Chapter Text
The grotto was more of a cave in the cliffs a few miles south of Jeneora Rock. Meryl and Milly entered through a series of underwater passageways with countless dead ends. In the beginning Milly kept getting lost. One time the seal almost ran out of breath before finding her way to the end. Meryl liked the extra security the maze-like passages provided. Any unwanted visitors would easily get turned around and give up their pursuit.
In the inner section of the cave was where the two mers made their home. The underwater passages steadily rose until they entered into a massive cavern where pools rose and fell with tides. Sponges, algae, and barnacles were the only things that seemed to thrive year round. On days when the sea rose higher than usual, Meryl saw the occasional crab or sculpin pass through. High above, the ceiling of the cave had been chipped away by the elements, allowing for light to pour in. Near the back of the cave was where the mers kept their tools and treasures.
A rusted typewriter and a delicate crucifix pendant sat on a pedestal like outcropping in the wall. Meryl knew how the typewriter worked after countless days of prodding at the mechanisms. And the mer knew how to read for the most part, so hypothetically she could write something. Now if only Meryl could get a hold of the materials so actually see if she repaired it correctly.
But that was a sweet dream for another day. Always fleeting. And for now, that was okay.
Out of the far back wall of the cavern was a dark tunnel that Meryl knew logically led somewhere into the cliffs. But that was all speculation since the path was landlocked. Meryl tried to put the obvious safety risk out of her mind. She tried to convince herself it was fine. There was a chance that it didn’t lead anywhere.
Milly paced the front pool in their cavern as Meryl finally surfaced. The seal’s face was a mix of relief and exasperation as she glomped onto Meryl.
The smaller mer grumbled but didn’t try to move Milly. No one stopped a Milly hug.
“Oh, you’re fine! I started to think the worst happened when Zazie came back without you! What happened?”
Meryl went glassy eyed.
She could still feel Vash’s hand bleeding into her’s. She could still see the way tears rolled listlessly down his cheeks as they sat next to the dead man. She could still feel the way her chest tightened when she tried to stay close to Vash.
She could still feel the way she didn’t want to leave when the police came rushing down the rocks to find Vash.
Meryl panicked and fled back to the waves. Vash finally perked, looking around him for the sudden weight lifted from his side. His expression turned to crestfallen desperation when he didn’t find her. And Meryl knew that was for the best.
And so, Meryl went home.
Vash was going to be okay without her.
“Meryl? Are you okay? You didn’t get hurt out there did you?”
Meryl pulled back from Milly and mustered a smile, “I’m fine. I got busy with something. Lost track of time.”
Milly’s brows raised ever so slightly, “In the storm?”
“The rain’s pretty much gone. Don’t worry about me, Milly. I can take care of myself.”
“That won’t stop me from worrying,” Milly muttered under her breath. “Well at least you’re here now and we’re all together now!”
Meryl cocked an eyebrow as she hauled herself up on the edge of the pool. “What do you mean we? It’s just the two of us here, right?”
Milly must not have heard her and swam away, in her own little world. Meryl craned her neck to see what Milly was doing when she felt something scratch at her arm. Meryl didn’t have to look to know it was Zazie. The shrimp poked her earring and chuckled. Oh, Meryl was never going to get used to that sound.
“Mery,” Zazie trailed off, “You collect a lot of junk. I was right to think that those dangly bits were the only things worth anything.” The shrimp paused to draw a long breath in. “Are you desperate to learn about humans?”
The mer didn’t answer, staring at the mid-distance. If she opened her mouth now, Meryl was going to lose it.
“You should talk to them. It would be easier than collecting junk. Or are you a coward?”
Without hesitation, Meryl flicked the mantis shrimp off her shoulder and into a tidepool.
Milly noticed when she heard the splash and pouted in Meryl’s direction. “You should really be nicer to them, Meryl!”
“Fine, fine!” Meryl rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, “It’s not as though they’ve annoyed the shit out of you though…”
Meryl made her way to her favorite of her tide pool and flopped unceremoniously into the water. The mats of algae made the rocks smooth and soft. The perfect nest. And the water was just deep enough for Meryl to lay comfortably while still covering her gills to breathe easy
After the day she had, Meryl was glad to finally take some time to rest. Or at least try to.
The image of Vash kneeling on the beach, soaked to the bone and as pale as bleached coral, never seemed to leave the back of her mind.
