Age Sixteen
Will couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't walk around pretending these feelings for Nico didn't exist. He tried, he tried more than anyone. Yet, he still found himself admiring Nico. And over the years Nico only became more beautiful.
The pair weren't sure if it was a normal mermaid thing, but Nico's tail seemed to glow and his fins had grown larger, sometimes flaring open like a peacock. Nico's behavior had also changed from hostile to more playful and relaxed.
While Nico grew in beauty, Will grew in height. He could now walk to the rock with the water up to his knees. He'd grown some muscle from his summer job and paddling on his surfboard. Nico noticed, of course, that Will was like a model. Nico was too afraid to say anything though, still uncertain of how human dating worked.
"You have beautiful hair," Nico remembers saying to Will one day. The blonde had blushed a very dark shade of red, making Nico worry he had gotten sunburnt.
"What are you thinking about?" Will asked. The pair were still in the cove, but far enough from shore that Will took his surfboard. He was laying on his back, his arms under his head, and his feet touching the water. Nico was in the water next to him on his back with his tail moving him in a lazy circle.
"Your beautiful hair," Nico murmured. He turned his head to see Will's face a shade of red. It worked every time.
"Your hairs prettier," Will whispered. Nico swam over to Will, a little blush on his neck and ears, as he placed his hands on the edge of the board.
"You have cute freckles." Two could play at this game. Will moved into a sitting position, criss-cross applesauce style. Nico's hands were inches away from his shins.
"You have pretty eyes." Will rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward slightly, his hands rested in the air next to Nico's head.
"Your voice is like a song," Nico said as he rose halfway out of the water making the board tilt. Will was very red now either from Nico's complement or how close their faces were. Probably both.
"Are your eyes an ocean because I seem to be drowning in them?" Will could feel his pulse in the tips of his fingers, his heart straining against his chest. Nico moved his face even closer, their noses less than an inch apart, their breaths mixing between their lips.
"That was cheesy," Nico said softly.
"You liked it."
"Mmm, maybe I did." Nico moved closer and their noses bumped. Nico felt Will's breath hitch and he waited until Will caught his breath, then connected their lips.
The kiss was clumsy and inexperienced. Nico had never kissed anyone. Will had never kissed anyone. They were each other's first. First friend, first crush, first kiss, and maybe first love.
Will placed his hands on Nico's shoulders, careful not to cover his gills. Nico pulled himself further out of the water not noticing how the board tilted dangerously. Will pulled away, sucked in a breath, then kissed Nico again, this time softer. He leaned forward, but the board was already titled too much.
Will fell into the water on top of Nico. Their chests pressed together, lips close, half in shock. Nico held onto Will's arms to keep him from going fully under.
"Sorry," Will laughed. Nico wiped away a strand of blonde hair and wrapped his tail loosely around Will, keeping enough space for Will to swim.
"It's okay," Nico replied and placed his hand on Will's cheek. All the love that had been buried inside throughout the years went into the look Nico gave Will.
"I'm glad you had a mermaid obsession," Nico said and Will stuck his tongue out at him.
"I'm glad you decided to stick around." Will always feared that Nico would leave him. Nico wasn't teathed to this beach, he could have left, swam away, and never came back. Will would have been forced to stay on land unable to search for the merman. The thought never ceased to make Will panic.
"Of course I stuck around. Your my friend or my, um . . ."
"Boyfriend?"
"Really? If so, I'm going to need a proper proposal."
"Nico, love of my life, moon to my sun, brighter than a thousand stars, with the beauty that could challenge Aphrodite, will you be my boyfriend?"
". . . yes, but that was excessive."
"You wanted me to ask you properly." Will smiled, one side of his mouth rising higher than the other, and Nico fell deeper in love. He kissed Will once more, just to make sure it was real.
The End