A/N: Haudi. I'm here again...and I changed my username! From Iikku...to Iikku The Eyebrow Master! Hahahhaa..long enough? Nope. Whatevs on that one. As for the story! I am not a fan of mermaids or mermen actually, but I had this story on my mind and it was too delicious to let go. This is supposed to be a oneshot, but I have a plot in my mind for continuation...but I have two more important stories going on at the moment. Maybe sometime I will continue this, but as for now this is complete. And if you happen to follow "It's a flower", I'm sorry for not updating it for a while! I have trouble writing the next chapter...but I will put it soon up! I promise!
Too long author's note is too long. Now the story!
The sea was calm that day, barely any movement could be seen. Overall, it was a beautiful day. The rain had stopped and the Sun was shining warmly. Arthur didn't care about that; he was too busy pouting on the pier. His brothers had been picking on him again, and that had lead to a fight. Alistair had given him a black eye, and Arthur had thanked him with a fist in the face, making his older brother lose a teeth. Their mother was not happy and refused to let them in the house until they made up. That of course, wouldn't happen soon. The boys were too stubborn for that.
"God curse that Alistair", Arthur muttered under his breath. He was laying on his stomach, gazing the sea. The blonde was alone in the small harbour, apart from a few seagulls flying around, no men were working that day or they were at the sea. It was just the way Arthur preferred to be; silent, calm and alone. He closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh air or the sea, trying to relax. His peace was disturbed though when he spotted a dark figure in the water.
It was too far to be seen properly, but Arthur knew what it was. He quickly sat up, folding his legs and followed the figure as it swam closer in graceful movements. Arthur bit his lip; this could be dangerous. But it was not too often you got an opportunity like this. Soon the figure was so close you could see it properly; slim, perfectly white upperbody and a tail covered in shiny, blue scales with thin fins. A representative of merfolk.
A head popped up on the surface. Arthur's emerald eyes were examining the newcomer. He was a merman, though looked slightly feminine, but his flat chest told he was male. He had blonde hair up to his shoulders, blue-eyes that you could drown in, and a curious but mischievous smile on his lips. He looked young, around the same age as Arthur (but merfolk aged slowly, he was propably older than his looks said). The merman stared Arthur, sending chills down to his spine.
"Bonjour", the merman said. The Brit's jaw dropped. Then he sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
"Just my luck. A French merman. What are the odds?" Arthur muttered and shot a glare at the merman. The creature just smiled, moving his tail in swift movements under the water.
"I'm not French, I just happen to speak it. Sailors taught it to me. But as I see you're English, I guess there is no other way than to speak that horrendous language of yours. I assume you don't know any other languages, oui?"
Arthur felt his cheeks reddening. Had the merman just insulted him? He couldn't believe it. You got to meet merfolk propably once in a lifetime. Why did he get this one? The one who spoke French and shot insults. For God's sake, it wasn't even a mermaid! Mermaid's could be tolerable, as they were pretty like angels, but mermen...well, this one was attractive, he had to admit, but it was a man nonetheless!
"Sod off", he snarled, fighting the urge to kick the blonde in the water. He knew better though, if he did that the merman would grab his leg and pull him under the surface. Arthur didn't know how to breathe underwater, he couldn't even swim, so he chose to act against his temper.
The merman chuckled, slowly circling in the water. He kept his eyes locked on the Brit, studying him with an innocent face.
"I don't think I will. You're interesting", the creature smiled, stopping right infront of Arthur. He brushed his long locks behing his ear. The man had quite angelic looks, but so did every merman and mermaid. And all of them were nasty, bloodthirsty beasts. Anyone who had even a bit of sense would've already fled, but no, Arthur hadn't done that. He was too fascinated by this creature, whose existence should not be.
"Interesting? What do you mean?" he asked, trying to look bored and uninterested.
"I don't know. You just look interesting. And you have horrible eyebrows."
"Do not!" Arthur yelled. Yes, his eyebrows were thick and dark, very unnatural looking in contrast of his light-coloured hair, but horrible? If something was horrible here, it was the merman. The blonde in the water chuckled, revealing his sharp white teeth. The Brit frowned at him.
"If you came closer I could see you better. Maybe you would look more handsome", the merman cooed, making Arthur laugh.
"You honestly think that shit will work on me? I'm not a bloody idiot. If I come closer, you will drown me."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because that's the thing you merfolk do."
"I would never do that. I'm different", the creature pouted. It didn't help much.
