Date: Tue, 22 May 2018 18:07:17 +0000 (UTC)

From: Andrew Bailey <feare909@yahoo.com>

Subject: Aquata Cove - Epilogue 2

Aquata Cove
Epilogue 2

The Aquarius Grotto clinks with the many dishes and silverware as
usual. The fine dining establishment is full of fine patrons as they enjoy
their gourmet seafood. Jason pushes the bridge of his glasses up onto the
front of his brown eyes while he wears his formal uniform as he goes along
the trolley to collect the dirty dishes, and having a small smile from
picking up the tips left for him from the tables he's waited on.

The teenage young man looks to the sunset from the flawless windows before
he looks to check his watch. It's time to clock out. Jason picks up the
last plate, and pushes the cart towards the kitchen. "Alright, I'm out
guys." He tells his coworkers.

"Alright, good work today, Jason!" Says Olivia, his manager. Jason punches
his number in and takes his belongings from his locker before exiting the
back door. The tanned young man rolls his neck to crack it before he takes
a few more steps.

"Oh hey, Jason."He turns and brightens up as he

sees a taller Asian woman wearing her glasses, wearing a pink and ivory
tweed suit and her black hair groomed in a bun, "Oh Mom, hi!" Jason trots
over to her and gives her a hug. Yuri smiles as she holds him tight.

"Rrhhh, good to see you, honey." Yuri says as she rubs the teen's back some
before patting it.

"When did you get back, why didn't you call??"

"I wanted to sit in at the Grotto and surprise you when you come to take my
order." She says.

"How was Nagano? Is Aunt Fumiko doing ok?"

"Oh yeah, she's fine. Where's your father, I wanna say

hi.""I saw him about 10 minutes ago around the
corner, fishing. He's probably still there."

"Oh great, lets go." She says as they go around the enormous building; the
Aquarius Grotto is side-to-side as a joint business with the Fish
House. They walk along the backside of the entire structure along the
docks, passing the few fisherman casting their rods and lines over the
railing.

"Oh, there he is now." Jason points out as they spot a man talking to the
Captain. Captain signs a few things while speaking with the Fish House
employee, discussing something before the Captain sits back down.

Yuri slowly grins as they arrive over by the usual spot. "Catch anything
good yet?" She asked the Captain just as the employee walks away.

The Captain turns to look at Yuri and Jason with his warm brown eyes. His
hand goes up to adjust his navy blue hat with the brass shell-slice
embedded into the cap, wearing a full-length coat over his rubber overalls
and woolen sweater over his thick build. He kicks back as a smile curls
from his finely groomed shallow beard, having let it grow half an inch
thick. Captain locks the reel into position before sitting up.

"Well looked what the net dragged in." Adam says with a broad smile. He
huffs as he gets up out of his chair after setting the rod down.

"Still haven't bothered with that low-carb diet I sent you, I see." Yuri
says as she crosses his arms. Adam gives her a mild frown and a quirked
brow as he draws his long coat back and puts his hands on his hips, almost
emphasizing his pot-belly hidden in his uniform.

"What're you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that you can't go sky-diving without causing a solar eclipse,
that's all. Seriously, did you even look at the diet plan??"

"No, Dad just tossed it into the bin." Jason adds.

"Hey, do I pry in on what you eat, boy?" Adam asks, "Yuri, I'm
fine.""Your blood pressure still has me on edge."
She says with a slight frown.

"Yuri, that was six months ago, and I happened to be having a panic attack
about the operations at the time.""Dad, you
couldn't breath for 5 whole minutes." Jason tells him, "Seriously, Mom says
you have Grandpa's heart problems."

"Half the docks were demolished by a hurricane!" Adam exclaims, "You have
ANY idea how expensive and horrendous something like that gets?? And I had
to manage almost everything since Olivia was out of town for the month!"

"Adam, you had a freaking heart attack." Yuri persists.

"Would you two stop nagging me?" Adam says, "I've been taking the pills and
checking my blood pressure every week like you told
me. I. Am. Fiiiiiine.""Yeah?" Yuri digs in her
pocket and takes out a coin. She flips it with her thumb, which clinked to
Adam's feet, "Pick that quarter up without wheezing. Go on. I'm waiting. I
dare you. Now."

"PFFF, hghghgh," Jason snickers as Adam gives her a sour look.

"... Gee, I would, Yuri. But I'd hate to take away what's left of your
other daughter's college fund, despite the fact that you just tossed it my
way.""KHogghhllll." Jason scoffs as he suppresses a
huge outburst as his Mom leers at his Dad. "This is great, I love this,
this is what I live for, this is a fun time." He says lowly to the
spectacle.

"Ok, Adam. This is USUALLY the part where I throw you over the railing. But
I might actually KILL you, and I'd hate to make a bastard out of my little
boy." Yuri says as she puts her hands on Jason's shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm the best bastard you're ever going to know." Adam smirked, "So
you're back, huh? Couldn't stay away much longer?"

"Mhm. Dennis has been whining nonstop, Gintatsu has basically been
babysitting her own father since I left. Besides, Merrick and Naomi are due
back any day now, right?"

"Oh yeah," Adam nods, "It's been a month since I got their latest picture."
Adam digs into his coat, and brings out the photographs he's been receiving
all year, "Here are the last few ones." Yuri accepts them and smiles as she
looks at them, and also noting the writing on the backs.

"She always looks like, completely different when she's wearing kelp and
stuff." Jason says as he looks at the older pictures. He moves one behind
the pile, and then sees an elderly woman with long white hair and wearing a
simple white blouse, standing next to Naomi, both of them smiling, "Wait, I
never saw this one." Jason says as he blinks at it, "Who's this lady?"

"Oh, that's Merrick's mother, Umiato." He says as Yuri looks over it as

well. Her eyebrows rise as she looks at the both of them.

"Wow, pretty uncanny." Yuri remarks. "Yeah, Merrick says they

especially look identical when they're underwater." Adam says as they look
at the pictures, some of them showing Brishen, Savarna, a few scenes
showing the camping equipment Adam sent Taci to deliver to them, some of
them taken during the night.

"Yeah. Great. Glad to know she looks like ONE of us." Yuri says flatly.

"Oh not this again...""Come on! These two kids

don't look anything like me!" Yuri says as she holds a photo of Naomi with
one hand and lightly grabbing the top of Jason's head with the other.

"Oh come on, Yuri! Naomi... KINDA looks like you, and Jason
has... Uh... Your personality. That counts,
right?""Heh, in what way, Adam?" Yuri scoffed.

"Yeah, Dad." Jason says with a smirk as he crosses his arms, "In what way?"

"You know... If she had like, black hair... And

uh...""And?"

"Hhh..." Adam gives Yuri a dulled glare, "You're really gonna make me say
it? ... Ok, the eyes, she doesn't have your Asian eyes, and what is it
you're trying to prove by bringing this up for the hundredth time?"

"I just think it's `charming' how she looks like her Grandmother rather
than her own Mother."

"I know, Mom, it's just not fair, right?" Jason says snidely.

"And you're not one to talk either, boy. You're just basically Adam from a
hundred years and a thousand pounds ago."

"Kkhh!" He snickered.

"Excuse me?" Adam says with his hands on his hips, "You're older than me,
Kung-Pao Kitten."

"Yeah, by like one year. And I don't age. I mature." Yuri smirked, "Look at
me, I'm like a porcelain Geisha doll." "Geisha doll." "Geisha doll."

Adam and Jason said in sync, as Yuri ALWAYS makes that simile. She gives
them both a very sour look.

"Yeah, I know. That's another Asian stereotype we don't seem to have in

common." Adam says as he goes to get his rod and reels in the line.

"Come on, Dad, play nice." Jason says as he puts his hands behind his head.

"Buddy, if I wasn't playing nice, there would be a LOT more yelling going
on.""Well if you would've went on that diet like
you were supposed to, I wouldn't be giving you a problem, now would I?"

"Yuri, for the last time, I am FINE." Adam says as he attaches the hook
onto one of the rings attached to the rod as he also picks up his
bucket. "You two are blowing it way out of
proportion.""Alright, fine." Yuri checks her phone,
"I'll have to catch up with you two later, Dennis is waiting for me to pick
him up.""Wait, wasn't the point of you coming here
was to get dinner, Mom?""It's more like I stopped
by. I'll be back in about in a few hours or so, it's open house at
Gintatsu's school. Afterwards, we can meet up at Kahiko Paku'i BBQ for
dinner, is that ok?"

"Sounds awesome!" Jason says as he smiles from the promise of his favorite
restaurant.

"Alright, I'll see you, sweetie." Yuri hugs Jason and gives him a
kiss. "Adam, let me know when Merrick and Naomi get
back.""Sure thing. And great to see you, by the
way." Adam says as they hugged too, "I missed
you.""Debatable, but I'll play along." Yuri
chuckled before she turns and walks off.

"Ok, bud." Adam says as he turns to his son, "You want a ride home?"

"Sure, Dad." Jason says before they walk off. They make their way into the
office. The room is lined with elegant water and fish sculptures around
each corner and has a few nautical themed plywood weapons hung up on the
walls; Adam has always been an avid collector of prop weapons. On his desk
are several unique seashells, files and books along with pictures of loved
ones, including Merrick, Naomi, Jason, Yuri, Jamal, his parents, even one
where Adam was promoted by Captain Oliver Grugger himself to succeed the
Fish House, with Captain's daughter next to him to take ownership of the
Aquarius Grotto as a joint-partnership. There is also a small rainbow flag
in Adam's pen and pencil cup. A big white and blue trident is posted upon
the wall on the back in the middle, with a thin layer of mist flowing down
from the solid ice surface, as it always has.

Adam takes off his sailor coat and hangs up it up on the stylized fishhook
hangers on the wall, as well as his Captain's cap, before putting away his
fishing rod and bucket alongside several different kinds of fishing
rods. "Seriously though Dad..." Jason says.

"Hm?"

"Are you... Ok with your heart thing? You know Mom

says...""Oh my God, I'm fine!" Adam smirked, "She
just loves busting my balls, has for years. If she REALLY thought something
was very wrong with me, she wouldn't waste time talking about it. Heck,
she'd probably stick me with a needle while I sleep."
"Heh heh, busting your balls. Isn't that Pop's job?" Jason
taunted."Hey! What happens when I sleep with the
fishes is between me and the haddock."

"Pffggh, yeah, right."

"The heart pills are doing me just fine. And besides that, I am NOT that
FAT!" He says as he holds his arms about, "Seriously, when are you people
going to stop talking to me as if I run out of breath just by blinking?!"

"O-Ok, sorry, Dad." Jason said quickly, "Mom's just always said about your
heart problems, and said you should be going on a diet,
and...""Buddy, I AM on a regular diet." Adam says
with an exasperated smirk, "I eat just fine and I still work out 3 days a
week, fat is just harder to lose than it is to put on, and I just don't
really bother with it. Jeez, I never get THIS much grief out of your Pop
and sister." He says as he gets his regular jacket from the coat rack.
"I just, I worry about you, Dad." Jason said, "You know you
really freaked us out when you had that stroke back then. It was
scary...""Trust me. Your Mother has a habit of
making a storm out of a drizzle." Adam gets his Captain's cap back on and
gets his keys, "And as God as my witness, I am NOT going on a specific diet
with you around again. You have no idea what it's like to have your own son
get to dictate what you get to eat.""That was
awesome though!" Jason sneered as Adam walks out and closes the door,
locking it promptly after.

"I swear to God, boy." Adam growls, "You may have my looks, but you
seriously have your Mother's bitch streak."

Moments later, they get into Adam's car and they drive out of
the parking structure and onto the street, "Hey so Dad, any idea when Pop
and Naomi are coming back? Did the last picture say?" Jason asked.

"Not really. Supposedly, it takes them a week or two to get to where

Atlantis is, a little less than a month tops. It's supposed to be like a
maze or something."

"Can I see the pictures again?""Sure." Adam hands

them over for Jason to look over. Jason smiles as he looks over the various
poses Merrick and Naomi assume, and looking at one or two with Umiato in
them. He chuckles as he sees the small tent Adam sent them so Naomi can
sleep in a sleeping bag instead of underwater, then one of a campfire with
a couple of unfamiliar people around it, looking worried over some fish and
squid being roasted on an open fire -- probably Merrick's mother, sister or
something. Another one is of Naomi petting the erect pectoral fin of a
moderate sized whale besides the rock-reef. Jason smiles as he looks at
another photo of Merrick in his true form, sitting on a rock like a chair
and holding his trident in his hands.

"You've met Grandma before, right? Merrick's

Mom?""Yeah, a few times, years ago. I've seen her
now and then, but we haven't talked since our wedding
though.""What, did you have a fight with her?"

"Oh, no. God no, it's nothing like that." Adam checks his rear-view mirror,
"I told you, merfolk aren't allowed to talk to us. I talked to her, but she
couldn't actually speak back to me. Just a matter of technicality, that's
all. She's actually a very nice mermaid."

"What was she like then?" Jason asked curiously.

"Hm, well... The first time I met her... Yeah, it was when Merrick almost
died in an oil spill." Adam answered, "I took him to the house and tried to
help, but she had to lure me into the water. Then she um..." Adam chuckled,
"Yeah, she threatened to kill me if I didn't help your Pop
survive.""What??""It was
just a tough front." Adam says as they make a turn, "She was just worried
out of her mind about Merrick because neither of us could heal him, and she
had to tell me where to take him to get help. After he got better, she was
actually very gracious about it. That was when she found out that Merrick
was gay, when I accidentally told her."

"Pffff, how did you `accidentally' tell Grandma that Pop was gay?"

"Easier than you'd think." Adam says with
Umiato is a very soft-tempered woman. She
very understanding. If it weren't for her
with them a lot longer before they kicked
all of them."
a chuckle, "Anyway, in general,
has a very accepting nature and
husband, Merrick could've stayed
him out. It was really hard on

"Yeah. I guess I'm never going to meet her...""In

my experience, `never' is a very long time. But yeah, I wouldn't put any
money on it."

They drive into the old gravel driveway, where the house still resides
within a large and broad driftwood fence. "You want to stick around for a
while, Dad? Watch some TV?"

"Well..." Adam checked for the time on his phone, "... I have about 35
minutes before I have to get back.""Ok, cool."

"I'll get the mail." They walk to the mailbox and unlocked it, pulling out
several envelopes.

"Dad, I can check my OWN mail.""Let's see..." Adam

says as he sifts through them, "A bill, a bill, a bill, jury duty, eviction
notice, overdue Netflix bill.""Daaaaaad." Jason
rolled his eyes. Adam does this EVERY time."Overdue
bill for the sex-line..." Adam casually jested, "Back order for inflatable
doll... Oh hey, we got something from Japan." Adam says as he takes an
internationally sealed and stamped envelope.

"What, seriously?"

"It's from your Aunt Fumi and Uncle Arnie." Adam says as he opens it up and
takes out the written letter within and looks it over, "Here, it's in
Japanese." Adam says as he gives the paper to his son. Jason takes it as he
leans on the fence and scans the letter, his eyes starting from the right
side and reading downward, and then up, and repeat.

"... Oh it says Uncle Arnaav made it just in time before Aunt Fumi went
into labor." Jason says as he raised his eyebrows.

"Huh... Oh, the envelope came with pictures." Adam then takes out a few
photographs depicting the young man with the light brown skin, a thin layer
of facial hair below his jaw, with Fumiko in a hospital bed holding a
newborn baby in in a wrapped blanket, and so is Arnaav. Both of them are
smiling in the photo. "What is it about merfolk that they prefer sending
letters and photos instead of email?"

"They had twins -- two boys." Jason noted as he reads the Hirogana and
Kanji, "Wait, it says Arnaav barely just got there when she started. Wasn't
he gone for over a year?"

"Yeah. I guess merfolk babies take longer to develop." Adam says, "Yuri was
pregnant with Naomi for almost sixteen months, she didn't even start
showing until like seven months in."

"Oooook." Jason says before they turn and go to the front door, "Hey wait,
if Uncle Arnaav made it back by now, you think Pop and Naomi should be back
soon too?"

"Not a clue; I don't know where their Kingdoms are, Jase." Adam says as
Jason unlocks the door to open it, "For all I know, they could..." They
walk in, and stop dead in their tracks. There they
stand, Merrick just putting on the last button of a short-sleeve polo shirt
with cargo shorts, and Naomi staring at the door with her hands in
mid-earring wearing a cyan tanktop and skirt.

"Oh my God!" Adam ditches the mail on the kitchen table and rushes over.

"Pop!" Jason says as he jogs over to them.

"Papa!" Naomi says as she lets her hair fall without her accessory to come
to hug Adam.

"Oh my GOD, you're back!!" Adam says as he bends over and hugs his teenage
daughter.

"You made it!" Jason says as he grips Merrick's forearm before his other
dad pulls him into a tough hug."By the depths, it's
been freaking ages!" Merrick says through excited gritted teeth as he pats
hard on Jason's back.

"When did you get back?!" Jason asks with high enthusiasm as they scramble
amongst themselves.

"We literally just walked through the back half an hour ago!" Naomi
answers. "Look at you, boy!" Merrick says brightly as he
grasps Jason's shoulders, "God, I feel like you've gotten
taller!""Papaaaaa!" Naomi nearly squeals before
Adam hugs her again, even picking her up.

"Ffffff, sweetie, you feel lighter!" Adam says before he sets her down, her
giggling with excitement before she hugs him again, "Have you been eating
right??"

"Not much to eat except what's on the reef! I was practically living off
your care packages!"

"Oh for God's sake, Naomi, there was plenty to eat if you weren't so
picky!" Merrick smirks.

"Raw fish isn't exactly what I'd call a steady meal, Dad!"
"Wait wait, where's Sabrina??" Adam asked as he peers over to the door to
Sabrina's room, "Is she here too?"

"No, she and Aunt Syrinx are going to be with Uncle Kevin for a week before
she comes back." Naomi answered.

"Oh! Pop, hang on, I want to show you something!" Jason says as he then
dashes into the hall and into his room.

"Mnnnnhhh, I missed you Papa!" Naomi says as she hugs Adam

tighter."Me too, honey, it's been too quiet around
here.""I missed you too, Papa Bear~" Merrick says
to prompt Adam to stand up straight.

"Need I say the same, babe?" Adam grinned as he and Merrick finally
embraced for the first time in a year and a half, "Mmmff! The bedroom's
been way too quiet without my-"

"Ack! Don't!" Naomi whined, "Can't we just have a nice moment here,
Papa???""I'm kidding, sweetheart." Adam says as he
goes and kisses her head, "Oh my God, I still can't believe you guys are
here!"

"Pop, here!" Jason says as he rushes in with a framed document and

something large and silver to show Merrick, "Check it
out!""Right, what's this?" Merrick asked as he
first takes the framed piece, "`Certificate of Top Honors of
Oceanography'. Wow, congratulations, Jase! THAT'S my boy!"
"And look! I was in the International Kendo
Tournament in Japan last year!" Jason says as he holds up his glamorous
silver trophy.

"Wow, 2nd place in the Internationals??" Merrick raises his eyebrows as he

takes the trophy, "Nicely done, I knew you had it in you, buddy!"

"I would've made 1st if you sparred with me

everyday.""Next time you go for the gold, I'll whip
you into perfect shape." Merrick says with a grin and hugging Jason with
one arm while holding the trophy with the other as they go to the living
room couch and coffee table."So how's the Fish
House, babe?? Anything big happen, Captain?"

"Business as usual." Adam says with a smile, "Olivia is still riding my ass
when she has the chance, but she's still awesome with the paperwork. But
enough about that, what was Atlantis like??"

"Oh my gosh, I can't even begin to describe it." Merrick says.

"It was really amazing." Naomi says, "It was like living in a city of coral
castles. There were all kinds of merfolk everywhere, and all kinds of sea
animals!""Hahaha, Naomi had her eyes on a few
mermaids while we were there." Merrick grinned.

"Oh reallyyyy?" Adam says with a broad smile.

"Yeah, and there were just as many mermen too. I got hit on like a dozen
times."

"And I nearly killed every one of them for putting the moves on my
daughter." Merrick said with a stone-face.

"Pfff, ha!" Jason snirked.

"Oh please, you were practically giving me away, Daddy." Naomi rolled her
eyes.

"I was TESTING you, honey."

"And what about Richard?" Jason said with a chuckle, "I thought you and he
were going out?"

"We're just friends, dummy." She retorts, "Richard is awesome, but I'm not
sure if he's really my type. There was this really handsome Rain Fish
merman who was really shy, but oh, so sweet. And there was this Wave Streak
mermaid that was really interested with me, but to be honest her tail
looked too much like Dad's for me to really get into."

"Wow, judging a girl by her looks? That's new for you, sweetie." Adam
smirked.

"Hey! She was nice, but I don't really want to be with anyone who might
remind me of my father. It's creepy!"

"What the hell about me is creepy, Naomi??" Merrick asked.

"You really have to ask, Pop?" Jason asked.

"You know what, Naomi would be lucky as hell to have at me." Merrick says
as he pounds a fist to his chest.

