Strings of Fate [[For Morirp and Time]] 18+

[Time_Keeper]

Life was rather simple. When one lived for so many centuries, mastering what seemed so difficult for the average person, was nothing but an exhale of breath for those who had seen everything happen time and time again. Nothing really exciting happened anymore, everything became a bit dull and living was almost a distant reality.....Yet there were those who made their time on earth worthwhile. Though they may have stumbled and fallen a few times in their journey, they stood up once again just as proud as before and continued on. Made amends for the mistakes they had made through foolish actions and gave back everything that had been given to them.

 

Nereus was one of those who gave back. How could he not. He owed the world much for how much it had provided for him and his people. He owed the world for its forgiveness of his sins, even though he had yet to forgive himself. He owed humans for their open acceptance of him in the human island he had claimed as his home above the ocean. Nereus owed much to everything that lived and moved around him, something he would never deny.

 

Being born the son of the King of the massive ocean surrounding the land the humans called Hawaii, had never truly gotten to Nereus's head. He had been a kind child at birth, always willing to learn the way of his people and how he would one day rule them. His gaze had always been that of affection and gentle nature. He had had the love of his people from the moment his little tail could carry him quickly through the waters as he chased after fellow mere-children in their endless games. His life had been perfect.....until he had made a dreadful and haunting mistake, something that plagued him even centuries after it had occurred.

 

Having the opportunity to fall in love had been one of the best moments in Nereus's life. Though his chosen mate had been human, Nereus had loved him regardless. His days with the other man had been breathtaking with excitement and happiness. For once, Nereus had felt truly happy in an environment that wasn't under the water. He had felt that he belonged beside the man his heart had chosen for him. And yet, it was not to be....for when the heart of a mereman is filled with uncertainty and jealousy, it is blinded from the truth until it is much too late.

 

Nereus had lost his love due to his own foolishness. His own unfound jealousy. He had torn his love away from himself by his own hands and it was something Nereus would never be able to forgive himself for. Never.

 

Perhaps that was why he spent so much of his time above ground now. Why he felt confident to leave his people on their own while he provided what he could of peace and serenity to the humans on dry land. For days on end, Nereus spent his day with his violin of choice in his grasp, playing beautiful melodies for all who would hear him. It had become habit for him and though the residents of this land knew of what and who he was, it was always a pleasure to be able to fill their hearts with peace after long days. And it was more so of a pleasure to be able to do the same with the tourists.

 

With his eyes closed and fingers moving skillfully over the strings of his beloved violin, Nereus did what he did everyday. Today was no different as he took up a fairly frequented spot on the courtyard of one of the larger hotels on the island. Letting the melody, one of his soul's songs, float out into the air without a hitch or note of hesitation, Nereus didn't even have to open his ocean greenish/blue eyes to see that he had already attracted a crowd. He didn't mind the attention, after all that was what he was here for. Despite his rather unique looks, what with long blue hair, a slightly pale skin tone and dressed in a white dress shirt with black slacks, Nereus knew that that wasn't why people had begun to flock over. Not entirely at least. They came because of his song and that was all that mattered to him. It was why he was here.

[Morirp]

Hosoke had been born into a large family, his parents were wealthy and generally busy while him and his five siblings fought for scraps of attention and learned quickly how to make their own way in life. Hosoke had never bothered to get close to his siblings, and in general he felt detached from his family. His distant parents sent the best of their children to private schools and the rebellious ones to strict academies. Hosoke worked hard, graduating High School a year early at the top of his class - he just wanted his parents to notice his efforts, to say something.

 

Time hardened Hosoke's heart, and he became icy to much of his family and weary of friends that broke promises or failed to do things they said they would. It left him lonely with little comfort in a life where he was constantly fighting for acceptance from his family. Hosoke knew no love, or longing for people and fell into his studies as if it was a relief from having to deal with the real challenges of the world.

 

His parents hadn't bothered to show up to his High School graduation, and after graduating college with honors a mere four years later, he hadn't bothered to invite them. Though his grandparents and a brother and sister had shown up they quickly departed back to their busy lives. It left him holding a diploma with no idea what to do with the rest of his life. Hosoke spent the next few weeks applying to graduate school. Might as well figure out something to do after getting a better degree, he applied to several programs finally for some reason deciding on marine sciences.

 

Hosoke didn't have to wait long for his acceptance notification after his interview, but he would have to wait till the following year for his studies to begin again, and before he could bother looking for a part time job to keep him busy in his gap time his grandparents begged he take a break, and run away to somewhere different, to breathe some sort of life back into him. Hosoke declined at first, but with the persistent nagging of his grandmother he finally conceded and within a few days was off to Hawaii, a late graduation present.

 

His grandparents were putting him up at a nice hotel, gave him pocket money and had a waredrobe delivered to his room. They had wanted to do something nice. Hosoke didn't trust so easily, bringing his own belongings and savings in case something were to go wrong. At least this island had people that spoke both Japanese and English. His first day there he'd spent his time on the balcony with a book, listening to the tune of a violin traveling on the wind to his ears. The song was captivating.

 

On the second day Hosoke got closer, going down and sitting in the garden while pretending to read. The third day, despite his better judgement Hosoke fixed his messy black hair, and wore a deep blue tee-shirt and black jeans, his light gray-blue eyes focused on the man as he got closer, finally standing in front of him while he played. His ears were sharp to the different notes, and during the song his eyes shut. He'd been so drawn to the music it was eerie, like he hadn't been in control of his limbs.

 

When the music finally stopped his eyes shot open to the sound of clapping, and he turned, leaving before anyone noticed his strange expression.

