The Waves Are Ours

25-Rule

3 Years Later

"Luke come on, swim faster." Michael teased from up ahead.

"Some of us haven't been on a tail for most of their life." Luke yelled back frantically trying to catch up with the merprince who was swimming much further ahead of him.

"You still technically had one." Michael stuck out his tongue, turning to blow bubbles in the other merman's face, "It's not my fault that you didn't learn how to use it till you were eighteen."

Luke huffed teasingly as he frantically swum to catch up with Michael. Michael had slowed slightly for him, not that he'd admit it to Luke. As they emerged from the sea into the warm summer air, Luke couldn't believe it had been three years already since Michael had washed up on their shores that summer. What an incredible three years it had been. It was hard to believe just how much both their lives had changed.

Luke had once been so terrified of the ocean yet now he spent so much time in its depths. After the King's decision they'd remained on land mostly, only taking trips to the cove and occasional trips down to the Kingdom. Though slowly that had begun to change. Currently Michael and Luke split their time roughly half their time between the land and the ocean. Michael had suggested it so that Luke could become more acquainted with the sea world personally rather than just through books.

Michael was right, he'd learnt so much in that time. Luke now knew the Kingdom like the back of his hand. He also had a much better relationship with Michael's parents, and often went to royal gatherings with them. Sometimes they were in other parts of the ocean, they'd only recently returned from a trip to the Indian Ocean to visit the Kingdom there. Everyone was more welcoming to him now.

Though no matter where they were between the land and the sea, they always tried to make time to come and join Ashton and Calum for their morning surf when they were close by. The two of them bobbed up and down treading water, as they watched Ashton and Calum navigate the waves ahead on their surfboards.

"They still haven't seen us." Michael grinned, he turned to Luke, "Do you say we scare them?"

Luke grinned back, flicking his greyish silver tail, "I have an idea."

Luke swam away from Michael towards the two surfers. He glided up towards the surface sideways. Knowing that his tail would be just slightly sticking out of the water. He carefully navigated around the nearest board keeping his head just below the surface.

It didn't take long for the board riders' legs to thrash and disappear as its rider called out to the other. Luke swum towards him, before popping up a few seconds later resting his arms up on the person's board.

"Hey Calum." He grinned innocently.

Calum let out a sharp yell, his face growing wide in horror as he quickly turned to him in alarm. As soon as he realised it was only Luke his eyebrows narrowed on him.

"I thought you were a shark Luke. Not funny." Calum yelled, splashing a wave of water at his face. Luke shook his head as the water sprayed him directly in the face.

"I can't help it that I have a mostly grey tail." Luke grinned smugly, pushing it out of the water.

A few seconds later Michael appeared out of the water beside Luke. He was in a fit of laughter. "Cal, your expression had to be the best thing I've ever seen."

"How did you not realise it was him, Cal? I mean he does it to you all the time." Ashton called from the other board grinning smugly as he paddled over towards them.

Calum pulled a face at him. It was a known fact that Luke liked to pull this trick from time to time. The look on Calum's face was always worth it.