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Nerida gently removed the record from its sleeve and placed in on the player. She lowered her head till it was level with the black disc and placed the needle on it. For a couple of moments, scratchy silence filled the room, and she winced. Clearly, the perspective change didn't help her with eliciting sound. Nerida re-examined the grooves, taking her best guess at which would contain her husband's favorite song.
Ray collapsed onto a wooden chair in the kitchen, letting his crutch clatter to the tiled floor beside him. He glanced down at it for a moment, not bothering to prop it up correctly. They'd honorably discharged him from the war, and while that was far better than some 'noble' death, he couldn't say that he was thrilled about it. Exhaustion colored his features, and he allowed his eyes to close for a brief couple of seconds.
"Music is the last thing I want to hear right now," he murmured, voice barely audible over the record's static. "I'm headed to bed soon, probably. Don't worry if you can't get it to work."
"Come on, dear. We haven't danced in ages."
"I'm not much of a dancer. Got two left feet, practically." Ray shone a smile her way, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. He dipped his head down as he traced the grooves of the wooden table with his finger, struggling for words.
Nerida placed her hand over his and with her other cupped his chin, making him look at her. "You remember when I told- well, more like showed you I'm not human, right?"
"Yeah, that's… that's not exactly something you forget."
"Oh, I thought maybe you didn't remember when I grew scales and fins," Nerida said sarcastically.
Ray laughed, and his eyes lit up. Nerida almost wanted to say it again, or tell some bad human joke she's heard, or make a funny face. She'd do anything just to hear that beautiful sound again, anything to make him crack a smile. She could hardly remember the last time she saw that expression on his face, heard that laughter of his fill the room. Ever since they'd moved to Columbus — the only city Ray had ever really called home — he'd been all forlorn expressions and stoic silence. The strapping young soldier who'd charmed her with a Sinatra ballad and tales of his hometown heroics had practically vanished between them since he'd gotten back.
"Well, I didn't tell you that with every step I take on land, it will feel as though I am stepping deeper and deeper into knives."
Ray looked up sharply, turning his head to look at Nerida. She smiled softly. He didn't glance down to her legs, for he knew too much of burning gazes on legs as it was. He opened his mouth, searching for the right words, but closed it after only a few seconds.
"Into knives?" He nervously raked a hand through his hair. Ray's chin dipped towards his chest, and he shifted uncomfortably. If he could get out of the room without the hassle of his crutch and the staircase, he probably would've. "Crap, I… I shoulda… you shoulda said somethin'. I wouldn't have made you stand all that time, then."
"Ray, I was a nurse." His brows furrowed, and he opened his mouth in an attempt to protest but Nerida held up a finger. "And I chose that for myself. Okay? I wasn't forced or coerced, and I wasn't made to do anything! I danced with you because I wanted to.
"Besides, I wasn’t always as good of a dancer as I am now, Ray. I wasn't always able to walk on two legs. I understand what you're going through, and I'm here to tell you it gets better. Sure, maybe the pain doesn't stop, and you can't always stand upright," she drew a hand down his cheek to his shoulder, "but it gets better."
"Alright, you got me," Ray said, putting his hands up in mock surrender. He flashed her a half-smile flooded with warmth and affection, and he glanced over at the record sleeve she'd so carefully propped up. A waltz began, the singer reminiscing on days past. 'One Day When We Were Young'. It was one of the first songs they danced to. It was one of their favorites. "But only just the one song, yeah? Not sure I'll make it for much longer than that right now, ha. Hopefully soon, though."'
Ray reached for his crutch, but before he could place his hand on the rough wood, Nerida was extending her hand to him. He glanced down at it, not quite hesitating but not quite embracing, either. With a slight nod, he accepted the gesture, standing up after a few seconds. It took Ray a couple of moments to acclimate to the feeling, but then he offered his spare hand to her.
"It's been forever since I got to lead a dance."
He looked to make sure she was comfortable in his hold, then closed his eyes as he tried to feel the beat of the music in his bones. One-two-three, one-two-three, he tried to find the rhythm but he was always a second or two off. Ray leaned forward, stumbling slightly; he'd been teetering back and forth for the entire dance, but even he had a breaking point.
"Maybe I should lead this time," Nerida said.
"No, no, I should lead. I'm supposed to, probably. Or something."
"What, afraid I'll," she lowered Ray into a dip, his leg still anchored on the ground, "dip you?"
He laughed for a second time, beaming up at her. Ray placed his free hand on the side of her face, pulling her into a kiss. He misjudged the distance between them, though, and they both felt gravity work against them as they toppled to the floor. Ray winced slightly as he hit the ground, but he nodded reassuringly at Nerida as soon as their eyes met. He wasn't in any real pain.
"Okay, adding kissing to the list of things I need to relearn how to do," Ray joked. He propped himself up with his arms while Nerida held her stomach to try to recover from a laughing fit. "Why don't we try that again, yeah?"
Nerida smiled, and he kissed her, laughing into it. Their teeth clicked together, but he didn't seem to mind the awkwardness of the kiss; on his lips, she tasted salt and sea and sadnesss.
On Ray's lips, Nerida tasted home.