Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:56:07 +0000 (UTC) From: Andrew Bailey Subject: Aquata Cove - Chapter 97 Aquata Cove Chapter 97: Light In The Dark "Where Am I?" Adam mumbles as he finds himself on a dark floor. He grunts as he feels weird, light, a little dizzy. "Where... Where was... Where am I?" Pushing his hands onto the solid surface, he slowly gets to his knees, before sitting gradually back on his heels. His tired eyes look around. He is in a dark grey void. There is practically nothing in sight... He sees a mess of luminous cards scattered all over the floor. Some of them are facedown; some of them are shining white light from them. And some of them have images. He picks up a card, seeing conflict and pain inside it. Adam frowns as he sees a few teenagers in a school hard shoving him down into the ground, scrambling to get up, before one of them gives him a punch, "... This was after a month after I came out of the closet... My best friend, Michael, he... He stopped talking to me, he just abandoned me..." He mumbles sadly as shifting the card reflected a different moment of the point in time, "Why wouldn't they just leave me alone? Why didn't the teachers do something about it..." He looks to another, brighter card. He couldn't help but smile as he takes it, seeing a happy scene. It's inside his house, decorated with snowflakes, glittering baubles, garlands of red and green hung about. He can see Yuri, Jamal, and... Merrick. They're all sitting around a tall, lush pine tree with many fancy, elaborate ornaments. 

"Heh heh heh..." Adam chuckled. He tilts the card a little, making the image on it shift, and seeing them outside layered in thick coats and gloves, throwing balls of powdered ice at each other, while Merrick was just wearing some boxer shorts, "That was Merrick's first Christmas..." Adam says with a heart-felt smile, "It also snowed for the first time ever in Hawaii... I couldn't ask for a better first time for that..." He tilted the card again, and he can see Merrick opening up a present -- a delicate butterfly figurine on a white flower -- the rims of the wings and petals alike light up with fiber-optic material, twinkling with different colors. Adam takes one of the face-down cards, and turns it over... Only to find it the same pattern as the back. Both sides are covers, there's no image or light from them, "Weird... I guess some things you can't just remember." He says as he casually lets it drop aside. He glances at another face-up card, and takes it. Backstage at the Waltz, a few people stand there, stunned as a guy lay on the floor, blood dribbling from his nose, and Chloe storming off. He tilts the card, seeing her punch the man, and shifting it to a few other moments in it. "That time... Some guy made a joke about rape. No one thought it was funny, but Chloe just punched him out flat..." Adam's eyes lowered sadly on it, "She locked herself in her dressing room and wouldn't come out... Jerry and Carla couldn't even get her to talk... I was the only one who actually got somewhere with her, Rajani was away at the time..." He shifts the card, seeing tears of anger run down Chloe's reddened upset face, "It was so weird to see her cry..." The card shows of them sitting, and Chloe weakly hitting Adam's chest as she sobs in searing anguish. Adam puts down the card, and picks up another one. He blushes as he sees a booming party in a house with all kinds of guys in thongs in speedos, "Sasha's birthday..." Adam smirked, "Her rich mother threw an extravagant party for her 25th... There was a clothing-restriction rule for the male attendants... She's such a weird pervert..." He remembers he was only allowed to wear his boxers at the party... And Merrick was wearing a cyan-blue down-feather C-String. He looks down at a darker card, and examines it. He is being carried out of a wheel chair, onto a cot. Erin tends to him and tucks him carefully while Daniel adjusts the pillow, "That... That was the Agency, yeah... They forced me to undergo electro-shock therapy, and I couldn't even move... Erin made them stop and wheeled me back to my room... I don't remember a lot of what she said to Nigel... I was in so much pain... All I can think about is getting them to let us go... I just wanted it all to stop..." He picks up another card, smiling as he sees Luther, much younger, showing Adam's point of view on how to hold a fishing rod. He takes another card, and sees Donna throwing a huge handful of fan-like leaves up, making them fall wonderfully around them. "Hhhhhmm..." Adam sighs. What are these cards doing so carelessly left around? He doesn't have OCD, but this mess is very bothersome. He begins to organize the cards closest to him, placing them around himself sorting by ones with images, ones shining brightly, and the ones facedown. "Where were you going?" Asks someone. Adam looks up, and he sees... "Merrick?" Adam looks up at him. Merrick is completely greyscale. Black, white, and grey. He has no emotion on his face. "Where were you going to go?" Merrick asked again. "What... Are you talking about, babe?" Adam asked. "You promised... I promised..." Merrick said, sadness underlying his voice as he holds up a card. "Merrick, why do you look sad?" "It hurts... It hurts... I promised everything to you... You promised everything to me..." "Merrick, I don't understand. What are you getting at?"

"It's gone now." Merrick said, tossing the card to Adam's feet, "That place vanished when you did."

"What are saying? I'm right here." "You can't go there anymore... Not now... You will always see me... But I will never see you again... And it's breaking my heart, little by little." 

"Merrick! What are you... Agh," Adam looks from the card, and back to Merrick as he bends over to pick it up, "Merrick, tell me-" He sees Merrick has turned around, and starting to walk. "I can only take so much at a time... It hurts... So much... It's killing me..."

"Merrick." Adam shook his head as he takes a good long look at the card Merrick tossed. Adam sees only glimpses. The docks, light blue and white flowers, Adam felt so nervous, he could fall over as he faces Merrick. The card shows a velvet box, and a glittering treasure inside. "HHH!" Adam gasps as the card suddenly becomes crystal clear, "Merrick!" Adam feels a purge of fear, Merrick is suddenly a mile away from him, with only the cards on the floor between them, how did he get so far so fast?? "Merrick, wait!" Adam kept the card in his fingers as he started to run. "Merrick!! Wait for me!" Adam sprints as fast as he can, over the randomized playing cards all around. That blonde merman is so far away, "Don't leave, please!" Adam's feet stomp as he ran past the cards. As he passed them, the cards begin to drift up in his direction, like a wind starting to shuffle them around. Every single card behind Adam levitates and flips, aligning in a very straight and elaborate pattern in Adam's wake. The more he runs, the more cards he passes, the entire deck fluttering about around and behind him, putting themselves in a correct line of events from points in time. Cards with images, cards that shine with nothingness, and cards that facedown alike, all take their rightful place as Adam runs. "Merrick, please! Don't leave me behind again! I'm coming!" Adam shouts out, trying to reach his voice out Merrick. He's not getting farther away from him, but he is still just walking away, as if he can't hear him. Some of the cards spin by past Adam, and lay themselves in perfect arrangement in front of them in a black and white brick path, leading all the way to the distant lover ahead. "Merrick, wait for me!! I'm coming, I'm coming!!" He begs, pumping his arms back and forth as he runs nonstop, hearing a lot of shuffling behind him, holding that one card that shows where he got down on one knee held tightly in his grasp, "Wait for me!" ()()() Adam's eyes slowly open, "Nngghh..." He groans as he shifts on the bed, his ass still feels sore. "Awww maaaaan..." He whispered. The corner of the blanket slips from his lap, giving him a sudden reminder that he is completely naked. "Hhh!" He gasped as he sits right up, grabbing and stuffing a nearby shirt over his crotch. He looks to the side, and sees Merrick sleeping on the other side of the bed, his lower body covered by the blanket, but Adam has a glimpse of that smooth bubble butt within the shade of the sheets... A shudder races up his back as Adam looked around, grabbing onto a pair of boxerbriefs, and pulling them up between his legs. "Ok... Ok... Ok... What now..." He mutters, taking deep breaths, remembering certain events of last night... 

Rather than wake Merrick, he turns to see his laptop on the desk. He sighs and nods, before taking the chair. He grunts as his rump still feels that dulled pain inside... That is oddly satisfying in the slightest way. He opens it up, and opens up a Word Document. ---Two Weeks Ago--- Adam paces around, his insides churning with mixed feelings... Confusion, a little anger, slight mortification, fear. 

