mers oh my

[shikosuki]

Merchoro PSL

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[shikosuki]

[ His face immediately turns red again and his voice gets higher ]

It uh... i-i-it...

[ And then he buries his face in the sand ]

I-I-It's f-for a g-g-g-girl...

[karappo]

[...Listen, your dad might be oblivious sometimes, but he is not stupid.

He raises a brow.]

I see. Your friend?

[Unless you have multiple friends who are girls, now.]

[shikosuki]

[ He lifts his head back up again and nods. ]

It... d-didn't feel right... just giving one of them something...

[karappo]

Hmm, well...if that is the case, why don't you make her a necklace? Out of all of the materials you have here, that would be the easiest.

[And it would use a lot more of Choromatsu's things as opposed to something like, say, a hair pin.]

In fact...regardless of what the accessory is, I have something I could give you to finish it with.

[shikosuki]

...Eh? What is it?

[karappo]

Well...you know of the jewels that are set into the armor I wear? These in particular-

[He points to his chest where a blue aquamarine gem sits just along his breast bone.]

I could fashion something similar for your accessory.

[shikosuki]

[ Choromatsu sits up, eyes wide ]

R-Really?! I-I-I can have something so nice?

[ He's still not over the gauntlets honestly ]

[karappo]

[He chuckles softly, his expression fond as his tail flicks against the sand, stirring it up a bit in the water.]

Of course you can. I may be the God of the Sea, but I am not above sharing my jewels, especially for something like this.

[shikosuki]

Th... Thank you, dad!!

[ And that seems to be the inspiration he needed to get an idea of how he wants the necklace to look and he starts grabbing specific shells, pearls and stones. Pretty white shells with iridescent under sides and blue stones that would compliment something so pretty and blue (he's not sure how he's gonna get the rocks on a necklace but he'll figure it out).

He's humming to himself again already, that same tune, and digging into his very large sleeves to pull out a bundle of fishing line.

...Which probably isn't what most merfolk would choose to make their necklaces with. ]

[karappo]

[....huh.]

...where did you find that, son?

[Not that it isn't common to see fishing line strewn about...but it's one of the things that gets his dander up the most. Fishing line, and fishing nets. All apt to kill unwitting animals- and merfolk- if they get tangled up in it.]

[shikosuki]

Huh?

[ ...fuck. He belatedly realizes how dumb that was. ]

Um...It was floating around in open water-- I thought it was better to reuse it than let it keep floating and hurt someone.

[ It's a lot though.

He pauses, feeling awkward ]

Does... does this anger you? I know you don't like this sort of stuff.

[karappo]

On principle? ...it does, yes. But I am not angry that you have it, per say. I am glad that you picked it up out of the water, and intend to use it for something...

[He makes a face, as if he isn't quite sure how to articulate what he means.]

I am more concerned that you found so much at all. You could have gotten hurt if you didn't see it.

[shikosuki]

[ He sets the bundle down, placing a rock on top of it so it can't float away, and starts arranging shells and stones in the sand to find a configuration that works. ]

...Like I did when I was a kid?

[karappo]

[Though he recognizes the question is innocent and idle, it makes his blood run cold all the same.]

...yes. Something like that.

[shikosuki]

[ His hands slow and eventually stop. He's quiet for a moment. ]

...How did that happen again? Do you remember?

Any time I try to think about it, I... it's all a blur.

[ Which he always figured was because of trauma but he finds himself thinking a lot more about it lately. ]

[karappo]

[The sea god lets out a low rumble deep in his chest as he turns his head to look off to the side, his hands spread flat against the sandy sea bottom beneath where he'd sat down.]

You ventured too far from the reef and became ensnared in a fisherman's net. I...did not know where you had gone, and only found you. It took everything I had to get you out safely.

[shikosuki]

...I see.

[ His fingers trail over his throat idly, still remembering the feeling of net wrapped around his neck. ]

I wonder... why I keep thinking about it now then. Like I keep getting this weird feeling...

[karappo]

[If he were a good father- he tells himself- he would ask Choromatsu to elaborate on how he feels. But instead, knowing what happened...]

I can assure you that the details are irrelevant to the fact that it happened at all. It was quite the traumatic event for you...there are stretches of time that you did not remember at all because of it.

[shikosuki]

[ he thinks it over ]

Is that why the others keep saying stuff happened that I don't remember?

[ sometimes Totty mentions shit he got in trouble for that just makes him go "?????????" ]

[karappo]

[...damn you, Totty.]

Ah...have they been? It is...possible, yes.

[But he's not going to be too specific, unprepared to be potentially caught in his half-truths.]

[shikosuki]

[ Well best prepare dad because uh... ]

Stuff like... me saving a human from drowning, even?

[ "Choromatsu-niisan you hypocrite, you can't tell us not to peep on human girls when you saved one yourself~" - Todomatsu probably. ]

[karappo]

[...]

Think...about what that implies, my son. Do you really believe everything your brothers tell you?

[His mouth is alarmingly dry for being underwater, and the words feel bitter rolling off his tongue. But he has no choice but to lie. To keep Choromatsu in the dark, and safe.]

[shikosuki]

[ his faces suddenly shows annoyance. ]

...Not really, no. They're liars.

So it's just another thing they made up then?

[ goddamnit those jerks why does he ever believe them. >( ]

[karappo]

[He kicks his tail again. Choromatsu is unintentionally putting him in a very uncomfortable spot, here. Because if he tells him his brothers are lying...that pretty much just compounds on what is already a lie, or at least the absence of the truth.]

They are likely just teasing you, Choromatsu. You know them.

[He won't tell him it's a lie, not outright. He's...not sure he can.]

[shikosuki]

[ He sighs. ]

Yeah, I do. Jerks.

[ Seemingly content with that he goes back to his materials ]