring at him. When he walked in Dean came up and punched him in the face. It didn’t hurt, but Orm wasn’t expecting it and stumbled back a step. Dean was shaking his hand, wincing. He had probably broken a couple fingers. Aria pushed past him.

“Get out tyrant,” she demanded. Orm stood his ground. “We know you did something to her, no one can find her.”

“I didn’t do anything, but Hendrix took her back to Atlantis to face trial for treason,” he said. Aria froze.

“You’re lying, you gave her up,” she said, but her voice lacked conviction.

“If I gave her up I would be on my way to trial too. I’m a fugitive just as much as the two of you,” he said. “We need proof that Hendrix was the one who tried to kill me. I found a letter in her things with the plan for the coronation day, it says Hendrix was to get the cracker, but we need more than that, anything that makes it sound like he alone planned the attempt.” Aria was breathing deep, trying to remain calm.

“How do we know you won’t just take the evidence and destroy it?” Vincent called out. “What if you want to use her to get yourself pardoned?” Orm didn’t have time for this bullshit.

“Because I love her!” he yelled. “Because she is everything to me and I won’t stand by while they execute her. I can’t go back, no one will believe me if I say she is innocent, I’ll just get thrown in a cell next to her, but my brother is king. If I am able to get proof to him he can set this right.”

Aria watched his speech and nodded before motioning for him to come with her. She lived only a few houses down from the café and she also had a bag full of letters. She kept meticulous records and correspondence, including from Hendrix. Hours later she jumped up.

“I found something,” she said, setting the letter down in front of Orm at her kitchen table. By then everyone had joined them, watching. “This is from Hendrix, the day before the coronation. I think I received it by mistake. I never read it because well, I hated Hendrix and anything he had to say was worthless to me.” She pointed to a spot that clearly incriminated him.

“These people are idiots. They’re going to give me the crown and not even realize it. Tomorrow Orm will be dead and I’ll be king,” Orm read. This was perfect.

“Bless that asshole’s giant ego,” muttered Amanda from the couch. Orm stood and hugged Aria.

The whole idea of Halloween confused Orm to no end, but it was giving him the opportunity to see his mother and his nephew so he would go along with it anyway. They were going to come into town with Tom and Mera for a children's costume party at the local library so he figured he would join them, spend some time with people he cared about. However, he wanted to not be completely in the dark and being that he lived next to a surface dweller that seemed very willing to teach him about this world and didn't treat him like an idiot, he would ask Y/N about it. He stood in his bedroom, looking in his closet, debating what to wear to go knock on her door. Why was he doing this? He had no idea, but here he was debating between a black shirt and a blue one before finally settling for black. He headed down the stairs and knocked on the wall a couple times, their new way of announcing that they were going to come visit. He got a knock back and headed to her door. She was already there, wrapping herself in a sweatshirt.

"What's got you visiting me this early?" she asked. He frowned, looking at the sky and seeing that the sun was just starting to rise. "You're lucky I'm up early to check on the morning work at the cafe." He rubbed the back of his neck, blushing a little. She smiled at him. "Ok, out with it, what's going on?"

"Um, my family is bringing my nephew into town for the costume party at the library and well, being honest, my side of the family didn't do Halloween so I'm not sure what its all about," he said. Y/N nodded, once again being understanding about Orm's seeming lack of normal surface dweller knowledge.

"Come on in, I'll make some tea and give you a crash course," she said. Orm was nervous for a moment, having not been in her home yet. They mostly just sat on the back porch, or he would visit her cafe, never in each other's houses. He stepped in and looked around. It was a mirror of his place, entering the living room, open to the dining room and kitchen in the back, then stairs to the bedrooms. Where he had nothing really in his house, preferring to pretend that he was only there temporarily, she had decorated. It was sparse, but homey, with a few photos on the wall, a television (at least he assumed that's what it was called), furniture that looked lived in and comfy. She led him towards the kitchen where she had a mug out and water heating. She grabbed another with Justice League symbol on it and got some loose leaf tea ready. "Ok, so hit me with the questions."

"What is the point of this holiday?" he asked, taking the seat she offered him at the round table.

"Well back before there was candy involved it was believed that October 31st was the day the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest, so ghosts and spirits could freely walk among the living," she said. His eyes widened a little and she smiled, setting the mugs on the table and setting a timer for the tea to steep. "And some cultures still believe that. For some people the spirits of their family returning is a reason to celebrate, they make food, have parties and make offerings to their ancestors and its beautiful. Other people are frightened and wear masks to hide from the spirits. That's where the whole idea of trick or treating came from. People dress in costumes, go to houses and get candy." The timer went off and she poured them each a mug. "Anything else?"

"Why would the dead want to come back?" he asked. She laughed, but not in a mean way.

"Good question, the living world is a mess, why come back?" she said. "I guess if they felt something was unfinished, or maybe they miss their living family. I know I miss my father and wish his spirit could visit me sometimes." Orm looked at her, never hearing her talk about her father before.

"What happened to him?" he asked. She sipped her drink for a second, took a deep breath and he was worried he had stepped too far into her world with this. They kept each other at arm's length and he hated it, but he had been following her lead, maybe he had finally pushed her too hard.

"He died, when I was a child, sickness," she said finally. He felt a pang in his heart for her. Despite the fact that his father was a step down from a monster he still missed him sometimes, and he knew how it felt to watch someone you thought was immortal die slowly.