"He and I are close, huh..." Adam puts his hands on his hips, still unsure on what to make of anything, "Just what the-" The door opens, immediately grabbing his attention, walking into the household with his duffle.

"Merrick. Hi." "Hey, Adam." Merrick says as he looks at him... The look on Adam's face is not reassuring at all... "What's this about?" "I um... I found something interesting yesterday, while I was at work."

"The docks?" "No, at the Dream Waltz." Adam tells him. Merrick's eyes go to Adam's hand in his pocket, before pulling out elongated pictures, before tossing them onto the table. Adam takes note on the exact shape and frame that Merrick's eyes take on... Sad, maybe? "What are these?" "... If I were to guess, I'd estimate a hypothesis that those are pictures." Merrick said. "Can you not be a smartass right now?" Adam's voice shakes a little, "I'm being serious here. What can you tell me about these pictures?" "... They're just of you and me. We were at a photo booth, and we'd thought it'd be fun..."

"Ok. Merrick, before she left, my Mom told me that you and I were close before my attack. What did she mean by that?" "Just... Best friends..." Merrick said, not looking at him, "We've known each other for years..."

"You're lying." Adam stated, glaring at him. "What?" Merrick looks up. "You're lying. We're not best friends, Merrick, because honestly, these," Adam takes out another set of pictures, and drops them on the table, almost throwing them. Merrick blushes as he sees these ones are a lot more naughty than the first set, "These aren't the things that best friends do!" "... What do you want, Adam...?" Merrick asked him after a pause. "I want the truth." Adam tells him accusingly, "Who ARE you?" "... Look, Adam-" "I don't care what my mother says, I want to know." Adam interrupts him, "I don't care what Yuri says, or Jamal, or my Dad, or anyone else says, I have a right to know." His voice still shakes with growing anger. "Adam..." Merrick shakes his head. "Tell me who you are!" Adam exclaims, "Why do you have a key to my house, Merrick?? Why would Jamal and Yuri be so casual about you stopping by whenever you feel like and using our kitchen?? Why do you keep kissing me out of nowhere, why-" He huffs, striding to the side, and then striding to Merrick, "Why did you let me touch you down there??" He said lowly, backing up, "Why did you let me do that?! I don't know you, and all this weird stuff keeps coming up, and it's scaring me how no one can give me a straight answer!" "... Alright, no... We are not best friends..." "Then tell me who you are, Merrick." Adam tells him, "Tell me right now." After a pause, Merrick sniffles as he wipes his eyes, "Well, what is there to say?" Merrick asks weakly, "You're my boyfriend... You're my lover." He sniffs again, "You're the person I think about day in and day out."

"Ok... Keep going..." "We've... We've been together for a very long, long time." Merrick continues, "Those pictures were taken when you and I were on an LGBT Cruise -- that's a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Cruise... Heheheh, it was the first time I ever been in a photo booth, and I was confused because I hate camera flashes, and the shutter kept sounding off and there was no flash." "So all this time." Adam shrugged with a look of disbelief, "You and I were... And you didn't even..."

"I wanted to, Adam." Merrick said, "I wanted to more than you will ever know. But you know how cautious your mother was... And then when I tried to seduce you at the ward, yes. That gave me reason to back away. There's hardly anything left of what used to be my heart..." "Still... If we're in a relationship..." Adam bows his head and shakes it, "Something could have happened to me, and you... Fuck, I don't even know."

"What are you talking about?"

Adam thought about Jessica, what she tried to do to him... And after all this time, he and Merrick were together "Nothing, never mind..."

"Anyway, it's just... What do you want to hear, Adam?" Merrick asked, "Why are you so mad at this?" "I'm not, I'm just... I'm shocked. And, honestly a little appalled." He gestures to the racy pictures, "Seeing myself in that kind of way... It threw me off big time, and..."

"I understand..." "And... There's something else that's been on my mind... And I'm starting to think you're the person to ask." "Alright. Go ahead." "A few days ago, you made soup for my Dad, because he was sick." Adam said, a little more calmed now, "And it reminded me a lot of the earliest memory that I have." "How so? What's the memory?" "Um... See, I remember there was a lot of sunlight, and I could hardly see. I only remember someone coming to visit me, and... That soup you made tasted exactly like what I remember tasting on that day. It's the only other thing I remember." Adam looked directly at Merrick, "That was you, wasn't it?" "Yes... Yes, that was me." Merrick nodded, "At the time, I recently had been through a very harsh emotional free-fall, and... I needed to see you. And it's not like we would have much to talk about, and it was all I can do to keep myself from falling apart all over again. So, I made something to bring to you." There is such a difference of explanations between Merrick and Jessica. When Jessica talked about it, she hesitated, and was borderline desperate to make sure Adam knew it was her on that day. "Then tell me about this other thing that's been on my mind." Adam continued, "The last thing I remember, we were talking about something. All I know is that there was someone saying something, but I just remember mumbling or... Whatever. If we were talking, what were we talking about?" "When you woke up from your coma, you not only had amnesia, but you also had short-term memory loss. The only person that was able to make a lasting impression was Yuri, and that's because she was your doctor, you interacted with her almost on a constant basis." Adam listens intently on this, wondering where Merrick is going with this. Merrick didn't even need to hesitate when confronted with this question... "You had regular visitors -- your parents, coworkers, friends. But you could never remember them. The more you forgot them, the more guilty and sad you felt, and you didn't even know why. Yuri tells me while I was gone, your body was getting less and less healthy, as well as a growing depression that was severely hindering your recovery." "But what does this have to do with why you were there on that day?" "Because you were happy, Adam. For the first time in weeks." Merrick says, "You were happy, and sad at the same time. You were crying as you lay there, too weak to even sit up. You were so happy when I fed you, but you grew sad because you knew you would only forget me. You were so upset that I was just going to disappear as soon as I left." "You told me that you didn't want to forget anymore." Merrick says after wiping his eyes, "You said that you `couldn't have this, whatever this is'. Word for word." "So... What did you say?" Adam says, his eyes rimming too. Merrick walks up to him. "I took your hand..." Merrick holds Adam's hand, "And I told you that it was going to be ok. Even if you do forget me, I will remember you." Adam sniffs as he looks at those sapphires, "Even if you forget everything about me, I will remember everything about you. And I will tell you everything that we have ever had together, of everyday, of every hour if that's what it took." "... It fits..." Adam said as Merrick turned to him, "What you just said... It's like..." "De ja vu?" "Yeah... I-I'm sorry, Merrick... This is probably hard for you. I... I should have... You know..." "I love you, Adam." Merrick finally said. Adam looked right up at him again, "I love you so much, that it hurts. I love you with everything I have, and it's killing me in so many ways. And it feels like something completely else just to finally be able to say that to you now." A tear rolls down Merrick's cheek before he sniffs and wipes it off. "When I first saw you at the hospital, I didn't even recognize you. Those men disfigured you so badlyyhhh-" Merrick whines suddenly as he put his hands to his face, just recalling the memory. He gasps and shudders as he takes a few hard breaths. "Babe, I-" Adam says, out of total instinct as he walks up to him. "I'm fine, Adam, I'm fine..." Merrick swallows his pain to try and calm down, "You're here now... And you're ok..." "Merrick..." Adam says as he looks down, and takes Merrick's hand gently, "I..."
 "Don't say it." Merrick tells him. "... ?" "Don't say it now, Adam... I love you more than you can ever imagine. But you don't love me that way anymore." Merrick looks at him with dulled eyes, "So don't give me a cliché response just because I said it first." Adam sighs as he feels a sense of guilt, just from not knowing how to express these feelings and words. What Merrick says makes sense, but... They also hurt. As if he's just been insulted a little. "Also, something my Mom said." Adam tells him, "It's about when I was attacked. She said... Even though you had nothing to do with it, she says you feel like it's your fault." Merrick looks away, "What does that mean?" "... I left." Merrick answered, "I wanted to have something made for you, and I was gone for barely a week. During that time, you were bashed, almost died..." Merrick's insides churn with unease, "I could have protected you... You needed me..." He sniffs again as he wipes his eyes, "You needed me, and I wasn't there..." "Merrick, there's no way you could've known that would happen." "It doesn't matter. I didn't listen to you when you asked me to stay. You told me to come back to bed, and I refused." "Hhh..." Adam bows his head for a moment, before he looks back up, and sees that Merrick is walking towards the door. "W-Wait!" Adam strides to him, and grabs his hand again, "Merrick, don't leave now! You can't just... I don't know, don't tell me all of this and then just leave." "..." Merrick turns back around, and looked at Adam, "So what do you want then?" "... Show me. Show me us. Show me more evidence, I want to know."

