Fic Preview #2 - Where the Land Meets the Sea: Untitled 5th Chapter
Breathing in the salty air of the Northern Atlantic Ocean, Edward pilots a small boat out to the location Oswald had asked to meet him for their whimsical scuba session. The cordanaces set him directly over the shipwreck Oswald calls home, just sitting forty-seven meters below him.
He takes inventory of his gear and double check everything to make sure it’s all in working order as he waits for Oswald to breach the water.
About twenty-five minutes after Edward turned off the boat’s engine, Oswald breaks out from the calming water and waves enthusiastically at the sight of Edward.
Edward’s breath is caught in his throat when he witness the merman come to the surface just for him. He still can’t believe this beautiful being is willing to expose himself just for a lowly scientist. His heart nearly stops every time he sets eyes on Oswald.
“Oswald!” He calls out to him, fighting off the urge to jump into the water. “Oswald, you gorgeous creature!”
Blushing like a perfectly steamed lobster, Oswald dives into the water and swims as fast as he can to the boat.
Once there, the mermaid breaks through the surface with his arms wide open and pulls Edward over the edge of the boat, kissing the man zealously.
Edward grips onto the sides of the board, desperate not to fall in as he savors the salty, wet, lips of his new boyfriend.
“Edward,” Oswald murmurs, combing his pudgy fingers through Edward’s hair, which is starting to curl from the moist ocean air. “I m-missed you.”
“I missed you too, Oswald,” he manages to say, before Oswald yanks him back to his lips, deepening their embrace.
Oswald starts to pull Edward move over the boat. The marine biologist doesn’t have much in upper body strength compared to the older and stronger fish-man, but he’s able to keep himself from meeting the ocean prematurely.
A Anon made a suggestion of making a Merpapa based on a Beta.
Firepapa and all other alphatale bittybones are created by @nsfwalphatalelioness
(I hope you like him q-q)
Even though the fact that he is still a firemonster he doesn’t have any problems with water.
The black dots on his body are actually scales which protect his inner flames.
Where the Land Meets the Sea: King of Gotham’s Waterworld
Summary: Mermaid AU - Edward goes scuba dividing with Oswald. He learns more about Oswald and his home.
Rating: Teen (Nothing but fucking fluff)
Note: Merpapa is back!!! It's taking me longer and longer to update fic and that I must apologize for, but I will continue to write as much as I can. Please let me know what you think of this new chapter. I've started to show what life is like for Oswald and things will be moving into what part Dr. Strange with play in this story. Please like, comment, or reblog if you enjoyed this chapter. Happy reading!
Part One: The Man Who Stares from the Middle of the Sea
Part Two: Breaking Up Doesn’t Have to End With Me Hating You
Part Three: Ossswald’s Venture to the City of Gotham
Part Four: Strange Doctor
Part Five: King of Gotham’s Waterworld - ao3
Nygmobblepot Fics
Part Five: King of Gotham’s Waterworld
Since being approved for the grant from mayor Galavan, Edward has been working closely with Lucius in preparations for the money flow that they will receive. Neither of them are ready to work at any length with Dr. Hugo Strange, but it was the only way for them to get the money to fund their projects. Hoping to build his beloved merman an elaborate tank, Edward has to be extremely careful with the not-so-good doctor breathing down his neck.
It’s the end of the week and Edward has been looking forward to the weekend to go scuba diving with Oswald. It’s all he could think about throughout the day at work in the lab and some of his performance has been a little lacking, especially from his ex’s observation.
“Edward?” Lucius says, stepping into the office he used to share with him. He had moved his belongings to the office across the hall which used to be his before dating Edward. “Why did you let the students out early? I was supposed to go over algae reproduction with them. The students that go to the university need that information for their finals.”
Edward looks up at him from his desk, a blank expression on his face for a moment. “Shit! I forgot.”
“I emailed you about it this morning.”
“I didn’t look at my email.”
“You always look at your email, Ed.” Lucius deadpans.
“Well, I didn’t today.”
“You’ve had your head in the clouds all day. Are you alright?” Lucius asks with concern. “Are you getting any sleep at that hotel? Because if you’re not you can stay with me.”
“I’m fine, Foxy,” Edward answers honestly. “I’m getting enough sleep and I’m eating.” He knew Lucius would question whether he was eating or not as well. “I’ll be out of the hotel next week and into my new loft. So you don’t have to worry.”
