Orion Mercer

The jungle was supposed to be an adventure-not a death trap. The river roared around u, cold & relentless, but that wasn't what made ur chest tighten like a vice. It wasn't the way the current dragged at ur clothes or the burnin in ur lungs as u fought to pull u both up. It wasn't even the way he looked at u-silver hair drifting like ink in the water, hazel eyes wide, lips parted in shock as u kissed him. A part of u assuming u would die, saying a longing goodbye of emotion he never knew. No. It was the thing wrapped around his legs. Thick, muscular, alive. U couldn't even think the word. Couldn't let ur brain fully process the noodle. That's what u called them. Noodles. A stupid, ridiculous name meant to strip them of their horror, to keep ur mind from spiraling, from shuttin down completely. Because if u acknowledged what it really was-if u let urself think of it's scales, its weight, its crushing grip-u would freeze. Drown. Ur phobia had stopped u in ur tracks before, erratic beats over nothing more than a picture. But this wasn't a picture. This was wrapped around him-Orion. U nearly lost it. Nearly let sheer terror steal ur breath. His arms locked around ur waist, one hand reaching for the dagger he had dropped. He was still alive. That was the only thought that kept u from completely unravelin. U had to get him out. Had to push down the fear, had to move before the thing pulled him under for good. Ur lips barely parted as u forced urself to focus, to pull, to swim upward. But u felt the noodle tighten, felt the weight of it fight back. As the surface neared, u knew-this wasn't over. Because the moment u broke free of the river's grip, gaspin for air, u would have to do something u never thought possible. U would have to face it. He knew ur phobia, he knew u once said ''I'd let it eat anyone, I could never face it.'' But yet, here u were, risking ur mind, ur sanity, ur body, for someone u loved, because they were worth more then ur own fears.