Aquata Cove Ch. 58

Chapter 58: Not Goodbye

Merrick puts a few things in his small cubbie at Lovers. He looks sadly into the small space, where his uniform vest, pants, and name badge are stored. Today was supposed to be his first day on an official job, he was supposed to start earning money to help Adam, Yuri, and Jamal pay for bills and expenses. And now... He has to leave before he can even start.

"You about ready, Merrick?" Nick says as he comes up behind the merman, patting him on the shoulder.

"..." Merrick doesn't know how to answer. He sighs deeply as he bows his head.

"What's wrong, man?" Nick asked as he looks to his friend.

"... I just got here..." Merrick finally said, "I was supposed to help... Things are tough at the house now, and the one time I decide to be useful for once, I can't even..." He shook his head.

"I know, man," Nick said, "It sucks, but it is what it is."

"And... You were nice enough to hire me, when I don't even have the least bit of experience in working in a human store, and now I must leave... I was just lucky to be hired, and then..."

"Hey, hey, it's ok, man," The Latino put his hands on Merrick's shoulders, "I git it, bro. This is something you have to do." Merrick turned to look at Nick, "And don't worry bout it, man. I got your back."

"Are you sure...? Sasha said this place was hiring."

"Yeah, man, we're fine for now, but if we need to get someone else, I'll just hire a temp or seasonal to work here." Nick nodded his head to him, "But for sure, your job wull be waiting for you when you get back."

Merrick smiled weakly as he moved in, and kissed Nick on the cheek. Nick smiled affectionately as he rubbed Merrick's arm.

"You any idea when you coming back?"

"No..." Merrick closed his eyes, "... I suspect that I might have to be gone for... Maybe six moons... Like how it used to be before I was banished..." Merrick brought his hand up, and took a dab of sweat from his temple, looking at the drop with worry.

"You be aight, man," Nick patted him encouragingly, "You be aight..."

~~~

The Dream Waltz is getting ready for the next scheduled performance. As usual, people are hanging out, chatting, drinking, and laughing as a couple of stage hands push large, crystalline statues onto the platforms, over a mount of electric light to make the fake crystals illuminate brightly.

Adam walks up on stage in a white and grey jacket and pants with swirled sequin designs along the suit. He takes the mic and addresses the audience, just like on his first time last weekend.

"Hello," His voice booms, "How's everyone doing tonight?" The crowd gives a cheer in response for him, "Hahaha, thanks, guys, that means a lot," He nods and smiles, "Now I WAS going to sing Blow from Ke$ha, but... I can't really go for an upbeat song right now. I'm kinda depressed at the moment."

"Awwwwww" The audience collectively pouted for him.

"Anyway, here I go, with Castle of Glass." The lights of the building dimmed as the audience clapped and cheered him on. The music begins with a rolling with a pulsing track, with a melancholy beat as he began to subtly pump his legs to move himself up and down, before putting the mic to his mouth.

"~Take me down to the river beeeeennnnd" Adam began "~Take me down to the fighting eeeeennnnd ~Wash the poison from off my skiiiiinnnnn ~Show me how to be whole agaaaiiinnn~" The audience approves of his singing thus far, "~Fly me up on a silver wiiiinnnnnggg ~Pass the black where the sirens siiiiii~iiinnng ~Warm me up by the nova's glooooowwww ~And drop me down to the dream belooowwww~"

~~~

Merrick walks along the line of people waiting outside of the Dream Waltz, until he comes across a rather tall, beefy man wearing a tight black shirt, snug black jeans, a belt with several items of equipment, and an earpiece with a microphone next to his mouth. The man looks down and sees the blonde male come to him, "Hello, Merrick" He said with a friendly smirk before reaching for the velvet rope, and unlocking it to let him through, "Go right on in."

"Thanks, Steve." Merrick says with a smile as he walks into the club.

He makes his way through the crowd, and sits at a lounge chair, and looks with excitement as he sees his lover up on stage. Something about Adam in costume and performance just feels like a fascinating notion about his boyfriend. He figures there's a lot of gay singers out there, and if they have boyfriends, is this how they feel when their mate is putting up a good show?

