Two Different Worlds (Re-Write) - A Hermitcraft Mermaid AU

Chapter 11 - I'm Sorry

TW: Small mentions of blood and death (nothing too bad tbh)

Hels's POV

I don't like whatever Grian is doing.

Obviously I'd love him to the end of the world and back, but I'm worried. Ever since that accident a month and a half ago, he's been disappearing more and more frequently at night.

I pretended not to notice at first. I know how restless my friend can be, he was probably having trouble sleeping... but then it started happening every night. I again tried to blame it on a messed up sleep schedule, but I can't really believe that anymore.

So when I decide to follow him, I'd like to think that I'm being protective, not creepy. Then again, maybe I'm overstepping. The last thing Grian needs is another Doc fussing over him and making sure he's safe every moment of the day.

At the same time though, he's clearly trying to lie and hide whatever he's doing, and that's a red flag in itself. If it was restlessness or sleep problems, he'd have no trouble in just admitting it.

I watch from behind a tree as he wanders over to the water, and I frown when he just sits there at the dock. Perfectly still. Quieter than I've seen him in years.

And I sigh to myself, realising that I must be panicking too much and that he's probably fine. I should just go back to bed before I mess up my own sleep schedule...

Wait.

A little splash catches my attention, and I turn back around. I hear Grian laughing, and watch as another little splash comes out of the water and onto him.

"Stop it!" He giggles, as green eyes and a head of hair pop up above the water, a mischievous grin on the person's face. Then he laughs too, resting his arms on the dock and pulling his torso out of the water.

"Sorry." The stranger apologizes, smiling warmly at Grian. "It was too tempting."

Gri rolls his eyes, before pushing the brunette's head back under the water. He immediately comes back up again, not looking impressed.

"Hey!"

"Sorry. It was too tempting." My friend teases, before helping the person back up again.

And that's when my eyes widen and I'm shocked even more. I don't know what I expected to see when the brunette pulled himself out of the water, but a shiny, copper coloured tail was not it.

I consider stepping in immediately and getting Grian away from that merman as quickly as possible, but I hesitate when my best friend hugs him tightly.

"I missed you."

"You saw me this morning...?" The merman points out with an awkward laugh.

"And? I still missed you." Gri replies, leaning his head on the stranger's shoulder.

I frown a little, not sure what to make of this. They seem pretty close... probably friends? I don't know why, when or how Grian made friends with a merman though. Heck, I didn't even know there were any in this area, and I definitely wouldn't have let Doc pick it if I did.

Unless Gri and the merman aren't friends. I'm not really sure how full-blooded merpeople work, but I've heard sailors' myths that they can enchant humans. Although I have no clue why he'd want to enchant my friend, merpeople are terrified of humans. It's really confusing.