Then Meryl heard the familiar scuttling of Zazie just above her. She shot them a tired glare and they halted their approach. “If I catch you coming anywhere near me while I’m asleep, I’m going to throw you out.”
“Aw, you really wouldn’t do that.”
“Try me,” Meryl growled.
With that, Zazie backed off. Meryl breathed a sigh of relief when she watched their head disappear over the side of the tidepool. And with that, Meryl sank into a restless sleep.
…
It had been almost a week and Meryl still hadn’t seen Vash. Though despite the curiosity that seemed to cement itself in her gut, Meryl hadn’t been looking all that hard. Did he want space after what happened? Probably.
But then Meryl saw him trapped on the rock outside of the harbor. Vash had his legs close to his chest as he stared out over the bay. At least his clothes were mostly dry this time. How long had Vash been sitting there?
Meryl sighed.
Did she want to know? Probably not. Did he look like he was crying? It was hard to tell.
With a sharp kick of her tail, Meryl changed course.
Vash screamed when Meryl popped up next to him. She stared at him with a thin lipped frown as he garbled out a string of curses. With a roll of her eyes, Meryl started regretting even coming over. “Are you going to let me speak? Or should I go?”
Vash placed a hand to his chest as he caught his, “No, no, no. I’m all good now. I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again.”
Meryl suddenly felt very offended despite herself.
“I was kind of a mess last time,” Vash laughed. He was wearing an apologetic smile. That was annoying. “Anyways, I’m sorry you had to sit there with me. I can’t imagine a dead body isn’t something pleasant to be around for you.”
“But it is for you?” Meryl retorted.
Vash stared at the rocks for a moment, voice twisting into a strained whisper, “It was the right thing to do…”
Meryl regarded the lanky blonde for a moment. He was starting to shake a little. Biting the inside of her cheeks, Meryl backtracked, “How’s your hand?”
“Oh!” Vash jumped. He held up the appendage in question. The bandages were clean and well dressed. At least he was taken care of. “All good!” Vash said.
“It’s going to scar, isn't it?”
Once again, Vash’s expression fell. “Well, yeah. But I’m not too concerned. I’m a bit of a klutz, so ya know… Bruise like a banana!” He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. The idiot was deflecting again. And Vash was blushing, turning the tips of his ears bright pink. Was he embarrassed about the scars?
Meryl’s stomach knotted.
Had he forgotten that she’d seen them?
The mer couldn’t know for certain. And that wasn’t something she was in the position of asking.
“Well, just take care of yourself, I suppose.” She was about to leave when Meryl caught sight of Vash smiling sheepishly from the rock. The mer arched a brow, “Yes?”
“Nothing really,” Vash finally said. “I was hoping to see you again.”
Meryl tensed. There was something soft and fuzzy about the way he said those words that made her nauseous. At least for a moment. The nausea melted away into something akin to confusion. Or maybe that was curiosity. All Meryl knew was that her cheeks felt warm to the touch.
That was different.
Vash didn’t seem to notice Meryl’s momentary lapse of control. “Especially since you said that we probably weren’t ever going to see each other again.”
“I really meant it at the time too,” Meryl grumbled. “It’s not as though you’re a fisherman or anything. And obviously I can’t go onto land. So, the chances of us running into each other are pretty low.”
“But never zero!” Vash declared with a grin.
“What?”
Vash shrugged, “It’s just something my brother says. He’s a scientist. Or was a scientist? It's complicated. But he’s into logic puzzles and all that stuff. So, while the chances of something–”
“I know what the saying means,” Meryl interrupted. “I’ve lived it before.”
“Oh?”
Vash’s eyes sparkled as he waited for Meryl to continue. He rested his chin on his plans, ready to listen with rapt attention. Meryl thought for a moment. What was the harm in telling this human a few stories?
A lot.
What business did he have knowing anything about her?
He could tell people about her and Milly and then they’d have to pack up and move. Humans had the potential to be terrifying. Especially if they were in the presence of something they didn’t completely understand. Which would be a tragedy since this was the safest place Meryl found after so many years of wandering.
But there Vash was, staring at her with as much wonder as he could muster. And Meryl couldn’t bring herself to disappoint him.
The mer lifted herself onto the rock. She nearly slipped back into the water when Vash caught a hold of her wrists. At first, his fingers felt like an iron vice, making Meryl grimace for only an instant. But before she knew it, Vash loosened his grip and gently brought her next to him on the rock. The last time they were evenly this remotely close, Vash was being torn in two.
