The Mer Prince

Chapter 45 (Skippable)

Content Warning: Gay Sex Ahead! Charley and XY! Don't like? Skip!

The story is Rated 'Mature' for a reason.

XY's POV

I was more than relieved to see Charley laugh and pull the skull flag around himself, drifting close to John and seeming to be at peace with the world. The octi king looked to them both fondly, making me wish to pick up Charley and swim off before he could make any plans. For the worst person we could have encountered however, he turned out to be the best person we could have ran into.

"Your majesty." The girl who had rushed off to fetch clothes now returned with a chest between two of her eight tentacles, which she raised with her arms and presented with a bow.

"You took your time." The king's voice is serious, like a warning. He crosses his arms, though a single of his own tentacles flips open the lid of the box and he begins rummaging through.

Charley looks interested and moves over to peer at the clothes. Runt does not look interested at all. While eyes are off him, he darts back to the silt bed and begins to cover himself with dirt, just like he had with Ursula's flower bed. Clothes were the last thing he wanted.

"Here, let's see these on you." The other man offers my lover closer and I move closer, wrapping an arm around Charley and looking to the clothes. I can tell the king is staring hard at me - but I had no reason to fear him.

"These are so cool!" Charley took the clothes and showed me the cloths, which were ruffled masses I could not make a pearl's worth of sense from. "These look like they were ancient pirate clothes."

"Try them on." I encouraged, moving him away from the king, primarily to give him some arm room.

Somehow, he put the clothes on. He beams at the fit and turns side-to-side. I dearly missed his old clothes, and had a moment to grieve for their loss looking at these ugly ruffles around his arms and neck. The shirt had two buttons near the neck, and there was something going on with the fabric at the waist.

"Those are abhorrent...." The king muttered, echoing my own thoughts.

I had rested my chin on my fist and looked him over. His eyes held a little hurt from the words and I decided quickly that I would not share the king's opinion.

"Don't mind him, Charley. That fits fine." I assured, dropping my arms and pulling him close, grabbing the skull flag from where it had been left drifting. "Though this could probably should be a skirt with it."

"Can I try to fold it so the skull shows?" Charley asked, a happy smile dawning his face.

"Sure. Maybe I can cut a piece on the small end to make it loop in too." I encouraged, smiling to him. I glanced to the king, "Got a knife?"

The big guy narrowed his eyes at me, just a little shy of asking me if I would use it on him. "Certainly."

I gave him a wide grin, "Got one to spare? Just for crafts, no murder."

Charley had stopped folding at the word murder and looked to the king.

"Here." The king pulled on from behind him, held by one of his eight extra arms. There were at least four more behind him, no doubt about that.

I took the coral handle and nodded to him, giving a "Thanks" before looking to Charley and taking the flag. It was a skirt around his waist within a moment, and I offered the knife back in good will.

"I think I am going to settle down with John. You should as well." The king commented without facing me, raising a tentacle to my offering hand in polite denial. One tentacle held a shirt for the vicious little man. I felt a surge of respect for him, allowing an ex-enemy hold a knife in his home. There was trust here, likely in Charley over me.