"~Cause I'm ooooonnnlly a craaaaack~" Fractured and imaged spotlights circle around him, "~In this caaaaaaaaastle of glaaaaaaaassss ~Hardly aaaaaanything there for you to seeeeeeee~eeeeee ~For you to seeeee~"

"~Bring me home in a blinding dreeeeeeaaaammm~" Adam continued as the imaged spot lights swung left and right, top and bottom, "~Through the secrets that I have seeeeeee~eeeeen ~Wash the sorrow from off my skiiiiiiiin ~And show me how to be whole agaaaaiiiin~"

"~Cause I'm ooooonnnlllly a craaaaack~" The crystalline statues around him conintued to blur with different cool colors of blue and white, "~In this caaaaaaaaastle of glaaaaaaaassss ~Hardly aaaaaannnything theeeerrree for you to seeeeeeee~eeeeee ~For you to seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~" The music pumped in a faster rhythm as Adam held that note few several seconds as the spotlights moved faster and faster around him more and more.

"~Cause I'm oooooonnnnnlly a craaaaaaack~" The music calmed down, as well as Adam's voice for that moment, "~In this caaaaaaasstle of glaaaaaaaasssss~" Even the spotlights came to a snail's pace with the song, "~Hardly aaaaaaanything elllse I need to beeeeeeeee~eeeeeeeee~"

The music jumped right back into a quick, powerful rhythm. "~Cause I'm ooooonnnnnly a craaaaaaaack ~In this caaaaaaaaastle of glaaaaaaaasssss~" The spotlights cycled around him as fast as before as well, "Hardly aaaaaanything theeeeeerre for you to seeeeee ~For you to seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ~For you to seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~"

The music pounded further as Adam held his voice for several more seconds on the last lyrics, until it abruptly came to a stop. The audience applauds and cheers for him as Adam takes a bow. The lights dimmed as he turned, and walked to behind the curtains while the various stagehands go to collect the two large fake crystal props.

~~~

Merrick walks with chipper down the side of the lobby, towards the employee door, where he entered, and headed for the dressing room. No performer who works at the Dream Waltz has their own room – there are five private dressing rooms in total, and they're all shared or assigned for the various performers.

He reaches for the door to number 3, when a heavy hand comes down on his shoulder. Merrick turns to see another large guard there.

"Where's your pass?" He asked with a threatening grumble.

"Pass? I don't have anything, I just wanted to see Adam."

"You ain't stayin here unless you gotta pass, or a job here. Now move it." He said forcefully.

"Wait, no! He's my boyfriend!" Merrick grunted as he resisted.

"I don't care if he's your Siamese Twin, you ain't allowed in here." The guard said as he started to overpower Merrick.

"Stop, no!"

"Hold up!" Said a third voice. They turned to see Adam halfway out of the door, his previous jacket already gone, "It's ok, Russell. He's with me."

Merrick pulled his arm away from Russell, and went to Adam as the guard glared at that blonde head, before turning and leaving.

After coming in, Adam sighed as he looked to him, "I told you you're not supposed to be back here, Merrick." He said irritably.

"I know~" Merrick smiled as he came in, putting his arms onto Adam's shoulders, "I just had to see you~" He kissed his lips, but didn't receive much of a response. He turned and went to the rack of outfits, casually checking them out, "I caught your last show, babe~" He smiles as he browses the various outfits, "I'm real glad I can see them."

"Before you leave..." Adam said. Merrick's smile faded a little, "Right?"

"... Right..." Merrick said.

"How long are you going to be gone?" He asked.

"I said I don't know..." Merrick feels his hand on a sparkling yellow dress, "Whenever the Noita said I'd be ready."

"Got it..." Adam said, showing little emotion, "... You should get going."

"What?" Merrick turned, "But I just-"

"My next song is in ten minutes. You're not supposed to be back here at all."

"So~" Merrick gave a cute smile as he came to Adam again, "How bout we make the best out of the next 5 minutes then~?" He asked as he tugs into Adam's pants.

"Merrick, you really..." Adam protested, but Merrick pushed a finger to his lip, and came up to smooch his lower jaw. Merrick hums lowly in affection as he kissed him a few times, before kneeling down before Adam.

Merrick pops open Adam's pants and slowly pulls them down, along with his undershorts. Adam inhales deeply as he felt his flaccid member twitch was Merrick nuzzled the right side of his pelvis, his chin just brushing against his thick pubic hair.

"Mmmnn..." Adam deftly feels Merrick's clean hair as those lips pushed onto his lap, tickling his flesh with low, sensual kisses in that furry groin.

Adam tensed as Merrick's tongue traced along his sac while his limb penis rests on Merrick's forehead. He mumbles lowly as Merrick laps his sensitive testicles are tenderly licked and lapped and circled around his orbs, before the broadside of his tongue rubs against those balls.

A rush runs up Adam's spine as Merrick carefully suckled on one of his balls, before moving his lips onto the other one. His dick is about half hard when Merrick moves up, and starts to savor the taste of his meat. Adam grunts and huffs as that warm wet velvet slides over his cock, pushing into his bush and going backward to the ridge of his glans, and going back down while pulling his pants and shorts completely down, and off of Adam's feet.

Adam tilts his head back as Merrick bobs his head back and forth, while putting his hand softly on Adam's naked butt. He squeezes that soft buttcheek around and round before putting both hands onto Adam's manly thighs, and spreading his legs out as he sits down.

Merrick's mouth never stops working over Adam's manhood as he twirls his head down on his lap, pushing his tongue on every angle on his dick. Adam moans and whimpers at a steadily climbing pace – Merrick's really making this blowjob a quick one.

He stops twirling his head, and begins to jump his head up and down to rub his tongue on the bottom of Adam's cock, while pushing the head on the roof of his mouth, and jamming it in the back of his throat.

"Ahhhh..." Adam pants as his toes curled as his orgasm is approaching rather too quickly. He whines as his hands grasp at the seat as Merrick works him over, while his own pants are tented.

Adam slaps his hand over his mouth as he huffs and seethes with a rush of excitement and lust as he felt the familiar intensity channel through his penis, and out of his head! "HNNNNH! HNNMMMM! HNNNGGGGG!" His nose breathes harshly as his legs strained and as pushed his feet to the floor, his arms flexing as he clutched his mouth.

Like a renowned felatio master, Merrick slowed down as he swallowed every drop of Adam's seed. Merrick groans longingly as he nibbles tenderly on the side of Adam's spent dong, just simply rubbing his lips on it as he nuzzles his groin.

After a few minutes, Merrick backs up, and Adam stands right up, "Right." Adam pulls his shorts up, tucking his dick into his underwear before selecting another pair of pants, "You need to get going."

"A-Adam?"

"That was 7 minutes, I've only got 3 minutes before I get back on stage."

"A-Adam wait!" Merrick stumbles back up, "C-Can't we-"

"No, we can't, Merrick." Adam answers shortly, "I still need to work, and you need to... You just need to go..."

Merrick paused before he went to pick up his jacket, and slung it over his shoulder, "See you at home?" He asked. Adam didn't pause as he went through the costumes.

"That's up to you." He finally answered. Merrick looked down sadly, and slowly walked out of the dressing room, closing the door softly. Adam puts his hands on the desk in front of the mirror. He sniffles as he rubs his hand onto his closed eyes, "... Dammit..."

He doesn't even feel like singing right now...

