Roleplay Blog

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

As Arthur sank into the cool, familiar ocean, he looked up at the human, feeling mildly perplexed. Somehow, he hadn’t expected the man to release him so easily, suspecting him to have some sort of ulterior motive. It was not unheard of for the humans to demand tribute for the act of saving a merman or maid and, despite what he had said earlier, Arthur suddenly felt rude and guilty for not promising some sort of payment. He was grateful, truly, but he had let his agitation flow freely, bitter, biting words all that had left his lips up until this point.

So it was with some sincerity that he looked at Alfred and said, “I will be here tomorrow, then.”

And with that he dipped down into the water with not so much as a splash, darting away into the expanse of the sea, cuts stinging in the murky salt.

He had to find the perfect gift for the human who had just saved his life.

Alfred smiled as he watched the merman swim towards the deep sea, and finally losing sight of him as the sun rose. His water-soaked sweatpants were making him cold so he quickly walked back to dry sand. Now that Arthur was gone, all of it seemed surreal. Yet he just kept on reminding himself that they would meet again tomorrow. Alfred thought perhaps he should bring something that would intrigue and interest Arthur, that way they would have a lot to talk about and also distract Arthur on criticizing him further. With that final thought, he decided to go home and change, it was far too late in the morning and he needed to get to his job.

Alfred sat in his lifeguard chair, thankful to the umbrella above him as it sheltered him from the scorching summer heat. There were a lot of people in the beach today so he kept his guard up for anyone drowning. His binoculars scanned the whole beach right to left and back for anyone in distress, though the occasional blonde head always made his heart race. He was unusually eager for the day to pass, wishing the next morning would come sooner so he can talk with his new merman friend again.

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Arthur let his hand be shaken, confused, cocking his head at the simple motion with a frown. It seemed very strange to do this, all things considered, and he was fairly relieved when it was over, massaging the hand with his other.

"Isn’t calling yourself a really, really good person a little presumptuous?” Arthur pointed out, hell bent on being difficult. “How are you a good person? To whom? For what reason? It’s all relative, isn’t it? Perhaps you save me—and that makes you a good person—but then this would not continue to be so if you brought me further ashore or, say, kept me out on the sand instead of putting me back in the ocean…” His scales were beginning to dry out and it itched like crazy. “And perhaps bringing me ashore made you a good person to others as that would benefit them. Perhaps you are a hero, but the real question is: are you a hero to me?” He peered up at him with faintly glowing eyes, the irises shimmering a supernatural shade of green.

"And it matters not how I became trapped in that net, for I am now free."

Alfred rubbed his temples and let go a small sigh. I thought mermaids and mermen were supposed to have beautiful voices, but this one's just giving me a headache. After Arthur finished his rant, Alfred stood up and easily scooped Arthur in his arms. "You know, if you just wanted to be put back in the water, you can just say so. But you do have a point, you may not think I'm your hero, but believe me when I say I only have good intentions." Alfred gave Arthur his brightest smile, thinking maybe the merman just wasn't good with expressing himself.

He felt his sweatpants become heavier as the water soaked through it up to his thighs. He gently lay Arthur down hoping it was deep enough for the other to swim in and go wherever he needed to be. But before removed his arms he couldn't help but ask, "Hey, I know I said I wouldn't ask payment... But I was wondering if I could see you again. I always pass by here during my morning run, so maybe we can meet here if you like, maybe tomorrow? Or whenever you're free. I'll always be here, same time." He let go of Arthur, bringing his arms back to his side.

He wouldn't blame the other if he just swam away right then and there and never see each other again, but he hoped Arthur would reconsider his offer. Because for some reason, Alfred didn't want this to be just another crazy dream.

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

The merman snuffed indignantly. “I have never heard of a ‘hero’ before.” Was it some new type of creature? It seemed a bit excessively noble to be a new race of some sort and this Alfred looked suspiciously human if he was one. Was he lying? It was very much like humans to lie, after all…

"I, um…" Arthur frowned openly at him for a long second, uncomprehendingly, and then, slowly, he extended his own hand, placing it on the human’s. "Like this?"

Even though Alfred could see they were different, the thought of how different they were exactly hadn't sunk in yet, not until Arthur mentioned he didn't know what a hero was. It was just so easy to forget when Alfred focused more on the merman's upper half than his lower fish half. "Let's just say a hero is a really really good person." He hoped that was simple enough.

