Thanks for all the kind comments everyone!
...xXx...
"Then let me take her. Let me carry you both."
Vash's dark emerald eyes nearly made him choke.
Why, oh why was he doing this? Why in the whole damn ocean wouldn't the merman just listen to him? He wanted to help, wanted to repay his debt to the other by making sure he was safe. And yet here he was, being stared at like he was the scum of the reef. As if he was the damned tiger shark that just attacked them. Not an ounce of trust in those hard, gem-like eyes.
At first he thought, after he'd spoken, that the spotted male might agree to come along with them. His whole stance softened, and even little Lilli reached out to him for a moment. It was a tad endearing to know that the young pup seemed to trust him that much, since they'd only known each other for the better part of the day.
The green speckled male soon hunched over, hiding those eyes. His sudden expression change totally threw him off, a surprised rumble sounding in his throat. It still felt like those fierce emerald eyes were boring into him—and despite the underlying threat those deep, green dappled irises had held, a warmth started to pool in his cheeks and in his lower back.
Roderich couldn't stop his heart from nearly leaping out of his throat.
He dearly hoped his father and brother couldn't sense the stinging excitement buzzing in the back of his mind. Never in his life had he felt such a strong pull towards another of his kind, not even back when he and Elizabeta had had their fling. Jeez, this is embarrassing, he thought, brushing his hair back as it floated in front of his eyes.
Roderich snapped into focus as he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. He glanced over to his father, humming in confusion. The larger male tilted his head to the side and pulled on his shoulder, urging them to leave. The merman didn't hesitate to turn and begin swimming away, and he felt more than saw Ludwig do the same on his other side.
What were they doing? Were they just planning on leaving Vash and Lilli here? Roderich was filled with sudden anger, rounding around to snap at his family for their coldness, and he saw the two males floating just a few meters away. Diedrich waved his hand for him to come over to them, Ludwig looking between them.
The mauve male narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth. How dare they try to get him to leave! After everything Vash has done for him—
"Alright."
Roderich nearly jumped at the voice behind him and spun back around. The spotted male was looking up at him again, eyes much softer than before as he reached out towards him. His heart sped up again as the other brushed against one of his pelvic fins, the webbed verdigris hand hesitating before grasping the translucent fin lightly.
Lilli swam out of her brother's hold and treaded beside them. She looked over to where the other two males had stayed put, waiting, and the young mermaid puffed herself up before swimming over to them. Vash's gaze stayed trained on her as she stopped in front of the larger males, chirping shyly up at them. Ludwig said something quietly to her and held out his hand. The young pup glanced over her shoulder at her brother for permission, and accepted the merman's hand once she got a nod. The two of them then began swimming south together.
Roderich sighed in relief, turning back to his green companion. "I'm glad you decided to come with us," he muttered, shaking out the ruffle in his tail. He wasn't used to this much stress in one day.
Vash just swallowed thickly, dipping his head. A webbed thumb ran across his silver fin and the purple male couldn't help the tingle running across his scales at the light touch. He had no clue as to how he was even more aware of the other merman than before, but he was. It felt like the water was thrumming between them.
"Roderich, let's move," he heard his father call out to him.
The purple merman just made a noise of agreement and finally moved into action. He turned his back to the emerald male and ducked down. "Come on, you can hold onto me."
Vash grunted and let go of his fin, instead reaching up to grab his shoulders. Roderich dipped forward and began to slowly tread through the waves, feeling the weight of the blonde fall against his back. The other male huffed by his ear, and he could easily sense his discomfort.
Even as he swam steadily with the others, Vash did his best to assist—waving his tail as much as he could. But the long appendage frequently rested against him, the blonde's belly warm on his spine. He could feel the ragged cloth brush against his skin and did his best not to bump into him too much. He wasn't used to carrying others like this (usually since he was the one being carried) but he did his best to keep a steady pace.
Diedrich swam quietly behind them as he slowly followed after his family. The larger male said nothing about his son's earlier indignation, and Roderich was grateful. Rarely did he ever go against his father's orders or snap at him, but he couldn't help it in this instance. There was just no way he was going to leave Vash behind, not after he snatched him from the jaws of death.
Literally, he thought grimly.
After awhile of steadily swimming, Vash seemed to finally give up trying to move. The green merman fully laid atop him then, hesitantly sliding jade-dipped arms over his shoulders and wrapping them around him. He felt a warm cheek press against his neck, sending more tingles across his skin. Roderich reached up to hold the arms around him, starting to hum excitedly.
He was glad the other was finally resting. It couldn't have been easy to even do as much as he had, swimming above him as if he didn't have a huge gash in his side.
Ludwig and Lilli were fairing much easier in front of them. The young pup had initially stayed under the other, hidden between him and the plethora of seagrass they were travelling through, and now she was drifting beside the silver-blue male and chatting with him about this and that. His brother's answers to her whatever questions were curt and gruff, but he always answered. The small mermaid would occasionally glance back at them, mostly to check on her brother he would think.
Roderich ran his fingers over the smooth arms around him, continuing to hum quietly—more to comfort himself and his companion. The adrenaline that had been frequently racing through his veins that afternoon was finally fading and he could feel his muscles sagging from the strain. He wasn't used to so much exertion in one day. Oh, how he wished he was back in their cavern and lounging comfortably in his soft, moss bed. Stretching across the plush cushion, not worried about whether or not he could outrun a shark or if he was going to get anyone killed, just him snoozing away the day.