"I'm sorry," he said. She nodded, not looking at him. "I'm sure if his spirit could visit you he would." It felt lame, but it was all he had to offer in comfort.

"Thank you Orm," she said, smiling. He noticed that she again looked surprised by him. He wasn't sure of her experience with men before but it couldn't have been good with how shocked she was by him being the bare minimum of kind.

Y/N was constantly surprised by Orm's kindness. What she remembered of him was a narcissistic, nearly genocidal prick, not this kind, funny, almost humble person. Sure he still carried himself like a royal, but it was like he had been knocked around some too, the crown had a few scratches in it and it made it more interesting, more beautiful. She cleared up the mugs and looked at the clock.

"I have to get going, bring your family by the cafe later, I'll give your nephew a treat," she offered. It wasn't until she was at the cafe and starting to make something nice for the boy that she realized how dumb she was. Orm may not recognize her, but his mother might. She did mildly resemble her mother and she had met the queen a few times as a teenager. She could only pray that he chose not to bring them around.

Tom, Atlanna, and Junior arrived at Orm's home after lunch. The baby was nearly 2 now and he remembered Orm from the last visit, reaching out to his uncle excited when he saw him. He hated to admit it, but Orm adored the boy, despite him being the son of his idiot brother. He took the boy, noticing the costume.

"What is he?" Orm asked, the little regal costume confusing him. "And where is Mera?"

"He's prince charming," Atlanna said, "and Mera was called back to Atlantis, the council is trying to wrestle more power away from Arthur. They want to put forward demands of the surface and threaten war if they don't comply." That was concerning, the council still seemed to be annoyed that their king had revealed Atlantis to the world and wanted to get some vengeance against him.

"I hope they can squash that, although I don't hate the idea of forcing the surface to make some changes," Orm said, letting AJ down to walk around his place. "I know the party is soon, but could we stop by the cafe beforehand? My friend said she would have a treat for AJ." Atlanna perked up at the mention of a friend. Orm hadn't ever talked about anyone before, and never with that tone of voice.

"Friend?" she asked. Orm realized the can of worms he had opened with that statement and sighed.

"Yes, Y/N, she lives in the other side of the duplex," he said, trying to sound nonchalant, but the look in his mother's eyes told him he failed.

"Then let's go and meet this Y/N," she said, gathering up her grandson and husband.

The cafe was empty when they arrived, close to closing time and just passed a lunch rush. Y/N was behind the counter, looking like she had been busy that day. Orm smiled at her, liking when her hair was slightly messy and she smiled back. Atlanna frowned for a moment, trying to place the girl's face. Y/N looked worried for a split second before masking the face and going to the counter, pulling out a small box.

"Hey, you must be Orm's family, I'm Y/N, his neighbor," she said, coming around to the front. She saw AJ in Tom's arms and smiled big at him. "Aww, he's precious." She opened the box for him, showing a vanilla cupcake with a jack o'lanturn design on it. Tom thanked her and took the treat for AJ, getting him set up to eat at a table. Atlanna came up and greeted her, shaking her hand.

"You look familiar," she said. Y/N felt panic rising in her chest.

"Honestly, people tell me that a lot, I have one of those faces," she said, trying to sound relaxed. She hoped it worked. The queen seemed to buy it, just smiling and going to see AJ, making a mess of the table with the icing, Tom trying to clean up. "Don't worry about that, let him play, I have wipes for that."

"You look nervous," Orm said, standing next to her now. He could smell coffee and vanilla on her and it was intoxicating if he was honest.

"Well, they're your family, I want them to like me," she said. He looked at her, eyebrows raised a little. "What? I like to be liked." He chuckled, noticing her blush. He was watching Y/N and she was watching Atlanna, noticing her probing looks, still trying to figure out why she knew her. "I'm going to get those wipes, get ready for closing, just leave the mess when he's finished." She headed to the back, through a door to the back area. Orm frowned and looked at his mother, who shrugged and went back to AJ.

The party was fine, AJ got lots of candy and had fun with the other children. On the way home Orm sat in the back with the baby and heard a song play on the radio that he recognized from Y/N's concerts on the back porch.

"She's gonna save me, call me "baby" Run her hands through my hair She'll know me crazy, soothe me daily Better yet, she wouldn't care"

he sang to his nephew, who giggled at his uncle dancing and singing the backseat. Atlanna was watching through the rear view mirror the whole time and when she walked him to the door she smiled.

"You like her don't you?" she asked, nodding towards Y/N's door. Orm felt the red rush to his cheeks, but shrugged. "O, you really like her."

"Fine, yes, I do, I like her more than any other person I've ever met," he admitted. He had missed so much time with his mother it felt nice for her to needle him into admitting something like this. "But she seems to want to keep us as friends, which is fine, I'm happy if she's happy."

"You are so into this guy!" Aria laughed as she sat at her kitchen table with Y/N the day after Halloween. "What is his name again?" She was multitasking, feeding her infant. Y/N hadn't said his name, knowing that if she did Aria would know who it was. Orm wasn't exactly a common surface dweller name and Aria still had contacts in Atlantis, she had just been telling Y/N that the previous king Orm had escaped his prison cell and was presumed dead in some attempt to retrieve the Black Trident from the Lost Kingdom. Although, according to Aria, that sounded ridiculous, Orm was in hiding somewhere. And Y/N had paled a little, thinking about how he was in hiding, right next door to her.

