Work Text:
He was braver and stronger than the others. It wasn't idiocy like the others had said. He wasn't like the rest of his kind who completely avoided the ocean shores.
The shores where the humans would roam about.
While he wasn't fearful, he was cautious. He would leave his cove when the moon was high and the beach abandoned to go exploring the sand. He just found some of the contraptions the humans would leave behind utterly fascinating.
Bringing them back to his cove also helped make it feel more alive in a way. Trying to figure out how some of them worked, guessing what they were for helped provide a distraction from the loneliness that would inevitably set in and leave him longing for companionship. A gentle touch on his skin.
Merfolk were social creatures.
But he was only half shark and thus never quite fit in with others of his kind. Shark colonies didn't tolerate his free spirit very well and other, non-shark communities found him too bloodthirsty and frightening. They certainly tolerated him enough to use him as muscle though.
The ones leading the colony would send him out to defend their territory and once all the nearby threats were taken care of, they would soon find some reason, some "mistake" he committed that was too much to overlook and he would be forced out once more. Leaving him with nothing but new scars on his body.
He had stopped trying to find one he could live amongst after one memorable incident that left him facially scarred and blind in one eye…He abruptly shakes his head, trying to force away the memory of sharp claws and fiery hair and an equally red tail out of his mind.
She and her mate were dead. He had gotten his revenge. That was many moons ago and he had learned his lesson. He was better off with just himself as company.
Close to the shoreline, the merman slowly swims up to peek out at the beach, looking and listening for any lingering humans nearby. Sensing none, he approaches the sand and uses his arms to heft himself out of the water and onto the sand.
The useful item he had found on one of his looting sessions was swaying and bumping into his torso as he dragged himself along the beach. It was long and made of this hard, shiny material and had this thing at the top that came off and went back on. He stored water in it to wet his gills when they got too dry, allowing him to stay on land longer than usual.
The merman had swiftly come to realize that drinking water was more effective than pouring it out on his tail. Tonight, his gills had to be wet two times before he stumbled onto something he had never encountered before.
It was a little human female posed delicately on this rounded object. There was this soft material spread out around the female's lower half, slim legs poised in a way he's never seen a human do. Her arms reached up and out at her sides, her head tilted at an angle.
It felt smooth to the touch, like sea glass, as he carefully turned it around in his large hands, mindful not to scratch it with his claws. A little dark something on the bottom was sticking out, and he curiously fingered along the hard edges of it.
It moved ever so slightly and he paused briefly before gripping it and moving it with purpose, twisting it. The little woman spins once and he hears this high pitched tinkling. The sound was pleasant to his ears.
He gasped, his mouth parting in wonder before he twisted the thing again, watching it happen once more. He stares in awe and experiments with twisting it longer. Watching it spin longer and the high pitched noise to continue on as well.
He twists it again before he gets light headed and scrambles for the item holding his water to swallow a few mouthfuls. He then turns and turns and turns it until he feels a slight resistance and lets it go, unable to tear his eyes away from the mesmerizing contraption. This was definitely coming back with him. Maybe he would even end his search here and leave early.
The shark just hoped this pretty thing continued working once underwater. Sometimes certain things didn't.
The tiny figure stops spinning and he frowns, moving to make it start over when the device begins to open up by itself, the side the female was on tipping backwards and he gapes at it, bringing it closer to his face to see better in the light of the moon.
Something vaguely sweet sprays his face and he shrieks, an instinctive cry to warn others of his kind of danger. But he came here alone. No one was around to warn or to help him.
The half shark scrambles back and away from the dropped object, turning around to begin dragging himself back to sea. Weak, fearful whimpers leave his lips as his vision tunnels and his strong arms start to fail him, becoming weak and shaky until they fell out from under him.
He lifts his heavy head and slowly reaches his hands out for the water, his great tail flapping in desperation. He releases a terrified cry when he realizes that this is it, he had finally messed up and was going to be captured by humans. It was a trap.
The merman lowers his head and isn't able to raise it again.
When he comes to, he finds himself back in the water. But not in his home, ruling out hope that it was all just a nightmare.
His home was a winding cave he had found deep in the ocean. This certainly wasn't it. There were none of his acquired possessions filling up nets around him. No rocky surfaces…This was too bright. There was coral, reefs and plant life of all kinds surrounding him, there were also nooks and crannies to hide in and he almost went to one. His instincts were screaming at him to go to them, to hide and scope out what the danger was.
But he was a shark so he refrained from truly cowering. Instead, his gaze traveled to above him and he saw a warped shape of a human male.
Just one. Easy.
With a snarl and baring of his sharp teeth, he rushes at the human standing stupidly at the edge of the water, planning on yanking him in and ripping him to shreds with teeth and claws. The human shouts and takes several steps back when he jumps up and out of the water, making a reach for him.
The male whips out something long and thin from behind his back, then there's a crackling sound and what looks like lightning at the tip of it. Jack hisses and falls back into the water with a splash, rushing to the very bottom.
This man could control lightning.
The human steps up close again and stands there as he gathers himself and swims up to the surface. Forcing calmness he doesn't feel as he peers up at him a safe distance away behind a large rock, in length and width, sticking up out of the water.
Safe as in he wouldn't be misconstrued as trying to attack him. If the man decided to aim that device at him or the water for any other reason though, he would be doomed. There'd be no getting away from it.
"Glad to see you're awake. Honestly, when reports of a merman in the area came to my attention, I was surprised. Most merfolk know to stay away from beaches. Not too smart are you?"
The mer blinks. Human speech sounded so odd to his ears. It always had. The bits and pieces he heard watching some people on those little boats, and the times he'd venture close to observe beaches occupied by humans, never making sense to him.
It was the man's tone and the way he was looking at him that made him frown.
"Upon hearing the rumors, I had hidden cameras stationed all over that beach. I saw the water bottle you were using to wet your gills…So maybe you are intelligent. I don't know. Merfolk have always fascinated my son, not me."
He keeps a wary eye on the tool the man was clutching. Not wanting to miss his death coming. But would the human really go through the trouble of capturing him just to kill him? What would the point be?
"Speaking of my son, you're actually my gift for him. I was hoping for a prettier mer to present to him but beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. All those scars…you're a fighter, aren't you?"
He leans at the waist towards him, trying to get a closer look of the rugged merman.
"Genetic testing has revealed to us that you're half shark. Your tail obviously has the appearance of one but the coloring of it had us stumped. A gradient of green and blue…Unique. Hopefully that'll make up for all the extensive scarring."
The man straightens up then, expression stern and voice threatening.
"I'm giving this stun baton to my son. Should you try to pull what you just did to me, he will use it. Whether you live or die will be of no loss to me. I'll just get him another mer should he want one. You are expendable, he is not."
The human sighs, shaking his head at himself and rolling his eyes.
"I don't even know if you understood any of that…On the off chance you do, today is Saturday. You will have the rest of today and tomorrow to get acquainted with your new home. Monday morning my son will come and you better be on your best behavior."
He stares at the man's back as he turns on his heel and leaves. Pressing his hand on the vertical surface before this big rectangular shape slides open and closed behind him. Leaving him utterly alone in his new captivity.
The mer glances aimlessly around his new surroundings, taking in the odd contraptions filling it, made of materials he's never seen before. He spends some time gazing out a square hole appearing to be cut into another of those surfaces.
The sun was high in the blue sky.
He doesn't know how long it was after that that fish were released into the water through this opening partly concealed by a brightly colored anemone.
He snatches a few up, piercing the squirming creatures with his claws, not realizing how hungry he was until presented with food.
Distorted voices woke him up two days later. He peeks out and up from the nook he wedged himself into in the night. It sounded like two people speaking to each other.
Yes, two figures walk up to his confinement.
Not wanting to anger the man with the lightning, he obediently swims to the top. There's a sharp gasp and he averts his eye to the new human. His lips part as he looks at the younger human male's face.
He was pretty. His mind flashes back to the figurine of the pretty little female and he distantly wonders what happened to it.
The merman dares to swim closer to them.
Rhys had originally wanted to have a year or two of freedom before he took a role in the family business. In Atlas corporation.
He had been trained for this position practically his whole life. Was it too much to ask for a break? For the ability to relax and just do whatever he wanted to do? In his father's opinion, yes. It was.
