Mo

ﾟ:｡Two Peas in a Pod｡:ﾟ

apocalyptic ponyo au by Keferon (no master post for this one yet)

An Ambassador Animal and an Animal Super Star, Rico is world renown for not only his unique personality and live performances, but also for his rare intellect and capacity to speak. To date, he is the only Mer to truly talk, all others merely parrot or don't speak at all. While researchers speculate if it was due to how young he was when he was rescued or a one-in-a-million chance mutation. Rico has been one of the few successes of keeping a Mer of his size in captivity. From childhood to adulthood Rico has gone from one aquarium to the next, rotated through dozens of handlers and vets, and has been an integral part of modern Mermaid research. But life beyond the spotlight, beneath the chirping cheer, hidden behind charming smiles, overshadowed from loving fans, is a glass dam of salt water that did not come from the ocean.

TW/CW I will tag as needed, but overall: Implied/Referenced Animal Abuse, Implied/Referenced Medical Abuse/Medical Malpractice, Mental Anguish, Childhood Trauma, Survival Horror, Drowning

Begin reading Here on Keferon's blog or Here on AO3. (I do correct spelling and other errors from time to time, but on tumblr parts 1-9 I can't make changes to. Just as an fyi)

ﾟ:｡Chapters/Parts｡:ﾟ

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16...

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⋅๑┈•✦Better Off Not Knowing✦•┈๑⋅

mimics au by Keferon

"Fire is three strikes." [What's that supposed to mean?] Jazz had asked. "It is the average time it takes for someone to start a fire with flint and steel. Two-point-eight seconds." [Okay…?] "It is also the same amount of time for a reckless action to burn out of control." Prowl had glared at Jazz who sheepishly smiled in turn.

TW/CW I will tag as needed, but overall: Mild Robot Gore, Grieving, Heavy Angst

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"common" {mer} {[common words mix in mer]} (mer/echo Jazz doesn't understand) .: echo-speech :. _____________________________

Jazz laughed, weak and breathless, while Prowl faintly scowled.

He hadn't meant to laugh, but he was just so relieved.

As Prowl quickly righted himself, he turned to Jazz and placed his uninjured hand upon the other mer's shoulder. {I will think of a way. Trust me.}

Oh, whoops. I didn't mean it like that.

Here Prowl was trying to be strong and hold onto hope, that he would break free and see the ocean again, and Jazz had reacted like it was a joke.

Mustering a small, yet honest smile, Jazz relaxed under the light contact. {I trust you,} he said softly.

It wasn't a lie; technically, he trusted that Prowl would come up with a plan. He was certainly smart enough. Prowl would get out, he would see the ocean again. But Jazz knew that it wouldn't be from Prowl's efforts.

No animal left the aquarium unless it went out in a box.

{But, you're hurt,} Jazz continued, looking down at the sling around Prowl's other arm, at both the visible healing cuts and those still hidden beneath the bandages across Prowl's chest. {Can't get out with you hurt.}

Prowl withered a bit, glancing down like he had forgotten. Or perhaps he had been more willing to be reckless until Jazz pointed it out as a problem. {That is okay. I will need time to (plan), to think. (Until then,) I will (recover)… heal over time.}

As Prowl withdrew, Jazz snatched his wrist. Prowl blinked in slight surprise just as Jazz's anxiety flared — he let go immediately — because he had done it without thinking.

{Sorry! I, uh—, sleep! Right, we-} he rambled out in haste to hopefully distract Prowl from what he just did. Though mer and human words clashed in his panic, {we [should get to] bed- uh, you [should get to bed,] you need sleep — [will you be able to sleep? Are you hurting too much to—]}

"—Jazz," Prowl interrupted delicately, with a voice so small, it startled Jazz. This time as Prowl's hand returned to his shoulder, he had done it slow enough for Jazz to reject the contact, yet fast enough that it wasn't a sign of hesitation. Jazz doesn't move. He can't. It's a internal battle of being terrified of the repercussions and a deep seated longing of something that was wrong.

His hand sits gentle, yet firm, just like how Blaster does it.

{It's okay. Breathe,} he continues, {take deep, slow breaths.}

With a shaky exhale; a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, Jazz does as he's told. For the next three Jazz closes his eyes. But he is still tense, there's still too many emotions from today coiled tightly like a spring.

{Good,} comes the soft encouragement accompanied by soothing strokes down his arm and back up. It helps, and yet makes it all the more unbearable. Jazz trembles mutely as he curls in on himself, till his face is centimetres from the water and his arms are tucked tightly against his chest. While Prowl's words continued, repeated; though no less genuine.

