Another one word request from the Chief of PMA, 32waystoAutumn This prompt was 'Water' So obviously I had to write a mermaid AU. Also, Apologies for late late upload the schedule might be all over the place at the moment but I'll try get through requests as fast as I can, its more difficult with lack of motivation but I'm trying! As always, thanks for patience and support <3

Sometimes when you love someone, you gotta let them go.

Jack feels most at ease when hes in the upgraded fishing boat, surrounded by his crew or sometimes on his own; the sound of the waves the only thing to be heard other than the occasional seagull, perhaps giving the sailors into trouble for stealing their meal for the day. Not that Jack seems to mind - he doesn't really care for fishing anymore rather much favors just listening to the waves to help clear a storm in his mind for hours. His crew are always determined as to who can catch the biggest fish and sometimes exchange stories and rumors. Jacks never really paid attention to those, either.

The youngest of his crew is mouthing off about mythical sea creatures that could perhaps exist and they would have no knowledge; creatures just begging to be caught. Jack raises his eyebrows at this; if such creature did exist - they wouldn't wished to be caught. Even Jack doesn't really like the idea of fishing - never mind catching some magnificent creature just to hang it up on his wall or show it to some news reporter. That doesn't scream glory to Jack, only murder.

Still, the younger rambles.

"I would love to catch a mermaid." 

He utters, only to be pushed and laughed at by some of the older crew members, Jack just rolls his eyes; kids a dreamer, hes got that going for him at least. Just then, the captain emerges, lecturing all of them to look a little more lively - They all do so, including Jack - standing up like a solider given orders. The captain runs a fishery back home, and paid a lot of money to get the crew to America (apparently the sea is better here and more quality and expensive fish to be caught, whatever on earth that means.) So each day is just burning money if they don't catch good fish. Jack still feels bad for it; regardless of how long hes been in the business.

His father had first took him fishing when he was a child and even back then he loved the sound of the waves. Precious moments like that often taken for granted he realizes that now when the moments have long passed. Perhaps he was too young back then to think of the sinking feeling each time he catches and kills a fish. But, money is money - he supposes. Nowadays people rely rather heavily on the fishing industry. After this trip though, Jack thinks never, ever hearing another one of the crews stories hes already heard time and time before, would be too soon.

;

Jack would consider himself a good sailor at heart, he knows when to get direction if need be, takes no shit from the crew, something he really did have to learn, and always seems to be the one to catch the most fish in a day even though hes the one that likes it the least, he always has to buy new clothes each time he comes home from fishing. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just the smell of the sea but no, the smell of fish guts isn't exactly appealing (not that he has anyone to appeal too back home, anyways).

Jack thinks is home is at sea, rather than where his glorified and expensive bricks and cement is. Going home isn't as rewarding as being at sea and fending for yourself, living off what you're given and being that more grateful for everything when you do return. Jack dreams of having a glorified bunch of bricks near the sea, where his heart lays. Until then, however, he supposes his bunch of bricks isn't too bad. His crew had always told Jack he lets morals get in the way rather than money -- if he had done half the things they had, he would have everything he wanted by now.

Jack had always told them he respected the crew for what they do on the boat but off it they're nothing but scumbags who know how to fish, in return. Which really shut them up, Jack wasn't an overly moral man but god, he had some humanity about him unlike the rest of the crew. Maybe that's why they always through snarky comments his way; as if he wouldn't give them any lip in return.

Little did Jack know, though, he'd be questioning his morals soon enough.

;

When the youngest crew member had spoken almost shyly that he'd love to catch a mermaid of some kind; the rest of the crew laughed at him. Now they're the ones laughing it seemed.

Its an average day, the seas unbearably quiet - the crew member slightly older than Jack whistling some tune the only other noise on the boat. The rest of the members a little rough and clouded from last nights drinking session. Jack had only had a few sips of beer, not wanting to drink any more as a hangover inevitably leads to sea sickness and the last thing he needs is puking into the ocean or being shoved off the boat. But the rest of the members can handle their drink well enough and they weren't his concern anyway even though he barely got a wink of sleep the night prior due to their antics. In fact for once Jacks glad the sea is pretty quiet; its helping clear his headache whilst hes off fishing duty for now - the crew rotates, saves them going downright insane.

But that all changes when three members including the youngest, begins to struggle to pull something up - so send the others to get the net. The net is usually only used for large batches of fish, bigger fish or even some rubble the crew ends up catching.