Rhys was only 23. Sue him for wanting to have fun for a change.
His father had cajoled and pleaded and sometimes outright tried to demand he take up his role until Rhys had had enough of it and given in just so he would leave him alone about it. His father had given him one of his rare, genuine smiles, clapped him on the shoulder and promised to reward him with an exquisite gift.
He had expected to immediately be put to work in this lavish office his father had always told him would be his one day, but that hadn't happened. A desk had been moved to his father's office and that's where he was delegated to for the last couple months. His father brushed off all his questions about it with, "It's being renovated."
Until today.
His father had been in an exceptionally good mood all morning as they met up in the kitchen for breakfast and went driving together to the main Atlas building.
He was then led through the building and to the elevator, pressing the button for the floor just below his. The floor Rhys' promised office was on.
"Renovations done?" Rhys asked curiously.
"Yes. And you remember how I told you I'd get you a gift?"
"Yeah…"
Robert turned to his son, eyes gleaming. "It's inside."
Excitement building in his chest, Rhys softly bounces on the balls of his feet as he watches the elevator go up floor by floor. He'd never felt particularly psyched about it before but now that the moment was here, he was definitely feeling anticipation. His mind abuzz with what it could possibly be.
When the elevator doors opened with a ding and he stepped out into the narrow hallway with a single door at the end that led into his office, he practically slammed his hand on the scanner to open it and ran inside. Only to freeze in confusion.
"A swimming pool? In an office?"
His father catches up to him and puts a hand on his shoulder to guide him directly towards it. Stopping at the edge.
"Look closer."
He frowns and searches the water, noting the underwater plant life, the rock sticking up in the center, the shadowed nooks and crannies that looked like places to hide in. An idea started forming in his mind…but no. There was no way it could possibly be what he was thinking of.
He sees movement near one of the nooks and his breath catches in his throat, eyes widening as a large shape starts to slowly emerge from it.
A merman.
An actual, real life merman. In his new office. This was his father's present? How had he pulled this off? Was this what had taken so long, creating this large enclosure that took up one entire side of the room and then procuring a mer? Rhys felt like he was dreaming. Like he would wake up any moment now.
The merman stares up at them from his position behind the sunning rock.
Rhys gasps, taking in the mer's scarring, the odd mix of shark and some other fish breed's tail…From what he could see of it, it was beautiful. And though his body and face was scarred, he thought the mer was rather handsome with his strong jawline and stunning blue eye. The other fogged over and milky.
He even liked the arching scar on his face.
The merman rips his eye away from Robert to look at Rhys, the mer's lips parting in what looked like curiosity and something else he was too overwhelmed to put his finger on.
He slowly edges out from behind the stone and swims closer to them. Stopping about three feet away. They both seemed absorbed in taking the other in. Eyes roving over each other's forms.
"You're happy with him?" Robert asks.
Rhys rips his gaze away to acknowledge his tall, stern father. "Yeah, I…wow. Thank you…"
"Good. I'm very glad you like him. He was apparently very difficult to lift into the truck and put into a tank. Heavy. He also tried to attack-" Robert's phone began to ring.
The mer snapped his head this way and that to find the source of the noise.
Robert sighed and pulled out his phone. "Hello?" A pause. "Yes, I know. I'd never forget something so important. I'll be there shortly."
Rhys smiles watching the merman. His brows furrow when Jack suddenly goes tense, hyper focused on his father. On his waist line.
Robert returns his attention to Rhys. "I have to go to a meeting. I'll be back at lunch. See how everything is going…Listen, I want you to have this." He reaches for his hip and unhooks something from his belt. "The latest stun baton on the market. Do not be afraid to use it, Rhys."
Rhys frowns at the held out device. "I don't…"
"That merman tried to attack me. I think he wanted to pull me into the water so he could kill me. Always have this on you, Rhys. I mean it. At least for a while until he seems to trust and like you."
Rhys hesitantly wraps his hand around it, holding it loosely. There's a splash and out of the corner of his vision, he sees the mer back up.
"That's a thing with merfolk, right? Once you have their affection, you have it forever? Isn't that what legend says?" Robert asks.
"Yes. Centuries ago. When we all lived in peace together, helping each other survive. Before us humans betrayed them…Before they started avoiding us." Rhys confirms.
"Right. Just swear to me you'll keep this on you."
"I promise."
Robert searches his face for a moment before nodding and striding to the exit. His expensive oxfords clicking on the tile flooring. With a beep of the scanner, the door swishes open and then closes.
The mer begins to retreat, laser focused on the baton. Rhys promptly drops it.
The mer pauses, watching him silently. Curious.
Rhys crouches down. Hoping the pose helps him look like a non threat. "Hi." He makes his voice as soft and gentle as he can manage. "I'm Rhys."
The mer's brows furrow, head tilting.
He gestures to his chest. "Rhys." Another point. "Rhys."
The merman moves closer towards him. Stopping two feet away.
"Do you have a name? Name?" He points at himself once more. "I'm Rhys." Then he points at the shark. Pitching his voice up inquiringly, raising his brows. "Name?"
It seems to dawn on the mer then. Opening his mouth, what comes out is a mess of literal hissing mixed with harsh, guttural sounding syllables. Rhys gapes at him. Picking up on his confusion, the mer repeats the noise, drawing it out.
Rhys nods his head jerkily. "Yeah. Um. I'm just going to call you 'Jack.' Okay? I don't think human vocal cords are even capable of making that sound…"
The mer cocks his head to the side again.
"Jack." Rhys repeats, pointing at him. "Jack."
Jack shakes his head. Making the same demonic noise as before.
"Jack."
The mer shakes his head insistently, wet hair falling in his face. Looking immensely frustrated.
"I literally can't say that!" Rhys shouts, a laugh softening it. "I'm going to try though." He clears his throat and tries to replicate the shark's name. What comes out his mouth leaves his throat sore and sounds reminiscent of a gurgling whale and dying cat.
Jack scrunches up his scarred face, looking him up and down in apparent disapproval.
"See? So Jack it is. It sounds kind of similar. Sort of…If you were hard of hearing. Very hard of hearing." Rhys mutters.
Jack rolls his eyes and dismissively turns his back to the human, swimming back down to his hidey hole. Where he stays.
Rhys remains there on the floor for a bit before he gathers up the baton and brings it to place down on his desk to do some actual work until his father comes by to get him for lunch.
When he comes back Jack still doesn't deign to show his face again. He leaves a couple hours later. Disappointed.
Rhys ends up giving him space for two whole days after that. And in those two days he would periodically look over from his desk after catching movement out of his peripheral and see the water rippling, as if Jack had hastily ducked back under it.
He refrained from going over there each and every time even though he had desperately wanted to.
Thursday morning has him rolling in a tank of lobsters. If lobster tasted good to humans, he figured merfolk would also really enjoy them. He tried to look online about it but couldn't find anything concrete. So he really hoped his hunch was right because he had a plan.
Rhys stops the cart just in front of Jack's enclosure and waits for Jack to approach him instead of badgering him by yelling his new name. It takes a minute or so until Jack breaches the surface and Rhys smiles at him. Nice and closed mouth. "Hi, Jack." He murmurs.
Jack is observing the tank and licking his lips. Rhys opens the lid and stares down into it for a moment, having never been so close to uncooked ones before. Swallowing thickly and cringing, he reaches for the prongs and ever so slowly grabs one with them. He didn't even know why he was so freaked out about it. Their claws were tied together.
Jack makes a quiet, high pitched noise as it gets held out towards him. Rhys can only describe it as a trill and his heart melts at the reserved excitement Jack was showing. But despite how the mer clearly wanted it, he didn't reach out for it.
"It's okay." Rhys all but coos. "I'm not going to hurt you…" The stun baton was folded up and placed in his blazer's inner pocket. "Come on, Jack…"
The mer shark makes an unsure chattering sound, eye darting repeatedly up at the lobster and then at the water, as if he were going to flee.
Rhys carefully lowers himself into a kneeling position on the hard floor. "It's okay, Jack."
When it's obvious that this is a moot effort, he hangs his head for a moment, exhales through his nose and loosens the prongs. The lobster falling into the water.
Jack makes another trill, swims in a circle once, and goes racing after it.
