Chapter Text
The sea stretched endlessly in every direction, the water sparkling under the midday sun. A lone ship cut through the waves, its sails billowing in the salty breeze. Onboard, Stanley Pines leaned against the railing, squinting out at the horizon.
“Nothing but water, as usual” he muttered, flicking the ash from his cigarette into the ocean.
Behind him, his twin brother, Stanford Pines, poured over maps and notes on a weathered table. Symbols and scribbles covered the place, all pointing to one elusive goal: the temple of Axolotl.
“Patience, Stanley,” Ford said without looking up. “The temple has to be out there somewhere. We've followed every lead, mapped out every possible location. We'll find it.” Stanley snorted.
“Yeah, sure. If we don't die of boredom first."
Above them, a bright luminous human figure hovered lazily in the air, his single eye gleaming with amusement. It was Ford's muse.
“Aw, don’t be so grumpy, Stanley!” Bill Cipher teased. “Adventure, mystery, danger — it’s what life’s all about! Besides…” He floated down, coming to rest beside Ford. “I’ve got things at stake in this too, remember? Axolotl's the only one who can make me tangible.” Bill said as he floated close to Ford.
“We’ll get there, my muse. Don't worry” Ford said with a smile
Bill smiled back, reaching out a spectral hand to brush away a stray curl from Ford's face. However, his hand passed right through— as always, and his expression softened.
“Yeah. We will.” Bill murmured with a saddened smile.
Stanley rolled his eyes at such sight, his brother and his heavenly boyfriend were far too sweet for his taste. Stanley just knew those two would be holding hands all day once Bill gets a physical body. The thought alone made him shiver far more than the cold breeze ever could.
Ignoring the two love birds, his view returned to the ocean and suddenly, a splash echoed across the water.
“What was that?” Stanley turned, frowning.
Another splash — closer this time. Something moved just beneath the surface of the water, circling around the ship like a shark.
“Ford, you see that?” Stanley asked, stepping back from the railing.
Ford stood, adjusting his glasses.
“Stay alert.”
The water rippled again, and then, with a burst of movement, something leapt from the sea.
It was a man— or at least, part of one. His upper body was human, with pale skin and wild blonde hair that clung to his face. But his lower half was a long, shimmering green tail, fins trailing like ribbons in the water. His ears were pointed and fish-like, and with wide blue curious eyes, he looked at Stanley.
They both locked eyes, and the creature grinned, revealing sharp, shark-like teeth.
“Uh, Ford?” Stanley said, taking a step back. “What the hell is that?”
Ford’s eyes widened.
“A mermaid…?”
Before anyone could react, the mermaid lunged toward Stanley, grabbing him by the wrist and yanking him overboard into the water.
“Stanley!” Ford shouted, running to the railing.
Underwater, Stanley struggled against the creature’s grip. The mermaid’s eyes gleamed with fascination as he pulled Stanley closer, his tail flicking to keep them afloat. Stanley thrashed, bubbles escaping his mouth as he tried to break free.
Suddenly, a blast of energy shot through the water. The mermaid hissed, releasing Stanley and retreating as Ford’s ray gun discharged again.
Stanley broke the surface, gasping for air as Ford hauled him back onto the ship.
“What the hell was that?!” Stanley coughed, sprawled on the deck.
Ford peered over the railing, but the water was calm once more.
“I don’t know. But he didn’t seem hostile. Curious, maybe. Fascinated even” Ford replied
“Fascinated?!” Stanley spluttered. “He tried to drown me!”
Bill floated down beside them, laughing.
“Looks like someone’s got an admirer!” Bill said and Stanley directed him a glare.
“Shut up, Bill.”
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The mermaid returned the next day.
Stanley was alone on deck when he heard the splash. He turned, heart pounding, and there he was — the same mermaid from before. This time, he stayed in the water, his eyes locked on Stanley.
“What do you want?” Stanley asked, wary.
The mermaid cocked his head, then slowly held up something in his hand. It was a smooth, iridescent shell, glinting in the sunlight.
“Is… is that for me?” Stanley asked with a frown.
The mermaid nodded, holding the shell out expectantly. Hesitantly, Stanley took it.
“Uh… thanks?”
The mermaid’s grin widened, showing those sharp teeth again. Then he dove back into the water, disappearing beneath the waves.
