yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyooyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyooyoyoyoyo
can i pretty please request a rin x gn reader where rin is hopelessly down bad for them? (like he runs to pay for anything they want and gets grumpy/petty if reader insists/pays or runs to open doors for them and is honestly just all around pathetically in love)
BEACHY LOVE
🌺 It's been… like 7 months since my best friend has requested this.. I hope you enjoy…
🌺 It might be a little ooc Rin? Disgustingly in love Rin!!! Rin is a cutie patootie in this!!! Isagi is a little freaked out.. Also I haven't read bllk in a minute so I'm going off of what I know.. THIS IS NOT PROOFREAD!!!!
🌺GN READER‼️‼️‼️
🌺 WORD COUNT: 1,204
Isagi has seen a lot of weird stuff since he's become a famous soccer player.
He's seen fans flash their favorite players in a weird attempt to get their attention, he's seen opponents lose their shit after losing a match, he's even seen his own teammates get weird while playing a game. He can't really say anything about that though…
But what he's never seen before; in his seventeen years of life, is Rin Itoshi, one of the best soccer players in Japan (and also notably one of the most cold and standoffish) rubbing sunscreen into someone else's back.
I mean— helping someone with something without glaring at them or complaining!?
A shiver ran up Isagi's spine.
This couldn't be Rin. This had to be an imposter.
Rin would never willingly do something for someone unless—
Another shiver ran up Isagi's spine. A mysterious apple also fell on his head.
Unless… they were his partner!
Wait. No, he's getting too ahead of himself. Rin, Mr— “I have a stick shoved up my ass constantly” would never be able to pull someone! Especially someone so beautiful!
But then that brought him back to his original question. If this wasn't his partner, who was it!?
Before isagi could question Rin's and this mysterious person's relationship anymore, a monotonous voice broke him out of his stupor.
“Hey, NPC, can you move? You're standing right in front of the door.” said soccer player grumbled out while glaring daggers down at the now sweating Isagi.
“Oh! —” Isagi quickly moved out of the way of the entrance to the shaved ice hut. “Sorry.”
Rin walked in without even sparing isagi another word or glance, clearly focusing more on his task than his rival.
Now that Rin was closer, Isagi could get a look at his attire. And let me tell you. Isagi could feel himself getting traumatized again.
I mean— how couldn't he!? Rin was wearing neon blue swim trunks with flamingos and palm trees on it while also wearing a pair of pineapple sunglasses!
Who was this!?
“Do you have a staring problem, NPC?” Rin coldly asked when he felt Isagi's burning gaze on his back.
“What are you wearing?” Isagi boldly snapped back, not caring if he got a death glare because of it.
“swim trunks.”
“Wha— no kidding! I could tell that much! But why are you wearing ones with flamingo print on them!? And what's with the sunglasses!?” He questioned while pointing at the offending male.
Slowly, Very slowly, maybe it was intentional on how slow he was turning; Rin turned around to face Isagi, his expression far from a welcoming one.
In actuality, if looks could kill, Isagi would be, not 6ft, but 30ft underground!
“if you have such a problem with what I'm wearing maybe you should pluck your eyeballs out.” he spat out before turning back around and grabbing two snow cones from the smiling cashier.
“You should learn how to mind your business, NPC.” was the final thing Rin said to isagi, the pro soccer player shoving his way past the shorter and stomping his way out the hut.
It wouldn't take long before Rin would make it to his partner again. His partner in question looking up at their boyfriend with a questioning gaze.
“Rinnie? What's with the face?” They questioned while reaching out for the snow cone they requested, saying a small “Thank you” as they watched the other sit down on the ground like a pouting child.
“I ran into isagi.” He simply said, his blue eyes staring daggers into the poor snow cone in his grasp.
“So?” Y/N shrugged, looking at Rin with a questionable gaze.
“He had a problem with what I was wearing.”
“So what'd you say?”
“I told him he could pull his eyeballs out if he hated my outfit that much.”
“Aww Rinnie! You like the outfit I picked out for you that much!?” Y/N cooed while lovingly pinching their boyfriend's cheek.
Rin let out a soft grunt but didn't push Y/N away.
“You know, if you like the outfits I pick out for you that much, you should let me pick out all your outfits!” Y/N offered with a cheeky smile
Rin looked at his partner for a moment, his eyes softly gazing at their features: their bright eyes, their pretty smile, their soft hair..
Rin looked away from them with another grunt.
“No way.” He quietly said, a soft, almost unnoticeable blush on his face.
“What!? Why not!?” Y/N whined, a childish pout on their face.
“Because I said so.”
“That's not an answer!” Y/N grumbled
“Why not?” Rin teased while sticking his tongue out
“Because I said so!” They spat back with their tongue now out as well
“You're a child.” The soccer player scoffed, a small fond smile on his face at the sight of Y/N's pouting face.
This earned Rin a gentle punch from Y/N.
“You can go kiss my ass!” Y/N exclaimed before turning around and shoving a spoonful of shaved ice into their mouth.
It was quiet for a moment. All anyone would be able to hear would be the soft lapping of the ocean softly caressing the land before retreating once more, the sound of seagulls squawking away, and the gentle sound of wind brushing through the leaves of the trees.
“You know,” Rin started, successfully catching Y/N's attention.
“I have a gala coming up. You can uh..” He hesitated, a harsh blush growing on his face once more. “You can choose an outfit out for me.” he softly said.
At this, Y/N leaned in impossibly closer, their hand cupping the back of their ear as they let out an obnoxious “What was that?”. If it could, their ear would grow comically large as they waited for Rin to repeat himself.
Cursing under his breath, Rin let out a tired sigh before repeating himself.
“I said—” he started only to get cut off by Y/N grabbing his face.
“That I could pick out any outfit for you to wear to a gala!?” Y/N basically screamed in excitement, a smile running from ear to ear as they inched their face closer and closer to Rin's.
If it wasn't for the fact that his partner just ruptured his ear drums, he would've found their closeness extremely flustering.
But despite his lost hearing, he couldn't help but admire their features.
‘Damn them and their cute face…’ he silently cursed to himself.
Pushing Y/N away gently, Rin crossed his arms and averted his gaze.