Through the water, Rhys watches in open mouthed shock at the speed in which he grabs the lobster and breaks open the shell with just his webbed hands and teeth before feasting on the creature.
Jack finishes and goes back up to him, expecting another. When Rhys doesn't immediately do anything, the mer points at the little tank.
"Aw, sorry. That was a treat, Jack…you can get another tomorrow."
More pointing and chattering.
"No, Jack. No more…" Rhys wheels the tank out of his line of sight, not wanting to tease him with it. When he comes back Jack slaps his hands down on the water, eyes narrowed, lips pursed.
Wide eyed, Rhys backs away from him but Jack just lowers himself down into the water and goes to a hidey hole to sulk for the rest of the work day.
The next morning has him being greeted by Jack's face peering up at him, looking hopeful and expectant. Rhys smiles and greets him sweetly, pulling the rolling cart over to his enclosure and picking up the tongs. He's able to lure Jack closer than before but the mer still didn't seem to want to get too close to him.
He moves it out of sight again, comes back, sits down, waits for Jack to resurface and then just calmly talks about everything and anything for the next half hour. Rhys knows the shark can't understand him but he still has the mer's full attention anyway and it feels good.
"Jack" has been contained for six moons and he hasn't been hurt, starved, nor cut open to be experimented on. No, the curious human Rhys just seemed content to feed and watch him…Which was honestly not what he expected of this new life of his.
He can't say he hated it either. Especially since that lightning tool hasn't made an appearance again.
He had been literally given food, food that he didn't have to seek out which was a nice change of pace, and was spoken to more than he has been in a while. Jack couldn't understand what was being said but that didn't seem to matter to the pretty human male.
The human didn't even really seem frightened by him. Another nice change of pace.
One of the only things that made Jack dislike his confinement was the confinement aspect of it. His tank wasn't small but he couldn't endlessly swim in it either. He was a recluse in the ocean but he still liked to go out and stretch his tail. To swim as fast and as long as he could until he was well and truly tired before going home and effortlessly falling asleep. Too exhausted for the lack of companionship to hit him.
He missed his possessions as well.
Two more moons pass before he sees Rhys again. The "office" stayed empty except for him and the fish released for his meals. No lobster dropped into his tank by a kind human.
When he's next greeted by a slim figure made blurry by the water, he trills happily and is quick to approach him, tossing his head back to get his wet hair out of his eyes.
The little tank is next to Rhys again. Jack eagerly points at it a few times.
Rhys tosses his head back and laughs (Jack liked that sound) before picking up the strange item and, more confidently than the first few days, grabs and holds out a lobster for him, once more kneeling harmlessly on the floor.
Jack spins in an excited circle not once, but twice, before swimming towards him, mighty tail working as he approaches. And he keeps moving forward until he's right in front of the frozen human, so close Rhys could try to touch him if he were bold enough. Catching the human's eye and maintaining the contact, he slowly grabs the lobster's body in between his sharp teeth and retreats back down into the water.
That was a test.
The human passed it.
Jack decided then and there that he kind of liked this particular human male with the nice voice, pretty face, and delicious "treats."
Rhys is still frozen as Jack breaks open that lobster's shell. No longer disturbed by the sight of it. No. What has him shaken is how close the mer shark got to him. The prolonged eye contact…His face felt hot remembering that blue eye boring into his. Rhys swore Jack looked pleased before taking the creature the way he had.
And not pleased as in the joy that came from eating something tasty but different…Heavier than that. Just…just different. Was Rhys blushing? It felt like he was.
Licking his lips, he briefly presses a hand to his warm cheek before straightening up to walk in a near daze to his desk for some work until lunch.
When he comes back, Jack is actually perched on the rock, his tail in the water as he leans back on his hands, his handsome face turned towards the window.
He must have been there for a while because his hair is nearly dry. For the first time, a streak of gray in the brown catches his attention…Just how old was Jack? His eyes then travel lower and lock onto Jack's arms, scarred like the rest of him, but powerful looking. Which he supposed made sense. Swimming was a sport.
Rhys stands there at the doorway, Jack glancing over for just a second at the beep and swish of the door before going back to gazing out at the blue sky. His expression and body language are contemplative.
What was he thinking about?
"Hello again, Jack." Rhys murmurs, sensing this was one of those times to not disturb Jack even though he wanted to go over and gush about him using the rock for the first time. But he figured it was best to not make a big deal about it.
Rhys finds it difficult to get any actual work done for the remaining hours as Jack stays out of the water like that. He was too distracted by how striking the shark was to look at but also because the soft splashing sounds his swaying tail made lulled him into a state of relaxation.
He didn't want to read through thick stacks of paperwork. What Rhys wants is to touch those scars and feel along that beautifully unique tail of his. Would Jack ever let him? He gives the merman one last longing look before the door swishes shut behind him as he leaves.
The following morning has Rhys going into the office in a bad mood. His long legs make quick strides to the lobster tank and pushing it over to the awaiting Jack.
"Hey, Jack. Can't linger today…My dad yelled at me about how little work I got done yesterday." Rhys unceremoniously grabs a lobster and drops it into the water, immediately turning to put down the prongs and push the cart back to where it was.
Jack cocks his head at Rhys' terse sounding voice, hesitating before chasing after the lobster. Rhys forces himself to not spare him another glance before walking to his desk and getting started with skimming through papers, pen in hand.
Jack resurfaces shortly after and makes those inquisitive chirps and chattering sounds again and though it absolutely breaks Rhys' heart to do so, he ignores the mer shark. Even when Jack begins to sound agitated as he slaps repeatedly at the water with his hands, demanding his attention.
Rhys works through his lunch time even as his stomach growls for sustenance. Jack seemed to have realized he was being ignored and bitterly swam back under. Probably to sulk some more in one of his hiding nooks.
An hour before he's due to leave, he finally allows himself a few minutes to rest his eyes and writing hand as he lowers his head and lets his arms stretch limply across the mahogany desk. Jack pops his head up and Rhys, with eyes squeezed shut, whines, "I'm still busy, Jack…"
The mer grunts and allows himself to sink to the bottom.
Rhys finally drags his heavy feet all the way to the door to clock out and go home for the day with a bone weary sigh. He'd have to make it up to Jack later.
Later turns out to be the next day. He walks into his office Wednesday morning with a pep in his step and the decision to break his "one lobster a day" rule and give him two.
"Good morning, Jack." He coos, pulling the cart over to him and grabbing the prongs, but a new sound makes him fumble and drop them into the little tank. He's too shocked to care though as he whips his head towards the merman. "What?!"
"Rhee-cks. "
Jack just said his name. As best as the mer could, anyway.
He gasped and fell to his knees in front of the edge of his enclosure. "Jack." Rhys whispers breathlessly. "Oh, you definitely deserve a treat now. Here…" Rhys hurriedly stands and reaches into the lobster tank to retrieve the prongs and one of the sea creatures. He drops one and then another into the water while Jack watches on.
When Jack makes no move to go after them, he frowns, concerned. "Something wrong?"
"Rheecks."
Rhys lowers himself to the tile flooring. "Y-yeah?"
Jack approaches him, slowly and easily, stopping until he's right in front of him again. Rhys anxiously holds his breath. Not really out of fear but more so in anticipation. He has no idea what's going on but Jack's body language doesn't scream out aggression so he stays put.
Jack presses his webbed hands on the tile on either side of Rhys' body and uses that to steady himself, his face getting closer and closer to Rhys'...He swallows thickly, lips parting in this heart pounding moment. Half expecting a kiss with the way Jack is looking at him while the other half tensed his body in preparation to flee.
Rhys let's slip a breathy little cry of surprise when Jack's nose touches his and gently rubs and nuzzles. A deep, throaty purr rumbles out of Jack's lips. Rhys' hand shakily raises and he cautiously reaches for the mer, but just as his fingertips brush against the shark's arm, the mer pulls away and swims back a couple feet.
"Jack…What?" Rhys murmurs, shaking his head in disbelief. Did all that really just happen?
Jack rushes to hide.
Why had he just done that? Was he really so lonely he would try to initiate contact with a human? He had just been so overwhelmingly happy to have Rhys' full attention again after the day before.
