Work Text:
It was a windy day. To be fair, every day was a windy day for Robby. He worked at a small emergency hospital on the coast, in Maine. He'd been working there for at least a decade. The hospital dealt mostly with drowned patients and other boat-related medical emergencies. They were near a beach, with a small port and a large lighthouse. Often, he saw sailors or other water vessel passengers.
Today, it was a Sunday. Not many boats came into the marina on Sundays. The hospital was quiet, a small number of staff on shift today. Robby liked the quiet, and hence, he liked Sundays. He was bandaging up a woman's leg, she had cut herself on the side of a dock while diving, apparently. An alarm sounded, the emergency doors opening to rush in a gurney. It was, as per usual, a critical patient. The EMT's pushed in the gurney, and Robby got a peek at it as he approached. It was a younger man, maybe mid to late 20's. The ambulance workers informed them that the boy had been discovered on a private property, the owners of a beach house had seen him wash up. Most likely he had drowned, he was breathing shallowly and they had removed almost a liter of water from his lungs. The paramedics suspected he had ocean waste obstructing his lungs. He was scantily clad in a loose t-shirt, no bottoms. He had no pockets and hence no identification, neither documents nor any physical markers such as tattoos. His appearance was usual, sandy blonde curls and fair skin. A light scan of his pupils revealed seafoam blue eyes that would not dialate. A regular John Doe.
Dana, the charge nurse, and Robby brought the boy into an operating room to scan his lungs and check him for any hidden injuries. He scanned up and down the boys body with his bare eyes first, checking for any obvious injuries and felt for tenderness. His upper body was normal, some light bruising on his forearms, but it was his lower body that interested Robby. His legs seemed intact, but very weak. He wondered whether the boy was paraplegic, his legs seemed almost unused, it wasn't normal. When the patient was conscious he would check his leg movement range and ask him. For now, seeing no obvious injuries that needed tending, he scanned the boys torso. Indeed, he had plastic and seaweed obstructing his lungs, in his bronchi. They would have to perform a rigid bronchoscopy.
It was a fairly simple, minimally invasive operation. They decided to just complete it immediately, since the patient was a John Doe. They couldn't afford to wake him up for consent and there was no possible way to contact anyone, their social worker, Kiara, had already decided that.
The operation went well, it was quite quick. Soon enough, the John Doe was resting in an empty room, still passed out. He would most likely wake up within a couple hours, Robby had instructed the nurses on duty to grab him whenever the boy awoke.
After about ninety minutes, Nurse Matteo came to tap Robby on the shoulder. The attending was finishing up some charting on his desktop when the other came up behind him.
"Your John Doe is awake." Matteo said simply, nodding at him before bustling off.
Robby stood, shutting off his desktop and making his way to the patients room. He stopped along his way to grab an iPad to take notes about the boys condition. He hadn't forgotten about his strange, newborn-esque legs.
The bearded man let himself into the room quietly, shutting the door behind him. The young patient on the bed squinted up at him, seemingly blinded by the fluorescent hospital lights. Robby quickly adjusted the light switch dial so the flash was more of a dim light. Instantly, the boy relaxed into the bed, arms no longer tensed by his sides.
"I'm Dr. Robinavitch, but everyone calls me Dr. Robby. I'll be your physician today. Do you remember how you got here?"
The John looked slightly confused, shaking his head no.
"Well, you were found half-drowned on a private beach, debris in your lungs."
"And I looked… like this?" The boy's voice had a soft, almost foreign lilt to it, an accent that Robby couldn't place. His question puzzled the doctor a bit, but he assumed he meant his clothing.
"We did find you similar to as you are now, you were wearing only a top but he had to cut it off, sorry. The gown you're in is a hospital gown."
The patient nodded, looking down at his legs and wiggling his toes.
"I just have a few questions for you. We didn't find any identification on you, what's your name?"
"I'm Dennis. Dennis Whitaker." the boy supplied quietly.
"Alright then, Dennis. You seem to have little to no external injuries, just some light bruising. I have some questions about your legs, though." Dennis shifted uncomfortably upon hearing that, but nodded in ascent.
"At first I thought you were paraplegic, because your legs are so weak, it clearly that's not the case." He gestured to Whitaker's toes, some of which he had just been wiggling. "Is there any condition we need to be aware of?"
