Deep Dark Ocean
Disclaimer: all the characters belongs to Andrew Hussie, even if I interpreted Dad Egbert and Bro Strider in my own way -and I hope it's in a good way x)
Parings: Dad Egbert x Bro Strider (with loads of fluff between these two), Dirk x Jake and that's all I can reveal to you right now or it won't be interesting
Author's note:
I don't know why, but I have a huge thing with mermaids lately so I decided to write this AU. I guess it'll be less fluffy than what I usually write, so don't be surprised if I write sad things x)
I love the universe in which the story takes place, inspired by Bretagne and Normandy (two Northern regions in France which looks like Great Britain somehow, with great seascapes). As mentioned higher in the text, it'll be a mermaid AU, but not the Disney kind. My mermaids are like human who evolved differently from us, thus don't speak our language, don't have our gestures, and basically are really hard to understand. They can't turn into humans with a magic kiss, nor can humans turn into mermaids. Do you see the impossible love coming? xD
PS: English isn't my first language, so there must be mistakes x)
EDIT : I'm sorry for the previous mistakes, I corrected most of them.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1 – The manor
When he woke up, the sun was already illuminating the early skies, chasing away the stars from their dark veil. The monotonous vibration of the car had made his limbs feel numb. A not so sweet taste was in his mouth, making his teeth sticky and his tongue heavy. He felt as if someone was pushing zillions of needles in his spine, his shoulders pierced by tiny daggers.
A familiar weight pressed on his hip, indicating the presence of his little brother, still asleep. They shared with their father, and basically the whole family, a thick mane of dark and indomitable hair. Only their eyes were different: bright blue ones for John, looking just like the reflection of the sky in the sea while Jake's were as mysterious and adventurous as an unexplored jungle, a gloomy yet bright green, just like his mother's.
Their dad never talked about her. As far as Jake knew, they lived almost four years together before she left for another man, leaving him the boys. When he was younger, he found a picture of her, torn then restuck with duct tape, then torn again apparently. He still had it with him, and his dad never mentioned that he 'lost' it. Jake wondered if he even cared.
This was now history, his dad putting all aside to take care of them. John was only three, and Jake six when he met Mr. Strider. The teenager found him rather cool in the first time, even if he was a little strange. He grew up acknowledging him as his father's best friend, half living with them but not being officially part of the family. The blonde man was almost ten years younger than his father and way more fun than him, like a grown up eternal teenager. He was always sewing things, building stuff, fixing mess, forging junk, adding pieces, and removing gears. A very manual worker, which gave him remarkable muscles, as the young man noticed. And he noticed it too much, lately.
Jake ceased immediately to admire those biceps and looked quickly at the dawn. After twelve hours of plane, they drove almost eight more in the middle of the night. John and he strived on the backseat of the car until Mr. Strider threw them a smuppet. Worst experience of his life
If he was right, they were almost arrived at his aunt's house. Jake has never seen her before, or when he was too young to remember, yet his father always told him they were as alike as two peas in a pod. Seemed that he looked very much like his younger cousin, too. He heard her sister was about the same age at him, which made him anxious. The best scenario would be her liking adventure and guns, just like him, the worst being her liking pastry just like his father. Jake didn't hope too much for the first option, he never met such a girl.
John squeezed his waist in his sleep, murmuring inaudible things. His brother affectionately passed his hand in his hair, removing his glasses so he won't break it unintentionally.
A new day began.
Jake never saw the sea before.
They always lived in hot places, like Texas or Arizona where the rain is indecisive and the storms made of sand. Suddenly, the cerulean heavens became steel gray as melted metal, pouring water like innumerable tear drops. Above all, or more precisely under it all, there was the deep dark Ocean. What could hide those infinite reversed skies? What could be living under the tyranny of those gigantic waves? What monsters could be resting in its abysses?
Jake didn't know, but it intrigued him. Exploring the obsidian shore would for sure be the greatest adventure of his life! What if he met a beached whale? John was as much excited as him, unable to stay sit in the car. Their dad smiled and stopped at the first beach they found. They jumped out of the car like two puppies, rolling immediately in the sand before throwing it at each other's. The weather was not kind enough to allow them to swim, but Jake took off his shoes and socks, raising his pants on his thighs to make a pair of shorts. He quickly ran toward the rocks, hoping to find some crabs or something like that. John was just behind him, his long hoodie floating in the air like a banner.