Was he so starved of contact that a couple of "treats" and acknowledgement from a pretty human enough to get his sexual interest? He didn't even know if merfolk and humans were compatible like that. His penises slipping out of his cloaca answers the question though. He was desperate enough.
"Jack? Jack?!" He hears from up above. He squeezes his eyes shut and wedges himself deeper into the nook.
He aches. When was the last time he had coupled with another of his kind? He honestly couldn't remember.
Jack grabs both of them and starts stroking from the thick base to the tapered tips. Growling, he resigns to get his release and hopes the urge, this attraction to the human, goes away.
When he really thinks about it, of course he would lust after Rhys. He was the only one giving him any attention after being deprived of it for as long as he was. It was only natural. It would eventually go away on its own.
Later though, as he's baring his teeth and tossing his head back, dirtying the water with his come and the thought of whether Rhys had any place to stuff his penises into enters his mind, he starts to doubt it somewhat.
"Jack, come on out! Everything's fine." Was Rhys' last call to coax out the shark. He then counts six whole minutes going by with no signs of the merman until he has to leave to get started with the new documents that need his signature.
After that, for the rest of the work week, he doesn't see Jack at all. He's not even waiting for him to come in and give him his daily lobster. But even though Jack isn't there greeting him Thursday and Friday, Rhys doesn't neglect to give him his treat.
It isn't until next Tuesday that he walks in to see him on the rock, his broad back facing him and staring intently out the window again. Rhys silently does their morning ritual and goes to his desk. The mer hadn't looked at him even once. Not even a glance.
Rhys' heart breaks a little.
This time during his lunch break, he walks right over to his tank and crouches down, keeping his voice soft and sweet he asks, "Jack…Jack, please look at me. What's wrong? Are you sick?"
Jack turns to look over his shoulder at him, brows furrowed.
Rhys reaches a coaxing hand out, making a gesture for the mer to come to him. "C'mere…Please? It's okay…"
Jack sighs deeply and slips down into the water, swimming over to him, stopping a short distance away, his expression conflicted.
"Is it loneliness? I know mer usually live in colonies together…But honestly, I don't think my father would go through the trouble of capturing another of your kind for you…I'm sorry."
The mer just stares at him, most likely not understanding a single word of it. Rhys purses his lips, hoping to convey his care and sympathy in his face. Then his hand, moving at a snail's pace so as to not spook Jack, lifts and inches closer and closer towards him. To his face.
His lips twitch in disbelief when it's Jack who tenses this encounter, breath hitching. As if Rhys were the one with the razor sharp teeth that could effortlessly take a chunk out of his flesh. That gorgeous blue eye of his unwaveringly tracking the movement of his small hand. Not daring to blink.
They both breathe out tremulously when his thin fingertips make contact with the shark's damp cheek, right below where the scar reached on his right side. "I'm not gonna hurt you, Jack. Ever." He vows softly, beginning a gentle stroking motion along the skin.
Jack exhales shakily, looking stricken. A whimper that sounded ripped from his chest rings out and then he's carefully wrapping his webbed, clawed fingers around Rhys' and making him cup his face, turning into it desperately.
"Oh, Jack…" Rhys whispered, continuing to sweep his thumb over his face. He's a fraction less slow at placing his other hand on the shark's cheek as well.
Jack shudders and grabs that one too, his large hands dwarfing his and his eyes slip close, no doubt savoring the contact. It certainly seemed to be lonesomeness ailing the mer.
There's an all too familiar beep and Rhys breaks their tender touch to scramble to his feet and step back into a less damning distance from the shark. Jack looked positively bereft and hurt from the loss.
"Rhys? I apologize for our...previous disagreement." Robert speaks up as he walks over to his son.
Rhys hopes he doesn't look as if something profound has just happened to him as he turns to face his father. "It's alright."
"No, it isn't alright. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that…It couldn't have been pleasant to be so upset before even clocking in for this already taxing job. Come with me. I'll make it up to you by taking you wherever you want for lunch?"
Rhys' stomach growls, reminding him he had hardly been able to spare the time to each much the day before and his breakfast had only been a handful of cereal. "O-okay. Sure…"
Robert turns on his heel and waves for Rhys to follow him, Rhys hesitantly falling into step with him as he tries to silently express his own apology to Jack from over his shoulder.
The merman is still in that one spot, face soft and open as he watches the humans leave him. And when Rhys comes back an hour and some minutes later? Jack is still there, lingering near the end of his tank, waiting for him. Rhys jogs over to him.
"I am so sorry, Jack. I didn't think my dad would like seeing me so close to you…I know what he said about me gaining your trust but," Rhys shakes his head, "I don't know. I just don't think he'd approve of us touching, you know?"
"Rheecks…" Jack says pleadingly.
Rhys kneels down and Jack is invading his space and then Rhys is once more cupping and stroking along his handsome face, wanting to also pepper it in affectionate kisses but he reigns in that urge.
Jack is purring and nuzzling him again, but they're higher sounding this time. Not all deep and rumbly like a couple days ago. He distantly wonders if there's a meaning for it but it's forgotten as he coos all kinds of affirmations and praise to the needy shark.
Rhys ends up having to stay two hours later than he normally would but he thinks it was absolutely worth it in exchange for the progress made between him and Jack.
Bliss. That was bliss.
Jack wanted more. More touching, more sweet sounding words. More of that pleasant scent filling his nostrils that he couldn't even describe…Just more, more, more.
His lustful feelings had only grown since that day he had brazenly nuzzled against and growled for him. So much so that as soon as Rhys would leave for the day, Jack would retreat to his favorite nook and satisfy himself with fantasies of the pretty human filling his mind's eye.
And when the human had adoringly cupped his face…Jack decided he would stop fighting the heated thoughts and like to try and court the human male. It was simply too good to not want forever.
But how? He knew how it was done of course, but his options for gifts were very limited in his captivity.
He swam idly around, surveying everything with a critical eye but nothing stood out. He lowered himself to the very bottom of it and began rooting around the sand and seashells. The seashells were probably added as a way to add a realistic feel to the tank.
He snarled in frustration when none of them in particular caught his eye. Not to say they weren't nice to look at, but they just didn't feel good enough to give him. His face lights up when he comes to a solution though.
Jack then flits around to grab all the necessary materials and then gets to work.
"Hello, Jack!" Rhys sang as he walked up to his tank. Jack was there waiting for him, looking almost concerningly sleepy and yet…proud? And maybe a tad anxious? "Everything okay?"
"Rheecks," Jack purred, gesturing him closer.
But Rhys couldn't step any nearer to him so he just kneels down and leans in. "What's going on?"
Jack's hands come out from between his abdomen and the reinforced glass wall, and he's holding something. As it gets higher and higher and Rhys is able to focus on it, his eyes go wide. "Jack! Did you make that?"
A crown. With white and blue seashells of various shapes and sizes interwoven together. It looks delicate and pretty and Rhys can hardly believe Jack's thick, claw tipped fingers could ever be so nimble.
"Rheecks…" Jack murmurs, before gently placing it onto Rhys' head.
"Did you make it for me?" Rhys asks softly. "Mine?" He repeats, pointing to himself.
Jack purrs and rubs their nose and faces together. "Rheecks."
Rhys takes that as an answer and cups his cheeks to pull him away before daringly pressing a chaste kiss to his forehead. "It's just beautiful, Jack. I love it."
The mer turns to instead nuzzle into his soft palm, purring away in the utmost contentment. He draws back with a frown though once Rhys gasps.
"I have something you might like! Only fair I give you a gift too, right? Hang on…" Rhys regretfully lets go of him to go over to his desk, where he begins to rifle through the drawers.
This was the desk he was using in his father's office so he knew a certain object he was using as a paperweight for a while would be in it. It had been accidentally buried under some old files but once he found it, he scurried back over to Jack and presented it to him.
One of those prism crystals designed to catch the light and reflect it onto walls. A rainbow one. It was teardrop shaped with a flat bottom so it wouldn't tip over. As he holds it out for the mer shark, it catches the sunlight coming through the window and does as it was made to do.
Jack's lips part in amazement as he darts his eye back and forth between the wall and crystal, before he looks up at Rhys as if for permission to take it. Rhys smiles and moves it meaningfully towards him. "Here. It's yours."
