{"sf1_id":701814,"sf2_id":null,"title":"Aquata Cove - Chapter 20","author":"Mirron Tenshi","words":6224,"posted_at":"2014-05-07T00:43:00.000Z","tags":["Gay","Human","Kissing","Latino","merman","rescue","sadness","tragic"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/701814-aquata-cove-chapter-20","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/701814","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=701814\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"","content":"\nAquata Cove\nChapter 20: Aftershock\n \n \n \n\"Dammit... God fuck it...\" Adam said as he hissed from cutting\nhis thumb with one of the colorful fly-fish hooks. He cursed under his breath\nas he reached for the Patch-Up kit, and bandaged up his thumb. \n \nBAM! BAM! BAM!\n \nCame three loud bangs on the door.\n \n\"What is it??!\" Adam yelled out.\n \n\"Yer behind, fishboy!\" Came the voice of the Captain.\n \n\"I know, alright?!\" He retorted, \"Just leave me alone and\nlet me butcher my fingers in peace!\" He shouted.\n \n\"A'right, that does it,\" Grumbled the Captain as he opened\nthe door, and yanked the chair back, \"You'n me need ta have a talk.\" Adam\ngroaned in aggravation as he got up, and followed the older man. \n \nCaptain led Adam to one of the Fish House docks, and set up\na couple of poles. He offered one to Adam, to which he just glared at, \"Can't\nyou just cuss and yell at me and send me back to the hut like any other time,\nCaptain?\"\n \n\"Take the goddamn rod, fishboy. I hear gays are good at\nthat.\" He growled. Adam snorted as he took the fishing pole, and launched the\nlure off and into the water. There was a pause of which the two men sat there,\nwaiting for the lines to twitch \"... So what the hell's your problem, fishboy?\"\nHe growled out.\n \n\"Whatever could you possibly mean, Captain?\"\n \n\"You're not usually a bloody shark bite when ya show up ta\nwork. Past couple'a weeks, you been as pleasant to be around as a bed of\nurchins. Yur a nice guy, what gives.\"\n \n\"No idea,\" Adam said shortly as he reeled in his line, and\ncast it out again, \"Maybe you rubbed off on me.\"\n \n\"Now see, that's what I be talkin about,\" Captain said, \"Yur\nusually good guy to have around.\"\n \n\"Nothing's wrong, Captain. Just stay out of it.\"\n \n\"Ya know I would, fishboy,\" Captain threw out his line\nagain, \"But yur bein a heel. What gives?\"\n \n\"It's none of your business, Captain.\"\n \n\"Yur behind in yur work, fishboy. Ya never fall behind, I\nwanna know why you been an insufferable dogfish.\"\n \n\"I'm having an off-week, alright? Isn't THAT enough?\" Adam\nsaid as he gritted his teeth.\n \n\"... Your line's twitchin.\" Captain said.\n \n\"So?\"\n \n\"So reel it in. Don't want it getting away.\"\n \n\"Why, CAPTAIN?\" Adam growled, \"What would be the fucking\npoint?\"\n\n\"Because then you won't piss off the people around ya-\"\n \n\"FINE!!\" Adam stood up, and looked down at the fat old\npirate-like man, \"I lost my Best Catch, alright?! He snuffed out the light in\nmy life and left me behind! I put in 5 years of my life into someone I love,\nand he rips my heart out, and threw it into the ocean! HAPPY?! Is that\nmetaphorical enough for you?!\" Adam shouted before storming off. He rubbed his\nuniform sleeve onto his eyes as he felt them water up. He gritted his teeth as\nhe marched back to the hut.\n \nCaptain watched as Adam's pole wobbled, and was pulled right\noff of the railing, dropping down into the water.\n \n\"Damn...\" He sighed as he leaned forward, \"That must've been a\nreal good catch...\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n\nLater that night, Yuri is slipping off her white leather jacket, and frowned as\nhe heard some muffled sad pop music coming from Adam's room. Jamal is just adjusting\nhis belt as she came in, looking over at his door, \"Is he doing ok?\" She asked\nsoftly.\n \n\"I don't think so gurl,\" Jamal said, \"Been two weeks,\nalready. Homie look more dead than alive 'round here... Wuz thinkin of havin him\nover at the club fo a drink. What'chu think?\"\n \n\"Are you sure a REBOUND is the best thing for him right\nnow?\" Yuri asked with a rose brow.\n \n\"It ain't a sex house, Yuri,\" Jamal said, \"He just be mopin\nin his room alla time, he needs to get out lil bit.\"\n\n\"Well, actually he's has been out. Everyday, he goes over to Aquata Cove.