[Time_Keeper]

Letting the last note ring out into the air as gracefully as the first note he had begun with had, Nereus exhaled a soft breath of air before parting those ocean colored eyes to gaze at the crowd around him. A small smile graced his lips as he bowed politely at the applause he recieved, gratitude reflected in him the more he took note of the smiling faces around him. Many would have thought that playing a violin day in and day out would have been rather boring, but for Nereus, that wasn't the case. The legend of the mere-people often spoke of the gift of their voices. The beauty with which they sang, how it could lure you in and hold you captive until the end of your days. Though Nereus could sing and his voice was the most beautiful within this stretch of ocean, he had not sung since his lover had died. He could not will himself to do so. Perhaps it had been the price he had to pay for his foolish mistake, who knew.

 

The violin he now held in his grasp had become his outlet when his voice seemed to refuse to sing. The melody of his instrument had become his song for many centuries and it was just as beautiful as his old songs had once been. His people had long ago accepted this change in their King and the people of the land had welcomed his melodies with open arms, Nereus was at peace with the change.

 

Gazing around sharply when he spotted someone walking away while the applause continued, Nereus frowned and tilted his head to one side. His eyes tracked the back of the stranger who continued off even while he gave the air around him a light sniff. He knew this stranger had to be a tourist, the fact that he couldn't recognize the man's scent only solidified that thought. On normal cases, Nereus would have turned his attention off the departing individual knowing that even though they were leaving, they were leaving with a bit more peace in their lives. This time Nereus felt different, almost as if he should follow the man....And as strange as that was, Nereus felt himself moving forward quietly after one last bow.

 

Catching up with the man, Nereus indulged in a moment of boldness by reaching out to lightly grasp the retreating man's wrist. He wouldn't hold on for long, just until the man turned to face him if Nereus managed to catch his attention.

 

"Excuse me, but you're new here, aren't you?" Nereus asked calmly, voice perfectly pitched in even and serene tones as he watched the back of the man curiously.

[Morirp]

Hosoke didn't know what to think of himself, allowing the moment of weakness to penetrate to his very core as he had thoroughly been lost to the music. He was cursing himself internally as he stalked away, his posture enough to tell anyone that he was in no mood for the attention of strangers and the sea of people parted easily for him. He was lost in his own thoughts so much so that he hadn't noticed the eyes on his back, or the footfalls that were chasing his own. His mind was crazy with self deprecation, and when he finally did notice the presence that was following him it was far too late to hold in his temper anymore.

 

He felt the fingers slip around his wrist - they were delicate and despite what was obviously many years on a violin he felt no calluses. He turned on his heel and snapped his wrist away the second the man had formed a full grasp on his arm. His cold blue eyes looking into the ocean that was the other male's hues. There was something about this person that made him feel a cacophony of things that he didn't understand. Rage, peace, desire... sadness. That was the one he was most troubled with, he was unaccustomed to feeling sadness, and in fact he didn't even know how to identify it well. The only reason he knew what that pang in the pit of his gut was, was because it was the same when he saw his parents. Poor lonely boy, lost on an island in the middle of a great ocean. He felt stranded in the man's gaze.

 

When Hosoke found his voice, it was with great effort he remembered he needed to speak in English on this island instead of Japanese. "What is it to you? You show up every day, I'm sure you see new people constantly?" The bitter words fell from his lips despite the pleasant sound of his voice. His brows furrowed as he glared at the other, he had noticed only then that no one from the crowd had bothered to follow the violinist, but someone with his skill certainly had fans... How had he gotten away so quickly?

 

Hosoke's mind was flooded with a thousand inconsistencies and he turned again, putting his back to the mysterious individual. Perhaps then he could think.

[Time_Keeper]

Nereus didn't flinch when the man snapped his wrist out of his grasp, he didn't have time to because the moment his eyes landed on the face of the human, he felt his heart freeze in his chest. What he was seeing wasn't possible, his mind was rebelling against what his eyes were clearly staring at. The surprise must have surely shown on his face by the widening of his eyes and the disbelief reflected in their depth and yet, as quickly as those emotions surfaced, they were buried again leaving behind a slightly stoic expression.

 

The fates indeed were quite cruel when they chose to toy with him. As if having lost his lover once had not been enough, it seemed that throwing the man into his life a second time was appropriate in their eyes. Feeling his heart hammer in his chest almost painfully as he took in every feature of the face before him while hiding his own turmoil of emotions from view, Nereus took a quiet step back and took half a second to try and gather his wits again. This man clearly didn't recognize him, if not only by the words he spoke than by his tone alone. Though the mess in his eyes was a bit confusing, Nereus didn't dare raise his hopes. Why would he? He didn't deserve to have the man he killed with his own hands, back in his life.

 

Smiling at the stranger despite the man's biting words, Nereus lightly clasped his hands behind his back, one had holding on to the wrist of the hand which still held his precious instrument.

 

"Yes, its true I see many new people but few look as troubled as you do. You can hardly blame me for being concerned" the male replied, his voice never changed from those peaceful, serene octaves even as he observed the other man curiously. "It is no business of my own, that I know, but I only wanted to see if you were alright. It's hard for me to ignore something that concerns me" he spoke calmly, not minding a bit the back that had been presented to him.

 

As familiar as the face and the body were, it was obvious that this wasn't the same man he had once known. His lover had never held such discord inside his eyes and such anger in his actions. It was unnerving to see this in a person who had once stood with him so many centuries ago, yet it was to be expected. A soul tended to change given the circumstances around it and Nereus had no way of knowing what had happened in this man's life.

 

"Hawaii is a land of new beginnings. It will embrace you and take the pains of your past away. You will learn this the more time you spend with these people. For now, I only wish for your peace of mind" Nereus murmured after a moment of quiet as he took another step back. Perhaps he should leave, the man didn't seem to want anyone around him at the moment and as much as his Mere heart cried to embrace the human and never let him go again, to beg for his forgiveness, Nereus knew he could never do so. This wasn't the same man he had once loved, this reincarnation of his lover wouldn't understand.

