The wavy surface of the water shimmered brightly under the sun's glow, the deep blue of the ocean itself concealing whatever great battle dwelt below. For the expectant boy, it was left for his own imagination to picture. But it must be exciting for sure!

As he sat on the heated rocks, facing the big blue ahead, his cerulean irises scanned the quite surface, waiting for something to happen, something which would give him a clue of what swam underwater.

This could be quite boring, actually… But again, Tooth had warned him about it.

When she asked what would she have to do to be given the chance to taste the upper-world's food, he pretended to delay on his reply, although he had known the answer from the beginning.

So, it was with a smug look that he had declared that he wished to know in what consisted her own meals.

Tooth seemed reluctant, since, as she had stated, it would take her too much time, and the poor boy might became bored… Oh, he had known right away what her true motives were! She was eager to eat his food, and didn't want to bother to go fetch something for the trade.

Well, now he knew that she was probably telling the truth…

One of the things he came to realize while enjoying the girl's company, was that mermaids were pure and honest creatures, much purer than a lot of men he knew. And well, if not all the mermaids had these characteristics, Tooth had them for sure. In fact, he would have to confess, Toothiana was one of the most wonderful beings he had the bliss of knowing. She was innocent and curious, she had wits and a strong will. She meant happiness and light, and he didn't know what he would have become if he had never decided to chase the mysterious beast.

Thinking about the day he met her brought memories of a hatred-filled past. And this sudden flash of reality made his brow cringe and his eyes grow dark.

Yes, his whole life, back home, has been quite hard, as if the grief itself was too stubborn to realize there was nothing left to be done. The misery too blind to see that sadness wouldn't bring her back. Nothing would.

She was gone… forever.

Jack felt his eyes becoming as flooded as the ocean in front of him, so, it was with a mute quietness, that he let the last bits of sorrow gently drip from his core. And as they joined the great mass of water, and the waves washed them away, the shepherd couldn't help but smile peacefully. Even the wind came to calm him, drying the tears, cooling his cheeks with a gentle kiss. For the boy, there was no better balm…

Jack´s weighting heart was suddenly relieved from all its previous pressure.

The ambiance back home… well, let's just say it has not been very easy to endure. But the boy didn't want to think about it! It was of no use! Forgetting or pretending it wasn't real was easier. Because the frustration that flooded his life lately, that one feeling that made him feel trapped and exposed to whatever life threw at his face, would slowly turn into hatred.

And if he let it happen, if he allowed his heart to be contaminated by this nasty feeling, then, in that moment, he would truly lose her, and everything she meant. If he let the rage consume him, that sparkle of Emma that still existed within him, would vanish, forever.

Jack had realized this recently. And thankfully he had gained conscience of such an important truth. He had been letting his heart slowly freeze over, too blind to even see it.

And Tooth was the one responsible for opening up his eyes. She gave him that needed pause, that brief stop in time that allowed him to take a deep breath and look inside himself, only to realize what was truly important.

She gave him hope.

And for that, he would always be grateful.

The sun continued toasting whatever unguarded creature that wasn't smart enough to hide from his merciless rays. And Jack was one of those creatures.

He could hear the balm-crickets whizzing loudly from behind, shouting their unmelodic symphonies to each other. And the deafening noise only made Jack yearn for the sea even more; at least there would be silence underwater…

And gosh, it was so hot…

The waves crashed just before his feet, teasingly spraying clouds of foam towards the heated boy, though the wetness was never quite enough to fight the high temperatures of the rays.

It would feel so good, just to bath in that invigorating coolness, to swim, feeling light and free once more!

However, the boy eyed the mass of water ahead of him with a now instinctive wariness.

The sea had taken everything from him without a single drop of remorse.

Jack hadn't quite understood why would this moody giant betray the young shepherd's trust, crushing his carefree nature in such a destroying way. Life made unexpected twists, leaving its characters to witness and accept whatever the tides of fate brought to them.

