Safety in the Seafoam (DNF + Karlnap)

Chapter 15: Attempt to Communicate

Sapnap POV.

A thoughtful smile was on my face as I watched the mermaid eat. He was fine with both of the things that I had offered him, quickly tearing apart the eel before slowly chewing on the kelp with a scrunched up face. I was thankful the brunette mer’s eating ability hadn’t suffered after having his teeth altered yesterday, unlike Dream’s mermaid had.

After finishing his food he just went to watching me with furrowed brows. I watched him in response, neither of us saying anything, although I wasn’t sure if he could say anything. As I studied him I smiled.

“Dream thinks you can understand me.” I commented, laughing quietly to myself. “I think that it is strange to expect that you do after being underwater your whole life.” The mer tilted his head quizzically, and I continued to smile softly. He was able to read my expression though and briefly gave a small smile.

Out of boredom I made an offer to the mermaid. “I’ll tell you what. If you talk to me I’ll get you some more food. How about some nice eel? You look like you enjoy that.” I actually began to believe that he might do that as he lifted himself up out of the water.

In order to watch him better I leaned over the grate, and ended up meeting his eyes from above. With his fingers curled around the metal he pulled himself up, until our faces were only a few inches apart, and from this position he studied me. “Hey there.” I smiled, looking at him as though he was a small child.

A grin grew on his face before flopping back in the water, coating me in warm salty water. It was disgusting, even getting in my mouth, and I stumbled back with a cough. “What the fuck?” I asked him, glaring towards the mermaid. Instead he giggled, continuing to swim in circles and I also heard Dream laughing as he watched me.

“It’s not funny.” I grumbled. “He… it… tricked me. I thought that he wanted to make an actual connection to me but instead.” I didn’t finish my sentence, instead just looking towards my friend who was still looking towards me. The room seemed to fall silent and I looked back towards my mermaid once again. “That’s not funny.” I repeated.

He didn’t say anything, but the grin that was on his face had disappeared. Perhaps that means that he had realised that what he had done was wrong. Maybe if I hung around or spoke mermaid he would apologise, but I didn’t speak mermaid so I couldn't tell if he was saying sorry. With a huff I left the room.

Dream POV

"Sapnap, you can calm down." I called out to my friend, following him towards the doorway. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, it was probably just some kind of game to play." I couldn't be sure what it was to be honest, but that felt the most realistic.

"It wasn't a fun game. My shirt is soaked." He motioned down, a big patch of water was there running from his shoulder to below his chest.
"It's not that bad." I reassured. "Plus he looked sorry.” I think he looked sorry, I wasn’t really looking when I had pursued my friend.

“Sorry.” He sighed. “I’m going to go and change my shirt and then I’ll be back.” He didn’t say anything as he left, and I turned to head back towards my mermaid. The mermaid that he had been caring for sat by the glass, seeming somewhat guilty at what he had done.

I looked towards him and gave a sad smile. “Sorry about him.” My voice was slow. I was certain that the two other creatures could understand English, but still wanted to give them time to process each individual word that I had told them. “He is just very protective over his clothes, you’ll get used to it.”

Then I continued back to my mermaid, who was brushing the kelp with his fingers. “So you still aren’t eating?” I asked, sitting myself down on the floor in front of the tank. There was about a foot between the bottom of the tank and the floor, and the mer floated down to be at eye level with me. His tail swished through the water over him as his chest rested above the floor.

“Is it because you aren’t hungry?” I asked, watching as his head tilted in acknowledgement. That made me pause, my heart fluttering at the reassurance that he did seemingly understand me, at least to some capacity. “Or because you don’t trust the food.” As I sat there his brows furrowed and he gave a nod.

“You do understand me.” I gasped, before shuffling closer to the glass. The merman didn’t flinch, blinking as he studied me. For a few moments we continued to watch one another before I glanced down. It was my fault that he was here, and so it was also my fault that he wasn’t eating any food.

“If you say something… anything… I’ll get you food.” I promised the mer. My words sped up alongside my heart rate. Despite this, I was patient, knowing that he would likely be terrified to speak up. He was conflicted, hands moving to press against what I thought was his stomach (if mermaid anatomy was similar to human).

“I can tell that you are hungry.” My voice was soft. “Please, trust me enough to let me get you food.” I continued moving closer to the glass up until my forehead was pressing against the cool surface. “Just so you aren’t starving.”

I waited patiently, seeing his lips part wordlessly. Then he flicked his tail and moved up to the surface, being able to barely make eye contact with me outside of the water. “Don’t trust… you.” He told me, with my breath hitching as I heard his voice. He was talking in English. I hadn’t been completely sure if I had believed myself when I said he understood my language.

“You can trust me.” I was quick to respond. Here he was speaking somewhat perfectly, as though he had been raised alongside humans such as myself.
“How?” His gaze narrowed in suspicion. I didn’t give him an answer, instead standing up.
“Just trust me.” I reassured him, standing up.

Both he and the other mermaid watched as I walked back through the tank room, planning out how I could convince the brunette mer to eat.
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1106 words

George can speak English? 💃🕺💃🕺