~~~

Merrick walks along the beach, his hands in his pockets as his eyes stay cast down upon the sand. During these last few days last, Adam has been acting rather distant – which is saddening because one would think he would want to make the most of the time they have before Merrick returns to the ocean. It feels awkward to even sleep in the same bed with him.

It's almost been a week since meeting Samudra, learning about the Capricorn and the Kenovani Pod. It's almost too good to be true. All this time, Merrick thought the Capricorn is the Coshiton's equivalent of the human Grim Reaper, when all along, it's actually been guiding exiles to a merry band of misfits, as Yuri playfully described when he told her. He almost doesn't even want to believe it, in fear of entering another crash from the Waves of Fate, but after seeing Arnaav on that night... Alive and well... Learning how to walk, even...

"Hey, Merrick!" Came a somewhat familiar voice. Merrick looks up to see Adam's friend, and Belinda's husband, Harold.

"Oh, hi..." They walk to each other until they were close.

"Hey, so Adam told me the news. Says there's a pod of merfolk that takes in banished mermaids and mermen."

"Yes... I'm leaving tonight..."

"Ah man..." Harold nods, "How's Adam taking it?"

"As much as you'd think, you work with him, don't you?"

"Yeah, but he's been kinda quiet and depressed at work."

"Mhm, he's been really forlorn at home too..." Merrick replied sadly, "He barely even looks at me anymore..."

"That sucks, buddy..." Harold patted his arms, "Can hardly blame him though – I'd be depressed too if Belinda had to leave like that..." Harold blinked, and looked at Merrick, "Come to think of it, isn't Belinda a banished mermaid too?"

"Yes."

"Ah, so..." Harold walked around Merrick, and spotted his heart symbol, "Why hasn't Belinda been going? She's been with me a little longer than you and Adam, so why hasn't she had to go back to the ocean like you?"

"Because Belinda's crime is more than it is," Merrick replied, "She's a Latolcus, or Blood Thief."

"A..." Harold blinked, "A what?"