And the boy hadn't yet accepted it. It was all too recent, the dread too fresh. He couldn't get himself to simply forgive the ocean, that traitorous being that stabbed him in the back.

Sometimes, a part of him would quietly whisper that the sea wasn't the one to blame, and that responsibility laid on someone else's shoulders: the lean one's of a careless boy, who thought himself smart enough to disrespect the unpredictability of the ocean.

But he would always shoo such thoughts away, the guilt that dripped from them was too much for him to handle.

So his mind quickly returned to the call of the water, and he wondered, just for a second, if Tooth wasn't some kind of apology for what had been done. The thought amused him immensely.

…

..

.

In the quietness of the underwater world, a frustrated growl echoed through the liquid environment. Toothiana dug her nails harder, teeth clenched from the effort, as she pushed the bend of her tail hard against the rocks, giving everything she could into plucking out those stubborn mussels from the walls they held dearly onto. With a last pull, they finally gave up, and the mermaid found herself being projected into the open waters behind her, tumbling over herself once or twice.

Checking out the area surrounding her, Tooth gave a triumphant giggle, and quickly shoved the mollusk into a net-made sack she always brought with her. Then, taking off swimming as swiftly as she could, the mermaid went searching for something more… substantial, for their lunch.

While looking for a prey, her mind couldn't avoid but recall the moments that followed the boy's request…

When Jack proclaimed he also wished to taste some of her own food, Toothiana showed herself rather annoyed. She wanted to eat those strange things he had brought, so much different from what she was used to. But seeing his pouting face, Tooth could only sigh in defeat.

But as quickly as she accepted this, the mermaid was immediately overwhelmed by a strange excitement, and with a happy eagerness in her eyes, she went for the boy's hand.

- Do you want to watch? – her orbs gleamed with the mere thought of sharing her own world with him, and she tugged him towards the water.

And the shepherd kept chuckling amusedly at her enthusiasm, letting his big white palm being pulled by both her petit wet ones.

But as soon as Jack's fingertips grazed the cold liquid, he seemed to snap out of some kind of spell, and his eyes grew dark as they widened. His hand was abruptly snatched from her hold, a single chocked gasp leaving their lungs in unison.

Toothiana's wide orbs searched for his immediately, trying to distinguish some clue that would justify this behavior, in his now clouded irises. It was as if the mermaid could see the turmoil of dread that dealt below, and the vision made her grimace.

She watched, with a mix of worry and confusion, as the boy clumsily draw himself backwards, retreating to the inner parts of the rock he had been laying on, as far from the mermaid as possible.

The girl, on the other hand, looked away, embarrassed, lowering her saddening irises to the water around her. She couldn't help but lift her hands from under water, staring discreetly at the glossy palms. Toothiana frowned, lips apart as she tasted some of the air.

Maybe it was her touch that disgusted him in such a revolting way…

Her head-fins lowered in their stance, coming down because of the heartbreaking realization.

Jack, who had been trying to get a grip on himself again, his mind chiding him for such a display of utter terror, looked up suddenly, gazing the mermaid, ready to spill out some kind of quick excuse for his reaction.

But seeing her there, staring with that look at her own hands caused something inside of him to crack.

And, like an electric shock had made him jump into action, he suddenly got to his knees, and gripped her held up hands fiercely, as if the mere sight of the thought that run through her head in that moment enraged him in a maddening way.

When Toothiana's violet orbs met his, widened by shock and a hint of fright, the boy's features softened immediately, loosening the tight grip in which he held her hands. Jack himself was lost of words, surprised by his own hastiness. And as his eyes settled in their held hands, he noticed the thumb that had been unconsciously stroking her soft skin, and let go of her with an infuriating rush of heat to his face.

The mermaid's wary gaze followed all this succession of actions, and when finally his warm grasp left hers, leaving a strange tingling feeling just below her skin, and she took notice of the uncharacteristically strong shade of crimson that tinged his cheeks, did Toothiana realized – with a gasp of pure relief, might I add – that the boy hadn't jerk back due to repulsion towards herself.