Even if the wind was cold on his skin, Jake still put his feet in the water, which was freezing as you could imagine. John and him tasted it, then found it was really salty. Really. They tasted loads of things, like seaweeds, and found nothing was edible here.
A few meters away, Mr. Strider and their father were observing them absent-mindedly.
"Looks like they have fun" Said Mr. Strider, a soft smile on his lips.
"Join them if you want."
"I'd rather stay with you, honey." He replied, taking the man's hand in his own behind his back.
Jack gave him a warning look, fighting weakly his demonstrations of affection. Mr. Strider loved those eyes, grayer than the current sky with tiny bits of blue hiding in it.
"Not in front of the kids, Dean." He sighed, pulling his hand away.
"You'll have to tell them one day."
"I know. But... later."
Seeing the pained look in his eyes, Mr. Strider didn't push it further. It was in times like that he just wanted to hug him, kiss him, protect him from the world.
They met at his working place, ten years ago. Jake was lost then, and Dean found him in the studios, looking for his dad. He was an unknown writer then, trying to make himself a name, completely obvious of the fact that Jake's dad was well-known actor. They wandered between the empty film sets, passing through plastic forests and lunar valleys. Jake looked at him with shiny eyes, pure admiration filling his emerald irises.
But then, they found Mr. Egbert. A thirty-years-old man, coming right from the 30's with his perfect black hair and his marble complexion. In his tuxedo, a fedora nonchalantly put on his head, his silver eyes widen in surprise, he looked like a surprised James Bond. Dean fell immediately for him. Their first meetings were only professional, Dean's talents being finally noticed by some big producer. One day, however, they met in the real life. They went to a fancy restaurant, ate a pizza, and the word could've been made of nonexistent people who can only be acknowledged as a vague shape of darkness, Dean would've not cared at all. He had found the love of his life.
Their respective works didn't ceased to tear them apart, reunite them, and separate them again. The Strider's and Egbert's name was on everyone's lips, the press running after to them like feral dogs after a bone. Even if they were together, they couldn't be because of them. Thus, one day, Jack bought some plane tickets, took his car, his most loved ones and just left. Currently they were on vacations. Sort of.
Dean wondered if they would ever come back to Hollywood. Part of him missed his work, but a bigger part was in love since ten years.
Jake's aunt's house was not a house. It was a manor. A castle. The boys' dream house.
On the top of a cliff, dangerously close to the fatal fall, yet dominating the entire shore. Of course, they had big houses before, being the children of Jack Egbert. Even pretty houses, very classy. But never like that. It looked somehow like a cathedral, like a boat, like a castle. Jake fell in love with it instantly. A pretty woman waited for them at the porch.
Jake recognized his aunt at the first sight, though he had never met her before. She had the same eyes, the same face, even the same smile as their father's. Next to her stood a joyful girl with long dark hair. She has green eyes behind her glasses, too, but clearer than his own. A little in retreat was another girl, about his age he thought. She looked shy.
"Jack!" Greeted his aunt, hugging tight his little brother. Then she looked at M. Strider with a wide smile. "Who might that be?"
"He's. Hum. One of my coworkers." Answered Jake's father, ill at ease.
"His best friend to say the truth. You can call me Dean." He laughed, taking Mrs. Egbert's hand to kiss it like a gentleman. "You never told me your sister was that beautiful, Egbert."
"Why, thank you!" Giggled Mrs. Egbert. "I'm Joan, by the way. This is Jade and Jane, come here girls. I present you yours cousins, Jake and John. Why don't you go explore the mansion while we're talking between adults?"
As soon as the kids left, Joan guided her guests in the living-room. She always had had good taste when it came to decoration, as her brother noticed. The furniture was simple, yet classy, the colors well-matched. Jack felt anxious, but as far as he knew, Dean was pretty relaxed. But, Lord knows what he really thinks behind those shades. The first time he saw his eyes, it was an accident. A projector had almost fallen on him, and if Jack hasn't been here he might've been dead now. He had pulled the young man in his arms, they tumbled and he lost his shades. Then he looked into Jack's eyes, panting, a very light blush coloring his cheeks. His pupil seemed to be made of pure gold, and maybe they shined in the darkness, maybe had he imagined it.