"Oh I-" Dennis seemed to be unable to answer for a second, "I just don't walk very much. I'm sorry."
Robby assured him no apology was necessary, and then launched into an explanation of the operation he'd had and the post-op care he would need before being discharged. While he spoke, his mind was running. Had the boy escaped some kind of abuse? How was it possible that he'd walked so little that his legs were as strong as those of a newborn calf? He decided upon keeping the boy for at least a day or two for a psych evaluation and treatment. Dennis was also quite skinny, his sternum bones visible and hips jutting out. There was no way they could release him with out further investigation, the man decided.
After he'd explained the situation to Dennis, he excused himself, promising to return and telling the boy that he would most likely stay for a maximum of two days here. His patient still looked slightly confused, like a startled mouse, but he acquiesced and kept calm.
Robby paged their social worker as soon as he got a chance. Within the hour, Kiara would come down to speak to Dennis and see if she could get something out of him. The doctor tried to busy himself, dealing with all his patients and side tasks, but the memory of that particular boy stayed in his mind.
Dennis had an unusual energy, they had only spoken for a short time once he'd awoken, but he was calm and sweet, something about his demeanor pulled Robby in. When his patient spoke, he felt pulled to listen, his voice was simply melodic. He found himself itching to visit him again, to speak to him.
When Dennis awoke, he was severely confused. The siren found himself in a strange bed, he'd awoken dry and drenched in blindingly bright light. The last thing he'd remembered was swimming. He'd had a fight with his brothers, in his fury he'd ignored his mother's warning of the oncoming storm and had swam too far. He remembered the waters raging, his familiar sea no longer calm.
After a minute or two, the lights dimmed and he heard the sound of something clicking shut. He gazed up, a tall human man stood over him. The absence of light made Dennis be able to focus, and he realized with a small shock that he had legs. He knew the legends, merfolk who had spent too much time out of water could develop legs. He didn't think it was true. He cautiously wiggled his feet as the man introduced himself. It seemed his new limbs were usable.
The siren did his best to answer the doctors questions succinctly and honestly. All he wanted to do was go home, but the strange human told him he might be obliged to stay here for two days? Luckily it sounded like the hospital was near enough to the ocean. If the myths really worked how he'd heard, simple contact with the open sea should give him back his tail. He wasn't sure about his other powers. His doctor hadn't seemed to be affected by his siren charm, so he wasn't sure if he'd lost those abilities as well.
While he waited for whoever was supposed to come see him soon—a "social worker"— he messed about with his legs, figuring them out. At first he got used to his to wiggle his toes, bend his knees, and move his feet. After a few moments of that, he attempted to shift his legs off of the bed. He wanted to see if he could walk. He tentatively pressed his bare feet onto the cold plastic floor, pushing up off the bed with his muscled arms. He stood shakily, the sensation in his calves felt extremely odd. The merman stayed in this position until he stopped wobbling, half standing and half leaning on the bed rails. Quickly, he got the hand of it though. He took his new steps like a baby whale learning to swim, and paced around the room agonizingly slowly.
As he was walking around, gaining his confidence with his land-legs, the door cracked open again. A younger woman with long hair and warm skin entered. Her clothing was beautiful, he remarked internally. She sported a floral print top and a soft looking sweater. Where he came from, they barely wore clothes at all, and only had the simplest woven garments. He was enamored by the colorful designs and intricate knit. She smiled at him and shut the door behind herself, coming to stand near him with a clipboard.
"I'm Kiara Alfaro, I'm just here to ask you a few questions. It's standard in cases such as yours where the patient comes in alone."
She had a comforting energy, Dennis felt calmer being around her. He returned to his bed to perch on the edge of it and face her. She surveyed her clipboard, looking up to pepper him with questions every so often, before jotting down some notes. Most of the stuff she asked he couldn't reply to honestly. Where was his family? Did he have a place to go home to? Was he safe outside of the hospital? He couldn't reveal his origins, but tried his best to bleed sincerity charm into his voice when he assured her that he had a place to call home and he would be okay once discharged. Kiara seemed to accept most of his answers at face value. After maybe 15 minutes, she seemed satisfied, wishing him a quick recovery and leaving him to rest.
