Maxwell Adopts a Merm

Chapter 1

((This is just a copy paste of the Oneshot, I wanted to get this out soon and I didn't want to just continue and confuse people or rewrite it so yeah))

Sorry I write Max in so much, he's one of my favs

Wading through the knee deep of the swamp, Maxwell admitted that maybe he should have questioned Them more.

It wasn't as if he hadn't made the swamp, he did, it's just that it had been Their wish for him to do so. And, of course, he wasn't really in a position to deny Them at that time. He still wasn't.

Still- this is torturous! All he needed were some lousy reeds so that Wickerbottom would shut up about needing more! It wasn't as if he cared about any of them, he just wanted them to stop complaining was all.

That was definitely why he walked all the way out here, even though he knew it would take all day.

It definitely wasn't that he was scared of some of the more... spiteful survivors at camp. He certainly wasn't afraid of them and absolutely, positively not using the reeds as a cover up story to why he would be away from camp.

Of course, he still was in no rush. The faster he got this done, the longer time he'd have to spend at camp. Sure, he had friends there. But even they were often to busy to notice the looks he got. Or perhaps they were just ignoring them in favor of not having a fight break out, both were equally likely.

Spotting some reeds, he took a step towards them.

"EEEEEE! LOOK OUT, FLORP!"

Maxwell snapped his head around as a small, green, thing slammed into his side. He dropped into the murky mud. He snapped his head around, fuming "What was THAT abo-"

He was interrupted by a slashing tentacle, just a few feet away from its target. He stared for a heartbeat, before turning his head back around towards his savior, a small merm girl.

"...why?" The merm didn't respond, just staring at him with a confused expression. "Merms are supposed to be hostile" Was this one a dud? "I made sure of that"

The merm simply shook her head "Merms need strong allies, strong allies mean strong merms!" She declared

Maxwell decided to humor the small merm "Is that so?" He said, allowing himself a small smile

"Yes!" The merm happily declared, forgetting all previous seriousness as she smiled happily

"Well then, consider us allies" Maxwell smiled a genuine, pleased smile for the fist time in what felt like forever. Sticking his hand out, not really expecting a handshake, who knows if she even knows what a handshake is!

She stared at the out stretched hand for a moment before, cautiously, carefully, shook his hand, a wide smile forming as she shook his hand a little bit to intensely. He just chuckled slightly. "Allies!" She declared happily

"Allies." He agreed "The names Maxwell by the way"

She grinned up at him "Wurt!"

It took him a moment to process that was, in fact, her name and she wasn't just insulting him. "Well Wurt, I have quite a few reeds that I need to fetch for my camp mates, mind if I ask for assistance?"

"Sure, have to make sure scaless ally doesn't step on anymore tentacles, Florp!" Wurt said, happily bouncing after him as he got up and towards the reeds.

It took a bit, but soon enough he had what he needed "Thanks for the help" Maxwell said, patting her on the head lightly, as if he expected her to object to it. She didn't.

"No problem, Florp!" She replied, looking slightly sad. She knew what this meant, it meant that her new friend would have to leave.

"Here, have something for your help" He fished through his bag before holding it up, it was a morsel.

"Glurgh... mermfolk don't eat that" Wurt said, putting her hands up, taking a step back

"Ah, of course, how could I forget?" He smiled as he shook his head, putting the morsel back before pulling out some cooked carrots "I hope you Mermfolk eat these, then" Wurt squeaked happily and grabbed them, about to stuff them in her face before she paused

"Something the matter?" Shot, he could've sworn they ate carrots, nonetheless, he could find something else...

"You sure?" Wurt asked nervously, so that was the problem. He chuckled "Sure, What kind of ally would I be if I didn't thank you for your service?" She seemed satisfied enough with that answer, making quick work of the cooked carrots

"I'm afraid that our time has come to an end" He didn't want to say it, but it was true. The sky was dimming, dusk was approaching and he would have to leave soon. "...yeah" Wurt sighed, it was for the best. He wouldn't be much of an ally if he was clawed by the monster in the dark

"I'll be seeing you soon, ok?" Resisting the urge to 'mom' her was hard, curse this sudden parental instinct!

"See you soon" Wurt practically parroted back.

Making sure to wave as he walked away, he made a mental note to visit his new ally soon. Perhaps the swamps weren't that bad after all