------
Over the next few weeks, the mermaid kept appearing, always bringing gifts: a pearl, a polished stone, a piece of sea glass. Each offering was more intricate than the last, as if he were trying harder to impress. Stanley accepted them all with an amused grin, piling them on the table in his cabin.
One evening, as Stanley sat polishing a new piece of sea glass, Bill floated lazily overhead, his glowing eye fixated on the growing collection.
“He likes you” Bill teased, his voice dripping with amusement.
Stanley snorted.
“Yeah, right. He’s just bored, that’s all.”
Ford glanced up from his notes, raising an eyebrow.
“Actually, Stanley… Bill might be right. Mermaids are known to court humans they find fascinating. If he’s giving you gifts, it’s likely a form of courting. It’s basic mermaid culture.”
Stanley froze, his hand stilling over the glass.
“Courting? Like… trying to romance me?”
Ford nodded matter-of-factly.
“Exactly. Offering gifts is one of the primary ways mermaids show interest. It’s instinctual for them.”
Stanley blinked, his gaze shifting to the pile of trinkets on the table.
“Well, that’s… weird.”
------
Every day, the mermaid appeared without fail, bringing even more gifts. Soon, Stanley had an entire drawer overflowing with pearls, shells, and bits of sea glass. It was starting to feel ridiculous.
One afternoon, Stanley leaned over the railing, watching the mermaid swim circles near the ship.
“Hey, buddy,” Stanley called out. “I appreciate the gifts and all, but I’m not interested. You get that, right?”
The mermaid paused, tilting his head as if trying to process the words. His expression fell, and he sank below the waves. Stanley sighed, thinking he might’ve finally gotten the point across.
A few minutes later, the mermaid resurfaced, holding something shiny. He tossed it toward Stanley, who caught it instinctively. Stanley’s eyes widened as he examined the golden coin in his hand, its intricate designs gleaming under the sun.
“Forget that! I’m really interested!” Stanley blurted out, his tone shifting entirely.
The mermaid’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he swam in circles, clearly pleased with himself.
Stanley then leaned over the railing, intrigued.
“Hey, you can understand me, right?”
The mermaid nodded enthusiastically.
“So… can you talk back?” Stanley asked.
The mermaid’s excitement faded. He glanced down at his reflection in the water, a sorrowful look crossing his face. Slowly, he shook his head.
“You can’t?” Stanley frowned. “Why not?”
The mermaid tilted his head to the side, revealing a long, thin scar that wrapped around his neck. The jagged line looked as if he’d been caught in a fishing line or some kind of trap.
Stanley’s expression softened.
“You were hurt?”
The mermaid nodded.
“Sorry to hear that,” Stanley muttered and remained silent for a moment. “So… if you can’t talk, how do you communicate with other mermaids?”
The mermaid shook his head.
Stanley squinted.
“What’s that supposed to mean? You don’t communicate with them?”
The mermaid shook his head solemnly and Stanley felt a pang of pity.
“Wait… you’re not alone, though, right? You’ve got other mermaids around?”
The mermaid hesitated, then lowered his head and shook his head again.
“Is that why you’re following us? Because you are alone?”
The mermaid nodded.
Stanley sighed, leaning further over the railing.
“Well, since you’re gonna be hanging around anyway, I should probably ask your name. Do you… have any way of telling me your name?”
The mermaid’s eyes brightened, and he opened his mouth as if to speak. A strained, garbled sound emerged, barely intelligible.
“Fidd… leee… ford,” he rasped. His voice sounded broken, more like the cry of a wounded animal than words.
Stanley grimaced a bit, from what he heard a mermaid's voice was supposed to be heavenly to the ears but right now all he heard was a fork being dragged across a plate. He took a deep breath as he ignored the pain in his ears and leaned closer to the railing.
“Fiddleford? That's your name?”
The mermaid nodded eagerly, his face lighting up with a smile. Before Stanley could say anything else, Fiddleford waved goodbye and dove back into the water, disappearing into the depths.
-------
Later that night, Stanley wandered into his brother’s room, finding Ford seated at a desk with Bill hovering nearby. Ford was engrossed in a game of chess, moving the pieces for the both of them.
“Ford” Stanley began, his voice cutting through the quiet.
Ford glanced up, adjusting his glasses.
“What is it, Stanley?”
“You know sign language, right?”
Ford frowned, clearly caught off guard by the question.
“Yes, I do. Why?”