Usually, not for mermaids.

It takes all of the crew to reel the net in, a few fish here and there is nothing to compared to whats actually weighing the net down. At first, Jack thinks somehow its a human, perhaps a drowning one at that, someone lost at sea.

He almost wishes it was.

;

As soon as baby blues trail past the torso of the human and spies the glistening scarlet scaled tail - it sparkles in the sunlight as the creature groans, opening a hazel eye; looking alert immediately. Jack loosens his grip on the net almost instantly before quickly snapping back into this strange form of reality and helping the crew pretty much drag the creature onto the boat. It squirms, akin to the rest of the fish gathered up in the net now on the wooden floors of the deck. The crew marvel at the creature in shared disbelief - the younger's eyes sparkling brighter than the rest. Jack doesn't know much but he knows the glint in the rest of the crews eyes come from pound signs flashing in them. The crew only thinks about two primarily things;

Money and alcohol.

It seems discovering a mermaid is no acceptation to that rule. It, he it seems -squirms and they realize the creature needs water. So, whilst the rest of the crew probably work out how to sell the creature Jack and resident mermaid believer, the youngest, goes down to the cellar where the small bath tub is, carrying the mermaid gently.

Once the tub fills up, the mermaid is sort of rudely dunked into the water, and it lets out a large gulp, scales given moisture to help fill the creatures lungs.

Its eyes dim immediately, adjusting to the dark and unknown place surrounded by two humans, the crew that caught him must be smug, catching a real life mermaid - more like ripping him from his environment by chance. Mark curses himself internally for going too close to the surface; curiosity is a bitch. Mark isn't going to try to plea with these bastards, hes heard the stories about pirates.

He'll escape as soon as he can. They probably know nothing about mermaids, other than since they caught one, they can profit.

Mark isn't some profit.

;

Jack is on night watch, whilst the crew sit above stairs, wondering how long it'll take to get back home or nearest land; to broadcast the caught mermaid to the world. Laughing about rolling in it, whilst the world does as it pleases with their prize. Jack rolls his eyes when he hears that; but he knew the crew wouldn't treat the creature as beautiful as this as that rather just a big bag of money.

The mermaid is wiggling its tail in the water and hasn't made any movements since Jack entered the cellar. But, if Jack was in his situation he wouldn't say anything either - that's if the mermaid (merman, Jack supposes) can't speak a lick of English although sometimes Jack can't understand his fellow crew mates, and it doesn't help hes got a thick Irish accent that drags syllables out.

"Are you hungry?" Jack mutters, sort of to himself because he isn't sure the mermaid will eat anything Jack has to offer. It splashes his tail in the water, splashing him slightly. He'll take that as a no. Jack isn't really sure how to converse with a creature of the sea and luckily (or not), doesn't have too force anything as his crew come down, flimsy ladder crewing beneath each of their feet as well as the smell of alcohol making Jack slightly dizzy. The smell of trouble.

;

The more time he spends around the merman, the more Jacks morals come into question it seems. The creature looks miserable and hateful in the bathtub, tail twitching continuously as if to release some of its anger. Jack doesn't blame the creature; its not fair keeping him locked up underneath the deck. Hes motionless and just watches almost numbly as the crew make their demands.

"Listen here, fish boy. If you follow our orders and make us some dough, we won't skin you alive and maybe we'll even set ya free is you behave. Got it, sea breather?"

 The merman huffs, with a nod of its head. Jack grits his teeth; 'Don't talk to him like that.' 

He thinks, he also releases their is something underneath the words they spit; something evil. Who do they even think they are, anyway. Jack can see something all too familiar encapsulated in hazel irises. Once the crew leave, laughter booming from upstairs as they do - they must feel like real big men. Jacks always known his crew are a bunch of assholes. Jack, in all his resentments wishes to send the creature back into the ocean whence it came from and where it belongs but things aren't that simple.

Jack enjoys the sound of waves crashing as much as he does a quiet life and letting their most prized catch go would lead to problems and maybe him being thrown overboard. He received enough hell one time when he released a few pretty and rare fish back into the ocean. Jacks swimming skills aren't the best and he doesn't fancy being utterly lost at sea with god knows what lurking below him. Its bad enough mermaids exist now never mind anything else more terrifying. Christ, Jack thinks this merman has more humanity within its being that Jacks entire crew combined.