"Adam... I can't take this right now..."

"Y-You just said you promised you'd tell me everything about me if that's what it took. Right?"

Merrick chuckled as he cried silently, "Are you even sure you want that?" "Yes. I want it. I want to know... I want to know... Please." ~~~ With the lights on, Merrick carries in several boxes he gathered from the garage. "What's all this?" Adam asked. "When you moved in, I... I packed everything that had anything to do with me, and I stored them away..." "But... No, no, I get it." Adam nodded. "Ok..." Merrick opened up the first box, and Adam beamed in awe as he sees an assortment of items as he looks through them. Books, shells, knick-knacks, unique things that hardly make sense. "Wow..." Adam picked up the first thing that caught his eye -- a golden array of ornate metal that formed an elaborate formation that led to a wing-like arrangement mounted on a black wood stand, all around a large red heart-shaped jewel, "What in the world is this, it's beautiful."

"That's your trophy. The Golden Lover Award." Merrick smiles.

"Oh, it's mine?" Adam smiles, rather appealed to have this very neat thing. "It was when we were on the LGBT Cruise. They had 10 trophies to give out to specific people who were being watched and attended. One was for donating a lot of money, one was for spending the most time at the bathing areas. And this one," Merrick rubs Adam's arm, "We had a fight during the cruise, and we didn't speak for a few days. Finally, you got up on stage in front of everyone, and you sang. You apologized, and you sang `Your Heart', by Damien Dawn." Merrick chuckles, "Everyone loved you... But I was the one who got to run up there to hug you." "And this," Merrick said with a smirk as he picks up a silk strap elegant person-like, half-helix shape with a curve arch both on the upper and lower sides, "Is my silver medal from the Graceful Gogo contest. I was second place."

"Graceful Gogo?" "I'll tell you later." Merrick digs into a box, and brings up a photo album, "This is our Gay Pride scrapbook." Merrick opens the cover, showing Adam and Merrick in a picture with a woman in a sparkling white and platinum swimsuit, and huge rainbow wings, "A few years ago, this singer named Lady Gaga was a guest star for the parade, and she liked the way I had my back painted with a rainbow. Hahahah..." Merrick chuckles, "You gushed so much when we met her. She was so nice, she gave you a book of pictures of almost all of her outfit designs, which included several CDs, and autographed it." Merrick opens a different section, "This is one of my personal favorites." Merrick said as he opens up a page that featured a picture of him, Adam, Nick, and Jamal wearing some skimpy outfits, accessorized with feathers, furs, tied crystals. An amethyst shard is tucked inside the plastic on one side with a couple of small feathers to resemble angel wings, with a few pretty leaves arranged to look like fairy wings behind a mancala marble. There are a few other pictures of them here and there, along with mystic-looking décor, "This is when we went to a Faerie Gathering. It was a camping trip with a handful of other gay men. We do all sorts of spiritual exploring, getting in touch with nature, sharing some of our most deepest thoughts with other like-minded individuals."

"On one of our favorite TV shows, two of the characters went to a Fairy Gathering too. And on that episode, they had to come up with magic nicknames for themselves, so we kinda did the same." Merrick smiled cutely, "I called myself `Moonlight', so you went with `Sunrise'. Jamal thought this was going to be a non-stop orgy, and when he found out it was just kind of `hippie-gig', as he called it, he just wanted to hit the nearest bar and hotel until the weekend was over. None of us would go with him, so he had to stay." 
"Hahaha, why did he not like it?" "He just didn't like getting all deep and personal with other people, said it makes him feel weird."

"Heheh... So what nickname did Jamal and Nick come up with it?"

"Well, after a lot of urging, Jamal finally went with `Black Magic'." Adam scoffed and chuckled from hearing that, "You laughed a lot at that, and I couldn't really understand why until you explained it for me. Nick came up with `Wood Nymph-O'. He likes a lot of sex, and I guess a `nymphomaniac' is some kind of word for a person who likes to fuck all the time. Jamal was a wet blanket half the time during the trip; not a lot of the men there were interested in sex, and they were kind of put-off by his attitude about the whole thing. Nick practically had to blow him everyday just to get him into a better mood." "Was it that bad?"

"Jamal got over it more often than not, it was only for a few days. You and I had a very opening experience." Merrick said softly, "It seemed strange and mystical at the same time. You and I still go year after year, even though Jamal and Nick lost interest after the first time." "Oh, speaking of that TV show," He turns the page, and smiled as they see a few more momentos, as well as a picture of several people with Adam and Merrick, "The year after that, we actually met some of the cast from Queer As Folk. You swore up and down that me and Randy Harrison could be twins. I still don't see it, he had a thin beard at the time, and I'm a little more muscular." After a couple of pages of looking at LGBT images, cards, photos, Merrick laughed as they come to a picture with Merrick in the middle, with Adam on his right side, and another man right next to him, looking a lot like Adam, but with thicker eyebrows and thicker facial hair, "This was just from last year, we met this guy named Chris Salvatore. He's a singer and an actor, and he looked almost exactly like you. He was on vacation at the time." Merrick's face feels a tingle, "And Sasha -- she's a friend of ours who LOVES gay men -- and, as usual, she just had to make things weird." "What do you mean?" "She's more perverted than Jamal. Before Sasha could make things extremely awkward, Yuri was at least quick enough to gag her mouth and drag her away. Later, I found out that she wanted me to put a blindfold on, and feel yours and Chris's dicks, and see if I could tell the difference. "Whoa, ahahahah, what?" "I know. I may be a bit of an exhibitionist, but even I thought that would have gone too far if she even got to say it. Still, Chris was such a sweetheart, he's so nice and bashful, and both of you were so great doing karaoke together on that day." Merrick closed the album, and put it back into the box, "Wait, what about this year?" Adam asked, "You know, before I was in a coma?" "... There is no `this year'." Merrick answered after his smile disappeared, "Gay Pride went by when you were in the hospital. We missed it." "Oh..." "You were in no shape to go anywhere, and I was dealing with so much anger to even think about it. Even if I was ok, there's no way I'd go without you."

"I get it..." Adam says as he rubs Merrick's hand. Merrick smiled as he leans in and kissed him, before turning back to another box. "Huh, what's this?" Adam asked as he picks up one of Merrick's sharktooth belts. "I used to have a hobby," He lied, "Every now and then, I like to make things out of seashells, kelp, sharkteeth, and so on." "Wow..." Adam says as he looks at all the things inside these boxes. His life in a few containers and pages. "I... I wish I can remember this..." "I know... And at this point, I need to leave..." Merrick says as he kissed his cheek, and stood up.

"What?" "You're going to tell me that you need time to process this, and I have to leave, maybe wait a day or two." He gives a weak smile before he turns to get his harpoon. "W-Wait, Merrick!" Adam stands up and grabs his hand, "You can't leave now! I-I-I feel like I just met you!" "..."