 

"Explore the island, enjoy your stay. And if you're seeking answers, I'm sure they'll make it to you in time" Nereus added lastly, something he had a tendency to say to those whose troubled hearts drew him to them. His words would more than likely not be welcomed or accepted, but that didn't bother him. Nothing bothered him much anymore.

[Morirp]

The sudden look of confusion and shock almost broke it's way through Hosoke's curiosity. Hosoke wondered, briefly, what could have caused such an expression. He tried to pay it little mind though it left an uneasy feeling in his stomach as the expression faded back to that of a placid lake, it was only once he had turned his back that he could really see the man. Before he'd been stuck and lost in the eyes of the person who had appeared before him, now he questioned how a person could have such impossibly blue hair, and deep eyes.

 

Had Hosoke's composure been less austere he might have given way to the sadness the other made him feel, or the rage. Half way between wanting to cry for the first time since he was a child and wanting to throw the violin into the ocean so he didn’t have to hear its noise flood his thoughts anymore, Hosoke finally found the calm cold center of his consciousness, clinging to it like it was a life vest and his boat was sinking.

 

Hosoke listened briefly to the lilting clarity in the violinist’s voice, shutting his eyes tight and holding onto the composure he’d found until turned. Opening them again as he pushed black strands of hair out of his face. He allowed his icy hues to gaze upon the form now in front of him again, though the emotions they carried before were locked away this time. He studied the other as he finished speaking, the smell of hibiscus mixed with ocean, there was something familiar about the very island smell.

 

“My troubles aren’t of your concern, I assure you. You neither caused them, nor were involved in their development.” Now that Hosoke had regained his composure his words were calculated. “Hawaii is simply an island for someone like me. For this world to take the pain of my existence away I would have to be reborn to a different life, but how cruel fate can be; what if I simply wound up miserable again?” He noticed the distance that was suddenly between them, a few steps back from the other while his back was turned. Hosoke was like a shark that had found blood in the water, nervousness was what usually caused people to step back like that.

 

He stepped forward, easily clearing the distance between them with the one step. He wondered if he could swallow this mystery whole and then finally feel no more pain by the songs that were haunting him even once the violin stopped. “Peace of mind is a luxury.” He was close enough to be intimidating, but not so close that they would easily touch. He still preferred to keep his distance from this one. Hosoke let his eyes wander to the ocean nearby as someone yelled, falling off a surfboard into the ocean. When he turned his eyes back. “You make me angry, I don’t know why and I don’t like either of those facts.”

 

Hosoke took his own step back, this time not pausing but to turn around and walk down onto the beach. There had been a break in his composure, and while his icy exterior had been returned his insides still roiled with turmoil, and he didn’t trust that he wouldn’t all out hurt the man. In a foreign country he couldn’t afford that kind of misstep.

[Time_Keeper]

Feeling the weight of those cold blue eyes was unnerving and it almost made him want to take another step back, however, he wouldn't allow himself to do so. He was a King and though the tourists and this man did not know of it, Nereus had full knowledge of his position and he would not allow himself to appear weak in front of this human. No matter how chaotic his thoughts were, no matter how uneasy his emotions felt. He would not yield to the intimidating posture of this man. No matter how much he deserved to be looked at with such rage, he would not show this man just how much the coldness in those eyes were wrecking havoc on his long silent heart.

 

"It is in your hands to determine your fate. You can not allow your life to be toyed with. It is up to you to make your time on earth at least enjoyable while you're here" Nereus interjected quietly, keeping his calm eyes locked onto the icy ones that seemed to almost try and stare him down. Should he have said the words that he did? Who knew. All he knew for sure was that the advice he bestowed on the man just then was heartfelt. He couldn't wish for anything but good things for a man who had once held his heart in another life.

 

Stiffening just a bit when the man took a step closer to destroy the distance between them, the blue haired man inhaled a soft, tense breath while listening to the next words directed at him. "But it is also achieveable if you fight for it" he stated in soft objection to the statement the man had made about peace of mind. Turning his gaze towards the ocean as well when the surfer fell, Nereus found himself slightly amused at the antics of the humans until the next words reached his ears.

 

Watching the man walk off down towards the beach, Nereus allowed a moment of sadness to touch his features before parting his lips to deliver a few final words in the direction of the man's retreating back. "The ocean will be restless in a few hours. I wouldn't recommend you lingering for too long a period of time" he called after him as he too turned his back and silently slipped through the crowd of people, effectively vanishing from view as quickly as he had appeared.

 

Making it to the spot he has left the case for his violin, Nereus carefully laid the instrument inside before closing the case and lifting it into his grasp. Walking off through the ocean of humans around him, Nereus knew that he would more than likely be returning home tonight. He had left his people alone for too many days now and he would like to check up on them. That and he would also like to gain some composure. He wouldn't admit it but there was a sting behind his eyes and his hands shook with every breath he took. For the first time in years he felt a cold settle onto his bones and he longed for the comfort, even if it was small, that his home under the waves would provide.

[Morirp]

Letting the last of the man’s gentle words roll off him almost as though he hadn’t heard them, Hosoke made his way down the beach. His grandparents would be thrilled to see him doing something like walking a beach, he hardly spent time outdoors, and almost never in the presence of the ocean. Despite being born on an island and being sent to one for a vacation Hosoke didn’t trust the ocean. There was a deep embedded fear of the body of water that could drown him.

 

As if on que, and despite the warning, a few hours later Hosoke was sitting on the beach when the turmoil of the ocean began churning. Turbid waves carrying sand and debris rolled in and crashed against rocks and shore. His stormy eyes watched the change with curiosity. Strange how the other seemed to know this would happen, and with such good timing. Hosoke had spent the afternoon lost in thought, decidedly pained by the sudden appearance of the mystery. It called into question his own existence, his own beliefs about how the world worked and why things fell into place the way they did. The 22 year old couldn’t remember the last time his core beliefs had been rocked this hard.

