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Nico POV

Another floaterey! At least, that's what Thalia called it. We have them under the sea too, except they look more beaten down and don't float on top of the water. 

How interesting is that?

I grinned, admiring the huge floating building and swimming up to it. I don't care what my dad says. I'll do what I want and he can't stop me. He can stay under the sea where it's "safe", but I just can't. I've never liked it under there, but ever since I discovered the land, I can't stay away. I found a few large square holes in the floaterey and I jumped out of the water slightly to look through one of them. I gripped onto the wood to keep my steady since only half my tail was in the water. I found myself smiling as I caught sight of the human with bright blue eyes and golden hair. What is he doing in a floaterey? 

He was talking to a girl with orange and green hair who looked about 14 or 13. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I saw her point to a group of three, an adult women, man, and kid. They exchanged a few words before going over to the trio. He looked so happy as they sat down with them. They were doing some sort of weird routine where they would toss this cube and scoot a little piece of plastic around on a board. It was confusing, but if it made him happy, I guess. I looked up to see dark gray clouds looming overhead. It was normal to see this when I came on land, but when it started to rain the humans looked nervous. Flashes of light appeared, lightning, as Jason called it. Again, pretty normal but they started yelling and panicking. What was going on? 

One of the people on board shouted something that I couldn't exactly understand. Another seemed to respond to that and ran to the other side of the floaterey, but he slipped and was knocked down, sliding all the way back, hitting his head against the rail. My human ran over to where the other one was going and was going to grab onto a circle-like thing with sticks pointing out of it. I believe Jason had called it a wheeler? Wheelie? Wheel. It's a wheel. 

The taller human with brown curly hair and my human's blue eyes shouted, "Will! What're you doing?! Get inside!!"  Will. The soulmark on my forearm tingled. William Solace. That...that's not possible. He's a human, Nico! You're a merman! Stop it. 

Will grabbed onto the wheel and turned it slightly using the sticks poking out of the circle. This moved the boat slightly. Huh. Interesting. It looked like he was heading to an island up ahead. The people on the floaterey were slowly going into a room so I couldn't see them anymore. It was just Will and the other human, the one with the blue eyes and curly hair, who was sliding around. It was kinda funny, but based on their expressions this was a serious situation. I still had no idea what was happening. It was hard to keep onto the wood of the floaterey because it was rocking back and forth so much, but I was able to manage. I was curious and I had to make sure everyone was safe. Especially my human. Will. 

Lightning struck the front of the ship, somehow making the boat sway to the left so much, I could almost lay down on the wood without gripping onto it to stay on it. Will rolled over to the other human, who looked like his father know that I see them side by side. His dad wrapped his arm around Will's stomach from behind, trying to protect him. The floaterey was sinking closer and closer to the water, which I didn't think was that big a deal, but once the two humans saw this, they looked extremely panicked. That was when I remembered that humans couldn't breathe under water. This is really, really bad. 

The dad got up and went into the room the others went in, leaving Will alone. He got up too and looked like he was looking for something. When the door to the room opened, the hairy creature from a few days ago came out and Will looked extremely relieved and went to pick it up and hug it to his chest. 

The other humans exited as well, one of them going over to the rowfloats, as Percy called them, attached by a rope to the side of the floaterey. He lowered them and people started boarding onto them one by one. Except my human, who slipped and fell back to the railing on the other side of the floaterey. The creature in his arms jumped out and was able to run over to the girl with green and orange hair, who pulled him into a rowfloat with her. By now the boat was basically on its side and I was struggling to not slip the other way, away from the water and onto the boat. My human attempted to get to everyone else, but only got about halfway before he slipped and fell again, breaking the railing this time and into the water. I froze for half a second before diving into it myself. I went to where I had seen him fall and saw him already deep in the water. He was sinking fast. I sprinted down and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, making sure he stayed put and attempted to bring him back up to the surface. Problem was, he was taller and had an actual healthy weight so he was heavier than me. I struggled, but was able to bring him up and onto the beach of the closest place I could find. I looked at it and smiled, just a little. The boat must have drifted so far off course, it brought us back to Will's home. Where I had seen him by the water on multiple occasions, wishing I could meet him. I brought my attention back to my human, who could have been dying. I cursed myself for getting distracted. 

I remembered the other merpeople singing siren songs in school, claiming it could heal humans. I didn't know if I believed it, but I figured it was worth a try. I was never the best singer, so I doubted it would work. I sang a small tune about how much I wanted to meet him and the surface. I poured everything I could into my voice, hoping it would save him. A few tears slipped down my face, but I ignored them. I didn't even know this boy! Why was I so obsessed with him? The soulmark tingled. Shut it. It's not possible. 

But, just as I thought that, I caught sight of my human's forearm. Niccolo di Angelo. A burst of happiness and determination exploded in my chest. This was my soulmate. I had to save him, even if I couldn't speak to him ever again. I sang louder and more confidently. I would save him. I cupped his cheek, admiring how soft his skin was. I paused for a second, my breath hitching, as he leaned into the touch. He was alive. For now. Keep going. 

His eyes opened. 

There, right in front of me, were the eyes that I'd been wanting to get a close look at for weeks now. Suddenly, the peacefulness of this moment was ruined by shouting. I turned in the direction of the noise to see two people I recognized from the floaterey. The kid, the one that looked around 10 years old, and an older woman with blond hair like Will's. I immediately ducked into the water, not knowing how they would react to seeing a merperson. I wasn't scared of humans, but I'm not stupid either. I know the dangers. But I also know that there are nice people out there. Right now though, I didn't want to chance it. Will's most likely family to them and I don't think they want a mythical creature hovering over their family member. It pained me to leave Will, but I trusted he was in good hands. 

As soon as I got near the Underworld Sea castle, my home, I saw my cousins all with their arms crossed and a mad expression on their faces. 

"Nico!" Thalia yelled. Percy and Jason turned to look at me, glaring. 

"What? What did I do?" I asked, incredulously. 

"You went up to the surface again." Jason said, frustrated, but calmly. "I heard your siren song, so I was going to go bring you back to the sea. What I was not prepared to see was my baby cousin being all lovey-dovey with a human!" He joked. I immediately stiffened. "Now, I don't care who you like Nico, but if the humans find out about what you are...you don't know what they'll do. You could be killed, Nico! You've got to stay here and listen to your dad. I'm sorry, but I won't let you be killed." 

"Jason's right, Nico. I know we haven't always gotten along, but I still don't want you killed." Percy said. "Just stay here. It's better here, anyway. I've never gotten your fascination with the human world. I mean, the people up there can't even breathe underwater! How do they go swimming?!" 

"Why would I listen to you three?"  I asked. "And don't say because you're older. I get it, I'm only 16, but I'm still capable of making my own decisions." 

"I know we won't be able to convince you, Nico, but...just think about it, okay? Is the human world really worth dying over?" Thalia asked. She grabbed onto Jason and Percy's arms and swam away, letting me think about it by myself. 

Soulmate Little Mermaid AU- SolangeloWhere stories live. Discover now