\"\n \n\"Fo real?\" Jamal asked.\n \n\"Yeah. You know that was their meeting place. He was hoping\nto see if he can talk things out. Sadly, Merrick never shows up.\"\n \n\"Ah...\" The black guy sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck,\n\"Well, I'mma get him to come to the club. Maybe a drink and some razzle dazzle\nwell make'im cheer up.\"\n\n\"Well, good luck, J-man. Let me know how it turns out.\"\n \n\"Aight, gurl.\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"~~I feel so LONELY and so SAAAAAD~~\n~~You're the reason I'm feelin' bad~~\n~~I am so LONELY and so SAAAAAD~~\n~~Living in a dream I never haaad~~\n*Wake me with your kiss*\"\n \nAdam lay there on his bed, his hands interlaced with each\nother and on his chest, his eyes closed, he lay there in his dark room,\nlistening to 'So Alone' by Anna Blue from his mac laptop, feeling his dried up\ntears on either side of his head as he rolled over, sighing long as he held\nback another sob.\n \nHis life feels so empty and hurtful. He can barely go to the\npier without feeling miserable. All the fish reminds him of that merman. Every\ntime he sees a seashell, they remind him of that merman. Even blonde guys set\noff fresh images. Everywhere at the pier only reminds him of his very first\ndate. He can't deny Merrick had a good reason for breaking it off with him,\nbut... Why did he have to make it hurt so much?\n \n-Knock knock knock- \n \nCame a soft knock. Adam didn't respond, but the door opened\nanyway. Jamal opened it, and leaned on the frame, \"How you doin, man?\"\n \n\"Just spiraling in my own misery. What do you want?\" \n \n\"Git a shirt on. Yur goin down to the club wit me.\"\n \n\"Not interested,\" Adam said as he turned over, \"I'm not over\nhim yet.\"\n \n\"Wha- WHY does er'rybody think it's a whorehouse, yo?!\" \n \n\"One word: Escort.\"\n \n\"It's a dance bar that-\" He sighed, and shook his head,\n\"Aight, c'mon, A. I'll buy you a drink, man.\"\n \n\"I don't drink, Jamal.\" Adam grumbled.\n \n\"Well den a Pepsi, c'mon dawg.\" \n \nAdam sighed as he looked up at Jamal. Well, he supposed he's\nnot going to stop bothering him until he goes with him. \n \nHe put his hand on his laptop, and shut it closed.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nThe drive was quiet the whole way there. Adam put his head\non the window with his eyes shut while Jamal drove. \n \n\"... Ya know,\" Jamal said before he sighed, \"I wudn't always a\nplaya. I had a girlfriend once...\" Adam remained silent, \"Her name was Cheryl. I\n'member, she had bright red hair, big, gleamin green eyes. And sparkling pink\nflower pin right on her head. She was mah Cherry Girl.\"\n \nAdam sighed as he listened.\n \n\"We was always together. She was my home away from home... My\nmama, she wudn't ever there, with all that...\" Jamal paused, and continued,\n\"Stuff that wuz goin on... My daddy ain't pay much attention to me... Always too\ntired ta say two words to me... Cheryl though... She was the light in mah life...\"\n \n\"Till I found out she was pregnant.\" He said. Jamal\nsnickered when Adam snorted, \"Naw naw, don't be like dat. Now, I thought I was\nthe daddy. Don't tell Yuri this but...\" He smiled, \"You shoulda seen me when I\nfound out. When she had dat belly, I was lookin into all kinds of baby stuff. I\ngot like, pampers, baby clothes, lil toys, er'rythin I could afford... I even\nfound a small apartment to move into, but...\" His smile faded and he sighed.\n \n\"I found out the daddy was the Dean to the school she was\ndoin.\" He sighed as he rubbed his black coarse buzz-cut, \"I wuz crushed. Even\nthen, I still wanted to be involved, but... She chose a college Dean or'r a\npet-shop clerk like me. She tol' me it was best if I just go away...\"\n \nSoon, he arrived at the booming club, parking the car at the\nfront. He turned his car off, and looked to his friend, \"Hey, you be ok, man.\"\n \nAfter a short pause, Adam finally spoke, \"You're a mistake I\nnever should've made.\" Jamal blinked at him.\n \n\"Say WHAT now??\"\n \n\"That's what he told me before he left,\" Adam said as he\nturned his head, \"I was a mistake that he never should've made. I've been with\nhim for 5 years of my life. I waited for him 6 months at a time for one month\nto be with him, and he just leaves me. How do you walk away from that?