"His name is Oren," she said, thinking as fast as she could. It could work, not like Aria was going to meet him any time soon if Y/N could help it. "He's from somewhere in Europe."

"Tell me more about him, I've heard he's hot, and that's he's funny, what else does he have going for him?" she pressed and Y/N regretted bringing him up. She hadn't meant to tell Aria, but she was her best friend and just like most best friends, she knew when Y/N was infatuated with someone and Y/N was bad at keeping secrets from her.

"Well, funny thing, you know who he reminds me of?" she said, figuring if she told her he reminded her of Orm maybe if they did stumble across each other it would set up the idea in her mind that he was some kind of surface dwelling doppelganger. Aria nodded for her to keep going as she spooned more baby food into her daughter's mouth. "King Orm actually, he's got the same exact kind of royal way about him. He also is blonde, sometimes things he's the greatest thing to happen in the world, and he's charming as hell." She had rambled a little more than she meant to and didn't realize Aria was now staring at her.

"If he's anything like that prick Orm you should leave him be, that asshole was a genocidal maniac who didn't care about anyone but himself and that stupid crown," Aria said, voice dripping with venom. Y/N bit her lip.

"I said he's like Orm, but he's also so kind and I can't imagine him being a genocidal maniac or not caring about others. He's been nothing but sweet to me and anyone I've seen him with. You should have seen him with his nephew yesterday, that man is nothing like Orm was," she said. Aria narrowed her eyes, assessing her friend for a minute before finally nodding and offering a small smile.

"Well, I hope he comes to your birthday party tomorrow, Dean would love to meet him," she said, looking a little guilty now. YN's eyes widened. Her party, at her house, that Orm would definitely notice, and be really hurt if she didn't tell him he could come. Aria was supposed to be there, but she had said only Dean, her husband, would meet him.

"Why is only Dean coming?" she asked. Aria sighed.

"The hospital had another flu breakout among the nursing staff, I've been called in for 3 12's," she said. "I'm sorry, I promise we got you an amazing present! And once I'm done with these horrendous shifts I will take you out for a proper fun time." Y/N nodded, putting on an upset face, but inside she was doing a cartwheel. If Aria wasn't there and Dean talked to Orm, then he could report back to Aria instead of her seeing him for herself. Dean had no idea who Orm was, he was a surface dweller who barely understood anything about Atlantis and honestly, didn't care to know once he heard how horrible they were to the lower city. She knew sooner or later Aria would meet Orm but she could warn her first, actually talk to her about him and tell the truth before then.

The day of her party, after getting the supplies and starting to make some of the food she had planned she walked to Orm's door, knocking on the wall as she went. She frowned when didn't answer so she went to the back porch and towards the water. He was swimming again, just a few hundred feet out and back. She took a deep breath, walking slowly down to the beach. She could stay on the shore, it was too cold for a human to be swimming, he would make the excuse he always did, he was used to these temperatures, family of swimmers, blah blah blah, a human would have been still suspicious, but she would pretend what he said made sense. She got to where the rocks started and stopped.

"Orm!" she yelled, hoping he heard her over the wind. He didn't seem to so she took a couple steps forward, heart starting to pound as she pictured a drop of water getting onto her shoes and somehow sending word to her mother that she was near the water, ready for capture. She knew how crazy that was but the fear in her mind didn't care. "ORM!" she yelled, this time louder, and with a little more panic in her voice. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She saw him freeze, looking at her. She wasn't sure what he saw but he swam, faster than any person would be able to, back to the shore, running over to her.

"Y/N, are you alright?" he asked. Orm had heard her voice, hearing thinly veiled terror in her tone. Then he saw the look on her face from the water, she looked pale, like she was going to pass out. He knew he had swam too fast, but he was worried about her, had to get to her as fast as he could.

"I'm alright, just scared of the water," she said, but he felt that was a lie. Why did she lie about the ocean? He couldn't understand it, but he would accept it. "Are you finished? I wanted to ask you something?" He nodded and she forced a smile. He took her arm gently and started to lead her back towards the house, seeing the worry melt away the further they moved from the sea.

"What's going on?" he asked once they were safely back on their porch.

"Well, um, I'm having a party tonight, its my birthday party and I wanted you to come. Its nothing big, just a few friends. We'll mostly eat, play some board games, nothing crazy," she said. Orm stared. The last birthday party he had been to was his 18th and that had ended terribly, he hoped all birthday parties weren't so bad. He swallowed the memories of that night down and nodded.

"Ya, I'll come, what time?" he asked. He had to know how much time he had to find her a present, if he knew one thing about birthdays here it was that gifts were required.

"At 8, and no gifts required, we're all saving for our own lives, so no one ever brings any," she said. He frowned, not liking that. She deserved a gift for just existing and making his world infinitely better over the last 4 months. He nodded anyway and smiled.

"I will see you at 8 then, now I'm going to shower, its freezing out here," he said, realizing he should have been shivering. Y/N just nodded, a knowing look in her eye that he could never place and headed inside.

Orm did in fact shower, go out to a small boutique in the town, and get ready all within the time frame and was knocking on her wall at 8 before heading to her door. It was thrown open by a strange man before Y/N pushed him out of the way to greet Orm. She came onto the porch, closing the door behind her, but he Orm noticed several faces peering out the front window.