“you're too loud.” He scolded, but his scolding landed on deaf ears seeing as Y/N was too busy celebrating their victory.
‘They're such a pain…’ Rin lovingly thought to himself while watching them celebrate.
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☆ Sick days.
☆ This is a fic for my friend seeing as they're currently feeling sick rn!!! They may be my biggest opp but I still look forward to making them feel at least a bit better!!
☆ Nagi x Gn Reader, fluff, mentions of sickness, descriptions of sickness, Nagi just trying to take care of reader despite being the laziest man in existence. Pro! Player Nagi!! Also maybe OOC?
Tell me if I missed anything!! Also not proofread!!! Sorry if there's any grammar mistakes!!
☆ Word count: 1,479
———
The time was 6:00 am.
The birds were just barely beginning to wake up and start to chirp, the sun was still halfway hidden by the horizon, and there was still some precipitation clinging onto the window.
But despite how much of a perfect morning this seemed to be, someone— or rather, y/n, wasn't having it at all.
A loud groan rang out throughout the otherwise quiet bedroom as you attempt to roll over to your side to get your phone, your still tightly closed eyes causing you to blindly feel around for your device before grabbing it once the cool metal touches your skin.
Rolling back over, you open your eyes with a little bit more force than usually necessary to gaze at the time only to immediately throw your phone to the other side of the room once the bright light hits your unusually sensitive eyes.
'What the hell…' you managed to think to yourself before letting out another groan when a pounding sensation starts to fill your head.
"Oh god don't tell me.." You muttered as you hastily sat up only to fall forward when a sudden wave of nausea and pain washes over your already struggling body.
Grumbling loudly to yourself, you let yourself stay in your folded position until a familiar jingle catches your attention.
It was your phone. Your phone was ringing, but you didn't seem to process that.
You only seemed to process it when it stopped.
"Was that Nagi calling?... " you absentmindedly thought to yourself before feeling your blood rush cold once you realized it.
Nagi……Nagi just called you.
You quickly sit up from your folded position, ignoring the waves of nausea and pain to crawl over to where your phone was laying and picking it up with a quickness that would have a baby crying.
Scanning over your notifications, you skim past all social media pings before freezing in your tracks once you get to one particular notif.
One missed call from 'Nagi 🩵'
You felt like you were going to throw up.
Nagi…The Nagi just called you on his own free will..
Maybe.
Still! Hypothetically, even if he was forced to call you, why would he use his own phone number? Why wouldn't he use Reo's or something?
You let out a sigh.
I mean you guess you'll never know if you don't ask him..
So with a groan, you roll over to your back and raise your phone up over your face, an action that you usually didn't think twice about but now seriously regretted as you felt your weakened arm start to hurt, causing you to let fall back down besides you, your phone jumping on the bed as you did so.
Deeply inhaling, you felt a sliver of peace wash over you before nearly jumping out of your skin when a loud knock on the front door resounded throughout the otherwise quiet house.
Grumbling quietly to yourself, you rolled over to the edge of the bed before sliding down the side, your shirt getting caught between the top of your back and the bed in the process.
As you began to get up, another loud round of knocks echoed throughout the house, only this time followed by a voice.
A very familiar voice..
"Y/n…..open the door please…my legs are starting to get tired.." Nagi's monotonous but naggy voice came from the other side of the door, causing you to get up as quickly as you could without giving yourself whiplash and speed walking— or speed wobbling— to the front door.
And once you did get to the door, you were barely able to open it an inch before it flew open with uncharacteristic strength, Nagi's eyes immediately locking on your disheveled form before he lets himself in like he owns the place.
"Y/n why didn't you meet up with me today… do you know how much energy it takes to wait for you only to realize you abandoned me…" the white haired whines as he stalks over to you before slumping his entire body weight on you, making you stumble a bit as you struggle to keep yourself from falling over then and there.
"Nagi.. I didn't abandon you.." You wheezed out, your face reddening and your body starting to shake as you begin to overexert yourself.
"Yes you did. I waited at the park for ten minutes and then called you only to have you not answer.."
"Nagi—" you began only to get cut off
"I thought you loved me Y/nnnnn….."
"Nagi!" You shout with irritation.
"Y/n….." He mumbles back in response.
You let out— you guessed it! Another groan.
"Nagi, why did you come here? I'm not feeling the best right now so if you're only going to whine I would appreciate it if you would leave." You sternly said as you finally managed to push the soccer player off and away from you.
"You're sick?... " He questions with a tilt of his head, his shaggy hair falling to the side as he did so.
You began walking over to your couch
"Yes Nagi I am feeling sick so I would appreciate it if you don't bother me right now." You mutter before flopping down on the smooth leather, your body immediately stretching the moment it hits the cool surface.
"Oh.." He mumbles, his silver eyes watching you stretch on the couch before starting to walk over himself.
Seeing him start to walk over, you briefly ponder what he was doing before it clicked.
Oh no, oh no no no
"No— Nagi—!" Your hoarse voice tries to protest only to fall flat when 185 pounds of lazy falls directly on top of you with no remorse.
"Nagi…" you groan out while uncomfortably shifting under him to try and get out only to give up a second later.
"Get off for the love of God.." You plead.
"Too much effort.." He nonchalantly replies back while cuddling more into your side.
And at that moment you realized, you were in a committed relationship with a man–child.
I don't know how you didn't realize that sooner though..just took you being sick to figure that mystery out.
You two would stay like that for a while, your boyfriend laying on top of you sprawled out while you were being comfortably crushed underneath.
It wasn't until your stomach began to grumble and you felt nausea overcome you again did you finally speak up.
"Nagi—" you start only to get cut off. Again.
"Noodles?.." He simply questions, causing you to let out a confused—
"huh?"
"I said, "Do you want a cup of noodles" ?" He repeats, his eyebrows furrowing as he opens his tired eyes to glare at you half heartedly like it was your fault that you couldn't decipher what he was saying.
"You did not say that—" you attempt to argue back only to get stopped mid sentence when your giant of a boyfriend finally decides to get off of you.
"Yeah yeah…" he absentmindedly mumbles while beginning to trudge to your kitchen.