"Merrick..." Adam held his hand with both of his, "I need you. You can't leave now. Why would you ever think that I have to time to think about this?" Merrick turns around. Adam looks with sad surprise to see Merrick's eyes to be... Hollow and sad, "Because it's so hard to be with you and to be without you at the same time." "What... Does that mean?" He asked, a bit bewildered by the almost sudden apathy. "You don't know me anymore, Adam. But I know everything about you. I just keep thinking that we can never be the same. You will never love me like you did before you forgot me. And it's killing me every time I look into your eyes." "Merrick... That's not true..." "I can't take the sentiment... I thought I could be stronger..." Merrick takes one step from him, "But this is the limit... I can't even try to hope right now... There is only so much I can say and do for you without breaking..." Just as he turned around, Adam pulls him back over. "A-Ahh." He stumbles, and came to Adam's arms. Adam holds him by the shoulders, looking him in his eyes, "You're not being fair though." Adam tells him, "I have feelings for you, Merrick. And I want them. I need them, Merrick. Because if you leave now..." Adam shakes his head as he puts his hands on his shoulders, "That's just going to make me feel more alone... And you know I hardly know why that should hurt me, so you need to stay and let me know why that would break my heart." Adam's voice cracks at the last word, sniffing as he looks at him. "Just don't go..." Adam says to him as Merrick sniffles and wipes his eyes covering his eyes with his hand, "Please stay..." Merrick stands there, refusing to turn around, his chest feeling so heavy with sullen emotion. He can feel Adam get close to him from behind, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tight. Adam puts one arm around Merrick's chest, and the other on his lower torso. "Please just stay with me..." ---Now--- --- Dear Diary, Oh my god... Last night, something happened. Merrick and I... It's been about a few weeks since he told me we were boyfriends. We started going out after he told me, and... Since we started, I just, I can barely recognize myself when I'm near him. I keep doing all kinds of things with and to him. Thinking about it makes me feel kinda embarrassed, but not in a bad way. --- ---Over The Past Few Days--- Adam huffs as he sits down on the bench at the beach, smelling much like fish after all the hauling he's been doing with the tank-cart, having to restock all of the fish stands at the Fish House. "Hey handsome." Says Merrick as he comes around the bend. Adam turns and grins. "Whoa-ho-ho there." Adam eyes Merrick up and down. He's only wearing a white fishnet tank top and very short shorts, "You sure you should be wearing that?" "Why not?" Merrick says as he strolls by, and spreads his legs over to sit on Adam's lap.

"Wh-Whoa, hahah," Adam blushes as he holds Merrick's hips, "I'm on a 15 minute break, Merrick."

"Minus 14 minutes of heaven~" Merrick says as he puts his arms onto Adam's shoulders. Adam can already feel a boner coming on from under his rubber overalls. "But I smell like cold fish."

