Chapter Text
It wasn’t often that Jade came to the surface. Sometimes it was because he had the urge to look at the moon or just observe the surface dwellers; other times it was because he was helping Azul interfere with some merperson’s contract because they wanted to go to the surface for one reason or another.
Tonight was not for either of those reasons.
Normally he would be spending time with either Azul or Floyd, but today Azul wished to do some experimentation without any disturbances, and Floyd was off shaking down some merpeople for their debts.
So he was alone, just swimming around. He could go and explore some shipwrecks, but all the nearby ones were ones he already had explored. There was always the option of going out further, but he’d hate to do that without telling Floyd that he’d be away for a while. If his brother got too anxious from being apart without knowing where he was, he was likely to go and terrorize the other merfolk, which wouldn’t be ideal because such things are best done in moderation.
He swims around aimlessly, and it isn’t until he looks upwards that he suddenly is filled with the urge to go to the surface. He isn’t really sure why, but since he has nothing better to do, he decides to follow this desire. Perhaps the change of pace is what he needs to entertain him. As long as he isn’t seen, it shouldn’t hurt.
Following this urge, he swims himself to the surface, cautiously raising just his eyes above the water level and looking around to see if any humans were around.
There appears to be no one in sight, and so he raises his body so about half of his torso is out of the water, and he takes in the view more fully. It was a rather nice night today. But what should he do now to make his time worthwhile?
If there’s no one around, perhaps he can check out the shore? It’s been a while since he’s checked out the shores of the beach. If he was lucky, he may find something interesting to bring back to show Floyd and Azul.
And so he swims towards the beach, carefully scanning the area for humans as he approaches. He’s careful not to get too close and accidentally beach himself. While he could handle some time outside of the water, that doesn’t mean it’s pleasant on the gills.
Finding nothing particularly of interest, he swims along the shore, towards the deeper and rockier area. If there was nothing on the beach, maybe some idiotic sailor crashed themselves on the rocks and there may be interesting things there.
While there is no shipwreck, there are a bunch of beautiful shells. They may not be as glamorous as the ones down in the Coral Sea, but they were still nice, so Jade spends his time looking at them.
He’s so preoccupied with the shells that he doesn’t notice someone approaching until they’re only a few feet away. “Is there someone there?”
Jade’s eyes widen, as he’s taken completely off guard. He considers fleeing, but what if they see his tail? It would be a huge problem if the humans try searching for the Coral Sea in order to find mermaids. Staying here wasn’t ideal either, as if this person gets any closer, they may see his fins and how the color of his skin is not a normal human skin color. Both options were not great. How careless of him.
Slowly, he starts drifting away from the shore to try to put distance between himself and the unexpected guest.
However, they call out to him again. “Ah, sorry for startling you. Forgive me. There’s no need to leave if you don’t want to. I was just surprised to find someone else here.” Jade knows he shouldn’t respond and should just flee while he can, but for some inexplicable reason, he wants to stay.
So he takes a chance, and remains where he is. “It’s fine. I also wasn’t expecting anyone else here.” Looking up, his eyes widen as he finally takes a proper look at the other person. It’s His Royal Highness Trey—the crown prince of the humans of this kingdom. He recognizes him from a statue that he once found in a shipwreck. It had his likeness and full title, so it was easy to realize who he is.
However, the statue failed to truly capture how handsome he is in the flesh. With beautiful seaweed green hair and golden eyes, alone, Trey’s face is ridiculously captivating. And then if he moved on to the rest of his body…never before has Jade been interested in a human’s body until now. It’s a good thing he isn’t one of the merpeople who are reverent to the Coral Sea’s royal family, as his belief that Trey is more attractive than all of them combined is likely considered treasonous.
How strange. He used to think that mer-forms were superior to the human body in all manners, and yet…Trey may be the exception. What an evening of firsts. First he was careless enough to let a human sneak up on him, and now he found a human who he actually thinks looks better than most humans? Jade shudders to think what’s next.
While Jade is caught in his thoughts, Trey has kneeled down on the rocks near him. “So what brings you here? And in the water, no less.”
“I…I just wanted to explore the shore. I really enjoy swimming.” Luckily for Jade, while Trey is incredibly captivating, his brain is still working well enough to create coherent responses that still hide the fact that he’s a merman.
“Isn’t it quite cold?” Trey smiles at him, and Jade swears that he’s leaning forward towards him.
“Nothing I’m not accustomed to. I actually prefer it cold. It’s more refreshing that way.”
