Nick 2.0

The salty air of the sea filled your lungs as you took a deep breath in.

You always enjoyed the sea, ever since you were little you’ve always wanted to out to sea with your father. Your mother always forbade it though, chopping up some excuse that young royals like you shouldn’t be on such a dangerous jounery like that. But now, you were an adult. And heir to the throne. So there was no way your mom could stop you from going this time.

“Isn’t that smell lovely, Hanta?” You asked, turning to look at the black haired male who was currently bent over the side of the boat.

“Yeah, definitely..” Sero groaned, lifting up his head to look at you, offering a weak smile.

You chuckled, jumping down from the net you were standing on. “Don’t tell me your sea sick already.” You teased, patting the hurling man on the back.

Sero shot you a weak glare, which only fueled your amusement. “[Name], I know you like traveling.. but don’t you think you should be focusing on your upcoming coronation?”

You clicked your tongue, your mood dampening slightly. “You know how I feel about that, Han.”

Sero sighed, finally being able to stand properly. “I know, but it was your father’s last wish that you take his place as ruler-”

“And if I don’t want to be the ruler?” You cut him off, turning to look at him, more sharply this time. “I’m sick of being bound by all the rules and limitations. I want to travel freely. Explore the world!… I can’t do that locked away in that castle..” you say, leaning on the railing, looking out at the sea.

Sero sighs, feeling slightly guilty that he made you upset. “C’mon,” He said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders “The ship has enough beer to last us weeks, lets not let it go to waste.”

A reluctant smile graced your lips as you allow Sero guide you to where the barrels of beer were. The sound of the crew singing a old shanty and laughter filling your ears as you walk, the sound was so loud that you could’ve sworn that even the fish down below could hear the music.

—

The music was that loud. Down below, in the dark blue waters of the ocean, the music caught the attention of two certain mermen.

“Do you hear that?” Mirio Togata asked, turning to grab the attention of his indigo haired friend.

“Yeah, I do..” Tamaki mumbled, fiddling with the net of trinkets that they had been collecting earlier. “It must be the humans again.”

“We should check it out!” Mirio exclaims, grabbing hold of Tamaki’s wrist before he started to pull him along.

“What?!” Tamaki shrieked, trying to wriggle his wrist free. “Are you insane? You know we can’t swim up to the surface!”

“Has that ever stopped us before?” Mirio asked with a raised brow as he continued to pull Tamaki along with him to the surface.

The air at the surface was much different from the air underwater. It was sharp, almost piercing if he wasn’t careful enough. But it wasn’t unpleasant, just.. different.

The music and laughter on the ship were loud, cheerful as the crew danced and sung. Tamaki wanted to go back, wanted to go back home and just relax. But before he could even get the words out of his mouth, Mirio was already climbing up the side of the boat and to the small opening on the side.

“Mirio! What the hell are you doing? Get back here!” Tamaki whisper-yelled, finding himself climbing up after the blonde.

When Tamaki reached the place Mirio was sitting, he grabbed the man’s arm, whispering hissingly. “Mirio, we shouldn’t be here!” Only for him to get hushed by the merman. Mirio pointed, urging Tamaki to look.

As he turned to look, Tamaki felt his breath catch in his lungs. There, in the middle of the deck stood you.

Fuck, you were gorgeous.

To him, you were the most beautiful human he has ever seen. Well, you were probably the only human he’s ever seen, but his point still stands.

You were there, laughing at something Sero had said as you held a cup of beer in your hand. Tamaki seemed captivated, almost in a trance. He didn’t even hear Mirio calling his name.

“Tamaki!” Mirio said urgently, cutting through Tamaki’s thoughts. “A storm!”

“W-What?” Tamaki stammered, turning to look at Mirio.

“There’s a storm coming! We need to go!” Mirio urged, pointing to the dark swarming clouds.

Tamaki swallowed hard as he looked over at you, watching your expression change as looked up at the darkening sky. Barking orders at your crewmates to secure the ship and to lower the sails.

With one final look, Tamaki followed Mirio off the side of the boat and into the ocean.

Just as they returned to the water, Tamaki heard a loud crack.

Tamaki gasped, looking up to see the bright, orange hues of fire. Pieces of the boat flying down, splashing into the water.

“Guys!” Kirishima called, swimming to meet up with the two mermen. “C’mon! We have to go! Fatgum’s worried sick!”

And for the first time in a long time, Tamaki hesitated to go back home.

He glanced at his friends, then back up at the boat, and began to swim. He swam up to the surface, the smell of smoke and burning wood making him want to cough. He glanced around frequently, his heart beating so loud he could hear it in his ears.

