Aquata Cove

Chapter 47: Trip To The Mall

The sinks runs in the bathroom as Adam splashes the cold water on his freshly shaven face. He runs a towel over his lower jaw, and feels it smooth.

"You ready, yet?" Merrick asked as he came in, "You're not even dressed yet," Adam jumped as he felt a quick slap to his butt.

"Gh! Hey~" Adam turned, and rose his eyebrows, "Whoa..." He smiles, as he looks Merrick up and down, seeing him in tight jeans, a black and neon purple/yellow sheen hoodie that's zipped up, "Wow, babe..."

"What~" Merrick said with a charismatic smirk.

"Since when do YOU layer up like that?"

"Just getting used to these draperies you humans go for," He put his hands in his pockets as he leaned on the door frame of the bathroom, "Me and Yuri went clothe shopping a few weeks ago." Adam smiles as he left the bathroom, and pulled up some cargo shorts between his legs, "She said I had a great taste for fashion... Whatever THAT means."

"How so?" Adam picked put his button-up polo shirt with the tribal dragons on it.

"I don't have a clue, I don't go around licking all those sails humans wear," He scoffed, "Sorry, 'clothes'."

Adam laughs as he starts to button his shirt up, "That's not what she meant, Merrick." Merrick's hands took Adam's when he reached the middle button.

"Don't..." He said as he kissed Adam's lower lip.

"Mmmmhh..." Adam closed his eyes as his merman kissed him sensually, putting his own hands on Merrick's shoulders as he inserted the next button into the slit of Adam's shirt. Adam kissed him sweetly as Merrick finished the last button on the top, before there was a very small chink on the floor.

"Hey-" The looked down, and saw Merrick's bracelet on the floor, next to Merrick's shoe, "Oh no!" He picked up, and saw the chain itself to be rusty, and two of the links had broken off.

"Ah fuck," Adam said as he looked at the old chain.

"It's broken..." Merrick pouted sadly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"I love this thing, you got it for me on our very first date on the pier..."

"Cheap metal..." Adam growled, "When we get back home next weak, I'll buy you a better one."

"No, I like this one..." Merrick answered, "Are you sure humans don't have some power or device to make it as it was?"

"Not that I know of, babe." Adam said as Merrick put the old chain in his pocket, "Come on," He put his arm around Merrick, "Lets go to the gift shops, see of they have anything."

~~~

"So what IS a gift shop?" Merrick said as they walked along deck, "In the sea, gifts are seldom because we only carry what we need."

"Yeah, but with us humans, we like to get each other just about any gift." They turned the corner, and entered the ship.

"Gifts are also supposed to be rare and endearing," Merrick said as they went, "How can people just exploit that idea so loosely?"

"I don't know, Merrick," Adam said with a huff, getting a little annoyed at the criticism, "Just another reason why humans are a fucked up race."

They traveled to one of the levels of the ship, and came across the shopping section – like a very small mall, it has two sides of stands and shops.

"Well..." Merrick looked at a stand as they went, "There's still a lot of fascinating objects to be had, I'll give them that."

"Yeah, thanks," Adam said with a side-smirk as they went.

~~~

"Is there anyway you can fix this?" Merrick pleaded as he put his broken, corroding bracelet on the glass counter of a tiny jewelry shop. The lady behind the counter took a look at it, and examined it.

"... I'm sorry, hun, there's not a thing we can do here." She said sadly, "The best we can do is to replace it."

"I see." Merrick said.

"It's ok, sweetie," Adam said.

"If you'd like to take a look at our bracelets here," The woman said as she picked up a black velvet bar equipped with a row different kinds of bracelets.

"Go ahead and pick one out." Adam encouraged. Merrick's eyes glanced from bracelet to bracelet. Some of them have bulky jewels on them, some of them are simple chains just like his old one, and some of them have stylized chain links. He frowned as he took a few minutes to look over them.

