oak trees // misfits

f i s h b o y 2

part two of last chapter :)
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after being pulled down again jaren passes out, letting the salty water consume him once more.

jaren was more then surprised to see he was awake, and even more surprised when someone was pressing a cold towel to his head.

his eyes widened and he tried to scream, but the person quickly pressed a hand to his mouth.

"be quiet! i'm john's mother, he said he found passed out on the ocean floor. you must be an outsider. i've never seen you." the lady retracted her hand and took away the towel, setting it down on a table next to the cot he was laying on.

something felt off, and when he looked down to see a tail instead of legs he almost screamed again.

but he tried to not act so surprised, the lady most likely doesn't know he was a human less then 24 hours ago.

then jaren heard a door open and a very familiar voice speak, when john came into view jaren's breathing hitched.

"jaren, you're awake." the other nodded, he tried to hide his smile.

john swam over to him and gave him a hug. he squeezed him lightly and jaren melted. it felt good to have physical touch with the love of his life.

"mother, im going to take jaren to my room to make sure he is okay. call us when dinner is ready please." john's mother nodded.

"can you swim?" john whispered into jaren's ear. the other shrugged, sitting up. john grabbed his hands and helped him up, then wrapped his arm around him and helped him swim to john's room.

the two sat down on the bed.

"so, when the fuck did this happen?" john said looking down at jaren's red tail.

he shrugged, "my father told me my mother was part mermaid, so maybe that has something to do with it? i probably just turn if im in water."

"why were you in the water in the first place? especially last night, the waves were high."

"he banned me from seeing you john. i couldn't have that, so i ran. i ran to the water and when i saw he was after me i jumped in. i couldn't risk losing you."

john smiled, intertwining his hand with jaren's.

"well im glad you're here. but we have to figure out a way to turn you back jaren. you aren't meant to be underwater. look," john flipping jaren's hand over. his skin was wrinkling. "you're more human then mermaid. you can't stay under here for much longer."

jaren frowned, "but i want to stay with you."

"i know love, but being under here for to long might kill you."

"how do i turn back?" jaren sighed.

"i know a person, come on. we have to get you back to land before you shrivel up." john chuckled trying to get rid of the sad tension. jaren smiled, getting up from his sitting position and following john out.

-

"if you drink this, you will have two minutes before you turn back. about a minute of that should be used to get back to surface. it might hurt too so be prepared. " the lady they visited, who's name was may, handed jaren a clear bottle with a pink substance in it. he stared at the bottle, not wanting to drink it.

"come here j, thank you may." may nodded with a smile, shooing them out of the shop.

jaren frowned when they exited the shop.

"jaren we can still see each other. we'll just have to be extra careful."

jaren nodded, "i know. i just don't want to leave you yet."

john grabbed jaren's face and kissed him briefly, john tasted like salt water.  "i don't want you to leave either baby but you have too. come on, drink it."

jaren stared at the drink. opening it and quickly drinking it.

two minutes.

the two swam to the surface. before jaren changed he kissed john again.

the water started to bubble and jaren felt his tail turn into legs. it was hurting, it felt like his flesh was being torn apart. only a couple seconds later jaren passed out due to the pain. and john carried him to shore.

-

"i found him!!"

jaren was laying against the sand, the sun right in his eyes. someone had turned him over and checked his pulse.

"he's still alive!"

jaren was picked up, barely awake.

he cracked his eyes open, looking at the water he was being carried away from.

john, peaking his head out from the water, smiled and waved before disappearing beneath the waves again.

jaren fell unconscious once again.

-

"goodness j, i thought you died."

jaren's father hugged him tightly, tears in his eyes.

"im sorry father."

his father just nodded, sucking in air.

"how did you survive anyways? you were gone for a whole day and no one could find you. did the mermaids take you!? i swear if they hurt you i will-"

"no father, i was with him. he took care of me and convinced me to come back." jaren cut his father off and rolled his eyes.

his father chuckled, "you must really love him if you listened to him that easy. i know how stubborn you get."

jaren nodded and glanced at the cot he was laying on.

"yeah, he makes me happy."

there was silence for awhile. the boy moved his legs, wincing at the soreness in them.

jaren is really going to miss john.

-

everyday john and jaren would send letters to each other. using dolphins and bottles. it was quite complicated but luckily mermaids had tight bonds with the animal.

unfortunately they didn't see each other much, once a couple weeks if they got lucky.

they never really had a happily ever after, just sending notes back and forth until they couldn't write anymore.

and when the day came and jaren walked into the light, he was more then relived. he would get to see john again.

and when he heard the voice he missed so much happiness shot through him.

"jaren!!" john came into view and jaren smiled.

"john!!"

—

a/n: i very much enjoyed writing this story <3