With Lungs Like Gills (Merman!Brothers x Reader)

Chapter 17

"Who are you...?" I took a small step back, but Karamatsu's hand on my shoulder slid down to my waist as he stepped in too close for comfort, his free hand hooking a finger under my chin to force my face up towards him.

"Honestly, (y/n), I'm rather offended that you doubt me," His breath danced on my lips as he bent closer towards me, "Here I am, defending your life again, and you still don't trust me."

"Back off, Osomatsu!" I heard a rhythmic thumping down the wooden staircase before 'Karamatsu' was sent flying away from me, tumbling over and over in the sand towards the water. My heartbeat raced in my chest, the sound flooding my ears as I fought to keep down the blush that seemed to rear its head at the wrong time. I clamped my hands over my cheeks before I was gently pushed aside, seeing Karamatsu's scarred back in front of me.

"--ay, (l/n)?" I heard a voice only seconds later, piecing together that someone was asking if I was okay.

"Yeah...I'm not hurt," I replied shakily as my heart slowed to its normal rate.

"Ahahahooow, Shittymatsu! You didn't hold back this time..." I heard Osomatsu's voice laughing before it dropped into a groan.

What was happening?

"You're the one who stepped out of line, Osomatsu," Karamatsu commented, "Weren't you the one to said that you weren't interested in (l/n) anymore?"

"I don't remember saying that," I heard a crack before sand shuffled around, "I also don't remember my claim being lifted. She's still mine."

"No, I'm not," I stepped out from behind Karamatsu to see a human Osomatsu rubbing his neck, a smirk spread wide on his face as he narrowed his eyes towards me, "If your claim is as cheap as the trinket I bought at a thrift store, then you can have it back."

"Oh? You've gotten a lot spunkier since I last saw you on that dock, practically begging me to take you right then and there," His hand dropped from his neck as his tongue slowly licked across his upper lip, "You should've just said 'yes'."

"I stand by what I said when I needed more time to think about it."

"It's been more than 24 hours. How much more time do you need?" Osomatsu leaned heavily on a leg and motioned to me with an arm, as if exasperated about the entire situation.

"I'd like another day or two before I decide! I can't exactly give up everything I've known for a spur-of-the-moment decision," I rested my left hand on my hip, holding back a tired sigh.

"Geez, why do you need so much time?!" Osomatsu rubbed his hair with both hands in frustration, "It's not like you have a family that lives with you! Just say 'yes', (y/n)."

"I'm not making that choice right now! I can't!" I held back tears of frustration, "You don't know what it's like to have your life suddenly upended because someone wants you all to themselves without any warning! I want to know more information and you've been less than helpful about that, only wanting sexual things in return for saving me in the first place, which I'm pretty sure was staged."

The beach was quiet, only the waves making sound against the sand. Osomatsu dropped his hands and looked towards his feet, his hair hiding his face in shadow. I flinched as he started walking towards me only to be blocked by Karamatsu's arm, keeping him a meter away from me. The eldest did nothing to move his arm out of the way, only slowly looking up until we were staring at each other. The usual dark hues were heavily shaded with a bright red ring, staring right into my own. The pressure from the look was enough to keep me in place.

"I don't know...?" He continued to glare at me, tilting his head slightly upwards as if he was looking at disgusting garbage, "I don't know, huh? Typical human, always thinking that you're the victim of whatever happens to you..." The bright morning sun became hidden behind a thick layer of blackish-gray cloud, swallowing the entire sky in a matter of minutes as rain slowly began to fall, "Yeah, I must be in the wrong because you're completely innocent, right?"

"Osomatsu, stop--" Karamatsu tried to get Osomatsu to look at him, but the eldest's gaze was firmly locked with my own. I took a few steps back, understanding that despite being in a human form, Osomatsu was still practically a deity.

And I had pissed him off.

"You can't be bothered to make a choice that would save whatever family you have, or the people around you," He took a step away from Karamatsu's arm and began walking towards the waves that were swelling with each crash, "I want an answer, now."

The rain swept across the sand sideways, hitting the three brothers and myself with such a force that it felt like hail. I lost track of Osomatsu when a wave crashed over him, and Karamatsu wrapped his arms around my shoulders to keep me close as another wave nearly ripped my legs from underneath me. He lifted me over his shoulder and ran towards the wooden staircase as the waterline encroached closer and closer towards Mrs. Yowai's house. I couldn't see Ichimatsu and Choromatsu, and hoped they'd be fine in this sudden storm.

"What in the hell happened, Karamatsu? I sent you down there to ease anything that would happen--" Mrs. Yowai asked as we entered the house, her eyes narrowing at me as she tossed him a towel, "You said something, didn't you?"

"I didn't know that asking for some time would set him off like this--!"

"For someone that wants to help, you're sure doing a lot of harm."

"I--" Her words shattered my heart, "I didn't mean to--"

"Yeah, yeah...Karamatsu, did you bring your supplies from that company?" The elderly woman clicked her tongue before looking at the man next to me.

"Nearly everything, just missing a skinsuit," He tossed the towel towards me before leaving the room.

"Wha--"

"He got the gear you'd need to go on a dive, and you seem to be wearing the missing part. How lucky," Her voice sounded emotionless, "I figured something like this would happen, so now it's your job to finish it. You've gotta go find Osomatsu and calm him down from this tantrum that you've started."

"Hold on, what? Why do I have to calm him down when all of this is his fault?!" I threw the towel on the floor in defiance.

"Because it's all your fault, stupid child! You have had every opportunity to walk away, but you only buried your nose deeper into their business," Mrs. Yowai looked at me, her temper flaring a little, "Osomatsu is stubborn, but if you can calm him down and get him to see that you need more time, he'll understand. You've practically befriended Ichimatsu and Choromatsu already. Ask Ichimatsu for a ride when you're down there, as I need Choromatsu to keep my house safe."

"What about Kara--?" I started.

"I'll be staying here. Without my fins, I'm pretty useless underwater," Karamatsu brought in a weighted vest with two oxygen tanks, one already in place as the breather and the second tethered for a refill. Attached to the vest were the rest of the diving gear I'd need. I took a breath and went through the motions, fully sealing the dive suit before putting the vest on and tightening it into place. I lowered the full face mask into place, and gave the oxygen tank a test pull before tightening the tube into the rebreather unit. Moving towards the door, I saw that the water level had risen dramatically and was settling right at the doorway. Cinching the diving fins into place, I gave Karamatsu's hand a gentle squeeze before he helped me into the swelling water, returning my squeeze with his own.

A second later and I was fully submerged underwater, looking around and seeing where dry land once was a few moments ago. I could see Choromatsu swimming close by the house and keeping his glowing green eyes focused on the surface of the water as his hands were spread wide above his head, seemingly forcing it to stay where it was on his own. I turned towards where Osomatsu had disappeared near the shoreline, kicking my way slowly but surely towards my destination.

"Japan will be flooded by the time you get there," A gruff voice commented before I felt the vest shoulders lift up as a familiar motion of a tail lightly hit my fins, "I'll get you there faster."

"I'm sorry, Ichimatsu," I called out through the full face mask, my words punctuated by me taking in a breath, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"...then fix it..." I barely heard his grumble as the water began to race past us, the seascape below speeding by.