Sink or Swim

This was meant to be a small AU oneshot, and it has turned into an absolute monster with a life of its own (it even has its own Twitter). It's going to be a twoshot (a very long twoshot) and I have no clue when the next chapter will be posted.
But anyways, it's pirate!England and merman!America~ I know both of them are a bit OOC, but they will get more in character as they go along. Point of view does switch thought it's mainly Arthur's point of view. There are time jumps, and quite a few actually. They aren't consecutive so don't be surprised if something changes and it wasn't that way before.

Disclaimer: If I owned them I would be the happiest person in the world and I'm quite sure my parents wouldn't be telling me to get a job.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The sky had shown signs of it all day. The gray heavy clouds, no sun rise and the strong and angry breeze. So everyone on the rickety ship knew what was going to hit. Just when it was got them.

The ocean came up in gapping waves, like the sea was opening its mouth to swallow the ship whole. The waters dark and alive with its anger, striking the boat over and over in hopes that the walls would cave and let loose the men aboard into its hungry belly. The mast snapped and down it went with a tumbling crack as the waves gobbled up what it could. Men yelled over the thunder, some for help others to hold on. The captain screamed his orders as a wave lifted up from its resting place next to him. His green eyes flickered over to the wave as it rose higher into the sky and he felt his heart beat pick up.

A flash of light blue in the dark wave drew his eyes and then it was down, pummeling him into the deck and throwing him onto the side of the boat, his breath disappearing from his chest as it did so. And he was swallowed into the ocean, his eyes were open as he heard the fatal cracks and screams, then the silence that enveloped him as the ship went down. He hung loosely by the rope tied around his waist, his body floating uselessly in the frozen water around him. He saw no life boats getting sucked down with him and he hoped for the best as he saw bright colors flashing around him as well as the world growing dark as his lungs exploded and begged for air. The last thing he saw was blue. Not the angry blue of the ocean surrounding him nor the blue of the ocean on a good day, but the blue of the sky. The pure bright blue of the sky.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He was sore. His body ached and cried but what lay beneath him was soft and warm against his cold and pained skin. A voice, one of a language he didn't know spoke to him. It was smooth like a good skipping stone and moved quickly like a river. Something touched his face and his eyes squeeze tighter together, he heard a laugh, like tinkling bells and he opened his eyes.

The world was blurry to him at first, the colors and shapes blending together in a tremendous swirling mass. He made a whimpering sound and the voice laughed again. Two hands lifted his hand and something smooth was pushed into it. He tried to speak but something was pressed to his lips, then it was gone.

He opened his eyes again, not having realized he had closed them in the first place. The world was clear and defined. He sat up and eyed the beach around him, listening as the waves beat softly against the shore and the wind ran through the tall grass and trees. He frown and stood, stumbling as he did so. He opened his mouth to call out but found his throat and mouth as dry as the desert. His throat constricted and he grimaced looking around and seeing a bottle in the white sand. He stumbled over to it and lifted it into shaking hands. Drink. He felt his insides cheer at the sloshing liquid in the green bottle. He ripped the cork out with his teeth and tipped it into his mouth, enjoying the burn on the drink sliding down his throat. He finished it in several gulps, feeling relief. He sighed happily, until his stomach flipped and squeezed. He fell to his knees gripping his stomach an felt pain he couldn't remember ever feeling before. The drink came back up mixed with bile and he wanted to cry.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

As the sun set he had convinced himself he was going to die. He told himself he lived a good life over and over again, but as he lied in the sand, the water washing up against his toes and feet and his arms digging into the smooth sand, he couldn't help but let a few tears stray.

The voice was back. It spoke from the water and he wondered if it was wishing for him to join it so it could drag him down into the black depths to his death. A few more tears were let loose and the water splashed around as if something was coming out. Then he felt a hand in his and he shot up, green eyes going wide as they met calm, smiling blue. Hesitantly, he reached out with shaking fingers for the creature, the other man. It blinked as he touched it, eyes never leaving the green and leaning into the touch. He spoke, and the man watched with interest the way his mouth moved, so slowly and graceful, creating sounds that were like flower petals or a sunny day. He listened as it spoke, loving the sound will all his broken and dying heart. It was a relief he wasn't going to die alone. He felt a hand on his stomach and he looked down to the other man, freezing. Not man. Merman.