The siren stared at his ceiling, gazing up at the neon lights while he lay starfished in the hospital bed. He'd never been on land for this long before, it felt strange. His limbs were heavy and his skin felt oddly dry. He needed to get back in the water, to tell his family he was alright. He had no clue how long he'd been unconscious for, it could have been days!
Kiara met Robby in the hallway and began to debrief him. According to her, he seemed mentally stable and well balanced, though slightly confused. He showed slight hesitation before answering certain questions. They discussed what to do next and came to the conclusion that Robby should only release him if they had a next of kin or a friend that he trusted pick him up from the hospital.
The bearded man re-entered the room, greeting his patient once more.
"I've spoken with Ms. Alfaro" he started gently "and we think it would be best if you left this hospital with someone you trusted."
"Doctor, I- I don't think I have anyone to pick me up. My family lives really far." Dennis spoke cautiously, he seemed nervous.
Robby was overcome with sadness upon hearing the boys voice. This young sweet thing was all alone in the world. Not a single person to come pick him up.
He spoke quicker than he thought; "If you wanted to stay with me for a couple days, just until you're feeling better, I could maybe arrange something?"
Damn. Why had he said that. He couldn't take it back now, he tensed slightly, waiting for the boys rejection.
"You would do that?"
He glanced up, Dennis' expression was open and honest, he sincerely was about to accept.
"Well, yes. It's the right thing to do."
"Alright. I really appreciate it, if there's any way I can pay you back please let me know."
Robby just nodded, still trying to comprehend what he'd just done. This had to break some sort of doctor-patient code. He couldn't bring himself to regret it though. He was inexplicably obsessed with this young patient. He excused himself, telling the boy a nurse would come with clothes and they could leave at the end of his shift.
"What's up with the new John Doe." Dana asked him curiously when he approached the nurses station.
"His name is Dennis. He's very sweet and says he has no one to pick him up."
"Oh Michael, what did you do?" Dana really did have a knack for calling him out.
"I might have told him he could stay with me…"
She just tutted, looking at him and he already knew what she was thinking.
"I'm just being a good person! He needs a place to stay, just for a few days!" Robby protested.
"And it has nothing to do with the fact that he's cute and young?" Dana's voice carried a teasing lilt, she was no longer being completely serious. She knew he wasn't any sort of creep.
Dr. Robby excused himself, going to treat other patients. He was now antsy to finish the day. He hoped he'd made the right decision about Dennis.
When the sun began to dip in the sky, Robby rejoined Dennis in his room again. The boy had been watching the window. He enjoyed the sight of the horizon, it was rare to be able to see it from this perspective. He was charmed by the world he saw outside, large roads with cars, a parking lot, buildings visible on the skyline. Land dwelling society had advanced so much. The historical sources they had in his mercity were outdated, maybe 50 or so years old. Though his situation was unfortunate, he found himself excited to be able to explore the surface. Maybe he could convince his new friend to take him to a land restaurant so he could try meat.
"We can go now, if you're ready?" Robby asked gently.
Dennis nodded, hopping up from the bed. He'd gotten the hang of this leg thing fairly quickly. A nurse had come in earlier, giving him a pair of denim pants— that were quite uncomfortable— and a soft blue t-shirt, which he liked. He struggled with the sneakers for a minute, shoving his feet in and pulling them back up with his pointer fingers. Why the hell did everyone wear these?
With little delay, the bearded man was leading him out of the building, into the parking lot he'd been watching earlier. His vehicle was a large black thing, the doctor opened the door for him and he slipped in. He surreptitiously watched how the man placed a strap over his chest before following suit. When Robby turned the thing on and it roared to life and began to hum, Dennis almost jumped out of his body. Everything was louder on the surface, without any water to block the sound. Robby seemed to notice his start but didn't mention it.
"Could we go to a restaurant?" Dennis asked hesitantly, facing Robby, who began to put the car into motion.
"Sure kid, anywhere specific?"
"I don't really know any places, I don't eat out a lot…"
The man driving shrugged, telling him he knew a decent place they could get a bite to eat before heading home. He drove them 10 minutes or so, stopping in a smaller parking lot. They both hopped out, Dennis struggling for a second with the cars door handle.
