Aquata Cove

Chapter 26: In Good Company

Kaiken snorted as he glanced to his side, past over Umiato. He shook his head as he led his pod to the sand, and turned to them, "We shall rest here for a time!" He announced, "Hunters, go forth and bring game! The rest shall prepare a sand bank!" He commanded. A handful of mermen and mermaids then swam in different directions, while a few others, started digging into the sand.

Kaiken sighed in aggravation as he shook his head, "We should have traveled far from here by now..." He sensed his mate come up behind him, "The pod is dragging slow. Nothing should be changing..."

"Is it that hard to understand, Kaiken?" Umiato asked, "We have just lost an important part of our pod..."

"... It matters not," Kaiken said bitterly, "And why does Daughter carry that fragment with her? It is useless now."

"Kaiken..." Umiato said as she swam in front of him, "She has lost something that is very special to her. Do you blame her for wanting to cling to whatever she has left of him?" She asked sternly, "Do not tell me you do not feel remorse for what has happened."

"..." Kaiken turned his head away, and drifted apart, "He has forsaken himself as well as us, we should move past the fact that he has chosen his own fate... And that includes Daughter. He is nonexistent, and not worth our sorrow." He brandished his trident, and swam away. Umiato sighed, and looked down upon the Adra Noita.

Savarna is sobbing as she held the two halves of Merrick's trident, clinging to them as she tied them together, using a spool of fishing line.

~~~

"Oh my gosh..." Yuri said as Merrick held his forehead, with more tears running down his face, "Merrick, that's terrible, I'm so sorry."

"... Yuri... Look on the back of my neck..." Merrick said, "Tell me what you see..." He said weakly. Yuri crawled off the edge of the cliff, and moved behind Merrick, and saw the black symbol.

"A tribal symbol? It looks like a heart." She said, "Here," Yuri then took a nearby stick, and turned Merrick around to watch her. She drew an outline of a heart-design symbol on the ground, "Here's what it looks like... Give or take..."

"I see..." Merrick sighed as he bowed his head. He put his hand onto the mark behind him for a moment. Just like a tattoo, he can't physically feel it, but he knows its there.

Merrick sniffled as he rubbed his eyes, "I bring this misery upon myself... I couldn't bring myself to tell Adam what truly happened... I can't stand how much of a liar I am..."

"Well..." Yuri said, "Tell him the truth, then. He loves you, he deserves to know. You have to tell him eventually; he's going to wonder why you're still here."

"I get what you're saying, but you don't understand..." He replied, "Every time I even think about it, my heart falls apart..." He shook his head, and whined, "I can't... I can't say it again..."

"That's ok, you're just not ready to talk about it yet," Yuri said, "That's natural – everyone has times like that. And that's all you would have to tell him, and he'll understand. Hey," She turned Merrick's face to look at him, "He loves you with all his heart. You don't need to lie to him."

Merrick turned his face away from her, and looked out to the ocean. Yuri fiddled with her popsicle stick, "Look, I understand, Merrick. You feel that your love is what has gotten you exiled, and you didn't have the heart to let him know that. Adam told me that you called him a mistake when you tried to break up with him," Yuri said, making Merrick tremble as he whimpered, "But that's what love IS. It's a mistake, it's a risk, it's the best thing that can ever happen to you, and it can hurt you in so many ways, it involves so many risks, but the feeling you get from it is worth all the pain and struggle..." She looked down at the word, 'WINNER' engraved on the small stick of wood, with a crown symbol at the top of it, "Then again, what would I know...? I never even had a real relationship before... I'm probably in no position to be giving advice here..."

Yuri sighed as she stood up, and brushed her pants off of the sand, "I'm here if you need to talk to me, Merrick." With that, Yuri turned, and walked away from Merrick.

~~~

Adam sighed as he looked out of the back porch, seeing Merrick still sitting at the cliff. He's really worried about him - Yuri told him that Merrick has been out there all day. Adam groaned as he walked into his bedroom. He feels so helpless for Merrick – his poor merman is so upset, nothing seems to be able to cheer him up. Times like this, it's best for him to give his space.

Jamal looked as Adam went into his room, before walking out the back door. He slowly approached Merrick, looking up at the moon. "Hey," The blonde looked behind him, and then turned back around, "Mind if I sit here?" Jamal asked. Merrick just shrugged at that, so Jamal sat himself down right next to him.

A pause went by, to which they both said nothing. Jamal doesn't know what to say – he wants to try and console Merrick, but he can't think of a thing that could possibly be helpful. This kid lost most of his family after all, not to mention his best friend. Jamal sighed, and moved his leg to push himself up.