He choked and felt sadness and fear rush at him. This man, this creature sunk his ship and saved him. It brought him to this deserted island. And now it was going to have him die. Tears ran down his cheeks once again and two blue eyes widened, the voice flew out faster, as if the creature was panicking. He closed his green eyes and just cried. Arms enveloped him as the voice began to sing. The melody sunk into his skin and bones. His muscles relaxed. He felt heavy, lethargic, and dead. Soft sobs left his mouth as he felt himself sinking into darkness. He was dying, he was sure of it.

But instead of dying he fell asleep.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

When he awoke the merman was gone but in his place was a pile of fish, seaweed and green bottles. He stood on shaking legs and gazed at the fish. He took a few steps forward and fell into the sand. He let out a shout and closed his eyes as he hit. He gasped for air in the shock and stress of the fall. A shout and then running. He looked up to see the merman running towards him. Naked.

A dark blush ran across his cheeks as the taller blonde pulled him into his arms, speaking to him in his rapid and beautiful tongue.

His mouth dropped. The creature smiled and patted his cheek at the reaction, as if it was an adequate response to his words. Then he gently laid him back in the sand and left him to pile the wood. He stopped after making a large pile and stood back, looking to him for something. Slowly, he walked over and began working on lighting the wood, cussing when he burned his hand on the fire when it burst to life. The merman-turned-human stumbled human and grabbed his hand, inspecting it as he hissed at the tight and hot feeling of the flesh on his hand. The merman tisked him and dragged him over to the ocean, lifting some water into his hand and then pouring it onto the burned palm. He hissed and bit his lip. The merman glanced up and then back at his hand. He whispered something and the water glowed a clear-sky blue. He let loose a howl as the water sunk into his skin and rehydrated it as well as healed it. He sucked in gasps of air but was grateful for the gift. He stood, the merman watching him all the while and he removed his long and tattered jacket, handing it to the merman to use to cover himself on land. The blue eyed man took it with wide eyes. He sniffed it as if he could smell poison and was checking for it. He rolled his eyes and took the jacket back, placing it on the merman's shoulders. He then spoke his first words to the merman. "Thank you." He murmured as the merman fiddled with the jacket, playing with the sleeves and the decoration of it as if in amaze of it all. The human shook his head and gathered some fish from the pile, searching for a sharp rock to skin and gut the fish with before cooking it.

As he worked he felt the merman's eyes in him, then the blue eyed man was next to him, pointing frantically at the fish making loud eager sounds with his throat. A large brow raised and the human looked back down at the fish, shrugging and giving it to the merman.

The taller of the two (the merman being the taller) shook his head and put it back on the rock, snatching the sharp rock from the human who made a sound of protest but grew silent when he watched the gestures of the merman. "You want me to... teach you how to prepare fish?" The merman froze at his words and gave him a confused look. He sighed and took the sharp rock back, picking up another fish to begin the process once again, but slower to show the blue-eyed merman how. The merman's face lit up in a child like happiness and he make a sound of joy, sitting with his hands on his knees and his eyes wide, absorbing everything the human could teach him.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next day when he awoke the pile of wood had already been set up and was awaiting flames to engulf it and bring warmth to him. He stood and went through the process of lighting it once again.

As he finished that he turned to see the merman, sporting his jacket watching the fire with amazed eyes. He chuckled and the merman looked at him, gesturing to him and the flame. He smiled for the first time in what felt to him was forever and the merman quieted at the look. The merman stared at his smile as if it was another gift, one more special then the jacket or learning how to prepare fish. He gestured for the merman to come over as he gathered some left over sticks to teach him how to light a fire.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

His life continued on like that for a while, him awakening to a pile of wood, sometimes lit and sometimes not with food on the side for him to make and the curious merman waiting for him to teach him something new. he had already grasped some English, being able to call him by his name now (which was Arthur) and say other things as well as demand to learn more.

He was the only contact Arthur ever had, the island keeping him stranded to the merman's mercy and as time grew on the island, he stopped caring about that. He felt safe with the merman. No longer was he the captive of a dangerous beast, but the friend of a child.

"Ar-thur!" He heard the voice call as he finished lighting the fire. He turned to see the merman, who since learning bits and pieces of English had taught Arthur a few words in his language as well.