He watched amusingly as Arthur seemed lost on what to do with his hand and finally took pity on the poor thing. "Here." Alfred positioned their hands correctly and gave it a firm shake. "You're welcome." He felt the webbing between Arthur's fingers and used his other hand to feel the texture, smooth and moist. "So what happened to you? How did you get stuck in that net?"

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

"Why would it be temporary? That would be a silly waste of such powerful magic." Arthur quipped, shifting uncomfortably on the damp sand. He stared at the outstretched hand suspiciously, cocking his head. "Do you expect payment? I do not have anything that you would be interested in unless you are particularly fond of coral…" He said. "And even then, I do not have any of that with me.”

After a short pause he said, “You can call me Arthur, if you must.”

Alfred rolled his eyes at Arthur's cynicism, though a smile could still be seen on his lips. "I don't want anything in return okay? A hero doesn't help people to get recognition or awards, a hero helps people because it's the right thing to do." He puffed out his chest proudly. "Though I would appreciate it if you shake my hand. Let's try this again. It's a pleasure to meet you, Arthur." He beamed at the merman, knowing the other would have no choice but to comply.

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Staring at the human, Arthur felt his brow furrow. And then he frowned. “I am not a mermaid, lad, I am a merman. Do you see breasts?” He said, gesturing to his chest, faintly scandalized. “Or would you rather I call you lass instead of lad? How would that make you feel, human whose genitalia is external to your body?”

Crossing his arms, Arthur huffed despite the aid. “I can communicate with some sea life but I do not believe it to be anything akin to what you are thinking.”

And then he looked at Alfred and smiled a deceptively cool smile. “You know, you could wish away your legs forever if you desired to live in the sea that much.”

Alfred put his hands up in surrender, hoping to soothe the snappy merman. "Hey, hey, chill. Fine, you're a merman, not a mermaid." He eyes quickly flitter to the merman's chest, they were certainly not breasts, but he could still appreciate his lean pectorals and perky nipples. He looked away, cheeks flushed pink and mentally slapping himself.

He returned to cutting the ropes and removed the last pieces of the net before he looked up. "You can do that? It sounds crazy and reckless." But exhilarating. "I would do it, but not for forever though. I can't just leave my family and friends behind. But if it's like a couple hours thing, I'd totally give it a go!" He threw the sharp shell into the water, making it hop on the surface till it sunk and gone. "By the way, I'm Alfred." He reached out his hand to the merman.

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Arthur looked up at the human through thick eyelashes, a look of confusion settling on his face. “Eat you…?” He echoed, blinking. The air stung his eyes. He paused, however, considering this. “Yes— Yes, I won’t eat you… so long as you free me and release me back to sea.” He flashed the man an inhuman smile, letting the creature see his line of sharp teeth. “Is that agreeable—?”

Now that he could see him better, he noted that the boy was tall and lean—albeit muscular. His eyes were the color of the sky and, well, Arthur would know. He had spent countless days staring up into that empty, waterless void. This human was almost…

Pretty.

He would have made a wonderful merman. It was truly a shame his lower half was wasted on legs.

Alfred continued cutting the rope, eyes now focused on the task, but he couldn't help throwing side glances at the mermaid. He still couldn't believe all this. It was like a dream. He still half-expected to wake up in his bed, warm and dry. "So... yo-you're a mermaid?" He finally said to break the silence, and his curiosity finally getting the better of him. "Can you talk with like fishes and crabs?" He asked, remembering The Little Mermaid movie. "I mean like I still can't believe it, but I guess mermaids are cool too. They can swim really fast and breathe underwater. You probably live in the deep part of the ocean right? Wow, what I would give to to be able to do that. Just swim all day and explore sunken ships and find undiscovered treasures and gold. That's like the greatest adventure!" He smiled at the mermaid, fear completely overshadowed by awe and excitement.

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Arthur exhaled a breath, feeling the ropes binding him coming undone. He felt strangely dizzied and weary, as though he hadn’t eaten for several days, so it was difficult to focus on what it was, exactly, that was going on. Turning his head, he looked up at the figure of a man, but his vision swam slightly as he squinted up at him, the sand cool beneath his body.