"Jamal?" Merrick finally said, "Where's... Where is your pod? I-I mean... Your family. Why do you, Adam, and Yuri live together?" Jamal blinked, and settled back down.

"Pshhh. What family?" He said lowly.

"Where is the rest of your pod? Where did you come from?" Merrick asked without turning to look at him.

"Wanna know bout mah family?" Jamal asked, "Well, I ain't got one. Least not anymore." Merrick turned his head to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I had one brutha, and a ma and dad, that's all.. I was neva really close wit any of em... I didn't have what chu call a happy childhood. No one really cared bout me when I was there. If anything, I was more of an inconvenience to them. I was always the little kid in the corner, hopin someone would notice me..."

"... What... What happened to them?" Merrick asked.

"My mama was a drug addict. She was arrested for dealing crystal meth when I was like 7 years old, and put away in jail cause eva since. I never really knew why she went away – alls I remember at the time was the cops comin in, and taking her out of the apartment," Jamal sniffed, and felt his own eyes water, "She was so tripped on so much stuff... She didn't even know me when I saw her again... Her mind is gone, where eva she is now...

"After that, my daddy had to work 3 jobs to get by. There were weeks where he didn't even look at me. Sometimes, I really wonder if my folks ever even know I was alive. Me n mah brotha was put in foster care – we got separated, he and me, since dad was workin his ass off, he didn't have time to waste on us."

"Yeas later, my brotha suddenly came to me. He says mama remembers er'ry thing bout us now, and we need to git some money to get her outta jail..."

"How?" Merrick asked. He understands half of what Jamal is talking about.

"Dunno. I was so moody at the time, I didn't think to ask questions – mah mama's empty face was driving me crazy, I wanted her to SEE me, ya know? So I went along with him..." Jamal shook his head, "Biggest mistake of mah life..."

"Why? What happened?"

"*Sigh* Mah brotha lied to me, that's wut." He said, "He had me learn how to make crystal meth – he told me it was just candy that adults eat. I wuz 16 at the time, and I guess I just shut my ears to everything around me. I just wanted mah mama...

"So he and I made a whole lot of 'candy' in this basement, and we be sellin it to people I neva even met. We was makin all kinds a money. I remember I kept askin, 'When we gonna see mama, Terry?', 'When is we gonna git her outta there?', 'I wanna see mama'. And he just kept givin me half-ass excuses..." His eyes cast downward at the dark ocean, "It went on fo 2 years. 2 years, and I ain't had a clue..."

"I was told not to take any of the stuff we was makin, but... The one time I tried it..." Jamal shook his head, "I don't remember it. Alls I can think of is when I woke up in a hospital." Jamal ignore the tear rolling down his own face, "I was told mah brotha had called an ambulance on me... That I was makin and sellin drugs on my own, and he had nuthin to do wit it. Didn't matta what I said – that he was helpin me, we was doin it for mama, and I thought it was candy... Mah daddy was there, and he didn't care nuff to vouch fo me... He just signed me off, sayin he ain't got the energy to deal wit me..."

"And... Your Mother?" Merrick asked as he looked at the dark male. Jamal shook his head.

"She was dead a long time ago..." He said. Merrick gasped silently at that, "Even when they tol me, I went to the clinic where she was stayin... And I found out she had smuggled some alcohol an pills into the ward, and drank herself to death..."

"Why... Why would your Brother fool you like that?"

"Drugs do bad things to people, dude. My brotha used me... He got me to make all those drugs, and when we got caught, he lied and left me behind..." He sighed as he looked out, "It really fucked up mah record... When mah boss found out, I was fired from the pet shop... A year later, I find out mah gurl was pregnant, and she was cheatin on me...

"Because of wut happened, I was put on a 5-year probation." Jamal said, "Heh... When I got here, I kept goin all about mah Rep, talkin bout the hood, West-Side shit, and all that stuff... Really, I's just bein a poser, cuz I wanted to pretend none of it eva happened...

"I couldn't take livin there anymo. I asked to be relocated to any other state – I didn't care where, just any place. And the agency chose to put me in Hawaii..."

"And... That's when you met Adam and Yuri?"

"Naw... I ain't met them till later. See, when you're a convicted drug dealer, they put it on yo record, and it shows to everyone who is thinking of lettin you live wit them..." His eyes lowered down, "Turns out, lotta people are a lot more shallower than you'd think... I been kept by 5 families, and none of them worked out with me..." He said, "The foster care people thought I should be put with religious families, to make sure I get put on the right way..."

"How did it not work with them?"