The mer shark slowly reaches for it, almost as if he were expecting it to get snatched away or something if he went too fast. Like it was a trick.
Jack's fingers finally touch it and then he's just staring down at in his hands like it's something precious before letting out several trills and chirps. Rhys gets a much briefer nuzzling session before the merman is excitedly swimming over to his rock and climbing atop it, his tail swaying happily in the water as he experimentally turns the crystal this way and that.
Rhys laughs and turns to go the lobster tank and drops one into the water for him to find later. He then sits down in his desk chair and starts skimming through more paperwork. All done to the backdrop of Jack's delightfully odd sounding speech as the mer muses to himself about his new gift.
He nearly makes himself choke as he hurries through eating his lunch so he could spend the rest of it showering Jack in more affection. And then he returns to work until it's time for him to go, but this time when he makes to leave for the weekend, he's stopped.
"Rheecks…" Jack is there, looking sad. Which makes Rhys sad.
"Aw, what?" Rhys coos, giving him all his instant attention.
Jack waves his hand for him to come to him, appearing lost as he opens and closes his mouth, obviously upset over his lack of speaking ability. "Rheecks." He repeats, more insistently.
It dawns on him then. "Oh…I can't stay, Jack. I'm way too exhausted. I wouldn't be very good company."
Jack frowns at him, something in Rhys' voice and face tipping him off that he would still be leaving.
Rhys bites his lip, shifting his weight. "I could…I could come back tomorrow?"
Jack cocks his head, damp hair sticking wetly to his face. He clearly recognized something in there.
"Tomorrow? I'll be here bright and early and spend time with you then, alright? I promise. So get some sleep and you'll be getting woken up by me in no time." Rhys reassures him.
Jack is still frowning as he resumes his way to the door but doesn't try to stop him again.
Saturday morning, Rhys thinks he really does wake up Jack when he drops a lobster in his enclosure. The mer not appearing as bright eyed as he usually looked breaching the surface, but once the mer sees him, his face lights up and he's grinning.
His smile is all big and sharp toothed and adorable in its happiness. Rhys rushes to sit and continue where they left off yesterday morning. Jack doesn't even go after the lobster, just swims directly over to him.
"Rheecks!"
"Jack!" Rhys answers in the same joyful tone.
This time though, it's Jack who cups Rhys' face and he yelps as he's pulled forward, heart leaping up into his throat as he nearly lost balance and fell in the water. With a half shark merman…Jack wouldn't hurt him though, would he? No. He wouldn't.
The tender way Jack is stroking along his face is testament of that fact. Rhys' heart starts pounding away for another reason all together as Jack feels along his smooth jaw and cheeks with damp fingers. The scrape of claws gentle and mindful not to cut.
Jack has his head tilted as he watches him closely, Rhys licks his dry lips, eyeing Jack's. Rhys slowly begins stroking along one of the mer's thick wrists, not really conscious of the action. Coaxing out soft purrs.
Rhys braces a hand on the tile and leans in and pauses just long enough to shakily murmur, "I'm going to try something, okay? Don't be scared…"
The mer wavers in his purrs when his face continues to lean in close to his, until their lips brush. Jack hums questioningly. Rhys slots their lips together in a deeper kiss.
"Fish. Tastes like fish. Raw fish!" Rhys cries, breaking away a moment later with a soured expression. "I don't know what I was expecting…" He childishly wipes at his mouth, the passionate moment cooling.
Jack watches the display in amused confusion. If he were human, he'd probably be offended. Rhys still felt bad though almost immediately. "Sorry, sorry…I actually have a travel toothbrush and toothpaste though. Can't go to meetings with bad breath, not a good look for the company."
Rhys now rifles through his desk drawers for the little pouch of items. It's in the very bottom one and he takes up his original position. "Okay so, this is a toothbrush and this is toothpaste. It helps to keep your mouth clean. Freshens your breath…"
Jack blinks at him.
"Maybe I should…?" Rhys pretends to squeeze some of the tube out onto the bristles and mimes brushing his teeth. Showing Jack that it wasn't a torture device or something. He then mimes scooping up a handful of water to his mouth, swishing it around and spitting it out.
Jack's brows are furrowed and face scrunched, showing how lost he felt.
"Here. Now you do it." He holds the items out to the mer.
Jack makes no move to reach for them, though he does have that curious, hungry for knowledge gleam in his eye.
"Um…" Rhys pulls it back to deposit some toothpaste and then moves it to Jack's face. The mer slowly opened his mouth for it, so Rhys began brushing his merman's teeth. Laughing when Jack wrinkles his nose at the new sensation and taste, even biting the bristles a few times.
"So I got this for meetings, right? But I've never actually been to one. I've just been sitting here day in and day out, doing paperwork. I thought my role would be more important, you know? I'm so bored here." Rhys muses, brushing in little circles over Jack's bottom row of teeth.
"I'm the CEO's son! I should just have a more active, hands on position, right? Wrong." Rhys scoffs, brushing his tongue now. "You're the only reason this place is bearable…"
Jack makes a coughing sound when he brushes far back. "Sorry. Gargle and spit." Rhys withdraws the toothbrush and flounders for a bit, before dunking it into the water. It always looked clean. There must be a filtration system constantly on to keep it that way.
Jack stares at him blankly with a foamy mouth. Rhys patiently mimes getting a mouthful of water, swishing it around, and then spitting it out. The merman gets the memo and does as shown.
He then looks at Rhys expectantly.
Rhys leans back in and kisses him again, feeling the merman shake under his hand that slid up to lightly grip a broad shoulder. Jack's lips are a bit stiff against his until Rhys teasingly flicks his tongue along the seam of his closed mouth.
Jack's purrs pick back up, but they're the deep, throaty kind he's heard only once before. Rhys smiles and boldly uses an elegant finger to coax Jack's lips to open for him, carefully exploring the merman's tongue with his own. The mer catches on and enthusiastically and abruptly tries to delve into Rhys' mouth, the human jerking away in surprise with a muffled gasp.
There's a stinging sensation and the taste of iron seeps onto his taste buds, making him whine and shuffle back. Jack snarls and big hands are suddenly wrapping around his upper arms to yank him forward, the mer pushing his lips against his and licking at his mouth, wanting the blood.
Rhys desperately squirms away, pushing at the mer's chest and shoulders. "Jack…" He chokes out, turning his head away from the merman's face. Rhys instinctively kicks out at the merman, hitting him on the side and making him release him long enough for him to crawl away a good distance.
He spits out some blood on the dark tile, panting and watching with scared eyes as Jack bares his sharp teeth in hunger. Jack swims around in circles, like a human pacing around, not taking his eye off his shivering form. Rhys spits out more blood before shakily pressing his blazer's navy blue sleeve against the cut on his tongue.
Jack snarls, slapping at the water with his hands and tail, splashing it everywhere several times before turning and rushing underwater.
Jack crams himself way back into his favorite hiding nook. Throat still rumbling with growls as the taste of his mate's blood lingers in his mouth. His penises slipped free from his sheath and he glared down at them in betrayal.
He had wanted to grab Rhys and tear those clothes from his body, see if there was someplace warm to fill.
But Rhys…He had looked so terrified. Jack's chest aches at the thought. Merfolk were supposed to protect their mate, keep them safe and provided for. Not be the reason for their fear.
Would his mate ever be able to bring himself to touch him again or coo those sweet sounding words at him? Would Rhys violently throw his seashell crown at him? Would he take back the crystal placed in the center of the rock? Breaking off their courtship before it could become official.
He was honestly surprised Rhys hadn't used the lightning tool on him. Perhaps it would have even been deserved. Why hadn't he?
Jack whimpers. His penises softening and retreating back into his cloaca as the realization that he had destroyed everything that had developed between them truly hits him.
Rhys would never risk getting so close to him ever again.
He has no idea how long he spent torturing himself with thoughts of the suffocating loneliness that was surely in his future before he dares to swim up and look around the office.
It was empty. The human male was nowhere to be found.
It gets darker and fish are released into his tank. He ignores them. Nor can he stomach anything the next day too.
Imagine his surprise when, from above, there's a warbled, "Jack! Come on out."
He snaps his eyes open and for a second wonders if he imagined it, but when he leaves the hole and looks up, he sees the familiar shape of Rhys standing there. He blinks in disbelief when a lobster is dropped down. Spends a few seconds staring at it in bewilderment until he hears another call of his name.