"... No... It's just not the same..." Merrick said before he took the remains of his old bracelet back into his pocket.

"I'm sorry." The woman said as she put the row of bracelets back, "There's more where these came from, if you're interested."

"That's alright, I'm fine." Said with a nod.

"Well, let me know if you find anything of interest."

"That's fine." Merrick said, "Let's just g..." Merrick froze on the spot. Adam takes a step out of the shop, and realized Merrick is locked onto the spot.

"Merrick?"

"Wooow..." Merrick said in hushed awe, looking at a section of beautiful key pendants.

Adam turned back around and walked back in, and looked where Merrick is looking. "Oh, wow." Adam remarked as he looked at an ornate filigree key pendant in the glass counter. It has a cyan jewel in the middle of the silver work, the image of a wide-set heart in curl, an upside-down heart placed on top of the jewel, with two C-shaped on the lower part of the heart, and a silver curve for the key teeth.

"Prettyyy..." Merrick mumbled as he gazed at the pendant.

"Kinda reminds me of your mother." Adam said affectionately as he put an arm around him.

"Yes... It does..." Merrick muttered lowly.

The woman smiled as she unlocked and opened the mirror case, and took out the mount and the necklace itself.

"Isn't it lovely?" She said as the twinkle in gem matched the twinkle in Merrick's eyes, "This is the prized and latest in our Keys To Our Heart foundation. Set in stainless platinum, mounted with a rare Siberian Jeremejevite."

"I've never seen anything like this so beautiful..." Merrick mumbled. Adam smiled as he looked at the key, and at Merrick, then at the clerk.

"How much?"

"Well, if you sign up for a membership here at Sacred Jewelers, we can give you a 20% discount, and it will cost of $1,400."

"AH- Wh- Fu- $1,400??" Adam stammered.

"What, is that a lot?" Merrick genuinely asked.

"Yeah. That's like, two paychecks at once for me, plus all my tips."

"Ah" Merrick scoffed and shook his head, "Yeah, It's not THAT... Beautiful..." He said as he looked at the key. The lady chuckled as she put the necklace away.

"I know. Frankly, I think the makers of these treasures fluff themselves far too high." Merrick is still unable to take his eyes away from the key, "Is there anything else I may interest you?"

"No," Merrick shook his head, "Most of this is not my style anyway..." Merrick said as he and Adam held hands, and walked out.

~~~

"Ha, wow," Merrick picked up a katana from one of the stands while Adam went to get a couple of churros. He unsheathed it, with a look in fascination, "Human weapon..."

"U-Uh, excuse me, please!" The clerk said as Merrick began twirling the blade in his hand, "That is VERY sharp, please put that down!"

"Why?" Merrick asked as effortlessly spun the sword around from hand to hand, as he talked to the old clerk, "If someone needs to buy a weapon, they need have a feel for it, right?" He swung the sword like an agile rogue.

"This is not a weapon!" The clerk said as he took the handle of the sword from Merrick, "This is a priceless antique!"

"...What?"

"This sword is almost 200 years old."

"Wow, really?"

"Yes, really!" The clerk angrily took the sheath out of Merrick's hand, "And brandishing it around and cutting someone is bad for business!"

"... So why doesn't it belong to a warrior?" Merrick asked, "Why is it in YOUR hands, doing nothing?"

"Warriors aren't around anymore, kid." The guy said.

"Wha..." Merrick looked in aggravation as the man put the sword on its shelf, "Then... Give it to a hunter, or a fighter, or anyone who will use it, it's just sitting there, doing nothing."

"It's not for using, kid! Now are you gonna buy something, or you just gonna stand there with your mouth open?"

"Hey, babe!" Adam said as he came up with the churros, but noticed his merman and the old clerk glaring at each other, "... Er... Merrick?"

"You know what?" Merrick leaned forth, "You disgust me, and you should throw everything you have in the ocean. At least then, they'd be in better hands than yours." He knocked over the sword's stand, and went away.