“That’s a relief—“ Lucius crosses his arms, shifting his weight— “but it still doesn’t explain why you let the students out.”
Edward takes a pause for a moment, pondering on whether, to tell the truth, or not. “Honestly?”
“Of course I want you to be honest.”
Though Lucius won’t like what he’s going to hear, Edward tells him anyway. “I couldn’t wait to get back to my office to think about this weekend.”
The thoughts of swimming with Oswald and seeing the places he goes and how he lives clouded the marine biologist’s mind. He could only focus on the new world that he will be introduced to and he’s never been more excited about anything else.
“What?” Lucius says dumbfounded, dropping his arms down at his sides. This couldn’t possibly be his true answer. “You put students grades at risk to daydream?”
“To be fair,” Edward says defensively. “I didn’t know I was putting anyone’s grades at risk.”
“Now I have to email them to make sure they have the information.” Lucius takes out his phone and scrolls through the files he has saved. “I don’t know what’s been up with you lately, Ed, but you've been living in some fantasy and leaving me with all the work.”
“You don’t do all the work and I’m not living in a fantasy.”
“Every time I come in here you’re staring out the window towards the ocean. We have a lot of money coming our way that we have to do actual work with and you seem to be very carefree about it. Dr. Strange— of all people— is going to be here, watching us like toddlers learning to walk. Or have you forgotten about that too?”
“No I haven’t forgotten,” Edward says clearly. “I just have something else important on my mind, but once it’s done I promise my head will be more clear.”
“Is what’s on your mind have anything to do with that expensive filtering system that’s in our records?” Lucius asks, crossing his arms again, getting a little more annoyed with everything Edward says. “We don’t buy filters like that and if Strange sees it he might think we are screwing around with the grant.”
“Lucius,” Edward says and stands from his seat.
Why is his ex performing a witch hunt? There must be something more going on here that Ed hasn't quite caught on to yet. Lucius normally isn’t one to pick a petty fight, but since breaking up, it has become somewhat of a reoccurring thing.
“We have forty-thousand dollars” Edward spoke clearly to defend his actions.
There really isn’t any real reason to raise alarm about a filtering system when it’s known for all parties involved with the deal struck with the grant that Edward would be crafting new tanks. The only thing no one else knows is that the most elaborate one is being built for a merman.
“It’s an amount of cash this lab has never seen,” Ed goes on to say. “I’m building tanks that I’ve never built before and I want to use materials that we never had access too. If the doctor thinks I’m misusing the money because I’m actually spending it, then that man has more of a problem than I thought… I think you might be overreacting just a little, Foxy.”
Lucius blinks for a moment, before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. Edward was right about him overreacting, then again, Edward is right about pointing out Lucius’ behavior most of the time. “Shit! I think you might be right.” He looks back up at Edward. “I think I might be a little stressed with the breakup and everything changing around us, even about Strange coming to.” He shivers at the thought of that mad scientist lurking through the pristine halls of their lap. “I really didn’t mean to come here and start an argument. I was genuinely just concerned about the students.”
“Oh, Foxy, Foxy,” Edward says softly, stepping up behind Lucius and massages his shoulders. “You were right about me though. I have been walking around with my head in the clouds and leaving you with the work. I can admit that and I’m sorry.” His hands fall to the small of Lucius’ back and he massages him there, feeling the man’s back crack under his touch.
Lucius let out a small moan and he closes his eyes. Edward’s hands were always magic.
“Let me make it up to you. Don’t send the emails. I’ll have a video session with the students so they could ask me questions directly if they have any.”
“You would do that?” Lucius was surprised at the brilliant suggestion.
“Of course I would. I didn’t think my actions would affect you like this. You can’t be the second smartest man in Gotham if you’re stressed,” Edward teases him a little, chuckling at his own comment. “But seriously, I really am sorry.”
“Thank you, Edward. That truly means a lot to me, to know that you still care.”
Edward leans into his ear and whispers. “I’ll never stop caring.”
“I’ll try to remember that.” Lucius clears his throat and steps away from Edward’s touch. Things were getting a little too intimate and it was making him a bit uncomfortable with their break up still being resent.
“I’m sorry about that too.” Edward slips his hands into his pockets. “I got a little touchy there.”
“It’s okay, Ed,” Lucius assures him. “The message was nice.”
“I’m glad you liked it.” He flashes Lucius a small smile.
