Chapter Text
“I'm so tired,” Steven said, letting the current take him. He got away from some humans days ago and has stopped swimming since. Now hasn’t eaten and his body injury form the attack. The weak should have listened to Marc; he just wanted to read books and learn human culture. Punished by knowledge he will die away from the ocean and his family. Steven looked up, seeming in his path. Shockingly back alive it's a net, thrashing backward to get out of sight his injured right fin keeps it from being enough . The adrenaline kicks in to let him end up getting caught again. “No no no please someone save me.” Bells can be heard Stven stuff lying to break free. Teeth and claws trying to cut the rope he filled it being pulled by a human. Not wanting to give up he thrust back fin piloting up to hopefully pull back down to the deep. No use, he hit the surface.
Fighting on he now in the rocks and the human walks toward him. “WHht this?” He said in a ruffled voice giving Steven a slight kick
“Ow!” He Cried, swiping weakly at him “Let me go!”
“Que sirena ” he pulls out a knife “Parece un cuento de hadas”
“Please dont hurt me” Steven pleaded not understanding the human
“Relax muchacho I'm not getting in to kill you…maybe” he grins ”I'm a fishman you in the way of my fishing” He let out a low laugh cutting the rope freeing Steven “There, now go!”
Steven puzzles a human, letting him go, not what happened that night. His Heart starts to flutter, he feels different holding his chest. Looking at the man's tall cap covering his brown hair, Eye dark and deep brown, his frame was strong but kind; he had a white long sleeve and jeans, no show but wearing a shark tooth necklace . Steven just stares at him.
“Uhh shu…go on” He spats grabbing the broken pole and net.
“Thank you…my name steven” He blurts his orange side fin perk up introduced himself.
“Jake..Lockley” He said approaching him again “Wait, you're still talking to me?”
Steven nod his teeth showing in aw of jake “Yes…umm”
“Estupido you should be gone, others might kill you?” Jake angry scoping Steven up his orange tail swing up the human not scared heck not even a amazed reactions at all “here I'll help”
“Oi!” Steven hold on to him tight “You so strong mate”
Jake tiles his head at the creature “Yeah I guess with that accent your not from here”
Steven realizing he doesn’t know where the hell he is as he feels Jake training to toss him he yells “Wait!” Jake stops “please I'm lost and so tired I need to stay here” he begins to wiggle out the pain coming back to stop him.
“Esta loco no way you will die,'' Jake thinks for a moment then smiles “Ok you're coming home with me then.”
“What! No…I uhh” Steven feels a sharp pain his whole right side stings. Burrowing his face into Jake's chest. He can’t fight it, he will die for sure.
“Shit you really are hurt”Jake notices the blood now the wound opens up more “Don't worry I have you” Steven looked at his hero, a fisherman carrying him like a princess in the books he has read. He may have found his love at long last. Jake makes his way through a dark part of the woods, covering him from the other humans. He listened to the man hum and whistle on the way carrying him and the catch he was done. They were quiet after leaving the waterfront.
Jake’s perspective.
“I'm sorry about your pole” Steven finally spoke “I was scared”
Jake signs “No worries I needed a new one anyways”
“Why are you nice to me?” Holding onto the man shirt
“Am I being nice” Jake eyes go dark “Or is this a trick” Steven starts to shake Jake jumps “No no it's a joke uhh just never seen one of you I'm captivated.” He watches the merman relax in his arms. Getting to his home kicking the door in its small but cozy he takes Steven to the bathroom getting water ready. As it flows, take a look at the wound that looks like it has been a stab. Another fisherman? He grabs a med kit, the right fin completely damaged, he uses some sutures to close the wound in order for it to close. Jake growls in the sight at the defeated merman laying out face covered. Jake looks at his gorgeous tail fin and gills touching he feels how soft they were not like a fish but tough. Rubbing along the front to see any more damage he got close to his stomachs Steven yelps Jake stops “Sorry did it hurt” Jake apologized
Steven sit up red in the face “No..that’s very close to our reproduction”
Jake rubs his neck “Oh…I see” He gets his mind clear to treat the merman rubbing ointment don’t know it will work but will clean it at least. The water was now filled enough Jake helped Steven in, seeing him doze off. Getting up he hears a knock on the door stopping to see who it is leaving Steven to sleep.
“What!” He yelled at one of the neighboring women. She was pretty with long hair and a flora dress. Jake wasn’t impressed.
“Good day Jake uhh you free tonight?” She asked
“Isn’t your husband home” He spat closing the door slowly
“No please I really like you” She admitted
“No thank you seems more like a pain I rather have your husband ” He slams the door stretching his back headings back in the bathroom. He sees Steven looking at him awake “thought you were asleep did I wake you.”
“She seemed nice” He said looking in the water
“That Perra was just sleeping around no person loyal anymore.” Jake rants on how he has never been lucky.
“Oh we are not like that we actually have a strict bond” Steven explains “You see when we connect it a unity of one soul”
“A what?” Jake confused
“Meaning we mate for life” Steven turns to the window “I haven’t found someone yet Im become outcasted by the other for it”
“Why” Jake sits by him
“I'm getting old and well we have a time limit” he tear show “Oh I just don’t know…no one ever wanted me I always been a bad swimmer my right fin never grew and well..I dont think anyone would mate with me”
Jake understands that to be unwanted he has been trying to get back into life. Touching the merman face seeing he beautiful brown eye moving his thumb to his check tilting it giving him a kiss. He didn't care about what might happen feeling this lip gives him bliss.