"They's all judgemennal. They kept me on a short leash, keepin a close eye on whatever I do, made me go to church. Theys hardly even truss me to go to the bathroom. I was actin out too. I was skippin curfew, skippin school, cussin them out er'ry turn... Guess it was just mah way of sayin, 'Fuck you, you don't know me!'

"Finally, the foster people asked ME what I wanted. I says, 'I wanna live wit someone mah age. I don't want no family or bible-swingin bitches preachin to me er'ry time I come home'. So, they lemme check the roommate ads mahself, I looked up this Adam Bryant dude," Jamal started to smile, "His granparents leasin him the house and stuff. They went over every detail of mah past wit him, and he still lemme live with him..." Jamal chuckled, "Movin in wit him was the best decision of mah life..."

Merrick started to smile as Jamal's story improved – nice talk about Adam... Somehow it made him feel better, "He and I got along REAL quick. He help me find a job at a place I like, treatin me like I was anybody else... That was somethin I ain't neva had, in a long, long time... He was bein mo than a friend... He just... He looked out fo me, WITHOUT judging me... He AND Yuri... When I got in trouble with the cops this one time, they was right there to bail me out... Tell them I wasn't doin nuthin..." The black man smiled and shook his head.

"Me an Adam git into all kinda of stupid stuff. We hang out, we have fun, I annoy him, he gits back at me... Yuri, she nice, almost mothery, she acts all grown-up when we git into it, she keeps us in check..."

"Adam is more of a brotha to me than mine eva was... And Yuri, she like a prissy lil sister that knows how to keep us both in line...

"Me 'n Adam git into scruffs, some stupid, rough play... No harm no foul – we even use to pull some dumbass pranks on each otha" Jamal said with a snicker, "Like REAL brothas... And Yuri's al'ays lecturin me bout housework, gettin on mah case fo things that don't even matta, taken care a me if I get sad, upset, or sick and stuff...

"They care, ya know? I ain't neva had anyone to just... Be there, ya know? Adam was curious bout how I got to be a convict, and I told him... And unlike anybody else I told, he believed me... He and Yuri, they didn't judge me... They just gave me a room, and... Took me in."

Merrick smiled up at him "So that's mah family there. Adam n Yuri; they's all the family I eva need. I keep wantin to git a dog though, but Yuri won't let me – since we gotta cat, she thinks theys gonna tear up each other."

"A dog?" Merrick asked.

"Oh yeah, you prolly don't know what that is. Here..." He took out his phone, and looked up several breeds of canines, "On'na these days, I'mma get a puppy, and I don't care wut Yuri says."

"Hehe. They remind me of seals..."

*NEEKNEEK! NEEKNEEK!*

Jamal checked his cellphone, and stood up, "I gotta head out," Jamal said, "You be good now, ya'hear?" Merrick smiled a little as Jamal walked away.

He turned to look at the sea once more, and stood up on his own. He walked back to the house, and slid the heavy glass door before he entered. Merrick walked into the bedroom, where Adam is already under the sheets. Merrick sighed and smiled as he looked at his lover.

At least there's one bright side to this ordeal. One thing that he knows will always be here. He'll always come back to Merrick, and he will never let him down.

Merrick climbed into bed, and slipped into the covers. He scooted up to Adam, and grinned as he felt Adam is already naked. He spooned up against the human, putting his arm around him. Adam smiled as he just pulled out of the slip into slumber, and turned around. Merrick giggled as Adam put his arm around the blonde, and snuggled him close.

"Feeling better?" Adam muttered. Merrick nodded against him, "That's good... I love hearing you laugh..." Adam whispered. He kissed Merrick's soft lips as his legs entwined with Merrick's.

"... Wanna feel even better~?" Adam asked as he pressed his flaccid penis against Merrick's.

"Ooh~ Yessir~" Merrick nodded. Adam chuckled as he then climbed up onto Merrick. The merman rose his pelvis up against Adam's hairy patch. "MMmm... I love how you're so fuzzy~" Merrick said. Adam chuckled as he laid himself down onto Merrick. The merman smiled peacefully as he felt Adam's weight upon him, "Mmmhhhh... You're so warm..." Merrick uttered. Adam smiled as he rubbed his body against the other.

"You're so smooth..." Adam whispered back. He nuzzled his neck as he started to ground his hips against the other. Merrick let his head back, and huffed slowly as he felt Adam's hot breath over his flesh. Adam gently kissed his neck, placed his lips down onto his jaw, and nibbled tenderly onto his cheek. Merrick murred as he felt his lover cuddle and nibble at him. He pushed his body up against Adam's form as their members slowly hardened as the cuddled in the warm darkness.