"If every merman and mermaid were to believe when they say that, you all would be different. None of you would do it, but when you get the pinky, you take it all. It's just a lie to get sailors in the water. I can't trust you", Arthur said dryly. The merman started to circle again, like a predator hypnotizing his prey (which he was, really). His face had a faked expression of innocence on. Arthur was slightly nervous, but he refused to show it to the blonde. To leave now was out of the question, it would give the merman image of Arthur being weak. That would not do.
"But I'm serious. I really am different. I can prove it to you."
"Just how? Should I jump in the water with you so we could swim to the sunset together? I don't think that is going to happen."
"Would it help if I told you my name?"
Arthur looked at the merman with a puzzled face. Merfolk were keen to keep their names as a secret. To know one's name would be something extraordinary. But would the creature tell the truth?
"How would I know it's your real name? Plus, you sea people have a bloody weird language I probably couldn't even pronounce it right."
"It's Francis."
"What?"
"I'm Francis."
"A merman called Francis?" Arthur asked, full of sceptisism. It was too normal for that creature, that name.
"Oui. The sailors named me that."
"You're bloody kidding."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
The merman was smiling again, that innocent face on. He looked idiotic to Arthur's mind. The Brit turned his eyes away from the creature, laughing dryly. Out of all the magical beings, the one he had to encounter was this freak? Just his luck.
"What's yours?" Francis asked him, interrupting his toughts. He had stopped again, right infront of Arthur.
"What?"
"Your name. I told mine, you have to tell yours. It's good manners."
"I'm not going to tell you my bloody name...!" Arthur snarled, getting irritated. Did the merman honestly think he was an idiot?
"Tell me. I want to know."
"I'm sure you do."
"Is that your name?" Francis asked, smiling teasingly. Arthur's eyes were on him again.
"No."
"Is your name No?" the merman continued his game, annoying Arthur the best he could.
"Bloody idiot", the Brit hissed.
"So you are Bloody idiot? Can I call you idiot for short?"
"It's Arthur, for God's sake!" he finally snapped, instantly regretting it. Francis grinned at his succesful play.
"Arthur~" he purred, making the Brit blush. He really should go now, now that the merman knew his name. It was far from safe to be there. Yet he couldn't bring himself to leave. It was like he would surrender if he did that. Arthur would not give that joy to Francis.
"Are you happy now?" the Brit hissed, not looking at Francis. The merman let out a faint snicker.
"Hmmm, no. I still want to see you better. Could you come closer? Please?"
"Hmmm, let me think. Uh, NO. Sod off already", Arthur muttered.
"Non. If you don't want to be with me, you can leave too, you know?"
"I was here first."
"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
"I disagree."
"Why I am not suprised?"
"Because you are an idiot?"
"What is that supposed to mean?!"
"Nothing~"
"You fucking fish", Arthur huffed, still keeping his gaze away from the merman. Francis didn't like that, and splashed the water, sending large drops of water upwards and on Arthur. The Brit made an angry sound of annoyance and turned to see the creature, trusting on his hands and knees. He was right on the edge of the pier. Francis smiled as Arthur screamed at him in rage, face red as ever.
"You bloody prick! Why did you do that?! I swear I'm going to kill you!"
"You were dirty", Francis stated and flashed his teeth. "Now I can see you better."
Arthur briefly stuck his tongue out, like mature people have a habit of doing, and returned to his normal irritated face.
"Like what you see?" he asked sarcastically, preparing for a nasty comment. What else the merman could say? He had been mocking Arthur every second of their encounter already.
"Better than I expected~" Francis purred, a seductive glitter in his eyes. The Brit felt his blood going cold.
"Fuck you", he growled and layed down on his stomach. Sure, it wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do, but his knees were hurting and he might get splinters in his hands from the wood. Plus, there was a good distance between the edge of the pier and the water surface, so he was quite safe. The merman licked his lips like Arthur was a dinner or something like that. The Brit chose to ignore it.
"May I ask, what happened to your eye?" Francis asked suddenly about his black eye. His voice was fairly normal, no malice in it at all. Just curiousity.
"I had a fight. Nothing of your business."
"You're impolite."
"You're annoying."
"I'm annoying because you're impolite."
"Funny, I'm impolite because you're annoying."
Francis made a pouty face, which had no effect on Arthur. It was interesting to follow his actions though, to get to know the pattern of merfolk's games in real life. Arthur had heard stories, thousands of them, yet none of them could pass the real situation. He was nervous, his mind was telling him to run away, but the same time, he was enchanted by Francis's golden hair, blue eyes and sweet, seductive voice. It wouldn't kill him to stay there a little longer, as long as he kept the distance, right?