It seemed like a burger place. Dennis had seen recordings of burger ads from the 1960's, they had been discovered in a ships wreckage and recorded onto the holotapes for their mercity's archive. (Holotapes are a Fallout reference, basically similar to a VHS tape) Most of the overworld history he'd known was found in wrecked ships, planes, or even from trash that had floated down. It was standard for objects to be preserved in waterproof cases in the town hall, and knowledge would be recorded onto holotapes for future generations to watch.
They settled into a booth, Dennis hands running across the synthetic leather material. He tried to read the menu, but his written English was shabby. He'd learned spoken English along with his native Pacific at school but they didn't often use any written systems, so it was difficult for him. He decided to just order the same as Robby, a cheeseburger with fries and a Diet Coke. He'd seen Diet Coke cans before, many land people at his local beach would toss in empty ones. He was curious whether they tasted similar to the Nuka Cola he'd grown up with. (I'm unimaginative so all underwater inventions will be directly plagiarized from Fallout)
Their waiter returned after a dozen or so minutes, holding two plastic baskets lined with paper. Inside was his food. He marveled at the burger, trying to anticipate what the meat would taste like. When he looked up, Robby was glancing at him, as if trying to decipher a mystery. Dennis ignored this, picking up and fry and popping it in his mouth. It was good, very good! He hummed in satisfaction, having another. Robby expression had morphed into amusement, as he picked up his own burger, biting in.
After a bit of hesitation, Dennis had tried his own burger and it was amazing. He loved cheeseburgers. He'd scarfed down his plate in tandem with Robby, the two main fairly silent. Robby had shown him how to dip his fries in sauce, which he was hesitant about, but the ketchup had been good. The mayo was weird. After they'd eaten, the other man had paid for their food. Dennis had no money, but even if he did, he didn't think his home currency of bottle caps would fly here. Robby used paper bills, which he didn't often see. Paper disintegrated pretty quickly in the ocean. He thanked the man, not wanting to seem like he was taking advantage of him. Robby just brushed it off, and they began to head back to his home.
The man lived on the beach. It was a cute little cottage, with a long driveway and a hot tub out back. Dennis enjoyed the view of the ocean. He knew that if he broke out in a run, he could dive in and be home by sunrise the next day. Though, he was enamored by the surface, he didn't want to leave quite yet. So instead, he followed Robby into his house and let the doctor show him around.
It was easy to get himself settled because he'd come with nothing. Robby had shown him the guest bedroom, where he'd be staying, and explained the basics of the house. The man lived alone, and nothing seemed to be off limits to Dennis. Then, he seemed tired so he'd gone to shower and get ready for bed, leaving Dennis alone in his new bedroom. The boy had removed his new socks and jeans, electing to lay on the bed in the t-shirt and boxers. Robby had left a pile of folded things outside his door, towels, a few shirts and a softer pair of baggy pants. For these, Dennis had no name. He placed all of this on a chair, before clicking off the light and settling in bed. It was his first time sleeping in a bed like this. It was hard to fall asleep, the noises coming in from the outside were strangely clear and it wasn't things he was used to. He missed the calm sound of the water and rustling of algae. Still, he fell asleep and slept well. His first night on the surface.
The next morning, Robby took the day off. They were overstaffed for the amount of patients anyway. He didn't want the strange boy to wake alone in his house. The more time he spent with the young man, the more he found him odd. He was well meaning and sweet, but seemed confused about such mundane things. Dennis had been afraid of the car engine and didn't know what ketchup was for gods sake. Where did he come from? Why was Robby falling for him so completely?
His patient had been in his dream last night, perched upon a rock on the shore of the sea. The waves dashed against the rock, the wind was howling, but the man seemed completely at peace as he lounged upon the boulder, crooning a song as he watched Robby.
Now, he was in the kitchen. He busied himself making coffee, toast, and eggs. He'd heard Dennis moving around in his room so he assumed the boy would be out sometime soon. He almost lost his breath when he did finally exit his room. Dennis was wearing nothing but one of Robby's shirts and his boxers.
"Where are your pants?" Robby practically choked out.
"They're really uncomfortable." Dennis frowned, "The blue ones are too stiff."
