Chapter Text
The afternoon sun hit the beach with such ferocity that any living thing would find it hard to walk barefoot on the sand. The Cove, very cleverly named, was a remote area that few people visited. There was hardly any good fishing and the debris from the nearby trees made the beach a poor spot for tourists. If not for those reasons, the only way to reach the undesirable pebbled shore was to hike thirty minutes out from the parking lot. Regardless, Sweet and Cap’n loved the hidden little nook. They had been visiting The Cove for about two weeks. What had started as an easy-going day trip had turned into something bigger than the two of them.
Literally.
The pair lived in a lazy, old fishing town. Having moved in only two years ago, they were still considered new. Castle Port had nothing to take note of except for the occasional events the local bar would put on. The residents were like the residents of any other small town. Everyone knew everyone, and everyone knew everyone’s business. There was no stopping it. If you were to tell the baker something then you could guarantee the grocer would know soon enough.
Which made the pair’s daily adventures to The Cove noticeable. Fellow locals had asked where they were heading a handful of times. Each time the duo made an excuse, but they could only come up with so many lies. Eventually, someone would decide to come snooping. Eventually, their secret would be fished out.
Sweet and Cap’n waited in the shade. Sweet impatiently scanned the water while Cap'n leaned against a jagged rock, fanning himself with the cap in his hand.
“They’ll come,” Sweet muttered, mostly to himself. "They'll come," they repeated.
Cap'n rolled his eyes from behind his signature shades. "You act like he's ever not shown up. We're early anyways. It's only two, we usually aren't here until at least three."
“Well, I didn’t want to be late again! You saw how stressed it was last time.”
Cap’n didn’t have any comment on that subject. He could still recall the sound of that melody as they hiked to The Cove a night ago. The two had a small gig at the bar and didn't make it to their spot until the sun had already set. A distant noise had caught their attention. It sounded like humming, almost singing. The closer the duo got, the faster their legs moved. It was involuntary, a sense of dread pulling Cap'n and Sweet toward the song. Head fuzzy, he had begun to cry as they raced towards the beach. Whatever unknown language was being sung, Cap’n and Sweet knew it was for them. They could feel the sadness in each pitch, they could feel the longing, begging desperately for them to appear. Yet, the tears weren't theirs to shed.
It was the worst feeling they had ever felt. Overwhelming, suffocating dread.
It only went away when the two locked eyes with the owner of the song.
A familiar melodic chirp came from the distant, rickety dock. “It's them!” Sweet and Cap’n dashed out from the safety of the shadows towards the old dock. The duo comically let out a few ows, ouches, and eeks as they hopped from foot to foot across the burning sand.
Once at the dock they were greeted by what made The Cove so special to them.
The mer.
They didn’t have a name for their green, metallic, and scaly discovery. They simply nicknamed them K_K after the happy chirps it made when greeting them.
They learned two things about K_K during this week. He was a social creature and didn’t like being alone, and he loved giving gifts. As the two approached the end of the dock, K_K dived beneath the water only to return and dump an armful of treasures onto the rough, veneered wood. Slinking back to the water, he stared at Sweet and Cap'n as the two looked through his findings.
Sweet pulled a shell from the clump of sea debris, examining it in the light. "Wow, look, this one's really pretty."
Cap'n leaned over. "Yo, you're right, and hey look. It's the same color as my shirt."
Upon noticing their interest in the shell K_K rummaged through the clump to find more and handed each to them. Then they slunk back to the water, only their eyes above the surface, staring intensely.
K_K liked these land dwellers, truly and genuinely liked them. They had never had a pod of their own. Hatched in the big ocean with no blood family, K_K had spent their early life traveling amongst many different residents of the sea. At one time, it had friends, but none they felt this drawn to. From the moment they saw them, K_K felt a connection.
They had never been more certain of their feelings than last night. All day K_K had waited for them to appear. They would look to the sky to see how late it was getting, and by the time the sun was setting, K_K was certain the two had been killed by a predator. That thought was enough to shatter K_K's heart. The only way to convey their sadness was through song. They sang for hours until their throat was sore. Their hope had almost shriveled by the time they saw the duo racing toward them.
