Meet Me At The Coral Isles

Deep, Dark Waters Below

TWs: misgendering, transphobia, death, nightmares, drowning

.•● 𓇼 ●•.

Grian just about felt like passing out. "You..." He blinked and huffed. "I don't believe you," he said, crossing his arms. Though he felt the exact opposite. With how beautiful, polite, and dainty Scott was, he believed it a hundred percent. He looked exactly like royalty.

Scott sighed. "Maybe that's better," he said with a small laugh. "You might turn me in for a reward if you did believe me." He laughed a little bit more like he was joking.

Grian gave an awkward smile, suddenly feeling really bad that he had said that given Scott seemed to be terrified of the whole family for that reason. "Yeah, you better sleep with one eye open, Princess," Grian said jokingly without thinking. He wanted to slap himself when Scott gave him a horrified look.

"He doesn't mean it," Martyn said, holding onto Scott's hand as Scott began to dissolve into tears. "He doesn't mean it, right, Grian?" he said, mostly to Grian, through gritted teeth.

"Oh, pfft, no," Grian said. "I don't mean it. I, uh, I don't even know why I said that." He fidgeted awkwardly. "Sorry."

Scott sniffled, his cheeks red and puffy. "It's okay."

"No, it's not okay," Martyn said, probably more disturbed by the comment than Scott was. He reached over to not-so-lightly punch Grian's arm.

"Ow."

"Why would you even think of saying that?" Martyn huffed.

Grian rolled his eyes, rubbing his arm on the spot that Martyn hit. "It was just a joke, relax," he said. "You're defending him like he's your boyfriend or something." He huffed, then paused, looking between Scott and Martyn, whose faces were both red as beets. "Are you two dating?!"

"No!" They shouted in unison, then looked at each other. "We're not?"

Scott huffed. "Well, I'm not dating a human I just met," he said, crossing his arms, though his red face kind of told otherwise. "You, uh... You don't want to date me?"

Martyn looked away. "Uhm..."

"Okay, okay, save this for when I'm not around," Grian said, waving his hands around. "I didn't mean to throw a stone in your relationship." He yawned. "Well, I'm going to bed. Night, losers."

As Grian left, Scott and Martyn looked at each other, blushed, then looked away from the other.

"I think I'm going to, uh... go to bed," Martyn said.

"Okay," Scott said awkwardly. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

They stood awkwardly, then Martyn left.

Scott wanted to scream. That was the most awkward he ever felt in his life.

.•● 𓇼 ●•.

I woke up to the ship rocking back forth and people shouting on deck, and my worst fear came to mind:

My father found me.

I quickly got out of the bed Martyn made for me and ran out to the deck to find Martyn and his family fighting with the royal guards, who had somehow tracked me down. It was awful, a horrid sight, to see my guards fighting with Martyn and his family. Grian shot arrows from the bow of the ship down into the water at the sirens.

"Stop!" I shrieked, but no one seemed to hear me. "Stop, please, stop!"

I watched in terror as my father emerged from the water with hid trident, aiming it straight for Martyn.