The First Merman.

{X} Seashell Scar.

James walked out of the room with a towel in his hand and Raphael thought about warning him that taking a shower probably wasn’t a good idea but he thought he’ll let him learn on his own. Raphael chewed on the bottom of his pen, thinking about how he was going to get rid of the punk tomorrow. Ditching him was important since Raphael wanted to be alone with Vanessa and he’s just a pest. A third wheel.

“Ahh!” he heard from the bathroom with a thud and a grin formed on Raphael face.

*

Vanessa reached over and placed her hands over James to help him spread out how far his hands should go, “Not too far, you’ll break it.” she said as the baseball shape water ball was floating in between his hands. She smiled, “See, as making cookies when you know what you’re doing.”

“I don’t make cookies.” he said.

Raphael got up from the sandy floor, “How about we go for a swim? It was raining all yesterday, so how about it Vanessa?”

“Sure.” she said, then turned to look at James. “Up for it?”

Before James could speak, Raphael spoke, “I thought it could just be you and I. Three kind of seems—crowed.”

“Crowed?” Vanessa questioned as she stood up. She chuckled innocently, “Raphael, we’re supposed to help him. I helped you and he probably wants to. You know the urge to be in the water.”

He took her hands in his gently and smiled down at her, “But Vanessa, we haven’t been alone for even an hour in the last couple of days.” he said, putting his hands on her waist to pull her close to him. “Haven’t you realized?”

“Yes.” she said. She sighed heavily after a moment, “But Raphael, James doesn’t feel—“

“James is a grown enough to take care of himself.” Raphael said as lightly as possible as he could when he just wanted to just look at the blonde punk on the ground and tell him to go away. He looked at James who sat up, but not coldly but with a friendly look, “Right, James? You’re fine. You should know the water, where do to go, and how to get back. You surf, you know how to handle yourself in the water.”

James arched his eyebrows and Raphael pressed his lips together tightly, wanting to the damn guy to just say ‘yes’ and go away. “Well actually, I don’t know the area of Coast Sirenas. Also, Adalyn said it is best if I don’t go out there alone and since she’s the oldest—“

“I won’t tell, you won’t tell, and Vanessa won’t tell right?” he asked and when no one said anything, he grinned. “See, we’re all good. Nessie, ready?”

Vanessa just smiled and shook her head.

*

Raphael and Vanessa both smiled as she crawled on his back and he lifted himself out of the water when they got back to shore crawled towards the dry sand. It was late at night, no one around even for being close to the boardwalk, and they had an awesome adventurous day. And Raphael actually learned how to shift his legs back from his tail. It took allot of patient—something he usually good at having, but lately not so much—and willpower.

She slid off his back and onto the dry ground, “Today was so good. No worries, but it seems like the water knows how to wash that away from my mind when I get in.”

He propped himself up on his left elbow and looked down at her, “It was, like the good old times.”

She chuckled, “How can it be old times when it wasn’t that long ago?”

“It just feels so long. Seems like one thing after another.” he said and quickly regretted it when he saw her amuse look slowly vanish from her face. He took her hand, “But as long as you’re next to me, I’m alright.”