"Alright, this is a little out of control, but um, I have never invited anyone outside of this little friend group to a party before," she said. Orm didn't hear her at first, staring instead at how beautiful she looked. She had dressed up in a green dress with blue pearl accents around the neckline, her hair was down and longer than he realized, and her face was made up in soft golds to bring out her eyes but not hide her freckles. She looked more amazing than any woman on land or in the sea. He shook himself and blushed a little. "They think we're dating but you know, I've been trying to tell them we're friends, but they, they don't believe me." She was blushing also, glancing from him to her friends and trying to wave them away from the window.

"It's...its fine, hopefully they like me," he said. They were friends, but were they? He knew he didn't feel like she was just his friend, he was starting to feel like she was more than that, more than everything to him. She nodded and then noticed the small bag in his hand. She took it gently as they walked inside.

"I said no gifts to him, I promise," she said, setting the bag down on a side table, out of the way and safe from the festivities. Her friends just smiled, all looking like they were anticipating something. Orm now understood the scrutiny he normally placed on others. They were watching his every move, trying to read how he felt about Y/N.

"Hi, I'm, I'm Orm," he said, unsure what else to do, he looked to his neighbor and she seemed to be coming out of a trance.

"Ya, um Orm, this is Vincent, his husband James, Amanda, her husband Nick, Colleen, her fiance Erin, and this is Dean, he is my friend Aria's husband. She's a nurse and couldn't be here tonight," she explained, going down the line. He noticed that her voice hitched a little when she spoke and Dean and Aria and Orm knew those were the ones he was trying to make a good impression on. The others all came over, introducing themselves and talking at once at him. He felt relief wash over him when Y/N suggested they play a board game, something called Horrified, and they seemed to lose interest in Orm.

The party was great, food amazing, music soft but still fun and celebratory. Y/N kept asking people to dance with her but no one did and Orm can see it was bothering her. He would have if Dean hadn't cornered him a little, asking him questions about himself and then dropping a bomb on him.

"Aria thinks you and Y/N should be together," he said. Orm looked at him surprised. "O come on, you are all Y/N talks about anymore and you haven't taken your eyes off her all night, you two should just kiss and get it over with." In that instant Dean reminded Orm a great deal of Arthur and he thought he much he wanted to talk to his brother. He never thought he would be wishing for Arthur's perspective on something but now he craved it. Arthur had dealt with all this before, the feelings, the desires, Orm hadn't really dated anyone ever. Mera was supposed to marry him, so he may have found someone to warm his bed from time to time he never had actually felt like this for anyone. He wanted to hear Y/N tell him her secrets, he wanted to taste her skin and her lips, he wanted to hear her laugh, wanted to feel her body against his, he wanted everything with this person. He didn't know how to react to that.

"Ya, well maybe," was all he could offer Dean, but the other man just smirked some and nodded, before saying goodbye to Y/N and heading out for the night. It was getting late and her friends were all starting to leave. Orm hovered in the background, getting glasses and dishes to clean up and find some time to be alone with Y/N. She got the last guest out of the door and turned to face him.

"Hi," she said softly, noticing he was still there. He set down to dishes he was carrying to walked over to the side table, getting the present.

"Would you like to open it?" he asked. She blushed and took the bag. She opened it slowly, inside was a necklace with a silver chain and a single pearl. She stared for a moment, mouth open a little.

"Orm, this beautiful, its too much, but thank you," she said. He smiled and offered his hands. She handed him the box and he took out the necklace as she moved her hair. He gently put it on her, fingers thrilling at the touch of her skin. He was tempted right then to kiss her before stopped himself. He wanted to know that she wanted to kiss him back, wanted to see it in her eyes first. He heard a song playing, soft and perfect for a dance.

"You said you wanted to dance, well, shall we?" he asked. He had never danced before on the surface but he had seen a couple movies, he knew the idea and he wanted to see her smile. She nodded, taking his hand and pulling him to the center of her living room. She put one of his hands her her waist, hers on his shoulder and she held the other. They started the song a foot from each other but as it progressed they moved closer until they were nearly nose to nose, whispering to each other about the party, about anything really.

She could hear the songs words and now was glancing from Orm's blue eyes to his lips. She noticed him doing the same and despite knowing that this would open her up more, would make her vulnerable, more than she had let herself be with anyone since she ran away from Atlantis, she nodded at him. He didn't need any other signs, leaning in and taking her lips with his. They had stopped dancing, now just in an embrace. Her hands went into his hair, his to her hips, pulling her even closer to him as his tongue pressed against her lips. She welcomed it, meeting him as they deepened the kiss. When they parted she took a deep breath.

I will not ask you where you came from

I will not ask and neither should you

Honey, just put your sweet lips on my lips

We should just kiss like real do

The first month Y/N and Orm only exchanged pleasantries when they saw each other leaving or entering their homes. A quick hello, or how are you, followed by a hasty exit that left Orm confused, what if he had caused her to dislike him, and Y/N worried, what if he became suspicious of her? Despite their meetings being quick and dismissive both found themselves fascinated by the other. Y/N would often stand in her bathroom upstairs, in the bathtub no less, discreetly watching Orm as he walked the beach, sometimes swimming despite the chill of the autumn weather. She envied him honestly, he must have been on the surface because he wanted to be for some reason. If he were hiding out here he would be too afraid to go into the water like she was. Either that or he was still just as self-centered as he was as king and didn't fear being caught. She hadn't stepped foot in the water for the last decade, afraid that somehow her mother would find her and drag her back for punishment for a crime she had tried to prevent.