\" Adam\nthen unbuckled his seatbelt, and got out of his car.\n \n \n~~~\n \nThe Dream Waltz - a rather colorful place in the\nneighborhood. There's a line of people along the front, with a big, bulky\nbouncer in at the front. Since Adam is with Jamal, he is allowed in once Jamal\nflashed his punch-in card. Inside, there is a stage with a specific theme - a\ndifferent one every day and night - with dancers in very wild, creative, exotic\ndancers. One would jest that Lady Gaga herself was the owner of this place.\nJamal likes working as a bartender here because the dancers are very exotic and\nfree with their bodies - male OR female.\n \nWhile Jamal went to punch in, Adam would sigh as he sat down\nat the bar. Adam just ordered a lite cosmopolitan, and sighed as he rest his\nhead down.\n \nHe simply nursed his drink over the next hour, and put his\nhead on his arms, idly stirring his drink with the cherry stuck in with the\nblue, transparent stirrer, which is a mermaid image on the upper part of it. He\nsighed and moaned as he took another sip.\n \n\"Hey, hot shot~\" Came a familiar voice. Adam turned his head\nto see Nick pulling up a seat next to him.\n \n\"Hi Nick...\" Adam said gloomily, \"Did Jamal send for you?\"\n \n\"No...\" Nick said slowly before he smirked, \"Why, is he on his\nbreak? Been thinking about that big Black Beauty since my Prince Albert\nhealed.\" Adam couldn't help but giggle at the play on words - first time he's\nsmiled in days.\n \n\"No, just... Fancy seeing you here...\"\n \n\"I like the scene. Plus they make awesome daiquiris here...\"\nNick looked at Adam's face curiously, \"Something wrong? Why the long face,\nman?\" \n \n\"Well... My boyfriend and I split up a couple of weeks ago\nand...\" Adam sighed, \"It's been long and hard - no pun intended...\" He took a sip\nof his sweet drink, \"Every day feels like a whole week... And I did 14 of them.\"\n \n\"Ah, ok...\" Nick said as he nodded. He chuckled as patted his\nshoulder, \"Don't suppose you wanna head to MY place? Gotta test-drive my Prince\ndown there~\" He smiled playfully, kidding of course. Adam looked, and huffed.\nThat smile... That cute, playful smile...\n \n\"... Does that offer still stand?\" Adam asked. Nick looked at\nhim, at little shocked at first, but then grinned wide as he put his hand onto\nAdam's thigh. Adam blushed a little as he spread his legs, allowing that tan,\nsmooth hand to slowly make its way onto his crotch. Just from the touch, Adam\ncould feel himself harden, especially when Nick started rubbing his groin,\nbefore pulling down his zipper, and slipping his hand inside Adam's jeans. Adam\ngroaned as his balls felt the tender cradling of Nick's hand. \n \nAdam finished off his drink, and got up, with his Hispanic\nfriend escorting him out of the bar.\n \n\"Yo, J,\" Said a waitress with pink highlights in her hair,\n\"Looks like your roomie's dry spell is over~\"\n \n\"Huh?\" Jamal said as he looked, and saw Adam leaving with\nNicholas. He shrugged and got back to mixing a drink, \"Lil Nicky?\" After a few\nseconds, he chuckled, \"Good. Maybe this'll get him to try again with his ex.\"\n \n\"Pfff, what? How does THAT work? I thought you said that\nLatino guy was awesome in bed.\"\n \n\"Oh he is,\" Jamal said as he topped the margarita with a\nlemon wedge, \"But if there's one thing I know,\" He put the large drink onto the\nchick's tray, \"Is dat you can NEVA, forget someone by havin sex wit someone\nelse... Not after how in love my homie was with his BF, yo.\" \n \n \n~~~\n \nThe door of a one-bedroom apartment opened. In entered\nNicholas, and then Adam. As soon as the door closed shut, the two snapped\ntogether like a couple of magnets. Nick glued his lips onto Adam's mouth, while\nAdam exhaled through his nose as he grabbed the back if Nick's spiky hair. \n \nNick broke the kiss to quickly yank off his shirt, throwing\nit to the floor. Adam crossed his arms down, and pulled his shirt over his\nface, and let it drop to the floor before closing his mouth over Nick again.\n \nHe aggressively pushed Nick against the wall, and pushed his\nmouth harshly against him. Nicholas moaned from the force and dominance of the\nother man. He kicked off his shoes as he drilled his tongue into Adam's mouth,\nhis pants already tighter from the heat and of the moment.