A/N -

In this chapter Alex will be a merman. More fantasy AU!
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Vlad's PoV -

     It was the same routine every day, go to the dock cast your pole, reel it in, cast, reel, cast, reel, it was a never ending cycle. I was a self employed fisherman. I lived close to the sea, within walking distance. Each day I would go to the same dock, catch some fish, salt them, and take my catch to the market to sale. I made good money but it was so tiresome. Just the beating sun and I everyday, watching the tide rise and fall.

I walked to the dock carrying my gear. Once there I baited my hook and cast it out. I slipped off my shoes and sat on the edge of the dock letting my legs dangle over edge. It was early morning now, the sun just was starting to rise over the ocean creating waters of pink and yellow. Everything was peaceful. I got a small tug on my line, as usual I waited for the fish to bite down. "Ah," I groaned, the rod nearly slipped out of my hands, luckily I managed to grab it in time!

I pulled on the poll reeling it at the same time. It let go, the hook and line snapped back up out of the water with such force that it nearly hooked my hat. What kind of fish was that, needles to say my bate, of a small mino fish, was gone.

That's when I felt a hand grab my leg. It was so strong, I screamed but no one was around to hear my pleads for help. I dropped my fishing poll and braced myself against the dock.

Finally, with a painful tug the creature reeled me in. I fell into the water with a splash. I gasped for air just when two strong arms pulled me under water, taking me deeper and deeper under.

I felt the creatures arms wrapped around my waist holding me still, I quite my struggle, it would cause me to lose my breath and energy quicker. I opened my eyes, the salt stung but my eyes were left wide open half in fight and half entranced by the site of the finned man before me. He smiled shyly back at me. The man, if I could call him that, had dark raven black hair, emerald green eyes, pale skin, and a long beautiful green fish tail. His scales continued up to his chest fading to skin as they did so. He had five gill slits on either side of his waist, they opened and closed as water passed through. His smile was razor sharp and haunting and his hands were slightly webbed. He looked to be about my age but that was where the similarities stoped. My vision started to darken and I couldn't see but I felt his lips on mine, breathing oxygen into my lungs, I blacked out with a hint of a small smile on my lips.

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     I found myself washed ashore, laying on a rocky beach. The waves lapped at my legs. I sat up slowly since I already had a major headache. Looking around at my surroundings I found the merman that I had been so mesmerized by washed up on some nearby rocks. He looked hurt and unable to escape back into the ocean. I rushed over to him. It was close to night fall and the ocean showed signs that a storm might be on the horizon, the waves were much to large to be swimming in and yet I wadded towards the merman nearly falling over in the process a few times to try and help him.

     The merman seemed only half conscious, he was cut and bruised and battered by the incoming storm's waves. He must have dragged me to land after I went unconscious and ended up beaching himself in the process. How long had I been out, anyway? His gills were exposed to air till a wave would crash by only giving him scarce and small breaths. I picked him up carrying him bridal style.

     I gently sat him into the sea allowing the water to slip over his gills. He mumbled something, if I let him swim off he would get hurt by the incoming storm and probably wouldn't survive the night. I grabbed him once again and ran towards my home. He would be safer there, that was if I could get him there soon enough without him dying. He already looked much to pale. Once there I ran through my door, I hurried to the bathroom setting him into the tub I quickly turned on the faucet, the cool water began filling the tub much to slowly. How long could he go without a source of oxygen? I turned on the sink's faucet and filled a cup with cool water, I poured the water over his gills.

     "Ugg," he mumbled, finally opening his eyes.

     I let out a sigh of relief, he was safe. The tub had now sufficiently filled and water flowed past his gills but I let it run a little while longer. "Would it help if I pour some salt in here. He nodded so I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a large bottle of salt, I poured it all into his water. "Thanks," he mumbled, "where am I?"

     "I took you back to my house, you aren't well enough to battle the ocean storm's fury tonight," I replied, that was all true but somehow I just liked having him around.

     I crouched down next to the tub. "Get in here and talk to me properly," Alex stated and with that he grabbed my arms and pulled me into the bath.

     I landed on top of him, I couldn't help but blush. I maneuvered my self to the opposite side of the tub. "Sorry, thanks for saving me earlier," I blushed thinking about his lips on mine.