~~~

"Alright, now get in a pose" Adam said as he and Merrick sat in a cramped booth.

"Why?" He asked as Adam pressed a button below a bright screen.

"Just do it."

"Adam, I don't get it, why won't you-"

CH-CHEEEH

"Ah! What?" He looked around for the camera, but he can't see any flash.

"It's on the screen, come on!" Adam said as he tickled Merrick for a moment, forcing the merman to laugh.

CH-CHEEEH

"Alright, alright, alright!" Merrick said, "What now??"

"I don't know, pose!" Adam said. Merrick laughed and shrugged as he put his arm around Adam's neck, and Adam feigned being strangled.

CH-CHEEEH

"Ooh! I got one!" Merrick said as he then kissed Adam's cheek.

CH-CHEEEH

"Hahahahaha!" Adam posed to clutch onto Merrick's head, and lick him like an animal.

CH-CHEEEH

"Oh! Blowjob!" Adam said.

"What???"

"Just a pose," Adam ducked down. Merrick thought fast and leaned back, putting his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and opened mouth wide.

CH-CHEEEH

The photo booth, and Adam paid the fee to print the photos.

"Oh, I see now." Merrick said he and Adam looked over the silly photos, "Hahaha, neat!"

"You never see these booths anymore." There was a pause between them, and Merrick got a naughty idea.

"Hey Adam... Lets get back in there."

"Hm? Wanna do it again?"

"Yeah... Only different~"

"Huh?"

Merrick giggled as he took Adam's sleeve, and pulled him back into the booth.

CH-CHEEEH

Merrick's shirt gets pulled up, with Adam licking his tummy.

CH-CHEEEH

Merrick's tight jeans get pulled down below his butt as Adam's face is buried in Merrick's crotch.

CH-CHEEEH

Adam and Merrick are in a harsh liplock.

CH-CHEEEH

Merrick is on his knees, pulling at Adam's underpants with his teeth.

CH-CHEEEH

Adam's lower body is pushed against Merrick's rump.

CH-CHEEEH

Both males are rubbing their limb dicks together.

~~~

"There we go," Adam said as Merrick equipped the metal bracer. It's a lot thicker than the bracelet he once had – the links kept together are like thick scales, black and blue in color. Wearing it made him feel stronger, as it clung tightly on his wrist.

"I still like the one you first got me..." Merrick said. He brought a hand to Adam's cheek, "I just wish I could get you something."

"Heheh, Merrick, it's ok, really." He kissed him as they walked along.

"Now I'm starting to see how this money stuff is really important."

"Don't think about it, babe..." Adam put his arms around Merrick, "You give me everything I want just by crawling into bed with me..."

"Aw, Adam..." Merrick cooed as they passed on by the shops.

~~~

Merrick giggles as Adam kisses at his ear, "Stop it~! That tickles!" Adam chuckles as he dabbed Merrick's nose with his ice cream scoop too, "Ahh! Adam!" He quickly took a napkin, and wiped it fast.

"Words can't express how much I..." Adam began, but noticed that Merrick isn't looking at him, "Uh... Merrick?"

"No way..." Merrick said.

"What is it?"

"There's a mermaid over there!"

"Wait, what?" Adam said, looking where Merrick was pointing. He can't see anyone that resembles any sea creature, "I don't see anything."

"Over there!" Merrick turned Adam's head to the direction, "The one with the flower in her dark red hair!" Adam spotted a chick with long, curled auburn hair with a glittering orange flower barrette in her hair. She smiles as her boyfriend kisses her.

"Oh, I see her. How do you know she's a mermaid, Merrick?"

"We always know..." Merrick said as she took her jacket off.

"Is she Piscien, Amnien, or Holsien?"

"It's hard to say..." Merrick said as they both saw her in a sleeveless vest, and a tribal heart tattoo on her arm.