Y/N thought she was being discreet but Orm could feel her watch him. What he couldn't figure out was why she wouldn't talk to him. She hurried through any interaction they had, putting as much distance between them as possible. He didn't think he had said or done anything offensive, mostly just tried to smile and be polite. It had worked with other surface dwellers, why not her? Could she sense he didn't belong here somehow? He pondered this while he swam in the shallows of the ocean, receiving strange looks from those walking by. He knew the weather was too cold for humans to be swimming but he needed to be in the water, feel a part of the sea at least for a little while during the day. And today was the day he was finally going to confront Y/N, at least so he could apologize for whatever he had done to make her dislike him.

Orm was just coming in from the beach through the back sliding door of the house when he heard Y/N returning home through the wall splitting the house. He waited for several minutes, getting dried off, before he approached her door, knocking. She peeked out of the peephole and nearly passed out. Why was he here? Had he seen her watching him and wanted to tell her off for being creepy? She took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hi," she said, trying to hide how nervous she was. Orm swallowed, almost forgetting the words he wanted to say. She looked like she had had a long day, hair in a messy ponytail and clothes wrinkled from whatever job she did. She looked like she had just gotten out of bed and the thought of her in bed almost made him blush.

"Hello, I just, I notice that you seem to run off at the sight of me and I am wondering have I...done something to offend you?" he asked finally, stringing a usable sentence together, much to his surprise. Whatever she had been expecting him to say, this was not it.

"O, um, no, I'm...I'm sorry," she stammered out, trying to think fast about why she was avoiding him. "Its just, strange man moving in next door to me, not the first time I've been polite to a neighbor and he has thought that I was flirting, I didn't want to, I just wanted to make sure you weren't a creep first before being nicer." Was that an explanation? Did those words even work? Orm drew his eyebrows together, thinking over her statement.

"I hope I didn't come off as a creep, I am not one I don't think?" he said, voice unsure. Y/N couldn't fight the smile that appeared, he seemed so sweet and genuine. He wanted her to think he was a good man, not someone to be afraid of. She took a deep breath and decided to give him a chance.

"No, you haven't, you've been perfectly respectful," she said. "I'm sorry for making assumptions but you can never be too careful can you?" Orm agreed and looked at the weather. It was overcast, but not rainy.

"Would you like to take a walk on the beach?" he asked. This was actually surprising. Y/N looked towards the back of the house, thinking about the rocks and the water and then Atlantis. Then she pictured a force arriving on the beach to carry her back to the kingdom for execution. She shook her head.

"No, but how about a walk to the park?" she asked. Orm nodded. "Give me 2 minutes to change my shirt, I just got off work and feel like I smell." She laughed at herself and Orm smiled, nodding.

While he waited he thought about the look she had on her face when she had looked towards the ocean. It wasn't boredom, or even nervousness, it was fear in her eyes. Was she scared of the water? If so, why live in this house where the waves sung him to sleep every night? What was she afraid of? He filed the question away to think about later as the door opened again and she came out in a sweater and her ponytail smoothed out.

"Shall we?" she asked, offering him her elbow. He looked at her for a second before she laughed. "Sorry, its the gentleman's job to offer his arm isn't it?" Orm cocked his head to the side before mirroring her move, sticking his elbow out. Now he wished that he had watched those movies that Arthur had talked about, maybe he would know what was supposed to happen with his arm like this. Then Y/N slid her arm through his and linked them together. Now he understood. And he liked it. They started off towards the small green park that was nearby.

"Its nice today," Y/N said, breaking the silence as they started to circle the fountain at the park entrance. "Cloudy, but the temperature isn't too cold yet. I'll bet we'll have snow soon though." Orm looked up at the sky.

"I've never seen snow before," he said. He knew about the weather pattern, water froze in the air and then fell lightly to the ground in white flakes, but he had never bothered to go see snow. He wondered if he would like it.

"A southern man, I see," Y/N said, stopping by the edge of the community garden. She walked over to the small patch she took care of, grabbing a small bit of weed that had popped up in the last day and tossed it aside. "That's my part of the garden, I grow some vegetables."

"I've never gardened before either," Orm said. As they walked he was realizing he hadn't done a lot despite being on land for almost a full year now and wondered if he should start actually trying to live instead of just hide here. He shook the thought from his head and looked back at his walking partner. "So, you just got off work, where do you work?"

"I own a cafe in town, little place that's open for breakfast and lunch," she explained. "You should come by sometime, could always use more customers." She nudged him with her elbow, making her own heart skip a beat and deciding maybe it wasn't a good idea to walk with him, be this close to him. But he was like a magnet for her and she had spent so much time trying to fight speaking to him, it had been exhausting. They could be friends.

After the walk, for two months they had small talk. Nothing too deep, just general things they liked and disliked, some bland stories from their past that could easily be pulled from almost any surface dwellers memories. They walked in the park a few days a week and despite either of their best interests they were starting to really enjoy each other's company. Y/N loved to hear Orm's laugh and see his smile. Orm liked how the sun made Y/N's eyes a deeper color, but how the rainy days brought out her silly side, splashing in puddles or swinging at the vacant, soaked, playground. These walks were Orm's favorite times of the week, but after tonight he would have another favorite to add.