"What are you… doing?" He rasped. If this human spoke the language that the locals did, then he should have been able to understand him.

Alfred had been concentrating on cutting the ropes, trying not to focus too much on the scales sliding the back of his hand and fingers. He had managed to remove half of the net but the other half was wrapped and coiled in thick and slimy seaweed making it harder to cut.

He had been vigorously slicing the rope when he heard the voice again, his hands came to an abrupt stop, and he slowly glanced at the upper half of the mermaid, unfortunately making eye contact.

Emerald green.

"I... I'm helping you." Alfred's suddenly remembers those stories about mermaids drowning sailors and eating them. "Oh god! Please don't eat me!"

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

The sudden feeling of being lifted alerted Arthur to consciousness as he groaned, a wet gasp on his lips as he felt air. His body stung from the wounds and he could feel the dull, painful pressure of rope caught on his body. He opened his eyes, squinting at the image of a face. “Wha—…?”

It took quite a while for Alfred to regain control of his limbs, his mind was still racing at the absurdity of it all, but he finally managed to touch the mermaid's scales, slowly and with shaking hands, afraid it might shatter with a little pressure. And then he noticed the cuts and the net tangled around it's tail. He felt pity for the creature, it obviously struggled to get free but it only made the ragged ropes wrap tighter around its tail. No one deserved to be tied up, restricted, stripped of its freedom, so setting aside their differences, Alfred lifted the mermaid along with the soggy net and seaweed. He knew he needed to remove the net, but it was difficult doing it on the rock when the waters kept on swaying the ropes back and forth.

He lay the mermaid on the sand, and was startled at the voice that he quickly scrambled backwards. He waited a few seconds, before slowly approaching it again. Now that I look closely, it doesn't really look that dangerous. Soft skin, lean muscles, fair complexion, impressive eyebrows, slightly parted lips. He then slowly untangled and cut the ropes, hoping he had a flick blade, but settled for a sharp shell on the sand.

The Depth of My Heart | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

[Arthur Kirkland: Merman AU]

The sea stretched out before him, a crystal blue atmosphere of glimmering, ethereal water. Arthur stared into it longingly.

He was going to die here. He knew this already. It was only a matter of time before he starved to death. The net was too tight. His arms were entangled painfully behind his back. His tail was gently bleeding from cuts and scrapes. He made for a tragic scene, he liked to think.

Sighing into the sand, he watched fish swim past his face, undaunted by a mer that could not give chase. Even they knew he was doomed to perish here, hidden by sand and rock and coral.

He gave in and closed his eyes, accepting it all.

Now he merely need wait.

Alfred meticulously tied the shoelaces of his running shoes tight. It was five in the morning and everybody was still asleep except for him as he got ready for his routine morning jog. It was cold outside especially near the sea shores so he wore his hooded sweat jacket and sweatpants, it would get pretty hot later but for now he needed the warmth it offered.

Upbeat music was playing on his iPod, earphones snugly placed in his ears, the familiar soft sand breaking with every step he took, sweat beads on his forehead and under his clothes, his panting breathes creating small fogs as he exhaled, this was the usual, this was perfect. And that peace was broken by the sight of a man draped on a rock near the shallow waters of the shore. With his lifeguard instincts kicking in, he ran towards the figure.

The man was pale and cold, thankfully he had a pulse, but what alerted Alfred next was that he was not breathing. His first thought was to place the man on a flat surface, preferably on the sand a few feet away to perform mouth to mouth resuscitation. He scooped his arms under the man's back, and his eyes darted downwards to locate his legs when he noticed the fish scales. His heart raced at the thought that it might be a shark or some sort of predatory fish but as his eyes followed it upwards till he could see the joint of flesh and scales, his heart completely stopped. His eyes widened at the realization of what this man was, it was at the tip of his tongue, yet he resisted to acknowledge it, because it can't be. It can't be real.

This man was a mermaid.

♠ Catch Me If You Can ♠ | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Hopping of the horse, Alfred tied it to a near tree, letting it linger there as he pulled off his shoes and left them errant in the grass. The sun had beat down on them for miles and now he wanted nothing more than to dive into that crisp, clear water. “I betcha it’s nice and cold!” He yelled, starting at an eager jaunt for the lake.