He didn't seem to understand the societal norm of being clothed in front of strangers. And Robby was sure he'd included a pair of sweatpants in the things he'd left for the blonde. He decided to abandon this train of thought for now, simply inviting Dennis to sit at his kitchen table. He served them both 2 pieces of toast and some scrambled eggs, along with a mug of coffee. Similar to last night, Dennis watched him eat for second before beginning to eat his own meal.
"I took the day off. We can figure out what you need and where you're gonna go. You can stay as long as you need, but it would be best for you to get home if it's possible. I'll help with that, if I can."
"I don't exactly remember how I ended up on this beach, but I know how to get home. Could I just stay for a couple days before I go?"
"Of course." Robby smiled at him warmly, glad the boy wasn't too lost. When he was feeling completely better, Robby would ask him about where home was. He decided today he should take the other to the shopping center, get him some clothes and essentials he may need. Maybe even a prepaid phone if there was anyone he needed to call. It had been a while since Robby had had anyone to spend money on.
The bearded man informed him of his decision, and Dennis agreed readily. He seemed excited to go to the man, and upon Robby's insistence, bounded to his room to pull on the sweatpants Robby had left him.
The two of them hopped into the car once they were both dressed. It was a fairly warm day and they cruised down the freeway, windows rolled down. Dennis gazed at the views as if it was his first time seeing them.
Once in the mall, Robby showed Dennis around the various shops and helped him pick out clothing. They ended up with a knit sweater, a few shirts, another pair of sweatpants, and some soft shorts. He noticed that the younger man seemed to gravitate towards looser garments with soft fabric, he seemed sensitive to certain materials such as denim.
"Would you want to grab a snack now?" Robby asked the boy.
He nodded eagerly, so the two of them made their way to the food court. They got a quick meal, some bubble tea and onigiri— both of which seemed to fascinate Dennis. He must have grown up pretty sheltered, Robby thought to himself as they ate. Afterwards, they headed back to the car, shopping bags in hand. The drive home was fairly silent, his passenger leaning his head towards the open window as his eyes stayed locked on the sea in the distance.
Upon arriving home, Dennis went straight to his room with nary a word to Robby. He put away his items, but his mind was elsewhere. He was realizing that as much as he loved the land, he was missing the water. Watching the crashing waves as they'd drove to Robby's house had been painful for him. His whole life was back in the sea. The novelty of the land was starting to wear off, and he missed his home all of a sudden. He thought about Robby as he methodically folded his new clothes. The doctor had been so kind to him, had taken him home and cared for him.
In the mercity, Dennis had never found a romantic partner. He had a few friends, sure, but no one he was close to. His brothers were his best friends, he supposed, even though he never was the closest to his family. Slowly, as his brothers had gotten married and had kids, they had one by one moved out of their family home. Dennis himself had a small house on the edge of the town, nearer to the cove that led to land. He liked to lay on the rocks there, the cove was secluded and it was rare for humans to come there. Sometimes, he did feel lonely. There's only so much reef exploration and algae knitting that a merman can do before he starts to crave contact with another siren. Not to mention, the pressure his parents put on him to find a partner.
The siren entertained the thought of having Robby as his partner. It was a stupid idea, probably. The man was a human, and a would in doubt balk at the idea of becoming a merman. It was possible, through a questionable process. He didn't want to employ his siren charm on the doctor, and he doubted that Robby would go through with it of his own free will. Which meant he would have to bite the bullet and say goodbye to him soon. He would bring the clothes Robby had bought them, simply to serve as a memory of his fleeting time on the surface.
As soon as all his items were packed and folded away into a duffel bag the older human had bought him, Dennis exited the room hesitantly. He loathed to say goodbye to the man.
"Robby, can we talk?" He entered the living room, sitting down on the couch across from Robby.
"Sure, what's up Dennis." Robby set down his book, turning fully to the siren.
"I so appreciate all you've done for me, but I think I need to go home now. Thank you, for everything. My family is probably missing me and it's been a few days."
Dennis was sure his nerves were visible, his leg was bouncing and he twisted his hands in his lap. The man across from him looked visibly hesitant, but he agreed after a moment.
"Would you like me to drive you anywhere? It's no trouble, really."
"No, it's alright. I actually don't live too far by boat." That wasn't the complete truth, it was a few days journey away, but it would be simpler and quicker for Dennis to hop into the ocean, down from Robby's place and simply swim home.
"Alright then. Are you leaving right this moment?"
