Aquata Cove Ch. 86

"What's that?" Adam asked in a sigh, hearing a liquid pour.

"Soup. I made it for you."

"Oh, ok..." Adam says as he smiles again, peering with bright yellow light flooding his sight again. He can make out the visitor taking a steaming spoon to his own lips to blow, before carefully moving it to Adam's mouth. Adam sips the savory broth as he tries to sit up, but just stays. "Mnhhhnn..." Adam moans quietly as he can vividly feel the hot liquid stream down his throat and line his stomach, "'S so good" He mumbles.

Merrick chuckles with joy, before taking another spoonful of the golden elixir in his small ceramic bowl, this time taking in a noodle before blowing on it. Adam drinks the spoonful, loving the feel of the flavorful fluid washing down his throat, even chewing on the sliver of noodle feels like something he's missed in so long.

Merrick stirs the soup a little in the small, fancy basin in his hand, ignoring the chicken shred and bringing another spoon to Adam's lips. Adam drinks again, huffing lightly from the taste, "This is really good..." He mumbled. Merrick's eyes moisten again, hearing Adam talk to him... Alive, happy to see him... For so long...

Yuri walks along the window, and stops. She gasps as she sees Merrick, right there, out of nowhere, sitting right next to Adam. He didn't even let her know he was coming - it's been over a week since Merrick disappeared, with only a message from her dad. She takes a moment to really look at this picture.

The room is glowing with sunshine. Adam's face has regained much needed color, tired as he is from the Thalassactin dose. And then there's Merrick. His eyes... Those eyes, they're holding emotion. Actual, heart-filled emotion. He brings a lightly steaming spoon from a small cup-like bowl, and feeds Adam what looks like some kind of soup. Adam's actually eating, after a long while of refusing food.

Yuri finds herself smiling as she steps back, seeing them together again... Merrick's finally where he's supposed to be, by Adam's side. And he's not crying anymore... He's actually happy. Despite everything that happened, that Adam no longer remembers him, and probably will never know him again... Merrick is finally home.

Adam swallows the bit of tasty chicken from the latest spoonful of what is quite literally the best meal he's had in so long. He can only peer and squint at this man. He still can't really remember much, but... He doesn't want this man to go away, ever. He wants to keep having this soup, he wants this person to stay...

"Adam?" Merrick said, seeing a clear dot drop from Adam's eye corner, "What's the matter?" He puts the spoon into the empty bowl.

"... I want this..." He mutters, "I want to keep this, so bad..." Adam sniffs as he rests, "But I can't have whatever this is..." He closes his eyes, "I don't want to forget anymore. I don't want to forget this..."

"... It's ok. It's ok, Adam..." Merrick said, before putting his warmed hand onto the other. "Even if you forget... I won't." Adam peers at him again, his eyes rolling another tear, "I'll remember for you. I'll remember everything about you, forever." Adam's mind feels a heavy press. The soup is bringing his energy down as it absorbs into his belly, and kicking in with the medicine.

"Promise...?" He whispers, slumber quickly coming to him.

"Always... Forever." Merrick says, "I won't ever forget you."

()()()

Adam grunts as his body is contained in the contorting mass of thorns and roots. His arms are held outward away from him, binding him as he legs are also bound downward, unable to move, each large spike driving into his flesh, little by little. He prays for this crucifixion to be over, wondering what he has done to be tortured in this manner.

A flash of white and silver, and a trident of light shoots into the spiny forest! That portion of the branches burst into blue flames before another flashing trident launches into the curling shocks of thorns, blazing lightning racing into the harsh plants and burning them from the inside.

A third trident of light, and then a fourth, a fifth trident attacks and devour the thorns into watery fire. Adam's head bows as his body sinks down, his arms easing down as the thorns move from out of his body, before falling forward slowly.

Merrick swims at top speed, and catches Adam. Panting, Merrick looks at his love. Adam looks with dreary, tired eyes, shaking as red blood seeps from his many puncture wounds, dripping from his fingers and toes.

Merrick tearfully looks onto Adam's chest, seeing a gapping hole in his chest, the largest injury of his whole body. A round hole seen clear through him, oozing with a golden fluid that runs down his abs and his back, dripping aside from the blood. Merrick tenderly puts his webbed hand onto the edge of the whole, his lip trembling as he looks back at Adam's face. Other circular holes can be seen throughout Adam's body, at his arms, legs, all of them letting the molten gold flow out of him.

Adam coughs as golden blood sputters from his lips, before his hand shakily moves, and places onto Merrick's face. Merrick takes his hand, and looks into those partially closed eyes. Merrick's tail kicks harder, trying to keep them both up.

As they look into each other, the golden blood bleeding from Adam's chest wound wobbles as drops begin to levitate. Merrick bites into his own palm, causing him to bleed silver blood, before holding onto Adam and hugging him tightly.

Silver fluid floats idly into the hole in Adam's chest, blending with the golden liquid as it squirms slowly within the void of Adam's chest.

As the two of them turn, a gleaming bit of gold started to drift and fill in a heart-shaped hole within the merman's chest.

()()()

Merrick looks at his fiancé, the smile still on his own face. Adam breathes deeply as the appetizing smell of meat and broth still fills the room. Merrick moves his hand up, and over to Adam's head. He gently puts his palm onto Adam's cheek, rubbing softly onto his fine stubble.

"Mnhhh..." Adam smiles in his sleep, and then subtly pushes his cheek into Merrick's hand, very slowly. Merrick holds him tenderly, moving his thumb over the dried tear where Adam got emotional.

'I don't want to forget.'

'Even if you forget, I'll remember for you.'

That's really all it took. Adam was so sad in such a short notice, but Merrick made it all better with just a few words...

"Look at you..." Merrick muttered as he looks at Adam's closed eyes, "The world turns its dark wrath on something so innocent... And yet you're still so beautiful." He doesn't feel like crying anymore. His chest finally feels so much lighter.

Merrick leans in, resting himself on the side of mattress, putting his hand under Adam's head, and nuzzling him softly. Merrick presses his lips onto Adam's mouth, and kisses him.

Adam's opposite arm shifts. He groans in his sleep as he turns slightly, absent-mindedly pawing the air a few inches up from his blanket, before his hand finds itself on Merrick's shoulder. Merrick holds Adam's opposite cheek as he pushes his cheek into Adam's, feeling the sun as it shines on them both.