"So? I don't care." Merrick moves his face in, and locks his jaw with Adam's. "Mmmff, mnnnn..." Adam's eyes flutter closed as he wraps his arms around Merrick's waist and back. Merrick pushes his face inward as he really digs into Adam's mouth. Their tongues push onto each other as they Merrick adjusts in his seat. They break the kiss, leaving Adam panting. Merrick smirks as he takes Adam's FH cap off his head, and goes in for another wild kiss.


~~~ Adam scrubs under his arms with the abrasive body pad with his pomegranate-scented body wash, spreading pink and white suds around his fuzzy body under the hot shower. He doesn't even notice the glass door opening behind him until it clicks closed again. "Ah! Hey!" He turns, and sees Merrick as naked as he is, "M-M-Merrick! I-I'm in the shower!" Adam says as he covers his privates. "I noticed." Merrick says with that angelic smile. "You started without me." 

"W-What? Uh, I..." He stammered before Merrick kisses him playfully, nibbling his lower lip and hugging his flustered lover. "H-Hohhh..." Adam groans while his face turns red as Merrick's genitals push against his. 

"Saw your hot bod steaming up the place, and I just thought I'd slip in..." "O-Ok..." Adam nodded. Merrick puts a hand on his hairy chest, and shoves his back onto the cold tiled wall, "Mmff!" He grunts as Merrick comes in close, his cupped hand holding a large glob of body soap. His hands dips down, and then grips onto Adam's balls. "OOoo!" Adam's hands slam onto the walls, seizing the metal support bar, his legs spreading as he staggers. "O-Ohh! Ghhhh, ahh" Adam huffs and whines as his sac is rolled in the cold gel, his soft penis inflating above Merrick's wrist. Merrick sneaks another handful of chilled shower soap behind, and digs his hand into Adam's buttcrack.

"OooHH! Oh my gosh, Oh fuuhh," Adam squirms as his taint and sensitive crevice is scrubbed very thoroughly by Merrick's hands, his testicles dripping with thick foam as well as his round, twin buns getting cupped and rotated, "I-I-Ahhh~" Adam moans as his cock is already pointing directly in front of him, "I already cleaned there..."

"Heh, you don't need to be clean to get dirty." Merrick snickers, before he starts to stroke Adam's bubble-layered meat up and down.

"Ohhh my God..." Adam moans, his chest almost jumping up and down as his dick is gripped and teased. ~~~ Adam and Merrick hold hands as they walk through the huge barn of the county fair, on its last day. Merrick smiles as he looks at the colorful roosters and the clucking hens. They walk over and check out the fluffy rabbits nibbling on their vegetables. 

Merrick feels his fingers through the soft coat of one of the bunnies, before he feels Adam's arm drape down his hips. Merrick smiles as he leans onto Adam, before he feels his butt being groped. Adam chuckles as he kisses Merrick's ear, making him clench his eyes and giggle. He leans up and gives a kiss to his mouth. Adam nods his head to a corner, where Merrick looks. He grins as Merrick grips his hand, and leads Adam there. They find that secluded spot, making sure no one can see them, and pulling a few boxes to cover them from sight. Adam huffs deeply as they clue their mouths together. He breathes harshly though his nose as they make out in their private corner. Adam feels a sense of danger and excitement as he feels Merrick clink his belt buckle. Merrick breaks the kiss as he gives a very hungry smile to his boyfriend, "Ready for your first blowjob~?"

"Huh?" Adam gives him a strange look, "What's a blowjob?" "Hahahah, this is." Merrick then lets Adam's pants lower to his knees before pulling his tight briefs down past his ass. Merrick gets on his knees and puts Adam against the wall. Adam's eyes widen as Merrick opens his mouth. "Wait what are you gonna- HHHH!" Adam gasps out loud. His sensitive flesh enveloped in the wet velvet confinement as it drives down onto his member, and pulled back. Merrick bobs his head up and down, his lips pulling on the semi-soft cock as he holds Adam's bare hips. After 2 or 3 dips down onto Adam's wiry bush, that rod is iron-hard. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," Adam panted out his legs weakening fast as his hands try to hang on to the wall behind him. "HHFFF!" He covers his mouth with both hands as Merrick's face buries into his pubic patch, deep-throating him completely. Merrick grinds his lips into that rough, musky pit before he pulls back just as easily and swerves his head back down again several times again, tasting a sample of Adam's precum. "Mnnhh~! Mnnh~!" Adam pants and as he tries to keep himself quiet. Merrick stops sucking his dick for a second, before ducking his head down and licking onto Adam's thick nuts. "HHHH! Hoohh my balls, aahhh~!" Adam's feet slide below as he whines out loud. His balls have ALWAYS been a severe weak point. It really doesn't take much time with a mouth to his orbs to make him start wailing out. Adam's cock throbs as it oozes precum like crazy, as Merrick slurps underneath that scrotum, slurping around either ball, even suckling one into his mouth, and then the other, before both is slurped into that hot mouth. Merrick resumed to taking Adam's cock into his mouth, bobbing up and down on that hot, fat dick. ---Now--- --- Whenever we're alone together, we're either cuddling, kissing, other things. He just makes himself available so much, he lets me explore his body a lot, and he is so sweet and nice. Is this what being romantic is about? Whenever we do those things, I feel intimidated and good at the same time. Last night though. Last night --- "Mmmhhh..." Adam adjusted in his seat. His sphincter is still sore from last night, but it's a good sort of hurt. Feeling that dulled sting inside him actually makes his flaccid penis twitch a little in his underpants. ---Last Night--- "Ssss... Hahhh..." Adam slowly lowers his red trunks into the boiling Jacuzzi, sighing as he gradually lowers himself down, and into the hot water. He looks around, and smiles as he sees Merrick walk out wearing a towel around his waist, and onto the wooden stairs and platform. "Hey, babe."

"Hi, hottie." Merrick says with that charming smirk. As soon as he's right next to the tub, he removes his towel, revealing to Adam that he is completely nude.

"A-Ah, Merrick!" Adam chuckles with disbelief, "Y-You aren't wearing anything??" 

"None of my lingerie is safe in hot water."

"Y-Yeah, but you don't have any swimsuits??" "None that I really wear for practical use. I always soak naked." Merrick says as he steps onto the mount beside the illuminated Jacuzzi, and wades into the hot frothing spring. "Eheheheh, even with other people around?" Adam said with a weird chuckle. Merrick just grins and lowers down until his shoulders wash with the bubbles. "They all know I grew up in a Nudist Community, they're cool with it." He drifts by, and snuggles up to Adam right next to him. Adam blushes as he breaks a small sweat while Merrick nuzzles his cheek. Adam shifts a bit as he feels his member hardening in the net-like confines of his trunks. 
 "Mmnnhhh..."

"Long day at work?" "Yeeaaah." Adam groans. "Awww." Merrick kisses his cheek and puts his arm over Adam's fuzzy torso, "I need to take better care of my man."

"Heheheheh, yeaaaah~" Adam smiles flirtatiously as Merrick shifts to cuddle closer. "Mnnhh" His lips pucker as Merrick's presses against his. Their lips lap and part again and again as Merrick puts his hand onto Adam's shoulder. His leg brushes against his as they start to make out. Under the water, Adam puts his hand onto Merrick's naked hip, rubbing along the smooth skin and tenderly circulate one of those buttcheeks. Merrick's hand dips into the water, and then sneaks under Adam's swimming trunks. Adam huffs between kisses as Merrick's hand creeps into the netting of those shorts, and start to cradle his balls. "Oooh... Fuhhh~" "Like that~?" "Mmnnyyeah..." Adam nodded, his cock getting hard at a quick pace as Merrick rolled those testicles around, tracing that velvet sack with his fingers, gently tugging at them and massaging them with his thumb. Adam's fingers rub into Merrick's pristine crevice, his middle finger pressing onto Merrick's pucker. "O-Ohh!" Merrick moaned as his own dick twitched under the hot water. "Mnnhh..." Adam pushes the tips of his middle and ring fingers onto Merrick's pink bud, rubbing in circles and massaging the outside ring. "Oh, ohhh, oh, nnhhh..." Merrick moans as he arches his back and pushes his butt at an angle, his rod standing at full attention. Adam decides to get braver, and sinks his index finger into Merrick warm, tight hole. "A-Aahhh." Merrick grips onto Adam as he angles his leg up to allow better access. Adam bites his lower lip as he attempts to push a second finger into Merrick's ass. "Ahh, ohhhfffuhh... Ohhhh~" Merrick's raging boner pokes at Adam's thigh as Adam pushes two full fingers into Merrick's sphincter. Adam pulls his fingers back, and shoves them back in, over and over into his very tight entrance. "Don't stop, please Daddy don't stop..."

"Hah... Daddy~?" Adam bites his lip again as he pushes his fingers into Merrick again and again. Merrick has always been partial to the bottoming position, and he hasn't even touched the dildo in months. Adam fingers Merrick for several minutes until he stops to rub Merrick's perfect rump. Merrick moans as he kisses Adam indirectly, not even caring about where his lips were going. Adam sighs as he relaxes, despite the throbbing tent under the bubbling hot spring. He doesn't know if it's the long day of work or that heavy meal he's had about an hour ago, but feels he can just stay in the hot tub all night. With dreary eyes, he peers down, seeing his blonde twink practically worship him as they cuddle. He hardly notices the rising blue glimmer on the far side in front of him, like some white and gleaming flower. He doesn't feel like taking a look, it's probably some large plant Yuri bought. Merrick's hands rub onto his sides as he kisses him absentmindedly... Those hands feel a little more slick, somehow. Almost slime or rubbery. Glances down, and sees a webbed blue thing in the water hovering over his chest.