"She's guilty of the crime of drinking the blood of other merfolk. It's..." Merrick hesitated, and sighed, "It's deemed a lot more serious than your run-of-the-mill Laws... Though, it's not that far off." He lied.

"Ah, that's bullshit!" Harold said angrily, "Who writes these laws anyway?? And who decides when to bump you off?"

"They were written a very, very long time ago... Even among Coshitons, a Blood Thief wouldn't be welcome – us merfolk are very superstitious and traditional that way."

"Man, that freakin sucks..."

"Besides, Belinda doesn't need to go back into the ocean like I do," Merrick explained, "She figured out a way to remain on the land without having to go back into the ocean..." Harold nods in agreement, "I tried to do the same thing, but it doesn't work for me as it does for her."

"I hear ya." Harold said, "Anyway, thanks for being cool about Belinda – I know you two don't really get along, but it's nice to see you putting aside your differences."

"Yeah, really."

Just when they were about to leave, Harold turns around, "Hey wait, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"I'm sort of curious – does something... Happen between humans and merfolk?" He asked. Merrick leaned on one leg as he looks at him.

"Depends. How do you mean?"

"Maybe it's just me, but I notice a few subtle things about me. Like, when I'm swimming at the gym, I find that I don't feel like I really have to hold my breath while I swim. Or Belinda's accent – when we first met, I could barely understand a word she says. Nowadays, she almost sounds like she was born and raised in America."

"Actually, this is something Adam and I recently found out about too," Merrick began, "When merfolk mate over extended periods of time, they share traits with one another, things that they normally can't do – and it's the same principle when humans and merfolk mate," He continued, "Kissing merfolk protects humans from drowning at all times, and I'm guessing Belinda's changing accent could be because she's been around you for long enough."

"Wow, really??" Harold said, amazed, "What has Adam picked up from you?"

"Well, he's really good at fishing, because he inherited my intuition; as a Triton, I naturally have this innate ability to detect my surroundings, and my being with him as given a taste of that attribute..." Merrick pondered for a moment, "In YOUR case, I would say you have a better singing voice from mating with Belinda, because all mermaids are able to sing beautifully."

"Hmm... I have noticed I'm kinda popular when it comes to karaoke night at the bar..." He said.

"Among other things that sort of change about us... Just something to think about at least."

"Anyway, I gotta get going. Take it easy man," Harold pats his shoulder, and the two men went their separate ways.

~~~

The sun comes into the orange phase of the day, heading slowly towards the horizon. Merrick sits at the usual small cliff over the ocean. He looks with a small smile and tired eyes onto the mobile surface of the water, feeling as if the ocean is begging him silently to just jump right in already.

"Hey, Merrick." Yuri says from behind. Merrick turned his head, and scooted to the side to let her sit beside him. She holds two light blue popsicles in her hands, before offering one to Merrick – it's that Sea Salt ice cream, featured in the Kingdom Hearts games, which Yuri occasionally imports all the way from Japan. Merrick smiles as he accepts one of the popsicles.

"Thank you." He took the frozen treat, and takes a light nibble of the salty-sweet flavor. Yuri takes a shallow bite as well.

After a pause and some peaceful bites, Yuri finally speaks up, "So your mind's made up?"

"There's nothing TO make up," Merrick replied, "This is for my sake. I need this more than you can imagine."

"I figured..." Yuri brushed his arm, "We're just going to miss you, you know?"

"Mhm..."

"My friends at the bookstore really like you. It's kind of a bummer that you can't stay a little longer." With Adam keeping his distance from Merrick, Yuri took Merrick to one of her favorite haunts – Barnes & Noble, where she, Merrick, and a handful of her friends would hang out in various parts of the store in order to teach him out to read better.

"I wish I could stay a bit too, but I'm really pushing it enough as it is – from what I'm told, I am far way past beyond my healthy limit on land."

"I know... Any idea when you'll come back?"

"Hard to say. When I was still with my pod, I was gone for up to six moons at a time. If what the Coshiton Triton says is true, I may be away for less than six moons, and be able to stay on land longer. In a way, I suppose you could call it my home away from home..."

"That's good to hear," Yuri said while chewing on icy flavor, "... Adam isn't taking it that well though..."

"No... He isn't..." Merrick replied as he looked at the crown symbol printed at the top of his half-covered popsicle stick, "I thought he'd be happy for me... But he just seems to be sadly resentful."

"Resentful? That's a rough way to put it."

"Maybe. He just... It's like he doesn't even want to be near me for the past couple of days..." Merrick takes a bite of his tasty ice, "He's making me feel like I'm being selfish for doing this."