Chapter Text
This was, beat for beat, a nightmare scenario.
One straight out of Austin’s anxious imagination, so perfect it was almost uncanny. Beat for beat, which really didn’t help at all that his anxious thoughts were usually, meant to be unreasonable. Every single one.
The trip was sprung on him by his family, which was already bad enough. A little boat ride for no foreseeable reason other than freaking him out. Alright.
Then it turned out that the boat was garbage, and broke down in the middle of the ocean, glimpses of land barely visible on the horizon. And that apparently, the water was infested with sharks. And that apparently, they knew it was going to rain, but didn’t call off the ride. And that apparently, none of this was a big deal to his family. Oh God.
Maybe he had his disagreements with his family, especially his brother, but they knew him. They knew how bad his anxiety could get, and he had specifically told his brother about his nightmares, of sharks and the ocean and dying. He knew, they all knew. Austin knew that his anxiety was kicking in again, even outside of the whole fear of dying thing, because they had to have known, right? They did this to mess with him, didn’t they? Why, what did he do, did he do something?
He didn’t really know what was happening. He was panicking, it was dark and stormy, the waves were rough and his nerves were on fire, barely able to keep himself on his feet.
Presumably, he couldn’t keep himself on his feet. He couldn’t quite remember what happened, but he must have lost his balance, or something. Just like his nightmares, beat for beat. His last moments, panicked and scared and stupid.
Except… his last moments never came. Somehow, the actual death evaded him. Being pummeled by the waves, being swarmed and attacked by sharks, the act of drowning itself, all mysteriously absent.
He couldn’t remember what happened after he fell, but somehow, he was alive. Alive, here, although he wasn’t sure exactly where “here” was, on dry land. Well, not exactly dry, the sensation of sinking into the wet sand was one of the first he noticed, but he was on the shore. Alive. And weirdly, only barely sprinkling at this point. Out of the water, in air, coughing up swallowed saltwater and catching his breath. He knew in the back of his mind that it was impossible, but he focused on breathing and not being actively in pain first.
His memory had always been garbage, but it especially failed him now. He tried to think back to that one poster he saw somewhere, some time, calming rituals or something. Something told him this wasn’t really going to work. The most specific memory he could conjure up was the part about breathing, which he was already working on, thanks. In for something, hold for however long, out for whatever. It was vague and barely useful, but he supposed it was better than nothing.
Austin closed his eyes.
In… and out.
It’s okay.
Once he opened his eyes again, he immediately felt the panic closing in on him again. Because no, it’s not okay. He still didn’t know where he was, and seeing nothing but dark clouds over the ocean, endless sand and distant trees really didn’t help him. How did he even get here in the first place? He… He washed up, right? He thought that only happened in movies. And they were so far from land, how did he…
Stranded. He had to be. He knew there weren’t any islands, but how else could he have washed up if they were so far from where they came from? He had to be stranded. Lost, alone in the wilderness. Oh God. Oh God-
Thoughts of being stranded were still buzzing in his mind as he sat up, taking a closer look at his surroundings, when they were suddenly silenced... replaced only with oh my GOD.
This was so much worse than being stranded. Or washing up simply by the sea’s mercy, left to fend for himself. It made much more sense, but also so much less. The longer he stared, the less he could comprehend it, and he felt like he was going to cry.
He was rescued. By… something.
A… A mermaid. Merman. But a shark. Sharkman? Sharkboy? No, that’s something else entirely. Mershark. Mer…
Whatever it was, just looking at it from several feet away tapped directly into a sense of primal fear, irrational phobia made much too rational. The memory of the nightmares, the idea that he was being toyed with, and that oh God he was going to die. Whatever it was, its eyes were just as wide as Austin’s, its mouth clamped shut like it was deliberately hiding something. Its teeth. Oh God…
Whatever it was, short wetted down hair was barely kept out of its eyes, its eyes obviously faking fear, but still bright in a way Austin couldn’t quite explain. It had a thin beard, somehow, and high cheekbones dotted with little grey markings, trailing down his chest and leading to his tail. Gills, fins, and a tail. If there was ever any question that this thing might be human, there wasn’t anymore. Austin was way out of his league.
But for some reason, before Austin could scream or say anything, the creature shot him an almost apologetic glance and dove, disappearing back into the waves.
…
This was bad. This was worse than if the creature had stayed and killed him. Now he was alone, stranded, with no idea where he was or where to go. Alone, left for dead, lost and out in the wilderness, going to die. No, the creature was never really there, was it? He was going insane. He was already dead, or he was going to die. Something… something bad.
He could feel the panic closing in on him again. In the absence of the specific terror the creature gave him, a much larger sense of dread settled in. He had just caught his breath, but he could feel himself losing it again, and his heart pounded in his ears, the rhythm ominous and unbearable. He was shivering, and not just because he was soaked, tears coming to his eyes that he was powerless to stop, inconsolable. The waves and wind seemed deafeningly loud, screaming, and in trying to escape it he pulled his knees to his chest, burying himself in his arms and sobbing.
