"Momma, momma, momma, momma, moooooommmma!" Five-year-old Iven yelled to his mother from his bed, too comfortable to get up and hunt her down. When Arista still had not shown up the boy decided to start annoying his elder brother. Fifteen-year-old Grady was trying to sleep when his brother started talking to him- incessantly talking to him.
"Grady, Graaady, Graaaaaddy!"
"WHAT?" Grady snapped at his younger brother, thoroughly irritated. Iven did this every night, and it was getting on the teen's nerves. First thing in the morning, Grady was going to talk to his mother and grandfather about getting his own room. Or at the very least sharing it with one of his cousins closer to his age.
Iven stopped talking for a moment, happy to have someone finally answer him- and knowing full well that the older merboy had been asleep. "Hi."
Grady started grinding his teeth in frustration- a habit he only started about five years ago. "Grady, I can't sleep." The younger boy's voice lost its irritating sound, and instead reflecting exhaustion and vulnerability.
The elder boy sighed before, regretfully, pushing his covers away and swimming to his brother's bed. Iven lifted his covers up so Grady could slip underneath. "What is it this time?"
"Poppy." Grady nodded in understanding, trying to hide his smirk from Iven. Ever since the fifteen-year-old has started seeing Giovanna, a mermaid one year older than him, Iven has fancied himself in love with her younger sister Poppy. Poppy is thirteen and finds Iven cute- in a 'the-younger-brother-of-her-sister's-boyfriend' sort of way. Iven hasn't quite figured it out yet.
"Aw Iven," Grady ruffled the younger merboy's hair affectionately. "You've got years to figure things out and to find a girl. Don't limit your sights to Poppy kiddo." Iven smiled at his brother, but shook his head.
"Uh-huh. There's only one Poppy, and that's Poppy, and she's perfect, and-"
"Ah, young love." Both boys looked up to see their grandfather come into their room. The aging king was still remarkably spry for having raised seven daughters and having seventeen grandchildren. King Triton's eyes sparkled as he sat beside his grandsons. "I still remember when I first saw your grandmother. No mermaid could ever compare to her." The boys smiled, they loved hearing about the grandmother they never got to know.
"Never give up on your love boys! I'm sure Poppy will come around, Iven." The king winked at the five-year-old, who grinned back. Grady smiled; he liked Gia, and he hoped to stay with her.
"Now, go to bed you two!" King Triton's statement was mixed with groans from the boys, though they consented- Grady swimming back to his bed, and Iven wrapping the covers tighter around him.
"Good night."
"Good night!" Neither boy could suppress their yawns as the king shut the bedroom door.
"Thank you daddy." The king was greeted to his daughter out in the hallway waiting for him to come back out. "I think they really appreciated you talking to them."
The king kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Anything for you Arista."