Tilting your head backwards, you watch as he fumbles around your kitchen, watching as he struggles to find the pots and struggles to find the food itself.
Letting out a deep exhale, you internally curse yourself before slowly starting to get up from the couch and beginning your march towards the kitchen.
Pushing your partner aside, you reach for the pots which were in the bottom cabinet before placing it under the faucet and turning the water on, letting the pot slowly start to fill.
"Nagi, how do you take care of yourself if you can't even make a cup of noodles?" You question with a side glance, your lips down turned into a small frown as you gaze at your pathetic but oh so lovely boyfriend.
"Reo." He dryly answers, making you let out a hum in acknowledgement.
"Forget about your sugar daddy."
"He's not my sugar daddy." He quickly quips back as he watches you take the now filled pot and place it on the stove.
"Whatever makes you sleep better at night." Was your last response before the both of you fall into a comfortable silence once more.
"Y/n," he begins after a little while
"Yes?" You questioned while putting the noodles into the heating up water.
"Can I have some?"
"Do you wanna get sick?"
"No.."
"That's what I thought."
——☆
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The Little Moray Mermaids
Fandom: Twisted Wonderland
Characters: GN!Reader, Jade Leech, Floyd Leech, Ace Trappola, Deuce Spade, Azul Ashengrotto, Reader
Word Count: 7,399
Note: This a long one folks. I enjoyed writing this a lot. Not the mermaid AU I was planning, but it just happened. Hope you all enjoy reading it!
Warnings: Some swearing
---------
It is the sudden quietness of the night that draws you from under your covers to look around the dark. The only light comes from your phone screen that you had been looking at previously, and the occasional lightning that flashes in the dark skies. At 3AM it’s far too early for anyone to be up, though you had kept yourself awake while scrolling through social media. Since early evening the rain has been pouring down in sheets while lightning lit up the sky and thunder echoed loudly.
The lack of thunder makes you pause, but eventually you decide to go back under your covers. However, you hear a loud squeak of floorboards and immediately sit back up. The only other person in the house is your father, who should be asleep at this hour. Tossing aside the covers, your bare feet touch the cold, wooden floors making you jump.
Tip toeing to your door, you crack the bedroom door open to peek outside. You don’t see anything in the gloom of the hallway. Slipping out, you avoid certain squeaky floorboards as you make your way down the hall and to the stairwell. Squatting, you hide between the bars of the stairs, you see your father standing with the front door open.
The porch light illuminates a broad figure in the doorway, who seems to tower over your father despite being about the same height. You strain your ears trying to hear their mumbled conversation, but only manage to catch a few things here and there.
“Clark and Claire want you to…”
“It’s three in the morning!”
“Don’t…bosses wait. They found something interesting, possibly me-” A violent boom of thunder shakes the house and forces you to clap your hands over your ears. Your father nearly drops his glasses that he had been fiddling with. The stranger doesn’t seem to react.
“We can drag… -make it difficult for us.” Finally your father seems to slump forward as he grabs his coat hanging nearby and follows the stranger out into the night.
You stay there frozen for a few moments longer, before rushing back to your room. You open the balcony door only to be pushed back by a violent wind. Managing to stay upright, you try in vain to look for any sign of a vehicle, yet there is nothing in the dark night.
“What was that?” you ask yourself as you lock the balcony door and go back to bed.
---------
It is a sharp, painful flick to the forehead that finally draws you from your thoughts. You drop the controller and throw the offender a nasty look. “What the hell!?”
Ace merely rolls his eyes. “Not my fault you were off in wonderland. You’re not even paying attention to the game.”
True to his statement, you lost the race. “Just got something on my mind…” You fall back against the couch cushions.
“Anything we can help with? My mom always says it’s best to talk to other people if something’s bothering you,” Deuce offers.
Having moved to the town about three years ago, you had made friends with Ace and Deuce. The duo were often seen together at school and on days off. You became an official member later on. Though they caused many headaches, you cared for the two knuckleheads. Oftentimes the three of you would hang out on the weekends. With summer vacation just starting, you were looking forward to spending a lot of time together.
You sigh before explaining, “Some stranger came to the house early in the morning and my dad went with him. I’m just worried…”
The redhead yawns as he stretches. “Maybe your dad is doing something illegal.” A swift slap on the arm makes the boy cry out. “Hey!”
“My dad’s not the type! The most illegal thing he’s done is driving under the speed limit.” You huff in annoyance. “I couldn’t make them out, but the stranger mentioned Clark and Claire?”
The duo share a glance. “What?” You look frantically between them.
“N-nothing!” Deuce immediately becomes fascinated with the television.
“That wasn’t a nothing look! What? Do you guys know them?” You glare at Ace, who nervously rubs the back of his neck.
Again they share a look. “Well…” Ace starts but looks away.
“They’re the mafia!” Deuce blurts out.
“What!” You grab Deuce by the front of his shirt. “What do you mean?!”
The dark haired boy nervously waves his hands. “N-nothing! I mean they’re not the mafia, just like the mafia…?”
Releasing him, you pinch the bridge of your nose, groaning, “That doesn’t make me feel better!”
Knocking Deuce on the head, Ace tries to clarify. “What the idiot means is that they’re bad news. They’re known as the Jester gang. They’re known for doing illegal dealings under the table. And a lot of people who were associated with them have disappeared.”
“Most of the stores downtown pay them a monthly due or else,” Deuce adds. “I wouldn’t associate with them back then.” You had gotten a brief overview of the dark haired boy’s delinquent past at some point, so you have an idea of how bad the two were.
“What do they want with my dad? He’s a marine biologist and professor, not a criminal.” You start rubbing your own temples.
“You could ask him,” Deuce suggests.
“Oh yeah I’m sure that would go well. ‘Hey dad, are you working with the town mafia?’ Like he’d give me the truth.” Staring at the ceiling, you wonder how things could have gone from zero to hundred. “Why haven’t they been thrown in jail if everyone seems to know?”
The two shrug. “Probably because they’re good at covering their tracks. The police have nothing on them, and people are too scared to report them.” Ace starts up a new match.
