🍿 *laughs evilly* *thunder in background*
The sky was clear today. Since it was early April, the snow had finally started to melt away into large puddles on the ground. The ocean breeze, however, was still cold and made a shiver run down my spin every so often.
Throughout the winter, I made sure to visit the three mermer friends I made. Sometimes they wouldn't come because they have sckool or something(LAME), but more often than not we'd meet at the same seaside with tide pools. Thankfully, they only tried to drown me two times over the winter. It's an improvement!!
"Guys, look what I found!" I exclaimed, outstretching my gloved hands to show off three gems I found.
"They're rocks," Floyd stated lazily, rolling around in the sandy beach until it covered him like a blanket. I cringed at the thought of sand getting in his scales, but he didn't seem to mind. "Do you really like rocks that much?"
"They're ✨shiny✨ rocks," I argued, and brought my hands back to myself. The gems were purple, yellow and brown, and somehow it reminded me of the trio. But my main interest in them were their shininess.
"We see rocks like those all the time under the ocean," Jade said with a hum, "But are they uncommon on land?"
"Yeah," I said, "We have mud instead."
"The ocean has mud too, though?" Azul said, holding one of his scratched tentacles.
"You do?"
"Think, Clownfishy." Floyd said. "Water plus earth equals mud. We live in water."
I realized he had a point. "...Wrong."
Floyd used his tail to splash water onto my face, which I was able to block with my super speedy reflexes.
"Actually," Azul trailed off in though, then continued, "Could we borrow those rocks, (Y/N)?"
I tilted my head, "Why?"
Azul flushed. "Uhm... I just got an idea..."
"Okay, sure!" I said, and reached out of my dry spot on the beach to place the rocks in his hand.
"I'll bring it back tomorrow," He insisted.
"Azu~l, what are you gonna do?" Floyd asked, leaping out of his sand blanket. "You can't hide it from us, yanno?"
Jade's eyes also sparkled with curiosity, which made Azul back himself further into the ocean.
He seemed to mutter something underwater, but all I could hear was bubbles.
The other two, however, understood perfectly. Floyd immediately burst out into laughter, and Jade held onto his brother's shoulder for support as he tried to hide his snickers.
"Stop laughing!" Azul yelled with a blush, but the twins had no intention of listening.
"What is it?" I asked. I felt left out, and I wanted to know what was funny— although the Tweels usually laughed at really weird things. Like some talking head in a toilet...
"Clownfishy, Azul's down baaaad! He's going to—" A handful of sand in Floyd's face prevented him from finishing the sentence.
Floyd dunked his head under the water to clear his mouth, and then spat in Azul's direction. "Chill out! I was just going to tell them!"
"That exactly what I don't want you to do!" Azul yelled back.
I tilted my head, "What is it?"
"It's—" Azul tried to come up with an answer, "It's a surprise! For tomorrow!"
I furrowed my brows, "But it's not my birthday tomorrow?"
"The fuck is a birthday?" Floyd said, and began to crawl back into the ocean.
"It's to celebrate the day you're born."
"I don't remember when I was born... I know Jade's though!"
"We have the same birthday, Floyd."
"Oh, my bad yo."
"Anyway, Azul has quite a tedious surprise in mind, so perhaps we should start on it now," Jade hummed thoughtfully.
I looked at them suspiciously and slowly crawled farther from the ocean. "Are you gonna drown me again?"
"Not this time."
"Oh, okay."
"Jade has a point..." Azul gave a shy wave. "See you tomorrow?"
As I stood up, I patted my sweatpants and returned the gesture. "See ya'll tomorrow!"
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I've never ran through the forest at night before.
1/10, don't recommend since the place was eerie as fuck shit piss and balls— especially after being kidnapped. However, the dark atmosphere had a bit of ambiance to it— I distracted myself from my fears by thinking about how the ocean's view would be pretty.
I held onto my bear plush securely and pushed any stray branches away as I ran. Some scratched at my arms and legs, but I paid no mind as my goal was to get there as soon as possible. I need to say at least something to them before I leave.