"Ok, where are you going with this, babe?" Adam asked with a quirked brow.

"I don't know, your daughter is giving me a complex." Merrick shakes his
head.

"What about you, Jason?" Naomi asked, "Is Tracy still interested? Or did
you split?"

"Eh, it's a kind of an on and off again kind of thing." Jason says as he
wavered his hand, "She and I can't seem to decide if we're really into each
other. I mean, I kinda want to see about Felicity, but I don't want to come
off like I just want to have sex."

"Easy there, bud." Adam says with a clasp to his son's shoulder, "I don't
want people to think my kid is a hustler either."

"Soon as I can get a straight answer on Tracy, I'll let you know." Jason
says as he shrugs off the hand. "I'm not sure if I really wanna girlfriend
at the moment though, I still have a ton of classes to get ready for."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Adam says as he snaps his fingers, "Merrick,
Yuri got in today, she wanted to see if you and Naomi made it back yet. She
was wanting to have dinner with us at Kahiko Paku'i BBQ."

"YES! Say yes, Dad! You say it right now!" Naomi nags loudly.

"Ok ok ok, I'll give her a call then." Merrick laughs as he gets up, "You
know your daughter has been a total whiner the whole trip. It was like
taking a Kardashian on a no-tech camping hike."

"Daaaad!" Naomi growls, "Would you stop saying that please???"

"Well honey, if I am at all wrong, please. Do feel free to correct

me.""Here, I want to call Olivia too, I'm out for
the day." Adam says as he gets his phone out.

"Hey, Jase, I want to show you something, come on." Naomi says as she nods
too her brother.

"Oh sure." They get up and migrate away to her room.

"I'll be right back, Papa!" Naomi says.

"Ok..." Adam says as he watches them intently, holding his phone to his
ear.

They enter into Naomi's room, decorated with Japanese-style paintings she
and Yuri did together as well as an entertainment center with a flat-screen
TV with two PlayStation consoles and a charming desk with a laptop placed
upon it. On another corner of the room, there is very large brass cage with
several smooth branches and logs nailed and attached around with the
decorative gate open.

A white and yellow bird nods and bobs up and down a few times as the two
teens enter, "Hi Pearl!" Naomi says with sugary sweet tone as she holds her
arm out. The cockatoo squeaks a few times before her wings open and flap
and promptly flying from the few top branches outside of the cage that was
right next to the open window, and glides over to Naomi's arm. "Oh my gosh,
whose my pretty birdy? You're such a smart little sweetie, aren't you~?
Oooohhh missed you so much, Pearly." She coos with puckered lips as she
strokes her knuckles into the parrot's head feathers.

"Fucking pigeon was a pain in the ass all year." Jason scowled.

"Eeeaaaoookk!" The white bird squawks threateningly at him as she opens her
wings and fluff out her feathers at him.

"Yeah, just try it, I'll still make you extra crispy! I don't give a fuck,
Leghorn!"

"Nonononono, eeeaasy sweetiegirl, easy~" Naomi shushes, easily making

Pearl's feathers smooth over, close her wings, and push into the petting on
her head. "Awwww was Jasey big and mean to my little tweety bird?"

"I opened the freaking cage to feed her and she tries to claw my eyes out!
I had to get my glasses fixed like a dozen times!" Jason protested.

"Awwooo she just missed me lots" Naomi coos to her pet. "You let her
outside to fly?"

"Yes." Jason said irritably, "Sometimes she didn't come back for a few
nights, I was freaking out half the time afraid she was going to fly
off.""She likes to hang out on the roof and trees,
it's ok.""Not when I don't want to look after
someone else's flying rat!"
"Hahaha, and Dad says I'M a whiney little bitch."

"Well, you are." Jason says gloatingly.

"Hey, you try going without a bed, friends, social media and processed food
for a over a whole year and then talk to me about toughing it out." She
then gives two whistles as she moves her arm up. Pearl obediently spreads
her wings and flies right back to her beautiful while and brass cage/tree.

"Ok, so check this out." Naomi says as she turns to Jason.

~~~

"Oh he did? I didn't see the pictures yet." Merrick says with zeal as he
talks to Yuri on the phone, "Two boys, that's rare for a merfolk... Oh
yeah, I really- Hey!" Adam takes the phone.

"I'm sorry Mrs Umiyama, Mr Bryant it indisposed at this time, buh-bye."

Adam ends the call.

"Baaabe, I wasn't done talki-" Merrick is interrupted by a very sudden open

kiss. He groaned as Adam forced his mouth against Merrick's while he held
onto his arms. Adam moans as he pushes his tongue into the other one before
he puts his arm behind Merrick's hips and pulls him in. Merrick tilts his
head as his lips dig onto Adam's smooth bristle around his lips.

Finally, Adam parts their lips, letting out a hot sigh and gives a single
gnaw onto Merrick's blonde layered chin, "I've waited a whole year and a
half to do that..." Adam growls as he grinds his front against Merrick's
crotch.

"Don't exaggerate." Merrick smiled, "It was only a year and two months and
four days.""Mnnhhh I don't care..." Adam moves in
for another hot kiss. Merrick closes his eyes as he puts his hand onto
Adam's side while his husband holds the back of his blonde head.
"M-Mnnhh... Nnhh." Merrick moans into Adam's mouth as they move
back and Adam almost shoves him against the wall, where Adam plants one of
his hands upon right next to Merrick's head. Adam growls like a hungry bear
in his throat as his teeth taps the other while his tongue really forced
into Merrick's maw. Merrick groans submissively as he grasps onto Adam's
rubber overall clad sides as he pushes his own lap onto him.

"Hhhgghhh... I wanna fuckin' wreck your ass..." Adam growls as he can feels
his cock slowly push forward in his pants.

"Nnhhh... Gonna have to be a while... Yuri wants us to meet up in an

hour...""Fine..." Adam then pushes his mouth onto
Merrick's neck.

"A-Ahhh..." Merrick whines as Adam's teeth gnaw a hard love bite onto his
tender flesh, "Uhhggnn..." The merman's shorts are already a rather
pronounced tent as Adam gets as rough as he did before his husband and
daughter left for Atlantis. Eventually, Adam leaves a few wet teeth marks
on Merrick's neck before he pushes his forehead against the other.

"Soon as the kids head back, you and I are going home to ram my meat up
your hole."
"Hhhhuuhh God..." Merrick huffs as he digs his fingers into Adam's outfit,
before Adam then points Merrick's phone to him.

"NOW you can talk to Mommy Dearest." Adam says with an almost casual smile,
before Merrick takes it back with a smirk and sits down at the kitchen
table to hide his tent as he calls Yuri back.

"... Hey Yuri, sorry about that, it's been a while for Adam, heheheh... You
know him, he can't get enough fish at home OR at work." Adam snirks and
snickers as he walks off, taking his phone up again and ducking out of
earshot.

"... Hey, Rajani? It's Adam. What time does your shop close tonight?
... Ah, any chance I can get a delivery then?"

~~~

"Wow..." Jason says as Naomi demonstrates a mirror-like formation around

her hands, a breeze of snow and frost racing around her hands like a flurry
river. The frost then migrates to her palm and grows into a tiny
tree. Jason looks closer to note the highly intricate branches; even the
leaves are delicate specs of ice.

"Normally, Noita powers are restricted in human form, but Grandma and Aunt
Savarna showed me how to slip a few cracks."

"But you can't make like an ice sculpture unless you're a mermaid though,
right?"

"Pretty much, yeah. They said my being human makes me flexible with what I
can do."

"Why can't I have any powers??? Dad's been with Pop for years, I should
have SOMEthing like that!"

"As Dad told me a thousands times on our trip." Naomi then flicks her
fingers at Jason. His sister then released a small layer of frost to whiten
Jason's face and also completely screening his glasses with a sparkling
layer of white "Deal with it."

"I'll deal with you with a freaking hook, Frosty the Snow Bitch." Jason
says as he takes his glasses off to rub off the frost from the lenses.

"Oh yeah, look," Naomi then goes to her kelp pouch, and takes out an old
fashioned digital camera in a hard plastic container.

"Hah, took a fossil to a ruin? Don't you think that's a bit redundant?"

"If I had my phone, I could have used THAT." Naomi then turns on the
digital camera, and selects the album file. Jason leans in to see a selfie
of his sister in her mermaid form. She presses the arrow button to move on
to the next one.

"I can barely see it..." Jason says as he squints at it.

"Hang on..." Naomi adjusted the settings to clarify the image, showing the
entirety of Atlantis.

"Whoa..." The pictures clip to the next.

"This is Aunt Savarna's husband, Aalton."

"Whoa, he looks badass." Jason admired.

"He is. He's like, extremely serious and almost always stone-faced, but
he's actually a very open-minded guy." They look through a few more
pictures.

"... Oh hold on, go back." They backtrack to a picture of Umiato with her
head turns as she drifts in the water, "Is this Grandma? Like, Pop's
mom?""That's right.""Holy
shit, she looks exactly like you."

"I've been hearing that all year." Naomi chuckles, "And this is Brishen,
Merrick's best friend.""Hahaha, I know, I saw him
in one of the photos that were sent, but I haven't seen him like this."

"Atlantis was amazing besides." She says as they go through a few clips of
the architecture, "Almost everything was made out of coral." Naomi moves on
to a picture she took of a few merfolk, over to an exotic and huge octopus,
"Oh and this is one of the Disciples that ran the place." She says as she
reveals the image of a unique and stranger mermaid with glowing silver
eyes.

"What the... I gotta be honest, that one's kinda creepy."

"They're all like that, despite their species. They're the merfolk who see
the truth and literally worship the moon -- like, every night, they stare
at it and pray. And the weird thing is, they're all
blind.""Blind?? What, did they need to have their
eyes changed to be there?"

"No, they're just born that way. Since they can't see the real world, they
basically see everything else, if you know what I mean."

"... Wait, if they're blind, how do they eat or move about?"

"Supposedly, they can see the life force in everything, so when they need
to feed, they just draw to what they can find with the auras all
around... Either that, or the Ningyo takes care of
them.""The what?""Oh yeah,
Ningyo." Naomi clicks a few slides forward, and stopped at a picture of a
shining golden merfolk statue. "They're basically the police force of
Atlantis... Or FBI, executioners, SWAT Team, the Elite Four kind of
thing. If a merfolk gets too troublesome, they're sent to put a stop to
it.""Executioners?"

"So I've heard. I haven't seen them kill anyone the whole time I was
there.""That you know
of.""What'cha got there?"

"HAH!" They both jumped from the sudden sound of Adam's voice, "O-Oh, hi
Papa!"

"Why so surprised, kids?"

"You just snuck up on us, Dad, the door was
closed.""Uh-huh. Left open a crack." Adam leans on
the doorframe and crosses his arms, "Why was it closed though? Got
something to hide?"

"No, Papa, I just, I just wanted to show something to Jason, that's

all.""Aaaand what could you show Jason what you
couldn't show me or Merrick?"

"Um, it's nothing, just... I took a few pictures of our trip, that's all,
Papa.""Really. Lets see
it.""Uh... Ok..." Naomi says hesitantly as she then
brings up the digital camera. She shows Adam a few of the pictures,
clicking on the arrow button without being able to see. Adam nods as he
raises he brows.

"Wow. Those are nice.""Yeah! There were all kinds

of great things around." Naomi says, still racked with nerves.

"Sounds amazing." Adam agreed before he stands up from the frame and holds
out his hand, "Now give it here, sweetie.""What?!
But Papa!""I don't want those pictures getting
anywhere, young lady. Give me the camera.""Dad,
we're not going to show anyone, I swear." Jason said.

"I know you won't. Give me the camera.""But Papa,

it took me forever to get good shots!"

"And why do you think that is, Naomi?" Adam asked, "Atlantis is sacred
beyond words, taking pictures is probably blasphemy for all you
know.""But there aren't any rules against it
either, Papa.""I don't care." Adam says calmly, "If
you had to hide it, you know it's not right. Give me the camera."

"But Papa-"

"Don't `Papa' me, sweetheart." Adam frowned, "Would you be ok if Merrick

were to find out about this?"

"I, he wou- No, but-"

"Ok, so in THIS case, I'd say you're getting off lucky, don't you
think?""Dad, it's just a few pictures." Jason said,
"Even if anyone DID see them, they'd probably think it's just Photoshop or
CGI or something.""You raise a valid point. Give me
the camera." Adam insisted.

"Papa-"

"Are you gonna be smart about this, or is Merrick going to give you the
lecture of a lifetime?" Adam says with a calm scowl, "At least with me, I'm
willing to keep it quiet. You knew it was wrong then, and you know it's
wrong now. You both got a good look, and now it needs to stay out of
anyone's record where they don't belong."

"No, I didn't see all of them-" Jason started.

"I don't want to hear it. You should've been smarter about this. Give me
the film, or Merrick will have to know about this. Or do I need to tell you
the LAST time someone got their hands on this kind of evidence? Because I
REALLY don't want to dig up ancient history that WASN'T from your trip."

After a stubborn few seconds, Naomi sniffed as her eyes rimmed with angry
moisture as she turned off the camera, and clicked the small compartment
open, and she handed over the data chip to Adam's hand.

"Thank you, very, much." Adam said sternly before he turns around and walks
out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"... So where'd you hide the back-up?" Jason asked after a minute.

"Where do you think? At the back of my sock drawer. I put it away after me
and Daddy got back, they were already in my laptop when Dad went to take a
shower." Naomi answers as she wipes the partially fake tears, not even
sounding upset. ~~~

Adam walks into the garage, and approaches the fly-fish hook table. He puts
the camera chip onto a vice and turns it tight, "I'm sorry about this,
honey..." He says as he takes a pair of needle-nose pliers and snapped the
chip in half. He snaps it into several pieces before letting them fall into
a trashbin.

"Hey, stud." Merrick says with a knock on the door. Adam turns and grins as
his husband approaches him, "What're YOU doing here all by yourself?"

"Oh just ditching some evidence." Adam said with a cocky smirk.

"Oh? What kind of evidence?"

"Ahhh, your son dug up some pictures I took when I ah," Adam adjusted to
look aloof, "Fucked the mayor's son while you were
gone.""How's that again?" Merrick snickered.

"Well, got bored." Adam shrugged, "Got lonely. And he was tight, baby,"
Adam smirked, "Sure, he kept calling me `Mommy' every time I spanked him,
but I didn't mind.""Hahahaha, sooo... Let me see if
I have this straight. You cheated on me... With a 12 year old." Adam
scoffed and snickered, "Who OBVIOUSLY has mother issues. And you're just
NOW getting rid of the evidence after an entire year just when we got
back?"

"I- whu- you- Ahhpfff, pssyaa," Adam stammered, "I-I-I-In my defense, he

was really good. Like, I saw God every time we banged, and he does this
thing with his ear when it touches my-"

"PFfffhghghghghgh! You are so full of brine, babe." Merrick smirked as he

comes in and kisses Adam again, this time a little more slowly and
affectionately. Adam rests his rump on the large wood table as Merrick puts
his head on his shoulder. "Hahhhh... You know what I kinda regret?"

"Forgetting to brush your teeth when you got home?"

"No, smart-ass." Merrick slaps his back, "I just wish I had a camera that
works in the water."

Adam's eyes widen slightly, "What?"

"Well, there's only so much Naomi and I can describe, but more pictures of
Atlantis would've been great." Merrick says as he walks around, fiddling
with a random item.

"Ah-I-Uhm... But I thought you weren't allowed to bring electronics with

you?"

"I know. But still, being able to show the others about our trip would've
been easier."

"But, babe... It could have been sacrilegious for all you

know.""If it was, the Disciples would've been all
over it immediately." Merrick said as he points a tool casually at him,
"You'd be surprised what those blind eyes can pick
up.""But wouldn't you get in SOME kind of trouble?"

"Mm, there's no laws that says we can't.""Wouldn't

you feel guilty about it??"

Merrick shrugs, "Felt a lot less for a lot worse."

"What about... You know, the government? What if somehow they got ahold of
these pictures?"

"Why, were you planning on going E.T. on me with a bunch of white HAZMAT
guys?"

"Ah, pff, no!" Adam scoffed.

"It's not like we'd send the pictures to the news papers, hun." Merrick
conjectured, "We'd just show them to close people, Yuri, Jamal, you
know. Besides, anyone else would just debunk it as Photoshop or
something. Humans have been in denial for centuries about evidence like
that, haven't they?"

"Yep... We suuurrre have..." And now Naomi is probably going to hate Adam
for the next while for no good damn reason.

~~~

The car drives into the parking lot of a vivid and conspicuous restaurant,
illuminated by red, yellow, white, and purple lights all around. Wooden
statues of tikis and Hawaiian totems placed all around the building, along
with depictions of various scenes drawn and carved into the wall, with
large bushes of plumeria flowers in nicely decorated barrels of soil. Adam,
Merrick, Jason, and Naomi get out of the car and approach the dramatic
front doors illuminated by the grand bamboo-framed words of:

KAHIKO PAKU'I BBQ

Once entered, Adam approaches the hostess at the front door, "Hi, we're
joining a party reservation of seven, under the name Yuri."
"Alright, one moment sir..." She checks her book
and nods at the name, "Ok, right this way sir." She said with a smile as
she escorts them along the tables of bustling diners and patrons, looking
around the warm and rustic decor of the establishment.
Soon, they reach a large booth with Dennis sitting next to a young Asian
girl and Yuri reading the menu. She looks up and smiles as she sees the
four of them, "Oh my God, you're here!" She says with zeal as she puts down
her menu you and gets up. Yuri's younger daughter looks up and smiles
before she scoots up out of the seat. "Hi, Yuri!
It's been freaking ages!" Merrick says as he hugs her, while Adam scoots in
next to Dennis.

"Hey, man. Your leg doing ok?" Adam asked.

"Still feels like it's made of glass." Dennis says as he indicates his
cast, "You know, despite having a mother who is a doctor, Gin is
surprisingly unhelpful with taking care of me when I break
myself.""She's 11, Denny." Adam says with a smirk,
"And frankly she has YOUR ADD."

"Uncle Merrick!" Gintatsu cheers as she comes over to him.

"Hey, Gin-Gin!" Merrick says he picks up his niece. "Rrrgh, you got so
big!" He says as he scoots in next to Adam on the booth with her on his
lap, followed by Jason.

"Hi Ginny~!" Naomi says sweetly to her, "Hi Uncle Dennis!" Naomi says as
she comes to him, and then sees his big white cast and his crutches, "Wha,
oh my God, what happened??"

"Ask your brother." Dennis said as he gives Jason a dulled leer, making him
chuckle nervously.

"Wait, what?"

"Well... You know how I like to help with Uncle Dennis when he needs to do
things around the house and Chloe likes to distract me by talking about
stuff??"

"Wait wait wait, what exactly was she saying to make you cause... That??"

"Well, I turned to talk and by glasses slipped from my sweat, and..." Jason
chuckles weakly.

"Long story short," Adam said, "Your son tipped over a very, VERY hard
piece of equipment and gimped the hell out of
Dennis.""Oh my gosh, are you serious??" Naomi says
as she turns to him.

"Hey, it was hot that day and I couldn't see!"

"Here, let me take a look." Naomi says as she kneels down to Dennis's leg.

"SSS! Hah! Careful, careful!" "Oh, man-up you big baby." Yuri
says as she lightly slaps Dennis behind the head, "It's in a CAST."
"I know, I'm just trying to get attention." Dennis
snickered.

"Is there a gash in there?" Naomi asked. "What?"

"Like... An open wound or a large cut?"

"There... Was? I don't know if it's still there." Dennis says in an oddly
estranged way, "Why?"

"I can help heal it if I can get seawater into it." Naomi claims as she
stands back up.

"Um. What?" Yuri asked with a quirked brow.

"Naomi, sweetie." Adam says as he pats her shoulder. "Cut is painful. Salt
water bad. Lrg get worse.""No, I know how to heal
now." Naomi says as she puts her hands her hips.

"Wha- Like, seriously??" Jason asked.

"Yeah. I learned a lot from Grandma and Aunt

Savarna.""Well..." Dennis says, "Can't I
like... Just drink some clean water??""No, I can't
work with freshwater, it needs to be from the ocean. And it needs to go
INTO the body directly from an outside wound."

"Are you seriously suggesting forcing seawater into a huge festering injury
to rearrange my husband's leg?" Yuri asked. "Oh my God, it's
in my head now!" Jason says as he grabs his fore head and wincing horribly.

"It's for a good cause, Mother~" Naomi smiled.

"Thanks, angelfish, but uh..." Dennis says, "I think I'll just take the
long way.""I agree." Yuri nodded.

"Come on! I wanna try it out!"

"No, sweetie, it's a bad idea." Adam tells her, earning a disappointed
jaw-drop.

"Daddy, back me up here!" Naomi says as she tugs on Merrick's arm, "You've
seen what I can do! Remember Grandma and Auntie??"

"Naomi, that would only work if the wound is fresh -- when it JUST
happened. Trying to heal it now when it's been -- how much time since it
was broken?" Merrick asked.

"4 Weeks." Dennis answered.

"4 weeks, it would just hurt a hell of a lot

more.""Dammit. I hate you all." Naomi pouts as she
crosses her arms.

"I think you should do it." Jason says with a weak and hopeful tone.

"Screw off, Jasey, you're not helping." She dismissed quickly, making
everyone at the table scoff.

"Ah! The hell, sis??"

"You're fine, Jason, you're fine." Naomi smirks as she picks up a menu, "Oh
wait, is Uncle Jay-Jay working tonight?" "Yes he
is, I saw him before we came in here." Yuri nodded.

"Oh, I'm gonna go say hi!" She says as she gets up.
"Me too, I haven't seen him for two weeks." Jason says as he scoots out and
follows his sister.

"What about you, Merrick?" Adam says, "You want to go see him?"
"I would, but I got something heavy on my lap."
Merrick says as he playfully ruffled Gintatsu's hair before starting to
tickle her.

"Heeeey I'm not heavy!" She protested in a fit of giggles.

Just then, Adam's phone starts to ring, prompting him to check it. "Oh,
hang on, I gotta take this." He scoots out of the booth and walks outside
to get some quiet before he accepts the call. "Hey, Raja, what's up?