Lucius laughs softly, returning the gesture with a soft smile of his own. “Why do you keep doing this to me?”
“Doing what?”
The smile falls from his face and he sighs, looking away from Edward. “Making me feel like everything is okay like things are back to the way they were,” Lucius says, fighting off emotions and tears that threaten to fall. He misses Edward deeply and the relationship they had together, but sadly he knows that they were making each other unhappy. “You’re not my boyfriend anymore, but yet you still long to touch me.”
“I’m sorry,” he sincerely apologizes, hating himself for unknowingly hurting Lucius. He never wants to hurt this brilliant man again. “I don’t know why but I think I might…”
“Don’t,” Lucius cuts him off, not wanting to hear his explanation. It wouldn’t change anything between them anyway. He isn’t quite sure why he asked in the first place. “Just stop doing it, please? Don’t touch me without my permission.”
“I will stop. I promise.”
“I just don’t want what we still have to be uncomfortable or strange for either of us.”
“It won’t be. I don’t want that for us either.”
“Good.” Lucius nods and wipes his eyes. “Anyways,” he quickly changes the subject. “What are you doing this weekend that made you end class just to dream about it?”
“I’m going scuba diving,” he tells Lucius the truth. Going diving in the ocean is a whimsical experience of its own. So it’s easy to believe that he’d think about doing it. “I found the location of an old shipwreck that I’m hoping to scavenger hunt through.”
“That is exciting. I can understand why you’d want to think of that,” he says kindly. “Curious though, how did you come across finding this wreck?”
Edward was stumped for a moment. He couldn’t tell Lucius that the wreck is the lair of the merman that he’s dating. “S-sonar tracking?” He didn’t mean for his answer to come out as a question, but he had to think fast and this was the best explanation.
“Aah…” Lucius nods his head in understanding. “I see now. Well, I hope you have fun. Maybe find a bit of buried treasure.”
“If I find anything of note, I’ll definitely let you know.”
“You better,” Lucius chuckles. “Well,” he sighs “I’ll get out of your hair. You have some making up to me to do by getting in contact with six university students.”
“You’re absolutely right about that,” Edward replies, chucking as well.
“I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Oh,” Edward adds just before Lucius turns away. “I’m moving into the loft on Monday and I’ll be settling in, so you won’t see me until Wednesday.”
“Okay.” Lucius makes note of it on his phone. “I’ll see you on Wednesday then.”
“You absolutely will.” Edward smiles, watching Lucius head back to his office.
*
*
*
Breathing in the salty air of the Northern Atlantic Ocean, Edward pilots a small boat out to the location Oswald had asked to meet him for their whimsical scuba session. The coordinates set him directly over the shipwreck Oswald calls home, just sitting forty-seven meters below him.
He takes inventory of his gear and double checks everything to make sure it’s all in working order as he waits for Oswald to breach the water.
About twenty-five minutes after Edward turned off the boat’s engine, Oswald breaks out from the calming water and waves enthusiastically at the site of Edward.
Edward’s breath is caught in his throat when he witnesses the merman come to the surface just for him. He still can’t believe this beautiful being is willing to expose himself just for a lowly scientist. His heart nearly stops every time he sets eyes on Oswald.
“Oswald!” He calls out to him, fighting off the urge to jump into the water. “Oswald, you gorgeous creature!”
Blushing like a perfectly steamed lobster, Oswald dives into the water and swims as fast as he can to the boat.
Once there, the mermaid breaks through the surface with his arms wide open and pulls Edward over the edge of the boat, kissing the man zealously.
Edward grips onto the sides of the boat, desperate not to fall in as he savors the salty, wet, lips of his new boyfriend.
“Edward,” Oswald murmurs, combing his pudgy fingers through Edward’s hair, which is starting to curl from the moist ocean air. “I m-missed you.”
“I missed you too, Oswald,” he manages to say, before Oswald yanks him back to his lips, deepening their embrace.
Oswald starts to pull Edward a little move over the boat. The marine biologist doesn’t have much in upper body strength compared to the older and stronger fish-man, but he’s able to keep himself from meeting the ocean prematurely.
[X]
Edward slowly breaks off the kiss, lingering at Oswald’s lips for a moment before combing his fingers through the merman’s wet hair and slicking it back behind his ear. “Beautiful,” he whispers, eyes filling with awe of the alluring man before him. “Absolutely stunning.”
