Chasing Tide (A Merman's Tale And The Human Who Desired Him)

NOT A MERMAID.

Chapter: 38.
*****

"I don't think that's a mermaid."

He jumped at the sound of his best friend's voice, for a second there he had forgotten he wasn't alone.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"I think that's a male."

"How would you know?"

"Well, Allison loves mermaid stories, and the mermaid pictures tend to have, you know, breasts and all."

"That's a fairy tale and this is fucking real life, Xander."

"Yeah, but I still think that's a male."

"So, it's a man-mermaid."

"Don't be stupid, that's just dumb... how can you even say that?!"

"Why? You said it was male!"

"Which makes him a merman, at least that's what they called them in fairy tale books."

"Ah, I get the meaning now, maid and man you could be right but how the fuck did you get it over here?"

"The same way you had thought he was a man in costumes so did I and everyone at the beach... so, it didn't raise any suspicions."

"Interesting..." Easton nodded. "How did you find it?"

"I found him trapped between rocks and some dumb teens were throwing stones and sands at him so I chased them off, pulled him out and met with a surprise, acting without thinking I pulled him towards the waves, I thought he was dead but when I saw the tail move and those gill-like thing doing what they're doing now, I figured he could be hurt and so I brought him home."

"How?"

"I covered his upper body with my shirt then carried him to my truck,"

"It looks heavy..."

"It was." He answered honestly.

"How did you manage?"

"I had to, those kids would have done much worse if they had found him like that."

Bending, Easton felt the water in the tub with his hand. "But, this water?" He started and Alexander smiled.

"Yeah, I figured, since it's a fish person, sorta, it wouldn't do well in a water that isn't seawater so I went back to the beach, filled up some cans, and brought it home and filled my tub."

"You went through all this trouble." Easton faced him with shock-filled eyes.

"I could say he chose me."

"Look at you talking all kinds of nonsense today." He eyes him angrily.

Alexander chuckled. "I love you too, buddy."

"Xander, it would have been much easier if you had committed a murder."

"Why on earth would you even think I would kill a person?!"

"I don't know!" He shrugged.

"And you would commit a crime for me?"

"Well, if you murdered someone, why the hell not?"

"You're a crazy son of a bitch, you know that." They both laughed but Easton soon frowned while folding both arms across his chest. "What?" He asked, seeing the change of mood.

"Let's get this straight, so you broke your promise to me, failed to show up to work, made Falcon call me out of the blues and then you ushered me here in such hurried tone, made me think you committed a murder and all this because you found a giant fish and brought it home?"

"..." Alexander muttered. "Mm,"

"You are so stupid my friend," his eyes left Alexander and returned to the merman. "So, what do you intend to do with it?" He asked, referring to the merman. "It seems to still be alive, but it has bruises on the sides and his tail but it's alive may be weak."

"I will take care of him,"

"How?"

"Change the water until he recovers."

"You're turning your bathtub into an aquarium now?"

"Well, he needs a home."

"Your bathtub is not its home, it belongs in the sea and I think you should take it back, it will find its way to wherever it came from!"

"Until he's fully recovered I will care for him the best I can!" He disagreed.

"That's the stupidest idea ever, Xander, it could be dangerous, what if it wakes up and eats you, huh?"

"Well, unless it's a shark, it won't eat me."

"Are you crazy, well, you are, I think we established that fact when you brought it into your home and Sharks aren't the only sea animals that eat people, dumbass!"

"I still won't take him back!'

"Then what will it eat when it wakes up starving if not you?!

"I wouldn't know until he wakes up, and please since we agreed he is a male, can you not use it for him, please."

"I'm sorry, it is not every day we see mermen you know. Should we sell him, he could be worth a fortune, eh." He teased, wiggling his brows.

"Never happening!" The other barked without noticing it was a joke.

"Look at my friend being possessive over a mysterious sea inhabitant. I like that." He watched Alexander walk over to the tub where the merman's head rested and very gently brushed his thumb on the smoothness of that hair floating on the water like the waves. He has never seen hair that beautiful. "I think he likes it, the tail just moved." Easton noticed and Alexander did it again and indeed the tail moved. "He's alive, Xander, I am going to the fresh fish market, and I'm buying a lot of fish. Stay away when he opens his eyes so he doesn't make sushi out of you, alright?!"

"Yes, Dad, now go, hurry!" Alexander shooed him away but remained where he was.

"Would you make sushi out of me?" He asked the sleeping merman and chuckled softly. "No, you wouldn't, because you are the most beautiful sea creature I have ever seen." The hands twitched and Alexander jumped a little at the sudden movement. Maybe he really should give him a little space. It's not like he has seen a merman before or knows what they are capable of doing. So with that thought in mind, he rose to his feet and walked over to the door, resting his back against the door, he watched the merman sleep again.

Wait, hadn't Easton blurted something about Falcon calling him out of the blues?

Damn, Matthew, what do I do with you?

Sighing heavily, he walked towards his closets for a change of clothes.

"I found a Merman and I have a possessive freak with the eyes of the devil hunting me..." He sighed again. "You're in trouble, Alex." He whispered underneath his breath.