;

Jacks on mermaid duty again, not that he minds; even though the creature barely utters any words to Jack - he much prefers its company than the rest of the crews. He hates hearing them talk about the mermaid as if the creature is nothing more than a means to make money, regardless of what happens to it.

This particular night, the mermaid turns to him, eyeing where Jack sits in the wooden seat; closely enough to be borderline imtimidating. Then, it opens its mouth and speaks softly in broken English. Jack wonders what language they speak in the sea.

"Why do you stick with a crew you hate?" The creature asks, a simple question with a not so simple answer. Asking as if Jack hasn't asked himself that very question a hundred times or more. Maybe its because hes used to it by now or maybe its because this is what father wanted for his beloved son, maybe its because he loves the ocean more than anything and likes the escape these trips bring the constant work blocking out the rest of his thoughts, regardless of the crew hes with.

After some stunned silence Jack coughs, uttering the simple response to the simple question.

"I have too." And thats the short end of it; too used to certain things, certain company that habits are hard to break. The merman raises an eyebrow at that, tail twitching in annoyance.

"Humans are all the same." It grits out, looking rather disappointed. Perhaps the creature is right.

Jack is all sort of shocked, hearing the amount of sass for an imprisoned creature stuck in a bathtub.

"I am nothing like them." Jack utters, fingernails digging into the palms of his hands. The merman tilts his head, eyeing him again.

"Then prove it." Jack knows a challenge when he hears one, sitting forward in his chair with a challenge of his own.

"Whats in it for me?" Jack already knows the answer.

"I get to be free and so do you." The merman reasons.

;

Ah, to be free. Jack doesn't know what that means anymore. Perhaps being free is being lost at sea to him or perhaps its the living the life hes always wanted too, or maybe just maybe its taking on every single member of his crew. Whatever it means, it would be nice to wipe the smirks off their dirty faces. Show them that there really is more to life than this more to life than fishing, money and beer. Its then Jack releases that upon his twenty something years on this cursed planet, hes never done anything for himself.

And decides its time he did. So he agrees to help the merman much to the creatures surprise. Hes sick of fishing and hurting creatures. Hes sick of ignoring all the snarky remarks for his crew mates and hes especially sick of them drinking and keeping him awake at nights. He makes a deal with the merman that Jack will let him free only if the merman comes to rescues Jack if hes thrown overboard or requires any other help.

The pair plan the great escape scenario for all occasions but their main plan is based off of Jacks hunch. He has a feeling the pirates upstairs drinking yet again (celebrating for three nights in a row, apparently wasn't enough), plan to sell Mark to the highest bidder. They'll probably tie Mark up, in case of him escaping to which Jack plans to carry pliers to free him and make their grand escape or Jack will pose as a bidder - which seems like the easier option.

Jack explains their grand plan and the merman laughs; soft and sweet, and Jack offers him some beer in some kind of odd agreement to their partnership. The merman reaches an arm over, hand taking the glass and finishing the alcoholic beverage and making an odd face at the taste.

"Humans are strange beings. This is disgusting." Jack just laughs, maybe him and the creature have more in common than just wishing to be free.

;

Jack lays on the wooden titles staring up at the ceiling.

"Whats the ocean like?" Jack murmurs in the general direction of the mermaid.

"Rather beautiful, the deeper you go, the prettier it gets. Kingdoms and villages too." The mermaid, whose name Jacks only just learned - speaks fondly of. Jack can't deny that his child self heart would be more than happy with that. Underwater kingdoms sound beyond amazing, Jacks sort of thankful humans haven't discovered them yet; knows they'd find some way to destroy.

"I never wanted to be discovered. Now humans will know about my spies and come to hunt us." The mermaid utters.

"We don't have the technology to scale oceans yet and even when we do, people would have forgotten about the so called mermaid sightings. I promise." 

The promise Jack isn't sure he himself can even keep slips past his lips before he gets a chance to really think about it but the mermaid seems to relax at his words and its enough for him to not think too much about it. Its a moment between creature and man that shows they really aren't so different right now, Mark is breathing the same air as Jack is, which means he doesn't deserve to be sold as if hes property or some belonging. Jack thinks the only place both the mermaid and him belong too is the sea itself.

Maybe thats when Jack is determind to help the creature get free no matter the cost.