Oswald blushes and falls back into the water, covering his smile behind his hand.
“I’ve been looking forward to seeing that smile all week. Please don’t cover it.”
Oswald drops his hand and shows Edward his beaming smile.
“There you are,” Edward says softly, bending over the side of the boat to cup Oswald’s cheek.
“I w-want to show you a little more than what you think you m-might see,” Oswald explains, resting a hand over the one Edward has on his cheek. He’s thought about it long and hard, and he wants Edward to see him for what he really is. He can no longer hide his true self from the man he’s falling in love with. “I want you to really know who and-and what I am… I—I hope that d-doesn’t scare you.”
“That doesn’t scare me. I want to know who you really are, Oswald. That’s why I’m here.” Edward takes his hand from Oswald’s cheek. “I just have to finish suiting up and you can show me your gorgeous world.”
Oswald smiles and spins around in the water like a hyper dolphin. “I’m so excited!”
Ed laughs as he slips his legs inside the scuba suit. “You are adorable, did you know that?” He straightens the suit and takes off his glasses to put them in their case and leaves them in his bag of clothing.
“Hurry up, Edward!” Oswald says impatiently, splashing water at the boat.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” he chuckles, putting on the oxygen tank. “I’ve done the math. I’ve filled and adjusted my tank according to the depths I’ll be diving. I have about an hour and a half worth of air. That’s ninety minutes we get to spend together in your home.”
Oswald put some space between him and the boat when Edward started to sit on the edge. Ed pulls down the full-face mask that will allow him to talk to Oswald under water. He isn’t sure if Oswald will be able to talk to him too, but at least he could reply to his body language.
“How do I look?” Edward asks, carefully lowering himself into the water.
“You look like a m-man in a fish suit,” Oswald answers honestly.
“But am I a handsome man in a fish suit?”
“Absolutely!” Oswald wraps his arms around Edward and plants a kiss on his face mask in his excitement, forgetting that he couldn’t give the man proper affection. He frowns, pouting as his freckled cheeks burn red, irked.
“Awww, Oswald,” Edward cooed, taking hold of Oswald’s hand. “You can’t kiss me with the mask on, but that’s okay. We have better things to do than kiss.”
“But I like kissing you.”
“I know you do. We can kiss all you want later. Okay?”
Oswald’s face beams and he nods.
“Good. Now show me your home.”
Without hesitation, Oswald tightens his grip on Edward’s hand and dives into the water, dragging the man down with him.
Edward’s heart races as he’s being pulled deeper and deeper into the ocean, the warmth of the sun fading as the water gets darker around him.
“Oswald,” he says, trying to steady his breathing, not wanting to lose air too quickly. “Can we slow down a little. I want to see everything.”
At Edward’s request, Oswald slows all together, stopping in the middle of a school of fish swimming through a garden of kelp. He turns to Edward, green eyes wide and vivid as he gazes at Ed for the first time since diving— his long graying hair flowing freely through the water.
Edward’s breath is caught in his throat when Oswald turns to him. Never has he see such natural beauty illuminating from another man, and the ocean world around them. “I’m so in love with all of this already.”
Oswald opens his mouth to reply, but he quickly closes it. He’s never tried speaking the human language under water and he isn’t sure how it would sound.
“Were you going to try to say something?” Edward asks, cupping Oswald’s neck, but he moves his hand away when he feels gills filtering the water for oxygen. How did he not notice them before? His best theory, they must seal themselves whenever a mermaid is on land.
The merman nods his head yes as his answer.
“You should try. I’d love to hear your voice.”
Oswald shakes his head no, embarrassed of the sounds that might escape him.
“You don’t know if you can?” Edward brushes his gloved hand over Oswald’s plump cheek. “You’ll never know unless you try.”
He thinks for a moment, looking into Edward’s stunning brown eyes, feeling Ed’s support and his the belief that he could do it. “I’ll try.” His voice is muddled and bubbles formed from his lips with every word, but he was proud to discover that he could talk and Edward could understand him.
“You see!” Edward says, enthusiastically. “I knew you could do it!”
Oswald hugs Edward tightly, spinning them both around.
“You can do anything you want, Oswald. Because you are fearless.”
When Oswald lets Edward go, he continues their ascent down to the shipwreck, going much slower than before so that Edward can take in all the beauty of the underwater world.
