Title: The Littlest Mermaid
Paring: Teen!Henry X Teen!Reader
Warnings: none. female reader as there is no gen. neutral word for mermaid
Spoilers: none. I haven't seen OUAT Season 4. Why? They still haven't released it here, and I'm too poor for Netflix. It's due next August - six months away! Sometimes, living on an island sucks :/
----------------------------------------------------
"What's it like?" You asked your sister. "Are the people tall? How do they talk? Do they wear hats?" You gushed. Every time she returned to the ocean, you were always swimming around, wanting to know more. Always curious. Always open to what lay beyond the sands of the beach, above water. "What are those shiny things that move around?"
Ariel laughed. "You're asking me too many questions, _______!" she laughed, swimming around in circles with you. "There's so much up there, it's nearly overwhelming!"
You look down at your tail. It's a blue which seems in the middle of deciding whether or not it leans toward purple or green.
"Sorry. It's just I've never seen a human, Ariel! And it's all so curious here in Storybrooke, I want to know more!" You apologise.
Her red hair swirls in the currents as you speak. "I know. I was, not too long ago, the youngest mermaid, and now you're that now. I can't have you feeling shut out like I was, that's what led me to Eric's dance with Snow."
Your eyes widened. "The Snow White of - the princess I hear so many sailors whisper about? Her long hair is said to -,"
Ariel waved you off. "_________, yes, her. But I'll have to speak with her to see if her mother, the queen, would grant you to walk. It might take a couple of days."
You stopped. "Why don't we ask Ursula? She helped you?" You wonder.
Ariel frowns. "You know what? While I'm in town asking for you, why don't you start with Ursula? I'm sure it will help your case. Don't leave here, though. Promise?"
You swam around in a rapid circle, and then rushed to hug Ariel's waist. "Oh I will! Thankyouthankyou!" You gushed. "You're the best sister ever! I promise!"
Days passed from that moment, and one after that was when Ariel had departed for Storybrooke. You spent it in your little cavern, focusing on the water which encased you, in the wildlife which watched you, for Ursula.
Please, almighty Ursula, my liege, all I wish to do is to rise to meet the people of the township. My sister did, and she's fine! Honestly. You pause a little, and add, Please, Ursula -
PLOMP...
PLOMP.
"What is that?" You whisper, almost as if you're still talking with Ursula. She didn't know, and if she did, she wasn't telling you. But you had to find out.
PLOMP!
You can't help yourself for what you're doing; but of course you are going to the surface. How could you not when something like this was happening? With every moment that passes, you can't help but notice how the water lightens, how there seems to be a blue blanket over the world, that it's bright and beautiful and there's a figure, in the shallows, standing.
Standing? you gasp. A human!
Your head breaches the tips of the small waves, and watches the human. You're close; a couple of meters from his peculiar lower body (is there something wrong with him, or is his tail split and peeling? What are the pale things under what is rolled up?) and his frown. You can't help but take a moment to assess him; he's attractive, just like Ariel's fiance, Eric; but why is he emotional? The boy launches another rock in the water, throwing it not too far from your head. Why does he keep throwing rocks? What has made him so upset?
"If you keep doing that, you're going to run out of rocks," you call to him.
The boy freezes, and looks around. "Ruby?" he calls. "is that you?"
"Who's Ruby? I'm _______." You laugh, and raise your head higher, and wave, "Who are you? You look really sad."
He shrugs. "_______, I haven't heard of you before. What are you doing in the water?"
You shake your head, and refuse to answer. "I asked you first. Besides, my sister wouldn't want me talking to strangers. She wouldn't mind, I think, because you're not strange. You're cute."
A violent blush mottles the boy's face. "I'm - I'm Henry. Henry Mills, the mayor's son. And Emma's son. The Saviour." Your face lights up; you've heard of Ariel's adventures ... wasn't it the mayor who took her voice? Or was that a Queen? Who's Emma? "Now will you answer my question?"
You can't help but think. What would your sister do? She had to wait until she was sixteen to go to the surface, and you're not that far off. But here you are, talking, and he's cute and your heart is racing and you've just connected that maybe he's related to a bad person, so you shake your head.
"Your mayor took my sister's voice. How can I trust you?" you deliberate.
He sighs. "My mom's aren't like that anymore. And I'm the savior's blood-son, and I don't like doing wrong by people, _______. You can trust me."
"My sister warned me...but here I go..." you think aloud, and slowly, you go to float on your back, and raise your tail up, so it's out of the water; almost like a whale's before they sink below. "I'm a mermaid, Mr Henry Saviorson, and you're a human...are we even?"
He's quiet, and you almost can hear his thoughts. They're most likely of how he's afraid of you, or that he wants to tell many people and they will come and ogle at you, and -
But apparently, this Henry is thinking other things.
The rock that was in his hand to throw falls between his fingers with a small plop.
He wades in the water, going deeper and deeper. His outer layer (are those what Eric wears? Trousers?) become soaked with every step, but Henry's focusing on you. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, _______. Honestly, I'm a little mad that my family keep trying to kill each other as if it's the right thing to do, and my Mom is my step-great-grandmother, and my other Mom is the same age as my other grandparents, and my other grandpa just wants to kill everyone, period."
You're transfixed. "That sounds like something from a confusing folk story," you think aloud. "I'm sorry you're living in the middle of this."
He shrugs. "It's a regular sort of thing. Besides, my other grandma, Belle, gives the best hugs. I like Belle."
You would have smiled, if you didn't know Henry was about to slip over, and without thinking, splash him in the process of saving him. "It's a drop from here," you tell him, your arms wrapped around his chest, doing your best to keep his head above the water. "Straight down. Into my house, actually, but you can't breathe down there." you rattle off, hoping the blush you feel isn't as prominent as you think.
"I'm sorry," you whisper, and pull Henry in to where you know he can still touch. His outerlayers are all wet, and so is his hair.
"No, no, it's fine," Henry gushes, stuttering for words. The water dribbles across his brow. "Thanks. I'm not that great a swimmer as I think I am."
You laugh. "Good thing I am one. A mermaid. I mean, you wouldn't have nearly died if I'd just stayed where Ariel told me to, and then none of this would have happened."
Henry's face lights up. "Ariel? She's your sister?" you nod, "That makes sense, she was in town trying to talk to my Mom about a sibling who really wanted to see the surface...the town, I mean. She meant you!"
You nod. "When I get legs, Henry," you begin, making a pattern in the water with your finger, "Would it be okay if I can meet your family who wants to kill each other? They sound fun."
He beams. "Of course." he pauses, and adds, "Would it be okay if I kiss you? I mean, we just met, but I have a feeling that I really, really, like you. Charming-Gramps said that's what you feel when you like someone. I mean, you don't have to -,"
You propel yourself toward Henry, knocking him back a few steps toward land. Your hands are in his hair, arms wrapped around his shoulders. Lips on his mouth. Tail flicking around his legs.
"I like you too, Mr Henry Saviorson."