;

Jacks hunch about the crew planning to sell Mark to the highest bidder was correct (confirmed by hearing the bicker about whether or not to tell the captain, what do they say about listening to your gut?) And Jack decides posing as a bidder is best as well as trying to sabotage the auction. The crew plan on docking at the nearest village which has auctions every weekend or so. Its definitely not going to be easy and Jacks going to have to put a lot of faith in the creature but there is just something about Mark that he can't find it in himself to not trust him. His beauty draws you in and Jack doesn't know why on earth peoples first instincts would be to destroy or harm such beauty. But then again, Jacks never understood humans anyway.

They'll dock overnight, so Jacks preparation with the merman begins and they lock eyes and Jacks irises twinkle with a sense of determination and rebellion.

"Mark? I promise I'll set you free." The second promise in such a short span of time; Jack releases and yet he means it all the same.

;

All or nothing.

Jack thinks as he continues to bid on the struggling merman, watching the pirates eyes glint with dollar signs behind them. So far, hes out bid everyone here with no money to actually put on the merman but when he wins the auction, he'll claim the mermaid and run for the nearest dock. These pirates don't deserve a penny for how they've treated the creature and Jack. Hes really had enough.

As soon as his bid something around $100,000; hes running up to claim his mermaid, farmers hat covering his eyes. Not that the crew has even noticed hes gone, probably. And as soon as the mermaid slips free of the ropes - hes running with Mark in his arms, anger reeling behind him as he runs as fast as his feet will allow him too.

The merman is just laughing in his arms, squirming slightly at the lack of water and looking back at the no doubt crowd of people chasing them. Jacks heart is racing in his ears as well as the sound of the ground crunching beneath his feet and he feels pretty much alive as soon as the wind knocks the hat off his head - and as soon as he sees the water and he runs across the dock, ignoring anger screams and curses from behind him and with nowhere else to go; Jack jumps into the water without a second thought; the cold water waking him up as the merman slips out of his arms, look positively at home and back where he belongs and Jacks thankful he got to see it and suddenly he remembers he has to breathe as his vision begins to go blurry.

;

The mob stand at the peer; looking over into the water as it bubbles, wondering where the stolen merman and human went. The human, Jack the crew releases the dirty traitor - Breathes a fresh batch of air which fills his lungs nicely as he gasps a little then he turns to the crowd and yells.

"The mermaid wasn't something you could sell. It belongs here in the ocean just like I do!"

 And then suddenly hes being draped under the water, darkness eloping him and maybe this is where he dies; in the ocean where the belongs, Jack wouldn't mind that seeing as he got to do something good before he did so.

;

Mark makes the slip second decision as he looks upon the kingdom he might one day reign, upon hearing Jacks speech. The least he can do is set him free someplace where he truly can start over. So he grips him by the legs, dragging him underneath the water with an apology for the impact which indeed knocks him out.

"Air breathers..."

 Mark murmurs as he swims across the ocean, towards a small town where Jacks bound to fit into. As the merman swims, he gazes upon the human asleep. They look so peaceful, its a shame they can ruin everything with their fingers when they're awake. Yet Mark chose Jack for a season, seen something pure behind his eyes something he never saw in the rest of his crew. Its bittersweet the goodbye, Mark will miss the non pirate sneaking him beer and asking him questions about the sea.

Jack has his own aura and beauty about him; something naturally kind hearted and sweet. Maybe all humans arent the same after all. Mark rises to the shore, laying Jack upon the sand in the beach and he looks like some fallen angel or other creature from the sky, Mark realises.

He gulps for air suddenly, eyes opening and panicking but easing off as he catches the familiar hazel irises.

"We did it, Jack. You're free. Start anew here in this town, I'm sure they will accept you as their own." The man lays back, smiling and laughing.

"We actually did it!" Then Jack realizes he really has to the mermaid go now and it feels etched with sadness. Mark can sense it too it seems as he sort of lingers on the land for several moments.

"Thank you everything. If you're ever in the ocean, ill be sure to pretend to be a shark around ya." Mark laughs, bright and natural.

"I'd rather you didn't but feel free to pop by land whenever you want." Jack smiles, honest and open - he feels like some kind of curse has been lifted from his shoulders as if he could do anything and he wants too.

;

Freedom, that was Jack has now. Instead of being a fisherman, Jack studies the ocean and although his father had grumbled about who would take over his business and why he had betrayed the crew and Jack had told him the truth that, that life was never really for him and he actually really hates fish.

As for Mark, he thinks he'd make a good king one day - and now tells people that regardless of all the horror stories, humans aren't really all that bad.