Makoto couldn't get Haruka off his mind.

Their encounter left Makoto with a storm of different emotions. He felt happy, he felt scared, he felt guilty, and he felt special. Makoto couldn't pinpoint which suited the situation better. Meeting a human in real life was something that Makoto hadn't even dreamt about, but here he was wishing to meet Haru again. He traced along the side of one of his shells, enjoying the rough feeling. His parents warned him about people like Haru. Stories of humans deceiving merpeople, tricking them and then selling them off to zoos. Makoto felt his eyes prick at the thought, but Haru wasn't like that. Haru had just been so different, and at the same time so familiar. He was nice.

Makoto had been stranded out in the rock pool for about thirty minutes after the two had met. Haru stayed with him the whole time, entranced by Makoto. The merboy felt a flush of embarrassment at the memory; he really didn't understand why he was so interesting. Haru was the human, he was the interesting one! Sadly he couldn't talk to the boy at all. He made pathetic attempts but Haru just cocked his head in confusion, his eyes were soft in understanding. If only he could converse to Haru, talk to the boy.

He was feeling awfully lonely, dreading the fact that there will be two new mouths in his household. Once he saw a baby, he's younger cousin, and he thought they looked really weird. Why would anyone love a chubby mini merperson like that? He scoffed at the idea that he looked like that when he was younger. Babies were odd.

Makoto sighed deeply. Picking up his shells he put them away on his rock shelf, and swam to the main room. His stomach growled as he smelt food, and we whisked around to the kitchen to see his father busily cut the mackerel. He daydreamed as his father worked, blankly staring at the almost calming cutting motions. Will it be a baby brother, or a baby sister? Or will it be completely different, like a big salmon? Makoto didn't mind having a salmon as his sibling. His father chuckled, Makoto felt a rush of humiliation; did he say that out loud?

"Makoto you are going to be a big brother soon." His father didn't look at him, but Makoto saw the soft smile on his face. Makoto felt hot tears brim again and gave his dad a glum look.

"I don't want to be a big brother" he sulked, "I want it to be just us three".

"Things change, life is all about change," a pause. "I'm sure you'll love them" his father's tone was almost like a lullaby. "I know you will."

Makoto picked up a chunk of mackerel and popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly. Don't cry; please don't cry he begged himself.

"What if I don't?" Makoto couldn't stop hitch in his throat, which was closing in. He was so scared and he didn't know why. A flood of other fears came in. He was scared of them knowing about his interaction with a human. Scared that they were going to leave him after the babies were born. Scared that he would be powerless to stop them. He stared down at his tail, refusing to see his father's face. You are a good little merboy, Makoto! Good little merboy's don't cry! It didn't stop the water leaking out of his eyes however, and his attempts of stifling it were met with more hiccups.

Warm arms enveloped him, and Makoto let the flood escape him. He clung onto his dad, sobbing into his shoulder. Hands cradled his head and back, moving in soothing circular movements.

"We love you Makoto," whispered his father in his ear, in a tone that felt like home, "We love you so much. We will always be there for you, me and your mother. This baby is going to change our family, but it will be a good change." His father took his head to look eye to eye. Makoto's crying had dwelled now to only sniffles. His father's eyes had a strong stern look to them now.

"We will be there for you always, through thick and thin. Orca packs stay with their orca packs. You'll remember that, won't you Makoto?"

Makoto's tears came back with revenge and he sobbed even louder as he nodded into his dad's shoulder. He felt a warm kiss on top of his head.

"Now," his father moved away till Makoto stopped bawling, a big goofy grin on his face. "Take this to your mother, okay? She's been craving mackerel for a while. I know she'll love to see you."

Makoto couldn't help but feel like he was doing something illegal as he asked for some sea cake cookies from his father.

It was a day later from their talk and Makoto was already feeling guilty as he really wanted to see Haru again. He wanted to give Haru something, and hopefully they could be friends.

His father had a weary aura today; his mum had been for the last few weeks asking for all sorts of weird and exotic foods. He simply sighed, placed the cookies in a bag and handed them to Makoto. He suddenly smiled; more of a smirk Makoto would call it.

"Going to see a girl, Makoto?"

Makoto felt a flush of embarrassment and gave his dad a flabbergasted look. His father's smirk just widened at Makoto's pathetic attempts to explain that he was going to eat them later on his picnic. Or that he was just going to see his fish friends. Or he was just going to see the old sardine lady from the corner. He could see he was just digging himself a bigger hole so Makoto took quick haste to get out of the house.

"Just be careful, alright?" his father sang as Makoto bolted, gripping tightly onto the offending sea cake cookies.

Makoto glared at the cookies. He wasn't going to see a girl. He was going to see Haru. A human. Someone dangerous to merpeople. He whisked the thought away as soon as it popped up, Haru looked just like him. And he didn't hurt him when he was stranded in the rock pool, did he? The merboy reached the rock and peeked around to see if the shore was Haru-less. No, the boy was there sitting on the sand, a blank look on his face. He felt his heart race, and took a big gulp of his courage.

He slunk out from behind the rock, using the bag of cookies as a barrier. He felt torn between wanting Haru to not see he was there and wanting him to see Makoto. It was still petrifying being here in real life.

Haru was suddenly staring straight at Makoto and he couldn't help the little yelp that escaped him. His cheeks burned at the noise he made. You're a big merboy now Makoto, he repeated, not feeling at all like a big merboy.

Haru was quick to get rid of his top second skin layer and dove into the water. Makoto was now able to see how humans swam. It was loud, and it looked exhausting with all those arm movements. Makoto couldn't help but shrink back as Haru reached the rock, hauling himself on it so he could catch his breath back. He could help but gape at the fluid like motion of the movement. If it was him he would land flat on his face.

Haru startled him out of his thoughts as the boy stared straight at Makoto, and then turned his attention to the bag in the merboy's hands. Makoto brightened up as he caught Haru looking and quickly reached into the bag. He couldn't wipe the dorky smile on his face as he whipped out the cookie to show Haru. The human boy cocked his head until his eyes widened in realisation. He slowly moved his hands out and Makoto placed the cookie in Haru's hands gently. He smiled really big, hoping that the human boy would like it.

Haru instantly took a bite out of it. The cookie made a snap sound and the boy's face scrunched up like he ate a lemon. Makoto cheeks were suddenly burning. Haru didn't like it? He made them specially (secretly) for him! And he stuffed up! Haru persisted though, swallowing the bite with forced determination.

Makoto fussed even though he knew Haru didn't understand him.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I must have done the recipe wrong…I- I" he was blubbering, feeling hot tears bubble out. Oh now he was crying in front of Haru, how great. That thought just made Makoto cry more.

He felt Haru's stare on his back and he moved his head up to see those soft, blue eyes. Just like the sea.

It's okay.

Makoto stopped crying, and was amazed how he could understand Haru with just a look. Haru was truly incredible. He gave a shaky smile back, a bubbly wet laugh escaping him as Haru ate the rest of the cookie.

When Makoto got home later he took a tentative bite of one of the left over cookies.

It was in that moment that he swore to never cook ever again.

I'm pumping these out because I can. Maybe I should make the chapters longer?

Makoto is the merman because if Haru was he wouldn't want to leave the water at all.