Tails

                                    

                                          
Mermaid AU because I said so!!


                          
LOCKWOOD
"Son, you must never enter those walls, they hold monsters that will tear the flesh from your bones." My father grabbed my hand and began to lead me back to the house. 
"Then why do we live so close to them?" 
"Those creatures can only stay in the water, thats why they sing to pull you in." 
"What are they Papa?" 
"Their called sirens, and their voice is said to be so graceful it fills you with the strongest desire to follow." 
"Have you ever heard it?" 
"Yes, and it is everything I described and more. You must promise to never go near that cave again." 
"Yes, Papa." I promised 

                          
Years and years past and I never went back, not until tonight. I lay awake, alone in my house. My house. After my parents and sister were run off the road by a careless drunk man, I had been forced to live alone. It was so quiet, all I could hear was the soft chirping of crickets in the yard. Well, not anymore. Tonight was different. I heard a voice, a singing voice. I sprang out of bed and threw the window open. God it was beautiful, a sweet, harmonic melody. It stopped, for only just a moment, then continued. I dressed quickly, grabbing my fathers old, bent flashlight. I didn't even lock the door on my way out, coat flapping in the wind as I hurriedly pulled it on. The cave... I hesitated. No, no I can't go in their. Well... maybe just a little peak, I just won't go near the water. 
                          
Climbing down was a hassle, something I probably could have done earlier as a child, for what usually gave me an advantage in nearly everything, now held me back. My height. I hit the ground, crouching low, hugging the wall. Weird, you'd have thought it would be pitch black in the cave, but no, the walls exploded with blue shimmering light. The water, so clear I could have drank from it; no problem. The singing had ended abruptly as I made my way down. The only sound being the lapse of the water on the black rocks. Wait... what was that? Something shimmered in the water. I slowly went closer, and closer. I peered over the edge, looking down into the underground lagoon. Nothing.... wait-
                          
"AGHHH!" I hand reached up and grabbed my collar. The water consumed me, I gasped taking in water. Screamed and kicked. Finally it let go. 
Which way was up and down!? Oh god! Im doing to die!
Another pair of hands, this time under my arms. They pulled me up, my lungs burned, I tried to scream. 
Air
I gasped. 
                          