Finally, his eyes landed on your body, sinking down beneath the murky waters of the ocean.

He moved hurriedly towards you, grabbing hold of your waist and bringing you back up to the surface. He reached up, feeling a pulse point on your neck.

You were still alive.

Thank God.

Behind him, he could hear Mirio and Kirishima calling out for him. “Tamaki! Are you okay?” He heard Mirio say.

“We need to take him to shore.” He said, his tone lacking any hesitation or anxiety.

“Are you nuts?” Kirishima shrieked. “We’ll never get there in time!”

“Then we better move.” Tamaki said, already starting to swim.

“Wh- Amajiki!” Kirishima sputtered, looking to Mirio, who was already swiming after his friend.

“You heard the man! Let’s go!” Mirio called, leaving Kirishima to curse underneath his breath before envenitedly swiming after the two.

—

By the time the three reached the shore, the morning sun was already beginning to rise.

As Tamaki dragged you onto shore, he gently placed you onto the warm sand, pressing his ear close to your chest. You were breathing, but it was faint. He

moved up once again, catching a glimpse of your face.

God, you were even prettier up close.

The softness of your skin, the curve of your lips, the line of your jaw, all of it was perfect to him.

But he couldn’t get distracted, not when you were laying in the sand barely breathing.

So with that, he moved upward, pinching your nose before leaning down to blow air into your mouth, then pressing into your chest to get your heart to start once again.

This process lasted for another two minutes before you eventually coughed. Water spewing out of your mouth as you rolled on your side to catch your breath. Through your blurry vision, you could halfway make out a person next to you. Though it was blurry, you could make out the color of the stranger’s hair. A dark purple color. Or was it indigo? You couldn’t really tell with your dizzy stae.

“Are you alright?” You heard the person ask. What a pretty voice.. You thought to yourself. You try to mumble something incoherent before hear the worried, frantic voice of Sero calling your name.

“[Name]? Is that you?”

Tamaki’s head snapped up toward the scoure of the voice. He recongized the man as the one you were sitting next to on the boat. He hurriedly moved, going back into the ocean with Mirio and Kirishima, swimming behind a rock to avoid being seen.

They watched as Sero reached you, sitting up as he patted your back.

“Jesus, [Name]. You scared the shit out of me. I thought we lost you.” Sero said, as you groaned, your arm being drapped over Sero’s shoulders.

“Where’d he go?” You ask, confused.

The question caused Sero to raise a brow. “Where’d who go?”

“The man. He was just here..” You mumbled, pointing to the spot that you could’ve sworn you saw someone. “He helped me.. he asked me if I was okay.”

Sero paused, looking around the shore of the beach, only to see no one but the bits of ship that washed up during the storm. He brushed it off, excusing it to be a hallucation. “C’mon, let’s get you inside. Your mother has been worried sick.” He said as he helped you off the ground, walking you up the path to the castle.

The three mermen watched as you were brought inside, delirious.

“Okay, he’s back where he belongs, now we need to go. Fatgum’s gonna kill us,” Kirishima says, patting Tamaki on the shoulder.

Tamaki’s gaze lingers for a moment longer before he ultimately follows, the sight of your glassy eyes never leaving his mind.

—

The three merman returned into the throne room, their heads hung low as Toyomitsu approached them.

“So,” He started, placing his trident down and swimming over to the three. But his eyes were specifically on Tamaki. “Care to tell me where you’ve been?”

“Well we were—” “You see sir—”

“Quiet.” Toyomitsu said, cutting them off. He turned to Tamaki, his arms crossing over his chest. “Where were you?”

Tamaki tensed, his eyes locking to the floor. He wasn’t used to seeing Fatgum so angry, especially at him. “..The surface.” Tamaki answered quietly.

Toyomitsu stared, his gaze hardened.

“It was—there was a shipwreck, I couldn’t just let them die.” Tamaki blurted out, finally catching his king’s gaze.

“Them? The humans?” The elder man asked, shock lacing his tone, mixing with the anger he had felt.

“You saved humans?” He asked, staring at the shaking teen in front of him.

“T-There was a shipwreck! I couldn’t just watch them die! And it was only one!” Tamaki defended, his throat growing tight.

Toyomitsu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “How many times must I tell you to not go to the surface? It is far too dangerous for you there!”

“But—”

“Stop. I’ve heard enough. Go to your cave. You are to stay there until further notice.”

Tamaki stared at the older man in front of him, an expression of hurt and something else deep within him. With a final huff, he swam off, anger bubbling up in his chest.

Toyomitsu sighed as he returned to his throne, dismissing Mirio and Kirishima.