It was late, after midnight, and Orm was barely dozing, a nightmare waking him over and over. One would think the nightmares he had would be about his imprisonment, or the attempted assassination from his coronation day, but no, the nightmare's were about his father on his 18th birthday. His party had just ended, and it wasn't much of a party, more a show where his father could pretend to be so happy and proud of his soon-to-be king son. They had known his father was sick by then, would be dying within the next few months, so he had thrown Orm a grand bash to remember him by. Orm couldn't recall a single thing about the evening until he was saying goodnight to his father at the door to his room.

"You ate still an embarrassment," Orvax had said, looking Orm over. He was wearing his finest armor but still felt like a child playing knight and his father knew it. "Your reign will be the worst of any of the Atlantian kings and I hate that my child is going to be the greatest disappointment in the history of the sea." Then his father went into his room and died that very night.

Orm had spent the next decade trying to prove his father wrong. He knew he had, he knew now that Arthur being king was the greatest thing that could happen to Atlantis, but there was still a part of him that felt the pang of guilt and shame of being exactly the disappointment his father knew he was going to be. He woke up with the shame swimming in his body, but this time he heard something outside. He stood, throwing on a shirt as he ventured downstairs. The sound wasn't threatening, it was, music. Y/N was outside on the back porch playing...guitar...that was the word, and singing. He thought he recognized the voice but couldn't place where from. He opened the sliding door to the back quietly, wanting to listen. She was seated on a wicker rocking chair facing the ocean, strumming as she sang to the sea.

Orm must have made a noise because the song stopped and she turned, looking at him. He blushed, feeling caught peeking into something he wasn't supposed to see. After a moment though, she smiled and waved him out. He closed the door and moved to sit on the other wicker chair out on her porch.

Oh, mirror in the sky

What is love?

Can the child within my heart rise above?

Can I sail through the changing oceans tides?

Can I handle the seasons of my life?

"I hope I wasn't keeping you awake," she said, still strumming softly. Orm watched her fingers, shaking his head. "I can't sleep either. What's got you awake, if you don't mind me asking."

"My past," he said softly. She nodded, seeming to understand. "You?"

"My past," she mimicked his voice before laughing. Orm chuckled. It must have been the sound of the waves or the sight of the stars because Y/N decided then to trust Orm with a little more of herself. "I was blamed for something that I didn't do, but because of me it was still able to happen. Someone almost died, so I ran. I couldn't live at home anymore, seeing what my foolishness caused so, here I am." Orm looked at her and sighed. "What? Same thing for you?"

"Worse," he said. Her eyebrows shot up. "I also did something foolish, and well, I was high on who I was, the power my name afforded me, and I did hurt people, almost killed my own brother. He forgave me, taught me a hard lesson in the process, and now I just want to figure out who I am without that world, without that power." Y/N reached out her hand and set it gently on his.

Around the 7th step Orm couldn't stop himself, pulling Y/N back to him, and doing a sort of double walk with her up the rest of the way, kissing at her neck as he went. She tasted amazing and he wanted to savor every part of her. She guided him to her room and he stopped her just before her bed, one arm holding her firm around the waist while his other pulled up her skirt, fingers sliding into her underwear and feeling at her core. She moaned as he started doing circles around her clit, head falling back to him. Before he got too involved he wanted to hear her fall apart, and when she moaned out his name he wanted to hear it again and again. Her face turned and she kissed him before she had to stop, focusing on the feeling of his fingers dancing over her.

"Do you like that?" he whispered, teeth grazing her earlobe before biting it softly. She said his name again.

"Yes," she finally said, then she let out a soft cry and he could feel her shutter. She panted as he brought his fingers to his lips and tasted her. She tasted amazing and he wanted to taste her more, but he knew he couldn't hold out for that long. Once she had a moment to come down he turned her to face him. She wasted no time in pulling his shirt over his head, kissing down his chest and undoing the top of his jeans. Y/N wanted to have some fun with Orm like he had with her so once he was out of his pants she took his cock into her mouth, licking the underside before taking him fully in. He groaned out loud, a hand tangling into her hair.

"Y/N, I want you," he whispered, hearing the begging tone in his voice. He glanced down and she smirked up at him and he nearly released in that moment, but thankfully she stood up and he pulled her dress over her head. She took care of her underthings herself, beckoning him towards her bed. What had started as hot and fast had slowed now, just a little. Orm was going to take his time now, despite wanting to take her as fast as possible. She laid down and he started to kiss up her leg, exploring with his lips and tongue, fingers inching up with him as he climbed up her body. He met her core and he couldn't help himself as he dove in, licking a few times, hearing those sweet noises again before he pulled back. She looked down at him, her fingers toying with her nipples as he watched for a few moments.

"Please..." she whispered, clearly wanting him to continue. It was his turn to smirk, shaking his head as he moved up her body more, moving one of her hands as he kissed at her breast, taking her nipple into his mouth and sucking it gently before licking it and moving to give the other the same treatment. By the time he kissed her again she was wrapping her legs around him, trying to guide him into her.