 

Even as the rain began to pelt down on him Hosoke didn’t move for a long time, his eyes out on the restless ocean. Once he was chilled at his core by the relentless rain he stood and began his long walk back to the hotel. Lightening clashed overhead and he took the storm as an omen, perhaps he should start letting go of things that haunted him; how did one go about such a task? His weight was so heavy he often felt like he was sinking. When the young male made it back to the hotel he requested soup, and tea be delivered to his room. After a hot shower and a change he sat in the doorway of his balcony, still watching the storm outside. He sought a book for comfort, and later that night he fell asleep to the sounds of the uncomfortable ocean and the anger of the storm. His sleep was painful, filled with nightmares of drowning and the face of the blue haired man he’d met. The violin was there, but there was something else, a voice.

 

Several times Hosoke woke gasping for air. Early that morning he gave up his attempts for sleep and rose. Outside the sun rose, painting deep purples, oranges, and blood red on the now calm ocean horizon. The beach was littered with seaweed and driftwood, but a quick check said that the day should be nice. He didn’t want to be there when the violinist appeared so he asked early to be taken somewhere else; a bus left for something called Sea Glass Beach a little while later. Hosoke didn’t intend to return until after he was sure the violinist wouldn’t be there. He didn’t even know the man’s name, how did he hold such a spell on him?

[Time_Keeper]

Life under the water was filled with serenity but also excitement. There was never a dull moment under the waves and perhaps that was one of the aspects that Nereus valued most of his beloved home. Seated quietly on his throne within the undersea castle, the Merman enjoyed the sense of familiarity about being home. Despite his self appointed task of bringing peace to humanity as atonement for the innocent life he had taken, Nereus truly missed it when he was away from his people. Though he was King here and he had his responsibilities, he felt at true peace when he was surrounded by his own kind. It was a feeling he felt was reciprocated by his kingdom.

 

Playing with the necklace that floated against his neck, just at the opening of the black jacket like item he wore, Nereus allowed his amused gaze to look upon the pair of young mere-children that swam in circles around the throne room while his younger sister nagged at her children to calm their energetic antics. Chuckling when the older twin accidently canooned into his mother's belly, causing his younger sibling to suffer the same fate due to not being able to stop on time, Nereus finally rose off his throne and with a powerful stroke of his blue tail, swam over to them.

 

"You two have certainly become more of a handful than you previously were when I left a few days ago" he laughed out as his nephews grinned toothy smiles at him.

 

"We're just excited to have you back Uncle, that's all" the eldest, Estel, replied cheerfully as his far quieter and younger twin, Urius, nodded enthusiastically.

 

Affectionately ruffling the pair of raven haired children's hair, Nereus gave them a gentle push while saying "And I am glad to be back. Now swim along and go torment your father. I would like a moment of solitude with your mother".

 

Two quick nods later and quick strokes of fins later had the throne room empty by all but the King and the beautiful raven haired mermaid that was his younger sister.

 

"What troubles you, brother? Does the human continue to plague your thoughts?" the woman's voice questioned in beautifully toned octaves. Her light green eyes gazed with infinite love and affection at her sibling while she awaited his answer.

 

"Unfortunately.....I can't seem to get him out of my head, no matter how much I try" Nereus confided with a slight slump to his lean shoulders. At the feel of a cold yet soft hand on his clothed shoulder, the man lifted his gaze to look into the gentle smile his sister now bore on her lovely features.

 

"The sins of the past have a way of haunting us until our last breath, as troublesome as that may be. However, perhaps by trying to help him find happiness, the fates will forgive your ill fated act of centuries ago" she adviced the elder with no hint of judgement or cruelty in her voice. All she wanted was the best for her beloved brother and it hurt to see him suffer for so long.

 

Nodding at her words, Nereus exhaled a heavy breath "I suppose so". Looking around his throne room, he gave her a bemused grin before stating "However, I do miss being able to just stay at home without having to worry about the world above. I fear I get terribly homesick while I'm away".

 

Rolling her eyes, his sister shook her head in exasperation even as she watched him swim off after dropping a gentle kiss upon her forehead. Without having to even ask, she knew her sibling was heading to the world above again. It would be lonesome without him here but she felt revitalized after having him spend the night among their people. Celeste knew she had nothing to worry about, Nereus could take care of himself and he would be back before anyone knew it.

 

For now though, he had a job to do.

[Morirp]

Hosoke arrived on the beach, and spent his day in the sun, admiring the look of the glass pebbles in the gleaming light. He didn’t often swim but the calm of the ocean sliding over the jewels that decorated the sand brought him comfort after the challenge of the previous day. After a while he decided he might actually go into the water, despite his discomfort. He slipped out of his pants since his swim trunks were underneath, and his shirt. People on the beach were cheerful, and surfers were riding in so he felt safe as he stepped into the water.

 

He dove down under the first wave that approached him, and he felt his heart beat against his chest in an uncomfortable way. After surfacing he tried to slow his heart by taking some deep breaths even as the waves rolled around him. He dove back down one more time, an image of the blue haired man flashing in his mind. Quickly Hosoke surfaced and left the water behind, something about the ocean and that man made him anxious.

 

He decided to get lunch at a nearby café and some coffee to go. He wouldn’t get back to the hotel until the sun sank lower into the sky. It ushered in the evening. Along the beach bonfires and luaus were staring, Hawaiian drumming could be heard all around – but something was missing, and he was glad to return to the lack of the violin. Hosoke took a quick shower and then went back down to the beach to hunt down some dinner. That night he chose a simple pair of black pants and a short-sleeved button down. The night felt fresh in comparison to the stormy angry night that had preceded it.