Today though, he sat next to her in the sun, listening to her stories, never happier.
Meryl didn’t exactly know what to make of this situation. She cleared her throat and tried to put on airs of seriousness. “It’s going to be easier on my neck if I’m not staring up at you,” the mer explained. Then Meryl paused, narrowing her eyes. “Though I guess that point is moot…”
She didn’t realize how much taller Vash still was, even when they were sitting down.
“Aw, that’s because you’re so tiny!” Vash laughed. “Tiny and–”
Meryl didn’t hesitate to smack him upside the head. His silly orange glasses fell to the rocks and into a pool of water. Vash only laughed harder.
“I was going to say tiny and cute,” he finally said.
“I am not cute!” Meryl shouted. She crossed her arms and huffed, “I’m terrifying, thank you very much.”
Vash tilted his head and arched a brow, “Are you?”
“Yes! Do you want to hear the story or not?”
The man’s silly grin was replaced with a serious stare while Meryl rested her hands on her tail, curling the long appendage in front of her.
“About ten years ago, after I left home, I wandered for a long time. There’s a vast open space between my old home, so I ended up spending a lot of time by myself.”
Vash raised his hand, prompting Meryl to stop. “Where’s home?” he asked.
Meryl quirked the corner of her lips into an exasperated frown. “I’ll take questions at the end! Now where was I?” Meryl perked before continuing, “Right! I really don’t know where I was. It was so hard to keep track back then. One thing I really hated was the there was nowhere to sleep in the open ocean.”
“So, what did you do?”
“Depended.” Meryl stared glassy eyed at the tip of her tail in front of her. “Sometimes I’d find something floating on the surface of the water and I’d curl up next to that. Other times, I’d wait for night to fall and take my chances. It was a dumb thing to do and frankly I shouldn't have been out there alone in the first place.”
Meryl’s lips curled into a slight smile. “One night though, I saw the weirdest thing. I didn’t even notice it at first until it was right up on me. But the entire ocean glowed blue. It was so bright it looked almost like daylight.
The mer paused and stole a glance at Vash across from her. The man sat forward almost so his face was right in front of her’s, mouth just barely parted as he listened. Meryl’s heart skipped a beat.
She leaned back against the rock and recomposed herself enough to continue.
“The glow went on as far as I could see. And when I moved, the glow rippled black. Like I was floating in stars. I’ve never seen anything quite like it since.”
Vash was about to say something when Meryl stopped him. “I’m not finished. Things usually rise shallower during the night. Plankton and jellies and little fish.”
“Oh! My brother told me a little bit about that.”
“You know that it happens every day and night then. So, I was just there, by my lonesome when I felt something coming up just under me. I panicked and got out of the way–”
Vash shouted, eyes suddenly wide and scared, making Meryl jump, “What was it?”
The mermaid placed a hand on her chest as she took a deep breath in, “Nothing dangerous. At least not then. But right next to me, just at the surface, was a shark. It was massive, but thin. Eel like with flowing fins. Its eyes glowed green in the light. The weirdest thing about them was the way the gills poked out of the slits, just like a frilly collar I’ve seen some humans wear.”
“It didn’t attack you did you, did it?”
Meryl laughed, “No. I remember bobbing up and down in the water while this shark circled me for a few minutes. Then out of nowhere, they nudged me in the side. I thought I was going to die!”
Vash visibly paled as he sat on the edge of the rock.
“But instead, the shark wrapped around me ever so slightly, nudged me again, and left.. And that was that. I was so shocked, I just floated there until morning.”
For a moment, Vash stared at Meryl. Then he threw his head back in laughter. Vash wiped a tear away from the corner of his eye, “You’re right! That does sound pretty impossible.”
“Wow,” Meryl started “I tell you about the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me and that’s the reaction I get?”
“No, no, no! I do believe you!” Vash glanced over to the open bay with wonder. “It’s just hard to imagine. I’ve never seen anything like it before. But I was in the desert for a long time.”
“Well, I’ll never see a desert. What is it like?”
Vash cupped his cheek and hummed. His eyes flitted to the sky as he pondered. Then a lazy grin grew on his face.