\n \nAdam put his hands into the waist of Nick's pants, and\nyanked them apart, popping the buttons and pushing those tight-fitting pants to\nthe floor. Nick stepped out of his pants, not only wearing some scant, violet\nboxerbreifs, with a yellow star pattern from the crotch, and led a shrinking\npattern to around the right hip, and around the right buttcheek in a\nsemi-spiral, while the left side of his pelvis had a rod-like bulge in it.\n \nIn minutes, Adam is plopping onto his bed, with Nick\nstraddling him playfully, and pushing in to kiss him passionately. Adam moaned\nas he groped and felt his manly hands around Nick's body, cupping that Latino\nbubble butt under those smooth undies. He gave in a sudden spank, causing Nick\nto curl his back, and growled alluringly.\n \n\"Ooh~ Like dat, Cochino?\" He said with a grin, \"I like it\nhard and rough~\" He said as he ground his rear against the tent in Adam's\npants. Adam groaned as his hand gave in a few more hard slaps to Nick's bum. \n \nNick moved back nuzzling Adam's fuzzy trail while rubbing\nhis tent, until he came to Adam's lap. Nick then unzipped his pants, and\nruffled through his jeans, and fished out Adam's rock hard cock. With great\nrelish, the Latino grinned up at him and softly took in the glans of Adam's\nrod.\n \n\"Hhhooohhhhhhhh...\" Adam huffed as he felt that wet, warm\nmouth go down on his shaft, \"Awww yyeeeeaaaahhhh...\" He snuggled on the bed as he\nflexed his hips to stand his member out as Nick cradled his tender shaft with\nhis tongue. He sighed pleasantly as his dick oozed out precum into Nick's\nslippery mouth. \n \nHe slipped Adam's dick out with a wet pop, stroking his\nsoaked member up and down, before pulled it back, and reopened his mouth to\npress his tongue and lips around the sensitive part of Adam's penis.\n \n\"OOOooooh~~\" Adam rolled his hips while his Hispanic friend\nsucked his cock. Nick's brown eyes looked up as he deliberately bobbed his head\nup and down. Adam moaned as his member throbbed hard in his mouth. \n \nNick slurped up Adam's dick, before moving back up, climbing\non top of him again, and gluing his lips onto Adam's mouth again. Adam moaned\ninto Nick's mouth as his tongue felt along the taste of his own cock on Nick's\ncheeks and tongue. Adam rubbed his hands along Nick's amble rump, groping and\nsqueezing those sumptuous buttcheeks and clapping them harshly before cupping\nthem again.\n \nAdam then rolled himself over so he is on top of Nicholas.\nHe stormed his mouth as he planted his strong arms firmly on either side of\nhim. Nick moaned as he spread his legs, and felt himself spurt pre as Adam\npressed his tent against that clothed anus. He moaned in an oh-so needy purr as\nhe felt that hard bulge rub harshly against him. Adam growled in lust as he dry\nhumped on Nick, getting him hotter and more excited as he ran his erection\nagainst the hot, purple boxerbriefs.\n \nNick wiggled his hips as Adam then started kissing his neck.\nNick closed his eyes and laid his head back, exhaling as Adam suckled along his\nflesh. His hands rubbed up and down Adam's back, while Adam's hand reached\ndown, and grabbed that hard lump in those underpants. While he lapped and\nlicked along Nick's neck, he rubbed and squeezed around Nick's erection. The\nHispanic male moaned as he swerved his hips, into that hand, putting his leg\naround Adam's as those fingers pressed and fondled his boner.\n \nSuddenly, the Latino started giggling, \"Hehehe, sorry, man,\nyour face tickles~\"\n \n\"Aw yeah?\" Adam said with a smirk, and rubbed his coarse\nstubble against him. Nick laughed and squirmed underneath him. Adam then\nproceeded to rub his hand along Nick's slender sides playfully, making him jerk\nand laugh. Adam smiled and played with Nick a little more, and looked into\nNick's brown eyes. That smile, that adorable face contorting with joy and\nlaughter. Adam felt so good for this one moment, but his smile faded after a\nfew seconds. He put his hand onto Nick's smooth chest, and felt along his body.\nAs he felt along his tummy, Adam felt more prohibited. He felt a tinge inside\nhis eyes before he backed off.\n \n\"Adam?\" Nick sat up as Adam moved his legs over the bed,\n\"You ok, man?\"\n \n\"...\" After a short pause, Adam shook his head, \"No... I'm not...\"\nNick scooted to the edge of the bed.\n \n\"What's the matter?