"Ah, good morning Al." He said shortening the merman's real name (which was too difficult for his human tongue to make). Al smiled brightly as he wrapped his arms around the human in a loving, and at the same time crushing, hug.

"Goood mor-ing Ar-thur!" He chirped, his words coming out a bit botched but better then the day before. "Can you..." He paused and frowned. "Word!" He demanded. Arthur chuckled.

"Can you give me a description on what you want?" Al frown, thinking about all the words Arthur had just said and nodded slowly. He moved his mouth slowly, first planning out the motions his mouth made while saying the word and then spoke.

"Night!" Al proclaimed, "Prin-sess?" He bit his lip in thought, as if he wasn't sure he was in the right for the language now. "Hero!" Arthur smiled and patted Al's hair, enjoying the feeling of the soft hair tangling in his fingers.

"You mean a story?" Al nodded franticly, his eyes wide and exited. He dropped down to cross his legs and sat eagerly in wait.

"Story! Want a story!" Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed with a soft smile.

"Later Al, okay? Stories are for night time." Al frowned but nodded.

"Okay." He said his tone a little disappointed.

"Now come help me with the fish." Al's frown disappeared and he smiled brightly, running over to help.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

As time went on it grew cooler on the island and Arthur guessed winter was heading his way. He had no idea how winter was on the island and so he began to prepare. He built himself a small shelter and gathered fish, drying them in the sun and coating them in salt that he had gotten when he had boiled the ocean water. Al had watched as he made his preparations, a frown on his face the whole time. He looked as if he doubted the shelter, the flimsy logs pinned up against another tree, coated in palm leaves. Arthur just snorted at the gaze and continued on. His shelter would last. He would be fine.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A storm much like the one that had hit so long ago when Arthur's ship had been dragged down into the sea and him saved by the merman hit again while Arthur was on the island. The trees swing wildly and crashed down around him, the ocean washed up on shore and ate away at the sand. The rocks on the beach tumbled away into the waves and the food and drink that Al had left for him were as well.

For the first time since he had first woken up on the island deserted he cried. He was afraid as he ran for higher grounds. Lightening struck a tree and it light up the sky, shaking the ground as he fell into the mud and muck. The sky lit up again with lightening and fire. As Arthur pushed himself up out of the mud he realized he was either ground to drown or burn and a fresh round of tears trickled out. "Al!" He yelled as he stumbled around the island. He prayed for the merman to hear him, for him to come and save him from the impending doom around him. The sky flashed again and he heard a cracking sound. Then all air had left his lungs and pain was exploding in his spine. He couldn't move. He couldn't escape. Tears sped up and he sobbed freely. He was going to die alone and Al, poor Al was going to find his dead body one way or another. His vision grew fuzzy and he slipped into unconsciousness.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

When he awoke he was in pain, but he heard crying and that beautiful tongue he had listened to for so long before it became tainted by his own language. There was more than one voice that spoke now. One young that he knew to be Al, and the others were ones he had never heard before but just as beautiful. Al's was panicked and hurt. He sounded worried and Arthur wanted to hug him and bring joy back to the voice. A light touch to his spine and he screamed. White erupted behind his eyelids and he felt his lucidness began to slip once again from him. "Arthur!" Al's voice reached out to him. Arthur was gasping for air like a fish. He couldn't get enough in and his lungs felt like they were collapsing. He wanted the release of unconsciousness. Why couldn't he just slip out and be in no more pain? What was keeping him lucid? The voices slipped back into his ears and Al's was more frantic then before, a few of the others were as well but the strongest held its weight. His eyes opened to slits and Al glanced down at him, sinking to his human knees to touch his face. "Arthur! Okay? You okay?" He couldn't respond. There was too much. Al frown and his hands were hesitant o touch on his face as if he was going to break. Tears were sliding down his cheeks as he rubbed his cheek against Arthur's. "Arthur." He mumbled. "Arthur, Arthur, Arthur." A voice spoke and Al continued to weep over him. He began muttering things to Arthur that were both in English and his first language. They were words of affection and comfort.

Then he felt something creeping up his spine and his eyes began to water. He realized he had begun to talk. Alfred watching him sadly now, his eyes wide and fearful as Arthur realized he was begging for relief, begging for death. He wanted to stop because he knew he was scaring the merman but he couldn't. He wanted it. The voice spoke over his pleas and Al closed his eyes. He leaned over and spoke. "Change? You want help?" Arthur looked at Al out of the corner of his eye.