The mer hesitantly swims to the surface, half expecting this to not be real with how sure everything felt in its misery two days ago. But no, Rhys is definitely there. Not looking fearful or angry or even disgusted over the reveal of his more shark like nature.
Rhys kneels down. "Hey, you." He says softly. "Come here…"
Jack tensely approaches.
His eyes widen when Rhys sweetly grabs his face like usual. Locking eyes with him, Rhys firmly says, "I forgive you. I'm fine. I didn't even need stitches. Apparently tongue wounds just kind of bleed a lot. Guess it was stupid to try to kiss you like that, huh?"
Rhys then laughs.
"Don't look so shocked! It was an accident. You just got a bit over eager and I got surprised and cut myself a little on your teeth…Water under the bridge." Rhys places a kiss on his forehead. "See? All good."
Jack gapes up at him, most of the words' meaning flying over his head. But what he picked up from the tone of voice and affectionate touches gave him more than enough understanding.
His new mate was a creature of mercy.
He trills softly when more kisses are placed adoringly on his scarred face. Jack keens when one is then placed on his lips again. Close mouthed and perfectly safe.
Rhys spends more time than he should reassuring Jack that everything was good between them, kissing him over and over again and murmuring all kinds of sugary sweet things to the merman before dragging himself over to his desk.
It was going to be another day of staying later than he'd like to get the day's paperwork dealt with.
It turned out even longer than he thought as he compulsively mulled over Saturday. After fleeing his way home and making sure the wound on his tongue wouldn't need medical attention, he laid in bed the rest of the day.
Wet.
Actually wet and throbbing between the thighs as he thought back to how…feral Jack had looked and sounded after getting a taste of his blood. It was almost thrilling to imagine in that safer, less fraught moment.
If Jack had really wanted to hurt him, wouldn't he have tried to leave his tank to get to him, grab his ankle and drag him into the water to…He shook his head with a grimace at the horrifically graphic images that came to mind.
But Jack didn't do that.
The mer had shown restraint and had hurriedly swam away from him. Because he didn't actually want to hurt him. Plus, it really was kind of stupid to try to french kiss someone with pointy teeth.
It was a learning experience for him. In a few ways.
- Jack wouldn't harm him.
- He was sexy.
- Rhys was interested in him now more than ever. No denying it.
Rhys also spent a lot of the work day watching Jack lounge on the rock, blushing and actually clenching his thighs together whenever Jack would periodically bend forward, his strong back flexing, to scoop up water with his hands to drink from.
The embarrassing moments would be when he'd look up from biting his lip over Jack's back to see the merman watching him too. He'd snap his head down to his desk and force himself to reread the paper in front of him for the upteenth time.
Jack was fed three times a day. Almost 30 minutes before Rhys usually got there, and then again at 1 PM, and 5 PM. So there were also the short breaks he'd take to brush Jack's teeth after his feedings. Hoping to get in his mind that if he wanted more kisses, he should start brushing his teeth after every meal until he'd eventually learn to do it himself.
Those moments were filled with a stronger tension and Rhys fighting the urge to purposely knick his finger on one of those dangerous teeth. To send him careening into that snarling, cagey state…
Once the sky outside started turning pink and orange as the sun set, Rhys had propped his chin up on his hand for a minute and then the next thing he knew, there was an odd smack noise that got his attention and stirred him awake.
He stares in a state of sleepy confusion at the paper strewn surface of his desk, next hearing quiet, wet slapping sounds that he was groggily wondering where they were coming from before there was a sudden pressure on his knee and a, "Rheecks?"
He screams and flings himself out of his chair, spooked out of his mind, heart racing in his chest as he stares down at Jack looking up at him with humor poorly concealed on his handsome face.
"Jack! Oh my god…" Rhys breathes out to himself, putting a hand on his chest.
"Rheecks…in off-icks? Moon." Jack asks, looking purposely out at the now dark sky through the nearest window.
The fact that Jack has just used more English words than ever before didn't compute in his still half asleep mind. "What do you think you're doing? Get back in the water before you suffocate!" Rhys shouts, making frantic shooing motions towards his enclosure.
Jack just reaches up to grab his dainty hand, really inspecting it for some reason. Turning it this way and that and moving his own fingers to stroke where webbing would be if he were a merman himself.
Rhys sighs, also too groggy to take in how cute and endearing that was. "Jack, c'mon…Back in the water. Now." He tugs on their hands and makes to walk towards the large tank. "Come on."
He barely moved the mer shark.
"Rheecks." Jack murmurs, bringing their hands up to his face to lightly kiss the back of Rhys'.
That softens him up. "Jack." He says back just as softly, rubbing at his eyes with his free hand.
Jack smiles toothily and still holding Rhys' hand, begins to drag himself back to the body of water. He's clearly struggling with one arm to use but doesn't want to let go of his grip on Rhys. He walks patiently alongside him until Jack is submerged safely in water.
The mer seems to be in a rare mood as he swims back and forth in it, spinning his body in quick circles and flapping his beautiful, scarred tail. Rhys just takes that as Jack being content and happy and takes a couple steps back to leave.
There's a splash and a call of his name. When he turns around, Jack has his head sticking out of the water, looking hurt. "Rheecks." He repeats, holding out a hand for him to come back.
Rhys fights a yawn and goes back over to him. "What? It's late, Jack..." He groans.
Jack pats at the tile, wanting him to sit down. Rhys obeys. The touch of a cool, wet hand on his face helps to wake him up a little. And Jack moving in closer to tenderly initiate a kiss is like a shot of adrenaline.
The merman tastes freshly of mint. Jack obviously had made use of the items left by his tank after his last meal. Pulling away, Jack then begins to nuzzle him and purr deeply.
Laughing softly, Rhys returns the affectionate nuzzling.
That just seems to embolden the merman. As a big, damp hand rakes through Rhys' hair, loosening the hold of gel. Jack then brushes his lips over Rhys' cheek, making him blush. But it isn't until Jack moves that nuzzling and drag of lips down to Rhys' neck that it hits him.
Oh. This was starting to feel purposeful. Sensual.
"Rheecks…" Jack breathed hotly over the moist area, cementing his theory.
Rhys shivers and moans back. His hands lift and lower to Jack's strong arms, feeling along the firmness of them as he feels from his thick wrists up to his shoulders.
Jack says something in his own language that is harsh and lustful sounding. He takes his right hand and moves it boldly underwater, down to the mer's groin.
Rhys gasps and stills completely as he feels not one cock, but two bump against his hand. He chances a look down and whines when he sees the size of them. They're both long and thickens nearing the middle and all the way down to the base. They match his tail's ombre look. But in darker shades of the blue and green.
Even with how thin and tapered the tips were, just one looked like it'd be hard to take. Rhys bites his lip. With his busy and kind of sheltered life, he had only had a few sexual encounters and their dick's were all around the average size for human men.
Are merfolk actually able to take both of them during their couplings? Rhys thought he might break if he tried to.
He shakily wraps a hand around the top one. Jack hisses and thrusts into his small hand. The mer shark's hands slam down on either side of his now kneeling body, claws probably leaving scratch marks on the expensive tile.
The one directly under the top is brushed with his knuckles as he begins to slide his hand down, swallowing thickly when his fingertips are no longer able to meet the further down they go.
Rhys tears his gaze away from the cocks to lock eyes with Jack, the merman looking at him with open want and desperation. It's…flattering. And truthfully a bit empowering.
Trusting the mer to keep him steady, he curls to rest his forehead on Jack's shoulder and grabs a hold of his neglected lower cock, watching his hands coax out growls and hisses, the mer jerking and rutting up into him with every downward glide. Water is splashing and soaking his fitted slacks but he couldn't care less.
He wishes they were somewhere dryer so he could see the precum beading at the tips, as it was, he could only feel the slight viscouness of it before washing away in the water. Rhys wanted a taste.
Has Jack ever had someone's mouth on him? Rhys may have only taken three cocks in his pussy but he has sucked off five men. Not the highest number, but enough for him to be confident in his abilities to please. He'd have Jack coming in no time at all with his mouth. He was sure of it.
