I Saw You In The Water [Joshler]

Eleven 🐚

Tyler searched around in the shed till he found a shovel. He had to bury the dead seal. The boy dug a deep hole and buried the little animal. Tyler grabbed a wheelbarrow and an old blanket. Tyler had no idea how this would work out. People are going to be suspicious either way. Josh was practically glowing and had scales on his face. To Tyler that was normal because he got used to the thought of mermaids being real but other people would probably get freaked out. Tyler sat on the ground rubbing his temples trying to come up with a way of how he could sneak Josh into his house. Tyler's thought process was interrupted by his phone vibrating. Tyler stood up a little bit too fast and his head started spinning. He grabbed onto the table and almost flipped it over. The boy inhaled sharply and pressed answer

"Yeah? " Tyler was kinda out of breath

"I and some of my old friends are going on a fishing trip for two days, do you want to come? "

Tyler snorted.

"Three days of constantly puking over the board and listening to non-stop dad jokes?" Tyler smiled "Sounds great dad, but I'll have to pass this time. You see, I have really important stuff to do.  "

Chris was silent for a few moments. Tyler thought that the man hung up.

"I see. " Chris finally spoke "Well, I left money on the counter, there's plenty of food in the fridge."

"Yah, okay. " Tyler nodded

"I'll leave you to... " Tyler knew that Chris was smirking "... your stuff. "

"Jesus Christ, dad. " Tyler murmured before hanging up

He instantly received a text from Chris.

Dad: I'm leaving in ten minutes, you sure you don't wanna come?

Tyler: No, dad.

Dad: I'll be back on Monday.

Tyler: Okay

Dad: Don't burn the house down

Tyler: Not just a little bit?

Dad: Not this time. Nope.

Tyler stuffed his phone into the pocket of his jacket and let out a relieved sigh. He grabbed the wheelbarrow and made his way back to Josh. It was hard getting through the trees and dense bushes but the boy managed to come through. Josh was sitting where he had left him with his hands neatly on his lap, patiently waiting. The man's eyes lit up with joy when he saw the boy. Tyler grabbed the blanket and laid it on the bottom of the wheelbarrow.

"This the device? " Josh examined the wheelbarrow curiously

"Yes. " Tyler scooped Josh up in his arms and placed him in the wheelbarrow. The blanket managed to cover Josh's tail and only if you looked really really close you could see that something was off with his "legs".

Tyler almost passed out while he tried to get the wheelbarrow through the woods. Josh was so heavy. Tyler had to push Josh across the same because there was no way he was pushing a wheelbarrow through the city. Tyler got enough stares when he started mumbling under his nose. Tyler thanked god that they love in the outskirts of the city so there were many off beaten tracks that the boy could take. There were always tourists in the city and Tyler sometimes found them annoying but couldn't do anything about it.

Josh sat gripping the edges of the wheelbarrow and looked around wide-eyed. He had a hint of fear in his eyes but the curiosity overwhelmed it. Josh had never been so far on land before that everything was new to him. If the man could move on land he would've run off a long time ago and Tyler wouldn't be able to catch the man.

Tyler quietly cursed under his nose when he had to push the wheelbarrow uphill. A light sheen of sweat covered his nose and forehead. The sun was beaming down mercilessly, the gentle wind disappeared and Tyler was beginning to regret his decision. It would've been easier just to dump Josh in the river and go home. The boy didn't know if Josh could live somewhere else other than the ocean.

"Josh, you only live in saltwater?" Tyler asked

"No." Josh shook his head "Salt and no salt, all water. Clean water. No swamp. "

"Great." Tyler let out a relieved sigh because now he won't have to dump salt into his pool.

The boy almost collapsed on the ground when a thought suddenly hit him. Their pool was empty. It's been dry for years because Chris had no use for it other than doing sick skateboard tricks but the man was way too old to do that and also Tyler forbid his dad from touching a skateboard ever again after Chris embarrassed Tyler in front of the whole family.

Tyler let out a heavy sigh realizing that he'll have to put Josh in his bath which means he'll have to carry the man to the second floor. Tyler's thighs shivered just from the thought of him carrying such weight.

They reached Tyler's house before the boy passed put for three hours. Tyler collapsed in his backyard clutching the grass under him. Josh was still sitting in his wheelbarrow impatiently swinging his tail.

"Home? " Josh asked

"Home... " Tyler murmured running his hands through the grass

Tyler heard a loud crash. Josh had jumped out of the wheelbarrow making the thing fall on its side. Tyler sighed and slowly got up. The boy inhaled sharply and picked Josh up. The boy felt like he had passed out the whole time he had to carry Josh upstairs. The lack of oxygen in his brain as he strained made his eyes see red splotches everywhere.

Tyler dumped Josh in the bath and turned on the water making Josh scream.

"What's wrong? " Tyler quickly turned off the tap

"Hot. " Josh squirmed

Tyler let out a soft chuckle and turned the tap to the left slightly before murmuring a quiet "yes, you are" which Josh did not hear. Josh sat in the bath fascinated with basically everything around him. His eyes darted around the room taking in the man's surroundings. Tyler had to take away the shampoo bottles to prevent the merman from drinking the liquid.

"Hungryyyy! " Josh splashed the water around soaking Tyler "Hungry! "

"Calm down, I'll get you food. " Tyler murmured angrily and stood up "Don't drink the shampoo."

The boy grabbed a towel to dry. him off a bit. The swimming shorts were wet and rubbing uncomfortably against his sensitive skin so the boy changed into boxers. The sun had decided that's it's about time to start the summer season. Tyler wiped sweat from his forehead and went to open a window for some fresh air.

The boy walked into the kitchen and grabbed every fruit in the room. The boy quickly made some sandwiches to Josh and was about to go back upstairs when he heard a truck pull up into their driveway and familiar footsteps were approaching the front door rapidly.

"Shit... " Tyler's eyes widened when he saw his dad walking towards the house