Snuggling into a warm, pale back. Burying his face into silken golden hair. Tracing dark, seaweed-colored rings along a rippling, muscled emerald tail . . .
"Hey," Vash mumbled in his ear, bringing him out of his daydream. "Is everything okay?"
The violet merman turned his head a bit, spying a concerned face looking at him. He raised an eyebrow, just watching as the blonde scanned the waters around them, seemingly searching for danger.
"You stopped swimming . . . and humming."
"Oh!"
Oh dear, he hadn't even noticed. Ludwig and Lilli were just now cresting over the top of a sandy hill ahead of them, and his father dashed past them to catch up.
Roderich cleared his throat, flustered that he'd fallen behind again. And what was that fantasy?! he scolded himself. He quickly kicked his tail, propelling them swiftly through the water after the others. Vash seemed to settle onto him once more, wincing a bit.
"My apologies," he piped up, wanting to keep speaking with the spotted male. "I guess I got a bit distracted."
Vash mumbled something he didn't quite catch and clucked his tongue. "What a time to space out," he voiced louder. "It's not like you have anyone bleeding out on your back or anything."
"Are you bleeding out?!" the violet merman squeaked, turning his head again. His heart hammered with worry. Had he not tied the cloth tight enough?! What if—
"Calm down," the other male calmed. Roderich could practically feel his eyes roll. "I'm just pulling your tail."
"Well, excuse me for being worried," he grumbled. He couldn't relax, though, but he softened his tone. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine, you've had a bite taken out of you." Roderich couldn't help the way his voice pitched a little higher, thinking back to when the merman had thrown himself between him and those gaping jaws. A cold spike drove into his chest.
Vash just heaved a heavy breath, and he could feel the movement of the male's chest expanding against his back. The green merman's voice was a low whisper as he pressed his cheek into the nape of his neck once more, "It's just another scar. I'll live."
The two of them let the weight of the spotted male's words hang in the water.
They were quiet for a moment as the purple merman bounded up and over the sand dune, spotting a familiar group of merfolk just a little ways ahead. Roderich nearly sang with relief, counting out his siblings on the sandy drop-off in front of them. There was Elizabeta with her pink and aqua tail flashing brightly in the sunlight dappling through the water, and Gilbert floating beside her. The twins seemed to be napping in the sand with Klaus, their varying shades of brown and gray scales making them look like a small pile of rocks. Abel and Evicka floated forward to greet Ludwig and Diedrich as they swam up, Lilli staying hidden behind them. He thought he caught a glimpse of something gold flickering at the edge of the drop-off, and tried to lean up to get a better look.
And then he felt the male on his back completely stiffen, arms constricting around his neck.
Right, he thought, slowing his tail movement, Vash is technically an outsider. Of course he'd be nervous around everyone.
Said merman suddenly pitched his voice low and called out. Lilli whipped her head around and dashed back towards to where they were floating on the crest of the dune. The young pup's tail wiggled fiercely, her arms reaching out as she closed in and Roderich immediately let go of the male's arms to catch her as she barreled into his chest with a small oof!
"Whoa, there, Lilli," the violet merman tried to soothe. "That's just my family."
"There's so many of them!" the little mermaid whispered harshly, sounding tense. Her big jade eyes looked up at him and her brother, wide and nervous.
"It's alright. They're not going to—"
"Roderich!"
A sudden chorus of trills and yawps burst through the water towards the trio, and the back of the violet male's mind practically lit up like lightning with his family all piling their collective relief upon him. He shook his head, dazed for an instant. When his sense came back to him he couldn't help the sudden dread at seeing nearly his entire family speeding towards him. Even the younger ones had awoken and were now excitedly chirping and twirling around each other to get to him. He felt Vash nearly choke him and he hugged Lilli tighter to him, raising up an arm up to placate the oncoming swarm. "E-Everyone, please just—"
A resounding, sharp hiss lit up like a fuse next to his ear and Roderich froze. So did his family, looking at the strange trio with trepidation as they all came to a stop a meter or so away. The violet merman turned to see Vash leaning up on his shoulders and glaring at everyone, pupils slit and fangs clearly visible as he grit his teeth in a snarl.
"Roderich?" Elizabeta chirped cautiously, paddling closer. "Are you alright?"
Gilbert rolled on his side as he began to circle them. "Ooo, it seems you have a pretty big leech on you," his brother snarked, grinning even as Vash growled at him. "Want me to remove it?"
"I'll help you," Abel grunted. He matched Vash's snarl as he circled around to their left, tawny and blue-flecked tail twitching in agitation.
"Come any closer to my sister and I'll kill you," the blonde snapped. His fingers dug into the violet merman's skin, and he hunched up as if getting ready to pounce.
Roderich felt his cheeks heat up, his heart skipping a little. He's so . . . spirited . . .
A spark flickered in the back of his mind as something clicked into place, and his whole being was suddenly aflame.
...xXx...
And here on our left we have Roderich falling head over tails for one feisty blonde.
Changed the chapter titles to something a little more fitting for the story.