“Great…”
Your father is a good person, though he isn’t a saint. He tried his best with you after moving to this new town. Having purchased the large mansion over the jagged cliff, he tried to make it feel like home. Still this place is too big for two people. The east wing isn’t even used and most of the rooms remain empty even after three years. You mostly occupy the west wing, kitchen and the rec room down in the basement. It isn’t as bad as you had initially thought; plus your father gives you a lot of freedom to come and go as you please.
Him being tied up with an unsavory group is far from your imagination. Even if he is doing something illegal, he would never tell you willingly.
---------
Riding on your bike down the only road that leads to your house, you peddle to the pier. Locking your bike up, you stroll down to the beach while observing the beach goers. Some lean over the pier balcony looking down into the water below. The flimsy chain link sign that’s supposed to keep people away from the opening does little to actually do anything. People sit in between the gaps, their feet dangling in the air. Everyone seems to be enjoying the nice weather and warm water. Walking along the rocky cliffs, you veer left into a hidden alcove.
The cave is something your father had found while exploring the beach awhile back. It has a large underground grotto pool that connects to the ocean. You had explored a bit of it once, finding small fish and crabs wandering the expansive area. There’s something almost peaceful about being under water despite not being able to breath. All noise seems to vanish and fish flit along without a care. Perhaps your father’s love for marine life has rubbed off on you.
You stop short when you see your father standing over a newly brought table. The entire cave is filled with equipment that has never been there before. There’s even a generator humming off to the side.
“Dad?” you call, brows knitting together.
He jumps; the pen he had been holding falls out of his hand and rolls on the sandy floor. “What are you doing here?!”
“I just wanted to check on the grotto and maybe go for a swim. What’s all this?” You gesture to all the shiny machines. He even has a brand new laptop set up, which he quickly closes.
“J-just research. I, uh, wanted to do some testing on the marine life that gathers in the grotto,” he lies, his eyes not meeting you.
Deciding to play along, you wander over to the edge of the pool. Squatting, you lazily touch the water. “Did you find something?”
“N-nothing like that. Maybe step away from the edge…in case you fall in.” He fiddles with his glasses as he watches you.
Looking at him, you smile. “Please, I know this place like the back of my hand.” Hours of exploring the underground grotto had ingrained the layout into your brain. It is much like a second home; a home you need to come up for air.
“Right… Why don’t we go to the crab shack for lunch?” he suggests.
“Alright, that sounds go-” Suddenly you feel something cold grab your wrist and tug you backwards. The move causes you to lose your balance and fall back into the pool; your father’s terrified face is the last thing you see before you squeeze your eyes shut.
You clamp your mouth closed as the cold ocean water hits you. You sink a bit lower before finally pulling yourself together. Opening your eyes despite the stinging water, you can’t see much in the murkiness. Just as you are about to swim back up, a hazy figure swims toward you so quickly you don't have time to react. You’re staring into a glinting golden eye, which causes your mouth to open suddenly letting out a garbled scream.
A flash of sharp, pointy teeth and a long tail is all you see before you force your body to surface. Rising from the water, you sputter and cough. “What-” You keep hacking up water as your father helps to drag you out of the pool. “What the hell is in there?!”
Sitting on solid ground, you stare up at him bewildered. Your father grabs a towel from a stack in a small cubby and hands it to you. “I…It’s just a very large fish that found its way into the grotto.”
“Very large fish my ass! That thing had teeth!” You try your best to dry yourself off. You lost your flip flops it seems. “I swear something grabbed me and pulled me into the water!”
Hovering nervously, he adjusts and readjusts his glasses. “T-there might be an octopus in there. You know h-how curious they can be… Just stay clear of this place for a while okay?” It’s a weak excuse you both knew, but you decide not to push.
Sighing, you pick yourself off the ground. “I have to go back home and change. But I’ll meet you at the crab shack in thirty minutes?”
Shoulders relaxing, he smiles. “Of course. I’ll get you whatever you want.”
Later that night, you carefully open the door to your father’s study. He’s passed out at his desk, an empty glass in his hand and the still opened whiskey bottle on the desk. His loud snores are all you need to hear. Going back to your room, you grab your backpack and a flashlight.
You avoid the squeaky steps and leave the house by the side door from the kitchen. Biking back to the pier, it’s completely deserted compared to earlier. You need to know what is in the pool even if your father doesn’t want you to. Could it be related to what the stranger came for the other night? Stepping into the cave, you sweep the light around. Seeing that he has left everything as is, you go over to the laptop. It’s password protected… Leaving it alone, you do one last sweep of the cave before getting to business.
Setting the flashlight down so the beam of light points up, you take off your backpack. Reaching inside, you rifle around as you eye the water. Pulling out a plastic bag with a few precooked shrimp, you take one out. Tossing it in the water, you watch as it sinks into the depths. You wait a bit but nothing happens.
Frowning, you throw in another shrimp and wait. When nothing happens, you pull out another plastic bag filled with dried mackerel. “Maybe it doesn’t like shrimp…”
The sudden loud echo of your phone ringing makes you drop the bag. “Shit!” You quickly answer. “What?” you hiss.
“Someone’s in a bad mood,” Ace comments. “We wanted to know if you wanna come to a game with us next week?” You can hear the t.v. blasting in the background.
“And you couldn’t have texted me?” You can almost hear the eye-roll.
“Nope. So you in?”
Grumbling a “fine” you hang up before silencing your phone. “Almost had a heart attack…”
“Ya make funny faces, Shrimpy!” You whip your head up and meet the dual colored eyes of a creature. Leaning against the edge of the pool on the far end, the creature holds up one of the shrimps you had dropped in. Swallowing it whole, you get a flash of sharp white teeth.
Scrambling back a bit, you grab the flashlight and direct it toward the creature. “Y-you’re the thing that I saw!”
Eyes gleaming in glee, the creature dives under the water only to resurface on your end. Leaning against the edge, dangerous eyes watch you. “Hiya!” A webbed hand waves at you. Mouth opening and closing you can’t find the right words. “Ya look like a gaping fish!”
Shaking your head, you stare wide-eyed. “What are you?”
“I’m Floyd. Never seen a moray mermaid before?” he asks almost mockingly.
