Mermen on Accident (DNF Mermaid AU)

Forever?

"Why is nothing happening?" He asks.

I look at the sunset and frown. "Oh no. It usually doesn't take this long." I look around frantically, searching for something to dry off with. There's nothing but sand and rocks along the beach.

"It should work right?" George questions. "We were out of the water before the third day. That should mean that we are humans again, right?"

I look over at George. He was the one that wanted us to go in the ocean this morning. He didn't care about this when we were here earlier. And now he wants to question it as if I didn't already know this was going to happen?

George's initial shock turns to fear, tears brimming in his eyes.

His voice is quiet. "You think this is my fault."

I grit my teeth, trying to remain calm. "You think it isn't?"

"How was I supposed to know Dream?"

His fingers sift through the sand anxiously, voice breaking when he says my name. A tear falls from his cheek and it only makes me angrier.

"You didn't care this morning about what would happen George. Did you? And now you're crying about it? What do you mean 'how was I supposed to know'? How was anyone supposed to know except for that stupid seer!" I'm suddenly not angry at George anymore. "It was his fault, wasn't it? None of this would've happened if he hadn't had that stupid prophecy!"

George stares at me wide eyed. A tear on his cheek rolls off in slow motion. A droplet from his hair drips into the dry sand. I take a breath.

"Don't fight," Karl mumbles from the waves.

I look over at him, forgetting that he was there. I sigh. "Hey... I'm sorry Karl. I didn't mean-"

A bright light from behind him cuts me off. I move my arm to block the light from my eyes. When it dims I see the Mermaid Queen, Nerissa, hovering above the water, her white dress flowing behind her.

She smiles at George and I as she steps onto the sand next to us.

"Hello boys." She waves at Karl and he bashfully waves back. Her eyes land on us, understanding the situation immediately. We are supposed to be human, yet here we are sitting in the sand with our mermaid tails on full display. "You look like you have a problem."

I scoff. "What gave it away?"

"Hey," George warns, making me look at him. His eyebrows are drawn together. "She's here to help us, right Nerissa?" He looks back up at the Mermaid Queen.

She tilts her head. "You have been through much together. You completed the bonding ritual I see. And I feel the presence of the Seer has slipped away, yet his grip on you still remains."

"In what way?" I ask, glancing at George.

"Oh, he is no longer in your friend, but his affect on you through his prophecy still remains. 'You will remain in the form you wear' he said, and here you are."

"But he said we had three days! The three days aren't up yet, are they?"

Nerissa sighs. "He said three days from now, meaning the time that he said the prophecy. That was in the late afternoon. You have passed the time. You are officially mermen, forever."

It hits me like a tidal wave. My heart drops. "What?" I look down at my tail in shock.

Forever?

What about my mom? What about George's family? What about school? What about our lives? We are just kids. This can't be right. This can't be real.

George is saying something, but there is a ringing in my ears. My breathing has started to race like my heart. My head starts spinning. I can't be like this forever. I'm missing out on my life. George was going to go to college. I was going to get a job. I need to grow up and live a normal life.

"Dr-eam?" My head spins. "Dr...e...am."

"Clay." George grabs my hand, grounding me to reality.

I look into his eyes. "Hey, breathe. It's okay. We are okay. Just take a deep breath."

My eyes glance down at my hands, one intertwined with George's the other shaking. My chest rises and falls rapidly.

I'm panicking.

I need to breathe.

"I know it's scary, but everything is going to be okay." George grabs my other hand and I look back up at his eyes. His pretty eyes. Deep breath in. And his little freckles. Let the air out. And his soft upturned lips. Another breath in. And his pink cheeks. Breathe out. And his dark hair falling into his long eyelashes. His pretty eyelashes, pretty eyes, pretty face, pretty lips.

My breathing evens out.

"I'm okay." I whisper, brushing George's hair from his eyes. He smiles, leaning into the touch slightly. "I promise."

"Me too," he mutters, holding my wrist and bringing it up to his cheek. My whole body feels warm and cozy. His touch is like a hearth on a cold rainy day, his soft face is like a warm blanket wrapped around my heart. I want to hold him like this forever. I bring his face close to mine taking another deep breath, taking in the scent of marshmallows, George's smell. My lips graze his cheek and then his lips. So soft.

I just want to kiss him and feel warm like this always.

"Dream..." I hear Karl asking. "Are you okay?"

My eyes shoot open. I'm laying in the sand looking up at the dimming sky. George is looking down at me, his face is upside-down.

"Wha-?" My voice croaks.

George was in my head?

"You okay?" George asks softly.

I swallow and sit up. "Yeah... yeah. I'm okay."

Nerissa is bent over me. "You scared me Dream."

I look over at George and tilt my head, questioningly. He copies my movement before understanding. He smiles softly and squeezes my hand. I blink.

George is in my head now. We are bonded.

I turn to gaze at the Mermaid Queen. "Is there anyway to change back into humans?"

She looks at me. "To defy prophecy is not an easy task Dream, in fact it is almost impossible. I can only think of one way."

"Tell me."

"That would be to re-enter that cave on the full moon night, and become half-human, half-merman once again."

New update everyone! This is exciting! When I get my motivation for the next chapter, I will write so much. For now, this is what you get. Next one will be in the future... eventually. This chapter is a little bit longer for you. :)

Have a great day! Also it's Sapnap's birthday!

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