 

It seemed strange as he looked around for a place to eat to see everyone paired with other people in their lives, laughing, talking, and being together. What a strange sight. Families and couples, even a marriage nearby was taking place among the setting sun. He felt so alone, no that wasn’t the word… he was lonely. He’d only spoken to one person since he’d gotten off the plane for more than making requests and it was the blue haired violinist…

[Time_Keeper]

When he made his return back to the surface world, the sun was still fairly high in the sky, it would have been a few more hours before it sank below the horizon. Gracefully and silently swimming under the prying eyes of any human who might have been examining the vast expanse of the ocean's calm surface, Nereus made it to the small alcove located at the far right end of the beach where he usually made his journey into his underwater home and out of it. It took but a few seconds for his long, powerful tail to shift back into the shape of a pair of human legs the moment the feel of sandy shore reached his hands. Pushing his hair out of his face, Nereus steadily climbed onto his newly developed legs and headed a bit deeper into the alcove to where he often stashed his clothing. While it was mildly uncomfortable to pull dry cloths onto his still wet body, Nereus had gotten quite used to it over the years to the point where only the slightest of scowls marred his serene features when he tugged his wet locks out from under his newly cleaned, white dress shirt.

 

There were days that he valued having a few of the people here know exactly what he was. Many on this land heard of the legend of the Mere-people, many more wished to catch a glimpse of the creatures that were said to be quite lovely to the eyes and held the voices of singing angels, however only a few amongst the hundreds of humans here knew exactly who Nereus was. And that was only because their families had lived in this land for centuries, dating back to when Nereus had first fallen in love. It was a secret well kept by the residents of Hawaii, and it was never spoken openly about. Sure, for tourist sakes, tales were woven from thin air to enchant them and capture their imaginations, but none of the residents ever truly gave out concrete information of the people they shared their oceans with. In a way, Nereus imagined that was how it should be. They co-existed under the prying eyes of all who could want to do them harm.

 

Tugging on a pair of dark navy slacks, the man made quick work of tying his long hair into a somewhat loose braid and dangled it over his right shoulder as he bent down to pick up the case that held his precious violin. Digging his toes into the warm, slightly moist sand, Nereus inhaled a small breath of salty ocean air before making his way out of the alcove and into the human population once more.

 

No one questioned his lack of shoes as he spent a few hours mingling around with humans. Several tourists gave his feet odd little looks but Nereus brushed them away as if it was nothing while he was pulled from conversation to conversation. At some point, he was willed into making a small surprise performance for a restaurant later that evening in an effort by the owner to bring in more guests. Having nothing better to do, Nereus agreed to it as long as his performance would be welcomed to be viewed by everyone, not just the guests of the restaurant.

 

The arrangements for the performance lasted a few hours, ranging from the type of background music that would be played to accompany his violin's melody and ending in where exactly he would be playing his music. The restaurant had quite a lovely view to the ocean, in fact, it had an open terrace where most of the clients chose to sit in during nights as lovely as this one. By the time everything was set up and the arrangements made, Nereus stood quietly upon the terrace, silently toning his violin for the appropriate music he would be playing that night. It would be quite upbeat but entertaining and uplifting, Nereus would make sure of that. In fact, how could it not be when he had been thrown a few dancers for his performance that night. Exchanging a few lighthearted words with the men and women who would be accompanying him in this, Nereus kept a polite little smile on his face even as his mind began to wonder off.

 

He hadn't seen or caught the scent of the human who reminded him so much of the man who had once been his in another life. Honestly, Nereus felt quite conflicted. He was glad to be away from those icy eyes that made his heart cry out in grief and froze him to the core, yet at the same time....he longed to see him again. Even if the thought was quite unwise.

 

Nevertheless, he was thankful that his task that night would keep his mind on his music alone. Perhaps it would be best if they didn't run into eachother quite so soon, no matter how much his heart silently craved seeing the human. Truly, it would appear he had become quite the masochist over the centuries.

 

By the time it was time to perform, Nereus pushed all his wandering thoughts to the back of his mind with more effort than he thought was needed. Lifting his violin from its case, he placed it in the proper position before allowing his eyes to close as he began to play the first notes. The song started out soft and slow at first but in the span of a few seconds, it picked up its beat and grow strongly, louder, and bolder. It came as no surprise to him when his music did its trick and in no time, people began to pile into the restaurant. In moments like these, no matter how silently troubled he might have been, noticing the excitement and happiness in the humans expressions made everything worthwhile.

 

[[[i'm leaning towards using Lindsey Stirling for most of his songs. These particular ones are going to be her cover for Senbonzakura, Master of Tides, Shadows, and Stars Align]]

[Morirp]

Hosoke found himself ignoring his hunger to wander the beaches and restaurants that surrounded the small part of the island he was on. The people around him seemed so happy, cheerful in their lives. An old Hawaiian woman had smiled and touched his hand at one point when he was walking by in a daze. She offered him a flower and when he asked how much it was she shook her head, stating that he looked as though he was in need of luck, and compassion. He was a little taken aback by the statement and he held the flower lightly with one hand. It was a brilliantly coloured hibiscus flower. Hosoke couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness he battled though.

 

He hung back while the sun started to set, letting the blood red of the horizon's rays strike the ocean in front of him. He heard a strange click around him and it took him a moment to realize it was a photographer. There was a brief exchange between him and the other person who asked if they could use his picture for a school project or something. He politely accepted, and it was just as their conversation came to a quiet close that the first notes of the violin struck his ears. His head whipped around, turning away from the sunset to look up. He saw the violinist then, clear as the sunset that night. Hosoke felt a lump in his stomach, something drew the man to him, or maybe it was the other way around - certainly though he could find somewhere else to be for the night.

 

It was like a trance had hit him though, now that he saw the male and heard his music he couldn't pull away. Hosoke didn't know how to explain the events that followed. He simply fell the mercy of his feet, dragging him into the place where his all his plight and desire had taken form as a human. The person who was seating tables beckoned that he had no where to seat Hosoke so Hosoke didn't wait to be seated. He walked upstairs to where the male played, passing several workers who tried to stop him. He found a family and politely asked if he could sit with them since the place was full and he was of course only one person. Then he asked to buy their dinner for them, of which they obliged though it was a strange -strange- request.

