Chapter 46: On The Cruise
"Enngghhh..." Merrick feels the urge to gag as he sat there, leering at the pool on the deck. Everyone's excited, everyone's splashing and having a good time, but the smell is so overwhelming. The merman's eyes watered as he wiped them off, as they are stinging a little from all of the fumes.
He squirms in the seat, as he looks at Adam. Seeing his fuzzy muscles soaked in water just peaks the fact that he is drenched in that stench.
"By the depths..." He coughed a little as the strong scent worked into his system. The blue scale charm around his neck gleam in the sunlight, so no one here will be shocked to see his true form, should any water find its way to his flesh.
"What are you doing, Merrick?!" Adam called out, after Nick just fell off his shoulders from playing Chicken, "Come on in! The water's fine!"
"Yeah, I doubt that!" He called back. Adam looked with concern, as Merrick seemed to be very uncomfortable. The sun is bright today, so he has to be roasting right now. Looking around, there ARE a lot of humans around, getting in and out of the pool. Is that why? He knows that humans aren't that dangerous... Well, most of them anyway.
"I'm gonna go see what's up." He said to Jamal.
"Aight, man..." He nodded as Adam swam from them, over to the submerged steps of the pool "...Ah!" Suddenly, Jamal felt his ass and genitals exposed and his feet were tripped in the water. He whirled around, and saw Nick swimming swiftly away from him, with his speedo clenched tightly in his hand - a little nifty prank Merrick taught him, "Nick! Get back here!"
Adam climbed out of the pool, and trotted over to Merrick.
"Ah-" Suddenly, a few guys shot him with super soakers - this water is cold, so they probably got it from the hose, "Hey, cut it out!" He said while laughing, "OoH!" He shuddered as they hit a cold stream on his ass.
Adam finally got to Merrick, sitting along on the sun-bathing chair. He looks pitifully at his blonde boyfriend, sitting there, his skin looking a little pinkish, it can't be good to bake under the sun like this. He sat on the beach chair next to Merrick, just as he turned and smiling weakly.
"H-Hey, Adam..." Merrick said, just seconds away from gagging.
"Hi, baby," Adam said, kissing Merrick's cheek, but having his merman shy away from him, "Merrick, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, Adam..." He said, shaking his head, "I'm fine..."
"Merrick, you're just sitting here, sulking in the sun, what gives?"
"Nothing personal, but... You kinda reek, Adam."
"What?"
"Those two men just hit you with fresh water, so it's not so bad, but you're just covered in stink."
"What? I don't stink."
"Not you, just... Everywhere," Merrick said, "Every human here is just covered in this overpowering stench."
"Baby, what are you talking about?"
"It's that water," Merrick pointed to the pool, "That water has been poisoned with this... Horrible scent."
"What..." Adam looked at the pool for a second, "Oh that? That's just the chlorine."
"Is that what it's called?" Merrick said with distaste, "I can't stand the smell."
"Aw, come on, babe, it's not that bad." Adam said.
"Maybe not to you, but it's making me sick." Merrick rubbed his eyes again.
"Well..." Adam said, "We COULD make out instead~" He said with a playful grin.
"Ugh," Merrick pushed two fingers on Adam's chin and turned his face, "Not when you smell this bad."
"Awwwrrr..." Adam pouted as Merrick rolled his eyes, "I really wanna play some water games with you though..."
"Mmmggghhh" Merrick groaned as he looked at the turbulent splashes of the partiers. They really do look they're having fun... And those waterslides... Merrick has never been on a waterslide before, and it looks so enjoyable... And he does smell freshwater coming from the slides... Maybe the pool isn't a soup of poison like he smells... And plus, the last thing he wants to do is to ruin Adam's fun...
"I still wanna play in there, so I guess you could-"
"N-No" Merrick said, "I-I'm ok to go in..."
"What?" Adam turned to him as he stood up, "Look, Merrick, you don't have to, ok? Girl's Night is not for a couple more hours, so you can still-"
"No, Adam, I'm ok." Merrick said as he got up, sporting a cozy blue speedo.
"You sure, Merrick? I really don't mind you going dancing in the lobby if you don't mind me swimming here."
"I know, but I keep looking at the water slides, and they look so..." Merrick rubbed his own arm, "I can tolerate the smell, ok?"
"Well... If you're sure, babe..." Adam can't help but feel that Merrick's just trying to please him, "Seriously, Merrick, if you'd rather do something else-"
"It's ok, Adam." Merrick said, "Just... Let me do this, ok? I'm just not used to it, that's all."
"Ok..." Adam looked with concern as he followed Merrick to one of the waterslides. With a little coaching from his lover, Merrick climbed up on the ladder of one of the waterslides. Being near a fresh water pump is making the smell more tolerable. Maybe this won't be so bad.
Merrick made it to the top of the latter, and looked upon river slide, the rushing cold water running down the clear plastic slide, and pouring into the pool. He climbed up on it, and relished the feel of the cold water on his rear and legs, shuddering as the scale on his necklace glimmered, preventing a transformation. He giggled as he felt Adam behind him. He turned his head, and kissed his human lovingly.
"Ok, lets move it along!" Said a grouchy looking lady in a small line forming at the waterslide. Adam sighed aggravatingly, and parted from his boyfriend. Merrick nodded, and took a huff.
"Here goes nothing..." He said, before pushing himself forward, and feeling himself slide down.
He shrieked with excitement as the cold water rushed onto him as he quickly moved down. Adam laughed as he watched that blonde head whirl around a few loops, around the frame of the pool, and into the water itself! Splashing right into it, with a look of excitement on his face before he disappeared into the cyan below.
Taking his turn, Adam climbed up, sat down on the chilled water, and pushed himself forward.
"WOOOOOO!" Adam whooped as the water invaded his personal areas as he raced through waterslide. "Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod, WAHAAAA!" He laughed in the tunnel/slide, moving with the river and the turns and curves, feeling the water wash and splash everywhere around him!
His body turned, and he can see the cyan pool at the end of the slide. He grinned as the water shot him into the pool, where he instantly felt a lot warmer, in contrast of the hose water.
He swam, and looked about, going to find his blonde lover, with these waterproof eyes of his. He can see so clear underwater, it's like wearing a mask.
Adam swam forth, turning his head around, and trying to find Merrick. Odd enough, he can't see him. He whirled around to try and catch him - that merman is always mischievous; he might just try and snatch his swimsuit, just like Nick did to Jamal.
Still no sign of him, only a bunch of other guys and ladies, either submerged like him, or everyone's on the surface. Finding no trace of Merrick, Adam noticed that some of the people are getting out.
He swam up, and broke the surface. Some of the people are crowding in one spot, outside the pool. Adam gapped as he saw the lifeguard holding Merrick in her arms, "Oh my god, MERRICK!" Adam swam harshly as best as he could.
"Someone get the medic!" The lifeguard called. Merrick gagged and writhed as his skin started to break out in rashes, "Everyone get back!" She bellowed as Merrick twitched and coughed.
"MERRICK!" Adam yanked himself out of the water, and sprinted towards them, just as the medic knelt down to tend to him. The lifeguard saw him, and blocked Adam from dashing at him.