"Please." He whispered his voice full of pain.

"It hur-t. It... w'll hurt." Al said in his broken English. Arthur could have cried. He had to go through more pain to get relief? But he made a sound of acceptance. "L-legs 'nd b-ack. W'll hurt." A few more tears dripped from Arthur's eyes and he suddenly felt a numbness spreading through his limbs and black spots dancing in his eyes. He smiled. "Arthur?" He felt death seeping into him and it felt like peace.

"Al." He whispered, "Al I'm leaving now." Al frown in confusion. Leaving meant going away. Where was Arthur going? His eyes widened as he deduced what Arthur meant.

"No!" Al said, fingers curling into Arthur's shirt. "No! D-don't go! I fix you! Make better!" Arthur's eyes were closing, the light in them fading as he fell into sleep.

"Goodbye... Al." He whispered. He was so glad he was able to say goodbye to the creature that had brought him so much joy over the past few months, years, centuries. He was so happy he wasn't going to die alone, the one thing he feared the most. His eye lids fell shut and he breathed a sigh of death.

"No!"

From the calm and peaceful death Arthur was sinking into, pain interrupted and rushed through him. His legs felt like the flesh was ripping apart and conjoining again, his muscles melting and moving in foreign ways to his body and his spine was shifting, changing. He heard a scream and realized it was his own voice. Then he sunk down into oblivion once again.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The breeze was a cool sea breeze and the sun was warm on his flesh. That was the first thing he noticed when his lucidness returned. Then he felt the warm ocean water washing up on his fingers and... no, there was something missing. He struggled to reach his body. He needed to move, he needed to know what was wrong with his body.

As his body woke up he found he couldn't move his legs or his feet. He could feel them laying partially in the sand part in the water. Limp, heavy, and a bit numb. He let loose a cry of fear. Hands were on him right away, pulling him close in an embrace. Soft words of comfort were whispered into his ear. "Arthur, it okay." He knew right away that Al was the one holding him and comforting him, and he clung to Al. His eyes flew open, wide and panicked.

"L-legs!" He cried out in his hoarse and broken voice, not wanting to look down. Al frowned and glanced at where his legs should be.

"T-tail." Al said looking back at Arthur. Arthur froze and looked down at his legs. A long emerald green tail took the place of his legs, the scales glimmering in the light and the fin basking in the cool water. He stared at it. Then at Al. The blue eyed merman wasn't looking at him, but instead finding grains of sand that were far more interesting with his fingers. Arthur opened his mouth, then closed it. His head dropped back down onto Al's lap and Al jumped. Arthur ignored him as he fretted over Arthur.

His legs were gone. Replaced by a deformation he would never be able to fix. Wasn't it enough that he had lost his ship, his crew? Then to go through the pain of breaking his spine, and now no more walking. No more running or jumping or land. No toes to dig into the sand or feel the cool dirt beneath his bare feet. He was alive, but at the cost of his life of land, now to sink down into the cold dark depths. He didn't even know the merfolk's language!

He felt pain, unbearable pain in his chest and remembered that merfolk couldn't cry, they instead felt pain. He let out a sound that was much like a sob, his fingers digging into the sand in anger and pain. Al watched him quietly as his mouth moved to form words but none were ever spoken. His blue eyes fell to the sandy ground and tears came to his eyes, as he was in the form of a human. They trailed down his cheeks silently as he clutched at the jacket Arthur had given him. His first gift, his most precious object besides Arthur's friendship. His second most favorite thing, right after Arthur himself. "Safe." Al said quietly and he heard Arthur's voice dim to nothing. "Safe now, all better." He sniffled but tears continued to come. Had Arthur wanted to die? Had he been selfish and kept Arthur with him against his will? "Leave?" He asked looking up, blue eyes wide and scared gazing into green. "You want... to leave?" Arthur blinked and placed a hand to Al's cheek, rubbing away a stray tear. He said nothing. "You... are sad? Want to leave? I sorry. Hurt you." Arthur's eyes were so sad and they broke his heart. He just wanted Arthur to be happy. He wanted Arthur to be as happy as he was whenever Arthur was around. He wanted to give Arthur everything he had given him. Arthur sighed and nuzzled his face into the cloth of his jacket, his eyes heavy an tired.