Perhaps a tad dramatic, now that they thought about it. What else were they supposed to think, though? The land was an unknown world to the mer. Each time the two left K_K could only hope for their safe return. Besides, it was hard to communicate between the three of them. K_K managed by recognizing their tone, gestures, and a few common sounds. However, direct communication was unattainable. K_K communicated in a language no land dweller would be able to speak fluently, his true name indecipherable. Fishermen called it The Language of the Sea. Merfolk were born knowing it at the moment of birth. The only way K_K could verbally communicate was through songs or vocalizations.
Sweet and Cap'n had finished pocketing the shells they wanted. K_K took a mental note of which items they took. They distinctly ignored the fish bones he had brought them but seemed mesmerized by each item that had bright colors.
"Hey, K_K," Cap'n called. He swam up to the dock, tilting his head. "We brought you a gift this time, too."
Cap'n dug around in his backpack and pulled out a plastic box. Inside sat a slice of lemon cake. K_K's eyes widened as Cap'n handed him the delicacy. He looked between the two and back at the cake. It extended its arms, head tilted as it offered to share. This was met with the duo shaking their heads. Sweet gently pushed the container back toward K_K. Realization struck the mer; it was all for him! K_K bit into the cake and quickly realized this was its new favorite flavor. He finished it in a few bites.
Sweet looked pleased with how enthusiastic K_K was. "With how much they liked the cake we should just call them Cakes," he chuckled. Cap'n and Sweet glanced at K_K, who was licking the crumbs from his fingers.
"Hmm... Nah," they both said.
K_K pulled themself from the water to sit on the dock beside them. Even though it had only been two weeks since their meeting, the trio had grown close. When first meeting K_K the two had been overly cautious of touching him, yet they stared all the time. It wasn't until K_K offered them to touch his tail that the tension fell. It was a stark contrast to the scene now. The two comfortably leaned against his body with no fear or hesitation. K_K closed his eyes, basking in the sun. Beside him, the two talked, about what he didn't know, but they were happy. That was all he needed to know.
The serene silence was short-lived, however.
“Hey!”
The trio's heads swiveled behind them.
"Oh no..." Cap'n muttered.
K_K looked between the two as they stood up frantically. Sweet turned to Cap'n, "Get them in the water." Hurriedly Cap'n coaxed him away. K_K frowned and knit their eyebrows together. Nonetheless, it listened to his gestures and flopped back into the water. It did not go far though, curiosity kept its head above the water.
Footsteps echoed under the dock.
"What are you two doing here?" Came an unfamiliar voice.
"Uhh, just lookin' around," Cap'n blurted out.
"Y- Yeah, we went for a hike and stopped here just to, uhm, admire the... scenery?" Sweet didn't sound as confident as Cap'n did. K_K could feel the anxiety in their tone. Whoever was on the dock was making K_K's pod members feel uncomfortable. His tail flicked in agitation, and the fins on the side of his head pulled back.
Above the dock, Sweet and Cap'n had found themselves in a fine kettle of fish. They were face to face with the one person in town that could ruin everything. He was talkative, a show-off, and worst of all, a blabbermouth.
"What are you doing here?" Cap'n asked. "You normally don't come out this way, Berdly."
Berdly smiled smugly, "you two really thought you could keep this a secret?"
The pair began to sweat. "Uh... wh- what do you mean? We don't have any secrets."
"Oh, ho ho! No secrets? Then why do you come here every day? And you come back to town with a bunch of trinkets and shells? I know what you're up to..."
Panic set in Sweet's servos. "Look, Berdly, please don't-"
"You two are going to start a sea shell business selling beautiful shells for an outrageous cost! But I won't be made a fool of! I know what capitalism does to a society! You fiends! I'm here to get the prettiest shell before you so I can give it away freely to my lovely~ Noelle~ and my heroism will win her heart!"
The bots were too stunned to speak.