\" He asked as Adam put his face into his\nhands.\n \n\"It's... Hahhhoooh God, I'm sorry... I can't do this...\" Nick put\nhis hands onto Adam's bare shoulders, \"It's... It's um... It's HIM, you know?\"\n \n\"HIM? ... Oh, you mean your ex?\" He asked. Adam nodded as he\nmoved his hands to the back of his head, and leaned down, \"I... I never been in a\nromance...\" Nick said, \"Does it hurt THAT much? How long as it been?\" Adam sighed\nas he put his elbow to his knee, and held his head as he sighed.\n \n\"5 years...\" Nick rose his eyebrows.\n \n\"Wait, you guys split up FIVE years ago?!\"\n \n\"No,\" Adam said as he closed his eyes tightly, \"We've been\ntogether for 5 years, and we broke up 2 weeks ago-\" He started to whimper as he\ntalk before he pressed his hand to his eyes. He cursed under his breath as he\nstood up and walked a couple of steps. Try as he might, he couldn't stop of\nshedding a tear.\n \nNick got up, and hugged him from behind, \"It's ok, Adam...\"\nNick nuzzled the back of Adam's neck and as he put his arms around him, \"It's\naight man, I get it... He meant a lot to you...\" Adam sniffled and fought hard to\nkeep from crying, but he can't.\n \n\"I'm sorry, Nick... You remind me too much of him...\" Nick\nwalked around, and hugged Adam. He hugged him back, and huffed as he sobbed as\nlittle as he can, hardly able to control his breathing from holding it in. Nick\nkissed his chest, and hugged him. After a few minutes he shrugged.\n \n\"You just... Wanna hang out then? I got some cookie dough in\nthe fridge.\" Adam chuckled in his tears before he sniffled.\n \n\"Yes, yes please.\"\n \n\"Aight, but I ain't putting on no pants,\" Nick said as he\nsmirked and walked out of the bedroom, flexing his rump as he sported that\nsnazzy underwear.\n \n \n~~~\n \n3 O'Clock in the morning, a 2011 silver Scion is driving up\ninto Adam's driveway. Nick pulled in, and parked it for a sec, and Adam sighed\nas he unbuckled his seatbelt. \n \n\"Look, Nick, thanks for putting up with me, I'm sorry we\ndidn't... You know... Fuck your cute Mexican tush till the sun came up.\" Nick\nsnickered as he swatted Adam's chest.\n \n\"It's aight man. I had fun tonight, really,\" He rubbed his\nhand gently on Adam's cheek, \"And don't worry about me. I'll just Dial-A-Dick\nwhen I get home, no big deal,\" Adam chuckled as he leaned in to kiss Nick on\nthe lips.\n \n\"Thanks again, Nick. I needed this...\" \n \n\"No prob, Cochino,\" He said with a grin, \"You and your Bo ever\nget back together, look me up for a 3-Way, ya? Jamal said you guys were\nawesome.\" Adam chuckled a little.\n \n\"That's a maybe... But if we DO get back together, I'll\ndefinitely do that.\" Nick grinned at that, and patted Adam's shoulder. \n \n\"Aight. You take care now.\" With that, Adam got out of his\ncar, and Nick drove off.\n \n \n~~~\n \nThe next morning, Jamal took a bite of a powdered donut, and\nturned his head as he heard Adam walk in, \"Oh hey man!\" He said as he came in,\n\"Got home before YOU did. You and lil Nicky had fun?\" Adam smiled as he leaned\nonto the ridge of the couch.\n \n\"Yeah, but not what YOU think. We hung out, ate some cookie\ndough, watched some Family Guy, nothing special.\" Jamal rose his eyebrows.\n \n\"Oh, you guys didn't...\"\n \n\"No. We WERE, but I...\" Adam sighed in embarrassment, \"Well, I\ncouldn't go through with it. Maybe in a month or so, but... I'm still thinking\nabout Merrick.\"\n \n\"Ah, aight. Figured it wudn't yo style.\" He said as he\nsipped his coffee. Then, the news reporter put his hand to his ear piece.\n \n \n\"---This just in: An excavation of an oil platform,\napproximately 100 miles off the coast of Hawaii, just took a turn for the worst\n---\" Both males turned to the TV at the sudden news.\n \n\"Ah shit, wut??\" Jamal said as he turned up the volume.\nThere was then a picture of footage of the ocean, turning black from a massive\nspill of oil in the water.\n \n\"---Just last night, the drill for the excavation\naccelerated almost FOUR times the speed it is initially is supposed to go, and\nthus caused a collapse on the ocean floor, and leaked a major vein of oil. Here\nto bring you the inside scoop on the oil, Julia Laden on the scene with oil\nforeman to tell us all about it. Julia?