They stay like this for a while. Until the tension began to melt away. Once Jazz has calmed down some, Prowl brings his hand to a pause on the other's shoulder, {talk to me, what is wrong? I want to help.}

Jazz worries his lip between his teeth for a moment before lifting his head, though he doesn't look at Prowl when he answers. {I'm fine. Sorry for… this,} he says as he gestures vaguely to himself, {it is a long day. I need sleep.}

Prowl frowns, but nods, {it (was) a long day.}

And he says nothing else, no pressing, no judgement, just providing the steady and calm comfort of his presence. Just… here. Regardless of Jazz giving him an easy out and simply going to bed, he's here while Jazz gathers himself. It makes Jazz feel weak, like he's about to start crumbling again. There is fear, so much fear. And yet there is also something else, this sensation like he could just reach out and– grab on.

{… tomorrow hundreds of humans will come again. Will you,} Jazz cut himself off, until Prowl resumed gently stroking his arm, the soothing touch gave him the soft encouragement he needed. {Will you hide again?}

Yet, as a minute passed and Prowl still hadn't answered, but also hadn't stop moving his hand, Jazz nervously pressed even as his voice fell to a whisper. {Will you not talk to me again?}

{Sorry,} he was quick to answer this time, {I will talk. I (was just) thinking about tomorrow. And the next, the day (after) tomorrow… Hundreds of humans will be here again?}

{Yes,} Jazz spoke with reluctance, worrying how this would affect Prowl to hear this, {five days they are here, two they are not.}

Prowl is quiet for another moment before he answers the question from before. {I will not try to hide, it will not help. And it will not help you, it will (only) hurt you.}

Jazz perked up at that and he finally met the other mer's eyes again. {What?}

{When I left… to think. I was mad with the humans, at (everything. But,) I (also upset) you, I hurt your feelings and your trust. I'm sorry. I do not want to hurt you, I want to help you, I want you to feel safe with me, to trust me.}

{I do trust you,} Jazz insisted, but when Prowl removed his hand to hold it out as an offering. Jazz held his own even tighter to his chest.

Prowl's expression shifted a carefully, to one bearing a hit of compassion. {You say that, (yet) you are (still) scared of me,} he said without judgment.

{I'm not!} Jazz wasn't scared of Prowl, he was scared of what could happen, of what would happen if he was caught. Somethings got missed or people weren't watching closely, but there was cameras everywhere. And it was bad enough that even if Jazz did behave Prowl was still going to be taken away in the end, but to lose him sooner because he broke the rules — Jazz would never forgive himself. {I'm not, I-I do not know the words. I'm not scared of you, I'm not, please trust me!}

With him winding up again, Prowl went back to consoling. {It's okay, I will trust what you say. We have time to learn more words… And, I'm sorry I did not ask (before, but) is this touch okay?}

Jazz blinked in bewilderment, why would he suddenly change the topic to that of all things? "The petting? Ya, you're allowed to pet me, there's nothing wrong with that."

Prowl made an odd face as he stopped the comforting touch and lifted his hand as he spoke again, {[Jazz,] (if) it's not okay, I want you to tell me. I want you to trust me that (if) you say no, it's no, I will not touch you.}

{No, no, it's okay!} Jazz quickly corrected to mer and even leaned back into Prowl's retreating hand. {This touch is fine and… and it's helped me feel better, thank you.}

{You're welcome,} Prowl said with a faint smile, but Jazz had a feeling this expression was forced; like he was doing it for Jazz's sake. Though, that in of itself caused Jazz to wonder.

{… Prowl?}

{Yes?}

{Do you… like me?} Though the moment the words left his mouth, he began to flounder again. "I mean– as friends! Well, maybe not friends yet, not that I wouldn't want to be friends! I do! I just- I know you apologised for earlier, but it doesn't necessarily mean you like me, it just shows you're nice. And you don't have to like me, but I'd like to at least know you don't find me annoying or something. I don't know—"

{I do (care.)}

"—you know what, forget- you," Jazz froze up, looking at Prowl with wide eyes. {You… do?}

{I do not know you (very well, though) I am getting to know you more with time. Day… six; (when) I left the small pool and we (met) face to face, I (thought) — past think.} Prowl paused heavily here, his face scrunching up as he looked away and back at Jazz again. Whatever he was debating, he was very hesitant to say. {I (thought) you were naughty.}