Steven perspective
A kiss is being kissed right now by Jake, a human showing him affection. He doesn’t know what to do so he lets Jake take over kissing him passionately. Steven feels his chest burst, his necklace glows bright, he feels his fin begin to change. Jake stood up lost on what was going on watching from afar. The glowing stop he eyes adjust as he sees his fin gone replaced with leg. Steven ran a hand down feeling it wasn’t a dream he has legs.
Jake approaches “What happen where your tail ”
Steven moves his body “It ok It will be back we only do this for emergency but when you kissed me it caused it”
Jake tilts his head “..so you human now”
Stven thinks “I guess for a time it only lasts about a day or two then I have to find water.” He tries to stand but struggles; he never formed a leg; only his brother Marc has been able to change. He feels Jake hand helping him up once stead Jake wraps him in a blanket. Stvene sees his face is red and looks closer to make Jake shot up. “Sorry you look cute.” Steven giggled. Jake just looks away helping him walk to the bed.
“I'll get you something to wear” he grumbles
Steven holds the cloth looking at his new legs. He wonders if he can finally be able to read with no issue now. Then relieved he can even go back home now Marc changed and got schooled by the king. He had to do surveillance for the king for weeks, the most dangerous job. Jake comes back with some clothes and even helps Steven get them on properly, noticing him trying not to look “You ok Jake?” He asked concerned Putting on the blue long sleeve and sweatpants
“Yeah..you just look so…I wanna..” Jake stops talking about walking away Steven grabs his arm still having his claws.
“Please, it's ok I find you very kind, don't walk away.” Steven has him sit by him “You kissed me, it was something..” he grabs his sleeve then his stomach growled
Jake let out a chuckle “you must be starving come let me feed you” Jake gives him a peck on the cheek. Leaning him to the Kitchen Steven looks around the home he never thought humans would leave so confined feeling safe almost. The ocean has caves and pathways as for hiding and finding food. His underwater home is not like home to him. He felt like the story of the little mermaid he read wanting to be human and now here he is. Marc would be scolding him telling how he needs to be proud and live in underwater society to protect them. Place it on a chair “Que te hacemos” Jake looks at Steven grabs his leg “Still hurts?”
Steven rolls up the sweatpant up “Just a bad bruise love” he didn't even rely on what came out of his mouth. He watches as Jake kneels down grabbing his right leg kissing the wound.
“This pendejo will pay” his low voice made Steven down but soon Jake got up to go to the fridge.
“What do you eat fish right?” Jake groans
“We can eat anything whatever you have” Steven says rest his head on his own palm
Jake prepares a simple meal with the fish he caught and vegetables roasted Steven looked in aw he never had a cooked meal it looked so good. He stops to study Jake.He remembers how humans eat differently. Jake grabs the fork and stabs the food Steven moves slowly as Jake sees him.
“You don't know how to eat?” Jake ask noticed what steven doign
“We don’t eat like this?” He touches the fork “We…” Jake sitting close to him grabs some food and puts it in Steven's mouth.
“I’ll feed you until you feel comfortable now.” Jake mimics with his mouth and Steven obeys opening his jaw; his mouth looked nothing like Jakes. He let Jake feed him the food. It was amazing Steven was eating with glee. Jake smiled and fed Steven ``You so cute” Jake said as Steven stopped he sensed something wrong getting Jake's attention then another knock on the door. Jake gets up slowly, signing to Steven to stay. The fisherman walked with caution getting his knife if he was putting it in his back pocket. Getting to the door he opened it. Steven sitting could not see but knew he smelled something familiar. Jake talks to who is at the door just as person's walks in and a blonde man with a cane walks in.
“See like I said just my partner and I having dinner” Jake spat at the man
“I see” The strange glares at Steven “Just keep your eye out. I let others know what I'm looking for. There is a heavy reward if I find what was lost.”
Jake rolled his eye “Whatever leave”
“Temper man..I hope you control your partner better.” He joked to Steven walking out with two other individuals.
Jake sighs, locking the door and walking back “Do you know that man?”
Stvene nods “he the one that stabbed be that night” rain can be heard outside Jake sits back down placing his hand on Steven
“He won't hurt you not anymore , I'm here,” Jake says, comforting to him. Steven can sense the teaser anger in the fishman eye.
“You called me your partner”Steven smiled then he panics “Bloody hell..we are not…are we”
Jake adjusts his cap “I mean…you need a protector and till I get you home if you still want to?”
He loved his life underwater and his family but always felt lost. He could stay for awhile leaning into Jake kissing his lips “Only if you have me” the shared one more kiss and finished the meal. Steven tried to help but Jake insisted he rest, leading him to the living room where he saw a book sitting down reading it. He holds it as his mind compares one when he finds it in the sea or shore, usually weathering and hard to read. Marc would tease him on how book are dumb and hold not value to the merman people. He wondered what his brother was doing right now, maybe he was with Layla his partner or probably getting in trouble with the king. Time passed Interested in the book feeling at tap on his shoulder see Jake shirtless wear hints shark tooth necklace a towel wraps him. “Oh Jake sorry got lost in the words” Steven eye looks him up and down.
“It's alright you are ready for bed, I can set you in the room and I'll sleep here till you are ready.” Jake offered
“No it's fine, let's sleep together..I mean lay down together” Steven's words are bubbling.
Jake purrs “Right then shall we.”