---\"\n \n\"--- Thank you, Gary. I'm standing here at the oil drill\nstation where the foreman here is about to report on the repercussion of the\nincident,---\" She held the microphone to the man with a hard yellow hat.\n \n\"---Yeah, it was just awful. One of the workers misdialed\nthe controls on the drill, and it just tore up the ocean floor---\" There was a graphical\nmap about the location and an animation on the drill. Adam gasped quietly as he\nwatched.\n \n \n\"... That's where his pod is supposed to head...\" Adam whispered\nquietly as he felt a tinge of terror in his stomach.\n \n \n\"---The frenzy just went on all night. We were testing this\nautopilot for the drill, but the numbering has screwed up the computer. We've\nalready begun sending word to the EPA to take counter measures, but\nunfortunately, it's going to take some time---\"\n \n\"---Unfortunate indeed---\" Julia said as she faced the\ncamera again. Adam panted as he stared, feeling a sense of dread and anxiety\ninside him, \"---Luckily though, the ocean has suffered an oil spill before, and\nthe EPA has already reported on measures that can take action...\" As the reported\ntalked on, Adam started into the blackened ocean, feeling his chest heave as he\nshook. His eyes widened as he saw an outline of a dark, human-fish shape -\nbarely visible, but still saw it.\n \n\"JAMAL get dressed!\" Adam said as he ran into his room.\n \n\"Wait- Wut- Huh?? Adam, what'chu talkin bout?!\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Adam, are you fuckin TRIPPIN?!\" Jamal said as Adam got him\nto climb into Yuri's father's boat, \"If she eva finds out bout this, she'll\nkill us!\" \n \n\"I'll take the wrap, Jamal,\" Adam said hastily as he climbed\nup on it, wearing only his swimming trunks, and tossing his flippers onto the\nboat.\n \n\"Look, Adam,\" Jamal said, \"Will you at LEAST tell me why you\nwanna go out to the middle of the ocean, INTO the oil spill?!\"\n \n\"I can't tell you right now!!\" Adam said, \"Just please drive\nthe boat! Yuri never taught me, I need you to do this for me!\" He pleaded.\nJamal crossed his arms as he looked at Adam.\n \n\"I ain't leavin till you tell me.\" He said. Adam groaned as\nhe ruffled his hair, and put his hands on his shoulders. \n \n\"Jamal, just...\" His heart pounded, and looked Jamal straight\nin the eye, \"I can't explain...\" He said, trying to stay calm, \"But this is a\nmatter of life and death...\" Jamal blinked as his face softened a little,\n\"Please, Jamal... I need to do this... And I need your help, please...\"Adam's eyes\nbegan to water, \"I WILL tell you when this is done, but I need you to do this\nfor me... Please...\" \n \nAfter a short pause, Jamal scowled as he turned around, and\nrumbled the boat into life, \"You BETTA make this quick, man.\" With that, the\nboat rode away into the sea.\n \n\n~~~\n \nOver half an hour passes by, and Adam is at the front,\nlooking over the untainted sea. The motorboat sped along the water's surface.\n\"HOW YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE TO GO??!!\" Jamal shouted over the loud motor.\n \n\"I DON'T!! JUST TRUST ME ON THIS!\" Adam called back.\n \n\"YOU *REALLY* TESTING US ON THIS, MAN!\"\n \n\"I KNOW!!\" Adam said.\n \nTen more minutes, Adam felt the boat slow down. He looked\nboth sides, and turned around, \"He-Hey-Hey, what're you doing, Jamal?!\" \n \n\"Coast guard,\" Jamal said as he pointed to a far-away police\nboat, \"He go any farther, and we in trouble.\"\n \n\"Agghhh, alright,\" Adam said as he sat on the bench, and\nstretched on the rubber diver flippers, \"I'll go in from here.\" Jamal turned at\nhim and widened his eyes.\n \n\"Wait, wait wait wait, yall... You ain't gonna swim in dat\noil?!\"\n \n\"Why do you think I brought these?\" Adam said as he pulled\nout his goggles out of his trunks. Jamal groaned in exasperation as he felt the\nback of his neck, bending over, and leaning back.\n \n\"Adam! This is crazy! Crazy, crazy, bat-shit crazy stuff you goin on about!\" He\nsaid, \"Why is you doin this?! If you get cause swimming in the oil, you gonna\nget arrested!\"\n\n\"No I won't!\" Adam said as he stepped over the railing of the boat, \"I'll stay\nunder the water the whole time.\"\n \n\"You gotta come up for air, man! You not snorklin here!\" He\nsaid as Adam put on his goggles.\n \n\"No, I don't,\" Adam said, panting as his heartrate is\nelevated, \"I'll explain later but... I don't have to go up for air...