"WHOA!" Adam bolts up, looking to Merrick, the startled blonde lover looking startled. 
"What?? Adam, what??" "What WAS that??" "What do you mean?" "I-I-I saw this weird... BLUE thing, and, I think it was at the edge of the tub." Adam gets up and wades over there, but sees no such white leaf or petal, just where the water dribbled from the tub. "Adam, are you ok??" "I thought I saw something weird in here with us."

"I didn't." Merrick says as he gives Adam an estranged look, "You just jumped up all of a sudden." "Agh... Damn, maybe I'm just that tired." "Heh, maybe we should head to bed."

"Yeah, probably right..." Adam gets out of the tub, and looks at his standing nude boyfriend, noticing his neck is devoid of his usual necklace, "Hey, where's your thing? The necklace around your neck?" Merrick held up his wrist, seeing the chain wrapped around it, "Was wondering what it'd look like as a bracelet."

"Ok..." Adam looks at him strangely, but continues to get the towel, while Merrick huffs quietly from the very close call. Adam lays on the bed, dried and wearing some comfortable white briefs as Merrick rests on top of him, their lips rubbing and parting very tenderly and slowly. Merrick is still completely naked, of course, tilting his head onto him to dip his tongue into Adam's mouth as Adam's hands explore Merrick's flawless backside. Merrick's exposed erection brushes against Adam's package, which is forming into to a solid bulge as they kiss again and again. Merrick parts their lips as he looks at Adam's calmed face. His hand digs under Adam's hair and as he looks at those eyes, "Look at you..." "Hahah, what?" Adam chuckles. "... The world turns its fury on you for being so innocent..." Merrick says softly, "And yet you are still so beautiful..." Adam fades his smile as he looks up at Merrick. "Ya know... That kinda sounds familiar..." "Of course it does..." He says. Merrick lowers his head, and passionately kisses Adam. His head rolls as he ducks his tongue under and forced his lips on the other. Adam's cock throbs in his briefs as Merrick gets more thorough and deep in his kissing. They break for a moment, panting as they stay close to one another. "Is there... Anything else I don't know about... Naked stuff?" Adam asks. "Lots." Merrick answers. "... Sh-Show me one..." Adam's heart pounds as Merrick moves up after this request. Merrick pulls Adam's tighty-whities down, his cock flopping onto his furry patch and trail before it stands idly, fully hard. Merrick takes out his special buttplug, and coats it with lube that smells like green apples. He lays flat on Adam as he puts the slimed toy into his hand, "Put that in me..."

"What?" "Into my hole... Like you did in the hot tub." Adam hesitates, and his pulls one of those cheeks. He presses the slick plug -- shaped like a rounded hook with a flat platform that hits perfectly into the asscrack. Adam locates Merrick's hole, and pushes it in as he was told. Merrick furrow's his brow, before the thick rubber plug entered into him. Adam presses it until the platform meets the divide. "Nnhhh." "Ok?" "Yes, nnnghh," Merrick flexes his buttcheeks, that plug pushing into his G-Spot. Moments later, Adam is blushing as Merrick puts his hairy legs onto his shoulders. He rubs his lubed member as he presses into Adam's fuzz butt. 
"Is... Is this going to hurt?" Adam asks, "I'm really nervous right now..." 
"If it does..." Merrick whispered, "Let me know, and I'll stop." Adam swallows as he nods. Merrick strokes himself before his head is pressed into Adam's asshole. Going very slow, Merrick pushes his cock into Adam's entrance, forcing it to spread open for him. Adam grimaces as his pucker starts to burn. 
"Ghhh... M-Merrick, it's... Ssss,"

"It's ok... It's ok... Going in always hurts." Merrick says as the glands of his penis makes it into Adam, before he position's Adam's legs better on his shoulders. Merrick then moves himself forward, and slid his rod into Adam's tunnel. "O-Ohhh!" Adam grunts as he feels his anus engorged with meat. His sphincter is still stinging, but the inside of his ass feels more easy-going. 

"You ok?" "Y-Yeah, yeah." Adam nods quickly. He grunts as Merrick moves back, and pushes back in. Adam groans as he grips the bed. "Does it hurt?" "Y-Yeah." Adam answers, "Don't stop, don't stop." He says when Merrick moved, "It's good too..."

"Ok..." Merrick pushes his cock in again, pulls back, and shoves forward again. Adam pants as grips the bed, his dick semi soft as Merrick mounts him. Merrick puts his pelvis onto Adam's butt, and humps him slow. "God, you look so fucking hot right now, Adam." Merrick huffs as he gives steady drives into Adam's ass, "Fuck, you're so tight..." "O-OHH!" Adam yelps as something clicks inside his anus. "Right there, right there." Merrick moans as he holds Adam's hips, and rolls his hips into him in the exact position, "Ahhh, ohh, gahh," Adam moans as his cock twinges with pleasure as he shifts his legs on Merrick's shoulders. "You like that?" Merrick huffs. After a few more thrusts, Adam's rod reaches full hardness. He reaches down while Merrick slowly humps him, and starts to slowly play with himself. "Ohhh, yes..." Adam moans as he strokes his throbbing cock, "Oh my gosh, just like that, don't stop... Ohhhhhhh," Adam drops his head back, his mouth ajar and his eyes closed, "Oh my God... Offffuck... " Merrick moves his ass backwards, and pushes the upper roof of Adam's rectum inward. "AWWwwhhh," Adam's body arches below him as another harsh pleasure is grabbed inside him. He hisses briefly before he sighs and takes it, oohhhh..." Adam's toes curl as Merrick rolls his hips in a regulating pattern, gliding his pole partially in and out, not even halfway. "Oh gosh, babe, ohhh..." Adam says as he lays there, squirming on the bed as his arm is raised around and over his bed as his eyes stay closed, "Oh my God, that feels so good... A-Ahh! Nggh!" Adam winces as it hurts for a moment, "Fuck, fuck," Merrick watches his face, and adjusts his angle, "Oooof, that's better..." "You're so tight..." Merrick huffs as he continues to hump into Adam, his hands holding onto Adam's shins, "You're so sexy..." Merrick's cock curves inside of Adam's anus -- seeing him slowly writhe beneath him is a huge turn-on. Adam groans heartily as Merrick's member continues to roll in smooth on this hidden part inside him. "Damn, Adam, you're driving me crazy, nnhhh!" Merrick rolls his hips in a steady rhythm. The buttplug inside him brushing into his prostate as he humps his lover gently, making him more horny as every inch of his dick is massaged his dick. He drives his member deep into him for almost 10 minutes, making slow, sweet love to his soul mate, sharing his body with the other. "Hawwhh, awwll, hahh" Adam whimpers as he continues to masturbate, fondling his balls as he feels Merrick hilt him over and over again. "A-AhhHH~!" Adam jolts again from a firm push inside, "Ahhhh, Merrick~" "HhhHHhh..." Merrick pushes his whole body forward, making Adam's legs lift backwards, as Merrick's legs straighten while his own ass tenses up. Adam grunts as his legs are forced to move back farther than they should, before they slide to Merrick's sides. "OH! A-Ahh," Adam moans out as Merrick's member plunges even deeper than before. He lets go of the sheets, and holds onto Merrick's arms while Merrick holds himself up. His hips continue to push into Adam in small movements. Adam opens his eyes and looks to his lover, getting a little sweaty just from being fucked oh so gently. Merrick's lips delicately kisses and trace along Adam's face. "I love you..." Merrick whispers. Adam crosses his ankles around Merrick's behind. Adam opens his mouth, but Merrick stops him, "Don't say it... I don't want you to say it." "Wha..."

"I want you to feel it... I want you to always feel it..." "... When can I say it?" Adam asked. Merrick pushes his mouth into a melting kiss, gluing his lips onto the other as he rubs his manhood into every inch of Adam's hot, wet tunnel. Adam breathes harshly between laps and weak moans as Merrick pushes his passion over him. Merrick pants as he still pushes his meat into Adam. "When you don't feel like you have to..." Merrick answers, "Everything about it needs to be real..." Merrick then undulates his hips, grooving into Adam. 

"A-Ahh~Hhh!" Adam tenses as a sheer pressure inside him drives a very heavy sensation into his own dick, "M-Merrick~! O-Oh my ga-hah!" Adam starts to moan erratically as Merrick's cock meshes firmly into Adam's prostate. "Fuuuuck, fuuuuuck, fuuuuck," Adam whines as Merrick shoves his rod deeper and deeper. "Nnhh~! Emmnnff, ghhh, nnhhh~!" Merrick pants and moans as he drives himself into Adam harder. "I'm close..." "Can you cum... Inside me?" Adam grunted as he clings to Merrick, his hands gripping and holding him, "Ollhh, ollhhh."

"HhhhHHhh" Merrick puts his strength into his legs as he pushes harder into Adam's rear, forcing into him quicker as his dick flexes inside him, "You want it... You want it..." "Fuck me, babe..." Adam moans as his whole body quivers under Merrick, "Don't stop, please don't stop, this feels so good..." Merrick clenches his eyes as he slaps his pelvis softly into Adam's ass, his penis reaching higher and higher pleasure as he drills harshly into him. "Ffffffuck." Merrick's hips piston into Adam's rear faster and faster. Adam drops his head on the pillow as he takes the raw force of his boyfriend's railing. "HhhhIhh'm gonna cum... I'm gonna cum." Merrick says as he jerks his cock back and forth into Adam's hole. "Haahhh! Ahh! Hhgghhh!" Adam's fingers squeeze onto Merrick as the pounding starts to hurt from the rapid stimulation. He grits his teeth as Merrick forces his manhood in a very harsh fashion, before he comes to a stop, pressing his meat deep into Adam's tunnel. 

