Beyond the Shallow Waters ★ Maylor

Chapter 8

This is the point where this finally turns to third person. I've been meaning to switch it like this since I began this story so from now on, it's gonna be third person.

———

Brian woke up the next morning with an armful of a once merman. To be honest, he'd had forgot the day before. So when he stirred, the feeling of someone in his arms shocked him. 
    
The blonde looked peaceful and graceful yet slightly drooling. A few strands of hair had fallen on to his face. Brian gently pushed them away, trying not to disturb the "newborn" human.
    
Even though Brian shouldn't, he thought Roger was absolutely gorgeous; The best-looking person he'd ever seen. It felt wrong and strange to him to suddenly be very much attracted to someone he had just met. No one could deny it though, Anyone would say he's beautiful. Roger has a charm to him, unlike Brian. Brian always considered himself average and nothing extraordinary when it came to looks. If you placed Roger and Him side by side, he was sure Roger would look like a god. His chest tightened at the thought of a crush on the poor boy, it just didn't feel right. He pushed back the feeling and just watched as the younger boy slept.
    
Brian accidentally fell back asleep and when he awoke, Roger was gone. He jumped up out of bed, making his way straight to the kitchen.
     
"Well look who's finally up." John teased as Brian "ran" into the room. John was standing making pancakes while Roger sat on the stool at the kitchen island. The ocean-eyed blonde sweetly smiled up at the brunette. Brian's heart panged due to the smile and he swore his face was heating up.

This can't be happening. I can't be catching feelings.

Brian swore off love when his last ex broke his heart. He never recovered well. Besides that, he's only known Roger for a day, if you only count the time he was awake. Plus Roger has a life under the ocean and he knew it couldn't be especially if they found a way to get Roger back. He suppressed his feelings and sat down on the stool beside the blonde.

"You never sleep in this long. Are you sick?" John look concerned with a hint of smugness. Brian shook his head.

"No, I was just..." He slowly rubbed his temples, "rather tired."

"Yeah sure." John replied, flipping the pancake.

"I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be right back." Roger hopped off his stool, sauntering out of the room and down the hall.

"You're attracted to him, aren't you?" Brian's head jerked up, his wide eyes meet Deaky's green-grey ones. A smirk was plastered on to John's face.

"What?! No!" John laughed at the curly-haired man's frantic response.

"Oh come on, of course. I've seen the way you look at him. You got to at least admit it. He's super good looking. Anybody would go for him, hell I'd go for him."

"Deaky!" Brian's face was completely red. He covered his face with his hands, embarrassed.

"I'm here, I'm queer, get used to it, baby." Brian only shook his head. He then jumped when a voice spoke behind him.

"What do you mean 'you're queer'? Why are you calling yourself weird?" Rog sounded innocent in his words.

"No Rog," Deaky laughed, "I'm saying I'm Gay." Roger still looked confused, his head tilted like a puppy.

"Oh, you're meaning you're happy?" Brian couldn't help but let out a gentle laugh. He uncovered his face and smiled at the confused post-merman.
    
"No Roger, Gay is what humans call it when two people of the same-sex love each other. John only like guys. He's gay. When people of the opposite love each other, that's straight. Then there are the ones in between that like both. That's bi. These are just the basics. There's a lot more." He tried his best to explain it all to the newborn human.
    
"Oh in the Merkingdom, we don't have titles like that. The gender of who you fall in love with doesn't matter. We just fall in love with whomever." Brian and John were left speechless.

"Wow, a world move advanced than our own." The boys giggled and went on to explain what they had meant to Roger.

"I'm sorry that your world is like this. You should be allowed to love who you want, regardless of gender. I mean guys can have children too so it's not like it's gonna affect the population." Roger ranted, stuffing a piece of pancake into his mouth. (John had already got him to try one before Brian got up so he already loved them.)

Brian and John froze at Roger's words. Confusion covered both of their faces.

"Umm Rog," Brian looked the boy in the eyes who now looked as confused as them, "Men can't have...children." Brian cleared his throat as he finished.

"You can't?" The blonde muffled through a full mouth.

"No?" Roger swallowed so he could reply.

"I figured that since we could that humans could too. I guess inside anatomy is different up here." The auburn and brunette looked at each then back to Roger.