The merman’s home slowly comes into view and Edward’s heart starts to hammer in his narrow chest. The sight of the 17th-century ship is a breathtaking one to bestow. Though it has been claimed by centuries of ocean life, the vessel itself is perfectly preserved and fully intact. It makes Edward wonder what could have possibly happened to sink it to the bottom of the sea.
Approaching the stern of the ship, Edward can clearly read its name. “Van Dahl,” he says awestruck. “Do you know any history about the ship?”
“No,” Oswald answers. “It was here long b-before we moved in.”
“I‘m sure I can do some research to find something and we can…” Edward’s thought trails off as he realizes something Oswald has said. “We?” He questioned. He had originally thought Oswald was living alone.
“Yes,” Oswald lets go of Edward’s hand to allow him to follow. “It’s the entry to the colony.”
The colony? Is Oswald speaking of the mermaid colony? Oswald had said just days before that he wasn’t sure about Edward knowing the location of the others. Now, he’s leading Ed directly to them?
“Oswald, wait.” Edward stops Oswald, turning him to face him. “Before you didn’t want me to know about the others. What changed your mind?”
“I want you to s-see how my life is when we’re not together. You didn’t hold anything b-back from your life when I was on land. I wanted to do the same.”
“Are you sure about this?” Ed takes Oswald by both of his hands, holding them tightly. “You really trust me that much?”
Oswald nods and presses his lips to Edward’s right hand. He trusts this man with his life and the lives of others like him.
“I promise to never let anyone know if this location. I’ll keep it to myself for the rest of my life.”
“I know you will.” Oswald gifts Edward a smile before swimming away to show him the rest of the ship.
“Slow down, Oswald,” Edward chuckles, swimming after the speedy mermaid. “You know you’re faster than me.”
Ed catches up with Oswald, following him into the dark cabins of the old ship, taking in all the sights of this unbelievable experience.
In what appears to be the captain’s quarters of the ship was filled with Oswald’s collection of human items. The merman was proud to show his mate all the things he’s found and stolen over the years- the tools that have taught him about the world on dry land.
Edward was in awe of all the children’s books and language teaching books in Oswald’s collection. He could see how determined Oswald was to learn to speak with humans.
Though the lower decks of the ship, Oswald leads Edward to a door and he opens it to reveal that the ship had landed on top of the entry to an underwater cave. The moment is silent between them, knowing that what was to happen next could change the course of their relationship.
“D-don’t be scared, Edward,” Oswald says reassuringly, taking Ed by the hand.
Edward had to admit to himself that he was in fact scared of what would happen. The merfolk could get upset with Oswald bring a human to their home or they could have a strict law permitting it. Was Oswald really sure of what he was doing?
“Trust me,” Oswald adds and leads Edward through the cave.
Following the merman blindly, Edward starts to breathe a little heavily, excited and unsure of what will be waiting for them on the other side. But he trusts Oswald and knows that he’ll keep him safe in this strange new world.
The light shines through another exit at the end of the cave and opens up to a world no other human has ever set sight upon.
There was a city. Not a typical city with high rises that stretch to the sky, but one filled with a community of merpeople living together under the blind eyes of the human race. If Edward didn’t see it himself he wouldn’t believe it. So many mermaids living together in what seems like harmony just miles outside the docks of Gotham city.
“Oswald,” Edward says breathless, heart beating rapidly, eyes darting every-which-way as he sees something new. With full families, small children swimming in schools and sleeping in the kelp forest, Edward was absolutely astonished. “Your world… It's magnificent!”
Oswald giggles, covering his smile before gesturing for Edward to follow him, and he swims ahead.
Edward follows the giggly merman, but his flipper is suddenly caught and he can’t swim behind Oswald. He looks back to find that a large and menacing looking merman has caught him.
Frightened, Edward cries out, “Oswald!”
Oswald circles back and insanity charges at the other merman, screeching at him with fury in his native tongue.
The other merman immediately lets go of Ed, unaware as to who the human was following. He folds his hands together and lowers his head before Oswald as if waiting to receive an order.
Edward quickly clings on to Oswald, shivering as he tried to steady his breath. Suddenly being grabbed by an angry merman is one of the most freighting things to have ever happened to him. “Oswald, what’s going on?”
Oswald talks to the other merman before he swims off as if given a task to be done. Oswald then wraps his arms around his startled mate hoping to calm him. “I’m s-sorry that happened. I thought I made things clear to them.”