"... Ollhhh~!" Merrick's body jerks as suddenly moans, "Ahhh! GhhhHH~!" His hips buck into Adam's ass. Adam gasps and squirms as he feels something hot and wet enter into his insides. "O-Oohh, ohhh gaahh," He pants as he feeling this bizarre sensation inside his rectum, panting as Merrick moves himself backwards. Adam grunts and winces as he feels his sphincter shift around Merrick's cock, before it finally closes from his dribbling meat, feeling himself leak from his anus from Merrick's spunk. "So... So wha..." Adam groans, sweaty and tired as he watches Merrick take the bottle of lube, "What do we..." Merrick holds the lube upside down, and let the goo droop and pour all over Adam's penis and his testicles, "WOOOOoooOO!" Adam jumbles at the cold oil going all over his privates. "Shhhit, oh my gosh!" Adam then feels Merrick's hand take his balls and his member, and starts to fondle and massage them, "Ooh, ooooh~" Adam swerves curves his body as he feels the very nice sensation on his tenders, gently massaging his business with the lube, "Oh wow, that feels awesome."

"Mnnhh~" Merrick smiles as he kisses Adam's cheek as he handle's Adam's hard rod with the slick lube. Adam gasps and moans as he moves his hips up, savoring the soreness in his ass while Merrick rolls his nuts around in his hand. "Oh fuck, work the balls... O-Ohhh yeah, just like that." Adam moans as his dick jumps from the thorough play, "Ohhh my God, aahhh... Uhhhhh~" Adam writhes pleasantly as he undulates his lower body as Merrick's slippery hand elevates up and down on his meat, really making short work of his dick, "OH my God, I'm gonna cum~!" "Yeah, cum for me, stud." Merrick growled as he grabs and wrestles with Adam's fat orbs while jerking off Adam's meat. He digs his hand to drive Adam's balls to roll his sac around while the lube squishes around Adam's throbbing pole. "Oh God, oh God, oh God!" Adam clenches his eyes as his dick feels that harsh foreboding rise inside, "... OHhhhH!" A rope of white jumps and lands on Adam's chest, "Ahhh! Hh-hhh! Ohhh! Fffffuck!" Merrick's jacking slows slightly as Adam paints himself in white glaze with Merrick directing his `brush'. "Hohhh my God... Oh fuck, that was... Fffffuck..." Merrick sighs as he snuggles down next to Adam, both of them panting as the breeze from the window slightly changes the heat and smell of the room. Adam pants as his penis lays soft on his hip spent while he feels his rear still reeling from being mounted, while Merrick holds him close. "... So when can I say it?" Adam asks quietly, "Because... I want to say it right now..."

"... That's the thing... I need you to feel it, not say it..." Merrick answers, "This feeling?" He puts his hand in between the space between Adam's chest and stomach, "This slightly lazy and heavy sensation in there right now, while still feeling excited and attached... I want you to say it when you feel this when you see me..." "Merrick... What does that mean?" "Because I want you to say it when you know you really want to, not just when I say it..." "Merrick, you're kinda making this confusing."

"Heh, well." Merrick rolls onto his side, and kisses Adam again, "That's also what all love is." ---Now--- --- we had sex. We made love, and oh my God, it was... I don't even know how to describe it, it was, well HUGE. He put his cock in my ass. It felt so rough and great at the same time. My whole butt feels tired and heavy. And when he came... I still remember the look on his face when he came inside me. He didn't even break a sweat, he was panting and holding himself over me. I was jacking off until he made me move my hand, and he worked my dick over with lube, and then I came. I came so hard, I almost made my whole front wet. Fuck, it was better than all the other times he and I had these events. --- 
Adam sighs as he feels another deep emotion inside him. --- And then, sometimes, I look at Merrick when he's not looking at me, and... Well, he looks sad. He looks he's listening to some bad news when he's not looking at me. Diary, I want my old life so bad now. Last night was wonderful, and I want more. But I also feel like... I don't know, like I'm supposed to be somewhere, but I don't know what, like I'm showing up late for something important, but I don't know what. I have no idea --- "What're you doing, stud~?" Merrick asked as he puts his arms around Adam's chest. 

"Ah! I," Adam closes his laptop, "I was writing in my diary. No one is allowed to read." "Ooh, telling your computer what we just did~?" Merrick tips the top of the lid, but Adam makes it go away. "No, hands off, babe. No peeks."

"Aww ok." Merrick says as he kissed his cheek. "Mnnhhh..." Merrick's lips mesh and lap on Adam's cheek. Adam sighs as he closes his eyes, those kisses feeling so good right now. His briefs are starting to bulge, "You were so hot last night..." "Nnhhh..." Adam groans as Merrick lovingly suckles on his cheek while his hands held onto Merrick's arm. Merrick kisses his mouth before he stands up and stretches. Adam looks and stares at Merrick's nude form. His skin looks so flawless, and he's very lean. "See anything you like this morning?" Merrick said with a smirk, with one hand on his hip, catching Adam staring at his soft genitals. "Ah- Sorry, I-I, heh, I..."

"Heheh" Merrick kisses him again, "I'm going for a shower. Wanna join me?" "Wh- Really? Now?" "Well yeah, gotta get clean and ready for work SOMEhow." He said with that adorable smile. "Come on." He walks to the door, not even bothering to cover himself as he walks out, with Adam looking at that beautiful bottom as he goes. Adam stands awkwardly, almost wanting to look around, before he goes to catch up with him. ~~~ "Seriously, fishboy, you need to tell your catch to fuck off." Captain growled. "I-I'm sorry, Captain..." Adam apologized as they worked with a delivery of shrimp. "Look, I don't give a good goddamn that you both fuck men. But when he gits here, he's making you late from your breaks, and you're getting less work done. So unless he's buying something, he needs to git."

"I understand..." Adam says as he bows his head, humiliated and ashamed. He thought he was more subtle than that.

"... Ah, fuck up, will ya? You're bringin me down."

"S-Sorry..." "Can't fire ya. That'll piss your old man off." "Why?" Adam says as they go. Captain's training him for the more complicated work. They are far-out at sea, and working with the nets and a few crustacean pots. "Cuz I promised your Dad." Captain answered, "When you were beat from school, he sent ya to live here since you like fish or water or some shit." 

"Huh?" "It's complicated, boy, don't make me try and remember YOUR side of the thing." "Sorry."

"Hhhanyway," Captain huffed as they worked, "He told me you were wet behind the ears, and your grandparents were leaving. So," Captain tied a few hard knots of rope to the boat, "Your old man called me. Told me to look after you." "And... You did?" "Hell's balls, fishboy, you were coming anyway, and I owed him. I gave ya a job till you wanted to go to college... Then you didn't and you just been workin ever since."

"Honestly, uh... Sir..." Adam says hesitantly. This guy seems so angry and grumpy all the time. "I'm still a little confused by this."

"Yeah, well, you need to git your shit together." Captain said, "Eventually, ya have to..." "And... What?" "Eeeehhh, forgit about it." Captain waved his hand over it. Adam groans as they eventually see the docks again. They've been out all day in the vast ocean fishing for larger game and also gathering shrimp and also tending to a few buoys for maintenance. His face is a little red from the sun, despite the sunblock. As they go, he sees Merrick waving at them, wearing regular clothes instead of a slutty apparel. Adam sighs as he can hear Captain wheezing up behind him. "I know, I know. I'll tell him he's not allowed here anymore."

"Fuck it, boy. Just tell him to quit tryin to suck ya mouth while you're at the Fish House. You're good boy, but I can't have you makin a weird mess on my docks." "O-Ok." Adam nods. 
A while later, Adam changes out of his uniform, and puts on his pants and shirt. He forgets to take off his cap as he leaves. He exits and smiles as he sees Merrick waiting for him out. "Yoouuu," Adam says he puts his arm around Merrick's neck as they go, "You got me in some trouble." "Hahaha, what did I do??" Merrick laughed. "Captain tells me you're loving me is making me late for work." "I can't help iiiiit." Merrick says through gritted teeth as they walk. "Do it anyway, he scares the shit out of me." "Whatevs, babe." Merrick teases as he tips Adam's FH hat. "Tch. Were you always like this?" Adam smirks. "On a good day." Merrick smirks. "Hang on, there's a place you still need to check out." "Ok." They walk along one of the directions of the pier, and they go near to a jewelry store. Merrick's smile faded a little as they walk, which Adam picks up in his peripheral vision. "What's this place?" "It's a pearl shop." They walk by an old wood sculpture of a mermaid holding an oyster. "Your Mother told me when you were a kid, you loved going to the Redondo Beach Pier. And your favorite thing to do was to buy an oyster from the shop, so they could cut it open and find a pearl." "They actually do that?" Adam asked with a quirked brow.

"Yeah, right here." He says as they come to a small exotic basin full of running water, with many crust-looking bivalve shells in there. "We just pick one or a few, and open them." "Sure, sounds fun, I like this date so far." Adam says with a smile as he gets his FH ID card to the clerk. "Hello, Adam," The clerk greets. The position and influence of the Fish House has grown in the last few years. The fishboys have become something akin to Go-To guys and helpful people all around the pier and docks -- basically, the Fish House brand is invested as part of the businesses of the shops to where the fishboys are like pseudo staff at anywhere. 