Jazz cringed and quickly hid his face in his hands in complete embarrassment. {I'm [so] sorry!}

{(Apology accepted.) I forgive you.} Prowl said as he patted Jazz's shoulder. {You (have) shown me over these past (few) days that you (regret) your (behaviour.) I see that you are trying, to be better, to learn. And to help me with the humans. You're strong (willed) and you're smart, (even if) you're naughty (sometimes), you're a good kid.}

That last part killed his embarrassment real quick and Jazz whipped his head up. {[Hey!] I'm not a kid!}

But Prowl huffed in light amusement as a corner of his mouth quirked up a tiny bit. {You're right, my bad. (But even if) I don't know you, I (care.) I want you to trust me that when I say I will help you get back home, it is true.}

Back home? Jazz felt inclined to question, but the words felt heavy on his tongue and made his chest tight. Because, well, Jazz was already home. There wasn't anywhere else for him to go, not unless another aquarium offered to take care of him.

{And this is why I did not stop trying to teach you more words. The more we can talk to (each other,) the more we can learn, and together I know we can think of a way out of here.}

Though things were beginning to become clear; that there was a reason behind Prowl's steadfast word practice, Jazz was just noticing something else altogether. This was their first full conversation — not a word lesson, not simple questions for sentence practice thinly disguised as Jazz trying to get to know him, not a confrontation around Blaster or humans — and it had been about them. It had been clunky, perhaps awkward in hindsight, but they were communicating, trying to understand each others feelings and actions better.

Not only that, Prowl liked him! So much more than Jazz had dared to believe. Because Prowl had been planning to take Jazz with him, Prowl liked him enough to want to go back to the ocean together. Which, wasn't going to happen but… still! Jazz was filled with all sorts of emotion and… hope. Not a small flicker of wishful thinking, a genuine feeling of hope had began to grow.

{Can I ask you..? There is a word I want to learn,} Jazz began a bit nervously, though there was timid excitement bubbling up in his voice. Prowl then tilted his head; ready to listen to him try and explain what he wanted to know. {What is the word for… mermaids that like you and want to play together?}

{(Friends,)} Prowl answered simply, just like it was any other language lesson and not Jazz clearly about to open up to him.

{(Friends?)} When Jazz got a nod in reply that he got the pronunciation correct, he then wrung his hands as he fought to keep himself from looking away. {Can… can we be friends?}

And just like that, the hardest thing he has done in years is met so easily with a simple answer.

{Yes, we can be friends, [Jazz.]} Prowl said.

He didn't know if he wanted to scream or cry, though he thankfully did neither and smiled with bright, innocent joy. No matter how childish it must have seemed, Jazz showered his first friend with words of gratitude and a tiny bit of affection. {Oh, thank you, thank you! I'm happy we are friends now, Prowl! Thank you!}

{You're welcome,} he replied with a lightly amused look, but his fatigue was becoming more prominent as the expression withered a moment after. {Do you want to talk more, or are you ready to sleep?}

{Sleep sounds good,} Jazz agreed as he let the tension fall from his shoulders, and then he gave a small sigh of relief before saying, {thank you for talking with me, about today.}

{We needed to,} Prowl gave Jazz once last pat on the shoulder before he laid back down, his tired gaze returning back up at the murky night sky.

With all the stress of the day settled and the two of them now closer than before, Jazz was tempted to just flop over and pass out. But a tiny bit of worry returned as he glanced from Prowl to the hammock. {Are you not going to sleep there?}

{Do you want me to?} Prowl asked as he looked towards him, calm and not at all bothered about possibly being asked to leave. {I thought you (might) want to (drift) together (after everything.)}

{… what together?}

{(Drift;) sleeping next to you in the open water. Do you want to sleep here, together?}

{Oh,} Jazz's excitement renewed a tiny bit, a new way to spend time together? {Yes, please.}

And yet, the second after he said that Jazz dove to hide himself from Prowl's reaction. Yes, please!? Why did I say it like that! Gods, that was embarrassing. But, thankfully, as he rose to the surface; now rolled over on his back, Prowl didn't comment on it.

{Do you want to hold hands?} Prowl offered instead, stretching his arm out between them.

Seeing the action helped Jazz to rein in his emotions some as he quickly shook his head and moved his arms to wrap around himself. Jazz then stole a glance; faintly worried that he had offended Prowl by declining, but Prowl just nodded, rested the arm beneath the one in the sling, and then closed his eyes.