Immediately, a light tug was felt on the corner of her lips and a quiet gentleness filled her eyes.

Jack, on the other hand, diverted his irises shamefully, and took a deep breath before he muttered just high enough for her to hear:

- I… I don't- I can't go with you…

The mermaid's head tilted slightly, and she swam just a little closer, resting her arms on the rock.

- You… - she started, but then spoke as softly as she could muster. – You can't swim?

- Of course I can! – the other stated with such an indignant cry, eyes snapping immediately towards her own, that Tooth had to fight hard not to laugh at his reaction. He then calmed himself again, and continued softly. – I just… don't want to.

He lifted his orbs again, blue gazing violet with such need for understanding, that the mermaid saw herself with no more to do but to nod with a tender smile, and silently answer his wishes.

...

Toothiana seemed to jerk awake as a sudden flash of silver crossed her way, bringing her back from the pool of memories and thoughts. She still didn't know what to make up from all of this, but she knew that in time, if he was willing to collaborate, all would be as clear as spring water.

So it was with a peaceful resolution that the mermaid launched herself in pursuit of their silvery lunch.

...

..

.

The boy huffed in a lazy tedium, the heat and the monotony making every bit of him want simultaneously to fall into a deep slumber and wake up from this bored state.

What can take so long? Did she go fishing codfish in Norway or what?

His eyes wandered languidly in the glittering surface, the rhythmic crash of waves being the best lullaby he had ever heard.

Well, except for that one melody Tooth sang when I first met her... , his sleepy mind couldn't avoid commenting. Thinking of that, he might just ask Tooth to sing for him again...

The cerulean irises had stopped in some point in the vast ocean, eyelids coming half the way down, when suddenly a swift movement jolted him with life once more.

And suddenly, just ahead of him, a big body jumped out of water, a cloak of sparkling droplets of water following her movements. Some months before, the young shepherd might have thought it was a playful dolphin, showing of its acrobatic skills.

But just as the ringing of laughter, in everything identical to the joyful cries of this specific mammal, reached the boy's hears, he couldn't help but jump to his feet, a huge toothy smile displayed proudly on his face.

Jack saw in awe as the mermaid hovered for just a second, that brief moment of pause before her form and the water surrounding her, were reclaimed back by gravity. And in that magical moment frozen in time, it was as if the liquid and the sun played together to create a beautiful display of light and color.

But then, the universe restored its usual flow, and Tooth gracefully dove back into the ocean. In the blink of an eye, the boy could see her colorful body coming in his direction, and he kneeled close to the water, waiting with an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes.

Her face broke the surface first, a pleased smile adorning her features. Then, her lean arms came out as well, dripping on the burning rock, and she carelessly threw the net sack in the boy's direction.

Impatient as he was, his fingers quickly found their way into the bag, prying it open. He removed the bits of seaweed with an eagerness appropriated to a person who has been roasting up in the unforgiving sun for almost an hour, and was with wide eyes that he spotted the best looking mussels he has ever seen. Not even the best fishermen from his village were able of finding some of those!

But before he could say anything, a thump was heard and the shepherd caught sight of the huge sparkling fish before him. It was big and healthy, as fresh as it could be, and Jack was sure it made up a good fight. His mind wondered just for a second, trying to picture sweet looking Tooth hunting a mighty animal like this...

His orbs flickered back to her face with a look of bewilderment, mouth partially open. She simply smiled in return, still slightly out of breath, but he could see that she was proud of the achievement.

With nothing more to add in his surprised state, Jack made himself gaze the fishing that laid at his knees, and what he said next escaped in a chocked mutter.

- I'll... I'll light the fire.

But in response, the mermaid's head cocked curiously, as she tried to come even closer.

- Fire?

I know the ending was a little rushed but worry not! It will be continued, and I just wanted to share this bit as fast as I could!

Please review! And if you want you can check out my drawings for this fic in my deviantart account or my tumblr account (both links are in my profile)

Hope you liked it :D