Arthur got off Silver and tied it to the tree next to Hero's, hoping the patch of grass on the ground would keep them satisfied for a while. He stood on the tip of his toes and slowly brought down the heavy picnic basket, hoping none of the foods were smashed and the drinks spilled.

He approached to where Al had messily left his shoes and put down the basket, hands automatically placing the shoes together side by side. "You're going swimming? Did you even bring a change of clothes?" He asked worriedly, but good thing he brought a couple of blankets with them.

After placing the a blanket on the soft grass, he inhaled nature and sat on the cloth with a satisfied look.

♠ Catch Me If You Can ♠ | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

"Slowpoke?" Alfred repeated, snorting. He sent Hero into a nice canter, passing the other man by with ease before slowing his horse to a trot. "Who’s slow again?" He called back, laughing.

The lake wasn’t too far out from the town, but it was far enough that on foot it wouldn’t have been worth it to travel there. With the horses, however, it took a little less than an hour for them to mount the hill that overlooked the placid body of water. Alfred hadn’t been here since his parents were alive and he beamed down at the lake with a beat of pride in his chest. This was his land— and gods above, how he loved it.

"Race you down!" He said before kicking his horse into a cautious gallop.

Arthur would never admit it but he had fun talking, teasing, bickering, and racing with Al on the trip to the lake. In that short time, it was as if it was just him and Al and nothing else, lost in their own world, leaving all responsibilities, fears, expectations, and even avoiding fate once again. It was nice not to be weighed down with anything. It was nice to be with Al.

When the lake was in sight, it took his breath away. The sunlight showered the lake making it shimmer and glitter, the forest green trees cradled the basin, contrasting vibrant colors of blue and green, and the waters were serene and calm, reflecting the sky above it. He turned to look at Al, and for a moment, he was lost, not in the beauty of the lake, but lost in Al's blue eyes, that were just as blue as the sky and the lake, maybe even more bluer but he couldn't make since the other had already galloped downhill.

Arthur broke from his dazed state and followed Al hurriedly. He had this uncontrollable urge to get lost in those blue orbs again.

♠ Catch Me If You Can ♠ | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Alfred had been riding horses from a young age, so it was effortless to coax the big creature to walk around Arthur’s smaller horse. “Hero is a great name!” He said cheerfully. After all, he had named this horse. Oh, it had been so long since he’d last sat in a saddle…

Getting antsy, he looked at Arthur, who seemed far less familiar to the act of horseback riding. “Ready?”

Even though Al and his big horse almost towered over him and Silver, Arthur sat up straight and chin up, showing he wasn't intimidated by them at all. "I'm more than ready." He said with an air of confidence though his thoughts were, Arthur, please don't make a fool of yourself by falling off the horse.

He firmly held the reins and beckoned the horse to walk with his heels, just a few strides forward before stopping again and turning back to Al. "Come on slowpoke!" He said with a challenging smirk.

♠ Catch Me If You Can ♠ | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Before Alfred could respond, the stable master returned with the second horse. It was a larger, more intimidating breed with dark brown—nearly black—fur. He felt his face light up, “Oh— Hero!” He exclaimed, approaching the creature. He hadn’t seen the poor thing in over a year.

Patting its side affectionately, he laughed as the horse mouthed at his bandanna-covered hair. “Hey, hey, knock it off…” He scolded lightly. He made short work of carefully loading the picnic basket into the pack on the horses back before lifting himself onto the creature in a fluid, graceful movement. Feeling excited now, he grinned at Arthur from up in the saddle, “What are you waiting for?”

Arthur gaped at the huge horse Al just settled himself in, it was big enough that it could easily trample Arthur on the ground if it wanted to, so he backed away for good measure. He raised an eyebrow at Al, "What kind of name is Hero?" He asked teasingly before asking the stable master what the white horse's name was. "He's name Silver."

Arthur nodded approvingly. "Now that's a proper name." He said with a snicker towards Al and pat Silver's neck. "A pleasure to meet you, Silver. My name is Arthur, and I shall be riding you for the day." When no resistance was shown, he slowly lifted himself to the saddle, wobbling a bit as he tried to position himself.