Merrick cooed as Adam kissed and lapped his lips upon Merrick's neck. While the human tenderly enticed him, Merrick's hand fumbled at the nightstand, and located the bottle of lube. He snuck the tube under the covers, and under their bodies.

"Mmmfff... Ooo!" Adam jumbled a little as he felt a sudden coldness spill onto his manhood. Merrick giggled as Adam's length felt a wet, slippery fondle. He bit his lip and stifled a grunt as he felt his heavy nuts get lubricated as well, "Heheh, you're like that too much, babe~" He said with a grin. Merrick giggled again as he played with Adam's genitals.

"Hehehe, you like this?" Merrick asked as he rolled Adam's balls around in his oily hand.

"Ooh, me likey a lot~" Adam said as he swerved his hips. Merrick smiled as he continued to palm and stroke Adam's sack and rod, before he kissed Adam's lips.

"I'm ready, Adam... I want you inside of me..." Merrick said.

"Mmmm..." Adam murred as he scooted his lower region inward, stroking his dick, and rubbing the sensitive glans along the flawless crack of Merrick's anus. He dug his tool deeper and deeper towards Merrick's crevice, until he found the right spot. He let go of his dick, and slowly put his hand onto the bed. Carefully, Adam moved his hips forward, feeling the small, tight muscle spread around his log. Merrick's brow furrowed, his mouth ajar, before widening, and moaning outloud as he felt himself swallow the human's thick cock.

"AHHHww! Ohhhh Adam~!" He moaned. His legs moved to behind Adam pushed in deeper. Adam sank himself deeper, until his pubic region pressed against Merrick's butt. Adam moved himself back, dragging his penis to the edge of Merrick's asshole, and pushing back in. Merrick's body arched as he whimpered in anticipation, "Ohhhh Adaaaamm~~" He moaned as Adam eased back, and pushed back deep again.

Merrick put his arms around Adam's shoulders as he felt him push into the depths of Merrick's insides again. "Ghhhhoood..." Adam growled as his hips rolled into Merrick again, "You drive me so crazy, baby..." Adam grumbled as he pulled back, and pushed in again, loving every inch of Merrick's tunnel, squeezing his cock as if to try and keep him anchored in his bottom.

"Oh Adam... You're so big..." Merrick moaned as he felt his anus fill up with Adam's thick, hot dick again. Adam positioned himself to push up, and made Merrick gasp and moan out, "OHH!" His hands gripped Adam's back as he rocked his pelvis to stir and press inside of Merrick. "Oh Adam!"

"That good, babe~?" Adam asked as he moved backward, and forced himself into Merrick once again, elating another weak moan from the merman. "Yeah, tell me you like that... Mmnnhh!" Adam moaned as he shoved hard into Merrick's rump again.

"Oh Adam~! I'm so hot for you~" Merrick moaned as his own hard penis throbbed against the fuzzy trail of Adam's abs. With his hand still dripping with lube, Merrick reached down, and started stroking his dick, "Ohhhh yesss!" He moaned as he masturbated underneath Adam, "Harder..." He uttered.

Adam moaned as he repositioned his legs, crouching down above Merrick, and shoved his rod into Merrick. "OHHhhh!" Merrick moaned out as Adam yanked himself back, and thrust back into him, "Ohh just like that!" He moaned as his arm jerked up and down.

The sounds of Merrick's squelching hand only made Adam hornier as he hilted into Merrick again, rolling his butt backward, and shoving deep into him again. The merman moaned and arched his back in pleasure as he felt that thick shaft drill into him again and again. "Oh Adam!" He wailed out as Adam started thrusting into him like a very randy hound dog.

"Ahh! Awww! Ooohhh! Ohh!" Merrick grunted and moaned as he jerked himself off, while Adam slapped his pelvis into him repeatedly, "Oh you're so good~! AHH!" Merrick moaned out more as Adam pummeled deep inside him, "OhhH! Ohhh! Ohh!" The merman groaned weaker and weaker as his man fucked him harder and harder. He became very aroused at the sheer power of Adam's dominance, feeling himself bounce back and forth on the bed from the raw thrusts Adam pushing into him.

"AWW! Adam!" Merrick said as his hand hammered up and down on him, "I-I'm close... Oh don't stop!" Merrick begged as he jerked off, "I'm so close! Don't stop fucking me!" Merrick moaned.

"Beg me more, Merrick. I think I wanna stop~" Adam said, taunting his lover as he shoved his cock deep into Merrick's ass. The merman gasped and moaned out.

"Pleeeeeaaase don't stop!" Merrick pleaded, feeling so close to the edge, "Oh don't stop!" Merrick moaned out as he felt himself get pushed back and forth, feeling that fat, thick cock shove deep inside him.