Ocean Beauty

𓆝Seventeen 𓆝

The next morning, Andy had woken up early to go set the fish free back into the ocean. He ignored his pleads for him to come with him and his urge to go for a swim. Always restraining himself when he was with Rye and Hue.

He wanted to tell them his secret already but he couldn't, all merpeople were sworn to keep it a secret. However, it was getting harder day by day not to tell Rye and argue with him about why the books he reads aren't even neatly accurate.

"Prince Andrew, please come back with me!" The yellow fish, Amarillo, pleaded once more "if you don't, your father will be gravely disappointed." Andy sighed shaking his head   "You think I don't want to come home?

Nothing would make me happier than to do so but I've told you many times Amarillo, i cannot leave" he said, staring down at him as he floated "I've found great friends here, found love, and I can't loose them." Amarillo tried to plead with him again, but Andy simply walked away as tears streamed down his face.

He continued walking aimlessly, rubbing away his tears and sniffing until he couldn't anymore. He remembered the first time he'd heard that Celesta was pregnant. How he thought about everything he'd do with he or she when they were old enough to play with him.

How they'd sneak to the surface together, dodging their father and the guards. How they'd play games together and he'd let them win just to see a smile on their face. Even teach them all the languages of the sea. Andy wanted so badly for all his thoughts to come true, but for that to happen he'd have to leave Rye and he never wanted to leave his side.

He knew how he felt about Rye, how much he loved him. He loved Brook because Brook was his brother. He loved his mother because she was his mother. He even loved Hue because he was like a father to him. He loved them all but his love for Rye was unlike the love he felt for the others.

When Rye hugged him, it made him feel warm and protected. When Rye cried, his heart felt like it was being out of his chest and he couldn't help but cry too. And when Rye smiled, looked at him, or kissed him, his whole body tingled with a feeling that he could only describe as love. He would never leave that behind to go home. Rye was his home.

When Andy's tear blurred eyes had cleared, he'd some how had walked all the way to Brooks house. It was shocking because it was in the opposite direction of Ryes home. Not questioning much about it, he knocked on the door lightly, it being answered only a few minutes later.

"Andy what are you doing here?" Asked a very messy haired Brook, his tired eyes squinting at the brightness of the sun. Andy just sniffled, getting his attention. His eyes widening, "Andy, what's wrong?" He asked, pulling the puffy eyed and tear tracked cheeked boy into his house.

"Where's mom?" Andy asked, dodging his question making him sigh. "She's at work and so is dad, now answer my question" he stated sternly, staring into his teary blue eyes with his burning but concerned green ones.

Andy sat down on the couch, playing with his fingers, "my father sent a messenger fish to tell me to come back home to meet my baby sister but I can't do it Brook" he chokes out, looking up at him as tears welled back up in his eyes "I-I can't loose mom again, I don't want to loose you either or Hue or even David and-and I absolutely cannot loose Rye."

Brook dropped his stern stance, quickly sitting beside him and wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Andy fell into his side, holding his middle tightly with his face tucked into his neck as he cried. Brook could feel himself shedding his own tears as he rubbed his back and whispering encouraging words to him. He didn't like seeing people cry, especially not Andy, he was too beautiful for that.

"I want to tell him Brook, tell him what I am and everything that's going on but I can't!" His words sounded jumbled as he was still tucked into his neck but Brook understood, pulling him closer. "If I tell him, I'm betraying my kind and especially my father but I don't know how much longer I can keep it from him."

Brook frowned at how distraught he sounded, he wished he could say he knew how he felt but he didn't. He himself wasn't a merman. He didn't have to worry about whether or not he'd turn if he didn't have his seashell on. At first he was quite upset that he wasn't a merperson but now, he was thankful he wasn't.

"Andy" He says, pulling him away from his neck slightly so he could stare into his eyes. They really were very ocean like, he thought they were beautiful. He swiped his thumbs across his cheeks, drying up all his tears and giving him a small smile "I know you don't want to betray your people, even after everything you're still being loyal and that's amazing!"

Brook praises, his hands coming down from his cheeks to grab onto his hands tightly "but, if you trust Rye I think you should tell him." Andy chewed on his lip as he thought about it. He did trust Rye, with his entire life actually, but he still didn't know. Rye was obsessed with merpeople and there was just too many what if's and thoughts of what could go wrong.

Brook rolled his eyes playfully, grabbing his face into his hands "stop worrying, you don't have to do it right away just whenever you're ready, okay?" By the end Brooks voice had gotten softer, more comforting making Andy give him his dimpled smile.

The two of them talked a bit more before Andy decided he needed to head back before Rye or Hue noticed he was gone. Rye always slept a bit later on weekends than normally but Hue was always up early. He would have a problem sneaking in if Hue was in the living room or the kitchen but to his surprise, he wasn't anywhere in sight.

Andy sighed, taking off his shoes and walking quietly toward Rye's rooms. As expected, Rye was still asleep, cuddling a pillow to replace his body. Andy smiled lovingly at him, leaning over and taking the pillow out of his arms. Carefully sliding into its place instead. He giggled quietly as Rye immediately wrapped his arms around him.

He then placed a soft kiss on his forehead, cheek and nose making his eyes flutter open. Once his eyes had focused on him, a small smile stretched across his face. "Hi" Andy said, propping his head up on his hand and smiling back while the other played with Rye's hair.

Rye said it back just as softly before pulling him closer. He placed his lips onto his, this kiss being longer than any they've shared, and Andy felt it. That tingling feeling he always felt but stronger, so much stronger. Andy knew for a fact that going home meant loosing that feeling and he also knew he'd die without it.