     "No problem, it was my fault for pulling you under water in the first place, I just was curious to see what a human looked like up close," he sat up a little, "can I feel your leg, I'm curious?" he asked.

     "I guess," I replied, "what's your name?"

     He grabbed my leg, pulling me closer to him in the process, I blushed. "I'm Alex," he smiled warmly at me.

     "Call me Vlad," I replied smiling shyly back.

     "Would you mind if I touched your tail?" I questioned Alex.

     Perhaps I was just as curious about him as he was me. "Sure," he replied.

     With that I ran my fingers over his smooth fish scales, he had a thin layer of mucus that covered the length of his slick tail. I realized after a while that I had held my hand there too long, making things awkward. I blushed and dared to take a glance at Alex. He smiled down at me. "You're cute, Vlad," Alex stated.

I was startled what human would say it like that, he must not know much about the way human's talk, he was awkward but I kinda liked that about him. This caused my face to heat up to a bright red. "T-thanks, you're cute too," I smiled at him as I positioned myself next to him. I lay my head on his shoulder snuggling close. Alex's face blushed a light pink, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we both drifted off to sleep.

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     I positioned myself into a sitting position in the bathtub with Alex sleeping in my arms. I looked down at his beautiful merman tail only to find that some of his scales were missing. They lay detached from him in the bottom of the tub. He looked sick. Alex had a pale almost blueish completion. I quickly shook him awake.

     He mumbled some complaints but finally he opened his eyes and sat up. "I don't feel too well," Alex stated.

     "I was worried about that," I stated as I motioned to his now nearly scaleless tail.

     "I think I know what's wrong, could you possibly take me back to the ocean?" Alex asked me seemingly worried.

     "I can but there is still a major storm and the already choppy sea is only going to get worse by the hour," I supplied.

     He looked gloomy. "What am I supposed to do?" Alex worried, "I can't stay confined for too much longer or I could die, I have to be in the ocean, my own life is connected to it."

     My heart speed up, did I put him in this predicament? He needed my help, Alex was hurt from being stranded there on the rocks. He still wasn't quite healed yet and it would be difficult for him to survive in the ocean and especially in the stormy conditions.

     I cuddled closer to him, I was worried. I loved Alex and I didn't want him to get hurt or worse. "I'm willing to risk the storm, if I don't get back to the ocean soon, I will die," Alex stated.

     I smiled up at him, I was determined to protect my love. "Okay, I'll help but I'm very worried about you," I replied, "your still hurt from the rocks."

     "Vlad, it's my only option," he gave a worried smile.

     "I understand," I cuddled close to him and gave him a hug.

     He wrapped his arm around me and lifted my chin so that I was looking up at him. He smiled and blushed, he lowered his face to mine and pressed his lips to my own. I blushed as well. After I got over the shock from his spontaneous kiss I pressed my lips firmly against his. After a long time we both pulled away. I sat gasping for air, reminding me of when Alex and I first meet.

     Tears streamed down my face. "I love you, Alex, I don't want you to get hurt in the sea," I cried, "I wish I could protect you but I can't, not in the sea anyway."

     He held me reassuringly and planted a small kiss on my cheek. "I love you too, Vlad," Alex replied, "I'll come see you everyday while your fishing on the dock."

     "I'll still miss you," I squeezed him tightly against me.

     He smiled at me. I gently lifted him into my arms and stepped out of the tub. "Okay, let's get you back home," I stated.

     Alex wrapped his hands around my waist and I hurried out of my home and into the heavy downpour of the ocean storm. I ran along the beach trying to get Alex back into the water as quickly as possible. Finally, I wadded into the oceans waves. The water lapped at my waist and I was almost knocked over. Just a little farther and Alex can swim off to safety. I gently placed my boyfriend in the water. He seemed slightly stunned from lack of oxygen but soon recovered. He swam out of my arms battling the waves and currents. I hurried back up towards the beach to keep myself from getting caught by the current. The waves bashed my face several times as I lost my balance and the rain was like bullets to my skin. Once in dry land I paused a moment to study the ocean landscape. All was gray, the water, the sky, the clouds, but then I seen a beautiful green tail splashing through the gray waves. He was safe now. I smiled and stared till Alex was out of sight. Finally, I turned to head back home. I missed him already.

