Don't Kiss The Girl!
หหห โ หหหSYNOPSIS: Rielle asks you on a date, but a certain octopus doesn't find the sittuation so funny.
โก๏ธAfter seeing the teaser for the RSA Characters, I had to write something to show that NRC is superior!!!
โก๏ธAlso references to the boat scene in the little mermaid movie.
"Oooh Azul! Did you know little shrimpy got asked on a date by Rielle?"
Floydโs voice took some minutes to register inside Azulโs brain but when it did, the poor Ashengrotto spat ink on the contracts on top of his desk at the VIP room. His eyes widened as his hands crumpled the pen in his right hand, making his knuckles turn white from the pure annoyance he was feeling at the moment.
This had to be a joke.
Did all the hours he lost ironing his clothes to perfection, all the discounts he had given you in Monstro Lounge, the free-of-charge study sessions and sweet words he had given you mean nothing to you? His hand slowly came towards his glasses as he adjusted them, leaving the pen down on the table and away from his rage.
Was Rielle better than him? Just because he had that sweet and kind smile and was friendly towards everyone?
The more Azul thought about it, the more his stomach twisted. Rielle was the embodiment of every "happily ever after" storybook that Azul used to glare at. He was the kind of person who walked through a room and somehow made the lights seem brighter without even trying. He had that effortless, airy grace, the kind of Prince Charming who probably spent his mornings singing to the local sea-life and having them actually sing back.
Thinking about all of that made a shiver run down Azulโs back.
He couldnโt allow the merman to get you away from him, not when he had placed his eyes on you first.
"Uwaah~ Azul, youโre making that face again," Floydโs voice broke through his spiral, sounding way too entertained. "The one where you look like youโre gonna start crying ink. Is it because the Princey is sooooo much more popular than a grumpy octopus?"
Azul slammed his hands onto the desk, the sound echoing through the VIP room.
"Popularity is a fickle thing, Floyd," Azul hissed through his teeth. "And 'Princes' are prone to... accidents. Especially when they venture into waters they don't understand."
"My, how passionate." a calm voice said from the doorway.
Jade walked into the room with his usual polite smile. He didn't seem bothered at all by the ink mess on the desk or Azulโs angry face. He adjusted his tie and looked at his brother and then at his housewarden.
"It seems youโve heard the news too, Azul," Jade started. "The whole school is talking about it. Rielle has planned a very classic date. A private boat ride through the bioluminescent lagoon tonight. Itโs exactly the kind of thing someone from RSA would do."
Jade leaned against the wall, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"From what I heard, the lagoon will be very quiet tonight. No teachers, no other students, just the two of them in a small boat under the moonlight. Itโs the perfect spot for a romantic confession. If they stay out there long enough, Iโm sure Rielle will ask ____ to be his by the end of the night."
Azul felt his heart drop. A confession? In a boat? Under the stars? It was too much. It was exactly the kind of perfect moment he should be the one giving you and not that annoying merman.
"A confession..." Azul whispered, his face turning pale.
"Eee-he! Azulโs gonna lose Shrimpy to a goody two-shoes!" Floyd laughed, kicking his legs. "Theyโre gonna kiss and everything!"
"They will do no such thing!" Azul snapped, standing up straight. He looked at the twins. "Jade, Floyd. We are going to that lagoon. We need to make sure ____ is safe from... unstable boats."
Jadeโs smile grew wider. "Of course, Azul. The water can be very dangerous at night. It would be a shame if the boat just... tipped over."
"I wanna tip it! I wanna see him cry!" Floyd cheered, jumping up.
"Then let's go," Azul said, grabbing his coat. "We have a date to ruin."
โโโโ โโ โโ โ โโโโ
โRielle! This spot is so beautiful!โ Your eyes sparkled as you looked around the lagoon. You could see small fish swimming around and the sparkly lights of the water below the two of you, it was almost like a painting.
The redhead slowly rowed the small wooden boat, reaching for a spot near some trees. Their leaves slowly draped down over the two of you, almost as if the spot had come out from a book of fairy tales. Then, he stopped rowing, leaving the paddles alone.
โIโm glad you are enjoying yourself, ___.โ There was such a sweet smile on his face, his cheeks turning a soft, rosy pink.
Rielle leaned forward slightly, his eyes soft and kind. The water glowed a soft blue, reflecting in his eyes like stars. He reached out, his hand hesitating for a second before it took hold of your own.
"Iโve wanted to bring you here for a long time," he whispered, his voice sounding so gentle. "Back home in the Coral Sea, we have many beautiful places, but none of them feels as special as being here with you."
You gasped at his kind words, not having expected them. Your heart gave a little flutter as you looked at him. Rielle looked so handsome in the moonlight, his red hair slightly messy from the ocean breeze.
"Rielle..." you started, but he gently squeezed your hands, stopping you.
โI wanted tonight to be perfect, you know?โ His eyes glance at the side of the boat feeling a little shy. โBecause you deserve it.โ He gave you a look that was so pure and sweet it almost made you melt.
The glowing fish beneath the boat started to swim in a circle, making the water beneath you look like a swirl of blue and gold glitter. Rielle looked down at your lips and then back at your eyes, his face turning even redder.