“M-mermaid? Like half fish, half human…” He definitely doesn’t look anything like the fairy tale mermaids you read about when you were a kid. His turquoise hair is muted under the bad light and he has a longer strand of back. He has fin-like protrusions where his ears should be, and webbed hands that have dangerous looking nails. You can vaguely make out something swishing in the water back and forth.
He clicks his tongue in annoyance. “We don’t all look like the mermaids you humans like to imagine. We’re better.”
“Whose ‘we’?”
Floyd seems to find interest in the bag of mackerel you had dropped. He’s already opened it and is chowing down. “My brother’s here too. So, Shrimpy, what’s goin’ on?”
“Like I know. I-I just found out mermaids apparently exist! How’d you even get here?” You watch him with part curiosity and part fear. Those claws and teeth aren’t for show.
He dumps the remaining fish in his mouth before tossing the plastic bag at you. “Beats me. One second I’m just enjoying a nice snack, the next we’re tossed into a net and then a glass cage. Then they threw us in here and snapped these on our necks.” He taps at the chunky black collar that you hadn’t noticed. A small red light blinks occasionally.
Brows knitting together, you wonder what the device is. You have never seen anything like it, and it is definitely not something your father ever had. “Can’t you leave? The grotto does exit into the ocean.”
“Someone put metal bars on the exit.” He shrugs. “The sea slug has been feeding us, but he keeps his distance. He’s no fun…” Floyd sighs.
“Sea slug?”
“The sweaty human who fiddles a lot with stuff,” he clarifies.
“Dad… What on earth has he gotten himself into?” you mutter.
Floyd yawns loudly. “See ya, Shrimpy. Next time bring more snacks!” He dips under the water before you can say anything else.
You sit there for a while before finally pulling yourself together. Biking back home, your thoughts swirl around trying to understand everything that just happened. You aren’t even sure what to tell Ace and Deuce or if you should tell them. However, you know one thing and that’s whatever is going on is in no way a good thing
---------
It’s a few days later that you are able to go back to the grotto. Your father has left for the day to teach his summer course. You make a pb&j for yourself, before throwing in a few cans of tuna and sardines in your bag. You hesitate before tossing in a candy bar for the fun of it. You’re just about to hop on your bike when a loud ‘meow’ stops you.
“Grim?” The gray and white cat rubs against your leg. His clear blue eyes stare up at you. “So you smelled the tuna and decided to show up, huh?” The feral cat often comes around when he’s hungry. Most of the townsfolk fed him if they happened to have anything on hand. You found the cat likes tuna. A lot.
Taking off your backpack, you pull out a can of tuna and open it. Leaving it on the porch, you laugh as the cat pounces on the food. “Enjoy the meal. I have a fish to meet.”
Riding off, you make the trip to the cave as quickly as possible. Inside, you’re already removing some cans and setting them down. “Floyd? I brought some snacks,” you call.
Against your better judgment, you want to speak with the mermaid some more. It isn’t everyday you meet a mythical sea creature. Hearing a splash, you smile as teal hair pokes out of the water. Rising higher, your smile falls a bit as you stare at the dual colored eyes. Something is off about the mermaid, yet you can’t quite put your finger on what.
His eyes watch your every movement as you take out your pb&j. “...Floyd?” You tilt your head to the side trying to remember your first encounter. “I swear the eyes were switched…” muttering under your breath, you cautiously inch closer.
Finally he speaks, and the voice is definitely different. “So you’re not as foolish as you look. Interesting.”
“You’re his brother then?” you ask, ignoring the insult.
“Jade at your service,” he greets with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “My brother mentioned you. I’m glad I also got the chance to meet you.”
Sitting at the edge of the pool, you dip your feet in the water. Perhaps not the smartest thing to do since there are two mermaids in there, but you have a feeling they aren’t interested in eating you. “Twins, huh… So, what’s it like?”
“Pardon?” He keeps his distance though he is looking at the things you laid out near the edge. Close enough that one can reach it if they come closer.
“Living underwater, I mean. Is there a city under there like the stories say?” Curiosity wins out over fear.
“You could say that we have a city of sorts. Compared to you humans, it’s cold and dark,” he explains.
Surprised he’s willing to talk, you lean forward. “Cold and dark? Sounds kinda uncomfortable, but I guess it makes sense if you live deep in the ocean. Maybe that’s why no one has seen a mermaid before…?”
“We tend not to interact with your kind. You people aren’t known to be the kindest…” His tone takes on a chilly quality. Yet, you can’t blame him considering he and his brother are trapped in the grotto for unknown reasons.
Just as you open your mouth to say something, you feel a cold hand grab your foot. You let out a yelp and quickly pull your legs out of the water. “You’re so jumpy, Shrimpy~” Floyd teases as he pops his head up.
“D-don’t do that!” Hand over your heart, you let out a deep breath. “I bring snacks and this is how I’m treated…”
Floyd’s already helping himself to your food. Namely your pb&j. “Twish stuff is so wry! I dwon’t understand why you like peanut budder,” he says between bites.
“That was my lunch… Wait, you know what peanut butter is?” You put your feet back in the water after it seems like the moray mermaid loses interest.
Finishing the sandwich quickly, Floyd nods. “We’ve visited places humans eat. Takoyaki is really good!”
“We are able to come on land as humans,” Jade explains, “It’s something every mermaid has done at least once.”
Eyes widen in awe. “So you guys could just become human and walk out of here?”
He shakes his head. “We actually have to make the potion that requires hard to obtain ingredients and there are certain conditions. If it was that simple, we wouldn’t be stuck here.”
“Oh… So magic kinda exists but in potion form?” Every fantasy idea you had read about or seen is suddenly coming to mind.
“More or less.” He shrugs. “What you humans consider magic is not quite the same, but it is within the same idea.”
“Huh…” You stare at the twins thoughtfully.
Floyd interrupts your musings by poking your leg. “Hey, Shrimpy, can ya get us outta here?”
“I can try but I don’t know if I could carry you from the cave to the water. It’s not a far distance but you don’t look very…light.” If you are being honest, they look like they weigh too much. Perhaps you could drag them along?
Jade shakes his head. “That wouldn’t work. We can’t breathe outside of water for too long. The time it would take for you to carry one of us to the water, we’d probably be dead.”