~~~"We have your delivery, Adam. But

the doors are locked." Rajani says as she looks over at Chloe and Tracy,
her wife and foster daughter trying to pick and jimmy their way into the
doors.

"[There should be a key inside one of the fish statues.]" Adam says.

"We checked, but there's no key."

"[What? But I... Ah damn, that's right, I lost my main key and I have the
spare on me.]""So, what do you want to do?"

"[Uuumm... Agghh, just leave the-]"

Rajani gasps and covers her mouth as she hears something break and crash.

"I got it!" Chloe says after busting a window while Tracy reaches in to
pull at the door knob.

"[What was that?? What's going on?]" Adam asked.

"A-Ah, I'll have to call you back, Adam." Rajani says before she ends the
call, "You two!! What the hell are you thinking?!" She runs forward to
them. ~~~

Jamal types at a computer at the desk, imputing several numbers before

getting up and sorts out a few books and items. "Aight, looks good... Oh
wait, forgot to check next week's schedule-"

-Clck-ck-cck-"Ah- dammit," He frowns as he squats

down and pics up a very worn out name tag -- the brass paint is faded off
of the edges of his [MANAGER] badge, and the attachment piece on its back
has broken off, "Keep forgetting to get a new
one.""Hey, Jamal?" Says an effeminate male voice
opening the door to the office, "We're getting swamped in the kitchen! It's
turning into a mess out there.""Shit, come on,
Gary! What do I pay you guys for??" He smirks as he puts down his broken
nametag into the pocket of his long-sleeve shirt, and then picked up his
chef jacket to put it on. Jamal follows Gary to the kitchen and checks out
the long line of meal tickets posted up, "Dayum, is this the shelf or a
parade float?"
"I'm sorry, Jamal," A frantic lady says as she tries to keep up with the
food. Jamal glances at the scarce assortment of ingredients around.

"... Hold up, is this the stuff from last week?? Why is this still here,
and where's the fresh stuff?" Jamal asked.

"We can't find the key to the freezer, and I don't believe in wasting food,
sir!" She says as she tends to a smoking pan of burning food.

"Fuck, this again..." Jamal rolled his eyes, "Fo the last time, Hill, when
I say throw out the old stuff, throw out the old stuff!"

"I know, I just-"

"And look'it what I just found." Jamal says as he bends over and picks of a
lanyard with a small key attached at the end, "Gary, I keep tellin ya,
either wear the key or give it to me! C'mon, people! This ain't the first
craze night we've had!""Yes, sorry, we're,"

"Aight, just keep calm, I'll get you guys up to speed, just gimme some
space. Gary, start unloading the freezer," He instructed as he tossed the
key to the young assistant manager, "Hillary, start throwing out the old
food, now.""But Jamal-"

"What'd I say, Hills?!" Jamal snapped, "Now! Don't argue wit me!" He takes
an order and starts on a few preparations while Hillary begrudgingly
started to pick up tubs of musty herbs.

-Several Orders Later-

"Aight, aight, this one's comin's out hot, get ready, hey! There we go."
Jamal calls out as a platter is placed on the metal shelf in front of the
station. With a metal pair of tongs, he takes a rack of ribs and places it
over the plating "Aight, number 113
up!"DINGHe rings the bell
before he looks at the next meal ticket before going to season up a steak
right next to the flaring grill. He takes it with a different pair of tongs
and places it onto the raging metal grill."WOO! Hey
now," He says as he wipes his shiny head with a hand towel as the steak
sizzles like mad.

"Uncle Jay!" Jamal's head turns upon hearing a familiar girl's voice. He
breaks into a bright smile as he sees Naomi and Jason come his way through
the kitchen."Oh mah God! Hoh shit, gurl, when did
YOU get back?!" Jamal beams as he slaps the towel over the shoulder of his
chef coat and gives Naomi a big hug, hoisting her up for a moment before
letting her back down."Rrrggh! Me and Dad just got
back today!""Shit, I wish I knew you guys were
coming, I woulda traded a shift!" He says with a big smile as he talks and
cooks the steak. He turns and grabs a handful of mozzarella sticks and puts
it into a container of flour and seasoning. "And hey Jase-man! Where YOU
been??" He tosses the cheese sticks up and about in the batter before he
puts them into the deep-fryer."Busy with work and
school." Jason answered with a smile as Jamal works, pouring the steak with
another ingredient. "Dad and Olivia are still playing tug-of-war with my
shifts."
"Shit, what a bitch." Jamal smirked as he picks the sizzling fryer cage
with the mozzarella "I think she likes you,
man.""She's 34, Jamal! I'm not really interested
older women!""Hey, don't knock it, man." Jamal says
with a provocative point of his finger, "Some cougars know what they doing
in the sack. Some of my best nights were with ladies who had like 30 years
on me.""Oh my gosh, Jay-Jay." Naomi giggles.

"Thanks, Jamal, but I'm not really interested in grave robbing."

"Hah! Nice." Jamal snickers as he grills and flares
the steak before turning back to the fryer, "You look skinny, honeypot, you
doin ok??"

"I've pretty much been eating nothing but half charred or raw fish all
year. Remind me NEVER to go anywhere outside the grid again."

"Dayum, girl, that's fuckin off." Jamal says as he puts the fried
mozzarella onto a basket with a sheet of paper and putting a pair of
plastic cups of marinara sauce with it too, "Here, chew on some of this,
kids.""Oh my God, I love you Jay-Jay." Naomi says
as she takes the basket and took a shrimp."I'm
starving, all I had to eat today was an old hot pocket." Jason says as he
takes one of the piping hot cheese. "AHHH! Awoh! Awoh! Awoh my gawd!" Jason
yelps as he quickly grabs the nearest cup and chugs down some cold water.

"Blow on yo food, Jase." Jamal laughed as he cooks the steak, flipping it

and putting it up on the plate on the shelf, "Number 114, up!"
DING"So where's Uncle Nick
and Auntie Sasha?" Naomi asked after eating a very stretchy line of
cheese. "I was kind of hoping to go to Midnight Lane tonight with you
guys."

"Lil Nicky is actually in California on vacation." Jamal answers as he

takes the next ticket, "But if Sasha's up for it, I could give her a
quick-"

"Whoa!" A coworker slips and hits Jamal on the back. He lurches forward,
his right hand landing RIGHT on the searing grill!

"FUCK! GOD FUCK IT!!""AH!" They jump and scream as

Jamal writhes on the floor, almost screaming as his hand shakes, rigid with
agony.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Jamal! I'm sorry!" "GOD!

GET ME SOME ICE!" Jamal howls out."Holy shit! Hang
on!" Jason quickly kneels down, and helps Jamal up to his
feet."Ssss! By the Sea Mother..." Naomi looks in
shock at the horrible burn melted into Jamal's
flesh. "GOD FUCKIN!" Jamal clenches his eyes as he
slams his fist into the nears counter."N-Naomi, can
you fix it?" Jason asked hastily?

"Fix it??"

"Yeah, what you said to Uncle Dennis and stuff??"

"I-I can try, I never did a burn before!" Naomi

says."I'm fucking dying here!! Where's the fuckin
ICE?!!" Jamal yells out. A couple of coworkers come in with a bucket of ice
water, before Jamal dunks his hand in.

"Holy fuck, I think I actually heard it hiss." Jason

says. "Naomi!""Ok ok, Jamal, come on, come on," She
said hastily as she and Jason push Jamal through the kitchen, "We need to
get to the crab tank!"

"What chu going on about??!"

"Just go with it, hurry!" Jason says as the kids rush him through the back
room where they keep stock and bulk items, including a couple of tanks
containing crabs, lobsters, clams, and other sea food
specimens. "What the hell we doing here??? The
first aid's in the breakroom!" Jamal whines out
loud. "Here, I know how to help, it's uh, mermaid
stuff, Uncle Jay." Naomi says as they go to a tank. "Ok, put your hand in
the tank."Jamal gives a very crazy look, "Are you
freaking INSANE??!""I can't work with the ice
water, it's fresh, I only know how to use
seawater.""What are you talkin about??"

"J-Just do it, Jamal, do it." Jason says.

"Fuckin Christ, kids." Jamal says, almost
he lifts his mangled, shaking hand out of
tank. "SSSSSS! FFFFFFFuck!" He hisses and
the serious burn in his hand feeling like
into his hand.
on the verge of fearful tears as
the ice bucket, and into the
clenches his eyes shut hard --
a glowing firepoker is carving

"Ok ok, here goes." Naomi says as she takes off her waterproof bracelet,
and puts her hands into the tank as well, her flesh instantly turning into
the color of white pearl. Her eyes glimmer as does her hands as she holds
and rubs around Jamal's hand. "FFFFFFFFFFSSSSHHHHHIT!" Jamal
hushes very, very painfully as the seawater starts to enter the severely
damaged skin. Naomi bites her lip as she tries to direct the water to not
only enter and reform what was mutilated, but actually reverse the changed
and altered flesh.

"A-Ah, Naomi? Are you sure this is helping??" Jason says as he looks about.

"I... Think... It's like trying to make fresh taffy stay in one place." She
works her power into the water and into the hand, the borders of the burn
actually starting to shrink and cover itself as the water breaks itself
down and becomes apart of Jamal's injury.

"Ok, ok ok ok ok," Jamal huffs and blows a few times in deep, hurried
breaths, "I think it's starting to git better. FFFFFuck, it fuckin stings!"

"Bear with it..." Naomi says as she continues with her luminous
hands. Jamal's hand opens and turns as it spreads, the wound still visible,
but looking more like a new scar than the atrocious molten mess it was a
few minutes ago. Jamal takes his hand out of the tank as Naomi takes her
hands away, opening and closing his hand a few times, his palm still
tingling with residual pain inside and on the surface, but not as
mind-numbing right now.

"Wow, ok." Jason says with his eyebrows raised, "Now that was
impressive." "I can't get any further." Naomi says, "The
water's not responding anymore, that's the best I can get."
"It's cool, it's cool, hun." Jamal says as he turns his hand around, very
much astounded "Dayum, that's... Yeah, that's kinda freaky, gurl, thanks."

"Hang on, I got a first aid on me." Jason says as Naomi takes her bracelet
back, and puts it on to turn her white hands into human-colored ones
again. Jason opens up a small box-like pouch on the side of his pants and
took out a packet of gauze and a roll of bandage.

~~~

"Like, not even joking." Adam says as they finish what's left of their
meals, "Debbie just kept trying to pick up the octopi just over and over
again, even when I kept telling her to just, `chill out, calm down, we
can't sell them now anyway'."

"Well it sees kind of wasteful don't you think?" Dennis asked, "They just
fell on the floor, couldn't you just rinse them off?"

"Doesn't work like that." Adam answers, "And she just, she freaked out
after the whole thing just fell apart and walked out on the
job.""Are you serious??" Yuri asked, "What are you
going to do?"

"I gave her a call, but she says she can't handle working at the Fish
House," Adam shrugged.

"Hey, everybody!" Jamal says as he walks up to the booth wearing his casual
clothing instead of his chef's coat, pulling up a chair, with his
previously injured hand now wrapped in bandages.

"Oh hi!"

"Mmm! Wow, Jamal!" Merrick says as he gets up and hugs Jamal, "Great to see
you!"

"Shit, man, freakin missed you, man!" He responds before settling back
down.

"Oh hey, is karaoke on tonight?" Yuri asked.

"Sure, we just gotta head to the Party Room's all." Jamal says.

"Ooh Naomi, you and Adam should do a song!" Yuri suggests eagerly

"What?" Adam scoffed, "Nooo, it's too sudden, she just got here."

"Mmmhh!" Naomi says after taking a drink from her glass, "Yes! Come on,
Papa, lets do it!"

"Naw, I just, I don't feel like it, come on." Adam whined with a smirk as
he's tugged and pushed forward."Come on, just do
it.""Go on.""Just one, just
on." They insisted as he chuckles and pulled up to his feet.
"No, I'm not gonna." Adam protests pointlessly while smiling
and lazily lets himself get pulled up, "I want ice cream. I don't wanna
sing. I don't feel like it. This is a form of vocal abuse." He jokes as
Naomi takes him. Adam picks things up and walks with her into a partially
empty hall in the restaurant -- the Party Room, as they call it, is mostly
reserved for catered and special occasions such as birthday parties,
meetings, etc.

The rest of them walk through the restaurant to join in on the room while
Adam and Naomi go to the idle D.J. booth. Jamal walks to it, and accesses
it with his employee code number.

"What're you up for, honey?" Adam asked as he rubs her arm.

"Um... I dunno, same as usual?""I don't know what

that is.""Ok um... Make It Shine? Wanna go for
that?""Hang on, which..." Adam thought for a moment
as he tries to recall the lyrics of the song, "Deh dah dah... Yeah, I think
I remember, from Victorious, right?""Yeah!" She
nods before turning Jamal, "We're going for Make It Shine, by Victoria
Justice, Uncle Jay-Jay." "Aight, you got it..."
Jamal says as he looked a few things up on the computer attached to the
speakers and other equipment, "All set!"

"Awesome." Adam smiles as he takes a stool, as well as a microphone and a

Psytar -- a pseudo toy of an advanced-looking guitar that plays various
kinds of tones and sounds. It has a sleek and fantasy-sort of look to it,
curved as to look like a cross between a harp, a piano, and a
guitar. They're relatively easy to operate, though enough practice and
interest can make it into a great addition to any sort of music. Naomi
takes another mic with her, before she stands next to Adam, letting her
hair loose, and the small plasma screen placed at the front of the stage
prepares the lyrics.

The music rings a rising guitar song, a warm and energetic melody, feeling
like a sunrise as the lights around the medium-sized stage turn yellow with
a hint of pink.

"~Here I am, once again~" Naomi sings, "~Feeling lost ~ But now and then ~I
breathe it in ~To let it go~" She serves in place as she looks at her
Papa. Adam smiles as he starts to make complimenting music as the song
goes. "~And you don't know where you are now" He sings to the
mic posted at the stand in front of him "~Or what it would come to if only
somebody could hear~" "~~When you figure out how~~" They both
sing simultaneously, "~~You're lost in the moment ~You
diiiiisaaappeeeeEEEEAAAAaaaaarrrrrrrr~~" Both of them gracefully extends
the harmony as the music bounces on. Adam cranks a knob on the Psytar and
proceed."~You don't have to be afraid to put your
dream in action ~You're never gonna fade you'll be the main attraction~"
"~Not a fantasy~" Naomi wags her finger, "~Just remember me
~When it turns out right~" "~~'Cause you know that if you live
in your imagination~~" They harmonize again, "~~Tomorrow you'll be
everybody's fascination~~" "~In my victory ~Just remember me
~When I make it shiiiiiiine!~" Naomi's beautiful voice rings across the
hall. The rest of the family dances in their seats as they clap to the
beat. "~Reaching high~" Adam stands up from his stool, rocking
the Psytar as it lights up in response to his hands, "~Feeling low ~I'm
holding on but letting go "~I like to shineI'll shine for you~"
He says as he affectionately strokes Naomi's cheek, to which she giggles
and rubs his wrist before he lets go. "~And it's time to show
the world how~" Naomi reaches forward and dances as she sings, "~It's a
little bit closer ~As long as I'm ready to go ~All we have is right
nowAs long as you feel it inside you
knooOOWWW~!""~~You don't have to be afraid to put
your dream in action~~" They sing at the same time as they match their
footwork, "~~You're never gonna fade you'll be the main attraction ~Not a
fantasy ~Just remember me ~When it turns out right ~'Cause you know that if
you live in your imagination ~Tomorrow you'll be everybody's fascination~~"
"~In my victory~""~Just remember me~"
"~~When I make it shiiIIIInnne!~~"

The music goes into a short interlude as Adam dances with his daughter,
twirling her and switching places in movements before they go back to the
mics."~Everyone can tell you how it's all been said
and done~" Naomi sings.

"~OowhoaOh~!" "~That harder times will change your mind and

make you wanna run~""~But you want it~" Adam
chimes, "~And you need it~

"~~Like you need to breathe the air~~" "~If they doubt you
~Just believe it~"

"~~That's enough to get you theeeerrre~~"

Adam strums the electric instrument in a fast and hard swing to ring in a
shot of melodies, "~You don't have to be afraid to put your dream in action
~You're never gonna fade you'll be the main
attraction~""~Not a fantasy ~Just remember me ~When
it turns out right~" "~~'Cause you know that if you live in
your imagination ~Tomorrow you'll be everybody's fascination~~"
"~In my victory~"

"~Just remember me~"

"~When I make it SHIIIINNNE!~~" They finish off with a bang, and earn
applause from the others as well as a few local diners. Adam puts down the
Psytar and takes Naomi's hand, they raise their arms up and take a bow
before getting off stage, just as a few more patrons start to come in,
curious to do some karaoke too.

~~~

"Ok, so I don't want you two out all night," Adam says as Naomi and Jason
stand by Jamal's car, "Be back at the house by at least 11PM, no later. I'm
going to call you." He says with a stern
snap. "Dad, we're fine." Jason says.

"You've got classes and practice tomorrow, and Naomi we need to get you
back into school too, you have a whole year to catch up on."

"Papa, it's not like they save all my homework, I just had to leave their
records.""Give her a break, honey," Merrick says,
"Let her unwind."

"She's already 3 weeks late since school started, she's supposed to be a

Junior by now."

"At least all her friends are going to be Sophomores too, right? Take it
easy, babe." Merrick says with a smile, "You two go and have fun, ok?"

"Hahah, you're losing your edge, Pop." Jason smiled as he sets an alarm on
his phone."Don't get used to it, buddy." Merrick
pointed, "12 PM sharp, you and me need to spar at
practice.""Yessir.""Ok,
Jamal. They're in your hands." Adam says as he pats Jamal's shoulder.

"They're good, bud. Sasha can't wait to

see'em.""Have them back before midnight." Adam
tells him, "Remember, 11 O'clock."

"I know." He says as he gets in his car, along with their son and daughter.

"Bye Papa, bye Dad!" Naomi called out.

"See you later!" Jason says in turn as they drive off.

"Heheheh, you're kinda of a nag, you know that?" Merrick said as they turn
to go to their own car.

"What? Am I wrong? Jason needs to get up in the morning and Naomi needs to
be enrolled again.""They live in their own house
now, Adam. Jason's 19 now, and he's had the house all year to himself, and
it looks fine, doesn't it?"

"They're still teenagers, babe." Adam says, "I'm just glad we at least live
nearby." They enter into Adam's car. Adam inserts the key into the ignition
to bring the vehicle to life.

"Hey." Merrick says.

"Hm?" Adam turns to see Merrick looking at him. Merrick leans in, and
kisses Adam right on the mouth. Adam kisses back with a lush lap back to
him. Merrick smacks his lips with Adam before he nuzzled into Merrick's
cheek, his shallow beard pushing onto Merrick's bright gold stubble. "I
missed you..." Adam says as he rubs Merrick's cheek as their foreheads
touch.

"I missed you too... So much..." Merrick kisses Adam's lips again before
sitting back and putting on his seatbelt.

10 Minutes later, the car drives over by the Kele-Kolika Pier gate. They
drive into the underground parking structure for employees and into Adam's
parking space. They get out and walk into a door that leads to a hall,
passing by a partially open hall -- the right side is of a building built
into the reef and cliff, and the left side is a wide open space view of the
entire pier and ocean.

They soon spot a white cat with light orange ears, paws, and tail curled up
on a wide post. "Hey there, old boy." Merrick says as he comes to the
elderly cat.

Skyler looks drearily at him, "Rrraarrr." He meowed mid-yawn before shaking

his head. The feline nudged Merrick's hand before he gets up and arches
back while Merrick pets him.

"He's missed you too." Adam said with a smile as he strokes under the cat's
neck before they entered the door right next to Skyler's perch. The two
husbands walked downstairs until they came to their home door.

"What the??" Adam looks and sees the window of his door is gone, also
spotting a few shards lying on the floor next to the nautical statuettes
posted on the floor and around doors.