"Al," he whispered quietly, "Al I'm so tired. Why am I so tired?" Al blinked and gazed down at the sleepy and newly transformed merman. "Al. Al, I'm sorry. Thank you Al. Thank you so much." Then he was asleep, eyes closed and mouth parted slightly in light puffs of breath. Al smiled sadly down at the former human. He took the head that was resting on his lap off and placed it in the sand, then removing the coat and folding it and hiding it under some rocks to protect it. He turned to Arthur and saw that he was drying now and he smiled. The tail twinkled in the light for a moment, the scales shrinking to look like form fit pants, very form fit pants, then sinking into the skin and leaving flesh behind. Legs instead of a tail and toes instead of a thin membrane to propel him in water. But of course with legs now in place he lay naked in the sand and sunlight. Al turned towards the ocean and waded in, hoping Arthur would forgive him later. Praying Arthur would still be his friend and not hate him for taking so much from him.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

When Arthur awoke again his skin felt tight and sore. He looked down to see the lightly burned flesh of his body, legs and other places included. His face became a light red and he sat up, letting out a sound mixed with pain and joy. He pulled his legs close to his body and rejoiced, tears of happiness streaming down his face. He stood up and looked around for his blue-eyed merman, his green eyes sparkling with mirth but found no sight of him, instead finding his clothes, cleaned of blood and dirt and dry.

The merman was nowhere in sight.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Days past and the only sign of his merman's existence were the piles of fish, wood and bottles of drink that ended up on the beach every morning, waiting for him when he woke. He felt distressed now that he had no talk with. No Al to enjoy a good sunset with or to watch the fish as they swam in their groups creating rainbows in the water. He was completely alone. "Al!" He yelled out to the ocean, praying the merman would answer him.

Was the merman upset with him? Was he leaving him because thought the tail was grotesque? A deformation of the body? No, he didn't think those things of Al's tail. Al's tail was beautiful, a shimmering blue, like his eyes. Lighter then the ocean and more beautiful than the sky itself. His tail and fins were beautiful. Arthur's were not. They were ugly and disgusting. Slimy and tainted by his human air. Not sleek and elegant like Al's. He himself as a human was ugly, as a merperson, even worse. That's why he had run from his home as a child and become a pirate. Because no one cared how you looked as a pirate, just how strong you were and how much gold you had.

Alfred was beautiful as a human and a merman. He had the best of both. But had he thought that Arthur's feelings on the fins were applied to his own as well? Was that why he was gone? He was hurt by Arthur and yet he still cared enough to leave him food and heat.

Arthur fell to his knees on the beach and looked out at the ocean. "Al..."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Al had been watching Arthur the whole time. He felt bad for leaving Arthur for so long on his own and even worse when he watched Arthur collapse on the beach and stare out into the ocean as if it was a cursed thing keeping him from happiness.
Hesitantly, Al slipped below the surface once again and swam down. He swam into his cave and dropped down to the sand covering the bottom, watching as the objects he had collected from Arthur's ship glittered and shone in the light that made it's way into the cave from the whole at the top. The golden necklaces and bracelets, the strange three pronged objects that looked like tridents and sharp long things that he didn't understand. Boxes and clothes he had pushed into different corners, organized by size and content. He would bring the long jacket Arthur had given him down to his cave, but it was special, and he wanted nothing but his own hands to touch it. He sighed and watched as bubbles floated from his mouth and out to the surface.

Arthur. Arthur. Arthur. Arthur. The mystery man he had saved from a ship wreck, tied to the mast of a large ship full of treasure. Al had watched as the wind and ocean ripped away at the boat, wanting to kill and eat every man aboard the boat, but Al wanted to help. So he found all the smaller boats that he had seen sailors use before when their ship was getting eaten by the sea, and pushed them towards the men. He watched as they helped each other then turn towards the boat and yell out for the man hanging from the mast. He watched with wide eyes as the smaller blonde struggled and then fell limp as the ship was swallowed. He panicked and dove down for the man, feeling a connection to him for some reason. He had a need to be the hero and save this man. He wrapped his arms around the man and looked into the eyes as they shut. He snapped the rope and freed the green-eyed man.