"You're a brave one", Francis smiled, with a sly look in his eyes. Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"And what makes you think so?"
"You're so close. Not everyone has the guts to be this close, but you do~"
"It's because you're such a sissy looking thing. Like a bloody girl."
"Is it bad?~"
Arthur didn't ansrew, instead he let out a loud "hmph" and glanced upwards. Francis noticed a slight blush on the Brit's cheeks.
"Why do you keep smiling?" the human suddenly asked.
"I like to smile. Does it bother you?"
"You look like a bloody idiot."
"May be, but you are talking with the idiot. Which one of us has the problem?"
"I can leave any minute."
"Yet you still are here."
"So?"
"One could almost think you are enjoying my company~"
"Shut up."
Francis didn't continue the argument, instead he just smirked. Arthur stared at the merman, wondering what force was keeping him from leaving the creature there. He must've lost his mind, or atleast be momentarily messed up because of the punch Alistair gave him earlier.
"Arthur~" the blonde called, playing with a strand of hair. Arthur glared him, slightly flustered for the use of his name.
"What?" he spat, doing his best to sound angry. Francis wasn't affected by that at all. Instead, he asked a question.
"What is walking like?"
"Excuse me?"
"What is walking like? I have never walked, for I don't have feet or legs. Could you tell me, please?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Why would you not?"
"Because you're an annoying beast?" Arthur suggested. Francis made that adorable pout-face again (not that Arthur concidered it to be adorable!).
"Please, tell me. I want to know", the merman whined, getting the Brit to roll his eyes.
"How would I know what to tell about walking? I have never tought about it. You just bloody walk, that's it."
"Can't you even try?"
Arthur bit his lip. What could he say? Walking was so every-day to him, obvious. Impossible to describe. And he didn't even like the merman. Why would he try? He had no reason to.
Yet he sighed, and tried to find the right words.
"It's...I don't know. You can express your feelings through it, or your status, or your background. If you are a noble, you walk differently from a pauper. Women sway their hips when they walk. Thiefs walk with care to not make a sound. Children run. Elderly people walk slowly", he said. Francis listened to him carefully, clearly interested.
"How do you walk?" he asked.
"I don't know. I haven't tought about that."
"But you walk everyday. You'd think you'd know by that."
"Yet I don't. It's not something we humans think. We just walk."
"Does walking hurt?"
"Eh, no. Unless you walk a lot or barefeet like me. But I'm used to it and the skin of my feet has hardened", Arthur explained. Francis nodded to state he had understood, and lowered his eyes to water for a moment, thinking.
"Could you show me your feet?"
Arthur stared at the merman dryly. Francis's eyes had returned to Arthur's, a childlike look in them.
"You honestly think I am an idiot. If I bloody show you my feet, you'll grab it and pull me down to meet the fish. I'm quite happy here and alive, thank you."
"I promise you I will not do such thing. I just want to see your feet", Francis practically begged. Arthur didn't buy it.
"Not happening. In the end, you are just a beast. It's your nature to kill."
"You said I'm sissy looking. Are you afraid of me now?"
"The hell I am!"
"Then why you call me a beast?"
"Because you are one, no matter how sissy and girly", Arthur hissed, sitting up. His heartbeat grew a little faster. Perhaps it wasn't so wise to lay down after all...
"I promise you by my heart and freedom, I will not kill you, not even try to. I am desperate to see your feet", Francis tried to convince him the best he could. The Brit stayed stubborn.
"You don't have a heart. And what could I do when dead? Your freedom isn't useful for a bloody corpse."
"Please~" the merman whined again, and stuck out his lower lip in attempt to look like a puppy or some sort of cute thing. If it wasn't for his feminine looks, he would've looked rather stupid. Or maybe he did look stupid after all, but that didn't matter. The grumpy look on Arthur's face cracked a little and he sighed heavily.
"Fine. Whatever, but you can't touch them. I'll keep a distance", he said and changed his position so his right foot was sticking in the air so Francis could see it but not grab it. The merman stared at it curiously, lips slightly parted. Arthur blushed. He felt like a madman for doing such risky thing around for now sensible reason. Only a weak fool or an absolute jackass with no brain activity would show his feet for a vicious member of the merfolk. Apparently he was one, though he had never concidered himself to be one. Heck, he had always thought the sailors who fell for the tricks of these mermans and mermaids were utter idiots! So why exactly he was doing this?