Joan made them some tea; a tasteful Earl Grey Jack bought her for her last birthday. Dean politely declined, but enjoyed at least a glass of apple juice. They silently sat in the comfortable couch, Joan acting relaxed and sympathetic, but her brother knew that she knew. They could've even been separated at birth and never have met before, she would've always known. Though he didn't believe in telepathy or paranormal things in general, he believed her when she told him she had visions. Moreover, she has never been wrong.
"So..." She began. "You're together, right?"
"Please, don't tell the children." Jack said. "I... I don't believe they're ready."
Dean observed the siblings silently, trying to spot the differences between them. They had the same old-fashioned beauty, that little anachronistic something that made them extremely classy. Like James Bond and his female replica.
Jack took his hand, pulling him out his daydream.
"I'm aware he's ten years younger than me. I know that. But he's the one."
Dean felt his heart miss a beat. Jack wasn't very demonstrative with his feelings, and hearing say something like that was as unusual as it was touching.
"I didn't say he isn't, I just don't want you to be as heartbroken as when Emily left." She said softly.
"Don't talk about her." He said his tone suddenly low, threatening. Dean squeezed him hand, full of concern.
"Don't talk about her..." He whispered. And Dean knew that it still hurt him, twelve years after. And it hurt him, too.
"... This is Jade's room, and mine's the blue door at the end of the corridor." Finished Jane. "Your room will be the white door I guess, if Mom doesn't put you in the attic."
"Can we visit it? I love old attics, they're full of treasures!" Asked impatiently Jake.
"Without me, if you don't mind, I hate spiders." Answered Jane quickly before she left in her room. Her cousin wondered why she was so tense around him, but soon he followed Jade in the attic and forgot her. The colorful teenager immediately got along with John. They were chatting about some films they had seen, ignoring the marvels Jake discovered. They even left him alone, not noticing that he had stopped following them.
The attic was not the filthy and dusty place Jake expected, but what he found was even better. It looked like an ancient laboratory, the type of place belonging to a strange uncle fond of insects or something like that. Everything was ordered, perfectly tidied up, sorted out, labeled. There were dead animals waiting in their jars, exotic butterflies and beetles pinned on the walls, tons of worn, leather-jacketed books with Latin names, and above all, a gigantic wooden desk.
Jake could tell it served well by the couple of scratches he could see, accompanied with what looked like tea drops on the left side. A left-handed man, he guessed.
An old-fashioned copper lamp who could've been taken from the Titanic -and it was, as Jake could read- was the only object left on the desk. The teenagers thought about listening to his good manners and leave the drawers closed. But soon the curiosity overwhelmed him and he opened the first one.
Inside were a tea pot, some empty cookie box, loads of handwritten notes in a language Jake didn't understood, and photography. Sadly, there was a white round over the man's face, and the picture was in black and white so it wasn't very interesting. At the back of the picture was written something, but Jake could only read 'Doc', the rest being covered by a scratch.
The next drawer was full of notes again, with some pinned insects and a lighter. An ouroburos was elegantly carved on it. The young man put it in his pocket to ask his aunt later what it meant. He was about to leave when something shiny caught his eye. From where he was, he guessed only the man sitting at the desk could've seen it. His heart beat faster.
The lamp reflected something, but he couldn't see from where it came. As he approached, he found out that the ray of light came from the ceiling, more precisely from the chandelier. He got up and climbed on the desk, trying to see what was doing it. The chandelier was also made of copper, but he soon found that the light only came from a hole in the roof. Disappointed, he was about to come down when he saw the button. A little, red button hidden in the chandelier.
He pushed it, of course.
There was a rumbling noise, the floor trembled a little, and then one of the bookshelf moved. It showed dark stairs, full of spider webs. Not reassured, yet more excited than ever, Jake approached it slowly. A salty breeze caressed his face, the stairs leading for sure to a natural cave or even to a secret beach. Before he entered, Jake took the handguns that were hanging on the wall, checked if they were full, and put them in their holster. Few years ago, one of the prop assistants taught him how to shoot, and later his dad insisted for him to know it, in case of.
Then, he began his descent.
See you at the next chapter! Please, review ;D