"How do you want to do this?" he asked. He wanted her to enjoy this, wanted to make sure she remembered this night forever. She thought for a second before she pushed him onto his back and climbed over him. He held her hips as she moved into place, sliding onto him and letting out a content sigh as he filled her. She put one hand to his chest, the other to her headboard as she started to move to him. He watched her for a few moments, relishing in how she felt on top of him. Him giving control to someone else wasn't something he was used to but he thought he might have to do this more often. She started to move faster as she came closer to another release. He sat up some, arm holding him up as he kissed at her breasts again, nipping the skin before she pushed him back and kissed him. He moved his hand, sliding it between them to find her clit again, circling again, knowing it was still sensitive from his previous touches. She moaned into the kiss, pulling away to pant and call his name. She cried out and froze for just a moment, enjoying the high she had hit. A few more thrusts and he released also, gripping her close to him as they came down.

"That was...amazing" she said softly, climbing off him. She went into the adjoining bathroom, throwing him out a hand towel before closing the door to clean up herself. He sighed a little and laid back, not bothering with his clothes again. She came out a little bit later and climbed into bed naked next to him. They should have been tired but Orm found himself awake, thinking back to every moment of that day and committing it memory. "Orm?"

"Hmm?" he asked, looking at Y/N on his chest. She looked up at him, those eyes melting him. He couldn't stop himself, he kissed her again and she laughed, pushing him back gently.

"I want to ask you something," she said. He sat up a little, adjusting so she was using him as more of a pillow. "This was the best birthday I have ever had, so I was wondering, what was your best?" He froze, not sure how to answer. He looked down and then at her.

"Honestly? I've never really had a good birthday," he said. She looked shocked. "I know, well I might have had good ones before my mother was...left for a bit, but my father wasn't a very kind man and he didn't really think birthdays were anything special. In fact, he died on my 18th birthday, after informing me what a disappointment I was." Y/N sat up more, looking at him very serious now. "What?"

"You don't believe him right? You know that you should be proud of yourself?" she asked. He stared back at her before looking away. In truth, no, he wasn't proud of himself. Not after what he had done without any consideration for others. And if Y/N was honest with herself she knew he probably wasn't proud of himself. She remembered the destruction he caused five years ago, but she couldn't believe that this Orm was that person. He wasn't, he couldn't be.

"I am working on that," Orm finally said. Y/N nodded and yawned. He smiled at that. "Come on, get some sleep, and happy birthday." They snuggled down ins't bed and he kissed her head as she drifted off on his chest.

In the morning Orm woke up alone, still naked, but hearing some music from the kitchen. He got up, sniffing a little, whatever Y/N was making smelled amazing. He found his clothes, sliding them on and heading downstairs. He was quiet as he approached the kitchen, leaning on the dining table as he watched her sing and dance as she cooked.

I wanna play where you play with the angels I wanna wake up with you in tangles I wanna cut to the feeling, o ya, I wanna cut to the feeling

She turned then, holding a plate of pancakes and another of bacon. She stopped and laughed, blushing that he caught her. He walked over, taking a plate and carrying it to the table.

"Did I wake you? I wanted to finish before you got up," she said, getting some OJ and silverware. He got cups and set them out and noticed how strange yet wonderful this felt, setting a table with her, being here with her in the morning after holding her all through the night. He wanted to do it all again tomorrow, and the day after, and then another day. He never wanted it to end.

"You didn't wake me, but you didn't have to do all this, I have been living off of Fruit Loops honestly," he said. She laughed and gave him some pancakes and bacon. "Do you have work today?"

"No, I'm free, took it off because who wants to work around their birthday?" she said. Then she looked at him. "When is your birthday?"

"In a few months, after the new year," he said, waving it off. She still stared at him. "January 12th." She nodded, satisfied.

"I will be sure to repeat last on your birthday, only you will get all the fun," she said. Orm felt himself heat at just the thought of another night like the last one. "Which, just so you know, last night was probably the best sex I've ever had." Orm felt himself flush with pride.

This could be the end of everything So, why don't we go somewhere only we know?

Orm was standing on the beach, watching something floating towards the shore. His heart sank as it got closer. It was a body, Y/N’s body. He moved, picking her up and carrying her up to her chair on her porch, setting her down.

“Y/N?” he said, shaking her gently. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him.

“Why did you do this?” she asked. Orm frowned. “Why didn’t you save me?” She closed her eyes, and he knew she was gone.

“I tried…I tried…I tried,” he repeated, falling into her lap as he sobbed.

“Orm, wake up!” Atlanna said, shaking her boy. He woke, sitting up from the bed he had in the lighthouse. He was pale, stomach turning. Aria was standing in a corner, eyes fixed on him. “It was a nightmare.” His mother held his face, leaning her forehead to his like she did when he was child.

“I can’t save her. I can’t do anything,” he whispered. Atlanna shook her head. “Mother, is this what it felt like? When you had to leave here? Everything feels like its ending.”

“Yes, that’s what it felt like to leave Tom and Arthur…but that’s also what it felt like when I was forced to leave you,” she said. Orm looked at her. He knew her banishment to trench was forced by his father, but he always figured she hated being in Atlantis anyway, hated his father, hated him, so death might have been a relief. He never imagined leaving him had hurt her like this. He took a breath.

“Did you talk to her?” he asked her. She nodded.

“She told me to tell you she would see you again, but not just on Halloween?” she said, not sure still what Y/N had meant. Orm smiled. She planned on coming back to him alive and well. Her confidence made him feel better. “I’m glad you know what she meant.”