Several minutes later I was throwing up the water I had inhaled. Choking and wheezing. 
"Are you alright?" 
"Aghh!" 
"No, no its ok! I won't hurt you! I promise." A... girl. I stared at her, wiping my mouth. 
"Who-"
"Lucy, my names Lucy!" She stuck out her hand, I think I winced. 
"Oh, sorry, right."
Silence. 
"What are you? Why did you.. save me?" 
"Oh, well I'm not a siren for one, Im a mermaid." 
"Whats the difference?" I spat, she shook her head. 
"Maybe find this out before you come down here next time. Sirens kill, mermaids don't. Simple as that." 
"Oh yeah real simple." 
"Hey, listen here buddy I just saved your life, so a bit of respect would be much appreciated." 
"Sorry, umm... Lockwood. Im Anthony Lockwood, but I go just by Lockwood." 
"Suits you, your name." She crossed her arms and rest her chin on top, something moved behind her. 
"Watch out!" I pointed. 
"What? Oh thats not a siren, thats me!" 
She flicked her tail out. The best way to describe its colors would be, galaxy. Black and purple and blue. Flecks of silver and gold. 
"Wow!" She giggled. 
"Thank you." 
"Wait, what are those?" Little webbed fins spread out and her sides. 
"Oh, thats what people call, the mermaids mark. Sirens dont have fins." I looked at them, inching my way forward. She looked at me, her eyes were the brightest green, gold lined the middle and freckled out. I took in her features, short brown wavy hair, rounded face and, the cutest nose. She had an excellent physique, probably from the constant swimming. It was just like the movies, scales that shimmered and the classic seashell bra. 
"You're a very handsome man," she whispered. "Whose the lucky lady back at home?" 
"I- I don't have a girlfriend." I blushed and she giggled. 
"Doubt it; with that smile you can swoon any woman." 
"Did it swoon you?" 
"Ohh, so quick witted."
"Alas I admit it." I hadn't realized until now how close we were, I jerked back. 
"Oh god you could probably smell my breath!" 
"Haha no your ok, ummm....here," she handed me a mint. "There not poisoned by the way." 
"Where did you just-" 
"Oh! Heh umm right here." She swam backwards, hoisted up her stomach a bit. 
"A... Fanny pack?" 
"Yeah, it's a lot easier than some of the purses the other girls down here have. They wash up sometimes, finders keepers." 
"Heh, umm thanks..." I took the mint. 
"Packaged to they can't get wet." 
"Yeah but how do you get the mints?" 
She hoisted her self on the ledge next to me. 
"Well, my mother was a siren, and my father was a human. When a siren and a human mate, pop! You get mermaids like me. Now Im no ordinary mermaid and neither are my sisters. There are two types of mermaids. We, meaning hybrid mermaids can change from a mermaid to a human. Not forever, two hours at the most. And those who can't are just mermaids who got together, nothing special." As I listened to her speak I found myself growing more and more fascinated, and another feeling bloomed in me. She was, very pretty. 
"How did mermaids fist come to exist than?" 
"Don't know, our history it just so old, can't trace it back that far," she shrugged, looking forwards, then at me. "You sure you don't have a girlfriend?" I blushed, this topic again. 
"Nope, just me." 
"Are you the boy who lives next to the cave?" 
"That would be me, why?" 
"You're father, he looks so much like you by the way, has been down here before. My mother... she was in love with him, way before my father came along. Then one day, he never came back." She looked at me. 
"Must have fell for my mother than..." 
"Yeah..." 
"Do you have a boyfriend?" 
"Me? No! Of course not, have you seen me?" She nudged me with her shoulder. 
"Yes, and I find it astonishing how you don't have a man... well, merman that is." 
"Haha, your eyes must me damaged from the water." 
"No, just blinded by your beauty." 
"More like blinded by my tail, hurt your eyes, plus its dark down here." I shook my head. 
"Say something nice about yourself." 
"What?" 
"If I asked you to list all the things you love how long would it take for you to list yourself?" 
Silence. 
"Awhile." 
"Really? You'd be first on my list." 
"You love me?" 
I didn't speak, my blushed consumed my entire face. 
"We just met." She said finally. 
"You saved my life." 
"Well, yeah but... love? It's a strong word." 
"True." 
"Get to know me first, you'll take that statement back faster than a siren can blink." 
"Why?" 
"Just... not your type." 
"How do you know my type?" 
"I don't, but no one wants a girl like me." 
"Why?" 
"Im hotheaded, short fuse big explosion kind girl." 
"Maybe thats my type." 
"Is it?" 
"I don't know, never dated anyone." 
"No!" 
"Believe it!"
"I can't!" 
"You must, it's the truth." 
"Well, hopefully someone breaks that trend soon." 
"Hopefully you break than trend soon." 
"Slick." 
"Mm."
We stayed quiet for a while. 
"Hey, umm Lockwood?" Lucy broke the silence. 
"Yeah, Luce?" 
"What happened to your folks? Its gone so quiet lately..." 
I didn't say anything for a while. 
"They died, Lucy." 
"What?" She turned to look at me. 
"Car accident, killed my sister as well, their gone." My voice wavered at the end. I had just met this girl, this mermaid, and I was talking to her like we grew up together. Maybe we had, just her underneath my house...
"Im sorry, hey lets change the subject," she coughed, squeezed my arm. She looked like she was about to say something, but caught herself. 
"Woah, you're freezing!" 
"Well, we are underground, and I'm soaking wet." I laughed. 
"Can you get back up the way you came?" I turned to look at the hole. 
"Yeah, I'm fit, shouldn't be too hard," I looked back at her. "I'd like to see you again, when?" She giggled, covering her mouth. 
"Well, how about tomorrow night. 8 o'clock?" 
"I would very much like that, I won't go near the water this time." 
"You better not!" 
"Hey, Luce?" 
"Hmm?" 
"Why did you save me? I know you said it's not your thing but, why not just let me go?" 
"That's pretty dark, but I try to save every person who becomes victim to their songs. I, can't save everyone though..." 
"You saved me, that means so much to me." 
"I should think so." She nudged my shoulder. 
"I'll see you tomorrow!" She said. 
"Yeah, see you." Before I stood up I leant forward, pecking her on the cheek. 
"Sorry, I just... couldn't help myself." She giggled. 
"Oh no need to apologize, no need at all!" I laughed. 
"Goodnight, Lucy." 
"Night night!"