“I traveled around quite a bit, so I got to see a little bit of everything. Mostly it’s hot and dry. Lots of sand everywhere. And everything is yellow and orange. But the best part was when the sun would go down, and the sky turned bright red. And as quickly as it started, everything would turn pitch black. There was something amazing about it that I think I’ll always miss. It would be nice to see it again in the future.”
Meryl gulped as she noticed the content look on Vash’s face.
Her voice was sharp as she spoke without thinking, “Why come here? It sounds so different.”
“I’m an artist technically, so really I can live anywhere as long as I get to create stuff. So, I move around a lot because of that. Needed a change I suppose! There’s a lot of little reasons. But this time, I’m just following my brother around for a little bit.”
“You’re awfully positive about the whole thing,” Meryl mumbled. If Vash heard her, he didn’t show it.
“Why did you leave your home? Where was it?”
Vash’s line of questioning caught Meryl off guard. She bristled and stared at Vash. Again, there wasn’t a hint of malice in his inquiry. Meryl had already told him about herself. May as well continue.
“Way on the other side of the ocean, near the coast of Southeast Asia. Livio showed me a map at one point so I could show him exactly where it was. But it’s been so long, it’s probably not accurate. My dad might still be there. But there’s no way to know that unless I go back.”
“Have you ever thought about it?”
“Going back?” Meryl questioned. Vash nodded his head, the brushed up spikes of his hair wiggling with the gesture. Meryl nearly laughed. “It wasn’t really for me. So, I sort of… left. I didn’t even think to come this far north until I met Roberto.”
“Who’s Roberto?” Vash asked, grimacing.
“Oh, he’s some old ornery whale. He stops by here every summer.”
Vash jumped forward, grabbing onto Meryl’s shoulder. “Another mermaid?” he yelled.
“Don’t get your hopes up,” Meryl droned, as she pushed Vash off of her. “He’s… Roberto is kind of a grouchy old man. Also, he drinks. And smokes…”
The excitement only grew on Vash’s face. He reminded Meryl of one of the seals in Milly’s original colony.
“Roberto’s really not all that special.”
The smile on Vash’s face morphed into a pout, “So says the mermaid… You and Milly are the first mermaids I've met. And you two are amazing.”
Meryl flinched then smirked, “And you’re one of the only humans I’ve actually talked to. So that’s… something ”
Vash hummed, eyes scrunching at the edges as he smiled for a moment. Then he straightened, “Hey speaking of, do you know Rem at all?”
“Rem?”
“Yeah! Another mermaid. Long black hair. Red tail. I met her the other day. I was wondering if you or Milly knew her at all.”
Meryl didn’t have to think to know that she’d never seen this Rem person in her life. She knew for a fact that she and Milly were the only two resident mers in the bay. Who in the world was Vash talking to?
“When did you meet her?”
“Uh… A few days ago. After Alex’s funeral. Apparently they knew each other.”
The small hairs on the back of Meryl’s neck rose as her stomach churned. Rem. Rem. Rem. Meryl stared at the water for what felt like a long time. Then she snapped her attention back to Vash, “Hey, I know I can’t tell you what to do. But maybe be careful who you talk to. There’s a lot of strange things out there.”
Vash chuckled under his breath, “Aw, are you worried about me? That’s so sweet of you!”
Meryl’s brow knitted together, “No, I’m not worried. I’m just warning you.”
“That sounds like you’re worried!”
Cheeks flushing, Meryl jumped into the water. Vash was splashed with salt water as she began to leave. But then she heard Vash whine behind her. He really was a seal! Meryl surfaced with a huff.
“Would it be okay for you to maybe get a boat or something? I don’t really want to be stuck here for too much longer. Last time, Wolfwood blew up my phone.”
“How in the world did you get stuck out here a second time?”
“Milly.”
“Oh… huh? Really? Did she have a reason?”
Vash shook his head. The mer would have to ask Milly about it later. Meryl glanced over to the harbor.
“Is there even a boat?” Vash asked, suddenly unsure.
“Yeah, give me a minute. I’ll be right back,” she relented after a moment. “Just as long as you return it back where I found it.”
“Thanks, Meryl! You’re the best!”
…
Meryl found a small rowboat tied up to a mostly empty dock in the harbor. The oars were a little bent out of shape, but they’d do. She tossed a few pretty rocks and shells onto the dock before untying the boat
It took her almost twenty minutes to haul the rowboat back to Vash.