This was bad. If he had any chance of figuring out where he was or finding civilization, he didn't anymore. Not until this passed, if it passed. If he ran out of tears and the vice around his chest relinquished its grip, which he doubted it would. He couldn't think, couldn't do anything but sob and feel his own grip on reality, logic, and pain slowly but steadily slipping. He had a feeling he would be dehydrated after this, and that would only kill him quicker. No matter how bad he wanted to stop and just try, he couldn't.
Until that same, specific terror returned, and silenced every other thought.
The sound of the waves still roared in Austin's ears, but the new sound of unusual splashing caught his attention. He looked up through tear-filled eyes, and knew even though his vision was blurry, the creature was back.
He was going crazy, or dreaming. Dead, or about to be. Because this couldn't be happening. None of this could be happening.
"I… Okay, I'm not going to hurt you."
That… that definitely wasn't the voice Austin expected out of this dangerous, murderous creature. Definitely not a sentence he expected either. He expected something deeper, maybe something seductive or masking malice. Something like "Oh, you poor thing, all alone. Won't you come with me?"
But this was neither of those things. Its voice was high and gentle, almost silvery, in a way that Austin really didn't want to think about right now. Maybe this was seduction, masking malice, and Austin was falling for it, hook line and sinker.
At this point, Austin didn't really care. He wanted to go home. He wanted to stop crying. He just wanted this to end.
Austin rubbed his eyes, taking a better look at the creature, and found it still a good distance away from him, its lower body hidden in the water. It held its hands out in front of it, as if Austin was the wild animal being calmed, its brow furrowed and its eyes still wide and apologetic.
Austin couldn't find anything within himself to say. He had a feeling his voice would give out on him if he tried, given he was still actively crying.
"Okay, I'm gonna come onto the shore, just for a second, 'cause I got something for you. Then I'll come back to right where I am right now, and we can talk, if you want. You can move if you want."
Austin was suspicious from the get-go. For one, its hands were empty, as it was just using them to try to calm him. Two, he had no idea what it wanted to give him and how it could help in any way. And three, he wanted this thing gone, as far away from him as possible. Because this was not how he wanted to die.
The creature scooted forward, and Austin didn't have the time or energy to move. It emptied a little pouch strapped to its waist, and retreated, making good on its promise.
Reluctantly, mindlessly, Austin scooted towards the pile, feeling the creature's eyes on him.
…
Well, now he was just even more confused.
The pile consisted of some pretty, surprisingly colorful seashells, a couple nicely rounded pebbles, and several pearls, it seemed.
Austin didn't understand at all.
"W-why...?"
The creature curled in on itself, looking away as if it was embarrassed.
"I thought it might… cheer you up?"
Austin simply sat there, staring dumbly, barely breathing.
"Whenever I'm sad, I go looking for seashells, or pearls. Or just look at the ones I have. 'Cause they're pretty and they take my mind off whatever I'm thinking about, so I thought…"
The creature trailed off, and Austin took one of the little conch shells into his hands, making fleeting, paranoid glances at the creature as he analyzed it. Maybe it was the light, or he was still going crazy, but it seemed opalescent. The creature had supposedly explained itself, but Austin still couldn't comprehend why.
His lips were pulled into a small smile as he analyzed the seashell, and he spoke mindlessly.
"Thanks."
He didn't know why he wasn't crying anymore, if he was crying in the first place out of fear. He didn't know why he was smiling. Why he was alive. Maybe this was all a subconscious bid for his life, playing along with the creature's game hoping to be spared, still believing in the back of his mind that this creature could easily kill him, and wanted to.
It had to be that. No other option made sense, other than maybe he was still going insane. Because he definitely wasn't actually feeling better, or actually trusting this creature. No, no, never.
None of this made sense. This was all he had.
"How… how did you know I was sad?" Austin asked, with low expectations. He expected something like "This always happens," or "I knew you'd need my help, honey," but he still heard it in his head in a voice that did not match the creature in front of him in any way. Austin still struggled to pin down what he was feeling, because he wasn't even sure if it was still fear.
"I… This is gonna sound weird, but… I, like, felt you crying."
…
What?
"I- I- I know that's weird, but-" The creature stammered, clearly noticing the storm raging on in Austin's head. "I don't know, it's a thing. 'Cause like- the saltwater, or something. I don't know, but it's how I found you in the first place."
Austin set aside the absurdity of the entire concept and focused on the part where it said it "found him." His mind wandered back to the boat, the blur of panic and paranoia, hyperventilating and his tears mixing with the rain. He… he was crying.