I yelped as I tripped on a rock protruding from the path, and winced as my arms took the brunt of the fall. There was no time to waste, so I quickly brushed the pebbles and dirt out of my skin, then continued running.
Although I tried to be quiet as I ran, I couldn't help but breathe loudly as my chest tightened. My mind screamed danger, and every shadow of a tree looked like one of them. I felt a headache coming as my ears rang loudly, overtaking all noise except my thoughts.
Eventually, the familiar rocky beach entered my view, and I quickened my pace to be under the moonlight. The sound of ocean waves seemed to calm my headache, but my arms and legs were shaking from the adrenaline.
"A-azul?" I called, towards the ocean, trying to find one of them in the ocean waves. "Floyd? Jade?"
I cleared my throat. My voice was shaky and wouldn't come out any louder than my gasps for breath.
At this rate, I won't be able to see them. I fell onto my knees on the beach and didn't mind how the ocean waves would occasionally come up high enough to wash over my pants.
"Please! Someone!" I cried out, and slapped the ocean surface when there wasn't any replies.
I began to sob, and my breaths became shallower and less in my control. Each sharp inhale would cause my shoulders to flinch upwards and I didn't seem to have enough exhale.
I rubbed my runny nose with shaky hands, and cringed as I saw the bruises along my wrists. The sight of them only made my panic attack worse.
A wet and slimy limb touched my hand. "(Y/N),"
I didn't process the voice enough to look at the person.
"(Y/N)!"
I snapped my head upwards, and saw the three mermer's looking at me with confusion.
"Are you... uh... good?" Floyd asked, brows furrowed. He cringed when I sniffled loudly.
"(Y/N), w-what happened?" Azul fretted, looking like he was on the brink of tears too. "You haven't shown up for like— a week!"
I felt Jade grab softly hold onto my hands. Although I hated the texture of their scales like nails on chalkboard, the cooling sensation helped me ground myself. I saw his eyes narrow at the bruises.
I took a shake inhale, "I— I have to leave the island."
"Expand on that?" Jade asked.
"I'm leaving the Queen—" I choked on another breath. "The Queendom tonight. I'll be moving far away. I don't—" I felt tears prickle and burn my eyes. "I don't know where I'm going!"
The three boys seemed taken aback by the new information. They looked at each other, then back at my for an explanation. But I was too panic-stricken to come up with a functional answer.
"I'm sorry," I sobbed, "I—"
A blaring alarm rang from town. I recognized the sound— it was the same one they played on the day I was taken.
"I have to go." Shakily, I stood up. "I'm—"
"Wait, why?" Floyd asked.
"Or they might come back to—" My breath hitched. "To get me— I don't—"
I couldn't help but leap back into the ocean to give the nearest boy (Jade) a hug. Although I was given many hugs over the last week, this one lacked the warmth that boy offered. But I didn't mind— at that moment, I just needed the touch.
Hesitantly, Floyd and Azul joined the hug.
"Wait," Azul said, and pulled a necklace out of a rocky crevice. "Here— at least take this before you go."
Through watery eyes, I recognized the three gems that I had presented forever ago. Wow, it's only been a week?
"Thank you," I said breathily. The alarm, which was still blaring loudly, made me rush out of the cold ocean. I was sure to grab the plushy on the way.
Before I ran back into the forest, I gave them a look. "Can we promise to meet each other again?"
"That's cringe," Floyd said, but was silenced by a slap on the back of his head from Azul.
"Of course," Azul said. "We'll met again. I promise."
Jade hummed in agreement. "You may be able to hide in those anemones, but not forever."
"I don't really get it, but sure..." Floyd said, and gave my plushy a glance.
I nodded with a newfound determination. "Thank you..!"
As I heard a shout in the distance, I quickly ran back into the forest. I was sure to give them a wave as I disappeared into the darkness.
Floyd's tail slapped the surface of the ocean unhappily. "...Why were their eyes black?"
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