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Jack was on the edge of the ship, one hand on the wheel with the other running through his clayish hair. It’d been a long day on the sea, and the tide had started to cause the ocean to rock her body smoothly. He could hear his crewmates speaking behind him, but his mind was elsewhere.
Simon. Cambourne.
His eyes lay on the horizon, the fist steadying him on the wheel clenching slightly. He swallows slightly, glancing back to make sure his crewmates didn’t see his moment of weakness from the dark haired man.
His coffee skin. His dark eyes. His purple scales. His braided hair.
He shivers, the small freckles peppering his back growing into goosebumps as a cold wind breezes past him, and–for a moment–he wishes it took him.
Simon’s gaze locks onto the boat, the cool of the rock seeping through his scales. Merridew! He felt a smile drift onto his face. It must be the middle of night now, since that’s when Merridew visits.
As the boat approaches, Simon feels his tail twitch beneath him. He can’t stop the smile crawling up his face and baring its sharp teeth. Simon thinks they’re scary, Jack thinks they’re pretty. Simon thinks Jack is pretty sometimes, but Jack doesn’t like being called that. Inside thoughts, Simon labeled that discovery.
The boat stops a few meters away from the rock.
It takes a few minutes for him to struggle with the rope, but soon enough, Captain Merridew comes down in all his glory. Simon pushes himself up with his palms, crawling towards Merridew with increasing enthusiasm.
“Merridew! Merridew!” he sings, attaching himself to the pale man’s ankle.
Jack attempts to shake the merman off, but eventually gives up and kneels on the soggy rock that Simon has claimed for himself. It’s cool underneath his sailor’s pants, and soaks through to his knees. He hums, ignoring the cold for now.
“My ship is asleep,” Jack confirms, absentmindedly rubbing a thumb along Simon’s scales. “They won’t wake until sunrise–not with the ocean lulling them. I won’t leave abruptly like I did last time, and they won’t…” he trails off, lifting his fingers up to Simon’s collarbones, where a spear had left a scar. “They won’t strike this time.”
Simon lifts a hand up to where Jack was burning holes with his gaze, interlocking his fingers with Jack’s from behind. He smiles, counting the freckles on his face. “It’s okay. My sister’s help. I’m all patched up, right?”
Jack’s lips purse in frustration, lifting his hand away from Simon’s.
“You’re too forgiving, Simon. They could’ve killed you if I didn’t shake the ship. I don’t want you…” his teeth clench. “You can’t risk yourself like that for me.”
Simon shakes his head, tapping Jack’s calf with the end of his tail. “But if they discover you’re friends with a fish, you’ll walk the plank. What is the sea without it’s Captain Merridew? Who will discover the aquatic secrets?”
“That means nothing! Who–” Who is Captain Merridew if he can’t discover the secrets of Simon Cambourne? He immediately cringed at himself. Thankfully, he didn’t say it out loud, it was extremely out of character… But Simon was looking at him like he’d just reinvented marine biology itself. Simon has that effect on people–making them feel important.
“It means nothing?” he frowns. “I think it’s very important. Humans only discover themselves. Humans never discover what challenges their philosophy. But you discovered me, and you discovered my love for you, even if it challenged your hate for the ocean.”
Jack hated the ocean. He’d almost drowned when he was young. He’d feared it since.
Simon remembered, even though Jack only mentioned it in a passing conversation.
“Simon.”
“Jack?”
Their lips met. The cracking, rough texture of Jack met the soft, smooth skin of Simon. Simon made a small sound–surprised–before his tail flicked back and forth. His cold, webbed fingers found Jack’s warm, calloused ones as he pulled away.
“You have to go. Captain Merridew.” Simon whispered softly, reaching into his long, braided hair to pull out several jewels.
“Simon, I said no last time–” Simon lifted a cold, wet finger to Jack’s lips, shushing him.
“Pretty. Like you. Sapphire. Like your eyes. Gold like your hair”
Jack swallowed hard. He nodded, taking the jewels from Simon and keeping them in his pouch.
“I’ll bring you some crab next time. I’ll make sure.”
“You meeting me here is enough. I don’t need crab. But I would like it.”
Jack couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head.
“I’ll see you, Simon.”
“Bye, Captain Merridew!”
The last thing Jack saw was a flash of scales and a splash of water before Simon was gone. Lost at sea. But he’d come back. He always came back, and Jack couldn’t help but mirror him. Next time, definitely with a few fresh crabs for him and his family.