\" Jamal shook\nhis head slowly.\n \n\"Adam... Tell me what you doin...\" Adam sighed as he looked at\nhis roommate.\n \n\"Just... Trust me on this... I'll explain EVERYTHING when this\nis done...\" He looked into the water, then back at the black male, \"If I'm not\nback in 20 minutes, go ahead and leave without me, tell Yuri I'm at Aquata Cove\nagain.\"\n \n\"Wut???\" \n \nWith that, Adam moved off the boat, and into the water.\n \n \n~^~^~^~\n \n \nAdam paddled his legs as hard as he could. Chances are,\nMerrick's pod would've determined a route around the oil spill, and are\nprobably on their way to whatever destination the Triton has decided for the\nPod.\n \nAdam winced as he saw the massive black cloud, and felt\nhimself swimming straight into it. He can feel the water around him feel change\nin an unpleasant way as he moved through the dark purge. He swam further as his\nflippers allowed him to go faster. His eyes scanned around in the contaminated\nocean, the oil feeling like he's swimming in a disgusting pool of death, like\nmaybe the River Styx.\n \nHe knows this is insane, that he shouldn't be dragging Jamal\ninto this mess over a sudden whim. Who's to say that wasn't a dolphin or a\nshark he spotted on the news? It could've been anything. He could be wasting\nhis time over an obsessive feeling. He shouldn't be here, he and Merrick are\ndone, and there can't be a chance they will get back together...\n \nSo why is he even here?\n \nSomething is driving him to search this area. He has no idea\nwhy, but he feels way too worried to sit idly by after hearing that news\nreport.\n \n \n~~~\n \nJamal paced around the boat, huffing and walking around,\nhaving half a mind to just ditch Adam, just to teach him a lesson about all\nthis. A few years ago, maybe he would've done just that, but not now. Not after\nall he and Adam went through. This is obviously important to him but...\n \nWhat could be so damn important to hijack Yuri's father's\nmotorboat, and ride it to the middle of the ocean??? Especially during an oil\nspill?\n \nJamal gasped and turned his head as he heard the police\nsiren bleep twice. Then, an officer called out to him over an intercom.\n \n\"Excuse me sir, you're going to have to move your boat!\nWe're quarantining this area!\" Jamal groaned as he fumbled for the speaker,\nturned it on and spoke into it.\n \n\"A-Aight! J-J-Just tryin to decide where ta fish! Got it...\"\nHe put the speaker away, and turned on the boat He turned it, and drove it to\nabout 20 feet away, and stopped. The officer nodded in approval, and drove off\nin the police boat. \n \nJamal sighed and looked at his cellphone for the time, \"C'mon, maaan... Where ARE\nyou?\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nAdam swam more and more into the oily nightmare. He suddenly\ngasped as he sensed something massive beside him! He looked and jumbled as a\nlarge shark floated by. It didn't attack him, or even turned at him. It just\nmoved along, motionless as it floated passed him, dead.\n \nAdam's heart throbbed horribly as he continued to swim.\n \nHe has no idea where he's going - he's just swimming in a\nparticular direction, like an invisible compass in his forehead, directing him\non where to swim.\n \nHe moved until he saw a figure, straight ahead. He waved his\nflippers up and down to glide him quickly ahead. His heart pounded as he moved,\nswimming as fast as he can to the odd figure.\n \nAdam's eyes widened as he eventually made out the image of a\nmerman! It's blue and silver, wearing some white scallop shells on his\nshoulders, on one on a kelp band around his forehead, below the field of spiky\nfins on his head. The ruffle-like membranes on either side of his long tail are\njet black instead of translucent white.\n \nThe human kicked as hard as he could when he saw a glint of\nsilver coming from the small bracelet on the merman's left wrist, which like\nhis right arm, are hanging motionless from him. The merman is floating in\nmid-water, his frontside facing up like a dead fish, but not floating on the\nsurface. His mouth ajar with a small red cloud floating from his lips, and a\nred wisps hovering around the gills on the side of his head.