"What happened to the window??" Merrick asked. Adam goes and looks around.

"... Chloe." They both say.

"Why was she here?"

"I asked Rajani to drop something off here for us, and Chloe must have
found HER key rather than MY key." He says as he unlocks the door, "Fuck, I
thought she was supposed to show a better example to Tracy so they can keep
her, and she's busting my windows??"

"Honey, you own the docks, just call the repairman in the
morning.""That's not the point. She fisted through
my entrance, and it was against my will."

"PFFF, oh my God..." Merrick snickered as they entered into their

home. "... Do you smell something?" Merrick asked, feeling a weird vibe
inside his chest.

"No, not really." Adam answers. "Why?""Hm,

nothing..."

They go into their semi-underground house with a kitchen to the immediate

left, a coat closet to the immediate right and forward is the living room
with a vast wall of grid-gilded glass, giving the entire place a view of
the ocean from inside. "Wow... It's still weird to be back
here...""Well yeah, we only lived here for a month
before you and Naomi had to leave." Adam puts his arms around from behind
Merrick affectionately. "I gotta say... It was really lonely here..."

"Mnnhh..." Merrick felt on his hand Adam's.

"Heheh... Sometimes I stayed over at the house with Jason and slept on the
couch, and sometimes he had friends over for a slumber party." Merrick
snickered at that, "Or as he calls it, `hanging out'. I still acted like
one of those big and sugary mothers just to annoy the hell out of
him. `Jasey'~" He pitched his voice, "`I made some churros and cookies for
you and your buddies~!"

"God, you are so gay.""Hahahaha, hey, it's how I

got by. Heh..." "Were we really gone for so long?" Merrick
asked. Adam kissed his cheek and nuzzled him.

"Few months... Felt more like years..."

"Hmhmhm..." Merrick sniffs the air again. Something's making his heart
pound and feel a little tense, "Hun, I... There it is again. I smell
something odd.""You're just back in the nest,
sweetheart." Adam pats his arm before going to take off his jacket. Merrick
walks to the living room, smiling as he looks at the big glass wall... This
place used to be a sort of private headquarters for shop owners and other
managers on the docks. Then it was made into a tourist attraction, but it
was so small and the other managers were starting to feel claustrophobic,
so he and Adam eventually saved up enough money to repurpose and rebuild
this place into their own home, and officially moved in when Jason turned
18 years old so he and Naomi had the house to themselves.

Adam came back from behind and kisses Merrick's neck, "O-Ohh..." Merrick
moaned as his member tinged in his pants. Adam plants a line of thick
kisses along his neck, slowly and deliberately as he rubs his
sides. Merrick shudders as Adam's teeth grazes him a little before his
smooth wet lips pushed and lapped from it.

Adam reaches down and softly gropes Merrick's groin. His thick, roughed
hand presses and rubs onto Merrick's crotch as he kisses him. Merrick turns
around, and kisses Adam on the mouth as he starts to unbutton Adam's
shirt. When he reaches the fourth button, Merrick stops after he feels
something small and solid under the shirt. He opens it further, and grins
as he sees a metal ring bound with four thick black straps upon Adam's
hairy chest.

"Now when did you have time to put this on?" Merrick says as he grips the
middle.

"At some point during the past." Adam said with a grin as he backs up,
"Here, hang on..." Adam then takes his hands and gives a huff and a hard
grunt before he yanks his shirt on either side! "RRHhhh!" The shirt rips in
half before he throws right off and holds his very thick and muscular arms
up to show his black harness on his pecs and his round hairy gut.

"Mnnnhhhh, God..." Merrick hisses as he comes up and gnaws on his large

bear. Merrick rubs his hands onto Adam's back and tugging and yanking at
the leather belts across his torso. "I missed my Papa Bear so fucking
much..." Merrick growled as he hugs his sexy beast.

"Yuri and your son were chewing my ass off again, babe." Adam says as he
and Merrick kissed.

"Aww, Mommy Dearest giving my big bear self esteem issues?"

"Uh-huh." Adam nodded with a cute pout.

"Well don't lose a damn pound. Me and your daughter love our big ol Papa
Bear." Merrick says as he fondles Adam's sizable doughy belly.

"Mnnhh... Lemme see what you're smuggling..." Adam says with a grin as he
gets on his knees after inserting his fingers into Merrick's pants. He
clicked off the belt and button, and pulled them down, revealing a
pronounced boner contained in very soft and flexible purple underpants with
yellow stars around it. "Mnnnhh! Fuck, babe, I love you..." Adam says as he
goes in, and gives the side of the tent a
lick. "Hhhh..." Merrick swerved as he feels the
warm tongue brush and move on the side of his hard package. He takes a
moment to take off his own shirt, showing his nicely toned and muscular
body, with a light field of golden fuzz down the middle of his chest, abs,
and into the trimmed patch in his underpants. Merrick started to develop
bodily hair several years ago, and it's only served to make him more
alluring.

Adam gruffs as he encloses the round summit of Merrick's tent with his hot
wet lips, his tongue pushing around the wet head and the dab of pre on the
fabric. Merrick sighs and giggles as Adam noms on his underwear like a
playful deviant. Adam lets that cock flop out of Merrick's underpants, and
gives it a whole gulp.

"HOH!" Merrick staggers as he clutches Adam's head, "Hohh God!" Adam bobs
his head back and forth only for a few times to give that extra tease. He
would then sink his head down to deep-throat Merrick's member and push his
mouth onto Merrick's pubis while clutching at his butt. Merrick bites his
lower lip as he lightly thrusts forward into Adam's mouth.

He slides Merrick's shaft out with a wet pop before he jerks on Merrick's
meat while glancing up. "Hhmmmnnngghhh yeah..." Adam opens his mouth again
before he goes in to suck on him again. Adam looks up with those brown eyes
as his lips fold over and slide down Merrick's dong over and over, working
over Merrick's cock deliberately with his tongue, driving his foreskin down
and having the exposed glands rub against the roof of his mouth.
Adam gets up and starts to open his pants before he steps out
of them, showing he is wearing Merrick's favorite black leather and gold
jockstrap, that golden pouch holding Adam's very promising package.

"You take a pill yet?" Merrick asked as he gets close to him

again."Not yet." Adam answers.

"Good." Merrick nuzzles him lovingly, "I wanna make this last..."

"All night, my angel of the sea..." Adam says as he rubs his cheek with his
hand, "All night..." "Heheh, I'll go lock the doors
and turn off the breaker for the night." Merrick says before he goes off to
tend to that.

In the bathroom, Adam walks in, and takes the packet of Viagra and a few
fast-acting hormone and arousal pills. Adam's not as quick to rise as he
used to be, though Merrick's merman body is ALWAYS in complete and top
shape; he doesn't technically NEED these pills, but at his age, they do
help.

Adam takes a small blue diamond-shaped tablet and pops it into his mouth to
swallow it with water, before also taking the sexual performance pills for
that extra kick. He rolls his head around his shoulders to crack his neck a
little, before turning off the light and walking into the bedroom.

"I'm back, babe..." Merrick says before trailing off, picking up the
strange and familiar smell again, his insides suddenly taking up a sharp
tingle. He sees Adam, and... Several bouquets in vases on the nightstand
and drawers and a couple of the shelves, with Adam holding one of the
flowers in his teeth.

"Really?" Merrick crosses his arms, "Really? Tulips? You had tulips put in
here?"

"And around subtle parts of the house." Adam says with a smile.

"Heheheheh," Merrick comes over and hopped onto bed, crawling on and over
his chubby husband, "You fuckin bear... You know what those plants do to
me.""You bet your ass I do." Adam says as he almost
shoves a tulip into Merrick's nose. He scoffs and whacks the flower out of
his hand.

"Mnnnhh, like I need more motivation to do this..." Merrick hushed as he

grips the black leather collar Adam put on around his neck, and pulled him
into a kiss. Adam huffs and pushes his mouth against the other, before he
moves up and has Merrick fall onto his back on the
bed. Merrick opens his mouth as Adam goes down on
him again, "Mnhhh... Mnnhhh" His hands grab and yank slowly at Adam's
harness, his cock curling in complete erection in his underwear. He moans
more as he feels Adam's round full pouch push onto his rear, his lightly
fuzzy legs brushing against Adam's thicker and furrier legs. "Bite me
again..."Adam stops kissing and moves his head down
onto Merrick's shoulder. Adam kisses his neck and shoulder very thickly
with suction before his bites into his flesh, "Mnnnhhh!" Merrick whines as
he squirms under Adam's big, soft and round girth, his teeth and tongue
gnawing and sucking harshly onto Merrick's
neck. "Yeah, you like that..." Adam growls as he
licks where he bit Merrick. He licks along Merrick's neck, and sinks his
teeth into his neck, "Mnsshhhgghhh... You're fucking delicious..." Adam
whispers as he scraps his teeth along Merrick's neck and shoulder.

"Oh my gosh..." Merrick closes his eyes and whines as Adam slurps and noms
on Merrick, "Awwlll..." His dick gets harder as his big burly lover kisses
and chews on him, nuzzling and growling as he bites him in several places,
"O-Ow! Too hard!""Ah- sorry." Adam eases up. He
gets off of Merrick and stands on his knees, "How about you eat some of me,
huh?" Adam says as he grabs his bulge and bounces it up and down a few
times. Merrick gets up and crawls over to him, taking a moment to take off
his underwear, and eyeing the outlining penis-shaped lump in the
jockstrap. Just as Merrick nuzzled onto that round package, Adam takes the
back of Merrick's head and pushes his face into it. Merrick huffs as he
opens his mouth and meshes his lips barriered jaws into that pouch. "Mnnn,
that feels nice..."Adam lays on his side as Merrick
settles along as well as Merrick nudges and playfully mouths his package
while he rubs and strokes his own erect member. The sound of ripping could
be heard as Merrick separates the very strong Velcro boundary of the
waistband and the top of the jockstrap bulge to move it down, and let
Adam's thick, semi-soft cock flop down from its containment along with this
fat, hairy balls in his musky pubic patch.

"A-Ahhh!" Adam moves his head back as Merrick's mouth immediately goes to
his sac. His mouth feels so hot on his balls, "Hoohh God! Oh my God!" Adam
lays back as Merrick licks and laps his mouth and tongue on his testicles,
taking one nut into his mouth and letting it slide out as he licks onto the
underside of his bag. "Oh my God... Oh Christ, yes, babe, aahhllll, oh my
God," Adam's big round belly firms and softens as Merrick nurses and slurps
around Adam's vulnerable orbs.

Merrick licks and juggles with Adam's heavy orbs as his arm feels along his
muscular leg, before he moves to Adam's thickened cock. "Ohhhhhhhh yeah..."
Adam moans as he relaxes, his member having obtained 70%
hardness. Merrick's lips push around Adam's shaft as he slowly goes down,
"Oh my God, I missed this... Oh God I love you..." He groans as he shifts
on the bed. Merrick pushes Adam's legs apart as he goes in, breathing hard
through his nose as Adam's dick is taken into his
mouth. He bobs his head up and down on that cock as
Adam feels the tingle of the Viagra pills start to reach inside the core of
his penis. Adam squirms as Merrick's hands also go to his balls, holding
and grasping them firmly around the scrotum.

"Mnhhh, I thought you were going to dom me, honey." Merrick says with a
grin as he strokes Adam's hard meat.
"Heh heh, that was before you started giving me
head.""Mnnhhh, God, I love your cock..." Merrick
says as he goes down on Adam's meat again.

"Oh yeah, babe, ohhhh..." Adam whines as Merrick blows him for the first
time in so long. Merrick sucks his dick for 5 whole minutes before pulling
up, and crawling around Adam. Adam turns after Merrick grabs and yanks his
harness to the side. Adam holds the back of Merrick's head as he digs his
maw onto the other. Merrick groans as he hugs and gropes around Adam's body
as he tastes his penis-flavored mouth.

Adam growls as he rolls up and mounts on top of Merrick, feeling his

husband's 6-inch dick push into his meaty fuzzy buttcheeks, while Adam's
moistened balls and dick push and roll onto Merrick's abdomen. Merrick
moans as his muscular and chubby man grabs his head with both hands and
really digs his tongue into his mouth, with his fingers digging into his
blonde hair and his thumbs pressing right next to his ears.

"Mnngghhh," Merrick squirms as he takes the very deep and hard kiss, his
muscles twitching as he feels Adam's power over him, the harsh love he's
putting into him, "Hhhyeeahh..." Merrick whispers after breaking the kiss,
"Dom me like this... I waited so fucking long..." Adam kisses him again,
and then lick up his neck before getting up on his knees. "Go
ahead and turn over. Lemme see that sweet ass." Adam tells him.

"Mm, yessir..." Merrick says teasingly before he turns around on the bed,
lying on his front and curving his back to show his bottom.

"Oh fuck yes." Adam says as he looks at Merrick's beautiful bubble

butt. Merrick moans and tenses with anticipation as he feels both mounds
slowly grabbed and gripped. His body pushes and arches against the bed as
those rough fingers dug and kneaded into his tender buns. Merrick bites the
pillow as he feels his pucker framed around by Adam's strong
thumbs. "FfffGodddd..." Adam growls as he massages Merrick's rump.

"HHH! Hohh!" Merrick jumps and moans as he feels a sudden wet lick press up
his taint, "Oh God, Adam, ohh," Merrick whines and moans as his pink hole
is licked while his crevice feels the brush of Adam's beard. Adam's hands
hold onto his husband's hips as he nods his head into Merrick's ass and
slurps around and onto his clean rosebud. "Oh my God, that feels so good,
ahhh~"

"Oh God, yes..." Merrick moans into the pillow, his knees pressing against
the bed as Adam savors and slurps on his anus, while stroking himself as
Adam starts to push a thumb into Merrick's hole, "Mnnhhhh..." He groans
more as Adam starts to lick and suck on his balls, his lips roaming and
swallowing one into his mouth, and the other one.

"Gaw you have a sweet ass," Adam huffs as he presses his mouth into
Merrick's business end again, massaging his lips against Merrick's pucker
and pushing his tongue in circles around his ring. Adam's hand rubs his own
cock as he eats Merrick's butt, licking along his smooth flesh and giving a
love bite across a cheek before bathing his tongue upon his buns again.
Adam slobbers his tongue up and down Merrick's flawless anus,
spreading his saliva up and down his crevice, ducking in and laying a kiss
and a slurp to Merrick's dangling ballsac. "A-Ahh~" Merrick moans as his
cock continues to ooze precum almost like a faucet as Adam glomps and
slurps around those loose nuts before his hot tongue roams back along his
rear area and up his crack up again.

"Ohhhh... Awwhhh..." Merrick moans as he rubs himself slowly on the bed,

right before a sudden hard boom exploded on his right buttcheek! "AAHH!"

"Hmmggghhh yeah...!" Adam growled greedily before he moves his hand back
up.

SPANK!!

"Ahhh!" Merrick jumps as he writhes on the covers, SLAP! "NHHhh..." SMACK!

"OHHhh God~!"

"FFfffuck yeah." Adam digs his hands onto Merrick's pink buns before giving
him another spanking!

"AHHhh!" Merrick moans out as his ass stings with Adam's hand. SPANK! SLAP!
BAM! SPANK! SMACK! SPANK! "Ohhh! Ohhh!" SPANK! SLAP!

"Haannhhhhh," Adam goes in and digs his face into Merrick's hot crack
again. Merrick clutches onto the headboard as Adam eats him out between
Merrick's hot cheeks. Merrick moans openly as Adam shakes his head into
grinding his jaws against that Merrick's
taint. SPANK! SLAP!"Uhh!
Nnnhhh..." Merrick's dick gushes with pre as Adam's mouth burrows harshly
into his wet asshole, those lips and thick beard brushing into his anus or
else that tongue jams down upon his tight sphincter.

Eventually, Merrick is turning on his back, masturbating as Adam places his

legs over his shoulders and digs into his lower parts. Merrick takes deep,
hot breaths as Adam licks and smooches his privates, even slapping his dick
playfully onto Adam's mouth, prompting him to give it a few firm licks and
kissing and suckling the underside of his cock, sliding his mouth up and
down upon it.

Merrick reaches around, and passes the lube to Adam, who then scoots up to
his knees and strokes his cock as he turns the lube upside down to dribble
the slick all over his manhood. "Ooh! Ghghg, ahah, fuck that's cold." He
chuckles as he rubs the lube all around his dick.

"Mnnhh put it in me." Merrick says as he continues to jerk off as Adam

picks up his legs. Merrick scoots downward as Adam hunches downward,
putting his dick into Merrick's hot rear. He feels for the hidden entrance
until he guides the head of his cock to that hidden ring, smearing access
lube around the area as well before holds onto the bed.

"Ok..." Adam says before he started to push.

"... A-Ahhhh!" Merrick clenches his eyes as he feels himself forced open by
the intruding meat. He hisses as he tucks one of his arms under his legs
and holds his rear open to give Adam more room.

"Oh, hoh, hoh, oh," Adam huffs as he slides himself into Merrick's ass, "Oh
my God, nhhh!" He adjusts and push even further.

"Hoooly fuck, oh my God," Merrick clenches his teeth as he sees his pudgy
lover push into him. Merrick holds both his legs up and back as Adam
lurches forward.
"NHHF! UH yeah..." Adam groans as his cock is embraced all around by the
hot, tight, and wet squeeze, almost sucking his member into the
hole. "Uh yeah, give it to me! Mmff! Uh yeah~!"
Merrick moans as Adam begins to push and pull into Merrick's anus,
"Mnngghh! Ohhh! Ahhh~!" Merrick moans out as Adam shoves his cock
balls-deep into him, that man-meat feeling like a solid fat rock by now.

"Hoh fuck, yeah, hnnhh!" Adam digs his knees into the bed as he grabs onto
the bed's backboard, and uses his muscles to thrust into Merrick's ass,
"Open up wide, babe, fuck!"

"Ahhhh!" Merrick grunts and huffs harshly as he feels his ass spread wide
from Adam's intruding and pummeling pole, feeling that big hot brush push
into his tender lower area every time Adam pushes deep into him again "Oh
God, oh God, oh yes, I need it, I need it,
Adam!""Fuck yes you do, boy." Adam growled as his
hands suddenly pins Merrick's shoulders down hard. Merrick opens his mouth
to exclaim, but Adam locks his jaw with the other. Merrick's toes clench as
he moans loudly into Adam's mouth, his chubby hubby's dick forcing into his
ass again and again, rocking the mattress is in a rhythmic bounce motion
over and over again.

"Hhhh," Adam huffs as he tucks low, putting his very strong arms under and
around Merrick. "A-Ahhnnn..." Merrick puts his arms
around Adam's body, his hands grabbing for Adam's harness, as if to brace
himself, right before that cock started to work into him like a jackhammer
into his hole. Merrick closes his eyes again as his brow furrows harshly,
"OHH! OHH! OHH! OHH!" He moans out as Adam's quick humps hurt and pleasured
him at the same time, his ankles grappling at Adam's thick waist as Adam
fucks him in this very close low-down
pose. "Haaannnhhh," Adam licks along Merrick's neck
and ear, his dick curving with sheer arousal as he pummels into Merrick's
tight and hot asshole with his raging member racing over Merrick's
prostate.

"OoOOooOOooHHhhHHhhHHhhHHhh!" Merrick's voice jumps while his body is

banged and bounced under his husband for several minutes, whining and
clinging onto him as his cock pushes and rubs against Adam's gut.

"Mnn, ride me... I'm close..." Adam whispers hotly into Merrick's ear
before he pulls out shortly after. Merrick pants as he climbs away before
Adam switches places with him, sitting on his backside and stroking more
lube onto his cock. Merrick squats and hovers over his sweaty and hairy
lover.

"Uhhnnnhh..." Merrick rubs his anus into Adam's dick deftly in the process
of connecting the head to his abused sphincter, before slowly lowering
himself to crown Adam's meat with his tunnel, "... A-Ahhhooooh!"
"Huuhhhhyeah, babe, yeah," Adam says as Merrick sits on that
cock, grabbing onto Merrick's hips.

"AHHH!" Merrick's body arches as Adam's lap shoved up into him, "Ahhh,
aahh, ahhh," Merrick moans as Adam slides his cock up and down into Merrick
as he grinds his naked ass into Adam's burly lap, "Oh Adam, A-Adam,
AAAAhhhdam~!" Merrick moans out as he undulates himself on him.

"You're so fucking hot, Merrick." Adam growls as Merrick's hands dig and
squeeze into Adam's plump pecs.
"Use me, babe, use my ass, use it so hard," Merrick moans like a slut as he
feels Adam's very strong hands actually move his hips up and down to force
his rump to swallow his cock, "Oh my God, yes, yes~!" Merrick's hands grip
harder as his head lops back as Adam's log hits him very deep inside,
"OHHHhhh!" "Oh fuck, choke my cock, choke my cock," Adam says
as he grimaces after Merrick's ass squeezes and tugs harshly around Adam's
throbbing tool, "NNHH! Uh yeah, yes, that's it, yeah, yeah, yeah," He huffs
as he grooves and thrusts his dick inside of Merrick as his merman flexes
and clenches his buttcheeks while it's lodged with Adam's meat. "Ah- No
wait, stop stop stop!"

