"It wouldn't be your fault," Glory protested. "It's my decision."

Léan sighed, softly, and closed his eyes. "All right...fair enough...please be careful, though, all right?" he added, worriedly.

"I'll be careful," Glory promised. "You know I'll come back to you."

Léan relaxed, nodding. He seemed reassured by her statement, but he would, of course, still worry. He stole a glance inside the house to see that his father had finished the fish, and had finally dozed off into an uneasy sleep.

Glory glanced out over the water and grinned when she saw their shark.

"I think the shark wants to play," she said.

Léan's expression dampened into a scowl, and he patted the shark on the head. "Go chase someone else..." he pleaded, unhappily. He didn't feel like playing with the shark, especially now that he had grown to be so big. He could 'play' and end up hurting Léan or himself.

"You know, I'm betting he's bored," Glory said. "I think he's probably the only shark around here that big, so nothing wants to go near him."

"What am I supposed to do about that?" Léan grumbled, pouting, almost. He was acting like a spoiled toddler.

((I'm gonna sign off early...going on vacation for two days with my family, so replies will be slow. Night!))

Glory rolled her eyes.

"I think he's used to us being around to amuse him," she said. She grinned a bit. "Do I need to get down off my rock? Because these pants are actually pretty comfortable, and I'd rather not have to get undressed again."

Léan seemed highly bothered by something. The stress from the uncertainty about this situation with the biologist, his mother, and his father...it was all starting to ebb away his patience and energy. He looked like he wanted to curl up somewhere comfortable and take a nice, long nap.

"I am really not in the mood to play." Léan quietly shooed the shark away.

"Are you alright?" she asked him softly as the shark finally gave up and went back into deeper water. She could tell he was upset over something, and she hoped he would talk to her.

"Everything is starting to get to me," Léan replied, idly. He stared off into space, absently. "I just need to take a nice, long nap...and forget about everything that is causing me stress."

"Nothing's stopping you from that nap," Glory pointed out. She was torn between offering to stay and letting him have the time to himself. Finally, one side won out. "We can both snuggle in together, if you like..."

Léan didn't want to be alone. He had a feeling that if he was alone, he would end up doing something drastic, and harming himself. "I would like that," he replied, quietly and without hesitation.

"Alright," Glory said. Undressing, she folded her clothes and put them where they would stay dry. Then she slid down into the water with him and cuddled close to him.

Léan shifted over into the shade under the rocks, where it would be both cooler and quieter. He closed his eyes, cuddling close with her. He was trying to push all of his bad thoughts out of his mind.

Glory cuddled with him, laying her head on his shoulder and offering what comfort she could. She knew he was upset about something, but she wasn't going to pry.

It didn't take Léan too long to relax, and he was soon falling asleep. Once he did fall asleep, he had peaceful dreams, and his stress melted away.

Glory drifted off to sleep as well, though it took her a little longer than it took him. She didn't dream, though. Or if she did, she didn't remember it.

Léan slept for at least five straight hours. He'd been tired...and the sleep was doing wonders for his stress level.

Glory drifted in and out of sleep, shifting around a little every so often but making sure not to wake him. He looked like he needed the sleep, which made her wonder if he'd been sleeping lately or not.

Léan woke up slowly, unwillingly. He wanted to sleep more...but when he tried to, he just couldn't fall back asleep. So, he sat up, rubbing at his eyes.

Glory had been awake for a while, looking at the sky through the water.

"Hey," she said softly. "Sleep well?"

"Well enough..." Léan replied vaguely, as he regained his bearings. He seemed much more relaxed than he had been before...his stress had whittled away to nearly nothing.

"You look a lot more relaxed than earlier," Glory said. "That's good. I don't like seeing you so tense."