“What are you doing about actually freeing her?” Aria asked from her post by the window. “Or are you just leaving her there to stew for awhile?” Atlanna frowned and looked at the girl.

“Why would we leave her?” she asked. Aria swallowed. “I know that in the past the royal family have not treated those they deemed below them well, but Arthur is not that kind of king, he is a better king.”

“Ya, that bar was really low…” Orm said to himself.

“Be that as it may, we have put in the evidence that she was not involved with the assassination, and that it was Hendrix looking alone. We should not only be able to clear her name but the rest of the Atlantis for All members that are currently in prison still waiting punishment. And you Aria, will also be cleared,” the queen explained. “There is one final piece we need. Y/N is going to talk to Hendrix and get him to confess.”

“Why would he even talk to her?” Aria asked.

“He will have to, she is going to be put to death and her last request will be to speak to Hendrix,” Atlanna explained. Orm’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean she’s going to be put to death?” he demanded, the dream coming back to him. Her body, cold, lifeless, him just standing by as she passed on.

“It is the only way to force Hendrix to speak with her. He must answer her last request. Her death sentence is not official, but he doesn’t know that. We are going to record him. She says she learned from Aria how to get him to say things he shouldn’t,” Atlanna explained further. Aria smiled, proud of her friend. She looked up, hearing AJ crying from his room. “I will be back, don’t worry my son, you will see her again.”

Aria watched her leave the room before looking at Orm. She was trying to figure him out. He wasn’t like she expected, how was this guy, a crying mess at the thought of a single woman being in danger, the same man who had killed hundreds just a few years ago without batting an eye?

“You can say it you know,” Orm whispered. “You can say it should be me, that I’m a coward and I should be going back to Atlantis, demanding her freedom in exchange for my head. I don’t deserve her; I don’t deserve to be free after what I did.”

“I have thought that many times since she was taken, but that’s not what I was thinking now,” she said. She moved to sit next to him, playing with her rings. “I was thinking that she saved my husband on the day of that tidal wave. She used her power, exposing herself to possibly any Atlantian that could have been around, someone who could have reported her, but she saved him because she knew I loved him. And now she’s in love with you, the person who caused all that pain. I was thinking, I should be watching you hurt with joy but I can’t.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Because she loves you, and she’s happy with you. You haven’t redeemed yourself for your crimes but you’re starting and that is important,” she said. “She will be back with you soon and you better spend the rest of your life showing her that you can be better than you were.”

“Don’t worry, I’m never going to be less than she deserves,” he said. Atlanna came rushing into the room.

“Hendrix is gone. Aria, go back to the house, see if he goes there, I’ll find him in the water,” she instructed. They were gone and Orm had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Hendrix arrived at Y/N’s cell, ready to grant her last request. He had no idea why she would ask for him, but he couldn’t refuse. He was ready, the letters and the video made him look bad and he had started planning his escape as soon as he left the king’s office. He was going to break Arthur by killing his family, before returning to the throne room with Orm’s body, proving the king was a liar and hid the tyrant. Then Hendrix would be king, and things would change.

Y/N was humming to herself when he arrived. Poseidon’s blood, he hated her obsession with music. She sounded terrible and she didn’t care. How could she not care?

“What did you want terrorist?” he asked, standing before her. She stood and looked at him.

“Is this what you wanted? The death of anyone who would actually stand up for the rights of the lower city?” she asked. He rolled his eyes.

“You are such an idiot, no one cares about you, this is about me. You are just a pawn in this game, a sacrifice to be made. Once you are dead I will find Aria now that I know she’s alive and…” he stopped talking. This wasn’t right. She looked smug, like she knew something he didn’t. She was trying to trap him. He stormed forward, hands padding over her clothes. She cried out in surprise, but he found what he was looking for, strapped to her back.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he ripped the recorder from her skin. She cried out in pain, and then again when he hit her with it. Her cheek started bleeding and he smirked.

“You think you are so clever, trying to trick me into saying something I shouldn’t” he taunted. “I am not an idiot Y/N.”

“You’re not as smart as you think Hendrix. Everyone can see what you’re doing. You are sloppy, you’ve always been sloppy. Mailing letters to people without checking who is receiving it? Not disguising your pulsar enough so I didn’t see it before you killed the king? Now even, you openly show your hatred for the king, rumors spread that you actually tried to poison Orm several times when he was ruling. You are an insignificant little person who thinks he deserves to be king…” she stopped when he hit her with he recorder again. She was knocked to the floor, staring up at his enraged face.

“I AM GOING TO BE KING!” he screamed. “My plan to kill Orm was perfect. I got you to tell me the parade route using sweet words, because you have always been craving someone to be a good daddy for you…and maybe I would have done that if you had let me kill that bastard. None of you knew because I was so good at hiding it! And poisoning Orm? Would have been simple if he wasn’t so paranoid of his stupid brother coming to usurp him. Then Arthur…what a joke. He thinks his family is safe in that lighthouse? Just wait until you’re dead, then I’ll kill them all and I WILL BE KING.” He stormed out the door and Y/N smiled as she called the guard.

Arthur took the holodisk and went to the council. The confession was enough to get the guard out to arrest Hendrix on not only one count of treason but several. Y/N was released and taken to Arthur’s office where a doctor cleaned up and bandaged her cuts.

“I can go home now,” she said. Arthur nodded. Guards came running into the office.