"What?"

"I'm close, I'm really really close," Adam says as he huffs harshly.

"So?" Merrick grinned, "We have all night." He then begins to ride Adam's
cock persistently. "UNNH, fffffuck!" Adam clenches his eyes
and leans his back as Merrick's hot tunnel milks his dick systematically,
"Merrick, nnno... Fffffuck!" It feels so good, but if he cums now? It's
going to be at least an hour before he can go again, "M-Merrick! U-Unhh
Merrick!" His hands grip onto Merrick's legs tighter as his toes
curl. Merrick moans as he fucks himself deeply with Adam's member,
sadistically loving how he's making his man squirm with pleasure, with his
own cock throbbing with lust as he jerks it off.

"Fuck, ffffuuuuucccck!" Adam moans as his head thrashes a bit on the pillow
as his round belly firms up as his balls and cock feels that familiar sting
of bliss, "AWWW!" He yelps out as he suddenly explodes inside of Merrick!
"HohhhH! AwwWWHH! Ohhh!" His hips buck up and jerk uncontrollably as his
member gushes with his hot sperm inside of Merrick.

"Uhh yeah, cum in me, babe~! Uhhh yeah!" Merrick moans as his own member
feels that very nice rush from the very warm eruption injecting inside him,
"Oh fuck, oh my God!" His hand gets a lot faster as he masturbates; feeling
Adam cream inside his anus is a sensation he has forgotten all about, and
it's a huge turn on, "Oh God oh God oh God," Merrick leans and rubs his
dick against Adam's round tummy as he pleasures himself, "Oh fuck, I'm
gonna cum, I'm gonna cum!" Merrick moans out.

"Gnnhh fuck my mouth, come here," Adam pulled at Merrick's hips to prompt
him to get up, letting Adam's perpetually erect dick slide out of his
ass. Merrick climbed and crawled unto Adam's chest before he points his rod
at his lover's mouth. With Merrick straddled onto Adam's upper torso, Adam
opens his mouth and takes in Merrick's throbbing member

"Mnnhhh, yeah, oh yeah, right there, right there, honey." Merrick whines as
he wiggles his pelvis back and forth to make his penis slurp and side
around in Adam's mouth, "Huhhh, huhhh, huhhh," He moans as he holds onto
the bed post while his climax elevates from the all-round soaked velvet
embrace. "Oh my God, a-ahhh!" He didn't even get to a full minute when his
shaft started to convulse as it spewed out his own white elixir, "Oh my
God, oh Adam, oh my God," Adam chokes a bit before he tastes a sudden burst
of Merrick's punk. He lets that clock out, only to get a small facial from
another splurt of splooge, before anther fat glob jumped onto Adam's cheek.

Merrick pants as he settles his whole weight on top of Adam, his cock still
gushing off particularly thick loads beside Adam's head on the pillow. "Oh
gah... Holy fffuck, awwlll," Merrick holds onto Adam's shoulders after Adam
lets go of him, "Ffffuck," Merrick goes in and gives Adam a rather sloppy
kiss.

Adam huffs through his nose as he kisses Merrick back, propping one of his
legs up as Merrick lays himself on top of him, Adam feeling partially spent
while Merrick is still macking on him as if he is as horny as a frat
brother.

"Mnnhhhh," Merrick grins as he grips Adam's manhood, which is still rigid

and erect, "Heh heh heh, you're still hard, hah,"

"Yeah, Viagra." Adam nods as he pants, "I'm gonna need a minute,

babe.""Sorry, no." Merrick says as he sits once
again on top of his pot-bellied human, "We still have almost 14 months
worth of sex to catch up on.""Hahaha, ok, but it's
going to be a while before my shuttle's reloaded." Adam says before he
shoves Merrick off, and rolled over so he's on top of Merrick this time,
sitting his manly rump on his lap, "We also have way too much foreplay to
get through with.""Hehehehe, then what are you
waiting for?"

"No clue, babe." He banters before he scoots to the side and turns Merrick
over. "I'm just going to have some fun before the ammo gets here." Adam
says as he hotdogs Merrick's wet buns, his hard but tender penis rubbing
into his own spunk as he humps against Merrick's behind. Despite his age
and need for sexual supplements, his physical energy is still as active and
useful as he was when they were young, thanks to his bond and sharing of
vitality with Merrick, along with keeping up with his vitamins.

Adam moves his head in and starts licking and slurping on Merrick's neck,
"AHHH! Hehehehe!" Merrick laughs and giggles as Adam tickles and teases
him, essentially pinned down under Adam as him as Adam digs his arms under
Merrick's chest and playfully kisses Merrick all around the back and sides
of his neck.

"Ok, I wanna naked wrestle now," Merrick laughs, "We have any oil?"

"Oh lots." Adam says as he gets off, his dick bouncing slightly in its
induced state as he gets up, while Merrick's penis flops casually in its
semi-hard state, "I'll go get it, you get the beach towels."

---The Next Morning---

Merrick smiles as he stirs awake, inhaling deeply as he stretches and looks

towards the enormous glass wall. The sun illuminates the aqua-colored sea
beautifully from here. He can see fish of several kinds swim around the
reef and across the view.

Speaking of wonderful views, where's Adam? He's not in bed.

"Good morning, sleepyhead~" Says Adam as he comes in. Merrick looks and
giggles as he sees Adam wearing nothing but his apron, carrying a tray of
breakfast with a very small glass vase with a pink rose.

"Mmmhh, morning honey." Merrick replies sleepily as he scoots up. Adam

leans down and kisses Merrick's lips a few times.

"I made your favorite." Adam says as he serves breakfast in bed; three
blueberry muffins and several strips of bacon and toast.

"Mmm, excellent." Merrick smiles as he sits up and takes one of the

homemade muffins, "Ooh still hot~""Fresh out of the
oven." Adam smiles as he gets into bed with his husband. Merrick pulls one
apart to unleash the tangy steam from the yellow and purple bread before
taking a bite."Mmmm!" He rolls his eyes up as the
flavor lands right on target, "Oh God, these are so
moist.""That's not the only thing hot and
moist... Oh God."

"Seriously, babe?" Merrick snickered.

"Lemme try again, you're sexy and I love you."

"Mmm, I love you too." They kissed before Adam snuggles up to Merrick's
side, still wearing the apron and otherwise nude. "Mnnhhhh, you were so on
last night.""So were you," Adam says cutely before
kissing his husband's cheek.

"Mnnn, my ass is freaking sore.""Heh heh, and my

legs are a bit worse for wear. God it was fun though... Most fun I've had
all year."

"Mhmhmhmh," Merrick chuckles as he eats, "So how has it been all

year?""Hmmmnnnn..." Adam leaned back,
"Lonely. Jason basically put all his focus at work, school, and practice. I
mean, he practically been all alone in the house, except the occasional
sleep-over."

"Oh...""He really missed you guys." Adam mumbled,

"He and Naomi were so excited to have gotten the house too... Reminded me a
lot about how I was when we were his age. I remember being so worried and
scared whenever you had to go back to your pod and wait like 6 months at a
time. Poor kid was depressed half the time.""In
that case, I'm impressed that he managed to get 2nd place in Kendo
Internationals."

"He's going to try again this year, you know. Yuri's good, but she couldn't
always spar with him -- she doesn't have the physical vitality that you do,
and she has a schedule. If you train with him for next year, he'll probably
win."

"And that's exactly what I'm going to do." Merrick smiled, "Today I'm going
to get back to work and train him hard.""Hmhmhm,"
Adam nuzzled and kissed Merrick's cheek. Merrick's daughter cannot learn
combat like Kaiken taught him; Naomi's not a fighting type, it's not in her
nature. But with Jason, he's been able to teach him so much.

"Last time, he and I were just starting to begin how to fight underwater."
Merrick says as he finishes the bacon, and started on the second muffin,
"I'm going to have to start all over, don't I?"

"Yeah. It's not like he has anyone to teach him

otherwise.""So is he really going out with Tracy?
How did Chloe take it?""Haha, not exactly. I mean,
they fooled around once or twice-""Wait, they did?
How do YOU know?"
"I accidentally walked in on them." Adam snickered, "Not sure if Chloe has
any clue about it, but Rajani knows they have an off-on-again thing." He
says, in reference to Chloe and Rajani's foster child. "Oh my
God, hahaha.""What about Naomi? Did she have a
thing for any mermaids or mermen?""A couple caught
her eye, but nothing went past that. I'm... Still not sure what romance
will be like for her."

"You mean the Red Moon?""Yeah... I mean, if she's

partially human, can she fall in love with somebody, or does she need the
Red Moon to find her the one person she can be
with.""You knoe, I asked Atarah about that while
you two were gone. She wasn't so sure either, but her best hypothesis is
that it's a 50/50 chance with Naomi. Supposedly, she can fall in love with
anyone, and a Red Moon will probably just seal the
deal."Merrick paused as he hears this, "... That's
actually a good way to see it." Merrick finished his muffin and drained his
orange juice, "Mmmh... As much as Naomi was complaining all year, I did
miss processed food a lot too."

"Oh yeah, so... What happened while you were in Atlantis?" Adam asked, "Did
anyone find out about Naomi? That she's
different?""Any Noita worth her salt can easily
tell instantly." Merrick says while eating the muffins, "For the most part,
no one really took much
notice... Mostly.""Uh-oh.""Yeah. Some
merfolk were intrigued, others didn't really care. But there was
prejudice... They even tried to force her to leave on
occasion.""What??""Mm
yeah. Despite the fact that the Disciples told them over again that she's
fine, they still wanted her gone. A few times I had to challenge up a duel
to get them to back off."

"What about your family? What did they think?""Oh

they loved her." Merrick smiled, "They were surprised to see me with my own
child, and she looks just like Mother.""What about
your Dad? What'd he have to say?" Adam asked. Merrick stops mid-bite,
before setting the food down. "Oh... He didn't take it well?"

"He died." Adam blinked a little wider from that, "Oh my God,
he is?""Yeah... It happened way before we got to
Atlantis. He was old, and the pod was attacked by a huge ray. They made it,
but his body gave out on him..." Merrick pushes the tray aside and onto the
nightstand, "I'd rather not talk about it
anymore.""Ok, honey." Adam says, "Com'mere." He
says as he scoots and Merrick cuddled next to him. They kissed one another
slowly, lapping slowly over their lips. One rolled his lower jaw up and
into the other while the other's tongue delved into the other before
sliding out of the other and pushed into the other mouth. "Mmrrnn," Adam
slurped his mouth as he grinned, "Now you're starting to wake ME
up.""Mnn, oh really." Merrick says as he moves
Adam's apron up to expose his hairy undercarriage and his furry belly. He
slipped around and up to sit on Adam's goods. Adam grins wider as he feels
Merrick gently grind his tender and very soft area against his thick
bush."Mnnnnyeah..." Adam whispers as Merrick lowers
back down, laying onto Adam's big tummy like it's his most favorite
pillow. Adam's hand rubs and strokes along Merrick's back as he sensually
woos him.
"Mmnnnhhhh... My big Papa Bear..." Merrick mutters as he cuddles Adam
close.

"Hehehehe," He giggled, "My Forbidden Prince." He muttered back. His hand

ventures to Merrick's butt as he gropes and rubs one of those
cheeks. "Nnnnhhh, I want to spend all day naked
with you.""Hhhhhh... Me too, babe... Me too..."
Adam says as Merrick settles on top of him, his head resting on Adam's
apron-framed fuzzy chest.

"Can't we just stay home all day? I don't wanna go anywhere..."

"I wish we could, honey, I wish we could." He rubs Merrick's back up and
down, "But Naomi needs to go back to school, and you need to talk to your
boss about getting back to
work.""Hhhhhnnnngggghhh." Merrick grumbled as he
pushes his head into Adam's manly bosom.

"I know, babe. We can reserve a weekend at Girasol Springs as soon as we

can, but for now we've got things to do."

"Mnnnhhhh!" Merrick growled stubbornly."Hah hah

hah, come on, we need to get started.""Noooooooo,"
Merrick says as he lets Adam up, but lets himself slump over lazily.