“Clear about what?”
“About you coming.”
Edward pulls out of Oswald’s embrace, tilting his head slightly and squinting just a bit. “Oswald… Why would an entire community of merpeople be okay with one of them bringing in a human?”
It’s not that Edward doesn’t appreciate that they all would just listen to Oswald no questions asked, but it wasn’t what he had expected. He thought they’d sneak around just so that he could get a glimpse at their life without being out in the open.
“This is w-what I wanted you to see,” Oswald explains, hoping that Edward won’t look at him any differently than before. “Everyone here listens to m-me. I’m the alpha… I think humans would c-call me a king?”
Edward’s eyes widen. This precious older merman, the man who walked the streets of Gotham in a skirt and tank top, is the leader of all the merpeople? Ed would have never imagined, but it’s all starting to make a little more sense now. No wonder Oswald was very secretive when it came to telling Edward about his day.
“You’re the alpha?” Edward echoes, still in shock of learning the truth.
“Yes,” Oswald answers. “N-nothing happens here without me knowing.”
Edward stares at Oswald for a moment, heart filling with sorrow. “But Oswald, how are you going to live with me with the tank if you’re the leader of your people?”
“You weren’t b-building the tank for me to always live in it.”
“Well, I know that.”
“I was always g-going to come back home. I th-think I was meant to live in two worlds.”
“What if something happens and you’re not here?” Edward could never live with himself if anything happened to the merpeople and Oswald wasn’t here to help them.
“My people aren’t helpless, Ed,” Oswald says assuringly, resting a hand on Edward’s shoulder and gives him a gentle squeeze. “Th-they can take care of themselves as well.”
“I feel a little selfish now for wanting to put you in a loft with a tank when you have those who need you.”
“What about what I need? I need you,” Oswald spoke passionately and clearly without his stammer, desperate to make Edward understand. “I need to be on land with you. I can always come home to do what’s needed, then go back to you.”
Edward brought a hand up to Oswald’s cheek, gazing into the fiery emotions behind the merman’s eyes. He could feel the sincerity and love in Oswald’s words, but he still harbors a bit of doubt. “Do you really think we can make it work?”
“I know we can.” Oswald hugs Edward, kissing him on his face mask, though he wishes it was really Ed’s cheek. “W-we can do anything together.”
“I care about you so much, Oswald, and I only want the best for you.” He slowly breaks their hug and slides his fingers through Oswald’s freely flowing hair. “If you think you’re meant to live in two worlds, then so do I. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure it happens.”
“Thank you, Edward.”
Edward blew a kiss into his hand and presses it against Oswald’s lips, making the mermaid blush and giggle. “Next time I visit, I won’t spend this much time talking. I wasted a lot of air.”
“We’ll just swim and explore.”
“That sounds amazing.” Edward laces their fingers together. “I need to start heading back to the surface.”
“Alright, air breather,” Oswald says, chuckling at his own comment.
“Hey! You need oxygen too. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your gills.”
Oswald kisses Edward’s hand before swimming back towards the cave, pulling Edward along with him. They keep their hands locked together as they make their way back up to the boat.
*
*
*
Breaking through to the surface together, Edward immediately takes off his mask and surprises Oswald with a deep loving kiss.
Oswald gasps and quickly wraps his arms around Edward, hands traveling up and down Edward’s back. “Mmm…” he hums, closing his eyes in bliss.
Ed nibbles on Oswald’s bottom lip before slowly pulling away. “I had the most amazing time with you. Thank you for opening your world to me.”
“You d-don’t have to thank me,” Oswald says, running his thumb gently over Edward’s pouty lip.
“Yes, I did,” he nods. “You didn’t have to show me and I would have understood if you never did because keeping mermaids a secret is important. You have to protect them.”
“I’ll accept your thanks then.”
Edward sighs sweetly, brushing Oswald’s hair behind his right ear. “You’ve been so good to me already, but I’d like to ask you to do something else for me.”
“What is it?”
“Will you please wear the tracker I designed for you?” Edward says, nearly pleading for Oswald to do so. “I understand why you said no before, but I know where you live now and the tracker will let me know that your okay when we’re not together.”
Oswald nods his head as an answer. He doesn’t mind wearing the tracker to ease Edward’s mind about him. Plus it would be nice to have that little light to know whenever Edward is on the beach waiting for him.