Rhys absently thinks of directing them to the sunning rock but quickly nixes the idea. Maybe some other time. He didn't want to put a stop to this for anything.
"That feel good, Jack?" He coos at the writhing mer, slowing down a tad.
Jack whines pitifully and nuzzles entreatingly into his hair. "Rheecks," he grates out. Thrusting weakly.
That's all the meanness he has in him. When Rhys starts back up his pace is double the speed as before. The mer lets out another whine as his arms tremble from where they were caging him in as Rhys introduces a twisting motion.
"Rheecks," Jack pants raggedly, body coiling tight like a spring before he stills and great amounts of come is pulsing out into the water from both cocks simultaneously.
Rhys watches the sheer amount be swept away by the filtration system with big, lustful eyes.
"Rheecks." Jack says again. Softer. Body going lax. Rhys raises his head up at the newly relaxed shark, seeing a lazy curl to his lips before they press against his.
Jack then lowers to rest his head on his lap. Purring contently. Rhys smiles and pets his hair, ignoring the wetness between his thighs. Jack had probably needed the satisfaction and comfort brought by another person more than he did.
He waits until Jack's eyes get heavy and start closing sleepily to quietly tell the clingy shark goodbye for the day. The tired merman barely offers up any protest as Rhys rises to finally go home.
Jack sinks to the tank's sandy floor, his body feeling heavy even underwater. He gazes up at the "ceiling" and languidly slides his hands through the sand.
His mate had just pleasured him.
Even now, little purrs were still rumbling from his chest. "Rheecks." He says to himself, just because he can.
His eyes are closing before he can stop them. Not that he wanted to, he knew he would wake up to Rhys' smiling face cheerily greeting him in the morning. And he was.
Jack stays lingering above the surface for a kiss from his mate. Having brushed his teeth beforehand. Satisfied, he then goes after his treat.
He makes sure to distract Rhys so he has to stay longer. He does this by swimming noisily, calling his name, coaxing him over for more kisses and when that stops working, he starts climbing out of his tank and starts dragging himself over. Rhys reacts with shock to that and orders him back to the water.
The moon had taken the sun's place and Rhys had finally sat down in front of him and been speaking to him for a period of time. "My dad's not a bad guy, you know? Sure it sometimes seems like this company is his main priority, but that's understandable. I guess."
Jack attentively watches his mouth form the nonsensical words.
"He wasn't born rich, he fought tooth and nail to make this company what it is today. I just sometimes wish…I wish my parents had another child before my mom passed." He sighed heavily.
Jack places a comforting hand over Rhys' smaller one.
"Then I feel like total shit for thinking that. She died when I was four. After her death, that's when my dad really started throwing himself into Atlas and then a few years later, started up my lessons. But I just know if I had a sibling, they could take some of the burden and pressure off me." Rhys says.
Jack kisses his cheek.
"Yeah…I kind of don't want to talk about this anymore." He mutters, rubbing the back of his neck.
Jack frowns when Rhys gets up, only to then gape at the human when he begins peeling off his clothes. Starting from the top to the bottom. Leaving him in just this fabric covering where his cloaca would be if he were like him.
Jack reaches out a hand to touch one of his long, pale legs and Rhys grins down at him, stepping closer and then dipping one of his feet into the water. "Mind if I join you, Jack?" He asks coyly.
Jack tears his gaze away from those legs up to his already flushed face, momentarily pausing on what looks like oddly methodical scarring on his lean chest. Rhys doesn't wait for an answer before he's dropping in with a big splash, soaking the tile in the process.
"Rheecks." Jack says stupidly.
Rhys swims until he's in front of his prone form, placing his hands on his shoulders, he leans in for a brief, teasing kiss before making his way over to the sunning rock, carefully moving the crystal out of the way before he perches himself on it. His legs dangling in the water.
Jack follows after him, Rhys' knees parting to allow him space to nestle close. Their lips part in sync when Jack feels around his legs. He swims out to grip one of his ankles and extend his leg all the way above the water.
His free hand strokes along the prickly flesh of the lightly haired limb, his claws scraping softly. Rhys hums breathily and Jack looks up.
His mate's face and neck are flushed now, eyes big and soft and vaguely pleading. Bending down, Jack slowly kisses the top of his foot, lips twitching at his shaky inhale, before he begins to kiss a path up to the very top of his leg. Stopping at the article of cloth, nose twitching at this heady scent nearby.
The scent is familiar but slightly different from what he's smelled from his own kind. That combined with the new turn of events makes his penises slip from his sheath. Rhys' hands come down to the cloth and, almost shyly, peels it off him. Bunching it up, he tosses it to the rest of his clothes on the tile.
Jack watches it land before turning his head back to the source of it. He stills. Penises twitching, blood thrumming, his lips curling back from his teeth with a growl that has his mate squirming.
Humans have cloaca too? It was just there, already glistening. There were no visible signs of a sheath like his, only smooth folds but…He stops breathing at the realization that they could consummate their bond if they wanted.
"Hey!" Rhys yelps, snatching up his approaching hand. "Your nails." He reminds him, pointing to his sharp claws. The pointed tips recede and round out before the human's very eyes. "Woah."
Jack pursed his lips at the way the human's penises were still tucked away inside his cloaca. Perhaps his mate just needed some extra attention to coax them out.
"Rheecks," he rumbles, slipping his fingers in between those wet folds and testing Rhys' reactions as he explores this similar enough but different anatomy. When his face shows no signs of discomfort, he spreads them lightly and stares intently at the little hole that would take him eventually.
Rhys whines in embarrassment and his legs twitch inward, like he's about to close them. "God, don't just look at it like that. That's so weird…" He complains.
Recognizing the bashfulness for what it is, he lines up his middle finger and presses in. Rhys' breath hitching and brows pinching together. He pumps his finger and watches Rhys' legs flex and kick in the water. Adding another finger makes Rhys gasp.
He crooks them and feels around for where his penises should be, hoping to draw them out that way. Make him see stars. He feels an almost spongy area and hones in on that spot, rubbing and massaging.
"Jack!" Rhys cries, falling back on the rock. His hands fly to Jack's and keep him from pulling away when he starts to draw back in concern. "Don't stop. Please don't stop." He pants.
There's a wet noise mixing in with Rhys' moans and the heavy scent of lust in the air. His fingers and hand were covered in his slick. Rhys' head tilted back and his blunt teeth gritted before his own small hand began rubbing over this nub above his slit.
Whatever it is, it's making him writhe and shake. Jack pushes his hand away with a greedy, bestial growl and takes over pleasuring it. "Rheecks…" He then speaks in his mother tongue, unable to convey what he wanted to in the human's words.
He knows the human can't understand any of it, but it still seems to add to his enjoyment. The humans fingers clawing at the rock and scarred chest heaving, sweat building on the male's flushed body.
Just where were his penises though? He begins to let up on that little spot to begin searching for another area like that when Rhys almost sobs and shakes his head frantically. "No, no, no. Keep going. Please, Jack. So close."
Rhys rocks up into his fingers, grabbing his wrist again to hold it between his legs. Jack frowns in confusion but goes back to relentlessly massaging it.
Jack groans when his cloaca suddenly tightens and clenches. The human's entire body tensing and pulling taut as the loudest cry he's heard from him yet leaves the human's lips before he bites them in a way Jack is envious of and smiles blissfully, eyes rolling shut.
"Rheecks?" Jack says after several long moments, kissing one of his limp legs.
Rhys moans softly and opens his eyes to peer up at him lazily. "Hm? I'm good. I'm good…Really good actually."
Jack smirks. He was pretty sure he knew what "good" meant. He purrs happily when Rhys sluggishly leans up to kiss him chastely on the lips.
A strange noise interrupts their warm moment. Jack looks around the office for it. "Shit! That's my dad's ringtone." Rhys hisses, now on high alert as he pushes Jack away so he can join him in the water and swim over to his clothes, climbing out and rifling through them for a device he's seen a few times now.
Rhys gives him a look, making a shushing motion before holding it up to his ear and speaking into it. "Hey, dad. Yeah. I'm fine. Just kind of fell asleep on my desk again…" He says bashfully.
Jack lifts his soiled hand to his mouth and begins licking up the wetness, eyes fluttering at the taste of his mate hitting his tongue. Rhys gawks at him, cheeks blushing all over again.
