Aquata Cove Ch. 57

"A-Adra Merrick..." The boy whimpered as his eyes too began to shimmer with tears. Merrick dropped his head and pushed it onto Arnaav's chest before the otter merman dropped his spear and hugged Merrick. The Piscien cried as if... No, it really is an old friend appearing after thinking long ago that he had perished.

"You're so young..." Merrick cried, "You're still so young... You weren't meant to die... You weren't meant to die so young... You didn't die alone... You didn't die..." Merrick huffed and seethed with overpowering emotion. Everything is boiling over inside of him, "You're here... You made it... You're alive..." He can't stop saying it.

The first and last time he met this little merman, he was on the brink of death from starvation. Not a day ever went by where Merrick didn't think back of when he fed this tiny otter, always thinking there could have been more he could've done for him, how he was barely any older than Savarna, and yet he was still cruelly banished simply for playing Fetch with a human girl.

"I... I know how to forage for food now..." Arnaav cooed. Merrick scoffed through his tears, sniffling and crying as he pushed his head up to look at him.

"Yah... You're so much bigger..." Merrick sobbed, "Yo-You've grown so much... You got to live... You got to li-i-i-i-ve..." He gasped and sputtered as he can barely breathe.

"I'm able to do a lot now..." The child said softly, "But I'm not very good at hunting..."

Merrick coughed as more tears ran down his cheeks. This is almost way too much, if at all to begin with.

"C-Can... Can you teach me to hunt?" Arnaav asked.

"Hahhhghhghhhggh" Merrick cried more as a huge wave of emotion crashes inside him, "Yeeees!" Merrick looked up with cascading eyes, "Yes I can! Yehhhss I ca-a-an..."

Samudra smiled softly as he watches this tearful reunion. When the Capricorn delivered Arnaav to the Kenovani Pod, he was more skin and bones than anything. All he had to carry was a human-made knife, and a spool of line. He spoke of his crime, and a Triton who rage at him when he asked for help... And a kind, compassionate Adra Triton that came back all the way from his own pod just to feed and prepare him with a tool that he selflessly gave to a banished meryin.

Merrick cried for several minutes, while Arnaav continued to hug him through his breakdown. The fire has died down to only a few faint flames and glowing ember by the time Samudra stood up, and pulled his trident out of the ground. He walked to Merrick and Arnaav, and bent over as he gently placed his thick, strong hand onto Merrick's shoulder.

"My pod will be in these waters for the next few suns. If you do not decide to come with us by the time we leave, the Capricorn will come to you anytime you wish, and bring you to us for when you decide you are ready." He spoke softly, knowing Merrick is still very delicate right now. The Piscien nods as he lets Arnaav go, his eyes sore and warm from all of the crying.

Arnaav picked up his spear, feeling sad as to how much Merrick was so emotional -- the innocent boy hardly knows why Merrick reacted as he did.

"Come." Samudra said as he offered his hand to the younger merman. Arnaav took Samudra's hand, and walked with him to the rise and fall of the tide, stepping into the water, and soon disappearing into the surface.

Adam finally knelt down by his lover. He didn't say a word, only put his arms around him. Merrick moved feebly onto Adam, and buried his face into Adam's covered chest, quietly crying more as he feels one hand on his back, and the other on his head as he holds him protectively. His hand clutches onto Adam's shirt as his gasps and chokes are muffled.

He's not so sad anymore. But he just can't stop weeping.