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Alex's PoV -

     My muscles ached as I swam against the current. I had been beached only a day before, luckily I was saved by Vlad, but it still had left me hurt and exhausted. Maybe Vlad was right. Could I handle all this? It was too late now to change my mind. I swam farther and farther trying to find some peaceful seas where it would be safe to finally rest. This storm was worse than what I had anticipated. There wasn't a single other fish in sight. They had all been smart and left the area before the storm. I began to tire and decided to rest a second just floating along with the current. This had been a mistake. The current suddenly changed directions and I was thrust at full speed into a fish net. I struggled but I was too wrapped up. The net wouldn't give and the constant push of the current made it all the more difficult. I worked at the net for hours till I finally gave up. I was too exhausted. I lay there dangling pathetically like bate on a hook. I paused and looked around only to find half decomposed, half eaten corpses of sharks, dolphins, and fish scattered all around me. I gulped and began my fruitless struggle again, I didn't want to end up like them. The only thing that comforted me was thinking that Vlad would somehow find me and save me.

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-Time Skip-
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Vlad's PoV -

The next day I awoke to sunlight shining through my window, I had slept in too long, but then I realized, the sun was shining that meant the storm had finally ended. I slipped out of my warm comfortable bed and started to get ready for the day. I ate some breakfast and grabbed my fishing gear and made my way to the dock. Maybe Alex would be there waiting on me. I smiled at the thought of him.

I sat my gear up and sat down on the dock. No sign of Alex yet. I began to worry about him but I still cast out my pole and began to reel it in. He would show up sooner or later. I continued my monotonous cycle of casting and reeling.

It was nearly three hours later and Alex was no where to be seen. I decided I had better look for him. I hoped I could find him and that he wasn't in trouble. I hurriedly grabbed my supplies and made my way to the boat dock. I owned a small fishing vessel that I would sometimes use for deep sea fishing which was more profitable but less abundant. I had an idea of where Alex might be but I didn't like it. If I was right and he was tangled in a gill net he could be dead or permanently disabled by now depending on where he was caught at. I would check the nearby nets that I knew about first.

Once I had laid the anchor and changed into scuba gear I jumped into the water, the first net showed no results. So I crawled back into my boat and made my way to the next target. I jumped into the water again and made my way to the net. This time a beautiful green tail cane into view. I swam closer, it was Alex! He looked exhausted but still alive. He hadn't seen me yet and seemed to have given up all hope for escape. His tail was horrible tangled and he drifted along with the current only as far as the net would let him. He loosely clung to the fibers of the net trying to keep himself upright. Finally, he seen me. He smiled at me, I seen hope fade back into his eyes but it was obvious he was in pain. I swam up next to him being carful about not lettering myself get stuck in the netting. I grabbed the knife that was belted to my thigh and gently began to cut away at the ropes that bind him. Finally, I managed to get Alex free. He tried to swim but he had no energy left. I grabbed him around the waist and slowly began our accent. After a few minutes we both surfaced. I took my mask off and laid it on the step to the boat. I gently kissed Alex hugging him all the while. We broke this kiss not long after. Alex smiled at me and rested his head on my chest. He was horrible tired, he couldn't swim if he wanted to. "I have a tank on the boat you'll fit in that I can fill with sea water," I asked, "would you like me to take you there, you can rest and still be on the sea?"

"Yes, please, that would be great," Alex replied shyly.

"Okay, I'll fill the tank, wait here and hang onto the step," I replied as I climbed into the boat.

I found the tank where I kept the fish I caught on my fishing trips and filled it with sea water. I made my way back to the step to find Alex tiredly hanging on. I gently lifted him out of the water, his tail hung limply almost dragging the ground. Once, there I lay him in the tank. "There, how's that?" I questioned.

"Great, thank you, Vlad, I knew you would save me," he smiled up at me.

"I was worried you had gotten hurt and I had a hunch I mite find you in one of those nets, let me grab the medical supplies and I'll fix those rope burns on your tail," I replied as I ran to get the medicine.

I gently lifted him out of the tank enough to apply some ointment and wrap some waterproof bandages around the wound. I lay him back down and only a few moments later he was fast asleep. I smiled at his cute sleeping figure. He was the love of my life and I would protect him with my own life.