Shimmery Scales

Part 6

He thought he was dead. Maybe he was? But the sun hurt his eye and the sand underneath that scratched his skin indicated he was far from it.  His whole body was sore and hurt.  The only thing that felt good was a hand stroking down his body.

"Charlie?" A familiar voice said. He opened his one eye slowly. It was him, Alpha, the man of his dreams. The sun surrounded him like an angel.

"A-alpha." His voice came out horse-like.

"Charlie?"

"Is this heaven?"

A snort came out of Alpha. "Unfortunately, no."

"You saved me?"

"Of course I did, you filthy animal." Alpha pulled away, "I thought I lost you."

Charlie tried to sit up but instantly regretted it as pain spread over him. "Ow."

"Careful!"

"I'm s-sorry," Charlie lifted his arm up weakly to look at his now missing hand. It was wrapped in some sort of seaweed. Despite this, he still felt like it was attached to him. That was more annoying than the pain that he felt. He ran his only hand down his body to feel that he wasn't wearing a shirt, only his pants. Surprisingly, the necklace that caused him to take the dive into the ocean was still there. His crew must have been too wrapped up in their anger to steal it.

"I want to cut out their tongues for what they did with you." He heard Alpha hiss.

"I am surprised it didn't happen to me sooner."

"Don't say that!"

"Alpha, you have to remember the stories of how bad I was as a captain."

"No one deserves this! No matter how 'bad' you were."

Charlie's eye was starting to adjust to the sun. His head felt like it was splitting in two but he recognized everything. They were on some beach, Alpha's tail sparkled in the sunlight. Charlie looked him up and down and caught eye with the cut on his side. His body shivered remembering their last encounter "Alpha?"

"Yes?" 

"Are you ok?"

"Pfff Charlie what do you mean?"

"I-I h-h-hurt you."

"Charlie, your hand was cut off! And you are worried about me?!"

"B-but I hurt you..!"

"Shush! I know why you did it. I was too thick headed to see that. You were right about those monsters. I can't believe that they back stabbed the one person who would do anything for them."

"I-I still hate myself for it."

"Just don't."

"I just can't stop doing that! Alpha, I still want to die because of it!"

"Don't say those things, that is ridiculous."

"I have always wanted to die for a while. I never really liked myself to feel like I even deserve to be alive. Hurting the one person in my life made those thoughts worse."

"...Is that why you didn't fight back?"

"Y-es, I wanted to go. I don't know why you saved me."

"YOU should know why I saved you even after what you did." Alpha let out a big sigh. " Charlie those thoughts you have. I have been there. I think I understand in a way so I guess I can't be that mad at you."

"W-hat do you mean?"

"I have felt like I didn't deserve to be alive."

"But... y-ou love yourself?"

"I do. But you know what I have been through. I feel selfish in a way that as a prince I didn't go down with my people. If I was less of an asshole I probably would have killed myself."

"That isn't your fault!

"I know Charlie but..." Alpha put his hands in his hands, pulled away and smiled. "You know the world is just vile."

"...Yeah." Charlie said he looked away.

Alpha pulled in closer.

"We should make it less vile together Charles," Charlie then felt a hand on his knee causing him to look back at his merman friend.

"..H-ow?" Charlie said.

"We have to get rid of those men who hurt you. Who has hurt my people. We can do it together."

Chalire pushed away his hand. "How does more violence solve anything?! How would we even begin to do that! They are sailing miles away right now." 

"Charlie..." Alpha reached over and grasped the necklace that was holding his scale stroking it. "You have shown me how powerful and angry you can be. It is time to show that to the real monsters who deserve it. Violence can solve so much."

Charlie pushed him away again. Why was he being so touchy? He did not deserve to have this with him. At least right now. "I-I don't know. I-I j-ust don't know how we will do it. You cannot not walk on land and I-I can't swim for shit."

"We will figure it out. Right now you need to rest. You lost so much blood and well a whole hand, I will hunt for some fish for the time being while you nap."

"Fishes?"

"Yes." Alpha pulled closer aiming for  a cheek kiss but Charlie pushed his head. Alpha's eyebrows raised.

"P-lese stop touching me so much. I-t i-sn't right." Charlie said.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Haha you know how I can be. Mermans are just really touchy. I know it is inappropriate  right now..." Alpha said. Charlie hated how he could see the hurt in his eyes. Maybe now he forgave him and wasn't scared. But that doesn't mean it will ever be right again to have this type of relationship with Alpha. He knew he could never forgive himself.

"Alpha it is ok. I am so thankful of you saving me and all you have done for me b-ut but.."

"I know." Alpha dragged himself away from him and pulled closer to the ocean. "I'll be back. Please take care of yourself."

"I w-will. Thank you Alpha."

Alpha just gave a sad smile as he pulled inside the ocean.