"Can I...?" he whispered, his voice trailing off as he waited for your permission.
Everything was so perfectly romantic.
But something felt wrong.
It felt wrong because even if the moment felt perfect, even if you had enjoyed spending the day with Rielle, even if he was the perfect and nicest guy, you had wanted someone else to be here in his spot.
And you felt somewhat selfish to even think in such a way. You were sure that a lot of people would have wished to have been in the spot you were with Rielle, but you couldnโt accept this confession.
โIโฆ Iโm sorry, Rielleโฆโ And it did break your heart to see such a sad expression on his face. His hand, which had been resting so gently on your cheek, pulled away as if he had been burned.
โOhโฆโ Rielleโs voice was barely a whisper. He looked down at his lap, his rosy cheeks turning pale. โIโฆ I understand. Iโm sorry for making things awkward, ____. I just thought-โ
He didn't get to finish his sentence.
Suddenly, the peaceful silence of the lagoon was shattered by a massive THUMP against the bottom of the boat. It was so hard that the wooden boards groaned.
โWhat?!โ Rielle gasped, grabbing the sides of the boat to keep from falling out.
Your hands came to rest on the side of the boat as you had almost fallen out of it from the sudden shake.
โAre you alright?!โ Rielle asks, he moves towards you to check if you were hurt, but once again, before he can come any close the boat gets hit at the bottom.
Before you could even scream, a long, dark shadow swirled under the water. However, the boat didnโt just shake this time, and it was violently jerked to the side. There, the boat tipped to the side, sending you splashing in the water.
The coldness and darkness of the water hit you instantaneously, making you jolt as you tried to swim up to the surface, you gasped for air as you reached it, and to your surprise, Rielle was nowhere to be seen.
โRielle?!โ You shouted, looking around the water.
"Oh dear," a polite, mocking voice came from the other side. Jade surfaced right next to you, not looking bothered by the water at all. "What a terrible accident. To think a merman would be so careless with a boat."
Rielle surfaced with a gasp, and you watched as Floyd came not far behind him.
"Eee-he! Look at that! Got your date ruined, didn't you?" Floyd laughed, his damp hair slicked back. He was bobbing in the water right behind Rielle, looking like he was having the time of his life.
And then, standing on a nearby stone pier, looking completely dry and perfectly composed, was Azul. He adjusted his glasses while looking down at Rielle.
"It seems," Azul started. "that you are in need of some assistance."
Then it was your turn to sigh as you rolled your eyes to the octavenille trio.
โAzul! Are you serious!?โ
You were soaking wet, your clothes felt heavy, and you were pretty sure you had a piece of glowing seaweed stuck to your shoulder.
Azul didn't even flinch. He didn't look guilty at all, in fact, he looked incredibly pleased with himself. He slowly took off his hat, holding it against his chest in a fake gesture of concern.
"Iโm afraid I don't know what you mean, ____." Azul replied. "I was simply taking a walk with my associates when we witnessed this tragic maritime disaster. It is a good thing we arrived when we did. This lagoon is known for its treacherous currents, after all."
"Currents? Azul, you tipped the boat!" Rielle cried out, splashing water as he tried to stabilise himself. He looked more confused than angry, his heart still hurting from your rejection only seconds before the splash.
"Accusations without proof? How hurtful." Jade chimed in from your side. โWe were merely swimming by. It's not our fault if some people are too clumsy to handle a simple wooden boat."
"Yeah, Shrimpy! The mermaid is just bad at steering!" Floyd added, splashing him with some water. "Maybe he should go back to the kiddie pool!"
Azul ignored the tweels as he came closer towards the water. He knelt down and extended a hand towards you.
โIgnore them.โ And his voice had changed to a softer tone than the one he had used previously. "Come here, ____. Youโre shivering. It would be a shame if you caught a cold because of someone else's incompetence."
He was looking at you with that same gaze he had when he wanted to win a contract, but there was something else there. Behind the smug smile, he looked like he was waiting for you to choose him.
So you stretched your hand slowly towards his, not ignoring the shift in his eyes as they seemed to have softened or the gulp in his throat.
โOh, Azulโฆโ Your voice saying his name came out in such an angelic way to his ears that he froze in place. He looked almost dazed, his fingers reaching out to close around yours, thinking he had finally won.
And thenโฆ You pulled him into the water.
โThis is for ruining my clothes and being a jerk to Rielle!โ you yelled.
When he finally surfaced, he looked like a drowned cat. His hair, which he had spent so much time styling to perfection, was matted against his forehead, and he was gasping for air as he wiped water from his face.
You could hear the tweels mocking Azulโs state, but you didnโt pay much attention to what they were saying.
You reached up with your hand and gently brushed the wet hair away from his eyes. You leaned in and pressed a soft kiss right on his cheek.
"And that," you whispered, a small smile playing on your lips, "is for being the only person who would actually go through all this trouble just because you were jealous."
Azul froze. The water around him could have been freezing, but his whole face felt like it was on fire. He looked at you with wide eyes. "I... I wasn't jealous," he managed to say. "I was merely protecting my interests!"
"Sure, Azul." you teased. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
