A Merman's Tail

Chapter 1

So I was looking for pictures of mermaids when I was researching Inferno for Dark Stranger and I saw the Little Mermaid reimagined as a Merman. I totally loved it! Then I came across the above picture when I was looking for gay Disney Princes for my Disney Mashup one shot in my Mature One Shots. Then again mermaids popped up when I was looking for Poseidon for Dark Lover and so I guess they've been on my mind lately. So this is the result. I don't know how long this one is going to be and it probably won't be updated as regularly as Dark Lover, but let's see where it takes us shall we!

A Merman's Tail - Scömìche AU

It was a hot summer. The beaches were filled with people, men, women and children all burning to a crisp in the hot sun. The Pier was full of tourists taking advantage of the various games and other easy ways to lose their money. Local kids lay on the sand under the pier and ate ice cream cones and kept cool. The water was warm, clear and it all seemed idyll. Everywhere except on a speed boat that was careening out of control. The unfortunate driver was having an asthma attack and had lost control. While everyone flapped about trying to find his inhaler and slow the fast moving craft, one of the passengers had been thrown overboard. He was 10 years old.

.......

When everyone was panicking over the Captain's inhaler, I was minding my own business at the back of the boat. We were going really fast and I was enjoying the wind blowing my hair into my eyes. Before all the hoopla up the front I was hoping we'd stay out for a while longer, I really wanted to get some colour this summer. Everyone teased me about my height, my huge head and my pale skin. I can't do much about the first two so I was trying to encourage my parents to let me do things with my friends that involved getting out in the sun. I could already feel my skin was tightening up and I knew I'd already overdone it today, I guess that's why I was leaning out, trying to reach the water to splash some on my face when the boat hit a wave at the wrong angle and I lost my grip on the railing and fell in.

I came up spluttering, but the boat was speeding away as I yelled, "HELP!"

I started treading water for a while, looking around for help. The shore was really far away and I knew I couldn't reach it, and even though the air was warm, out here in deeper water it was cold.

I started to shiver when I saw something beneath me in the water that made me turn around. I tried to focus on what I was seeing. A shark? It was certainly big whatever it was. Then suddenly and very close to my face, something surfaced and shook its head. Shaking water into my face.

"Hello!" It said.

Wait? A talking fish? I wiped my eyes and looked at the boy talking to me. He looked about as old as me. Maybe a bit younger. Where I was pale and big, he was dark and small, but his smile was breathtaking.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" He asked.

"I fell of that boat." I said, pointing to the rapidly disappearing craft.

"Oh, that would do it." He giggled.

Oh my God he had the cutest dimples.

"I'm Scott. What's your name?" I asked, as my arms started to get tired.

"Mitch." He said. "You're looking pooped there big guy. Here hold on." He turned and let me put my arms around his neck, my legs dangling off to the side. He started moving in the water in the direction of the boat and I couldn't understand how he was carrying my weight and swimming so strongly at the same time.

"How come you can carry me and still swim so fast?" I asked.

"Look down." He said smiling at me over his shoulder.

I did and saw his tail... I let go quickly and he turned and faced me in the water.

"Holy crap! Are you a mermaid?" I said my eyes wide and my voice high in awe.

He giggled again and rolled his eyes. "Do I look like a girl?" He asked.

"I guess not, sooooooooooo... Merboy?" I tried.

"Sure." He said showing me those dimples again. His brown eyes sparkled and the light from the water reflected off his irises making them appear to twinkle, but it was worry I really was looking at.

We kept swimming toward where the boat had disappeared, but even with his help I was becoming exhausted. The salt wasn't doing me any good and to be honest I was desperate for a drink of water. After a while I had even forgotten that he was a Merman, boy, whatever. I was just concentrating on putting one arm through the water then the other. When I really needed a rest I flipped over onto my back and floated for a while.

"Um... Scott, you're really not looking very good." Mitch said.

"I don't feel so good either." I agreed with him.

I closed my eyes against the sun and then felt him close to me again. He whispered in my ear. "I'm not supposed to do this, but I don't want you to die on me, so keep your eyes closed for a second OK?"

"OK." I said and felt his hands on my face. Then I felt his lips pressed to mine and I started. My feet dropped in the water and I clutched at his shoulders to stop myself from sinking in the water as his tongue opened my mouth and then dipped inside. I couldn't help it, I opened my eyes as he puffed a deep breath of air into my lungs. Then I couldn't breathe at all and started to struggle against his arms.

He shook his head and pointed under the water, then ducked under. I stared at the empty sea around me in horror as I felt myself sinking, breathless.

When I opened my eyes under the surface, I saw Mitch looking at me and making breathing faces at me. I shook my head, I was human, and I couldn't breathe underwater. But I was also starting to black out from the oxygen deprivation and Mitch swam back to me and held me in his arms again. I wanted to make his face the last thing I saw so I took a good look before I lost consciousness. There was a smile on my face even though I knew I was dying. And he smiled back at me. Those dimples were the last thing I saw before everything went black and my body started to sink deeper in the water.

Suddenly I opened my eyes again. My body had reacted as soon as I was no longer consciously in control of it and I had inhaled, filling my lungs with water, only I wasn't dead. I was breathing. Whatever Mitch had done when he'd kissed me, made it possible for me to breathe underwater. I smiled a huge smile and Mitch swished back to me and blew bubbles in my face. I blew them back at him and we both laughed, causing more bubbles to rise to the surface.

How was it possible? I didn't know nor did I care. All I knew was that I was going to have as much fun exploring the ocean with the boy in front of me for as long as I could.

Mitch beckoned me to follow him and I duck dove deeper, following him down to the bottom of the sea floor.