"Come on, honey, get up." Adam says with a smile as he pulls Merrick's
ankles, "Get up, you're worse than your son."

~~~

"I haven't been early all year, I finally got to hang out." Jason says as
he and Merrick walk into the dojo, both of them wearing seishin robes --
the difference being Jason wearing a white one with a black belt, with
Merrick wearing a royal blue one with the white kanji for `moon' printed on
the back of his and wearing a white belt with black tips, as well as
Merrick's seishin top being longer so it reaches a little past his knees.

"Yeah. I hope you had fun catching up on sleeping, cause I'm back and so is
your preemptive practice." Merrick tells him as they set their duffels
down. Merrick's room is more ocean-themed than the other dojo rooms, having
wall-scrolls depicting either koi fish and lily pads or else ocean waves or
other various water mythical creatures, aside the merfolk and seabed
décor around, "Glad they haven't changed my room at all at least."

"Yeah, I- Wait, Pop, why'd you bring THAT?" Jason asked as Merrick takes
out his trident -- formerly a harpoon, it's now a polished wood with
synthesized stone-based metal of the ornate and symmetrical 3-pronged top
and the elongated diamond-shaped spear bottom as he clicked the two pieces
together.

"Well why not?" Merrick asked, as if it's completely normal to include a

trident in a Mixed Martial Arts dojo, "It's my weapon of choice by
birthright, it'd be inappropriate not to have
it.""But you never had it before, Pop. People'll
think it's weird!""You make a very good point. Good
thing I'm not actually people." Merrick said with a smirk.
"But are you going to teach the others how to use a trident??"
"Of course not! They're not Tritons. If they want a trident, get their
own.""Then why bring it??"

"Because I am and I have a trident.""Pop, I- Ugh,

we're just going around in circles." Jason rubs the corners of his eyes
under his glasses.

"I already cleared it with Kahuna Hokulani, and she understands -- she's
actually intrigued with the concept of learning and teaching combat with
weapons with a hook-appendage, like a Keyblade or a harpoon. Or otherwise
using a kind of weapon that can pin down an opponent."

"Ok, so are you going to explain that to the other students?"

"Naw, I'm just gonna let them guess." Merrick said with a snicker as he
spins his trident a few times while Jason gets his Kendo sword out,
"Alright, now show me why you got the silver at
Internationals.""Yessir..." Jason says after he
puts on his protective goggles and equipped the required practice pads,
while Merrick is just wearing his blue uniform.

"Now."Merrick dashes forward, flying with only a

few steps touching the floor, right before he was right in front of his
son. Jason's weapon appears in front to block the trident's shaft. Merrick
whirled around and swung his trident, only to get blocked by the sword
again. Merrick deals a fast barrage of strikes against the practice sword
for a couple of minutes.

"What's wrong, old man?" Jason jeered playfully through his helmet,
"Rusty?"

"I'm a fish, kid. Testing the waters is what I'm supposed to do." Merrick
replies right before his trident whips around and strikes Jason's sword
down harshly.

"Ah!" Jason swerves away before Merrick lunges and spins a kick towards him
before the sharp end of the trident's bottom sends up an uppercut, before
he turns and launches his palm forward, which is hit aside by Jason's
sword, "H-Hey! Whoa! Slow down! That's sharp!""You
think MY Father would've let me ask him to slow down?!" Merrick replies as
he grapples the sword off of Jason's hands, and forced him down with his
hand.

"Ow!" Jason topples back, before Merrick flips the rounded weapon with his
trident, and offered the handle to the teen. Jason grabs it and gets up.

"Again." Merrick instructed. Immediately, Jason knocks Merrick away with

his arm, and the sword flips back before being swiped up towards his
parent, "Not fast enough! I'm not feeling your strength!" Merrick almost
yells as he fights with Jason again. Jason's eyes transfix on the trident's
hook-like function as Merrick prepares to make a grapple at him again. This
time, Merrick's trident swings down towards Jason's armored ankles.

Jason feels the weapon pull his balance away and he falls to the floor. His
arm takes the brunt of the fall before his foot plants onto the floor. He
maneuvers himself around and strikes out Merrick's
foot!"AH!" Merrick knocks down, and rolls with the
tumble, just as Jason whips around, and hits the trident, with the sword
pointed at Merrick's face/throat, panting. "Now where the hell was that if
you only won the silver?"

"It was only Kendo." Jason panted, "I can't exactly get away with moves
like that. There's only so much I-" Before he can finish his sentence,
Merrick knocks the sword down, and grabs for Jason, "Ah! HEY!" Jason guides
Merrick's arm aside and turned, yanking the trident back to make Merrick
stagger back. Their backs touch as they whirl around, Jason tumbling and
rolling to get his weapon, while Merrick throws a hard foam dagger-like
blade at him, "WHOA!" He blocks it off, but Merrick is already hooking onto
his wrist with the trident, and making him stagger forward and landing on
his side."Pop! I wasn't ready!" The trident then
points at Jason's face."You'll have to forgive
me. In the sea, there's no such thing as `ready'." Merrick tells him with
that superior smirk, "There's only `if' and `when', and this isn't just-"
In an unexpected move, Jason yanks the trident, forcing Merrick to jerk
forward, before Jason lands a hard jab of an open hand onto Merrick's
chest, and forces him down and pins him down with his other hand pinning
Merrick's left wrist down. "GHH!"

"IF you talk too much, Pop, I'll get you WHEN you least expect it." Jason
gloated.

"Now you're getting it." Merrick consented, "Bear in mind though, the first
time I got the upper hand on your Grandfather, he came at me even harder on
the next sparing session."

"Yeah yeah, I know, `don't get cocky'." Jason says as he lets Merrick go
and gets up, "Are you going to say you were going easy on me this time,
Pop?"

"I was." Merrick picks up his trident, "It's been over a year, and I can
see your Kendo has gotten a little sloppy, but your other moves have been
maintained. I want you to talk to Kahuna Hokulani for more Kendo practice
with Rissun Sensei and only pick one other
course.""Just Kendo?? What if I want to compete
with a different MMA?""Well, that's something
you're going to have to discuss with either yourself or Hokulani." Merrick
tells him.

"Ok, but for now, can I just take your class

today?""Of course, Son, not a problem." Merrick
smiled as he and Jason gripped each other's forearms and pulled into a hug,
"I missed you, buddy.""I missed you too, Pop, I
missed this... Mom's not as flexible at this as you are..." He said in the
hug.

"Heh, well." Merrick backed up and walked to his seat, the clock reading
that it's just about time for class, "Yuri only knows a handful of rules. I
only know how to get by, really." He says as he watches Jason take off his
Kendo equipment, take his staff-like weapon for this class and stood up
front with Merrick, and watch as the door opens and several students filing
in, all wearing lighter or alternate shades and tints of blue, aqua, or
cyan seishins. Most of the students are in their late-teens and young
adults. Two other people wearing black belts and white seishins walk up to
the front and line up, each of them, like Jason, are holding padded staff
weapons.

"Alright, good to see the pod back." Merrick says as he gets up, "Half of
you I know, a few I don't recognize. For those of you who are new, my name
is Merrick, but as the master, you will address me as `Triton Merrick'. I
specialize in a different and stylized form of combat that's come to be
known as Kaiyojira... Which literally translates to: A word I just made up
for the sake a names." A few people chuckle quietly.

"My style is based on the philosophy and respect and the wonders for the
ocean. Unlike most martial arts, such as Jujutsu, Aikido, or Karate,
Kaiyojira doesn't have any specific stone-set rules or too many statements
of etiquette. For the most part, fighting as I do establishes your own
creativity as I teach you about adaptability, honor, your sense of conduct
on how you fight. In other words, Kaiyojira can loosely mean to fight in
improv. But let me be clear: That does NOT justify the principal of `doing
whatever it takes to win'. My style is meant to inspire you to prevail, not
win. Cheap shots or cheating will not be tolerated, because this also isn't
about finding your opponent's weakspot -- that much is just a bonus if
you're lucky."

"Now, for the most part, I specialize in fighting with a staff or spear,
allowing for throwing and my personalized combatant movements. However,
until recently, from now on, I will always be using my trident here,"
Merrick says as he picks it up, "It's... Well, suffice it to say, it's a
part of my very deep heritage. Just so you know, I wanted to go ahead and
clear that up for my son's benefit, because he thought I would look weird
walking around with a big fancy fork." Merrick says as he slaps Jason's
shoulder, making a few of the students chuckle.

"Alright, Theron Jason, Theron Quinn, Theron Eric, lets get started."
Merrick says as he indicates for them, "We're going to get going with a few
warm-ups."

This building is known as the Ring of Ke-Kaua: Institution of Mixed Martial

Arts. A very diverse establishment where many styles of combat and
practices of different cultures are taught, each having one or a few
masters or teachers. Being the only one who teaches the relatively
enigmatic Kaiyojira, Merrick exclusively dubs his top title as `Triton',
with Jason having just reached the title himself several years ago, with
lower advanced students being called `Therons', in secret reference to
`Theros'.

Jason takes his padded sword and hard sheath and selects a student to spare
with him.

---8 Years Ago---

Adam huffs as he parks the car in front of the school, feeling rather
nervous about this. "Shit, it's almost like déj� vu..." He says
as he and Merrick climb out.

"I'm not worried so much as ready to throw down." Merrick tells him as they
lock their vehicle.

"Easy, Merrick. This is a school, not an

arena.""We'll see about that." He frowns as they
enter. They head straight for the principal's office, where they see two
little boys seated opposite of each other under the supervision of a
teacher. Jason turned and looked up as he sees his dads enter.
"D-Dad, Pop,""It's ok, calm down little buddy."
Adam says as he pats his shoulder.

"We'll get to the bottom of this." Merrick tells him.

"Pop, I swear, I didn't start it!" Jason hastily said, "I'm sorry, Pop, I-"

"Shh shh, hey, calm down, it's alright, it's alright." Adam hushes.

"Save the apologies for AFTER we sort this out, Son." Merrick states with
his strict but reasonable leer.

"Ah, you must be the Bryants." Says a man behind them. They turn to see a
balding man with a field of short and prickly beard of pepper grey, and
along with a woman with curled brown hair and wearing office attire coming
into the office, "My name is Hank, this is my wife Moira, we're Tommy's
parents." He introduces."Right. I'm Adam." Adam
shakes his head for formality, "This is
Merrick.""Now look. Before anything, I want to just
start off by saying I'm willing to listen." Hank says as he keeps his hands
open, "I have nothing against you or anyone else from the rainbow flag or-"

"Yeah, that's fine." Adam says, "No need to bring that up, sir. We're here
because we were called about our kids.""There has
been a lot of words against his, and we're ready to have it sorted." Moira
says.

"For the record, I apologize in advance if my attitude gets abrasive."

Merrick says as he leers at them, "In all honesty, I am very
temperamental."

"Hello?" Says the principal as she looks in; a
tweed suit and brass-rimmed glasses. "Everyone
started." They all walk into the office, where
provided. Hank, Moira, and little Tommy take a
Merrick, and Jason take the three on the other
two parents, "Hold a moment, we're missing
someone.""No, we're all here." Merrick says,
already knowing what she's going to say.
mid-aged woman with a maroon
here? Alright, lets get
7 seats have been
seat between them, and Adam,
side with him between his

"Will Jason's mother not be coming then?""We are

his parents." Adam tells her, "I hope that's not a problem."

"I see. We'll begin then." The principal says, "Mr and Mr Bryant, I am
sorry to say this is yet another incident that your son has been
instigating-"

"Our son isn't instigating anything." Merrick says firmly.

"Merrick..." Adam mutters firmly.

"Please let me finish." She tells him, "As you well know, your son has been
fighting on multiple occasions, and I decided that we need to make a few
calls on this."

"And when did you decide to take this seriously?" Merrick asked.

"When... Today, Thomas and Jason were in a fight, and Thomas was bleeding
from the nose."

"Mrs Gyner, I agree this has been happening too many times to count," Adam
says, "But as Merrick says, you should have brought this to order to begin
with.""I assumed you would have heard his version
of what happened from him.""And more importantly,"
Merrick says as he leans and turns to the other two parents, "I want to
know just how and why your son learned the kind of words I've been hearing
from this."

"We've heard a few things, Tommy has told us a few things." Hank says, "And
I assure you, none of the things that are
being...""Implied." Moira says after a second of
her husband trying to find the right word.

"Implied. And-"

"Don't try and walk around the topic." Merrick says as he glares at them
from his seat, "And don't even-"

"Hang on, I think what Merrick means to say," Adam says, "Is that if Tommy
didn't hear these things from you, then he might have heard it from the
other kids, or even from their parents. But Tommy has been the one
provoking Jason.""If there has been any harassment,
Jason has been instructed to let the nearest teacher know, Mr Bryant" Mrs
Gyner tells him.

"I realize that, but-"

"That doesn't work." Merrick tells him, "If the teachers were able to put a
stop to this, we wouldn't be having this
conversation.""Mr Bryant, please," Mrs Gyner says,
"We're-"

"No. I'm cutting to the middle of this. Right now." Merrick says as the
tension grows, "Several of these kids have been throwing around some very
nasty words around, and this kid here is making the most
noise.""Hold on, hold on." Mrs Gyner says as she
holds up her hands, "What things?? What are you talking
about?""You really don't know?" Merrick asked,
"Your own school, your system, your students getting into trouble, and
you're just clueless?""Alright, I'll step up..."
Hank says with a huff, "Couple of times... When I'm having the guys over, I
tend to make a few jokes, about everyone, and... I probably said a few
things about Jason's dads that Tommy may have
overheard...""Oh, so this is about... You
two?""Jason's gay dads, yes." Merrick said sharply,
"Don't tell me this is the first you're hearing about something like
this. Jason isn't the only kid in school with gay parents."

"Wait, so what are these words the kids have been saying?"

"Hhh..." Hank huffs as he gathers up the petty courage. Adam rolls his eyes
as his arms crossed.

"Fudge-Packer. Flamers." Adam says with an agitated tone,

"Ass-Pirates. Molesters. Cock Suckers. Oh, and a new one, Petri-Dick."

"Mr Bryant, please don't..." Mrs Gyner gives an impatient sigh, "Don't say
those sorts of things-"

"Why? Are schools still pretending the topic doesn't even exist?" Adam
inquires, "God forbid anyone should be aware at some point in time, right?"

"Now I didn't use most of those terms, I promise." Hank states.

"Doesn't matter. The reason Jason keeps getting into fights is because the
other kids are harassing him for having two dads. And I've heard other kids
getting the same kind of treatment throughout the semesters." Adam says,
"And I've reported this before, I want to know why we're barely doing
something about this now." "Look, Jason is the one
who is starting the most fights." Mrs Gyner tells them, "As far as I have
been told.""No. Not Jason. He knows better than
that." Merrick states."Excuse me?" Moira speaks up,
"My son was bleeding today!""Yes, and I'm sorry
about that," Adam answers, "But Jason's been taught better than to go
around and start fights.""Hang hang, hang on
second." Mrs Gyner intervenes, "You two have taught your son to fight?"

"I teach him how to defend himself." Merrick answers, "Me and his mother
both. I teach at a mixed martial art institute, so naturally he attends my
classes. And his mother grew up learning traditional Japanese practices, so
she also has taught him several self-defense sessions."

"So you're teaching your children how to fight like thugs??" Moira raised.

"Hey, hang on now," Adam raises, "Let me explain-"

"Honey, honey, take it easy," Hank tells his wife, "I was taught to fight
when I was their age-"

"That's different!"

"Well seeing as how your son gotten into this," Merrick rambles on, "And if
you want know what a thug is, you should take a good
look-""Merrick! Don't start
saying-""Let's all calm down-"

"Alright, alright, quiet PLEASE." Mrs Gyner calls over them. Once they
settle down, she continues, "Regardless, it's been stated that Jason
started the fight and he injured Thomas to a degree where blood was drawn."

"He was provoked." Adam leans forward, "This isn't the first time this has
happened! Did you even bothered to ask for the
details??""Look, I want to be fair about this."
Hank says before he looks at Adam and Merrick, "Now, Tommy says he didn't
start the fight. But Jason did. But, uh, you Mr Bryant? You say Jason
doesn't do that. Can you explain
further?""Specifically," Merrick says, "Only myself
and Jason's mother, Yuri, have taught him a couple of martial arts. Where I
come from, self-defense is essential to everyday life, so that is what I
established."

"So he doesn't go around picking fights?" Hank

asked."Only for 3 times has he done that; trying to
show how tough he is when a kid starts bothering him. I do not tolerate
that sort of conduct, and I can assure you, I am a lot stricter than his
mother when it comes to discipline. After the third time he pulled that
nonsense, I put an end to it."

"Ok. I'll buy that, fair enough." Hank continues, "But, is it possible, and
hear me out, that Jason MIGHT not be telling you the complete truth?"

"He's a horrible liar, just like Adam." Merrick tells him, "His tells are
too easy to read.""And we're just supposed to take
your word for it?" Moira nodded with anger."Honey,
please," Hank hushed her, "Let me handle this." He turns back to the
others, "Listen, I think we are all getting mixed up over each other, and I
think we should at least hear the kids out.""I
agree." Adam nods. "Alright, we'll start with Jason." The
principal says as he turns his gaze to the boy, "Now Jason, did you or did
you not, start the fight that happened today between you and
Thomas."Jason shakes in fear as he shifts in his
seat, "... Yes... Yeah... I mean, kinda, I-""What?"
Merrick turns to look at him.

"Jason, is this true?" Adam asks. Jason sniffs and nods.

"Jason, why did you start a fight?" Merrick asked him sternly as he grasped
the boy's shoulder, changing his position on the seat and giving Jason a
harsh glare, "What have I told you about that?? You never EVER start a
fight!""I-I know, Pop... `S-s just that he was
making fun of Naomi, and I...""Wait, what? What was
he doing to Naomi?""He and... He and a few other
kids were making fun of her and Tom pushed her down, so I pushed him back
and...""Naomi? Who is that?" Hank
asks."Our daughter, his little sister." Adam
answers.

"What??" Moira looks at her son, "Thomas!""I didn't

though!" Tommy defends loudly, "She started hitting me so I just moved her
back!""He made her fall down!" Jason raises up,
"H-He-"

"Alright, alright!" Mrs Gyner speaks up, "Alright, now, lets say Thomas was
harassing Jason's sister. Jason, you should know to go to the nearest
teacher and let them know.""Mrs Gyner, we just told
you, that can only do so much." Adam speaks up, "At best, it just stops it
for one day, but then it just happens all over again."

"Alright, but even before Jason pushed Thomas, we've just heard that his
sister was-"

"Let me put it this way." Merrick interrupts, "Say you're in a zoo. And you
pick up a stick, and you start poking a tiger in its cage. Is it the
tiger's fault that it's lashing out at you afterwards? I mean," He cuts off
the principal before she can talk again, "Sure, you can go running to the
nearest zookeeper and whine about how the big bad tiger took a swing at
you. But then what does that really accomplish? My son and my daughter were
taunted and provoked, and you are barely even aware of it?"

"Thomas, I want you to tell me." Moira says to him, "Is that boy telling
the truth?"

"No, I didn't like push her like-"

"Thomas, don't lie to me now." Moira gets up and looks at the kid directly
in the eye, "Did you actually harass and push down a little girl that was
smaller and younger than you are? Answer me, Thomas."
"Wuh, no, she was hitting me, so I pushed her,
and...""While you were making fun of her." Moira
continues, almost accusing the kid. A pause goes by while the kid does
little for his own case. Hank sighs as he rubs his brow.

"Hhh... I will give Jason a warning." Mrs Gyner, "Due to the subject of
injury, I will have to put him on a probation-"

"What?? That's-"

"Merrick please," Adam tells him, "We understand, Mrs Gyner. Thank
you.""Alright. You and your son may go now." They
get up out of their chairs, but Merrick gives her a cold glare. Before
leaving, he goes to the principal's desk. "Alright, I am going
to say this nice, and once." Merrick starts.

"Merrick, don't-"

"Adam." Merrick stops him, "Mrs Gyner, this all happened under your
watch. Jason is not the only student in your school with same-sex parents,
and he is sure as hell not the only kid getting bullied for it. I was led
to understand this school was more innovative and tolerant than all of
this.""Mr Bryant, I can assu-"

"No excuses." Merrick shoots, "This is the last time I want to hear about
my son getting singled out like this, and it's the last time I want to be
called here for this specific reason. So with all due respect, get off your
a-" "Merrick!" Adam cuts him off as he takes his arms, "I am
very sorry, Mrs Gyner, thank you for your time."

"Yes, have a nice day." Mrs Gyner says sharply as they leave. Once the door
closes, Adam gives a hard huff to his tense spouse, still staring daggers
at the principal's door.

"Merrick, calm down, it's over now. I'll get in touch with PFLAG and see if
we can set something up." "Fine, fine, I got it."
Merrick says as they go, forcing himself to walk away from the spot; he
still has the urge to have it out with that crone behind the desk.

"How about you, little buddy?" Adam says stops to kneel down and puts his
hand on Jason's shoulder, "Are you doing ok?""Yeah,
I-I'm ok, Dad. And Pop?" He turns as he looks up to Merrick, "Am I in
trouble...?"

Merrick glances at Adam, who gives him a raise of the brow and a nagging
nod-gesture. Merrick sighs before he answers, "No, I'll let it slide this
time. You had a good reason for starting it this time. But you drew blood
this time, and that's not ok." He tilted his child's chin to look up at
him, "Fight to PROTECT, not
injure. Understand?""Yes..." Jason answered.

"Ok, that's enough for today, Mr Miyagi," Adam says as he stands up and
slaps lightly at Merrick's shoulder, hearing the bell ring out at the
stroke of 3PM "Let's just pick up Naomi and head out."

---8 Years Later---

As the class has proceeded within the last hour and a half, Merrick watches
as Jason evades his sparring partner's swings and attacks, whirling around
in side-steps in an almost casual way of movements. He's just toying with
this student. "Alright, Theron Jason." Merrick says, "Time to get serious
with Nohea, then we're calling it a for this class."
"Yes, Triton." Jason nods before he turns to the
young woman before him, "You ready?""Yes." Nohea
says.

"Right. Remember, I'm coming at you seriously." Jason says before he takes
his katana-like padded weapon along with the `sheath' it came with. With
his left hand, he holds the sheath at the base backwards style while
holding his katana with his right hand parallel to him after he widened his
stance.

"Now." Merrick clangs his trident against the full-moon designed chime
above his nautical throne. Jason bolts ahead and hits down
hard on Nohea's staff-like pole. She shoves it back, but it's knocked out
of the way when Jason swings his left arm to clash his hard sheath into the
pole as he whips around in a full circle to swing his weapon at
Nohea. Nohea dodges just barely while whirling around and stepping back as
Jason steps at her with his inverse duo wielding style.

Merrick smiles as Nohea does all she can in the circle just to avoid
getting hit whole Jason kept attacking her with his elaborate melee.

`It's clear she's getting frustrated just looking for an opening,' Merrick
thinks to himself as he watches Jason whip around in a double-swing with
his blade and sheath before the sheath his switched back along his arm like
that of a mantis claw, `Heh, but no way Jason is going to let anyone get at
him. Just like Yuri, he's borderline ruthless in how he fights. He wastes
absolutely nothing in his movements, just like I taught him.'

Nohea steps and switches to the side while swinging her pole, and finally
landing a hit right on Jason's face. "Ah," Merrick starts. Jason frowns as
he takes a few steps away from a few following swings from Nohea before he
retaliates with a very hard uppercut of his sword, and sends Nohea's staff
flying. "Hey-" Before she can go and get it, Jason jabs at her
side with his sheath before he whips around, his padded katana weapon
flipping so he holds it backward, while his sheath switches from its usual
position, and the katana is held behind Nohea's back while the sheath
blocks her from the front. Checkmate.

"Alright, match is over." Merrick says as he gets up. Jason backs off and
puts his sword back into its sheath, and walks to one side of the fighting
circle while Nohea walks to the other after retrieving her pole. "Jason,
you were a bit aggressive."

"Yes, Triton.""Nohea, your reflexes are sharp, but

you're too defensive. You can't be afraid to take a hit, or else you won't
get better. I want you to practice on your approach before I consider
passing you."

"Yes, Triton.""Alright..." Merrick looks to the

clock, "That about wraps it up for today. I will see you next time." With
that, everyone goes to collect their things and files out of the
class. Jason comes over to Merrick as he replaces his goggles with his
glasses.

"Too aggressive, Pop?" Jason asked with a smirk.

"Honestly, yeah." Merrick smiles back before he pats his son on the arm,
"Didn't say it was a bad thing."

"Ok, but really, since everyone's leaving..." He says while looking to the
migrating students before turning back to Merrick, "How'd I do, really?"

"If you fought like that in our sparring session today, you would've been
able to keep toe-to-toe with me for a long while."

"Seriously?" Jason asked with his eyebrows raised, "Thought you said I was
sloppy."

"Of course you are." Merrick gives a few playful non-impactful slaps to
Jason's face, making him snicker and knock his hand off, "Now head out,
I've got another class coming soon.""Hahaha,
alright, Pop. Later." Jason says as he picks up his gear and
leaves.---Several Hours Later---

"Alright, that was great." Merrick says as the time rings out for the last
class of the day to end; it's in the late afternoon at this time. Everybody
goes to pick up their personal effects and walk about. He rolls his neck a
bit to crack a few stiff spots before he goes to attend to some of the
windows."Pop?" Jason knocks on the door from the
outside.

"Jason? What are you doing back?"

"I'm still a little wired, could we spar

again?""That's what I like to hear." Merrick says
as he picks his trident up.

"Except...""Hm?"

"I wanna do it, like... Hunt and Pray." Merrick's

smile fades a little from that, "Are you
serious?""Yeah. Like, I wanna do this freestyle,
you know?""You realize what you're asking for,
Son." Merrick says sternly as he sets his trident's spear end onto the
floor, "It's been a whole year since we've
trained.""I know, but I can handle it." Jason
smiled.

"Need I remind you? Hunt and Pray is very dangerous, even MY Father stopped
doing it after a third time when I was an Adra, and my Mother didn't even
consider trying it. Besides, you have any idea how pissed Yuri would get if
I hurt you?"

"So we don't tell Mom." He shrugged, "C'mon,

Pop.""I've seen your Kendo, Son. It's not enough to
stop me.""Well, I'm not using Kendo. I'm doing
Kaiyojira, right?" He said with a cocky smirk. Merrick sighs as he thinks
about this.

"You brought your Hasukiba then?"

"Yep, always." Jason pats at his duffle.

"And you're SURE about this. Once we start, I can't stop until the time's
up."

"I know, you told me a hundred times, we've done this a

LOT.""Even then, I was able to hold back." Merrick
tells him, "Hunt and Pray is not something I can trust anyone with,
including myself.""I'll be FINE, Pop. I've even got
my armor-arm." "Hhhhhh... Alright. You better know what you're
doing." Merrick says as he turns and walks to his pack and takes out his
iPhone.

"I got it." Jason says as he takes out a sleeve clinking with plates of
metal along the arm, over the hand and fingers. Hunt and Pray
is a very old and brutal method of training among merfolk. It used to be
widely used by anyone, but within the last couple of ages it became
exclusive only to Noitas and Tritons. Every merfolk has the capacity to
reach down deep inside their being and their mind to tap into the very
fundamental boundaries of their nature -- namely, to tap into their
instinct, and turn off their consciousness in exchange for the deadly
option of survival. In this bout, it all becomes a manner of which one of
the individuals is hunting, and which of the other one must pray to be
alive.

Merrick taps a few things on his phone, and turned on a specific audio
file. A slow, rolling melody plays before he puts it down; Merrick and
Jason has practiced in Hunt and Pray many times in the past in the forest
near the house in secret; not even Yuri, Jamal, or Adam knows about this.

Merrick rolls his neck as a few of his internal organs shift inside him. He
shrugs off the top of his seishin and tosses it aside, his flawless muscles
loosening up as he clears his mind. Jason watches carefully as he takes his
Hasukiba sword out of his pack -- a sheath that is reinforced with metal
sides with a grip-shaped top at the upper base where the handle is
located. He takes the handle and slides the very straight katana out of it,
the base having the engraved kanji for `lotus' and `fang' on it.

Jason's legs spread as he keeps his goggle-shielded eyes locked on his

parent, watching as Merrick's ripped body primes itself while the music
plays from his phone. Jason keeps a hold of his sheath backwards style
along his armored arm, while his blade is held out before him. He can
detect the faint feral rattle coming from Merrick's throat, that sound
always making the hairs on his neck stand on end. The sound that alerts a
target when its enemy is lurking near...

Once in a pose, Merrick's eyes open -- his beautiful sapphires have

transmuted into a pair of icy opals with small pupils piercing right at
Jason.

"Now." Jason says. Merrick immediately jets

forward. His voice completely gone, Merrick whips around and gives a hard
swing. Jason's sword spouts sparks as it slides down before he turns and
hits Merrick's arm back with the steel-embedded sheath. Merrick tucks and
rolls as his trident swings at Jason's legs, right before Jason rolls along
and slices at Merrick, nearly missing him by inches.
In the hall, an old Hawaiian woman in beautiful floral dress walks along,
her silver hair tied in a bun while she holds a carrier for her own
sparring weapon. She glances to the side but double takes when she sees
Triton Merrick's room.

Her eyes widen slightly as she sees Merrick whipping around and throwing
strikes against someone else. She soon recognizes the opponent as Merrick's
son, Jason. Hokulani raises her eyebrows and flinches a few times from some
brutal and vicious blows from both fighters.

"... Oh my, they're fighting for real! Are those ACTUAL blades??" The
Kahuna says to herself. She hisses as Merrick's semi-feral face spritz with
blood from a lightening-fast cut of Jason's sword "Oh I am not missing
this." Hokulani quickly draws a nearby chair and hurriedly steps back to
where she can see the fight. Normally, as the Kahuna of the Ke-Kaua MMA,
Hokulani would have to step in to inquire about using actual sharpened
weapons, but Triton Merrick strikes her as too interesting to
interrupt. She's always found Merrick a very fascinating individual in many
ways -- almost mystically exotic -- especially when he shows something so
out of the ordinary like this.

The trident hums and sings as it swings circle after circle at Jason while
he attacks in kind, whipping his katana side-to-side and whirling in half
circles before he uses both the sword and sheath as dual weapons. The
trident and two weapons clash before Jason grunts and gives a hard
thrust. Merrick staggers back and melees dangerously close in with
Jason. The two of them swing hard and fast in a
very tight position, both of them huffing very sharply, both of them trying
for lethal hits -- Merrick operating on his fabricated instinct to kill
while Jason focuses his fighting as if he is up against a refined wild
beast rather than his parent. The trident clanks with the sword and sheath
forcefully before Merrick's foot launches at Jason's chest!

"Ghhh!" Jason huffs as he's knocked back several feet on his back. He rolls
backwards with the force and hops back on his feet just in time to jet
forward, and slash up just in time to parry an incoming attack from that
trident. Jason's eyes lock to Merrick's hand as it flies at him, locking
their hands and fingers together. Jason's brown eyes look into those orbs
of vicious crystal staring back at him as Merrick's teeth bare, his voice
ragged as their joined fists shook before Jason whips around to strike his
sheath at the trident, and then jabs Merrick hard with his elbow!

"RrrrrrRRHHH!" Jason's attack sends Merrick afar several feet. With those
savage eyes still locked onto Jason, Merrick sprints around in a half
circle and lunges forward, hammering his trident right down onto
Jason. Jason sends his sword and sheath up and parries the trident with an
X block, and then the metal rings as the weapons race against each other.

Jason flips his katana in line, and slices through the air to meet with the
ornate fork of Merrick's trident. Sparks fly from the clashing weapons as
they fight to the death.

---Some Time Later---

"Sometimes I honestly wonder if you're Adam's son." Merrick says with a

smile as he and Jason sit together shirtless at the edge of a small cliff
at a local beach near the MMA institute, both of them having exotic fruit
icys as they watch the sunset.

"How do you mean?" Jason asks. He has an icepack strapped to his leg to
quell a nasty blood wound as well as having a gauze pad taped to his side
and a sprain brace on his wrist. Merrick sports a red cut on his cheek and
a scrape on his right pec and a deep cut on his hand, even having several
parallel scratches on his left torso. "I mean, you say that half the time,
but I still don't get it."

"Adam never fought like you and I did. In fact, your Father never fights at
all for as long as I've known him.""Yeah, Dad was
always a pacifist, right?"

"Exactly, he's always been a sweetheart. He's also been the voice of reason
and stability between us, while I was always the confrontational
type. Naomi is the same way as he is, she really doesn't like having to
fight.""What're you talking about? I've seen her
get medieval with her ice magic all the time in the
water!""That's different. She knows self-defense
with her power, but she doesn't actively use it like you do with your
skills." Merrick tells him as he drinks his cyan-blue elixir of flavorful
slush.

"Pop, she's like, I don't know, savage. You just don't see it." Jason
snickers while slurping."She's like my Mother that
way. She has so much power and a huge array of light racing inside her, yet
she will resort to protection rather than victory. She's just like Adam
though; she'll always start with reasoning and compromise above anything
else.""Yeah and the fact that they both worship
Lady Gaga and Kesha certainly makes a
difference.""Heh, I also wonder about her too, if
she's really my Daughter.""What, you serious?"
Jason scoffs after sipping his orange-yellow icy.

"Oh don't get me wrong. She came out of my balls just as you jumped out of
Adam's penis."

"AWHL, Pop!! Dude, no!" He exclaims with abrupt disgust, spraying his
flavorful beverage out, "MUST you?? Oh my GOD.""You
asked." Merrick snickered as he slurps his icy, "I mean, she's mine, and
you're his, but sometimes it's like it's the other way around. You take
after me a lot, and Naomi is more related to Adam."

"Yeah, so? What's that got to do with it?""Ah- Hey,

now. Any reason why you're giving me attitude just
now?"No," Jason shrugged, "I wasn't giving you
attitude, I'm just asking what brought it
on.""Pfgh, you're also blunt, just like MY Father."

"Heh, yeah." Jason drinks his tangy libation as the sea shimmers with the
radiance of dusk.

"I think he would've liked you, you know..."

"Grandpa, you mean?""Mm..."
He nodded, "Father never liked humans at all, he was on the bandwagon for
dismissing them as monsters. Except when he knew about Adam, then he
started to consider them as not so bad. He'd need to take a little time at
first, but if he were to spar with you at least once after I taught you
underwater combat," Merrick turned to his son, "I think he'd be impressed
by how much his grandson can bring to the
reef.""Think it'd be easier if he could walk and
fight me like you do.""Naw, Father also hated
having to go on land; the air and breeze irritated his skin, your Uncle
Cotei has the same ailment."

"Still I don't think I'd be able to beat him,

Pop.""Mmm, you'd be surprised." Merrick says, "He
would've been old and not as fast as he once was, and you would be the only
human who can put up a fight under the water. I think he'd be impressed how
a specimen who isn't adapted to the sea at all would be able to fend for
himself.""I get it... And gotta be honest, I wish I
can find out." Jason holds his slurpee down in his hands looking down, "I
really would've liked to show him how good I am in martial
arts...""Father swims in the Shores of Light
now. If what we believe is true, then he is already watching over us from
the light that reflects off the surface." They both look at the wavering
surface as the surf washes long the rocks below them.

"You miss him, huh?" Jason asked.

"Yeah... There was so much I wanted him to know... So much I wanted to tell
him... And he didn't even know about you and your sister all these
years...""I'm sorry,
Pop.""It's fine... It's fine." Merrick pats Jason's
arm, "My Father would have been proud that I have a worthy successor."