"Wait... Isn't that..." Adam turned his head and glanced at the back of Merrick's neck.

"Coshiton..." The mermaid playfully slaps her boyfriend's cheek as he wrapped a scarf around her neck, "Just like me..." He looks at her boyfriend closely, "... And he's a human..."

"Oh shit." Adam sat dumbfounded. That tattoo on her arm... It's the exact symbol Merrick has, "Do you know her?"

"No, I've never met her before..." Merrick said, "Adam... I-I have to talk to her!" He stood up quickly.

"Wait, Merrick-" The crowd is starting to gather as people walked on in.

"I-If she's Coshiton, she might know a way to make the Capricorn disappear! If not, I have to warn her!" Merrick started pushing his way though the crowd.

"Merrick! Wait!" Adam got up, but he's unable to keep up with Merrick, "Dammit, 'scuse me. God, MERRICK!"

Merrick quickly moved through the crowd, trying to keep his keen eyes on the twinkling flower in those dark red curls, "HEY! Wait!" She didn't hear him; the mermaid just put her coat back on, and took her tall boyfriend's hand. Merrick growled as people kept getting in his way.

"Merrick!!" Adam tries, but he sees that blonde hair disappear into the corridor leading away from shop center.

"STOP! Please!!" Merrick called, but that mermaid is too far, and everyone else is too loud. Still, he persisted, and attempted to follow the direction she went. "WAAIIT!"

He grunted as his head began to pound.

As he pushed through the crowd, Merrick began to feel hot. The merman grunted as his breath started to become harder to manage. He started wheezing and as he put a hand on the wall. He can't even remember where that mermaid was walking, or how long it's been since he started to pursue her.

"Hey man," Said a random stranger, "You ok?"

"Egghhh... Wha??" Merrick's vision is beginning to blur.

"Dude, you really don't look so good."

"Leave me... I'm trying to find some... Try find someone..."

"Shit, man, lets get you to the medic." Another stranger said.

"No," Merrick pushed them away, "Fi... Merhh..."

Merrick lost consciousness, and he collapsed.

"Oh shit! Someone help!"

"Get a medic!!"

~~~

"Nnnhhhh..." Merrick moaned as he slowly came to. A lot of people formed a semi-circle where Merrick fell.

"Merrick?" Came a familiar voice, "Merrick, wake up! Talk to me!"

"Ah..." Merrick scrounged his eyes to focus, "Adam?"

"Oh thank God," Adam said as he quickly hugged Merrick, "You went away so fast, I couldn't keep up, babe. What happened?" He asked as someone else was feeling Merrick here and there.

"He's going to be fine," Said the medic, "He's just dehydrated. Somebody get him a bottle of water." The medic turned to Merrick again, "How are you feeling? Any nausea, cramps, pains anywhere?"

"Nnnnhh... I'll be fine... This happened before..."

"I can take care of him," Adam said as he accepted the bottled water, "Thank you," He opened it, and gave it to Merrick to drink. Everyone resumed their business as Adam tended to him gently.

"... Dammit..." Merrick scowled as he gulped down the water.

"Did uh... Did you catch her?"

"No." Merrick wiped his mouth, "She got away from me."

"Ah dammit. Don't worry, we'll find her."

"What would she be doing here anyway... Thought this was a gay cruise..."

"Technically, this is an LGBT Cruise. Besides that, she has every right to be here, gay, straight, bi or otherwise."

"I'm not saying she's not." Merrick drank, "I'm just curious since I saw her with a boyfriend, that's all..."

"Straight people like to come to these things too once in a while, as allies of the community."

"Mmnnnhh..."

"Oh baby..." Adam pouted as he stroke Merrick's cheek.

"What?"

"You really have me worried, you know that?"

Merrick smiles as he nudged Adam, "How else do I make sure you love me?"

"That's not funny," Adam smacked him lightly, "You really made me worry..." He kissed his cheek, "What would've happened if this time-"

"I'm fine, Adam..." Merrick took a deep breath, and shakily got on his feet.

"Take it easy, now." Adam held Merrick as they gotten up, "Come on, I think I know where we can fix you up.