“Is that so? Fascinating.” Trey shifts his position as he listens to Jade, and now Jade can say for sure that Trey is closing the gap between them. “You don’t look like a local—if I may ask, where are you from?”
Jade pauses, trying to think of a lie. “I…I’m from across the sea.”
“Ah, that makes sense.” Trey’s smile is so gentle and comforting that Jade almost lowers his guard. “With looks as good as yours, there’s no way you’d be from around here. Would you honor me with more of your time? It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to talk with someone this much.”
“I…” Jade’s brain is desperately trying to tell him to say no, as already he’s messed up greatly by letting a human see him. And to talk with them? Even worse. He shouldn’t be spending any more time at the surface, and should have left by now. And yet…his treacherous heart wanted to keep talking with him. “Sure. I can stay a little longer.”
Trey’s eyes brighten, and he leans forward a little more towards Jade. Jade feels the inexplicable need to reciprocate, and he leans slightly forward, resting one hand on Trey’s cape.
Logically, he knows that he needs to pull away, but instead he keeps getting closer to Trey. Trey’s eyes are fixed on his, and he should be swimming away before Trey properly looks at him and sees his fins and how his skin is not a normal shade for a human. But here he stays, completely entranced by the prince and their conversation together.
It’s rather fortunate that Trey never asks anything else of him that requires him to think of lies to hide his true form. He simply asks things like his favorite food, color, and hobbies, while also answering the questions himself. And Jade holds onto every word, committing them to memory despite the fact that he’ll never see the prince again. How can he possibly expect to meet again? This was just a chance encounter. In the first place, who knows when Jade will come back to the surface? And on top of that, even if he were to come back to the surface again, only the truly privileged can even hope to meet a prince in person.
There was no point in staying here, but Jade wishes to treasure this memory forever, of this captivating human, lingering for just a little longer to keep conversing with Trey.
Before he knows it, they’ve spent hours chatting, and the sun is starting to rise. Jade realizes that he needs to leave immediately before the sun truly shows off all of his inhuman features. However, he hesitates. He wants to make sure he never forgets this moment.
But how? It’s not like he can just grab some memento…or can he? His eyes land on a golden pin on the left hand side of Trey’s chest. It appears to be the royal crest. That could do. But in order to get it…well he could do an exchange. It seems rather valuable, so it’s not like Jade can just trade him a shell. All he has is…his earring. Jade is rather reluctant to consider giving it away, as it is not only a good luck charm, but it is also made of the scales that he and Floyd received as their prize for fighting a sturgeon a few years ago. However, that’s the only thing of value he has on him that seems worth trading for.
Floyd would forgive him, surely. Either that or he fights another sturgeon to make a new earring. He can figure out what to do about the missing earring later. Right now he needs to make the trade and leave before the sun rises.
“I need to go,” he begins, and he starts removing the earring from his left ear. “But I want a memento to remember this night.” He offers the earring to Trey, whose eyes are wide. “Can we trade? My earring for your pin?”
“Of course.” Trey hastily takes off the pin without hesitation, and places it in Jade’s hand, taking the earring in exchange. Looking the earring over, Trey smiles and hooks it around one of the chains on his shirt, effectively using it to replace the pin. “I’ll treasure it forever. I should get going too, before they notice I’m gone. But is there no way I’ll ever see you again?”
Jade closes his hand around the pin, shaking his head. “I doubt it greatly.” Thinking of a way to leave without Trey seeing his tail, he looks around, spotting a figure in the distance on the beach. “Ah, is that someone who is looking for you?”
Trey looks over his shoulder and grimaces. “You’re right. I’ll take my leave. It really was nice talking to you. I really hope we meet again—” Trey hears a splash and turns back to look where Jade had just been, to find the man was gone. “Ah, I didn’t even get to ask you for your name.”
Swimming back home, Jade’s hand clenches around the pin, careful not to drop it as he races along.
He never should have gone to the surface, and yet he didn’t regret it at all. Despite being seen by a human and talking with them—a ridiculously huge taboo for merfolk, he realizes that if he had the chance, he’d do it again if it meant spending more time with Trey.
Jade shakes his head and tries to wipe such thoughts from his mind.
What was he thinking? There was no way he’d ever see Trey again. And even if he could, they are from completely different worlds. It would do no good to entertain such thoughts. It had just been a once in a lifetime encounter. He should just forget about Trey and get back to his usual life, as the sea and the land were just too different.
Despite this, he clutches the pin in his hand to his heart, wondering what it’d be like to be part of his world.