“You have to always be in water?”
“At least halfway up. Unlike the mermaids you humans know of, morays aren’t able to be out of water for long without running the risk of drying out,” he explains further.
Scrunch up your nose, you wracked your brain for ideas. “We could put you in something portable that can hold water… But where would I get something big enough…? Though I guess it doesn’t have to fit your entire body, just enough plus water…”
Floyd suddenly leans over and pokes your forehead. You grimace as water drips off his hand. “Don’t think too hard, Shrimpy. Can ya bring me takoyaki?” Again he switches between topics.
“Uh…I can try? I’ve never made it so I’ll have to look up a recipe.” You glance over at Jade and give him an encouraging smile. “Any requests over there?”
“Octopus carpaccio,” he says, eyes lighting up a bit.
You make a mental note to look those two dishes up. “Great. Two things I don’t know how to make. But I’ll try.”
“Shrimpy!” Suddenly Floyd throws his arms around your waist and squeezes. He squeezes a little too hard causing you to wheeze. You swear your hear your bones creak
“T-too tight!” You weakly shove at his shoulders until he lets go.
---------
It becomes an occurrence for you where you visit the two when you can. Sometimes it’s impossible when your father is there, so you steer clear. Other times, you sneak out late at night to have a chat. You always bring snacks, which Floyd eats happily and sometimes Jade partakes. It seems your father has been feeding them live fish by quickly dumping them into the water before scurrying away. Floyd seems to take fun in scaring him on occasions or just plain up soaking him with water.
The time spent with Ace and Deuce are fun but you still contemplate whether you should tell them. On one hand it would be nice to have their help and support. On the other hand, you don’t want to get them involved with something dangerous. Though you haven’t seen any more shady people, you feel like they might come out of nowhere any second.
You’re still thinking of ways to get the twins back to the ocean. A tank large enough to fit them would be ideal, but you have no idea where you would get one. You also have to think about what would happen to your father when the gang finds out the mermaids are gone. You can only imagine that he would be blamed and punished. There doesn’t seem to be a good ending if you help the brothers escape.
---------
Again Ace and Deuce are at your home playing video games. It’s too hot to do much outside, so the three of you decided to stay inside. However, you are too distracted to pay attention to the match. Your thoughts are busy thinking about your most recent encounter with the twins.
You had gone to visit them a few days before, and they had told you some people had visited your father. The two stayed under the water but could hear the conversation. It seemed the Jester gang wanted to move the twins to their home soon. For what reason, they didn’t know, but it wasn’t good.
“Hey, are you okay?” Deuce asks, nudging you lightly when he notices the glazed over look in your eyes.
“Hmm?” You glance at him blankly. “Sorry I was lost in thought.”
Attention drawn away from the screen, his brows draw together. “You seem to be lost a lot recently. Is it because of…you know…?”
You set the controller down. “Yeah… I just don’t know what to do. If I do anything my dad will get in trouble. But if I don’t do anything they’ll probably end up hurt.”
“Who’s ‘they’?”
You frown at your slip-up. “...”
“Eat my dust!” Ace cheers as he comes in first place. He jumps up and pumps his arms in the air, but stops when he realizes you're both not even playing. “Aww, come on! You guys aren’t even playing!”
Looking between the two, you decide to tell them the truth. “You guys want to see what that gang is using my dad for?”
“Uh…” Deuce looks unsure.
Ace shrugs. “Sure, why not?”
“You sure? This means you’d be involved and could get in trouble.” You gave them an out just in case they realize the trouble they might be getting into.
“When has that ever stopped us from doing anything?” Ace asks with a grin. Deuce nods determinedly.
A chuckle leaves your lips as you shake your head in disbelief. “Let’s get going tweedledum and tweedledee.”
“Hey!”
You lead them to the cave knowing your father won’t be there and stand at the edge of the pool. The two boys are glancing around suspiciously. “What is all this stuff?” Deuce pokes at the machinery.
“Don’t touch that!” Jumping, the dark haired boy backs away slowly. “Come over here.” You had already cleared it with Jade and Floyd awhile ago. The two seemed agreeable to meeting your friends if you ever decided to tell them.
The two peer down in the water. Finally Ace asks, “What are we supposed to be seeing?”
“Jade. Floyd. Meet Ace and Deuce,” you introduce.
Suddenly Deuce lets out a horrified scream as Floyd reaches out of the water and grabs his ankle. Ace scrambles behind you as the dark haired boy falls to the ground. “What the fuck!” the redhead shouts.
Rolling your eyes, you give Floyd a pointed look. He merely grins before letting Deuce go, who crawls behind you as well. “Must you do that?”
“It’s a lota fun!” he cackles.
The two behind you are speechless as they take in the two mermaids. Jade gives his usual smile while Floyd wiggles his webbed digits at them with a toothy grin. “Hiya, Crabby and Mackerel!”
“W-what are they?” Deuce finally asks, eyes darting between the two.
“Moray mermaids. They were apparently caught by the Jester gang. Not sure what they’re doing with them, but my dad’s been monitoring their vitals for the past month,” you explain.
Ace moves from behind you as he examines them from a safe distance. “They’re kinda…scary.”
“Thank you,” Jade says, his smile widening a hint.
You wave off his worried expression. “They’re fine. Anyways, the reason I wanted to introduce you guys is because I need to figure out a way to get them back to the ocean. They can’t be out of the water for too long, but maybe with all three of us we can carry them quickly to the shore?”
“You want us to carry them?” Both boys hold their hands up. “They look kinda heavy,” Deuce admits, finally standing up to stand beside you.
“Have any better ideas? I’m all ears.” Both shrug in unison. “Fine. We’ll need to brainstorm some more.”
“Ey ey, Shrimpy, did you bring snacks?” Floyd watches you expectantly as you take off your backpack.
You pull out a tupperware container. “I actually made takoyaki. The first and second batch were cooked too much. I think this one’s pretty good.”
“Wooo!” Floyd grabs the container and starts chowing down.
Ace pouts. “Why don’t you make us stuff?”
“You never asked.” You chuckle as Floyd shares a few with Jade but mainly eats the rest.
“So, if I asked for a cherry pie…?” He looks at you hopefully.