~~~

"Mmmmm..." Merrick murred as he and Adam walked into the steamy bathes, "This is so much better... If a little too hot..." Both of them are virtually naked as they waked into the baths. Merrick moaned pleasantly as his skin absorbed all of the moisture in the air from the steam.

"You sure you're alright here? I know you like it cold."

"I like it warm, too."

"So do I~" Said a random guy as he passed by.

"Huh? - Whoa," Merrick blushes as he looks at the big man. Adam has the towel wrapped around his waist, while Merrick has his towel placed on his shoulder. The merman looked about the scene. A lot of people in the tiled environment are naked, and bathing each other. Some men are in large bathtubs, while some women are under showers.

"Ha, is this a bath or an orgy?" Adam jested.

"What's an orgy?" Merrick asked. Adam laughed out loud as they went in.

"Of all the time I've known you, I've never used the word, 'Orgy'?"

"Nevermind~" Merrick grinned as he snatched Adam's towel.

"H-Hey!" Adam yanked it back and covered his crotch, "Take it easy, babe, I've never done public bathing before."

"Hehehe~" Merrick went up to one of the showers, wearing his blue scale necklace, of course. Adam rolled his eyes and chuckled as he set his towel aside, still feeling inhibited about being naked in front of a handful of strangers – weird as it is, he might feel a little more at ease if Jamal and Nick were here, if they weren't doing stripteases almost all the time of the day. Adam sat down on the stool, while Merrick applied a glob shampoo.

"H-Hey, you're supposed to get me wet first." Adam said as he felt the chilled ooze into his hair, and onto his scalp.

"I know~" Merrick said as he started to rub in the lather.

"You're such an imp." Adam said as he felt Merrick rub in the shampoo.

"Hmph~" Merrick smiled as his skin feels moistened by the steam. He rubbed and lathered Adam's hair until it was loaded with suds. He doused his man with warm water along his back and front, and proceeded to rinse his hair. Merrick picked up their scrub-pad, and began scrubbing him.

"Mmm..." Adam murred as he felt Merrick rub his shoulders, and lift up his arms to let Merrick scrub under his arms. "This feels nice..." Adam murmured. He giggled as his merman lathered his fuzzy tummy, and then his thighs, "Ooh, careful!" Adam cooed, "I may get a bit frisky!"

"What's what I'm counting on~"

"Ah-Oo!" Adam jumbled as those soapy fingers and pad slipped under his balls, "Hahaha, you're not kidding, nnh!" He clenched his eyes shut, just as his penis perked up a little, "Mmmerrrick" Adam giggled harshly through clenched teeth as he tried grappling for Merrick's arms.

"Everyone else is doing it~" Merrick said as he rubbed Adam's cock between his fingers.

"Stooop~!" Adam pleaded as his thighs were splayed, "Dammit~!" He can't help but laugh and giggle from Merrick's actions.

"Hnhnhnhn~" Merrick's hand started handle and stroke Adam's member.

"Honeeeyyy!" Adam moaned, "Stop playing with my diiiick!" Merrick grinned as Adam's member reached full hardness. While Adam moaned and tensed, Merrick noticed that he's not the only one sexing things up. Even before they got here, he noticed a pair of women fondling each other, and when Adam sat down, he saw a guy pick up a condom from one of the bowels placed around the baths.

"O-Oh god..." Adam moaned as Merrick's hand rubbed his thick meat up and down, "Merrick..."

"You want me to stop?"

"Nnnnhhh~!" Adam moaned as he kept his seat as Merrick's arm jerked back and forth. "A-Aoh my God~" Merrick's hand jerked Adam's cock faster and faster.