"Your lack of response means my deduction was accurate." Berdly pushed his glasses further up his face. "You two are like fish yourselves, mouth gaping open like that. HA!" he laughed. "Too stunned by my brilliance, I see! Well, be prepared to be even more stunned! Because I'm going to tell everyone! Then everyone will come- !"
"NO! No!" they both shouted.
"Don't tell anyone! You figured it out, okay?" Cap'n raised his hands, "we'll do anything as long as you promise to not tell anyone."
Berdly hummed in fake contemplation. "I might be persuaded to keep quiet... If you give me something in return."
Sweet narrowed his eye, "what do you want?"
"I want free front-seat tickets to your next gig in town. I'm going to take ~Noelle~ and she'll be so impressed!"
Sweet glanced at Cap'n, mildly confused. They weren't the most popular band, but then again, they were the only one in town. Their gigs were usually for festivals or bar nights. But the main problem was they couldn't promise Berdly free tickets. The people who hired them were in charge of all that.
Cap'n began to speak when Sweet pulled him aside. "Just go with it. We'll pay for his tickets later if we have to."
The two turned back to Berdly. "Fine," Cap'n sighed and crossed his arms. "You'll get your free tickets."
"Just, please," Sweet begged, "don't tell anyone to come here."
K_K's eyes widened. Sweet's tone was low and spoke with urgency. To the mer, they sounded scared. The thought of someone scaring its pod member was enough to make it bear its teeth. His dorsal fins rose, making them sharp and spiky. Enough was enough, no one would get away with scaring them. The dock rocked as K_K rose from the waters. Berdly's face shifted to horror as the mer loomed over Cap'n and Sweet. K_K hissed, the gills around its neck rose, its strong tail slapping the dock. Sweet and Cap’n could all but stare as water droplets fell from its chest onto them from below. It bared its teeth, daring the threat to take a step forward.
Berdly fell to the ground, beak trembling. "M-" he scooted backward, "mer! There's a mer!" Berdly rushed to his feet and dashed away as fast as his feet could carry him.
With the threat gone, K_K’s body relaxed slightly. They turned back to their pod only to be met with scared eyes. K_K was confused and looked behind them to make sure the threat was gone; it was.
Oh.
K_K frowned at the realization that who they might be scared of right now... was him. They had never seen him angry. They had never seen his claws or teeth bared like that. He must've been frightening. K_K lowered their body and dorsal fin. A series of clicks sounded from its throat as it reached out to them. Chest and arm to the dock, a worried expression in its eyes. No one would have expected it to have looked so dangerous a few minutes prior.
The two relaxed and slowly approached. K_K gently took their hands and brought them to his cheek. His eyes closed as he leaned into their touch, embracing the knowledge that they were safe with him. He would protect them from all enemies. The touch confided that he was no threat. The two blushed at the closeness but didn’t dare move their hands. Not that they wanted to. They weren't scared of K_K, they had been scared for him.
After the moment ended, K_K slunk back into the water and began humming a happy melody. Sweet and Cap’n wondered how its emotions could change so quickly. One moment he was protecting them like his life depended on it, the next he was doing flips in the water and singing.
Sweet dropped to the ground, clutching his hat in his hands. "What are we gonna do, Cap? What if he tells the town? What's gonna happen to K_K?"
"Hey," Cap'n rubbed Sweet's back. "It's gonna be okay, we'll figure this out. We won't let anyone hurt him." Despite Cap'n's words, he was equally worried. Berdly wasn't much of a threat by himself, but if word got out to the wrong person...
"We have to figure something out, Cap. I can't imagine him stuck in a cage or- oh no," Sweet's eye began to gloss. "What if someone wants to mount him on a wall?" He gripped Cap'n by the shoulders. "What will we do? We can't let them make him sing 'Don't Worry, Be Happy'. Do you have any idea how traumatic that would be?" Sweet released Cap'n and gripped the corners of his head. "What're we gonna do? What can we do?"
"Dude, breathe. You're stressin' me out," Cap'n took Sweet's hand in his. "I promise you that it'll all work out. Worst case scenario we gotta put K_K in our bathtub, I promise."
