Just Keep Swimming With Me | MLB | Merfolk AU | ✓

|-1/3: The Beginning of the End-|

{(Note: This didn't turn out how I expected it to but I'm not mad, and I hope you aren't either. Also, sorry for any grammar errors. Enjoy!)}

After his mother's disappearance, Adrien's father, Gabriel, took on some... different hobbies. As the fashion designer who was well known for producing great art and also never leaving his house, Gabriel surprised Adrien with his sudden-- intense-- desire to go fishing.

Adrien could almost say the man was acting on impulse if it wasn't his father. His father never did anything, impulse or not. After Adrien's mother's disappearance, his father changed greatly. He became less involved in his son's life and more interested in his own, personal things. (What those things may entail? Adrien had no clue, he barely ever spoke to his father directly.)

It had been a year since his mother's disappearance, which he now ruled as her death no matter how much his father protested, and Adrien was once again stuck in the middle of a big body of water, chugging along in a luxurious boat. Gabriel had Adrien set up most of his supplies once they stopped, like he often did, before shooing him away to do whatever he did on these outings.

Although this was his father's chance to bond with him, being in the middle of the sea with no distractions, he still requested his alone time so he could intently stare out into the vast body of water as far and close as he could see. It upset Adrien to a minimal extent now seeing as he had grown used to the treatment from his father.

The day ran by slowly, the sun shifting from one side of the sky to the other. The air above the water grew colder as the sun disappeared into a large array of beautiful colors. Adrien acknowledged the sunset with a nudge of awe, it had lost its flare after so many times of seeing it, yet it was still just as beautiful as it often was. Its natural charm never managed to escape Adrien, always catching him even if it's just the smallest bit.

As Adrien stared at the sunset, a thin blanket covering his knees, he noticed a splash of movement out of the corner of his eye. Adrien's head whipped to the side, a quiet shriek falling out of his lips as his eyes met another baby bell blue pair of their own.

"Did you see something Adrien??" Gabriel's hasty footsteps were heard by Adrien and he scrambled to come up with an excuse for the noise.

"N-No father, sorry, I just dropped something!" Adrien shouted back, listening as Gabriel halted and his footsteps withdrew. His gaze was drawn back to the water, eyes wide.

---

Marinette watched as the light decayed into darkness, the colors swirling before being eaten up by blue-ish blackness. She noticed that the big machine that had been sitting there all day, had not yet left. She was surprised. Eyeing the fishing hook with unusual bait on it, she swam up towards the boat, coming from the opposite side, of course.

Marinette quickly flipped the hair out of her face, watching the surface grow nearer and nearer. She poked a finger out to test it, as she had never actually breached the surface before.

They say curiosity killed the cat.

Feeling the cold air wrap around her finger was intriguing. The wind whipped harshly, stinging her finger slightly. She slowly lowered her hand, pushing upwards so she could pop her head out. Marinette gasped harshly, not sure if she would be able to breathe above the surface, before abruptly swimming out.

Her head emerged slowly, first the top of her head and forehead, then her eyes. It was... different. She'd seen above the surface from under the water before but it was so much-- clearer and crisper up here. Also much colder. She shivered.

Next, it was her nose, which was immediately assaulted by different smells. Smells of smoke and gas, salt, metals, and sweet fruits. She scrunched her nose, not liking the difference and intensity of these smells.