"Do you think that's a good idea?"
"I mean sure, kid. The sun is still up so better now then in the middle of the night." Robby was right, it was early afternoon, if he stayed close to the oceans surface, he could orient himself better in the sunlight.
The two men said their goodbyes, Robby pulling Dennis in for a slightly unexpected bear hug, holding him at the base of his neck for a second longer than necessary.
When they had untangled themselves, the siren grabbed his new duffel and left, taking a slightly out of the way route down to the beach. He didn't need Robby seeing him from his back porch, after all.
Right after his patient left, Robby had a weird feeling in the back of his mind. He couldn't pinpoint it, but a lot of Dennis' story didn't make any sense. He lived nearby but didn't recognize any of the scenery? And he had no money nor a phone, how would he charter a boat.
The man pulled on his boots quickly, slipping out his front door to follow the boy, just to make sure it was alright. He saw Dennis turning at the end of the road, all the way down the street. He followed him that way, watching as the boy quickly climbed down the stairs leading to their neighborhoods private beach. That was really odd. Silently, Robby climbed those same stairs, watching as Dennis made his way until he found a secluded corner of the beach, where trees grew and there was a small outcrop of flat rocks nestled between the greenery and the water, almost out of view. Robby knelt in the sand, behind the trees, peering through them to the rock formation where the blonde had climbed to. He watched with a mixture of trepidation and confusion as the boy opened the duffel. He began to strip, Robby's eyes glued on him. Was the boy skinny dipping? He thought he was going home. Once the boy was fully naked, back to Robby, he folded the clothes neatly, zipping them into the duffel. The young man approached the water readily, dropping the duffel just on the edge of the rocks. He sat there for a second, hesitating, before sitting down, dipping his legs down to mid-thigh into the water.
For a minute, he just sat there. Robby sat frozen in place, watching him. It felt a bit wrong to be spying on the boy, but he was curious and concerned for him. Slowly, the boy began to shift, kicking his legs lightly back and forth, then side to side. Robby watched until he noticed something strange. The part of Dennis' legs that were visible out of the water had started to turn a seasick sort of green. He watched intently as something hard and shiny began to creep up the boys legs. Dennis, throughout all this, seemed calm, simply watching the progress with his head dipped as he shifted his legs every once in a while. Within 5 minutes, his lower half, up to his hipbones, was completely covered in hard teal scales, seemingly fusing his two legs together. Dennis leaned backwards, and out of the water came racing a long, teal tail. At the bottom, it's sleek mass bifurcated, splitting into two webbed fins.
Robby leaned forward, gazing at the arc of the tail as Dennis flexed it. Suddenly, he was crashing forward, branch breaking beneath his hand. He landed heavily on the rocks, gasping for air. The boy in front of him turned sharply, gasping loudly.
"Robby?
I didn't want you to see this, I'm sorry!"
Robby sat up slowly, gazing at the boy.
"You're a… mermaid?"
"I'm a siren, or a merman if you prefer."
A lot of the odd stuff about the boy suddenly made sense to Robby. So he'd washed up on the shore and taken a human form…
The boy continued to speak; "I was swimming out in a storm, I must have hit my head and I washed up on the beach here. It's my first time on land."
"But your legs?"
"If a siren spends a long time on land they can temporarily gain a human form, but any contact with flowing water such as the sea or a river will turn us back, as you just saw."
"And now you're, going home?"
"Yes. My mercity is on the pacific coast, nearer to what you might call Alaska. I've got to swim around the continent, but underwater it's much faster than on land."
Robby simply sat back at that, trying to absorb the overload of information he'd just received.
"If you can turn human, can other people turn into mermaids? Or uh sirens, excuse me." He was simply curious about it, not as if he would do it and leave his everything behind right now if Dennis offered. Nope, he definitely wouldn't abandon his whole life and disappear forever for a beautiful merman. Absolutely not.
"Yes, but the process can be a bit gross. Most humans don't go for it."
Robby just cocked his head, waiting for the boy to elaborate.
"You would have to, uh, pick off one of my scales and eat it." Dennis wrinkled his own nose, "I know, it's really gross, Sorry."
That was all? Robby thought it would be some fucked up shit about cutting off his legs or something. He vividly recalled reading the original version of the Little Mermaid as a kid and being thoroughly shocked.