 

Once he'd managed to take a seat he watched, ordering his food and drink quickly. The family decided then to strike up conversation with their gracious guest. He spoke quietly, and the mother took to prying into his life. After some time he barely heard the music as the family and him began smiling, and laughing. Hosoke didn't understand that this was a natural rhythm for families, naturally curious groups of people. He didn't understand because he didn't ever have a setting like this, but it was nice, and between the music and his guests the rare smile began to feel easy on his mouth. The hibiscus not to be forgotten had become their centerpiece.

 

It would be a little while later that the family would state they needed to depart, but they exchanged phone numbers and asked Hosoke to come over before he left back to Japan. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed, and once the light of the family was gone Hosoke's face seemed to go a bit dim again, his attention back on the dancers and violinist.

[Time_Keeper]

The performance in itself took about half an hour but Nereus enjoyed every moment of it. It made him feel like he was truly making a difference in the lives of the people on this land. Though it had started as more of an obligation to try to appease the wrong he had done, it soon turned into much more. Nereus could have stopped years ago. He had an ocean to protect and his own people to look after, he was their King and as such his heart and mind should only be with his people, yet the blue tailed Merman couldn't just turn his back on humanity. What his human had taught him so long ago still remained glued onto his heart, no matter the amount of centuries that had passed. He played his music for the humans out of the goodness of his heart and when the time came when he would no longer return to the surface world to entertain them, he hoped they kept the peace he had provided them with, deep in their souls. That was all he wished for.

 

When the final note of his last song drifted into the night breeze of the open space, Nereus smiled politely and bowed along with the rest of the performers on stage with him. The applause was as overwhelming as always and it truly warmed his heart to receive such a reaction. It was one of the best feelings he could ever hope to have after living for so many centuries. Slipping away from the many eyes watching him, Nereus allowed the dancers to enjoy a bit more claps while he maneuvered his way through the many tables of the restaurant. For a moment, his sea green eyes met the gaze of the owner of the establishment as he gave him a small nod before his attention was distracted by a familiar scent.

 

There, sitting a few tables away from where he stood, was the man that he had met the other night. The man that had the same face of his past love. Honestly, Nereus didn't know whether to approach the man or not. After last night's encounter, he didn't think he'd be very welcomed.....after all, the man hadn't seemed to pleased with him. Perhaps it was best to simply let him be. The last thing Nereus wanted to do was anger the other male. As long as he could see him from at least a distance, then it was alright for him. He didn't deserve any more than that.

 

With that thought in mind, Nereus inclined his head in greeting at the other male and even graced him with a small gentle smile before turning his gaze away and heading to the entrance of the restaurant where he had left the case for his violin. It didn't take him long to pack his instrument safely in its case and once he was done, Nereus sent a quick goodbye towards the hostess before slipping out into the night air that swept around Hawaii.

[Morirp]

Hosoke's eyes followed the musician, unsure of how to feel after the songs had ended. There was an ache that had taken up residence in his stomach and he was only just begining to flesh it out as lonliness, still unable to put a name, but only dully aware that it had been gone when the family sat with him so willingly. He had quite a bit of time to spend on the island, what was he to do if he couldn't swallow this stone like ache? He met the eyes of the man, faced his acknowledgement and then let him walk away. Of course he wouldn't want a conversation with him, he thought back on their conversation - he had been so rude. He was still irate with the musician and he couldn't even tell anyone -why-.

 

It was quickly becoming apparent to Hosoke that he didn't belong here... He didn't belong... anywhere. He waited a long time at that table, quietly staring out at the ocean from the open balcony windows. Several people came by to see if he was alright. Finally after some time he got up, the place was filled with couples having candle lit dinners and desserts. He wandered out onto the beach, and took off his shoes, rolling his pants up. It exposed his legs as he walked toward the water, the cool ocean swallowing him up to his mid calves. His anxiety rose - it always did when a large body of water was around. He'd had terrible nightmares since he was a child regarding drowning. His kookie grandmother used to tell him it was because he drowned in a past life, and his soul was scared of repeating the same death because it was bad luck. He never believed her.

 

Still the sun had set, and a chilly breeze was kicking up off the ocean, spraying water droplets onto Hosoke by the time he walked back up the sands to collect his shoes. He walked, humming quietly the last tune the male had played for the night. It was all a blur now, he remembered the dancers, but didn't remember how they danced. His eyes had been fixed, when not sharing space with the family, on the strange violinist. He didn't even know his name. Still, he hummed. He walked past his hotel, lost in thought as the waves broke near his unshoed feet.

 

It wasn't until about midnight that Hosoke realized how far he'd walked. He sat for a little while, pondering the walk back in the dark and whether he should take the path instead of the beach. Finally he dusted the sand off his feet and adorned his shoes once more, climbing onto boardwalk from the sands and begining the long trek back. His eyes wandering between the ocean, and the stars. All around him parties were still going on, luaus, bars, people wandering the beaches, but it was lessening as time carried his feet back to his hotel.

[Time_Keeper]

Walking out into the clear night air, Nereus inhaled deeply and allowed the breeze to take him into its embrace and guide him towards his usual place of going when his interactions with the humans were over. Walking towards the alcove on his beach, Nereus kept his gaze focused on the vast beauty of the sea. His heart swelled with love and pride the more he allowed himself to take in his Region. Hawaii, all its islands and the vast largeness of the pacific sea had been his domain since he had been just a small fledgling swimming beside his father. At first, he had been quite intimidated by what he would one day have to protect....now though.....Now his heart filled with overwhelming determination and fortitude. He no longer feared what was his responsibilities. Instead, he had embraced it all with open arms and learned from all the times he had stumbled and fallen along his path. This was his home and he would never allow it to be taken from him.