\n \n Adam came up to\nhim, and looked him over. He felt his eyes tear up immediately as he saw wisps\nof crimson linger from the merman's mouth. He wrapped his arms around the still\nmerman, and paddled his legs as hard as he can.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nJamal looked worriedly at his cellphone again, \"Come on,\nAdam...\" He groaned, \"Where you at, man??\"\n \nHe paced around the boat again. It's been 40 minutes since\nAdam dove in. Just what is he up to in there? Why is he taking so long? He's\nnot REALLY swimming around in the oil, is he??\n \nHe moaned as he sat down on the bench of the rocking boat.\nOne thing's for sure. He's not just going to leave him behind-\n \nHis head lifted up as he heard some coughing. He shot up\nfrom the seat, and looked over the boat!\n\n\"Adam!\" He said angrily, \"Where the HELL you at, man?!\" He then spotted Adam's\narm wrapped around a very large blue and silvery fish, \"Ah hell naw!\" He glared\nat Adam, \"You mean you drag us out here to go FISHING?!\" \n \nAdam coughed as he came up to the boat, \"In a matter of\nspeaking,\" He grunted as he tried to heave himself and the fish onto the boat,\n\"Help me!\"\n \n\"Oh, uh-uh, uh-uh!\" Jamal said as he turned around and\ncrossed his arms, \"You got me to jack Yuri's boat, you get yo own damn fish on\nit! You any idea how berserk she gonna get when she finds out-\"\n \n\"JUST FUCKING HELP ME!!\" Adam shouted. Jamal groaned as he rolled\nhis eyes, and turned around. He bent over, and pulled Adam up onto the boat.\n \n\"I swear to God, man you owe me-\" His eyes bugged out as he\nthen saw an unconscious fish-like humanoid slip onto the boat. \"HOLY FUCKIN\nSHIT!\" He toppled over as Adam and the fish creature fell onto the boat. Adam\nhissed and groaned in pain as he got up, yanking off his flippers and throwing\nhis goggles off, \"WUT IS DAT?! What the hell IS that?!\" Adam ignored him, and\nput his head to the creatures chest \"Adam, you wanna tell me what the HELL you\njust got on the boat?!\"\n \n\"It's Merrick, alright??\" Adam retorted, \"Start the boat!\" \n \n\"Whoa whoa whoa whoa! That ain't Merrick!\" Jamal said as he\nlooked at the merman, looking up at the long tail that is held up at the edge\nof the boat, \"THAT. AIN'T. NO. Merrick!! That's some, freaky fish thing!\"\n \n\"JAMAL!!\" Adam said as he glared up at Jamal, \"Please just\ndrive the freaking boat!!\" Adam roared. The black guy hastily got up, and\nstarted up the motor, soon turning around and rode away from the massive oil\nspill.\n \n\"Merrick! Merrick!\" Adam called, putting his arm under the\nlifeless merman, and lightly slapping the Adra's cheek, \"Wake up, Merrick!\nBaby, please wake up!\" New tears rolled from Adam's eyes ad a dribble of blood\ndripped from the corner of Merrick's lips. \"Please, don't do this, baby,\" Adam\nsobbed as he carefully shook Merrick, \"Please wake up! I'm right here, your\nmistake! I found you, please don't die on me now!\"\n \nAs the boat sped on, Jamal looked over his shoulder, seeing\nAdam down next to the fishy creature. He looked onto its left arm, and spotted\nthe silver bracelet on its left - the very same simple chain Adam got for\nMerrick after they came home from the pier.\n \n\"Merrick... Please wake up...\" Adam said as his tears continue\nto drip onto Merrick's face. \n \n\"Unnngghhh...\" Adam gasped as he saw those eyelids move slowly\nup. Adam  sobbed as those weak,\nweary sapphires peaked open. \n \n\"Merrick?! MERRICK!\" \n \n\"... Ah... Adam...\" He croaked very weakly. He lift up a\ntrembling, webbed hand to the human's cheek, \"My Adam...\" Adam sniffled and wept\nas he took Merrick's cold, oily hand, and held it in place against his cheek.\n \n\"Merrick...\" Adam sobbed as tears rolled down his face.\n \n\"Adam... You came for me...\" Merrick uttered weakly, \"I broke\nour hearts...\" Glimmering white tears formed around the Adra's eyes as he looked\nup at soaked human, \"And you came for me...\" \n \n\"I love you, Merrick...\" Adam said as he pulled the headband\noff of his head, pressing his forehead against the other, \"I'm never letting\nyou go again...\" He held Merrick close to him, holding him tight, \"Never, never\nnever...\" Adam said as he cried even more.\n","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/701443-aquata-cove-chapter-19.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/702797-aquata-cove-chapter-21.json"}