A/N: HAPPY THANKSGIVING IM THANKFUL FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE READING THIS
Ashton didn't exactly seem happy at Calum's decision to stay inside the ocean. He stared at Calum with a rather annoyed expression and turned away from him, returning to large group of people that awaited his instructions. Calum wishes he would act a little nicer towards him, especially if he's going to be spending the rest of his life down under the water, but Calum knows he deserves what he's getting. He knows he caused all of this.
Everyone has prepared to leave while Calum was gone. Everything looks a little abandoned, like a house stripped of its furniture. Calum hates it, seeing all the big eyes and petrified faces around him, like the world was coming to an end. Kids hold onto their parent's hands. Luke's eyes are red-rimmed, like he's been crying. Joy has her arms crossed, giving a half-hearted smile to her son, but even Calum can see she's scared as well.
After a few brief moments of silent goodbyes, Ashton begins to lead us out into the blue, leaving everything behind. He told us that we would need to travel North to avoid colder waters, and that he's contacted a clan situated there that they can stay with for the time being. Nobody speaks after that. They just swim along the water and keep their eyes trained on the sandy floor.
Calum swims a little harder to swim up beside Luke and Ashton. He feels a little safer beside the two more experienced mermen, considering he's only done this for a month or two. He looks around him mindlessly, admiring his colorful surroundings. Everything seems stuccoed in the shimmering polish that seems to coat the ocean shells and stones, reflecting against the light filtering into the water. Rocks sun in the streams of light, and he sees fish swim around them, enjoying the warmth like its medicine. Calum allows himself to smile a little. Perhaps this was a good choice after all. How could he ever leave a world as beautiful as this behind?
The salt is strong in his nose, but no longer pungent like it was when he was on land. The glaucous water deflects around them like silk, bending over his skin like a solace. Calum lets his eyes flutter shut, swimming blindly for a moment. His heart pulses in the timing of the waves, spuming over his bare skin. Calum can't imagine how anybody could ever get seasick when the sea looks and feels so lovely as this.
Suddenly an arm grabs his, and Calum nearly screams before he opens his eyes and sees it's Ashton. He's pulling Calum closer towards him and the others, out from where he was straying away. Ashton gives Calum a hard glare.
"You can't just close your eyes like that. We're not in a safe area, this is just the midst of the ocean." Ashton doesn't let go of his arm, looking up and pointing out into the distance. Calum follows his gaze. "Do you see them?"
He tries and looks for what he is pointing to, but his vision becomes a little blurred. He can make out shapes, long and dark and looking like their swimming, maybe. "What are they?"
Ashton rolls his eyes. "Sharks, Calum. They're sharks." Ashton watches Calum as he freezes, looking up at Ashton with wide eyes.
"We've got to run, come on!" says Calum, and starts trying to make a break for it, but Ashton just grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him back in place beside him.
"'Run'. You and your human terms," Ashton says under his breath. "They won't bother us if we're all together, usually. But if you're just floating along and drifting away from us, they won't think twice before attacking you."
Ashton must have seen the terrified look on Calum's wanned face, because he softens his voice a little and says, "Just stick by me, alright? If you're with me, you'll be safe."
So Calum does. He swims so close to Ashton that the older man almost wants to shove him off, but he doesn't, and Calum is grateful.
It's not a long journey to the other clan. Ashton wanted to keep it short and a safe distance away just in case they got the opportunity to go back. Calum doesn't quite mind it up North because of the warm water, which he didn't realize he would appreciate until now. Even everyone else has loosened up a bit after the trip here.
The sea is just as beautiful here as it was back at home. The sun glints against the surface of the water as waves crest, and the water is less glaucous than it was before. This is just a clear, very clear blue, where you can nearly see straight to the bottom of the ocean just by looking down. Ashton worried that it would make it more noticeable if someone were to walk by and look into the water, but the native mermaids assured them that nobody ever comes around this part of the ocean. It's uninhabited by humans.
Ashton leaves Calum and Luke to go talk with the other clan leader, and they both watch him go.
Luke turns toward Calum, glancing around him in awe. "It's beautiful here," he says, but Calum can still hear that slight tremor in his voice, the one that makes Calum's stomach churn with guilt. He stands around for a moment or two more and then turns, swimming away from Luke and all the others, needed to find a place to rest and get some time for himself.
He sits down on a rock hidden from view from everyone else, bracing himself with his hands and bowing his head. He shuts his eyes, listening to the dull sound of the moving waves and the distant chatter of all the other mermaids.
He plays with strands of writhen seaweed, unspooling them with his fingers absentmindedly. He lets his mind clear, but his chest still feels heavy from causing all this to happen, from choosing to live in this underground world instead of on land with his best friend, and all in all, he just feels very, very guilty.
He's just about to sit back up and return to the group when he sees a figure swim around the side of the rock he's sitting on, looking as though their in search of something. Calum recognizes him and immediately lets out a sigh.
The noise attracts Ashton's attention, and he turns and finds Calum. He blinks and stares at Calum's worn out posture for a moment before swimming slowly towards him, sitting down beside him quietly. Calum shrinks away from him a bit and prepares himself for Ashton's inevitable wrath.
"I'm sorry," says Ashton.
The words catch Calum off guard, and he turns and blinks at the wavy-haired man. Ashton doesn't meet Calum's sad eyes. He continues. "I shouldn't have blamed you for all of this. I know it's not your fault. This has happened to other clans before. I just wanted to let the anger out on someone, and that turned out to be you."
Calum doesn't say anything, just listening. Warm water wraps itself around Calum's fingers soothingly as he lets his hand float in the waves.
"And you do belong here. You proved that to us today by choosing to stay here in the ocean," Ashton says. "You just have to understand how... odd it is. To have a merman show up who's lived on land, with legs and all that. Who's been human. I've never even heard of that happening before."
Ashton clears his throat. "But you chose the ocean over land. You chose to be a merman over being human. So you belong here just as much as everyone else does. And I'm sorry."
Calum looks up at Ashton then, and their eyes meet. Ashton's are genuine, clearly apologetic, and Calum's are wide with surprise. Neither of them say anything, but Ashton knows the younger is grateful for his honesty. He knows that.
Ashton stares at Calum with a conflicted expression for a few more seconds before shaking himself out of it, pushing off the rock and swimming away, back towards all the others. Calum shuts his eyes, rubbing them with the palms of his hands tiredly as Ashton leaves. The guilt in his chest ceases slightly.
He lets himself smile a little, and he looks up to admire his surroundings, the nimbus that seems to cover everything around him. This can be a good life. He can make a good life out of this, especially since Ashton doesn't hate him anymore. Especially since that.
The only thing left to do is to forget.
---
A/N: so I was brushing my teeth yesterday, you know, mindin my own damn business when this GIANT ASS SPIDER starts crawling up the fucking mirror like it popped straight outta hell itself and everyone was asleep so I couldn't get help so I just fled and I think its still in there sos
but on the brightside I saw the 1975 and matty healy is the love of my life oh my god If I Believe You was my favorite by far I'm in love
so guys who is your favorite band? and have you gone to a concert of theirs?
mine would be 5sos, of course. and yes I have I still cry watching videos
thanks for reading as always! please leave your thoughts and comment and vote and all that jazzy stuff. ya'll are the best
love you to the moon. BYE
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Under the Sea ⇔ Cashton ✓
Fanfiction[MERMAID AU] When Calum turns 17, he is diagnosed as terminally ill by a group of doctors who can't seem to explain why he is feeling so sick. However, Calum's symptoms go away when he goes diving in the ocean, finding he has not a disease, but a ta...