"Ok, so..." Adam takes a rusted clam-like platter, and takes the provided tongs, "How much are these oysters?" "With your FH discount, $5.95" The Korean clerk says with a smile. "Cool, I can afford a few..." Adam says as he stirs the water a bit. He really has no idea just what these oysters might give in difference to each other. He picks up a five of them, and takes them aside. He pays for them, and the cashier takes him to the old cutting area. "You want to open them yourself? You have knife-license, right?" "Yep. It's on my ID, right?" Adam says as he brings it out again. On the upper corner of the card are tiny symbols -- a fish, a hook, a star, and a half-circle. The half circle represents that Adam has had training in how to properly handle a knife as a member of the staff. "Ok, I'll be here." Merrick steps beside Adam, watching him take the first oyster. Adam slices the blade into it, and pries it open, as he always have when he was working with scallop preparation, "Alright, now what am I looking for?" "You press and feel around the meat."

"Ok..." Adam puts his thumb around, or else the flat side of the knife, squishing the meat until he feels a small, solid lump. He pushes it, and a light pink orb emerges from the raw oyster, "Oh! Wow, look at that!" "Nice."

"Ok, I clean." The clerk says as Adam gives her the pearl to scrub and wash with salt. Adam opens the next oyster, now eagerly feeling around the meat, until he pushes out a grey pearl with a blue-tint to the color. "Oh my gosh, wow! This one's like dark." "I've always liked how oysters can make such things..." Merrick said. Adam opens the next one, seeing a small white pearl pushed from the oyster meat, "Oooh, I am loving this." Adam says as a gleam goes through his eyes. He picks up the next one, and carves into it. He presses around, until a black pearl comes from out of the raw meat. "Whoooaaa." "Oooh, a black one! That's rare." The clerk beams. "Wow, I'm glad you recommended this, Merrick." Adam says. He takes the last one, before Merrick's hand stops him. "Huh?" "This one's..." Merrick picks it up, and gives it a few subtle taps and presses as he puts it in Adam's hand, "This one is a bit different."

"How can you tell?" "Well... Kinda like this." Merrick moves it, and opens the oyster. With it in his hand, Adam feels around, but feels the solid prize as something odd. "What the..." A black arch started to emerge from the oyster's meat before Adam widened his eyes. His fingers took up a ring made of pure black pearl, with white curve designs around the band, and a small, round white pearl at the top side of the band, almost reminiscent of a full moon in a night sky, "Merrick..." "Adam... Heh, I'm not even sure how these things are supposed to go..." He takes a deep breath, "You know I love you. I always have. And, I know you still hardly know me, and... This ring is supposed to tell you just how much you mean to me, and... Damn, I don't even know how this was supposed to go."

"N-No, I get it." Adam nods, "You're... Like, was this made, or is this just a very smart oyster?" "Hahahah, no no, I had it made." Merrick nodded, "My Mother herself made it special for you... She told me to give you this ring, as well as her blessing. She wishes you to cherish our lives with everything we have." "W-Wow, Merrick." He sniffs and rubs his eyes with his wrist. "I wish I can meet her, she sounds wonderful."

"Hmph, you have, actually, years ago. She took an immediate liking to you." Merrick smiled, "I love you so much... And I... I just... Ghah, I don't know." Adam dips his head in, and kisses Merrick's lips, making him giggle for a second, "I love you too." He took the ring up, but Merrick gently takes it from him. Holding Adam's left hand, Merrick slipped the night-themed ring onto Adam's finger. "I told you I didn't want you to sa-" "And you're not being fair again." Adam says as he holds Merrick's arm, "I get to say and feel what I want, and I love you, Merrick." Merrick still looks sadly cynical, "Hey, don't look like that. I mean it. "Heh... Ok, fine, babe... You win." Merrick says with his eyes cast down. Adam cups his cheek, and moves his face up. "Merrick. I love you." Adam says seriously, "I've felt it long before you even said it. So stop telling me I'm not allowed to tell you... Ok? And I want you to stop telling yourself that I don't feel this way, I know you are. It's like you won't let me love you."

"Ok..." Merrick nods, sniffing before Adam kisses him softly, "Ok..." "I love you, Merrick... Don't cry..." Just from Merrick giving him this ring makes some weird dive of a sensation inside him, like something was completely unexpected, yet Merrick's presentation of the ring was a big lacking... Lacking for what? Merrick smiles as his heart still feels a longing pain. He's happy, and Adam loves him, so... Why does he still feel this lonely trace? He and Adam are as close together as anyone could possibly get, so why does it still feel like a barrier? Why does it still feel like they are a couple of strangers? ~~~ Adam and Merrick hold hands as they walk into the house. Merrick still has this complicated pit in his stomach, while Adam feels this strange sort of happiness that feels like it's missing something. Something just out of his grasp, on the tip of his tongue, but he can't imagine what. He looks at Merrick, seeing a dampened look on him again. "Merrick? Are you ok?" "Hm? Oh yeah, I'm fine..."

"Babe, no you're not." Adam says to him, "You seem in and out of sorts ever since we started to go out. It's confusing, and... Honestly, it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. What can I do to make you feel better?"

Merrick gives a sad smile as he puts his hand to Adam's cheek, "Everything you do makes me feel better, Adam..." He leans up, and kisses him, "These are deeper hurts that I need to worry about, not you. I'll be ok..." "Oh... Kay..." Adam says before they walk into the living room, and Adam turns on the PS4. "What do you want to watch?" Adam asked as he takes up the controller. "I'm rather hooked on Glee lately. I think we're on Season 2."

"Ok, got it." Adam smiles as he sits next to Merrick, and plays the episode where they left off -- the one where Kurt returns back to McKinley High, and the Warblers are getting ready to say goodbye to him. Merrick scoots next to him, and snuggles with Adam. [~I walked across an empty laaand ~I knew the pathway like the back of my haaaa~aand~] Blaine sings as everyone looks at Kurt and the singers endearingly. Merrick holds his arm over Adam's waist to hold him close. He knows he's going to eventually swallow down this knowledge that his Adam may very well be gone forever... But that sentence alone is enough to make Merrick despair all over again. [~I felt the earth beneath my feet ~Sat by the river, and it made me compleeeee~eete ~Oh, simple thiiiing, where have you gooone? ~I'm getting old, and I need something to rely on ~So tell me wheeeen you're gonna let me iiiin ~I'm getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin~] He has no doubt that... Sure, maybe his soul remembers Merrick -- it only shows in his subconscious behavior, that's all. Adam feels drawn to Merrick, and he is so open and allowing for the things they do and what they share. [~I came across a fallen tree ~I felt the branches of it looking at meeee~eee ! ~Is this the plaaa~aaace we used to looooove? ~Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?~] [~I felt the earrrrrrrth beneath my feet ~Sat by the river, and it made me compleee~eete ~Oh, simple thiiiing, where have you gooone? ~I'm getting old, and I need something to rely on ~So tell me when you're gonna let me iiiin ~I'm getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin~] But it's just not the same... It's just not fair. Adam has come so far; he's a fully functional, healthy man again. He was knocking on death's door, and he came out of it alive, his body healed, his emotions mended, his mentality balanced, his function restored. But his past... Those memories... All those years, all the joy, sorrow, bliss, anger, fears, loves, experiences... Why can't he have those back too? He has everything else returned to him just fine... Why is it so hard to just conceive that he can get back what was stolen from him? [~And if you have a minute, why don't we go ~Somewhere only we know~] That lyric sparks inside Merrick's mind, his eyes widening. [~Talk about it somewhere only we know? ~This could be the end of everything ~So why don't we go ~Somewhere only we know?~] `What...' Merrick thinks, something dawning on him as they watch the dancing schoolboys. [~Oh, simple thiiiing, where have you gooone? ~I'm getting old, and I need something to rely on ~So tell me when you're gonna let me iiiin ~I'm getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin~] Merrick listens intently, his heart thumping particularly hard. [~And if you have a minute, why don't we go ~Somewhere only we know? ~Talk about it somewhere only we know? ~This could be the end of everything ~So why don't we go ~Somewhere only we know?~] The boys sing on, hugging Kurt one by one, patting him on the back and his shoulders, happy to see him one last time, Kurt overwhelmed with tears as they go by in progression. Finn smiles affectionately before he hugs his little stepbrother, followed by Mercedes, before Blaine finishes the song softly. [~So why don't we go ~Somewhere only we know~ ... ~Somewhere only we know ~Somewhere only we know~] [Kurt hugs Blaine one last time, crying quietly as he holds him, "I will never say goodbye to you..." He mutters.] Merrick's insides feel a very keen strain pull from his heart. A new, unnerving hope. `Somewhere only we know...'