Meanwhile, K_K had been under the water picking out more shells for his pod members. When it resurfaced and saw the two, the shells were forgotten. It swam back to the dock to see what had upset Sweet. He did not know what was being said, but he could hear Sweet's worried tone accompanied by Cap'n's attempt at comfort. K_K frowned, it did not like seeing them so unhappy.
As K_K approached, the two turned to face him. Sweet wished he could ask K_K if they knew the risk of what had just happened. He wanted to tell K_K that there had been no need to show themself to Berdly. But he couldn't. No matter how much he wanted to. K_K rose from the water and sat beside them. He tilted his head and placed a finger under his eye then pointed at Sweet.
Sweet moved his hand to his mouth to make a beak shape, then decided against it. That could be miscommunicated easily and probably make the situation worse. This would be so much easier if-
Wait.
"Cap'n, toss me your bag."
Sweet dug around in Cap'n's bag until he pulled out a pen and sketchbook. "Hey, man! That's my sketchbook, what're you doing?"
"If we can't talk... maybe we can draw to each other, you know?" Sweet doodled on the paper and then turned the sketchbook to K_K.
K_K's eyes followed the doodles. The first doodle showed the threat from earlier running off. The second showed the threat talking to other land dwellers. The third showed K_K in a net. The last two frames were engulfed in a thought bubble above a doodle of Sweet. Even though they were sloppy and hastily made, K_K seemed to understand.
He looked between Sweet and Cap'n and took their hands in his and squeezed. He leaned his forehead to theirs and began humming a gentle tune. At that moment there was no worrying about hunters or the burning sun. Just the slight breeze and the comfort of knowing they were all together.
≋
"I swear! I swear it was a mer! A mer in The Cove!"
The bar erupted in laughter. "Yeah, uh-huh, someone's been out in the sun too long." Blue laughed from their booth. The other Addisons were quick to join in.
"Mers are just a bunch of fairytales," Pink added.
"S- Someone's been hanging out by the docks too long," Yellow hiccupped.
More laughter followed.
Feeling dejected, Berdly huffed and left the bar. Could he have imagined it after all? He sat down by a few barrels that lined the outside wall. Stuck in his thoughts, he hadn't even realized that he was not alone in the dark.
"Quite A Show You Put On."
The voice surprised him to the point that he fell from his seat. Readjusting his glasses, he saw none other than Queen, the owner of Royal Fishing.
He stumbled to regain balance, "Q-Queen?" Berdly was momentarily shocked. Not only was Queen the owner of the biggest fishing company in town, but being on her good side meant a lot. Sadly, Berdly wasn't thinking of any of that. "Come to laugh at me too?" He averted his eyes.
"LMAO, I Already Laughed At You. But That Is Beside The Point," she smiled at the bird. "If You Do Not Know, My Name Is Queen. Though I Do Not Know How You Could Not Know. I Literally Have My Face On A Billboard."
Berdly narrowed his eyes, "I know who you are. My name's-"
"Not Important." She held a hand up to his face. "Swatch, " A tall finely dressed individual stepped out of the shadows at her call. "Dear, Grab Us Some Drinks." The tall one nodded and disappeared into the bar.
Queen stared at Berdly, Berdly stared back, and she stared harder. Berdly was now sweating.
"Can I help you or...?" Before he could say anything else, she had him in a tight embrace, patting his head.
"There, There, Little One."
"I'm not a-"
"Shhh, Shhh, It Must Have Been So Scary To See That Big Ol' Mer, Hmm?" She patted his head.
"... Yeah, a little," his shoulders sank.
Swatch returned with two bottles of the finest beer the bar had available.
"Ah, Thank You, Swatchie," Queen cooed.
"Of course," Swatch bowed, "let me know if there is anything else you desire. I won't be far."
Queen waited until he had left to continue the conversation. "Such A Good Right-Hand, Always So Dependable." She raised her glass and took a long sip then smiled, "Now, Tell Me About This Mer You Saw."