Safety in the Seafoam (DNF + Karlnap)

Chapter 21: Aquarium

In a few chapter's it'll be aqua-ree-him, trust.
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Dream POV.

“You want the mermaids to survive, if you want that then you need to move them.” I explained to the Captain. He had been listening to the explanation that I had given, which was truly made up of quite a lot of waffling in order to patch up the emptiness that was present in my argument. Then I hesitated before adding on. “For their sakes.”

“That is a fair point.” He nodded. “I do want to make sure the mermaids are in good condition. I doubt Harvard and the Florida Aquarium would be happy if we delivered the two of them and they were covered in bruises.”

“Exactly.” I was quick to jump in. “That was the main reason I wanted to come to you. Surely Harvard would pay more if they were in good condition… both physically and mentally.”
“That is a really good point.” Schlatt gave a smile. “I knew from the moment I met you Dream that you were a good thinker, a real problem solver.”

“Thank you Captain.” I was still standing stiff, wanting to make sure I didn’t reveal what I had found out. I didn’t know how he would react if he found out that the mermaids we kept down below were able to speak English. Perhaps he would just interview them to find out more, or perhaps he’d call for them to be dissected.

I thought about George and Karl, who still both had extremely strange names for a pair of sea creatures. They both were struggling as well, being unable to communicate with one another from different ends of the room. Well they had mastered calling across the room to each other, they couldn't even see each other.

If I had the chance I would have moved George closer to Karl on my own, but surely Schlatt or someone else on the boat would question my reasoning behind this. Plus, if I moved George on my own he might end up trying to bite me, and I did not want to be at risk or being bitten and infected by mer-rabies.

“Also…” I added on. “Perhaps it would be better if they were put in a shared tank?” I offered, watching his brows furrow. He didn’t seem to realise the reasoning behind it, but I elaborated to him. “Because humans are social creatures… y’know? We thrive together and so maybe it would be the same for them. Maybe they’d do better together too.”

As I looked at him, waiting for a response, I noticed that I was standing surprisingly, worryingly close to him. Cautiously I took a half-step back. “Once again Dream, a good thinker. Perhaps after this trip I will have to hire you officially as a right hand man.”

“That is an amazing offer.” My hands tightened behind my back where Schlatt couldn’t see them, and I managed a smile which seemed organic and realistic. “I will have to think about it.”
“Good.” The captain flashed me a grin, turning to walk off down the hallway. I decided not to follow him, instead just lingering where I was.

“I’ll organise for a bigger tank.” He assured me. “I’m pretty sure we have something laying around in one of the storage compartments. I’ll organise it to be brought up.”
“And maybe some sand and plants?” I was quick to also add. “Maybe they like it, I mean plants under the sea produce oxygen, and everyone breathes oxygen.”

“That may not work.” He shook his head, having stopped and turned back towards me as though I was a small child who insisted that Santa was real or something. “I mean, what if the two mermaids managed to rip the plants out and use it to attack.”
“I doubt that.” I attempted. “It feels like it would.”

“Third time’s the charm.” He hummed, admiring me smugly. “Two perfect suggestions and one third one, a mistake. But you do have better results than half of my guys so far.”
“Okay.” I shakily hesitated. The niceness that I was feeling towards him evaporated and I glanced down, no longer wanting to look at the Captain.

Honestly I think that I would rather just return downstairs, forget this entire conversation that I was having with Schlatt and return to the room downstairs with the mermaids. They felt more interesting to talk to than him.

“Yeah… maybe you are right.” I sighed, just as a chance to stop this conversation. “Thank you so much for the tank, but I have to go back downstairs, since my mermaid is probably hungry.”
“Good point.” He seemed more happy about the fact that I was going downstairs to check on the mer. “We do want to make sure they’re healthy after all, that is why I listened to your tank idea.”

Without a word I headed downstairs, both Sapnap and his mermaid were watching the door as I walked in. George was also probably waiting for me further down, but I couldn’t really see him. “So how did it go?” Sapnap asked, his back pressing against the glass. “Did you talk the Captain into getting each of them a bigger tank?”

“No.” The smiles on their faces fell, but when both of theirs fell away mine stayed. “I managed to get one, hopefully big tank, for you both to share.” I told the pair of them. Karl’s eyes lit up, I didn't know how many of my words he understood, but it seemed he understood he and George would be sharing a tank together.

He muttered some words that I didn’t understand before adding on a ‘thank you’. “You’re welcome.” I responded, feeling happy about the fact that I managed to do even one small thing for them. It was a way of rebuilding their trust in me, after the shit I was responsible for when I ended up getting them caught.

“I was going to try and get some sand and plants for both of you as well, but the Captain said that that wouldn’t work.” Karl tilted his head, it seemed that he didn’t understand most of those words that I had said, and I didn’t want to re-explain this for him.
“It is… fine.” He said, and I just nodded.

“Sand and plants?” Sapnap asked, since he had understood what I said. “That is a great idea, Dream, really great. I mean, it really makes it feel like they are in an aquarium. Perhaps we could find some children to stare at the pair of them all day.”
“You don’t have to be rude.” I responded.

He sighed. “I know. It just… feels weird.” I didn’t say anything else, just nodded. Then a voice called out to me from further down the room.
“Da-ream!” It was the mermaid down the other end of the room who called out to me.
“Coming!” I responded, smiling at Sapnap before walking down to him.
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1176 words

#Da-ream