~~~

"Unnhh, shit it's been a long day..." Adam groans as he lets his shirt drop
into the basket in their bedroom. "Renovations had me turn the whole place
upside down and inside out, there was a LOT of lifting and moving to do."

"Yeah, it's been kind of straining at work today too." Merrick says as he
too gets undressed, "There were a lot of new students today, I had to
explain all of my odds and ends about my class over and over, and I think I
pulled a muscle. I still wish Jason would've kept the class up and running
in my place while I was gone."

"And I still wish he would just agree to take over the docks when I retire
within the next couple of decades or so, but that ain't happening. The
whole pier could be his, but nooooo, he's gotta get an education and go see
the WORLD~." Adam says in a childish mocking voice as he chuckles while
unbuckling his belt. "Hahaha, you make that sound
like such a bad thing. Like God forbid your son is ambitious and actually
wants to do things with his life." He says while walking around the room to
mark off a few things on the calendar."I'm a dad,
Merrick, I'm not supposed to care what my kids want as long as they do what
I say." Adam smirks after Merrick pops the cap back on the pen he was
writing with. "That's what the fancy books say
right?""Pffgghh, you're such a dork, Adam." Merrick
snickers while Adam lets his pants drop to his ankles, giving Merrick the
view of Adam's contained and outlined package in his boxerbriefs

"I know, it's my thing." Adam steps out of his pants and walks to the
bathroom to take his pills while Merrick takes their clothing and puts them
into the hamper. Adam walks back into the bedroom just as Merrick returns
to his side of the bed."And don't you think it's a
bit soon to be thinking about that, isn't it Adam?" Merrick asked as he
bends over. Adam watches with lewd eyes as Merrick peels down his
underpants and steps out of them, getting a really good view of Merrick's
soft genitals surrounded by a shallow patch of gold around his pelvis,
"He's still in college, just getting started." Merrick climbs into bed and
under the covers.

"Ahhh I know, but still." Adam says before he bends over to strip down his
underpants. Merrick can already feel a nag inside his member as he looks at
his nude husband, "Eh, Naomi might be interested eventually, but she never
worked at the docks before and she's still a sophomore at her high
school. "

"Adam. Don't worry about it. They're just

kids.""Hey, you started it." Adam huffs as he flops
onto the bed, not even bothering to move under the blanket, "Fuuuuck," He
groans with exhaustion, "I think my arms and legs are
shot...""Hahahaha, you're really that beat?"
Merrick asked as he gives Adam's naked butt a few slaps.

"Mnnggghhh." Adam whines as he lays there as he receives the playful

spanks. He can't help but grin as Merrick snuggles right up to him. Merrick
pulls him into the bed more, and takes the covers over him. Pressing the
small remote to turn off the lights, the room gets completely dark except
for the moonlit ocean from the side of the room. His hands roam along
Merrick's back before he pulls him in. Merrick's leg moves up and settles
down behind Adam's legs as they both cuddle closer to share each other's
heat.

"Mmnnn, I love you." Merrick mutters as he kisses Adam.

"I love you too." Adam replies as he tenderly kisses him. Merrick sighed as
he feels those strong hands move slowly down.

"I ever mention how going back to sleeping naked is a lot better than
sleeping in kelp and belts underwater?"

"I wouldn't know, sleeping in boxers until a couple of years ago was always
a drag.""Hmhmhm..." Merrick bites his lower lip as
he feels those fingers and that harsh palm rub and circle around one of his
round buttcheeks, "Mnnhhhh..." Adam gropes him slowly and kneads Merrick's
thigh slowly before Merrick digs himself downward so that Adam is more on
top of him. Adam smiles as his gut pushes against Merrick's athletic body
as they snuggle.

Merrick puts his head onto Adam's furry chest as their hands meet and
interlace their fingers. Merrick's knee brushes past Adam's thick privates
before they kiss softly to one another. Merrick kisses him on the mouth a
few times before he kisses along the top of his pecs. His hand lets go of
Adam's to feel and rub along Adam's belly as he nuzzles his chest before he
locates one of Adam's nipples. "Hhhhhhhh..." Adam
lets out a hot sigh as Merrick's lips brush and rub onto his nipple. He
lets his very sore arms and legs lie where they are as Merrick kisses
Adam's nip soft by wetly. Adam groans as that tongue slides gently along
the tip once, twice, and then Merrick seals his lips around the pink
circle. "Onnhhhh, oh baby..." Adam says as a very slow tent starts to push
up from his lap. Merrick's teeth touches around his nipple very carefully
Merrick's pushes his lips and pulls with his jaw and tongue with the
occasionally slurp.

Merrick abandons that nipple before he dips and lands his mouth on the
other one, "Ohhhhhhhhhhh..." Adam moans as his right arm shifts up and down
under the blanket, fondling himself as Merrick makes out with his left
areola. Merrick's mouth lets slip a hard slurp as his lips suckles harshly
on Adam's tender teat. "Mnnnn... That feels good, but I don't think I'm up
to it tonight..." "It's ok, it's ok, honey."
Merrick says, "You just lay back." Merrick puts his hand in the middle of
Adam's thick chest to affectionately push him down, despite that Adam is
already lying down, "I want to take care of my man."

Adam smiles as he Merrick kisses and nuzzles him and tubs that big
belly. Merrick pulls the blanket away from him, and exposes Adam's hand
masturbating his partially hard penis. Merrick crawls down, and settles
between Adam's hard thighs. Not one second after Adam closes his eyes and
rests his head back did he feel a hot and warm and wet sensation descend
upon the head of his cock.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh..." Adam lets out a long moan as that tongue slowly goes down
the underside of his log, "Oh God, Merrick... Ohhhhhhhh," Adam whines as he
spreads his legs. Merrick goes up and down, swallowing Adam's dong easily
as he always has. "Mnnhhh, I can go for this all night..." Adam says while
his husband applies jaw-pressure behind his lips as he sucks Adam's
dick. When he stops, Merrick puts his face in, and investigates his tongue
into the crease between Adam's thigh and his pelvis.

"Ooh! Mnnhh~" Adam jumps a little as Merrick licks and even suckles around
the nook and cranny, before giving his balls a detour, "Ohhh baby," Adam
gives an elevated whine as Merrick gives his sac a few lush kisses,
"Oh... Oh... Oh..." Adam squirms, as sore and heavy as he is from work, as
fluid warmth put his orbs in paradise, "Oh babe, suck my balls..." Adam
moans as he squirms as he feels his nuts licked and pulled into a luxurious
pocket of bliss.

His round gut rises and expands before shrinking down and then again,
taking deep breaths and little gasps. Merrick's tongue rubs up against the
underside of his scrotum before licking up his flagpole, and goes to the
other crevice on Adam's leg-joint. Adam keeps his eyes close as he rolls
his head to the side, breathing out a long sigh as Merrick bathes his
crotch and licks around his area before going back to sucking his dick.

Merrick bobs his head up and down on Adam's rod, twirling his head and
pulling his meat with his mouth. He sucks Adam's member for 5 whole minutes
before getting up. "Go ahead and roll on your
belly.""Ohhhh, why?" Adam pouted, "It was getting
good.""I wanna give you a nice long back rub."
Merrick says as he gets up, his erection throbbing harshly forward as he
goes to get the oil.

"Awww, honey." Adam says as he turns around. Merrick smiles as he gets back
on the bed with the massage oil, almost drooling as he the faint moonlight
shows Adam's manly backside -- his firm back, leading to his thick pair of
fuzzy mounds. "Heh, you just want an excuse to look at my ass, don't you?"

"Heh, like I need a reason to look at you naked." Merrick says as he gives
that rump a good couple of spanks. Adam scoffed and chuckles as he feels
his merman sit on top of him, his erection really not hard to
detect. Merrick takes a moment to switch on his phone to play calm, smooth,
romantic music. Adam sighs as he hears the cap of the oil bottle open, and
tenses as he feels the cool fluid dribble onto his upper back.

"Ooh! Little cold there."

"You're hot, it'll warm up." Merrick said as he spreads the oil
around. Adam feels himself slowly pushed down from the shoulders, before
Merrick's slick hands gradually grasps onto said shoulders.

"Mnnnnn..." Adam moans as he feels Merrick's hands push and squeeze below
and on either side of his neck. Merrick looks at the tattoo on the base of
Adam's neck, angel-styled wings in a heart-shape. His thumbs rub over and
press onto the skin on the tattoo, and rolls into the top of Adam's spine,
"Uhhhhhooooohhhhhhhh." Adam moans low and long as he can feel his shoulder
bones kneaded firmly next. His broad joints roll with Merrick's hands as
his tired body loosens up in a blissful ache.

"Hehehehe, you're such a moaner, I love it." Merrick says as he pushes and
circles his palms and drags his fingers down. He presses his fingers
together in the middle of Adam's back, and pushes his hands up his spine,
and then down.

"Ohhh, ghhyyaaa, aahhhh..." Adam's body arches weakly and undulates from
Merrick's massage, his backbone flexing and reacting to the slow dash up
and down. Merrick rubs along the sides, pushing and kneading Adam's back
before he comes to the lower half, just above Adam's butt. Merrick pushes
his hands into the dip of Adam's back, and dug his thumbs into the base of
the spine, "AhhHHHhhhhh..." Adam gives a partially high-pitched moan as the
base is meddled and pushed about. "Oh my gaahhhh..."

Merrick then comes to his favorite part. Taking the massage oil, he applies
a generous flood upon Adam's perfectly fuzzy bottom. With his dick solid,
Merrick plants both hands onto both of Adam's cheeks. Adam giggles weakly
as he feels those hands start to push and circle his thick
mounds. Merrick's hands roam up above Adam's hips and slide down to fondle
and feel up that ass.

Adam rests his head down as Merrick migrates up his back occasionally
working his shoulders as well as his spine, down to his rear... Noting that
Merrick's shaft keeps rubbing into his oily crevice.

Merrick massages Adam's ass thoroughly before he started to roll his cock
between those buns. He bites his lip as the oil coats around Merrick's
dick, dry-humping naked against Adam's behind. His hands knead and dig into
Adam's rump, his thumbs investigating the innermost spot, promptly rubbing
on Adam's taint.

Adam closes his eyes as he feels that dick rubbing into his crack. Rubbing,
and rubbing, sliding against his taint until he feels a rounder pressure
against it, "...Nngghh, ghhh..." He grunts in discomfort, just before
Merrick puts his hands onto either side of the bed, and his pole slides
into him, "O-Ohh, oh, ohhhh," Adam moans as his sphincter opens around
Merrick's dick until he it hilted, "Haahhooohh..."

"Shhh, shhh, I got you, babe. You're ok..." Merrick whispers, "It's been a
while, but I got this.""Mhm," Adam nods as his anus
is already easing itself, "It's so hard...""I
know..." Merrick mutters as he moves backward, and then drives in with a
smooth and slow thrust.

"Nnhhhh!" Adam groans weakly after feeling Merrick push into him,
"Yessss..." He whines as Merrick gives him another gentle shove,
"A-Ahhh... Fuck me...""Slow and sweet, baby."
Merrick says as he mounts Adam gradually. Merrick's hand glides along
Adam's hairy arm until it meets with the back of Adam's hand. His fingers
fold and laced with Adam's as he pushes balls-deep into Adam's behind.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh" Adam moans long and low, "That feels good, Merrick. That
feels so good...""So do you..." Merrick moves his
hips backward and pushed inward, and then again, and again. His pole slides
in and out of Adam's hole with the massage oil, massaging a very deep part
of his lover. He turns Adam's face to look at him, before their lips start
to greet one another. Merrick's caresses the back of Adam's head as they
kiss slow and lightly. Merrick's lips tug on Adam's before receiving a deft
lick and then planting another smooch on his mouth.

Merrick nuzzles Adam's shoulder as he rolls his pelvis in smooth circles

into Adam's hot tunnel. Adam moans as his anus swallows Merrick's manhood
as it comes, his whole body so relaxed, it's so tender and easy to fuck
him. Merrick buries his member into Adam several times over, creasing the
bed frame slightly as he dips his lower body up and down with such fluid
grace.

"Oh my God, that feels fucking great..." Adam says as he hugs the
pillow. He just lies there and allows his spouse to move his body up and
down, back and forth, gently pushing Adam against the mattress as they
go. Merrick humps Adam for 15 whole minutes, just
taking it slow and easy, taking his time and caring for Adam for
satisfaction. He lays on top of Adam's moist back and digs his arms under
Adam's heavy build, "I'm close..." He whispered.

"Mnnhh, oh yeah..." Adam groaned, "Don't stop until you do... Don't
stop..." Merrick keeps the calm rhythm, elevating the speed slightly as he
goes, not enough to make the bed shake, but fast enough to create the
blissful friction inside Adam's anus, "Hhh, uhh, uhh, uhh, uhh, right
there, yes, yes," He grunts and groans as he feels his tunnel start to get
pounded a little faster.

"Huhhhhnnhhh" Merrick whines, "I'm gonna cum... I'm gonna cum,"

"Don't stop, cum in my ass, cum in me," Adam begged
softly as Merrick shoves his cock in and out. Merrick pants as he almost
jerks his hips into Adam's butt, trying to hold back his orgasm as fast as
he can.

"Mnnhhh, Adam... Adam... I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna cum."

"Kiss me..." He says as he turns around for their
lips to meet. Merrick huffs loudly as he gently slaps his front on Adam's
bottom. Merrick's kiss is sloppy and misdirected, moaning and grunting as
he wiggles his pelvis.

"Hoh! Hoh, I gotta cuh... I'm gonna cu... Uhh!" Merrick's body lurches
forward as he floods into Adam's hot, wet cave, "UHhh! Hohh! Hohh!
Ahhh...~" "Oh God yeeesss..." Adam moans as
Merrick's climax fills him with that hot white love. Merrick pants and
kisses behind Adam's hear, whining as his lower body twitches from the wave
of heavy intensity, "Mmnnhhh... That was... Wow..." Adam says calmly.
"Hhh... Hhh... We're not done yet." Merrick says as he kisses his cheek,
"Your turn~""Hm?""Here,
roll around-"

"Merrick, the sheets. I'm covered in oil."

"Ok, here." Merrick takes a nearby beach towel and laid out the very large
towel down for Adam to roll onto it. "Heh, yeah, ok..." Adam
nods before he lets Merrick turn hims around, his own dick standing at full
mast from his brown wiry patch.

"There you are..." Merrick grins as he strokes Adam's meat, "I need to
finish what I started..."

"Mnnhhh..." Adam exhales as Merrick comes close, rubbing Adam's rod up and
down, before opening his mouth, "Ohhhhhhh, that feels so good..." Adam
moans as Merrick wraps his lips around his cock. Adam splays his arms and
legs as he hangs his mouth open in a tired smile as Merrick engulfs his
solid penis. He schlorped around Adam's cock, taking in that rod and moving
downward. Adam curves his back up to flex his cock up, just as Merrick's
face buries into Adam's pubic patch. "Ohhhh yeah..." Adam moaned before
Merrick bobs backward and rolls his head back while pressing his lower lip
under the glands.

"Ooh ooh, right there right there," Adam coos as Merrick suckles on that
spot, "Awwwwhh yes..." Adam moans as Merrick continues to suck his member
for the next several minutes. He shifts his sore arms and legs as his
husband serves his dick, swerving up and down on it and slurping around the
edges of the head.