 

Reaching the alcove, Nereus quickly hid his violin in its usual crevice and slipped the human clothing off his body easily enough. Once he was free of all that, the blue haired merman silently moved towards the edge of the water. He didn't dive in with eagerness as he would have done in younger years, instead he walked slowly into the cool water. He enjoyed the feeling of his legs slowly shifting into that of the all to familiar tail that allowed him to swim effortlessly through the ocean. Diving under the water, Nereus barely blinked at the sensation of his merman attire slowly forming around his torso. Unlike traditional merman and mermaids who had basic coverings over their breasts or had their chest bare for the world to see, Nereus was a King and as such, he was made to have a different appearance. The growth of the almost human looking dark jacket like thing, with its belts and strange buckles, out of seemingly nowhere didn't surprise him anymore. It was a true testament of how far he had come and how the centuries had built his maturity.

 

Lifting a hand to gently feel the leather necklace around his neck, a true symbol of his status as King and an item his father and his father's father had worn before him, Nereus allowed a small smile to touch his face before with a powerful flap of his tail, made his way back to the surface of the water. Breaking through the calm midnight blue of the ocean around him, the merman turned those sea green eyes back towards the shore of he beach quite a distance away. There he could see someone standing and by scent alone, he knew it was the man he had once loved and lost. Observing the human for several long moments from where he was in a spot that would have been nearly impossible to see, Nereus felt his heart grow heavy. Before, his mate had never hesitated to dive into the waves and swim beside him, laughter filling the air and love making their eyes shine....now, things couldn't be more different. He supposed that the man was afraid and honestly, Nereus couldn't blame him. Not after what he had done to him.

 

For several long minutes, Nereus stayed in his position, watching the man from a distance until the human finally turned to leave. Exhaling a heavy breath, the merman spared the man one last look before diving back under the water, tail briefly breaching the surface in the sound of a splash before he had vanished into the darkness of the water around him. As much as he still loved and longed for the human, Nereus knew that it wasn't only for him that he had stayed in these seas after his sin. He had stayed because it was his job to protect these waters and by default, the humans that lived in land. It was just coincidence that his human had been from these islands and that he had returned again.

 

Swimming deeper under the water, heading steadily for where his people and real home was, the king allowed his thoughts to wonder. He would return to the surface world again in a day or two but for now, he had his actual Kingly duties to attend to and a very real threat to fight back.

[Morirp]

It was almost two am when he wandered back into the courtyard of the grand hotel he stayed at. Here and there people dotted the courtyards, lovers giggling, even a couple getting married under the moon. The full moon was in a few days, he wondered if he would still feel lonely when the moon was so full. Hosoke drifted to the place he'd first seen the strange blue haired violinist. Something was so strange about him. So familiar despite the fact that he'd certainly never seen a blue haired person before. The songs haunted his mind, and drifted through the depths of his soul. It was such a difficult feeling, being so connected to someone that just the sight of, threw him into a rage he couldn't explain.

 

Hosoke bowed his head, eyes focused on the grass infront of him. He stood there under the moonlight for longer than he'd thought, bathing in the rays that made his skin almost shimmer - as if Hosoke himself wasn't human. But no one was ever around to see him in this state. Eventually he would drift upstairs and fall into the comfort of the hotel bed, sleeping deeply. He had a dream of the blue male under the waves, the splash of a tail like a mermaid. They embraced, they even kissed, and then the feeling of the man's hands around his throat were unbearable and Hosoke woke from the nightmare in a sweat.

 

His eyes drifted to the alarm clock on the near by table, noon. He'd slept quite a bit that day. That afternoon there was no lilting music from the courtyard, no crowds of people he could see from his balcony. He took the time to shower properly and dress in shorts and a tee-shirt. He supposed that day he could explore the islands. After all he'd studied geology in some of his elected classes, and he had enjoyed it quite a bit so he thought seeing some of the island's volcanoes would be interesting to say the least. He spent the day hiking the slopes of various volcanoes and talking with a few people that were on the tour he chose as well.

 

One man - a hiker that was determined to hike every volcano open to the public (or something like that) had been a nice companion for his day, and toward the end of the tour had asked Hosoke out on a date. He accepted, albeit cautiously, and advised where his hotel was and that tomorrow night would be fine. Hawaii had infact been a strange place. He'd spoken openly with a family he didn't know and now had a date despite the fact that the American Hiker and the Japanese graduate looking for a place in life were a far fetched long term couple. Still Hosoke was rarely given such attention and the prospect of being with someone, even just for a night was pleasant.

 

That night he ate a quiet dinner, and took a book with him to the courtyard as the sun set over the ocean. The blood red and orange of the sky looked like a great war, or a fire was consuming the sky. It was beautiful. Perhaps tomorrow Hosoke would think to take some pictures of the island.

[Time_Keeper]

Catching sight of his kingdom after several minutes of swimming at a steady pace, Nereus didn't slow down until he had swam through the gates and into the welcoming presence of his beloved people. Hearing his name called out in ways of greeting here and there, Nereus spared them all quick yet warm smiled while he continued on to his palace where he knew his closest confidants would be waiting along with the little mermen that had claimed his heart the moment in which they had been born. It didn't take him long to arrive at his palace nor did it take him long to locate where the source of the voices he could hear through the halls, were coming from. Pushing up the doors to his throne room, Nereus swam forward as his eyes locked with the group of five that were in the center of his room, all turning to greet him when they heard his arrival and felt his presence.

 

"Uncle!" Two small voices who had been away from the group, swimming around in playful circles above the adults, instantly shot down to his side, small arms wrapping around his midline as the twins latched themselves onto him. "Estel, Urius...I can tell I have been missed despite it only having been a few hours since my departure" Nereus chuckled affectionately even as he engulfed his nephews in a strong, loving hug not bothering to untangle himself from them as they nuzzled further into his side.