“Make it yourself. You got two hands and feet,” you answer with a huff. “It’s not like these two can walk into a kitchen.”
“Tsk.” Ace crosses his arms. “Treats a bunch of fish better than your best friend,” he mutters.
Ignoring his grumblings, you take back the tupperware once Floyd is done. Bidding farewell to the two mermaids, the three of you return back to your house. Though the two boys are still wary of the mermaids, they agree to help you figure out a way to get them back to the ocean.
---------
It’s nearing the end of summer vacation and no plans have been made. Despite three heads, it seems none of you can come up with a good idea. You did try lifting Floyd out of the pool together once, but he proved to be heavier than he looked. With his extremely long tail, you could barely get him a few inches out. After struggling for an hour, you gave up though Floyd seemed to enjoy the experience.
As you walk along the pier, you notice a lone figure up ahead walking along the shore. Having come back from a tennis match, you had decided to check in on the twins. You might not have paid attention to the person if it weren’t for how they are dressed. It’s summer time yet this strange person is wearing a long gray jacket and a black fedora. You linger behind as you watch the man from afar. Eyes narrowing, you grip your racket as you see him veer to the left toward the hidden grotto.
You walk a little faster as he disappears around the bend. Inching closer, you can hear mumbling. Peeking inside you see the stranger standing in front of the pool with the twins bobbing in the water. You shuffle closer as you lift your racket, ready to smash his head like a tennis ball.
“Shimpy!” Floyd notices you and waves causing the stranger to whirl around. His eyes widen when he sees you ready to pummel him.
“Wait, (y/n)! Don’t hit him!” Jade calls to you. You stop mid-swing, brows drawing together. Jade lets out a breath of relief. “This is our friend, Azul.”
The silver haired stranger looks between you and the twins. “A friend? You have a human friend?” you ask, lowering your racket.
“Nah. Azul is a mermaid like us. He’s just usin’ a transformation potion,” Floyd explains as his tail flicks water around.
“Oh…right.” You recall that the twins did say they could become human. “So, what’s he doing here?”
Azul seems to finally pull himself out of his stupor as he speaks. “They wanted me to come fetch them.” He adjusts his silver frames as he examines you. “I didn’t realize they had made an acquaintance on land…”
“I didn’t realize they had friends,” you say, looking between the two.
“Yup! We’ve known Azul since he was a cute, chubby little octopus,” Floyd chortles.
Sputtering, Azul glares at Floyd. “You signed a NDA about that!” He receives a toothy grin in return.
As much as you want to hear more, you decide to change the subject. “So are you going to give them a potion to make them human?”
“Well about that…” he coughs “I don’t have any potions. A bunch of kids ran into me and knocked them to the ground.”
Jade ponders for a moment. “That’s too bad. We might be able to still get out though. You see, the hulking man that brought us here came a few days ago saying they were going to transfer us.”
“Transfer? To where?”
“Not sure. But they mentioned somethin’ about meat.” Floyd’s face darkens as his lip curls upward.
You feel your body suddenly get cold. You had been reading up on legends of mermaids, and a few were less savory than the fairy tales. One legend existed that if a person were to eat the flesh of the mermaid, they would gain immortality. Of course you had scoffed at the idea, but perhaps there were some who believed in it.
Azul looks almost green. “God they’re going to… Ugh! Humans can be so barbaric.”
“Ditto. When will they be coming?” you ask, you mind racing.
“In three days from now at midnight. There will only be two men as they mentioned something about being watched. I think when they’re transporting us, it might be the best time for your friends to try and get us out. There’ll be portable tanks, so if you can distract two of them, perhaps you can do something.” The three share a look before nodding.
Rubbing your temples, you sigh. “Alright, I’ll let Ace and Deuce know. We’ll figure out a way to distract them.” You glance at Azul. “Do you have somewhere to hide before then?”
“I’ll return to the sea,” he says.
“Oookaaay…” You honestly don’t know what he can do to help, but since the twins trust him, you don’t say anything else.
You and Azul leave the area in silence. You head up back to the pier while Azul walks further down the shore. Taking a look over your shoulder, you see that he’s already waist deep in the water; clothes and all. Shaking your head, you send Ace and Deuce a quick text before hopping on your bike to head home.
You wait for the two out on the porch while playing with Grim. The cat jumps up and down as you dangle the fish-on-a-string toy just enough that he can swat at it. You perk up when you hear the sound of Deuce’s motorbike. The duo come to a stop, and Deuce parks his bike; Grim seems to find interest in the vehicle.
“Did someone die?!” Is the first thing Deuce asks.
“What? No!” Ace only shrugs when you turn your confused gaze to him.
The dark haired boy frowns as he hangs his helmet on the handle of his bike. “But you said it was an emergency…”
“No one’s dying. Yet. But this is an emergency. Come on, let's get inside first.” You lead the two downstairs.
Ace sits down on the couch. “So what’s up?”
“Apparently the Jester gang plans to move the twins,” you start “to their house. And they want to…eat them…”
“...”
“...”
“What. The. Fuck.” Ace’s eyes widen as he stares at you in disbelief. “Why the hell do they want to eat them?!”
“Like I would know. I mean there are stories about mermaids granting immortality by eating them, but who knows if that’s true.” You shudder at the thought. “Anyways I need your help.”
Deuce sighs. “As much as I don’t like those weird guys, I guess we can’t leave them to be eaten…”
“I guess…” Ace agrees halfheartedly.
“Alright, so I have a plan…”
---------
Hiding out under the docks alone is a bit unnerving, especially when it’s pitch black and quiet. You comfort yourself with the knowledge that Ace and Deuce are hiding in the parking lot, so at least they’re nearby. You had gone over the plan with the two a couple of times, but still you are nervous. It’s not everyday you do something illegal against a gang that could kill you if they ever found out.
The two men sent by Clark and Claire had already walked by with their large tank. They both seemed rather annoyed and grumbled a lot. You can only hope that the distraction the two boys had planned would work enough. Gripping the wooden baseball bat you brought, you periodically glance at the dark waters. Unsure if Azul is actually out there waiting, you can only hope.
