**Tides of Uncertainty**

Cronus' smile still lingered on his face as he beckoned Kankri closer. "Hey, I was just about to go for a swim. Want to join me?" The invitation was innocent, but Kankri's eyes widened as if he'd been punched in the gut. Kankri's gaze darted around the room, as if searching for an escape route. His face froze, his expression unreadable. Cronus' smile began to falter, sensing that something was wrong. The sea dweller troll's eyes locked onto Kankri's, expecting a response, but Kankri remained silent. The seconds ticked by, and Cronus' enthusiasm began to wane. He felt a pang of self-consciousness, wondering if he'd misread the situation entirely. Kankri's hesitation was palpable, and Cronus' mind began to reel with worst-case scenarios. Had he made Kankri uncomfortable? Had he overstepped some invisible boundary? Cronus' face grew hot, and he looked away, trying to play it cool. "Never mind, it's okay. I didn't mean to... I just thought it would be fun, that's all." He forced a chuckle, attempting to downplay the situation. "I guess I'll just go by myself then." Kankri still hadn't moved, his eyes fixed on some point beyond Cronus' shoulder. Cronus' instincts screamed at him to fill the awkward silence, to apologize and make light of the situation before it was too late. "I'm sorry, Kankri. I didn't mean to make things weird. It's just... I thought we'd... never mind." Cronus stood up, his movements stiff, and began to swim away. "I'll just go for that swim. You can... uh... just relax here, okay?" As he disappeared into the darkness, Kankri finally found his voice. "Wait, Cronus!" Kankri called out, but Cronus didn't respond. He kept swimming, leaving Kankri to wonder what he'd just done. Had he really blown it? And why did he feel like he'd just made a huge mistake? The darkness outside seemed to press in around Kankri, making him feel trapped and uncertain. He replayed the conversation in his head, wondering what he'd do next. Should he follow Cronus and try to make things right? Or should he just leave and pretend it never happened? As Kankri weighed his options, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he'd just let something slip through his fingers. Something important. Something that could have changed everything.