He surfaced and looked around, the smaller boats where leaving, drifting away and Al knew he couldn't give the half dead man to them now. So he brought him to his private island, the one where he practiced walking and sat on to sun bathe. He laid the man out and felt compelled to talk to the man. He spoke of simple things like life in the ocean and the color of the sky for hours. He sighed and lifted his shell necklace from his neck and slid it into the man's hand. He watched as the mouth opened slightly as if to speak and in his haste to leave he had leaned down and given the man a quick kiss. It was not so much for affection, but for a goodbye. He then jumped up and left and Arthur had lost the shell in the sand.

He closed his blue eyes and thought of the green eyes of his human friend as he laid on the ground, unconscious and in pain when he had found him during the storm. He had heard the calls and run ashore, only the find the smaller blonde under a tree. He lifted it carefully and he was going to move Arthur when he heard his brother come up behind him and warn him not too, saying it could hurt the man more. He felt so helpless as his brother ran off to go get help. All he could do was make sure Arthur didn't die before the elders came to help him. When they did come they just looked upon Arthur with disgust. He was a human, he deserved to die, deserved all the pain the world had to offer. Al had felt a strange emotion boiling in his stomach and made him want to hurt something, but instead of doing what his fists wanted he begged for help. Then Arthur had awoken, begging himself for peace and help. He cried and pleaded. Al had just looked towards the elders as they watched the man laying in the mud begging for help. They held no hatred in their eyes then. Just pity.

Al spoke with Arthur as the elders whispered of a way to save Arthur. Give some of his scales to Arthur and he would change, becoming an immortal merman as well. He could stay with Al forever. But then Arthur began to fade, and fast. He looked so happy too. Al was scared and he ripped the scales from his tail, not caring of the pain and applied them to Arthur's flesh. He watched as the legs mutated and ripped. He covered his ears when Arthur screamed. He cried when Arthur slept.

His friend, his favorite person now was sitting alone on a beach. His blue eyes opened and he moved quickly to the shore.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Arthur was sitting curled up beneath a palm tree. His forehead touching his knees and his arms wrapped around his legs. His eye lids drooped as he watched the darkening water and sky. He felt arms wrap around him and a head nudge into the crook of his neck and he smiled sleepily. "I'm so sorry Al." He whispered and he felt the merman's head rise so that it was his chin resting on Arthur's shoulder. "Your tail is beautiful. I never thought that you were ugly." Al frowned.

"Ugly? But Arthur is mad 'cause I took legs..." Arthur shook his head.

"No, no. I'm not mad at that. I'm not upset with you at all." Al closed his eyes and laughed. Relief flooded him.

"Arthur is happy? Happy with me?"

"Yes. I am happy." Al let out a shout of happiness and squeezed the man tight. He nuzzled Arthur's neck and released him, lying back in the sand.

"Arthur, tell me stars." Arthur chuckled and leaned back into the sand next to Al.

"It's 'tell me about stars', but of course. What do you want to know?" Al smiled.

"Everything."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Al had found out how to say the rest of his name in English ten moon cycles after he had changed Arthur. Alfred, the elders told him. They had said he needed a more proper human name if he was going to spend so much time with a human. Alfred had been so happy with a better name and he had rushed to tell Arthur, who was rebuilding his shelter to protect him from the winter rains which he learned the year before where dangerous. Alfred smiled as he ran across the beach, white sand spraying out from behind him as he made his way over to Arthur. "Arthur!" He yelled excitedly, his eyes twinkling. Arthur turned around to be swept up into a hug and he laughed.

"Yes, yes!" He chuckled as Alfred held him tight. "What's got you in such a good mood?"

"My name!" He said with a giggle (a manly one! Because Alfred was a hero now!). "I have a nice name!" Arthur smiled as well, glad that the merman's English had improved so much.

"Yes you do Al." Alfred shook his head.

"New name! I have a new name! Better!" Arthur frowned and Alfred panicked that he had upset Arthur.

"A new name?" He looked down to the ground and his eyes were confused. The nick name he had given Al was just fine right? It was special, to Arthur at least… Alfred hurried to continue his news.

"The elders gave me it! Said that better for humans!" He took Arthur's hand and Arthur's green eyes gazed up into his blue. They looked hurt. "My name Alfred! Al short for Alfred, right? I wanted name that was like the one you gave me!" Arthur blinked, face blank, then he broke out in laughter and brought Alfred into a hug.

