Chapter 2 has finally arrived! Oh goodness, I'm really dedicated to writing about these two! Another 1k+ word chapter? This is totally unheard of! (I am also quite proud of my very Verne-esque paragraph of scientific nonsense. You'll see when you get there.) Please enjoy!

I exited my thoughts as I saw Dakkar's back standing proudly in front of a complicated panel of buttons and levers. "Dakkar," I called out slowly. I approached his side and placed a kiss on his right temple, where I found out was his favorite place to be kissed after sleeping in the same room as him for nearly three months now.

"Ah, good morning, Pierre. I see you have finally risen." He briefly turned to me with a small smile.

"Why have we stopped?" I asked, looking out the large window in front of me. Dakkar took this opportunity while I was not looking at him to kiss me back on my left temple. We have forged this series of movements into a routine-at least once a day, usually in the morning.

"We have made a stop at an island in the Pacific with coordinates of -16.500413° latitude and -151.74149° longitude for air and the collection of coconuts. You may depart and explore as you like."

My eyes lit up and I gave him a kiss on his cheek. "I will be back by lunch, dear!" I saw his cheeks color as he was not yet accustomed to my terms of endearment. If he said something afterwards, I did not hear it, as I nearly ran to our room to get my journal so I could make the most out of the few morning hours I had left.

I climbed out of the Nautilus and took a deep breath of the humid air on the island. I had ample oxygen in the Nautilus, but of course nothing could match the fresh air on land, where oxygen itself came from the trees and flowers.

I walked around and discovered two very tall mountain tops-volcanoes, perhaps?-and observed many of the flora and fauna. I found many trees-that I identified to be in the Rubiaceae family, but couldn't quite specify its genus and species-with a peculiar fruit on them. I took a couple of fruit and put them in basket I always have handy whenever I go on an excursion on land. I'll show these to Dakkar for approval to put on the ship for these fruit seem quite delicious. Some birds flying overhead I identified as the Pterodroma nigripennis, more colloquially known as the black-winged petral. I continued walking and saw two beautiful, white, yet small birds mating on a tree. A closer look at them led me to identify them as Gygis alba. They are strange birds as they lay their eggs on bare branches without nests, yet they are notorious for quite a long life span. I almost stepped on an injured Hirundo tahitica on the forest floor. I paused to pick it up and place it on the branches of a tree, hoping that it is well-hidden enough so that predators may not eat it. On my adventures of collecting coconuts and oranges and pausing from time to time to sketch a bird or two in my journal, I did not once encounter a mammal. Though I did not explore the whole of the island, I do believe that it is this way throughout the whole island. This must be attributed to the fact that the mountains must have been dormant volcanoes, and that those volcanoes did not allow for any large mammals to take root and establish themselves as citizens of this island.

I looked up to have an approximate guess of the time and was surprised to find that I could not see the sun in the sky. Dark and dense clouds covered the view of the sun's rays. I briskly walked back to the patch of grass near the Nautilus where I know Dakkar was waiting for me. We had formed the habit that whenever we would resurface and there was land near by, we would have lunch under the trees together. I heard thunder rumble in the distance as I approached the silhouette of Dakkar waiting for me. As I got closer, I noticed he was facing me with a smile gradually gracing his face.

"Dakkar, are you certain you still want to eat lunch out here? It appears as if it will rain soon." I looked at the sky worriedly. "Not to mention, there is only a couple trees here to provide shelter either."

He looked up at the sky with hardened resolve. "Yes we will. A little rain won't hurt us."

I made a skeptical face and sighed fondly, knowing that Dakkar's pride wouldn't let him go back to the Nautilus with disappointment imprinted in his mind.

We sat under the trees and began to eat the freshly-caught red snapper from the waters of this island. I showed him my findings of the strange fruit I picked from the tree, and he nodded his approval for it to be present on the ship. He said that the crew will pick them after lunch and that I would lead them to it. I also vividly described all of the creatures I found on this island, not noticing that it had already begun to rain-I had only noticed that water was falling from the sky at all when it was already pouring and I was soaking wet.

I suddenly ceased my chatter as I felt a strange and increasingly painful feeling on my toe. There, with its claws clamped around my appendage, was a rather large crab. I released a yelp and attempted to calmly pull the crab off my toe but to no success. I could feel myself begin to color as I knew Dakkar's eyes were on me, watching me.

I heard a hearty laugh. It was a laugh unlike anything I've heard before. It was so unique, so pleasant to the ears, and just so… magical, for lack of a better word. I looked up from my attempts of getting the crab off and stared dumbfoundedly at Dakkar. It was Dakkar. This was Dakkar's laughter I was hearing. His laugh was big, loud, hearty, and unbelievably happy. I could not help but stare at the overwhelming amount of beauty and appreciation that overflowed my heart.

If it was possible, I do believe that I have fallen in love with Dakkar more than I already am.

"D-Dakkar… Your laugh…" I was at a loss for words as he stopped and wiped a tear from his eye.

He regained his composure and coughed. "I deeply apologize, Professor. I seem to have lost control of myself there. Your expression was truly something else."

He called me "Professor"-he must be quite embarrassed to be so abnormally formal.

"That was wonderful, Dakkar. You should do that more." I paused. "...Laugh, of course."

We both sat in comfortable silence, my blush never leaving my cheeks.

"...You change me, Pierre."
"What was that, dear?"
"Nothing of your concern."