“Thank you. Thank you.” Edward grabs Oswald and pulls him into him, kissing the merman over, and over, and over again. “You don’t know how much weight just lifted from my shoulders.” He then quickly takes off his scuba tank, lifts it into the boat, and pulls himself in as well. He looks through the bag he brought on board with him and pulls out a little black box. “I made a lot of adjustments to it because I know you like jewelry.” He leans over the side of the boat to show Oswald the box and opens it to reveal a gold ring with a little green emerald.
“It’s beautiful, Edward,” Oswald says in awe, dragging a finger along the jewel’s surface. “D-does it still has the light to let m-me know you’re at the beach?”
“It still has everything that’s needed, ”Ed promises. “It’s just all in something that won’t disrupt your daily life.”
“I love it!” Oswald holds out his right hand to Edward. “P-put it in me, please?”
Edward smiles ear to ear as he takes the ring out of the box and slips it on Oswald’s finger. He knew it would fit the merman’s pudgy digits perfectly. “Now I’ll always know your safe.” He leans over a little further and plants a kiss on Oswald salty lips. “I promise that I’ll only document the data that I’ll receive for one week for my research. After that, I won’t keep any records.”
“I trust you, Edward.”
“I know you do.” He kisses the mermaid’s lips again.
Oswald giggles and admires the new ring on his hand. He’ll never take it off for anything.
“I should get the boat back before Lucius locks up the lab. He’s been working a lot since we broke up.”
“Is he alright?” Oswald asks, genuinely concerned for Lucius’ well-being. “I hope things b-between you two aren’t bad.”
“He’s okay,” Edward answers to the best of his knowledge. “We still bicker at each other, but I think we are heading to the right place.”
“I’m glad,” Oswald smiles up at Edward. He knows how important his friendship is with Lucius and wants it to be as solid as the one growing between himself and Edward. “I c-can't wait to meet him.”
“He’s going to love you.”
“I know he will,” Oswald chuckles.
“You’re too cute.” Edward boops him on the nose. “Well, I hate to go, but I have to. I might come back after I finish getting my stuff together for the move.”
“I understand, and I’ll understand if you d-don’t come back.”
“I’m so lucky to have found you.” He gives Oswald one last passionate kiss, breathing in deeply through his nose.
Oswald fights off the need to pull Edward back into the water, but he knows that his mate has to go. “If I d-don’t see you tonight, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You will definitely see me tomorrow. I promise.” He lifts himself back into the boat. “I’ll leave you to run your city, king of Gotham’s water world.”
“Are you g-going to start calling me that now?”
“I might,” Edward winks.
Oswald chuckles into his hand, blushing endlessly.
“Okay…” Edward sighs, after being captivated by Oswald’s laughter. “We should part ways, but can you go first? I won’t be able to leave knowing that you’re watching me.”
“Alright,” Oswald says bittersweetly as he waves his hand goodbye to Edward. “I’ll see you later.”
“You will,” Edward blows Oswald a kiss.
Oswald catches the kiss and quickly dives back into the water, making his ascent down to the shipwreck.
Edward holds back tears as he starts the engine to the boat. Will it always be this hard to separate from Oswald? Living in two worlds will be a difficult task, one that he’s willing to conquer with his beloved mermaid. He knows with all of his heart that they were meant to be together and he’ll do anything to make sure that they are.
I do have the next chapter of “Where the Land Meets the Sea” written and ready. I just haven’t had time to read through it all and edit it yet. Hopping to try to do that today.
Day 16 #MerMayGiveaway Mermaid Icon... so many I admire and look up to and wish I could add them all <3 after I becoming a mermaid, meeting so many of my online mermaids in person for first time during the #merfest2014 my first mermaid event I had the pleasure and honor of meeting one and only. @ThomShouse #Tailman #MerPapa sitting Next to me during the luau dinner!!!! Im almost choke when I realized it. He is so inspiring and caring as a person as a #merman he is truly inspiring and what a amazing #pirate he is as well, he is also a creator of many beautiful tails one of which is #TheCharmed tail #phobe wore and omg @ThomShouse along with @RobertShort who I also had the honor to meet created the famous #Splash tail Daryl Hannah wore doesnt get better than that for any mermaid! Im so lucky to have met him and we have remain good friends since then and he says im part of his #mermaidpod always 🥰🧡 (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA4I-s6H4dw/?igshid=dxgbuptv6n7v