"Wait- so you're telling us that mermen can get pregnant?" John questioned, while Roger nodded.

"Yes, mermen can have children. So I figured that male humans could too, but I guess I'm wrong." Rog sipped on his water, blushing bright red.

"Wow, that's something I'd never expect." John laughed, flipping the next pancake.
     
"And I didn't get to ask you earlier though Brian," The blonde started, "What's your sexuality?" It was such an innocent question but Brian froze.
    
"I'm-I'm...I've never thought about it. I never really cared." Brian lowered his head into his hands; Deaky cut in for him.
    
"I'd say he's bi. He's only dated girls, but I've known him to have a crush on one or two guys." John stated, finally getting a bite of his own pancakes.

"Since now I'm technically human and I'm not in my world anymore, I would say I'm bi. I like both." While Roger took another bite, the question seeped into Brian's brain. He never took much thought into his sexuality. John was right though, he'd only dated girls before and had a few tiny crushes on guys. Roger was different though, his feelings for the young blonde were more extreme.

Since his breakup with Chrissie, he'd never thought he'd feel love again. She went and cheated on him and he's not been the same.

"Brian, are you okay? You seem distant." Brian shook his head, regaining consciousness of the word around after hearing the blonde's voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm gonna get some fresh air." Brian was quick to jolt up out of his chair and to the patio, he went.

"All this talk about sexuality and stuff must have got him thinking about Chrissie." John eyed Brian as the taller male leaned against the railing outside.

"Who's Chrissie?"

"Chrissie was Brian's girlfriend. He loved her dearly. He had hearts in his eyes every time he'd see her. After being together for almost 2 years, he was gonna finally ask her to marry him. He bought the ring and came home that afternoon to find her in bed with another guy." Roger's face softened as John told him about Brian's past lover. He felt so sorry for the hazel-eyed male. He couldn't even imagine the heartbreak. Roger had never really had a serious relationship. Sure he was a looker, but he was never taken seriously. All past lovers he had were just short hookups, nothing more.
    
"That's horrible!" Roger exclaimed; Deaky nodded.
     
"It is horrible. He loved her more than anything and look at how she repaid him. She's part of the reason we chose to study abroad. We-Well I decided that we need to get out of London. He had got suicidal and seeing certain places only reminded him more of her. I decided it was better for him to get out of England. Since we've moved here, he's done better. It's a relief." Roger hung his head listening to the auburn. It was so sad and depressing.
     
John and Roger's conversation was soon cut short after Brian re-entered the house. Without warning, Roger rushed over to him and engulfed him into a hug. Brian was left puzzled.

"What was that for?"

"I felt like you needed a hug. As a merman, I could sense emotions. It was kinda like an instinct. Even now, I can sense it and it's written all over your face. You're sad." Roger let his sweet, caring side take over. As Freddie would put it, it was a far cry from his bitchy, short-fuse, bratty side.
    
"Thank you." Brian offered him a kind smile, receiving one in return.

———

John, once again had them sit down and watch another mermaid movie. He was hoping it would cheer Rog up in a way. It did help, but Roger was very entertained and amused by how wrong humans perceived them.

This time, John was making watch an not so old teenage girl movie called Aquamarine.
(If you've watched/know/remember this movie, I love you)

Roger really enjoyed it, he felt like he could relate to it as well. Like The Little Mermaid, becoming human was the main bit. Then getting accustomed to a human lifestyle and getting to meet two great new people.

As the credits rolled, the doorbell rang. They all froze, secretly hoping and praying it wasn't Prenter. Brian got up off the couch and walked to the door. Roger hopped up and peek around the corner down the short hall to the door.

Brian looked through the door hole, only to see that it wasn't Prenter. He was relieved that it wasn't but he still didn't know who it was. They had medium, dark black hair, and aviators on like the ones they had giving Roger.

Brian twisted the deadbolt and opened the door. Brian didn't even get the chance to say hello before Roger shouted out.

"Freddie?!"
———
Yippee another cliffhanger, yay...
But yeah, I didn't think third person would be that easier to write in under I got to this chapter. It's so much more simple.
Also about Aquamarine, that remains one of my all-time favorites. It and The Little Mermaid started my love for the ocean and my love for merpeople. I have it to thank 🥺
-Lee★彡