"It's a perfect name for you." Alfred grinned brightly into Arthur's shoulder.

"Cause I'm a hero?" Arthur shorted and released the taller man.

"Yes it's because you're a hero."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Arthur's hair had grown past his ears and almost touched his shoulders. He frowned as he looked at the scummy long blonde hair, twirling a lock of it in his fingers. He looked up from his reflection in the water as he heard Alfred running up the beach. "Arthur! Arthur! I found-!" He stopped and sucked in some air and then paused. "Hair, yes?" He asked, checking the word before using it. Arthur nodded. "Awesome! Your hair is loooong." He said, using a word an annoying albino merman had taught him after his explorations, which Alfred had relayed to him with much enthusiasm. Arthur nodded sitting back in the sand with his hands on his knees.

"It has. Soon enough I'll look like a woman." Alfred nodded frantically.

"You do now Arthur!" Arthur sputtered, and Alfred laughed wildly while chanting 'pretty woman Arthur' over and over until Arthur had tackled him to the ground.

Once their wrestling match was over (Alfred had won), Arthur was even more filthy then before. He sighed and grumbled a few curses under his breath. Alfred sat up and smiled. "I can cut your hair Arthur!" Arthur looked skeptically at Alfred.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really! I have sharp thingys that cut stuff! I found them!" Arthur blinked.

"Could you bring them here?" Alfred nodded and stood, striping himself while Arthur yelled at him for indecency with a reddened face. He ran into the water and swam off. Arthur felt a pang of jealousy that Alfred could be so graceful in the water but he shook the thoughts from his head and went to thinking how he was going to cut his hair.

Alfred returned a few minutes later, carrying something behind his back and biting his lip. Arthur stood and handed him his jacket. Alfred jutted out a pair of scissors in Arthur's direction. Arthur stumbled back with his mouth opening. "Those are mine!" He shouted eyes wide in surprise and Alfred didn't look at him, but nodded.

"I found them." He mumbled.

"Where?"

"The bottom of the ocean." Arthur blinked and closed his mouth.

"Oh." Alfred nodded and gave them to Arthur. Hesitantly, Arthur took them and grazed his fingers over the cold wet silver metal. He breathed put and looked up at Alfred. "Can you take me to where you found them?" Alfred bit his lip and his chin met his chest.

"No." Arthur frown and his large brows furrowed.

"No?" He snapped, "Why no?" Alfred avoided his eyes.

"I moved everything I found." Arthur took a step forward.

"To. Where."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Alfred couldn't have been more miserable. Arthur was going through all his stuff and taking it. He was taking Alfred treasures! The shiny things and the precious things he had collected from Arthur's sunken ship. Every object Alfred had to keep company with when he wasn't with Arthur, Arthur was taking. Alfred would have cried if, one he could cry and two if it didn't hurt so much to cry as a merman. So instead he moped around at the hole in the top of the cave. "Al..." He heard the other merman say and he looked down sadly, seeing Arthur lying in the sand at the bottom of the cave. Alfred frowned and floated down to the green tailed merman and sat next to him.

"What's wrong?" Arthur sighed.

"Why do you have all my things Alfred?" Alfred fingered the sand, digging holes in it nervously. "Alfred." He said dangerously.

"I miss you..." He said in a small voice. Arthur was silent. "I miss you, and I can't be with you all day..." Arthur sighed and pulled Alfred into a hug. Alfred stiffened but accepted the sign of affection gratefully.

"You are a silly lad, you are." Alfred frowned and backed out of the hug to look at Arthur. He felt a bit of surprise at Arthur's smiling face and loving gaze. "If you missed me so much then just join me on land. I don't mind if you stay." Alfred blinked and shook his head, deciding he would rather be silent at the moment then speak, looking back into the sand for words. "Then do you want me to join you in the ocean?" Alfred's head shot up, eyes wide in disbelief.

"You would do that?" He asked incredulously, joy creeping up his spine. "You would come and live with me here?" Arthur was quiet and held a thoughtful look. Then he nodded, almost to himself rather then Alfred.

