Chapter Text
Marinette sighed from her spot in the cove. Eros had left her and the other naiads waiting for him while he went to get more arrows from his mother. They had been at their game for hours when he ran out. Match the mortal was one of their favorite games, watching mortals go about their days and then fall in love was a beautiful way to waste away a whole day.
“Marinette, are you paying attention?” Alya asked her. Rousing her from her daydreams.
“What did you say?”
“I said, did you see the ship coming this way?” She pointed out to where a large ship was indeed coming towards them.
“We should probably hide.” Marinette looked around to see her friends still lounging on rocks and playing lutes. She whistled loudly, getting their attention. “Ship coming!”
That got the others into motion and they all got back into the water. Marinette hung back keeping an eye out for Eros, he would be back any moment and it wouldn’t do for him to be caught unaware by the mortals.
The ship made it to the shallow waters and set anchor. A couple of men started lowering a boat from the side and Marinette watched them as they got into it. Eros still hadn’t -shown back up and she was getting nervous.
“Stay on the ship, I’m going to go ashore and see if we can trade with some of the locals.” One of the men was instructing the others.
Marinette saw as he and one other man got into the boat. The man giving instructions was tall and broad. His black hair had a little white upfront like he had been through some trial. The red-headed man next to him looked mischievous. His eyes were apparently sharper than she thought because he said something to the first man and then they were both looking at her.
Marinette‘s eyes widened and she dove under the water. She was in the guise of a normal girl right now. But it would still be bad if they caught her.
Marinette waited under the water watching the two men. She looked past them and saw that Eros had returned. He took one look at the boat and then smiled and winked at her.
She got the worst feeling about what was going to happen next and then she watched Eros notch an arrow.
When he loosed it into the tall man’s chest she almost lost it. Then the man was falling out of the boat into the water.
Marinette used the currents to help her swim to him as fast as she could. She wasn’t going to let a man die just because Eros was playing games. She got to the man and then paused when she saw him looking at her.
“Hello,” he said, easily standing there at the bottom of their little cove.
“Uh… hello???” Marinette stayed back watching him carefully. “How are you doing that?”
“You’re a naiad right?” He asked and she backed away a little. “No wait, please don’t leave.”
He took a step towards her and she stilled. “Who are you?”
“My name is Jason. I’m a son of Poseidon. My friend Roy up there is a son of Apollo. We don’t mean you any harm.”
“You’re demigods?” Marinette got closer.
Jason smiled. “Yeah, see I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Why are you here?” She asked, getting closer.
Jason took a step towards her again. “I’ve been looking for someone, and until I can find him I’ll keep looking.”
“Who is it?” She asked softly.
“My older brother. He’s lost somewhere out here.” Jason looked sadly towards the ship. “We got separated and I’m still looking for him.”
“How do you know that you’ll find him?” She asked.
“I don’t. But I won’t stop trying until I do.” Jason took another step toward her. “If you’d help, maybe I could go home sooner.”
“How could I help?” Marinette asked.
“You’re a naiad, that means that you can talk to the fish. Maybe they’ve seen something or know something about his disappearance.” Jason looked around. “Maybe you could keep an eye out for me?”
Marinette nodded. “How do I find you again if I have news?”
Jason held up a mirror. “This was given to me by a goddess, she told me that it would help me in my time of need. Maybe she meant you. I don’t know why but I feel compelled to give it to you.”
She approached him and took the mirror. “You’re so trusting, why?”
Jason gave her a soft smile. “Because pretty girls with kind eyes have never steered me wrong.”
“Do you flirt with every naiad you see?” She asked cocking a hip to the side.
“Don’t know, never met one before you.” He answered smoothly.
“Well, I hope you don’t make it a habit then.” She winked at him. “My sisters and I talk, and we’ll know.”
“See ya around, pretty girl.” He looked up and started to swim.
“Marinette,” she called after him.
“Huh?” He turned his head to look back at her.
“My name, it’s Marinette.” She smiled and swam up to get close to him. “Here, take this.”
She handed Jason a seashell and he looked up at her face. “What is it?”
“It’s a sand dollar.” She laughed.
“No, I see that, but why?” He asked.
Marinette leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “You’ll figure it out.”