"Your feet are dirty", Francis stated and tilted his head to the left, keeping his eyes on the body part. Arthur snorted.
"Well of course, I told you I go barefeet."
The merman didn't ansrew. He quietly examined the foot, like he was memorizing every part of it. The Brit began to grow anxious. It was a tiring position which he was in.
"Are you done yet?" he asked, aching to return to a safer distance. Francis flicked, as if he had completely forgotten Arthur to be there (funny, concidering he was looking at him). The merman's blue eyes found Arthur's green ones, an odd look in them which the Brit regognized to be a mixture of panic and disappointment.
"You're not leaving, are you?" Francis said in such tone of voice it made Arthur blush again in suprisement. It was like a desperate child whose parents are about to go away. He didn't know merfolk were capable for such thing. Then again, they were pretty good actors.
"Eh, no...But this is quite tiring", he quickly explained to the merman. Francis' expression softened and a faint smile rose to his lips.
"C'est bon~", he sang, and the blue eyes returned to Arthur's foot.
"Don't speak French around me, it's bloody annoying."
"Why?"
"Because it's French."
"You sound like a child."
"So? You look like a girl."
"You look like you have two caterpillars glued on your forehead."
"You look like you have a seaweed wig."
"Do not!"
"Do too."
"Do not!"
"Do too."
"Abruti."
"Don't speak French! I'll leave if you speak French!" Arthur threatened the merman. Francis raised his eyebrow, snorting.
"Certainement, it's only because I speak French and had nothing to do with fear, oui?"
"Shut up! Like I'd be afraid of you."
"Then I guess you have no problem to lower your foot so I can touch it?"
Arthur stiffened. This was far too dangerous now. If the merman had the possibility to touch one's feet, he would surely use it to drag his victim to the dephts of the sea. Not even a grown man would've had a chance against that, yet alone a 15-years old boy like Arthur! But he didn't want to seem like a coward. Francis had insulted him, attacked his pride, and that would simply not do.
"Will you promise you will not do a thing?" he asked the merman. Francis smiled and nodded.
"As I said, my heart and freedom will be yours if I do something."
"We both know they're quite useless."
"You get the idea."
Arthur bit his lip, pondering whether or not he should do this. Finally he sighed heavily and moved closer to the edge of the pier, simultaneously rolling his pant legs up, and then letting his right leg fall for Francis to examine it. Francis's non-stop smile turned even more joyous, excitement filling his face. He briefly turned his gaze to Arthur's face.
"Merci beaucoup!" he thanked the Brit as sincerely and gratefully as a small child would. Arthur flustered by the reaction.
"Eh, whatever", he muttered uncomfortably.
Francis grinned, flashing those sharp teeth of his again, before turning his attention to the leg infront of him. He lifted his slender arm carefully, pressing his palm gently on the shin. Arthur flicked, his cheeks getting a shade of pink. The merman ran his fingers down along the limbs he examined the muscles, ever so interested. He found Arthur's toes, dirty from the dust and sand on roads. As Francis's wet hands met the dirt, brown streams of water formed on the merman's arms.
"You're ticklish", Francis stated as he noticed Arthur to curl his toes whenever he drew patterns on the foot.
"Well you're tickling me", Arthur scowled, the pink of his cheeks turning darker. Francis hummed, continuing his exploration.
"Are you done soon?" the Brit asked.
"You're impatient."
"No, I'm smart. It would be stupid to stay like this for a long time, concidering what you are."
"That's not nice."
"Sometimes the thruth isn't nice."
"How would you know if it's the thruth? You don't know me that well."
"I know you well enough."
Francis pursed his lips to make a frowny face. Arthur merely "tsked".
"Pouting will not change the reality, fishboy."
"It could change false thoughts."
"There isn't any."
Francis tilted his head to left, drawing circles on the human's foot. He was silent for a few seconds, making Arthur slightly confused.
"I guess you're right", the merman suddenly said, and wrapped his hand around Arthur's ankle. Before the Brit had time to react, Francis dove, causing Arthur to fall into the water. The Brit realised in a second what had happened, and instantly panicked for not knowing how to swim. He was at the mercy of the merman.
Surface of the water gained distance as Francis pulled Arthur deeper towards the bottom. The air escaped his lungs and bubbles appeared around him. Suddenly the hand around his ankle was gone, and Francis's face was infront of Arthur, with a smug smile.
"Je suis desolé", the merman said, though his voice was so distorted the Brit didn't know had he heard correctly, and then Francis pressed his lips against Arthur's, sucking the last bits of air away.