Chapter Text
“The King is ready for you.”
Sebastian was not looking forward to this encounter at all. Long story short, he wasn’t on his best behavior, as of recent. In fact, he had traveled to the mainland and mingled with a few humans. So much so that he wounded up back in the ocean, smelling like ale made from yeast.
He was always told once he went up, he would never want to come down.
He never believed that statement until a few months ago when he began to explore the land above sea, little by little.
“Okay, but you do not have to say it like that.” Sebastian huffed, fixing his hair.
“You know I have to.” The guard grumbled. “Or else I would be in there with you.”
Sebastian gave him, Kimi, a scrunched face like he ate something sour, and blew a raspberry at him. Kimi rolled his eyes.
“Come on, now.”
Kimi held the handle tightly, pushing it open and standing beside it as the room unfolded to them both.
It was a circular hall with pillars wrapped in seaweed. The floor was paved with sand that would shift with every brush of the wind. But somehow, it was always resort back to spirals. Crystals laid on the border of this path, leading up to the throne.
With a shaky breath, Sebastian slipped inside, gliding slowly down the path and up before the throne. He flinched when the door shut.
”Sebastian.” A voice called out.
He glanced to the side to gaze at one of the pillars, noticing flowers growing from the ridges.
How could there be life forms living on it when it was cleaned just days ago?
A cough rang through the hall, successfully grabbing his attention.
“Huh?”
The King sighed. “Hello, Sebastian,” He patted the seat next to him. “Komm setz.”
Come sit.
It was now Sebastian’s turn to sigh, gliding more quickly through the water up to the throne reserved for the prince. He kept his head low, tugging on his left earlobe.
The King turned to shift his body towards him, hands collected in his lap. “I do not need to explain to you why I called you here, yes?”
Seb nodded.
“Kimi told me everything, so there is no need to hide.” Sebastian’s eyes lit up at that, lifting his chin and pinching his ear.
“What? He’s such the tattletale.”
The door to the throne room opened just a smidge, a wave of blonde hair peeking through. “Says you.”
“Thank you, Kimi.” The King said, a bit sternly for him to get the message. The door closed.
“I worry about you, Sebastian. I do not want to rid you of your fun, but these are dangerous times.”
Sebastian huffed, slumping back into his chair. “You say that all the time. Time’s are hard, Sebastian. This is a difficult time, Sebastian.” He mimicked, pointing a finger in the air, his tail flicking with spirit.
Michael laughed at that, holding his chest. Seb’s head perked itself up as if trained to the sound of his laughter. He felt the corners of his lips twist, and his cheeks flush with blood.
Gathering his composure, Michael hummed. “I admit, I say that more than I should, but it’s true. It’s not fair the way we live, but we do so to protect one another.” He reached out, taking Sebastian’s hand in both of his.
The younger’s head instinctively dipped.
“I knew your parents well, and they swore to protect you. Ever since what happened to them, I swore to myself to never let that happen to you, or to any merfolk again—” The King pursed his lips, struggling to find the right words. “You… you have a lot coming your way, Sebastian. I know it.”
The Prince wasn’t sure when it began, but his lip was trembling uncontrollably. For some reason every time, he fell under the praise of his King. Perhaps it was from the power he would soon gain, promising himself to carry the title proud. Perhaps it was the guilt of losing his parents, and crashing the world upon himself.
The accident was his fault.
Like Icarus flying too close to the sun, Sebastian’s first journey to the mainland was the most memorable because that’s when his parents died.
He wandered too close to shore, in the shallows. He watched a family of four on the beach, the little ones, throwing sand at each other and screaming happily. Tears prickled his eyes.
Though not because his parents treated him poorly. Rather that he realized the trust the children were given around such an unpredictable terrain. With waves constantly crashing, the parents of these children seemed unbothered, gazing into each other’s eyes like it was just their family in this big open world.
He fled the scene before he could be seen. He thought he succeeded, and could one day tell his parents when he was a bit older and they could all laugh about it, how he almost went to the surface. The issue there, was not letting his parents know where he was going.
Sebastian’s parents were close to shore searching for their son when they were ambushed by poachers.
Sometimes when the moon was full, he’d have nightmares of what he didn’t see—
His parents fighting against the netting—
His mother screaming for her son—
Their scales being plucked one by one—
Their tails being chopped and sold for gold—
He looked up at Michael, his bright blue eyes shined with tears that threatened to spill.
“What you do from here on out is completely up to you.” Michael sighed, squeezing his hand before letting it go, his own hands drifting back into his lap.
