Fish out of Water

Chapter 8: Secrets I Have Held In My Heart

Warning(s): None

Alex and his father were murmuring to each other, chatting up a storm. His mother looked to the both of them with a threatening scowl on her face, crossing her arms over her chest.

He giggled with his father, covering his mouth.

"Your hair has gotten so long. Maybe you might grow it out so it can hit your lower back?" His father joked while looking at his hair.

"I wish I could, but it gets so annoying." He admitted, looking over to his mother before looking back down. Fear being clearly evident in his face, though Alex was personally faking it in order to get his father's sympathy.

"Son, do not fear your mother." His voice was low and calming, placing a supportive hand on Alex's shoulder.

"She said that she would banish me from the household as a prince." He pouted, his bottom lip quivering.

His father scoffed, rolling his eyes at Alex, "She can not do that to you, son. There has to be a community voting. As well as by your siblings, peers, and I. You should know that by now, love."

Remembering the nickname, having Miles automatically pop back into his head. He was stiff for a moment before his father snapped him out of his train of thought.

"Alexander... Alexander."

Alex shook his head, blinking a few times before tilting his head. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?" His father asked out of concern.

"Yes, I am fine. Just...I miss someone." Alex admitted, pouting slightly before looking down.

"Go back to him! Bring him back and marry him, Alexander!" His father smiled and roared.

"I have mixed feelings for him, father. Once I go back on land, my feelings might change for him. I do not want them to."

"So, you like him?" His father asked, now sounding stern and serious.

Alex was silent for awhile before he responded. "I do not know. I will be going back on land. My mind could change, father."

- 🐚 -

"Are you guys gonna still join me!? Don't mind my mother!" Alex asked, looking to all three of his friends with excitement.

"We can not go, Alexander." Matt stated, looking down in sorrow. "We wish we could, but we have to stay here."

"Wh-Why..." Alex stuttered, his eyes going soft as he looked between his friends in panic and sadness.

"Alexander, your mother could ban us from here as well. We would love to go with you. But, if we are banned, we will have nowhere else to go. This is our home." Jamie stated, shrugging his shoulders.

Alex simply nodded, forcing a smile. "I understand. I will be going back on land in the next six hours. I will miss you guys."

The three of his friends nodded. "We will miss you too, Alexander. We hope you will come back soon in order to visit us." Matt spoke up out of the three, smiling.

"I will. I am positive that I will be able to visit you." Alex smiled genuinely before nodding to his friends and swimming away. His tail fin flapping slowly as he swam.

- 🐚 -

While Alex was swimming, he kept wondering what bumped him onto land. He pouted in thought, looking around. It would have had to be something powerful or bouncy. Maybe even magical? Alex shook his head, biting his bottom lip. He tried to mentally retrace his steps on what happened that night.

Oh! He remember something! Alex remembered that he got into a verbal argument with his mother. Which caused Alex to storm off and leave his kingdom in anger. A sea witch, which his mother had warned him about when he was younger, had stumbled across Alex. She was beautiful to his eyes, but unfortunately she was just an illusion of beauty. She lured him into a dark cave, filled with seaweed and unknown plants. Once they were in the cave, alone, the sea witch transformed into her true form. She was much more taller than Alex and far more intimidating. The sea witch seemed to hate him, but he didn't know what for. She made him address her as "Mint", which is most likely a nickname. He kept looking up at her with fear, not knowing what she was talking about or what all she said. All she had said to him was a blur. He only looked to her panic before he did remember one thing she said.

The intimidating sea witch growled, "Enough."

Before he knew it, she yelled a curse at him before he erupted quickly from the water and into a motel pool. With that, Miles came around. Alex couldn't have felt more safer and happier.

Alex smiled at the memory of all of that happening. Biting onto his bottom lip before swimming closer and faster onto land, wanting to approach it quicker. His tail fin was flapping fast as he swam, swimming upward in order to look over the land.

He finally approached the air above the water, gasping. Moving his long hair out of his face and behind his ears. Alex was closer to land than he had thought. He smiled widely, baring his white teeth. Swimming enthusiastically to land, plopping down onto the sand with a grunt. He laid there on the sand, heavily breathing and looking around. It was late at night, so no one was barely around. Alex saw a lot of lights and heard the wind blow, rattling leaves on trees. He smiled at the sound, laying there before the scales on his tail fin began to fade and practically turn into slime. His face scrunched up at the feel of it before he slowly moved his legs. Alex slowly got up from the sand, covering his crotch as his legs were a little wobbly. He giggled before he bit his bottom lip once more, looking around for something to cover him.

After a few feet of walking and a few minutes of searching, he spotted an abandoned towel. Alex jogged over to it, lifting it off of the ground and blowing the sand off of it. He wrapped the towel around his waist, smiling in satisfaction.

Now, he just had to find Miles.

(This chapter was eh, but I guess it was ok. I still have no idea on how many chapters I want it to be. It'll be uploaded on AO3 soon! Sorry if it's a little short too!)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!