"Yes... I do believe I would..." He nodded again, more sure then before. "Yes. Yes I think so." He gazed into Alfred's blue eyes, sparkling with joy. Alfred let out a cry of joy and gathered Arthur into his arms, holding him tight as he swum around in acrobatic sprints of happiness.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Night had fallen and Arthur shifted uncomfortably in his seabed as he watched the moonlight distort in crashing waves. Down below it was so silent. Like death. He began to shake as he felt the darkness creep up on him. It was like drowning, but silly him, he couldn't drown! He couldn't die either... He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight and singing something quietly to himself. He heard a groan from across the cave. "Arthur?" Said the groggy voice of Alfred. Arthur froze, voice stopping in his throat but coming out as a squeak. "Arthur?" The more lucid voice asked, then he felt a hand on his arm and he jumped up, shouting in fright.

The ocean was calm then and he could see Alfred's worried expression. "Arthur, you okay?" Arthur shook his head quickly but did not leave his perched post on the cave wall. Alfred sighed and swam up, taking Arthur's hand and pulling him down. He gazed into Arthur's eyes and smiled. "Don't worry Arthur! I am a hero! I'll protect you!" Arthur sighed in relief as Alfred snuggled up to him.

The dark wasn't so deathly now that he had Alfred cuddled up to him. He didn't feel so alone.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The more time Arthur spent in the ocean, the more he longed for home. His home. His little cottage, right next to the ocean in England. He dreamed of it every night and he wondered why he hadn't before he joined Alfred in the water. Maybe that's what he needed, a trip home, back to England. To see his home and see his crew. Yes, that is exactly what he needed. But how would he get back? He had forgotten so much over the lost time he had spent on the island and in the water. He felt so unattached from society and people he didn't think he would be able to rejoin them, even if it was for a day.
Unfortunetly for Arthur, Alfred noticed how complacent he had seemed lately. He didn't enjoy watching the fish go by or playing with the dolphins as much anymore and when he wasn't with Alfred he was up on the sunbathing rocks, staring at the shore as if it was the only thing in the world.

"Arthur?" Alfred said, pulling Arthur from his daydreams of his cottage.

"Mmmh?" He hummed in return, not looking at the blue-eyed merman. Alfred turned his gaze to the water. He knew what he had to do. He had to give the land back to Arthur. He was born a land-walker. He didn't belong in the sea. Maybe on a boat, but that was sturdy, made from the earth, not the water.

"Do...do you want to go home?" Arthur's gaze shot to Alfred. The piercing green eyes surprised and filled with hope. Alfred felt pain in his chest. Arthur did want to go home.

"I, I do Alfred. I want to go home. I miss my cottage." Alfred chocked. Oh no. Arthur meant home. His actual place of dwelling. He wanted to leave Alfred. Pain spread throughout Alfred's chest and he couldn't pull in enough air. Arthur frowned. "Alfred, are you okay?" Alfred nodded but inside he felt dead. Arthur didn't like him anymore.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was a stormy day when Arthur left for England. The ocean was angry and the sky was sad. Alfred just laid in his cave and didn't even leave to say goodbye. He had no reason to do anything now that Arthur was gone.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He wasn't welcomed back home as a hero or missed. Hell, he wasn't welcomed at all. He climbed out of the ocean and walked into his cottage, gathering a pack of things that wouldn't be destroyed in ocean water and he went to the local pub, finding all his crew mates from his sunken ship and spent all the money he had (save a few golden and silver coins for Alfred to play with like the child he was). His crew mates greeted him like anyone would have had they seen someone they thought had been dead for nearly ten years (and seeing him the same as when they had last). Many screams and even a chair thrown in his direction.

After explaining his situation and telling his story they had rejoiced, treating him like a king. They drunk and sang into the wee hours of the morning and gave Arthur a few things to take with him back to the island, promising to visit him one day (or to have him visit himself).

At the week's end, he headed back to the ocean and left England.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Alfred hadn't moved and inch when Arthur had left. He had given up on life and joy. The elders as well as his friends and brother tried to convince him that Arthur was returning but he didn't believe it. He had seen Arthur's eyes and knew what was in them. He meant to stay and never return. So of course when he heard the voice of his dear friend, he believed he was hallucinating again. "Oh Alfred." A voice said. Blue eyes shot open and he sat up, looking at the merman Arthur. "You truly are a silly thing."