"Mnnn, nngghhhh," Adam turns his head back and forth on the pillow, his the
sensations in his member elevating higher and higher as Merrick keeps up
the momentum, "Oh baby, oh, oh, oh, I'm getting close..."

"Mnnggg ok," Merrick pulls away from Adam's shaft, and wraps his hand
around it. He proceeded to stroke it up and down and pump his husband's
cock. Adam tenses as his arms go up and grab the pillow below his head with
both hands.

"Ahh... Ngghhh!" Adam pants as his eyes keep closed, his body almost
undulating as Merrick jerks him off, "Oh it's coming, I'm gonna cum."
Merrick yanks and jerks faster as he keeps his mouth wide open, with Adam's
penis pointed right at his face. "Oh God, I'm gonna- ahhh, awww ohhh! Ohhh!
OHHH!" Adam exclaims with lust as his torso jerks involuntarily. Merrick
closes his eyes as a hot streak lands over his cheek, onto his tongue, on
the thin field of blond on his chin, catching a glob on his tongue before
the dong in his hand turns into a feeble fountain.

Merrick swallowed the cum he caught and wiped his face on the blanket
before crawling to Adam's side. Adam basks in the afterglow as he feels his
lover snuggle up beside him, "Heh... That was wonderful..."

"So were you~" Merrick says as he rubs Adam's cheek with a couple of
fingers. "Mmnnnn, my big Papa Bear..." Merrick says as he snuggles with
Adam, "Mnnnhh... Wanna shower before sleep?"

"Hhhhhhh... Maybe... I'm really tired."

"Hmph, alright~" Merrick intimately nuzzles and traces his lips around
Adam's mouth, nudging into the short beard and rubbing his legs with the
other.

---The Next Morning---

"Ghhhaauugghh... Ggghhhh..." Jason snores idly in his room, half of his bed
occupied by books. What used to be Adam's bedroom is now a much more
organized and scholastic study. No TV, a bed and a dresser, and at least
three shelves -- one with small nautical knickknacks and items meticulously
arranged according to size, type, and color, a second shelf full of
fictional books, and a third shelf full of study materials, assignments,
finished projects, and textbooks. And then there's a desk decorated with a
small assortment of various awards and trophies from a handful of martial
art tournaments.

"Prrthaarrr," A grey and white tabby cat pushes the idle door open to the
room, and approaches the bed. The feline hops onto the bed and treads upon
the pages as if they were apart of the bed sheets. Chance crept along his
sleeping owner before reaching a deft paw over to his face. Jason squints
and winces as a hint of claws prick at his skin, "Rrwrrr," Chance meowed
persistently as he paws at Jason, before leaning in to nip at the human's
cheek to get his attention.

"Heeey, no biting." Jason pushes at the cat irritably.

"Reeewwwrrr!"

"Jase? You awake?" Asks Naomi as she knocks in. "Jason, what the heck?? Did
you start studying as soon as we got home??"

"I have an exam on Wednesday, hey kitty." Jason groans as he sits up and
puts on his glasses before petting Chance, "It's for half of my grade, ow!
No!" He taps at the cat's nose after those small fangs nip at his fingers.

"Jason, you're starting to forget your life again -- you forgot to feed
Chance again.""Fffffuck." Jason groans as he rubs
his forehead, "Couldn't you feed him?""We're out of
canned food and almost out of kibble, I just got back from getting a fish
for him." She tells him before approaching the lazy boy and tugging at his
arm. "Come on, get up, we also need to go food shopping, do you even have
any money left?""What about you?? Don't you have
school and allowance?"

"I don't go to school until Monday, and my bank account is still

locked. Come on." She says before walking out. Jason whines pathetically as
he slumps back down.

"EeerrRRrrrrrhhhrrrr!" Chance meows with a nag before walking on top of

Jason's chest.

"Get off me, kittyyyyy... Not noowww..."

~~~

Jason's door opens as he walks out and around the corner, with Chance
dashing over to the kitchen with his tail in the air. Naomi chops a few
items on board before the cat starts to duck in and around her ankles,
"Reeerrr! Reewwwaarrr! Rwwrrrrrrr!""Hold up, hang
on, Chancey." She says as her brother comes in and slumps on the table,
"Will listen to him?? Your cat is starving!""I fed
him a can last night and his kibble bowl was full. I keep telling you,
we're getting raccoons again."

"Right, uh-huh. Just astounding Pearl is still alive." Naomi pours some
homemade feline gravy into a bowl of fish tartar while Chance keeps meowing
nonstop. As soon as she placed the bowl on the floor, the cat immediately
starts eating.

"I keep calling animal control, but all they ever find is tracks and shit."
He grumbled before Naomi puts a plate of eggs and cheese-covered ham in
front of him, "Ah- Naomi," He snickers, "Why are you just wearing a
towel??" He asked, just realizing his sister has a towel wrapped around her
breast.

"Because I literally just got back from hunting for Chance and waking YOU
up." "And your bathrobe was out of the
question?""Hey, I just spent a whole year without
any clothing whatsoever, I still need to adjust." She says as she sits down
with her bowl of fruit.

"Adjust fast, I don't want to find out you accidentally went to school
nude, ok?? Not again."

Sometime later, Jason is more awake as he gets a few finished assignments

in his backpack. "You have class today?!" Naomi called from
the bathroom over the roar of her hair dryer, now wearing some regular
clothes.

"No! Just practice with Pop and probably a shift at the Fish House or
Grotto!" He called back.

"Good! We need to go shopping, like yesterday!" She turns off her appliance
and ties her hair back into a ponytail of a light-gold waterfall before she
blinks. A soft, quiet song starts to ring in the air. She turns around, and
steps out of the bathroom.

"Ok, lets go ahead and-"

"Shhh!" She shuts him up and listens closely.

"Uh... Naomi?"

"You hear that??"

"Uh... Hear what?"

"Someone's singing, bit it's like, weird. Like a

ghost.""Yeah. I see dead people too. It's called
college.""No, shut up, shut up," She listens, and
walks around to the back porch, and then exits.

"Naomi? Ooook, I'm in no rush." Jason follows her out into the yard, trying
to listen for whatever she might be hearing, but can only sense the sound
of waves splashing.

"Don't you hear that??" "No. I don't hear

anything." Jason tells her, but his eyes catch onto something. He peers
behind her before patting at her arm, "Hey,
look."Naomi turns, and beams as she sees two women
in white and light blue blouses standing by the shore, along with a man
with black hair and using a spear as a cane, "Oh, it's Grandma! Come on!"
She tugs at him and they jog over; the singing in her head stopped just as
they started running. "Grandmother, hi!" She says as she comes up to hug
her.

"Naomi," Umiato hugs her back, right before Naomi goes to hug Savarna,
"And..." Her silver eyes go to the 19 year old young man before her. She
sees his aura carrying a singular attachment to Naomi's aura, with his
appearance and his wavelength resembling someone very familiar, "You must
be her elder sibling." She says with a smile, "You are the son of Adam,
yes?""Yeah, I... Wait, I-I thought you can't talk
to me," Jason said hastily, "Naomi, can she talk to me?? I'm just a guy..."

"Much change has been brought to our world." Umiato says to the both of
them, "While our kind still may not connect with yours, allowances have
been made.""So... You're still not really supposed
to, like...""The both of you are children of the
same mother." Savarna says as she looks at them, "Yes, human association is
still against the rules, matters such as this has become debatable."

"Ah I see." Jason nods, "Around here, that's kind of what we call a `Grey
Area'. Not good, not bad, not worth getting into. Hey so, you're my
Grandma?"

"`Grandma'?" Umiato repeated with an estranged look.

"It's another word for `Grandmother'. Humans take a lot of shortcuts when
it comes to words." Naomi smirked.

"So, I'm guessing you're Pop's sister, right?" Jason asked Savarna.

"Pops? What?"

"He means you are my Father's Sister. Again, humans have different words
for most things."

"I see." Savarna chuckled, "Yes, I am Noita Savarna, I am Merrick's

Sister. And... What was the word you had for me, Naomi?"

"Aunt, you're our Aunt Savarna.""Heh, I think I

would prefer it if you stayed with `Noita'."

"Fair enough." Jason nodded, "Hey, does this mean that you can talk to my
Dad now? I mean Adam, right?"

"I am willing the wager for that." Umiato smiles.

"Except I still will probably have to avoid talking to him..." Brishen

pointed out, "Merrick is only my closest friend, he's no relative of mine."

"We'll work something out." Jason says as he looks at Brishen, equipped

with weaponry and holding onto a spear, his body trembling as he tries to
maintain his balance, "Hey, are you ok? You don't look so
good.""What do you mean? I am in perfect
condition." Brishen says.

"This is Theros Brishen. He teaches hunting in Brother's pod." Savarna

tells him.

"And is he disabled? Is he ok?" Jason asked, "I only ask because he looks
like he's about to collapse. I know a little about medical stuff from Mom."

"He is merely tutoring himself on how to properly walk in two legs."

Savarna answers."I have almost mastered it..."
Brishen says as he trembles in his stance, prompting Jason to look down to
see Brishen's legs and feet.

"Theros Brishen? If I may, I'd like to see about giving you some tips."
Jason asks.

"What do you mean...?" Brishen asked, a little suspicious.

"First of all, you're working against your posture." Jason comes to him and
puts his hands onto Brishen's back. Brishen irks, uncertain if he should
even allow this human to touch him at all, "You're putting too much weight
on either leg while letting your upper body lag forward."

"I can't make much sense of what you're

saying.""Stand up straight when you walk." Jason
answers before kneels down, "And your feet should be angled forward." He
turns his feet to the right direction.

"I-I tried that, I kept falling until Merrick told me to use my spear as
another leg." Still feeling uneasy about this boy manhandling him.

"You're supposed to fall down,

Theros.""What?""Yeah. It's
how you learn to walk." Jason says as the girls giggle, "Like Uncle Hatomu
once said, `Pain is basically God's way of saying, `You're doing it
wrong'."

"But falling is the same as failing, isn't it?"

"How do you know if you've done something wrong if you don't find out how
you're not doing it right in the first place?" He asked. Brishen paused and
pondered about that.

"You raise a fair point..."

"Hey! How about we take them to the house??" Naomi says, "He can walk on
the floor, right?""A... House?" Savarna asked.

"It's where humans live." Jason says, "Is that ok?"

"I... I am not sure." Savarna says, "We've never ventured anywhere away
from the sea before..."

"How far is your home?" Umiato asked, as concerned as her daughter is.

"It's that over there." Naomi turns and points."Oh,

that place..." Umiato dawns as she looks at it, "I remember it, yes... That
is where I first met Adam. He still resides there?"

"No, Dad and Pop moved somewhere else." Jason answered, "But come on, I
wanna show you." "... Oh yes! I remember, Brother showed me
the house a very long time ago." Savarna says as the memory suddenly
occurs, "By the Sea Mother, I can scarcely
remember.""If there are no other humans in your
home...?" Brishen asked.

"No no, there isn't, just me and

Naomi.""Alright..." Savarna nods as they cautiously
agree.

"Here, I'll help you out, Theros." Jason says as he tucks Brishen's arm
over his shoulders.

"A-Ah, hah..." Brishen staggers a bit as he allows the human to guide him.

The five of them walk towards the house on the beach, the merfolk and
humans in peace. After eons of hiding and hurting, scorning and fearing,
one of a few families have reunited as they have always should.

~~~

Merrick washes the dishes in the kitchen, moments right before Adam comes
right up behind him, "Ok, babe!" Adam says before he gives Merrick a hard
spank.

"Ah!" He jumps and smirks, "You bad boy, mnnh!" Merrick aggressively kisses
him and slaps his chest. Adam is dressed for work in his rubber overalls
and button-up shirt.

"You know it." Adam grinned, "I'm off to work

now.""Ok, have a good day,
honey.""Oh hey, something I been wondering about,
almost forgot."

"Hm?" Merrick looks to him curiously.

"I wanted to ask you something else about Atlantis, I keep forgetting."

"Ok, ask away."

Adam leans on the counter, "So, about Atlantis -- how did it go with the
Sacred Laws? Did anything change like you said?"

"Uh-uh, can't say."

"What? You just said you would answer, babe."

"That was BEFORE you asked about that.""So what's

the problem?"

"See, I had a hand in the affairs, I stirred a few things up here and there
and made a few decisions. When the year was over, I swore an oath to never
speak of what transpired when I did what I
did.""Awww, come on, nothing? You're already
banished, what more can they do to you?"

"You'd be surprised." Merrick tells him as he puts away a few dishes, "Even
as a Coshiton, I am forbidden from saying anything about what part I
took.""Hahhh alright..." Adam says as he snuggles
closer. He hugs behind him and kisses his ear. Adam nuzzles Merrick's
shoulder as Merrick nudges his head back while rubbing his fair hands onto
those brawny ones.

They rock back and forth for about a minute before Merrick turns around,
staying so close to Adam as he pushes against that round girth and rubbing
his shoulders, kissing him tenderly before rubbing the side of his face
onto Adam's chest. Adam strokes along Merrick's shirt as they cuddle close
in the kitchen before Adam gently parts away from him with another
kiss. "I'll see you tonight, babe..."

"Alright..." They kiss one more time before Adam takes his coat to
leave. "Hey." Merrick says at the doorway, "I can tell you one thing
though."

"Ok," Adam smiles, "Let me hear it.""Back in

Atlantis, we definitely changed everything for the better, for all our
kind." Merrick gives him a serene smile, "Next time a gay merfolk falls in
love, they will not have to go through what we did."

Adam gives Merrick a look of wonder and comes back to his husband, "That's
my prince..." He rubs Merrick's cheek as he affectionately kisses
him. "That is fantastic to hear." Adam says as he puts his hands on his
shoulders, before Merrick puts his arms over Adam's shoulders. They hug and
linger more on the spot, "Mnnhhhh... I kinda have half a mind to call for a
day off.""Naw, it's ok." Merrick backs up a bit, "I
can wait for the weekend. I gotta get to work
too.""Alright, honey." Adam leans in, and gives yet
another kiss to Merrick's mouth, "Have a good day, I'll see you
tonight.""Don't work too hard, fuzzbutt!" Merrick
called after him, giggling as Adam gives himself a slap on the ass to tease
him before he departs from the front door. Adam chuckles as he leaves his
home. He takes a deep breath, and walks up and out to eventually make his
way to the Fish House.

~~~

Adam unlocks the door to his office, his eyes going right to the ice
trident hung up on the back wall. He walks to it, putting on some thick
gloves before he deftly removed it from its display plague. The crystalline
lance glimmers in the light while soft mist wafts from every inch of its
surface.

He smiles softly as he holds it in both hands... Even after all these

years, it has never melted or chipped. It is still freezing even through
the gloves. His smile faded as he puts the mystical
weapon back up. He takes a good long look at it with a small frown. Adam
feels a dampening ache inside his chest and stomach the longer he gazes at
the ice. Something about it seems wrong...

Adam takes his hat off and hangs it up along with his long coat. He sits
down at his desk and clicks out a pen before he pulls out a form.
~~~

"Huah!" Several students shout in Merrick's dojo. Every single one of them
are holding hard-pad spears. Merrick holds his trident before him before he
gives it a spin, whirling a step forward and jabbing forward before
stepping back and withdrawing his weapon back and holding it against his
spine. His students copy the exact movement, most of them. Some of them are
too slow and they trip up from trick-step.

"Repeat." Merrick instructed as he demonstrates the move again. His class

obeys once more. "If you cannot match my stance, then work with what you
CAN do. Remember not every whale can jump out of the ocean." He recites
part of his philosophy. He takes notice of a few students pondering at
themselves.

"Alright, this is..."-Cunk cunk cunk-

His head turns around and sees Adam knocking at the glass door, "What...?"
He gives him a strange look, and then notices that he's holding a bouquet
of flowers, "I'm sorry, I have to step out for a minute. Theron Quinn, take
over please."

"Yes, Triton." Quinn says as she adjusts her headband around her ginger and
violet hair while Merrick walks out.

"Adam, what are you doing here? Why aren't you at work?"

"I-I just, I need to talk to you

um... Somewhere?""Ooookay? I'm assuming you mean
somewhere none of the students can see?"

"K-Kinda... C-Can we just,""Alright, lets just go

to my pond." Merrick says as he takes Adam to the door right next to his
dojo. They enter a dark room illuminated by blue and cyan light from within
a small pond with a few live koi fish swimming within it among some lily
pads. There are several softened stones and even a small waterfall that
pours gently into the small pool. This is a meditation room, a small space
only a few of the masters in the Ke-Kaua MMA have earned. "So what's going
on, babe?" Merrick asked, "You sound a little... Apprehensive."

Adam puts the flowers onto stand nearby before turning to his
husband. "So... Something I need to tell you." He turns and faces Merrick,
"I'm not working for the entire week.""Wait,
what?!" Merrick drops his jaw, "Adam, why are you taking so much time
off?!""I know, Merrick, and I'm sorry for dragging
you out of your class right now, but I just... We need to
talk.""... Ok, now you're starting to make me
nervous, just say it please.""Merrick. We haven't
seen each other in a year.""I
know.""A. Whole. Year, Merrick." Adam tells
him. Merrick blinks as his mouth opens ajar a little -- Adam's eyes are
holding lonely passion."Oh my God, we haven't been
together for over a year." Merrick responds.

"Exactly." Adam says as he huffs with his chest pounding, his eyes rimming
with moisture, "The others aside, I felt so alone and so lost without you,
Merrick. I- Really, Merrick, we- I spent our own wedding anniversary
alone.""Oh Adam!" Merrick hushes as he covers his
mouth.

"A-And I'm not going to lie, it hurt because I hoped that you would come
anyway, e-even though you couldn't, but I just, dammit..." Adam wipes his
eyes before looking at Merrick again, "I can't just pick back up where we
left off. This isn't like a Kenovani trip where you just leave for about a
month or two and come back. This has been the longest I have had to go
without you in all these years, and it just hurts me to have to just
pretend that it's ok.""Adam, I... Damn, I didn't
even consider it..." Merrick shakes his head, feeling a sudden rush of
guilt burn his face, "Fuck, all I thought about was setting things in
order, making sure to put everything right without a problem, I didn't
even..." He looks at Adam's dimly lit face, "Oh Adam, I'm sorry." He steps
up and holds onto his grizzled face as he pushes his mouth against the
other. Adam takes a deep breath as he holds Merrick's shoulders as they
kiss passionately.

Their lips lapped sweetly and firmly as their tongues rubbed along the
other before they parted. Merrick puts is forehead to Adam's chest as his
hands hold behind him and cling to his shoulders while Adam wraps his arms
around him. "I missed you..." Adam mutters as a tear rolls down from his
eye, "I missed you so much, it hurts..."

"I missed you too..." Merrick whispers, "I wanted you there so badly, I
wanted you to be apart of it..."

Adam parts with him, sniffling and drying his eyes, "I cleared the whole
week, Merrick. I need to be with you more than just after I get off work. I
don't care if we go to Giroso Springs or the cowboy ranch in Maui, or just
the beach, or even your class. I don't even care if we have sex or just
have dinner or just lay around on the ground looking up at the sky. I need
to be with you.""I know, I know Adam." Merrick
nods, "You're right, I... Hah, I need to talk to Hokulani... Hegh, I don't
think she'll be too enthusiastic about not having me for another week."
They pause for a moment before Merrick shakes his head, "Fuck it. I don't
care." He looks at those aged brown eyes at his burly husband, "I've made
you wait all our lives..." He gently caresses Adam's cheek as Adam holds
his sides, "I keep forgetting I need to be worth the
time.""Pgheheh" Adam chuckles, "You are... You
always are," Before he barely finished his sentence their faces join
together once again. Adam closes his eyes as he hugs Merrick while the
other puts his arms over Adam's shoulders.

~~~

The waterfall cascades as it always has in Aquata Cove, outlined by a

radiant rainbow in the spray of the ever rushing column. Hidden beneath a
camouflage tarp right next to where the rocks meet the dirt and roots of
the woods is a pile of clothing and two pairs of shoes, folded neatly in
air-tight bags and stowed well under a bush.

Within the old cove is the orange-pink light of the naturally glowing
crystals in a secluded grotto in a freshwater pool of lukewarm. The stone
has been carved and smoothed into shallow basins where one can rest gently
upon as if they are lying upon a bed of comfortable rock.
Completely naked, Adam's head rests on a waterproof pillow while his
muscular and chubby body is submerged in the gentle hotspring. Snuggling
right on him is Merrick, the lower half of his body wafting slowly in the
water with his long and beautiful blue and wavering fish tail, while his
upper body retains its peach colored complexion -- after countless years of
using the enchanted scales Atarah makes for him, Merrick has learned how to
retain his human appearance from the waist-up even underwater.

Merrick gradually rubs his lips against Adam's as the two lovers cuddle and
hug each other in the comfort of their secret paradise. Much like the first
time they have ever met, when a young bullied human met with a curious and
emotional Adra. Through the years they arrived in this one place to share
their time and love for one another.

Here in this secret place of Aquata Cove.

~Fin~