"That's not so bad." he chuckled.
"Well ,you wouldn't do it, would you?" Dennis said, as if proving a point.
Robby thought about it for a second, taking his question a bit too literally. "I'd do it." he shrugged, "Why not?"
Dennis looked slightly skeptical, a challenge sparkling in his eyes. He rotated his body, so his tail, which was at least four feet long, faced Robby, his back now to the ocean.
"Do it."
Robby looked at him with wide eyes.
"I'm serious, take one. It doesn't hurt badly. If you mean it, do it. Come with me." Dennis wiggled his fins to punctuate the statement.
Slowly, the human crawled forwards, hand reaching out to brush the boys tail. He watched as the siren's fins bristled when his fingers touched scale. He glanced up at Dennis, who nodded encouragingly. Robby found a spot, low on Dennis side. The lower on his tail he went, the smaller the scales. He dug his fingers into it, grasping for a scale. As quick as possible, he pulled. Dennis didn't wince, but his fins moved, a quick shift right as the scale popped loose.
"See, that was easy." Dennis flashed him a lopsided smile as Robby stared at the small teal semicircle that he held between his thumb and pointer.
He watched its iridescent glimmer as he moved it in the sunlight. Slowly, he brought it to his mouth, popping it all in at once. The scale was brittle, it tasted slightly salty and briny, but for the most part was fairly plain. He chewed once, twice, until it crumbled and then with little difficulty he swallowed the remnants of the scale.
A moment passed, and he felt totally normal.
"Are you sure that works?"
"You need to submerge your body in the water." Dennis laughed, "Your whole body, since on the first transformation you will develop gills in your lungs and other internal attributes."
Robby looked at the chilly looking sea. He sighed, then began to strip. The siren looked at him with fascination as he undressed. He'd potentially never seen another human body in the nude before. Once naked, he hesitantly stepped off of the rocks. The water was quite shallow here, so he swam forward a bit until he could submerge himself fully. While fully submerged, he began to feel a tingling sensation in his chest and in his legs. He quickly clamped his thighs together when he realized that most likely they would need to fuse together. Robby had no clue what was going on inside him, but he watched with horrified fascination as his feet began to elongate into webbing, his thighs fusing together as they turned blue, scales appearing on his skin. The man realized with a start that he could breathe underwater, easily inhaling and exhaling as he tried to relax.
The tingling in his legs subsided after a few minutes. He looked down to check out all the changes up close. His tail was much more blue than his companions, who's appendage was tinted teal. The biggest difference he'd noted was that his tail was not one large mass. Past the groin, it bifurcated. He seemed to have twin tails, which he dearly hoped was normal and not a merman deformity that he hadn't known about.
Robby swam up close to the rock, pulling himself up with his arms. He flicked his tails in the water, and the powerful motion helped him up onto the rocks, where Dennis was awaiting him. The smaller man gasped at the sight of him, eyes softening.
"Kid, is this normal?" Robby pointed down to his twin tails.
"Yes! Bi or twin tailed sirens are common."
"Oh thank god." Robby sighed in relief. It had all gone quite well in his opinion, and he was relieved to hear that his transformation was mundane.
"So what next?" Robby questioned.
"If you want to to back to normal, your legs should form within a day or so, and you would just have to avoid open water." Dennis hesitated before continuing, "Or, you could… come home with me? Explore the ocean?" Hope glimmered in Dennis' eyes as he posed the question. And who was Robby to deny the boy some hope and fun? So he accepted, because who doesn't want to become a mermaid and frolic in the Pacific? Dennis breathed a sigh of relief at that, flashing him a joyful smile.
The two men both made their way to the rock's edge, sliding in tail first into the chilly water. Dennis grabbed their duffel from the edge, filled with memories from their time on the surface, and slung it cross body over himself. He motioned to Robby to dive fully under with him, and the man did so without hesitation. They swam in tandem, just under the salty water, in that warm zone where the sun permeated the water and their backs just barely grazed the surface of the sea. Robby let his job, his stress, his anxiety roll off his back like waves as he swam further away from the only home he'd ever known. The further he swam, the more he realized he hadn't really left anything crucial. The most important thing in his life was right next to him, tail flicking his own playfully, as they orbited eachother.