The plan is to toss the twins off the pier balcony where beach goers like to sit. It’s the quickest way to the water and should be fairly easy. All you have to do is tip over the large tank enough that they could get out. Of course this half-baked plan relied on a lot of things happening in the right way.
You tense when you hear the squeaking of wheels and see the two grunts coming around the bend. It’s hard to see what’s in the tank, but you do notice the two seem to be struggling more. You watch from your hiding spot as they push the tank up the ramp while swearing once and awhile.
Hiding back in the darkness, you send Ace and Deuce a quick text. You wait as the two men take a quick rest once they’re no longer on the ramp. A loud pop rings out in the quiet night followed by multiple loud pops and cracks.
“What the hell?!” You hear the two men arguing before one runs off.
The other one that stays behind rubs the back of his head muttering about inconveniences. As you creep up behind him, you grip the handle of the bat tighter. Clenching your teeth, you strike the back of his head as hard as you can. The wooden bat meets his head with a sickening crack. He falls to the ground like dead weight. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you nudge his body with your foot. He’s breathing.
“Oh thank goodness…” you mumble before tossing the bat aside.
As you struggle to push the tank toward the end of the pier, you wonder how the other two are doing. The loud noises have stopped and everything is eerily quiet once more. As long as they distract the other guy long enough, you’re sure you can make it.
“(Y/N)?” You freeze. Slowly looking over your shoulder your stomach drops as you meet your father’s gaze.
Turning fully around, you press your back against the tank. “Dad…”
His clothes are in disarray and his hair sticks up. “W-what are you doing?”
Everything seems to be frozen in place. “I…I’m helping my friends. What are you doing here?” Last you checked, he was asleep in his study.
He rubs the bridge of his nose. “Of course you went back to the pool,” he says to himself. “Always so curious…” He shakes his head before meeting your gaze. “I couldn’t let them do what they wanted with the two mermaids…”
All the tension in your body relaxes. “You’re here to save them?”
He sighs and rubs his face. “Somehow… I don’t know, but I see you made it before me.” He gestures to the tank.
“What about the gang? Aren’t you afraid of what they’ll do?” you ask.
Walking over, he helps you push the tank. “They can’t really prove anything. And even if they try to do something, I have a lot of evidence against them. I might be a teacher, but I won’t let someone threaten my family.”
Nearing the edge, you pause to push the top off the tank. A few seconds later Floyd and Jade pop their heads out of the top. “Shrimpy!”
“Hey, you guys good?” You notice the black collars are gone.
“Yes. Those two men were more afraid of us than anything else,” Jade says with a chuckle.
Your father looks between you two, mouth open. “They t-talk?!”
“Yeah… what you guys never spoke to my dad?”
Floyd waves a web hand lazily. “Nothing really interestin’ to say to the sea slug or those guppies.”
“Sea slug?” Shock still on his face, he starts to fiddle with his glasses.
You pat your father on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.” You turn your attention back to the two. “I’d suggest getting ready cause we’re going to just tip this thing over the edge.”
Both nodded before ducking down into the tank. With your father, you’re able to tip the tank over. You hear a muffled thump and then a loud splash. Peering over the edge, you see the twins bobbing in the water. Azul pops up as well.
“Bye, Shrimpy~!” Floyd waves.
“Thank you,” you hear Jade say before the three duck under water. A green tail flashes in the water before disappearing under the waves.
Letting out a relieved sigh, you grin. “Well that was fun.”
“(Y/N)!” Ace and Deuce run toward you. Both have leaves and twigs in their hair and clothes. They both stop to catch their breath.
“Did…they…leave?” Deuce asks between breaths.
“Yeah, we just saw them swim off.” You jab a thumb in the direction of the sea.
“Good! We might have a problem…” Ace glances at your father. “Uh…we accidentally knocked out the guy.”
Deuce nods. “He was getting too close to us, so I might have panicked.”
You shrug, not really caring. “And that’s a problem? They weren’t nice guys. Anyways, I also hit the other guy with a bat. We can just report them to the police for…”
“Transporting exotic fish?” your father supplies.
“Yeah, that’s good.” You wrap your arms around both their shoulders. “Come on, let’s go back to my place.”
Rolling his eyes, Ace sighs. “This was the dumbest plan ever. You owe me.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll make you something to eat.”
“Poached eggs?” Deuce asks hopefully.
“Sure!”
“I want my cherry pie first!”
“It’s two in the morning, Ace…”
“...still want my cherry pie!”
---------
An entire year passes without much drama beyond the Jester gang finally getting arrested on charges of transporting exotic species. Though the police don’t say how they came to this conclusion, you notice a bounce in your father’s step. You continue your life as if two mermaids hadn’t just appeared during your summer break. By the time summer rolls around once more, you’re almost convinced it was all a mass fever dream you shared.
Wandering on the shores of the beach, you look out on the calm waters. Tourists are slowly coming back though for now you have the beach to yourself. You let the water lap at your toes as you stare out. Finding out mermaids existed made you curious about what else could be out there. What other myths could be true.
“Shrimpy!” You let out a yelp as arms suddenly wrap around your middle and crush you into a tight hug.
“Floyd, don’t scare, (y/n),” another voice comments playfully.
Looking up at Floyd, who still has yet to release you from his hold, a grin bursts from your face. “You guys came back!”
“Of course we did, Shrimpy. I missed ya!” He nuzzles the top of your head as you try to wiggle out of his hold.
Jade chuckles as his brother finally lets you go. “We wanted to come see you sooner, but it was difficult procuring some ingredients. However, we’re glad we made it for summer.”
“Is Azul here?” You don’t see him.
“He had some stuff to wrap up, but he’ll be here in a few hours.” Floyd grabs your arm. “I wanna see the sights!”
Jade gives a mock bow. “We are in your care.” He grasps your other arm.
“Alright, alright. I’ll be your personal tour guide.” Sandwiched between the two, you can only give in. Not that you mind since you did miss them.
“Invite Mackerel and Crabby. We can have a lota fun!” The glint in Floyd’s eyes speaks volumes, but you’re sure Ace and Deuce wouldn’t mind. Hopefully.
Walking along the pier with the two arm-in-arm, you wonder what this summer will bring.
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