"Well in case you haven't noticed, he doesn't exactly love me!"
"And that's what you think, do you?"
"Of course that's what I think! I mean - I know! I don't want to see him, I don't want to have anything to do with him, so take your boat and your angry redheads the hell back to Port Royal before I -”
"I'm sorry."
Hawk's voice, though uncharacteristically soft, was enough to stop Silverfin's words in his throat. He looked to where Hawk was treading water. "You... are?"
"I am. Don't be angry at Mara. She's only here because I asked her to help me find you. I..." He stopped, turning in the water with a sigh and starting to kick as gracelessly as only a biped would towards the rocks.
"I realize I've been a fool, and I'm sorry for the pain I’ve caused you,” he said, pushing himself out of the water and clambering up onto the rocky surface. “You offered me so much, Silver, and I couldn't see it. I spurned it because I was afraid to trust you. I was afraid to admit how much you meant to me. Please forgive me for realizing this too late."
"Too late?" Heart pounding, Silverfin swam after him. "What do you mean too late? Are you ill? Injured? Are you dying?"
Hawk gave a soft snort, settling on the edge of a rock with his legs dangling in the water. "No. But you've left, haven't you? You're... how you were meant to be."
Silverfin shook his head, tears burning at his eyes. He grabbed the rock on either side of Hawk's thighs, pulling himself up out of the water to press a trembling kiss to the pirate’s mouth. Hawk let out a soft, desperate noise against his lips, andsuddenly his arms were tight around Silverfin, pulling him close, thighs wrapped around his tail.
"Forgive me," Hawk gasped between trembling kisses. "I need you. Come back to me, I'll do anything. I'll give anything. Please..."
"All you had to do was ask," Silverfin replied, throat tight and aching with love.
"Well... ain’t this queer," Xanne muttered.
Perched next to her, Mara gathered her sodden skirts and attempted to wring them out. "I'm afraid my brother isn't always the most pragmatic of Mers," she replied.
Silverfin sank back into the water, nuzzling his face into Hawk's thigh. "Hey!"
"Well, it's true! You went off in a huff and undid Mami Wata's spell and now what do you expect to do? Spend the rest of your life in a bathtub in Hawk's cabin?"
"If I have to," Silverfin replied with a pronounced pout.
“You ain’t even got your fuck stick no more,” Xanne smirked.
"If you think I love him solely for what is - was - between his legs, you're sorely mistaken!" Hawk replied with indignation.
Silverfin perked up, eyes shining as he looked up at Hawk. "Really?"
Hawk nodded sadly, stroking a wet strand of his hair back from his face. "Of course, little pet. But isn't there anything we can do?I don’t want you to be miserable. I don't want to see you caged in a tub just to be near me. Or worse! Someone could see you and take you from me."
Silverfin sighed, clasping one of Hawk's hands in his and nuzzling his fingers. "I don't see what can be done. Mami Wata must be furious with me."
"And quite unlikely to allow you back onto land with that tail," Mara pointed out, far too pragmatically. "You are too much of a danger to Merkind. What would men do if they knew we were real?"
“Dissect, maybe eat ya,” Xanne offered, chewing calmly on a twig of seaweed. “Though you don’t taste much like fish, do you?” she winked at Mara, who blushed visibly.
"Ew." Silverfin wrinkled his nose. "Who asked for your opinion!"
"For goodness sakes!" Mara said, still flushed. "Just go ask Mami Wata what it would take to get your goddamn legs back! If she hasn't killed you by now she's not about to, and the worst she can do is say no!"
“You ask her! She’s likely to turn me into a tadpole at this rate! Or worse - ask forallmy hair again!”
"We'llallask her," Hawk said firmly. "Ah... somehow..."
Sighing, Mara stood, turning her back to Xanne and lifting up her wet hair. "Would you please unlace me?"
"What? What for?" Xanne's hands went obediently to the laces of her dress anyway.