The first thing she noticed was Vash’s clear tenor laugh. The mer slowly rounded the corner to see Vash talking to a small rainbow shrimp sitting next to him.
Meryl almost let the boat go adrift and turn around.
Instead, she steeled herself for the grating interaction, pulling the boat behind her. Vash beamed when he saw Meryl. Or actually, he was probably just elated to see the boat. He picked Zazie up, eliciting a high pitched squeal from the shrimp.
“Meryl! Look at this little guy! Aren’t they neat?”
Meryl glared at the shrimp wriggling in Vash’s hand. Zazie shot Meryl a pleading look. For all Meryl cared, Zazie could stay there for another moment. With a world weary sigh, Meryl tied the boat to a spire of rock and made eye contact with Zazie.
She could have sworn she saw them smirking. Sleazy bug.
Vash continued, unaware of the silent argument his two companions were having, “I was just telling them all about you just now.”
A strangled screech left Meryl’s throat. “Why? Why would you do that?”
Vash turned Zazie to face him, eyes following the rhythmic movement of their legs. “They’re just a little lobster! No harm, right?”
“No, it’s not a harmless little lobster! Zazie’s been harassing me for weeks now! Always trying to steal my things. And I swear they can talk, but they never talk when anyone else is around. Milly thinks I’m nuts!”
Meryl stopped her tirade when noticed both Vash and Zazie staring at her. She snapped her mouth shut to keep from saying anything crazier.
Vash set Zazie down gently on the rock next to him. “So… They’re named Zazie?”
The mer shrugged. “Yeah, Milly named them. And I don’t care enough to refute it. So, Zazie it is.”
“Kind of a cute name,” Vash remarked.
The man stretched his arms high above his head until he heard a click. He breathed easily as his arms fell back to his side. Tossing his boots into the boat, Vash gingerly stepped over the rim and plopped down onto the seat.
“Do you know how to steer this thing?” Meryl asked, forgetting about the shrimp behind her.
Vash took the oars into his hands. Confidence, or perhaps something closer to hubris, was plastered on his face in a catty smirk. “I think I can figure it out. Thanks though.”
Meryl hauled herself back onto the rock so that Vash wouldn’t accidentally run into her. She laced her hands underneath her tail as she slouched forwards. Vash huffed as he placed the oars into the water.
Then Vash turned his full attention back to Meryl. His eyes were clear for the first time since the storm. Now, they looked like the clear, warm water of her first home. Meryl felt tension release from her shoulders she hadn’t even known she’d been holding onto.
“I wanted to thank you, actually.”
“What for?” Meryl laughed. “I don’t remember doing anything.”
Vash rubbed the back of his neck nervously. His cheeks were tinged with a light pink as he glanced back at Meryl. For some reason that seemed to make Meryl’s chest constrict in a way that confused her beyond belief.
Was she getting sick?
“Well… I dunno. I’ve been having a bit of a rough week. But, uh, you really helped me through it.”
“Did I?”
Vash hummed, “Yeah. Like today! You just stayed and told me stories. You asked how I was too. That means a lot, you know?”
Meryl’s heart stopped.
Vash was beaming now. A smile made the corners of his eyes crinkle ever so slightly.
She wanted to say something but Meryl couldn’t think of the words. Anything would have fallen flat, wiping that gorgeous smile off his face.
Wait, wait, wait, Meryl stopped herself. This was just some guy!
And before she knew it, Meryl watched Vash start to row away. He called out to her before he was out of earshot, still grinning, “I’ll see you later! Remember the chances are low, but never zero.”
Meryl let her lips curl into a soft smile and waved back to him as Vash disappeared around the corner.
“So, you aren’t a coward after all.”
The mer jumped with a squeal. Zazie laughed, loud and grating. And Meryl had been in such a good mood too. Oh well.
“What does that mean?”
Zazie ran around in bored circles next to Meryl. The silence was maddening.
Meryl rested her head on her palm and sighed. “You’re the worst. Did you know that?”
“You tell me that often, Mery.”
Her eyes went wide as Meryl paused. She turned to look at Zazie, who was now pulling at barnacles. Their front little legs were quickly getting tangled in the kelp.
“What did you just call me?”
“Mery? Is that not your name?”
Meryl wasted no time jumping back into the water. The day had been long and evening was starting to fall. Meryl wanted to be home before it got too dark otherwise Milly would worry. And that was the last thing Meryl wanted.