"Uh, yeah. I'll be on my way soon. Bye." Rhys begins redressing. "I've really gotta go now, Jack. I'll see you tomorrow though." He briskly walks over and kisses his forehead, pulling back with a flustered smile and jogging his way to what Jack learned was the "door."
Jack glances over at the moon. He sits atop the rock, refraining from hungrily licking where Rhys was previously splayed out, and takes himself in hand.
Tuesday and Wednesday pass rather normally, all things considered. Jack is his usual clingy and affectionate self but lets him get his duties done and there's no overtime.
The only difference being the way he looked at Rhys. Something about it was almost anxious and eager. His gaze flitted to the windows, at the sun, as if he couldn't wait for something.
But no matter how he held Jack's face and peppered it in kisses and murmured sweet words that antsy energy wouldn't leave him. It was concerning.
Thursday is when it all comes to a head. Jack was an even worse distraction than Monday. Constantly demanding his attention and orchestrating ways to get it via loud whines and splashing to repeatedly dragging himself over to his desk, refusing to leave his side.
He just wouldn't leave Rhys be.
Rhys settled it an hour after lunch by taking the papers over to his enclosure and trying to do his work on the floor, sacrificing the day's blazer to dry the wet tile before placing the stack down. Jack's head was on his lap and Rhys was stroking his fingers through his hair one handed as he used the other to sign and mark the sheets when appropriate.
Even then, Jack was calling his name, touching him, and chattering away in his mer language. As if he were intentionally trying to get him to stay late again.
And it worked.
Rhys worked well into the day until the sun went down and it was just the moon in the dark sky. His back aching in ways he felt he was much too young for as Jack's head in his lap made him have to twist and hunch over to reach his work.
As the sun started lowering though and Rhys stayed later and later, Jack had finally calmed somewhat. And when Rhys finished and stretched his arms up, groaning loudly, Jack was instantly kissing him.
His hand was tugged on until he joined him in the water, Jack's fingers laced with his as they swam to the rock together.
The mer was the one spread out as Rhys straddled his tail, just below where his cocks were protruding from. Rhys was currently feeling along his torso and the upper scales of his special tail. Ignoring the needy, leaking cocks as he bit his lip and then spent time inspecting the mer's various scars up close.
Jack whines and thrusts up, jostling him and he laughs quietly, getting the message and giving him the attention he craved. Rhys wraps a hand around each and spreads that precum around the lengths. Making Jack be the one to stare up at him in lustful shock when he brings a hand up to his mouth to lick off the almost oily essence.
Finding the taste to be similar to a human's, he just barely conceals the tightening of his face at the overwhelming saltiness.
Those rumbly purrs are cutting through Jack's panting. Rhys sighs and grinds down on his tail, smearing his wetness. Laughing again when the lower half of Jack's thrashing tail splashes water that manages to spray his back.
Leaning down and trapping his dicks under his soft tummy, Rhys kisses him briefly before lifting and hovering over his cocks, fisting the lower one and teasing it along the slit of his pussy, humming breathily.
"I wish I could take both of 'em, Jack." He moaned. "Maybe one day I'll be able to…God, I hope so."
Jack bucks up and grits his sharp teeth when the tip catches and slides over his hole. Those big, clawed hands land on his hips and grip tightly when Rhys gasps sharply. When the nails threaten to cut the delicate skin and draw blood, he instead tears them away to claw at the stone.
When Jack looks him in the eye again after hungrily watching his cock rub along his dripping pussy, that's when he begins sinking down on the groaning merman. Even with his body's natural slick and Jack's oily pre, he winces. It felt like he should have fingered himself open.
Rhys wouldn't say the sensation was necessarily painful, but some discomfort was definitely there. He breathes heavily through it and slows down, mouth hanging open once he nearly bottoms out before lifting and dropping back down.
The mer snarls, head thumping against the hard rock.
"Jack, careful…" Rhys chides, petting worriedly at his chest.
The concern isn't enough to stop him though. Not when he was feeling the cock reaching so deep inside his body. The other dick brushing against his stomach with every bounce and roll of his hips, leaving shiny smears behind.
"Are you gonna come a bunch this time too? Or was that," he snickers, "was that from being so pent up? Do you think it'll make a little bump in my stomach?"
The shark just keens at him in response, unknowing of the teasing nature of those words. Not for the first time, Rhys wishes they could hold actual conversations. But according to information he's read online and in books, the mer language isn't taught. It's just something they instinctively know. It's in their blood.
That petting hand turns into one raking lines down his warm chest, avoiding his gills, when he changes the angle of his hips to hit that one spot Jack had mercilessly zeroed in on a few days ago. Jack's large cock stuffed all the way in him, making his back arch and head to tip back.
Rhys was just grinding and rocking down on him now to not only rest his already aching legs but also because it felt so damn good. He moans shakily.
"Rheecks," Jack breathes, sounding in awe of him.
Of 23 year old lanky Rhys. Him. The human.
He blindly feels around for Jack's right hand and brings it to his clit. "H-here. Touch me here…" Jack obediently starts up the same pleasurable motions from their last sexual encounter. "Mm, yes."
After that, Rhys just closes his eyes and concentrates on the heat spreading throughout his body, the clenching of his muscles, the air he was sucking into his lungs. The sound of the water being disturbed by Jack's tail and the merman's own harsh breathing.
When he comes, it's with a seizing of his body and a soft, drawn out moan. He falls forward and lands on Jack's chest, letting Jack thrust and buck under him until he feels the mer's semen hit his stomach and fill up his pussy, probably to drip out of him all the way home.
He smirks as he thinks about how even merfolk have enough respect to wait for their partner to finish first.
He thinks nothing of Jack's hand weaving through his hair to pull his face towards the shark's. The initial press of lips has him sighing out. Until the taste of iron makes his eyes snap open before Jack is forcing his mouth open by nipping at his bottom lip. Rhys cries out in shock at the sting, feeling warm liquid bead at the cut.
Jack pushes his own bleeding tongue into his mouth.
He wails as agony burns through him. Starting from his chest and traveling all the way to his toes. Leaving not one inch free of the pain.
He mercifully passes out.
Their coupling hadn't been needed for the ritual.
The water bathed and purified under the light of the full moon and the mixing of their blood would have been enough.
Jack rolls the warm, soft body off of him and onto the rock. He lowers himself into the water and drags the unconscious body of Rhys into the water after him.
Robert woke up at his usual time, took a shower, ate breakfast, drank his coffee, made some more coffee to take in his thermos and got in his car to drive to work.
He hadn't seen Rhys in the morning but that wasn't unusual these days. He'd pop in on him later. See if his son would like to go to lunch.
But Rhys wasn't in the office.
He walked back to his own with the assumption that Rhys might have stayed home that day.
But he was nowhere to be found at home. Not in the main living room, the kitchen, the dining room, the bathrooms, nor was he in any of those areas in Rhys' own wing of the house.
He pulled out his phone and called him. It went straight to voicemail.
Robert called him again and again.
With a sinking feeling in his chest and a pit opening in the bottom of his stomach, he gathered up his keys to search around Atlas.
He pushed through the double doors and immediately questioned the receptionist at the front desk. She recalled seeing Rhys come in yesterday morning but never saw him leave as she herself left at the end of the day's hours.
Running his hands through his auburn hair, he weakly reassured the woman he was fine and walked with shaking legs up to the elevator that'd take him to Rhys' office floor. All the way up, he gripped the rails with white knuckles, his breathing coming out short and choppy.
Eyes stinging and mouth in a firm line, he strode through the sliding door over to the merman's enclosure and froze in place at the sound of the feral hiss that greeted him.
At the sight.
The merman was sitting on the large rock and resting his head across his scarred tail was his son, his only child. He blinked multiple times, shaking his head.
"What…" Robert breathed, desperately wanting to wake up from this dream. This living nightmare.
His son's chest was moving steadily, eyes closed as if he were merely sleeping. But there were now gills on each side of his lean torso and a long, blue and yellow patterned tail draped over the rock and into the water.
"What did you do to him?!" Robert shouted, taking a step closer.
The mer snarled and bared his dangerously sharp teeth, clutching onto Rhys protectively.
Rhys didn't even stir at the loud outburst.
He just continued to slumber.
