Land or Water?

Chapter 18: The Cave

-Sollux's POV-
As we are on our way to the cave. Eridan has fallen asleep on my lap. Eridan said that the cave is a few miles away from land, on a small island. Karkat's house is far from the beach so it's gonna take a while to get there. I was thinking about the cave when I realized something. "Hey kk, how are we thupposed to get to the ithland if we don't even have a boat?" I asked Karkat. He had a face of realization for a moment and said, "I... I don't know.. You should ask Eridan that. I have no idea how we can get there with out a boat." I shook Eridan sightly as I said, "hey... Eridan, wake up." Soon, his eyes started to open up a bit. Then he yawned before he spoke tiredly, "wwhat..?"
"How will kk and I get to the ithland? We don't have a boat and I can't even thwim."
"Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you. I knoww a temporary spell, that'll givve you two gills and I don't mind carrying you, sol."
"Oh ok. I gueth we don't have to worry then."
"Yup."
"Good."
It was fairly quiet and awkward as we continued driving, then Karkat just stopped. The beach is still like two miles away. What is he doing? "Umm, kar? Wwhy did wwe stop here?" Eridan asked. I was literally just about to say that. "I stopped because we are going the rest of the way on foot. The beach is only about two miles from here, we can make it."
"But wwhat if someone sees me?"
"Trust me, it's supposed to rain today, no one is going to be there."
I looked at Eridan and he looked at me and shrugged. I lifted him up and out of the car. Karkat grabbed small bags of our stuff out of the trunk and we started our two mile walk to the beach. After about five minutes, it started to rain. It's not raining hard but it's not a drizzle either. Eridan was happy for the rain, his towels were getting dry. It took a while but we finally got there. I put Eridan down on the sand. Now we just needed to get to the island, "ok Eridan, we're ready to get to the ithland," I told him. He nodded then he said some odd words and soon enough Karkat and I had gills on our necks. Eridan unwrapped the towels that covered him, and quickly dragged himself into the water. Karkat and I followed him in. We walked in until the water was at our chests. Karkat dove under the water and so did I. He started swimming towards the island while Eridan helped me with the swimming. We kept on going for a long time. Then we finally reached the island. Eridan led us to the opening of the cave and we swam in and- holy shit it's beautiful in here! I looked at Eridan who was happily swimming around. I smiled and looked around the cave. The water here felt warm, the rocks aren't very sharp, and the sand is so soft. It's truly amazing. Karkat and I sat on a shallow part of the cave and were admiring the cave's beauty. I smiled. There is no way anyone is going to find us here. No one. But I still need to find a way to convince Eridan's father that I'm good. But how? I sat there thinking to myself for a while as Karkat and Eridan swam around. Soon Eridan snapped my out of my thoughts by saying, "do you like it here sol?" I looked at him and replied, "yeth. It'th amazing here," I smiled at him and he smiled back. I wrapped my arm around his waist pulling him closer to me and I gave him a short kiss. If I was a merman I would totally live here in this fantastic cave. It's almost too amazing, it seems almost fake, but it's not and that's what makes it absolutely amazing! All three of us sat there for a while. Then out of no where, I saw two mermen come speeding in here! One had a tail like Eridan's and the other had a bright red tail. Eridan and Karkat noticed them too, "oh yea... Sorry guys I forgot to tell you, umm, Cro knowws of this place too" Eridan told us. Well. The two mermen sugared the water. The one I'm assuming is Cronus, looked at Eridan wide-eyed as the other merman did towards Karkat. Cronus speed over to Eridan and hugged him tightly. The other just stayed there and continued to stare at Karkat. Then, as this merman looked like he was on the brink of tears, he said quietly, "K-Karkat...? Is... Is that really y9u..?"