The King moved forward and pressed his forehead to the Prince’s. The Prince reciprocated, both of them shutting their eyes in the moment of connection.
Of course the moment wouldn’t last for long with Sebastian opening one eye, letting a giggle slip past his lips. To that the King opened his eyes and scoffed, snatching the soft flesh of his cheek and tugging on it.
“Alright, boy. Off you go.” Michael chuckled. Seb batted his hand away, giving him a smile before swimming his way out.
That’s how Sebastian Vettel of the seas came to encounter his friend on shore. Well, his unconscious, beaten, and quite particular friend.
He leaned in, furrowing his eyebrows and jutting his lip out.
Hm… not Italian, that’s for sure. French was out the window, and so was Spanish.
Just as he began to assess the rest of him, the human’s chest convulsed, and water began shooting up out of his mouth.
Sebastian quickly treated behind a rock, peeking his eyes over. The man was leaning on his side, coughing up water. Lots of it.
“Fuckin’ hell…” The man groaned, rubbing his head.
He continued to watch as the human laid back down on the sand, throwing an arm over his face and groaning, even louder this time. Seb, being Seb, opened his fucking mouth, clasping it shut with his palm when nothing came out. Nothing but the sound of his tail hitting the water.
“Eh?”
The German ducked behind the rock, using it as a full body shield from the human. He nibbled on his thick bottom lip, tugging on one of his ears.
The man was delirious, he must be, Sebastian thought.
Letting go of his anxious antics for a moment he turned around, fingers placed on the edge of the rock, peering his head over.
“Hi, there—”
The most god awful squeak came from his throat, shrinking himself behind the rock. As he did so the back of his head collided with the material, emitting another squeak from him. Sebastian rubbed his head in small circles, his blonde hair twisting about.
Mark, on the other hand, was unfazed. Partly because he was thrown around in one of the nastiest storms he’s ever been through. The other part had him feeling his insides were full of salt water. He rubbed his eyes, trying to justify to himself what he was seeing, and hearing, was real.
“You don’t gotta hide. I’m just… give me a second.” Mark hissed into a sigh, sitting up. He looked over at the rock, curls of blonde hair and a pale hand around it.
“Actually, on second thought,” He chuckled. “Go on. You ain’t doin’ much hiding anyway, mate.”
The figure behind the rock froze, turning around with only his eyes shown to the stranger.
“I was, until you started vomiting everywhere.” The blonde countered, waving a hand in his direction. “Honestly, disgusting.”
The Captain frowned, subconsciously wiping his mouth. He ignored the nauseous feeling that tickled his head. “Oh, gee. I think I got some more left in me.”
The figure groaned, retreating more.
“No! No, I— kiddin’, love. Don’t go.”
Love.
Sebastian’s eyes grew a bit bigger, if that was even possible.
“Uh… I know this is fuckin’ mad to ask ya what yer name is but…” Mark dragged on, rubbing his jaw with a low hiss. He wasn’t as young as he used to be. The blows his body took from the storm were just now surfacing, and he could feel his joints aching.
Inch by inch the figure’s face was shown to him, coming out from the rock as if it was birthing them. Mark was surprised to see the most beautiful face he’s ever seen in his life.
Blonde, wild hair that curled this way and that from the salty air, lashes that fanned sparkles into their blue eyes, which were collections of the ocean themselves into spheres, and round, flush cheeks that Mark knew had to be as soft as a kitten’s belly. Plump, slick lips that were rich in color.
“Ah… my name?” Sebastian repeated, chin grazing the rock. “It’s, S—”
”Captain!”
Mark turned to the entrance, looking back to the rock where the figure had now vanished. All that was left were tiny bubbles— also fleeting.
He wasn’t sure why, but he felt angry.
He got up from where he laid, cursing and groaning, stretching his back out to a ‘pop’ was heard. Rolling his head in clockwise and counterclockwise motions, he tried to limp his way out, Jenson coming to his aid.
“Shit, mate. ‘M glad I found ya. It’s been days.” Mark tensed.
“Days?” He croaked.
Jenson nodded. “Yeah, days.” He hooked an arm under Mark’s shoulder, carrying half of his weight on his side.
“I’ll take ya back to camp. The ship’s fucked. David’s already goin’ out for supplies. So was I when I heard talkin’ that sounded like ya. Who were you talkin’ to?” He asked, looking at his Captain.
Mark wasn’t looking at him though, but could now see behind the rock. He shut his eyes, feeling them burn from the sunlight welcoming him from the cave.
“Nothing.”