Under the Sea (An Eremika Fanfiction)

The seaweed is always greener...

Part 2 is here! Thanks for waiting. Unfortunately, no Mikasa this chapter, but she'll be back in full swing next update. Part 3 to come in a week or two.

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While Levi spends the next few days stressing over the events that have occurred, Eren finds himself in a particularly good mood. He peeps up to the surface more often these days, hoping to get a glimpse of the young woman he saved, but his visits are short as Levi threatens to tell his mother the truth.

Confined to the ocean floor, Eren spends his days staring up at the surface, longing for a day that he can go up there and join her. He wants to walk and run alongside her, to explore the human world with her. He wants to be with Mikasa.

Eren doesn't realize he's been daydreaming more often than normal until his mother finds him one day to speak to his lovesick attitude.

"You've been more quiet than normal," the mermaid remarks, her dark hair flowing with the current.

"Than normal?" Eren asks, completely unaware anything has changed since the incident.

But something has, he realizes then. While his ambitions to join the surface life still remain, there is another reason for him to be up there now. He wants to meet Mikasa again and formally introduce himself, tell her that he was the one who saved her. These days he can see her gray eyes and long, silky hair every time he shuts his own eyes. Could this be love growing in his heart?

Carla wraps her fingers under his chin. "I see you looking off into the distance a lot more than normal. Has a mermaid finally caught your eye?"

Eren freezes, knowing his cheeks are already beginning to turn red despite his wish that they wouldn't.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" the boy stammers.

Carla smirks. "Your father used to blush like that when he was thinking about me."

"Mom, gross," Eren grumbles, pushing her hand away. "There's nothing going on. I'm going to go swim in the reef for a bit."

He hears her chuckling as he departs, silently cursing to himself for allowing his mother to realize something is up. She suspects nothing as of this moment, but Eren knows she will ask more questions eventually, and he will not know what to say when they become more specific.

Eren travels to the colorful reef, watching as other aquatic species swim by, content with their life in the ocean. He lets out a sigh and reclines on a sloped stone, watching the sunlight ripple on the ocean's waves.

"Where's Armin?" Eren grumbles. "I want to go out and explore."

"You will do no such thing," a grumpy voice responds.

Eren sits up, seeing Levi scurry across the rocks, a sour expression on his face. He pinches his claws anxiously and narrows his eyes on the young merman.

"You won't let me go to the surface, and now you won't let me explore?" Eren asks.

"I've kept your secret so far, but I can't keep covering for you if you keep this up," Levi explains. "I'm not going to even speak of the events that occurred a few days ago..."

"But I want to go up there," Eren says, his eyes lifting to the surface above him. "I want to see her."

"Absolutely not!" Levi scolds. "There is a place for merfolk, and that is right here, in the ocean. Going up there exposes your identity--your existence--to humans. Do you know how much danger you could put your people in?"