"You… So you did rescue me," Austin stated, as if there was ever any doubt. The creature's face lit up and nodded, grinning widely, bearing an… uncomfortable amount of teeth.
Austin had no idea if it was a taunt, a threat, or if it was just innocently smiling, but he knew better than ever that he didn't want to be within biting range of this thing.
Still, he didn't feel nearly as terrified anymore. The creature kept its distance, spoke gently, and the longer Austin stared, the easier it got…
Ignore that thought. But the creature did save his life, and brought him some shells and rocks to try to cheer him up, which the more he thought about it, was adorable. Austin didn't know what he was thinking anymore, but he knew something was changing, as the pronoun referring to the creature shifted from it to him.
He knew the creature was still, obviously dangerous, but he felt… safe. For now, at least.
"Um… thanks," Austin said, shrugging and putting on a slightly unsteady smile. The creature smiled back, seeming to relax.
"No problem," he replied, glancing behind himself. "You okay now?"
"Uh- Y-yeah, but wait-" Austin stammered, scooting forward and much closer to the creature than he thought he really should be. The creature moved onto his stomach, resting his head in his hands and looking up at Austin, a gesture he knew should be dangerous, and yet…
Austin knew he shouldn't be this close to the creature, but all of his fears slipped away when something much more irrational than all of his fears hijacked his thoughts; That he was adorable. The fins on his back poked out of the water, and although they seemed just as rough as regular shark skin, the grey patches against pale skin were strangely pretty. Up close, his eyes were just as bright, especially now that he was smiling, eyes blue enough to swim in-
"Yeah?" He said, breaking Austin out of his momentary trance.
"Uh- Do you happen to know where- uh- the nearest… people are? 'Cause I should probably let somebody know I'm not dead…"
Austin braced himself for the creature to not let him go, for that concept of some scary, seductive siren to finally kick in and say "Oh, darling, don't leave so soon." Deep down, he really only wanted release from this tension, from not knowing who to trust. Truly, he wanted freedom from the idea that wormed its way into his mind that this creature wasn't like the sharks he obsessed over in his anxious daydreams, that he was nice and wouldn't hurt him, that worst of all, he was cute.
"Oh, yeah-" the creature chirped, pointing to Austin's right. "Head that way, we're not far from Northbrook, then you can ask around." The creature smiled, and while the teeth still caught him off guard, it implied some honest sense of caring, which terrified Austin more than any murderous sharks or drowning ever could.
"... Thank you."
The creature smiled a little wider, Austin's hang-up about the teeth slowly fading, the feeling growing much fonder, and clearly much dumber. Like a cat with claws, or a grizzly bear, with their little noses and ears and what not; maybe this was human nature. Even so, comparing this creature to a predator or something dangerous didn't quite sit well with him anymore.
He saved his life, after all.
"No problem, just…" the creature said, moving onto his back and being pulled along with the waves. "If you're going now, if you want- I mean, if you live near here, I'd like to… see you again?"
"I…" Austin trailed off, picking up the pile of comforts and struggling to his feet, his muscles sore and his head still a mess. "I'd like that."
Austin knew he should have said no. Or, at least, meant no. He should have seen it for the con it was, a long game, the creature toying with him for as long as possible until he inevitably gets bored and kills him. But for some reason deep down in himself, one that he didn't fully understand, he didn't. He was alive, for now, and this creature was the reason why. Along with how kind and gentle he seemed, and how when he smiled, something inside Austin seemed to melt, against all odds, Austin trusted him.
"You sure you don't want this back?" Austin asked, holding his hands closer to the creature. The creature frowned, shaking his head.
"No, no, keep it. I've got tons."
With that, Austin brought his hands closer to his chest, wishing he had pockets.
"Uh- Alright, uh- Thank you, but-" Austin stuttered, oddly eager for the creature not to leave yet. "Is there anything I can call you? Like- A name, I mean a name. 'Cause I feel like I should call you something other than…" Austin hesitated, having a feeling the creature wouldn't take too kindly to being simply called a creature. "I don't know, a guy."
The creature had been pulled along by the waves, but he pushed himself back to the shore, laying on his stomach again, the eyes he was giving Austin oddly… what's the word?
… Kind?
"Oh, you can call me Jeff. You?"
"Austin," he replied, much more reluctant to leave now, although he still had no idea why.
"... Austin. Guess I'll see you around," Jeff stated, smiling as he retreated back into the waves. He took one last glance at Austin before diving back in, the carefree feeling of his movements strangely captivating to Austin.
"Take care, Austin."
With that, Jeff dove, leaving Austin with a handful of shells and a hell of a story.
But even with the uncertainty of the future when it came to how the hell he would explain himself, the encounter still left Austin feeling light, buzzing with adrenaline, wonder, and… another feeling he couldn't quite name.
Even now, the dark clouds over the sea seemed to be clearing up.