♠ Catch Me If You Can ♠ | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

"Notes? Oh yeah, I’ve heard those birds are really good at that." Alfred said, smiling brightly. "She should be able to find me no problem! Or anyone else you want to send a letter to!"

Before he could say more, the stable master returned, horse in tow. It was very carefully cleaned and dressed, immaculate white fur shimmering in the morning light. It shifted slightly, adjusting to the saddle strapped to it. “I’ll go bring out the other one.” The man said, leaving to grab the second horse.

Alfred whistled in appreciation. “Not bad.” He murmured. “Do you wanna ride him? He looks gentle.” He grinned at Arthur.

Arthur made a mental note on what Al said, looks like Queen will have a lot of flying and delivering to do after this little outing. His thoughts were then halted when he saw the beautiful horse towed their way. Without thinking, he slowly approached it and stroked its neck, fur as white as the clouds and soft as cotton, and its white mane silky and smooth. "Tsk! This horse has better hair than me." He whispered to no one in particular and pat his messy hair down, suddenly self-conscious. Just then he remembered Al's question and answered, "Yes, if you don't mind. I think we'll get along well."

♠ Catch Me If You Can ♠ | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Blinking Alfred looked at him, “Well, normally you’re announced to the King—,” He paused, “but, uh… um, I can just have you skip that process. It’s no big deal. He’s a busy man anyway.”

He looked away, thinking. “After that you’re kind of taken under the wing of a master and they’ll teach you and guide you and all that. I don’t know too much about it. I’m not very good at magic.” He shrugged.

Arthur nodded at him, "Thank you. I'd rather not be a bother to him as well. I'm sure there are lots more important things he has to take care of than meeting a beginner mage like me." That was quite a relief for Arthur. But there was one more thing he wanted to ask Al. He shifted from one foot to the other nervously. "I was wondering if there is any way I can contact you? Maybe I can tie a note on Queen's leg and she can deliver it to you? I can assume you are pretty busy on weekdays. So we can just exchange short notes till we meet again. But if that's too much of a bother, then..." He trailed off, waiting for Al's response. It's just when he doesn't know when Al will show up again, Arthur starts to have gloomy unnecessary thoughts.

♠ Catch Me If You Can ♠ | Closed RP @ whatacuppatea

Alfred looked at the stables, eyes bright. He hadn’t noticed them before. “Great!” He said, walking on ahead. It seemed luck was with him as he quickly spotted the stable owner and gave him a short wave.

The dark-haired looked at him for a moment before shock flickered onto his expression and he dropped the brush he had been using on one of the horses. “Your ma—,” ”Al.” He interrupted quickly and pointedly.

The man faltered. “Um… Al.” He said said slowly, swallowing, and then quickly added, “What do you need? A horse? A carriage? I still have the Queen’s stallion here if you’ve found them—,”

"Just a couple of horses." Alfred said easily. He nodded to Arthur. "We’re going to the lake."

"I see…" The man looked thoughtful for a moment, eyeing the basket in Alfred’s hand, and then, "For leisure, right? I’ll ready two of my best, most gentle horses." He grinned. "Reliable and never tire, I assure you!" And with that he was off, hurrying to do as requested.

Alfred smiled at Arthur, expression easing into something more casual. “So you said you know him too?” He said. “Sorry I distracted him so much…”

Arthur waited a few feet behind as Al talked with the owner. They seemed to get along well. Queen was still on his shoulder humming a soft melody when he asked, "Queen, you really think I should go learn magic at the spade castle? I was thinking maybe if I did learn there and my magic gets stronger, maybe I can also hide my identity better, right? It's like a win-win situation for me. I just have to avoid any the King and the Jack at all costs, or have minimal contact." Arthur knew he was really just talking to himself, but the ever attentive Queen, twittered beside him and Arthur just pet his soft head. "Yes, I think I'll consider it. And there's that other thing I was thinking about earlier too..." And then Al returned to his side.

"It's alright, I just know him by name and I'm more acquainted with his son. I never really had business with renting a horse before. So this is my first time coming here, and not just passing by." Arthur wasn't completely sure with his decision yet, but he asked anyway. "If.. If I do want to learn magic in the castle, how do I go about it? Should I just go there and present myself? Or is there a process?" Arthur knew it was kind of silly to ask a manservant these types of stuff, but Al seemed to know a lot of people in the castle.