 

"Well it must be admitted that it's rather lonely when you're away. Your absence is felt much greater than you can imagine, dearest brother" Celeste replied with a gentle smile even as she herself swam over to smoothly wrap her arms around his shoulders and hug him tightly for a moment, a gesture Nereus quickly reciprocated. "I do agree, though let those words never leave this room or the people in it. I have missed you though, you didn't even spend that much time with me yesterday" his sister's mate and Nereus's best friend put in with good humor while he came over to hover next to the blue haired male and his attachments.

 

"What are you now? My mate?" Nereus asked with a laugh as the pair exchanged a affectionate touch of the forearms, as was a custom greeting gesture of mermen. "Perhaps, its always been a fantasy of mine to have two mates" the other male laughed as the rest of their group swam over to greet their friend and King.

 

"Idiot" Nereus murmured quite amused even while his mind went back into what he had been thinking before he reached the palace. "What is the status of the beast?" He asked, tensing slightly when smiling faces slowly turned to frowns of unease and his nephews seemed to tighten their hold around him. "It's still a ways off but it's starting to approach again. In a day or two it will be have to be forced back if we want it to avoid causing the humans any harm" one of the other males reported quickly, tone serious and more than a bit worried.

 

"Very well....tomorrow I'll take Rei and Jax with me to check how close it's gotten....I'll push it back now if I must" Nereus murmured under his breath, expression thoughtful as his friends and family nodded around him. It took a few moments but with an effort, Nereus pushed his worry to the back of his mind and offered his group a smile. "For the rest of today, lets just relax, shall we. I'll be home for a couple of days so we might as well make the most of it for now" he commented, happiness filling him at the sight of the smiles the grew in response to that.

 

The next day, as promised, Nereus headed out with his sister's mate and another Merman at his flank. The swim was rather long, which was good, and it took most of the day to get to where the creature was. Even with keeping his distance, Nereus couldn't stop the chill that crawled up his spine at the sight of the mass of darkness that was slowly crawling it's way further into his ocean and towards the human lands. Despite not being able to see any physical features of the creature yet, Nereus had its true appearance imprinted in his minds eye. The thing was massive, scaling much higher than any human building, and it looking like a strange cross between an octopus and a shark that when angered, shot spear like projectiles out of its many appendages. It had been years since he had actually seen more than its silhouette, however, Nereus remembered it well. It was what had killed his parents after all and what every King and Queen before him as fought off to no avail.

 

Tightening his grip on the trident he held firmly in his left hand, Nereus narrowed his eyes in repulse and disgust. Swimming forward a bit ahead of the patrol, he concentrated his energy into the weapon in his hands and aimed it at the beast, shooting forth a strong ray of unforgiving light which slammed into the mass and gradually but surely, began to force it back and away. It was a slow process, one that required plenty of determination and strength but by the time the beast had successfully been deterred for the time being, Nereus felt old beyond his years. A deep weariness and ache sank into his bones yet he showed none of it as he swam, albeit slowly, back to the other two Merman.

 

"Lets go home. The beast will not move closer for a few days after this" he mumbled, getting nods in return as they bang their journey back to their kingdom. Slower, but just as determined.

[Morirp]

The next few days were quiet, people had noted the violinist hadn't shown up much recently and some woman was upset because she'd hoped to convince him into playing the violin at her wedding in a few days. The mornings drifted into afternoons and the afternoons into nights. Even Hosoke began to wonder if the blue haired man was ok; he'd heard the hotel staff mention that it had been quite some time since the man had been gone for so long. Hosoke had begun taking pictures of the ocean, surfers, any number of things. A short boat ride had merited pictures of whales, dolphins, and finally, nearing the end of the second week on the island Hosoke decided to challenge his fears.

 

The black haired male signed up to learn how to scuba dive, he wanted pictures underwater, and even bought a high end water proof diver's camera for the experience. The class was easy enough, and the dive that followed was miraculous. At first his heart pounded and his breathing spiked erratically, but as he adjusted to the slow rocking of ocean life Hosoke calmed, and explored here and there. His instructor at one point mentioned that it was quite odd that so many fish seemed unafraid of him, and that it was unusual for divers that were so new to the activity to be able to get close to the underwater animals.

 

After the dive he said his thank yous, took his shower, and ate dinner. Excited to go to sleep after such a long, but exciting day, Hosoke fell asleep easily. He didn't stay that way for long, his body tensing shortly into his sleep. He was dreaming:

Underwater

It's so calm, so gentle like a lullaby.

This is where I belong, in the ocean...

fear why is there so much fear?

a flick of a tail, blue hair

:Nereus what are you doing? Why are you so angry with me? Where is my voice, why does this hurt, everything is....

black

 

Hosoke woke from his dream shouting "NEREUS!" his body immediately sitting bolt upright, drenched in sweat as if he'd been swimming. The boy stood, on shaky legs, and hurried to the bathroom to run a cold shower over his body. Once he could feel the chill on his skin he sank to his knees, sobbing. An uncontrollable sadness nestled into his stomach like a rock, he couldn't explain it, couldn't remember most of the dream now that he was awake but he also couldn't get the feeling of death off his skin. It was hours before Hosoke could drive himself to resume sleeping and the next morning it was a chore just to leave his room for breakfast. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks, but there he was, picking over the hotel's breakfast of choice proteins, feeling less than well.

[Time_Keeper]

Arriving at the large center fountain in front of the hotel where he usually played his violin, Nereus sighed heavily as he sank down at the edge of the fountain. It had been a few days since he had been away from the upper world but it couldn't be helped. He had been busy dealing with a few issues around his kingdom and he had had to give his body suitable time to somewhat regain its strength back after using most of his life's force to push the beast back. Even now, despite having rested several days, his body still felt more than a touch stiff and world weary. It had been a struggle to force Celeste to allow him to return to the humans. Though she understood his self proclaimed duty to the dry landers, she did not understand his will to return so soon after his facing off against the monster that plagued them all. For the Mere, it was the ocean water or just the ocean itself, that did the job in healing them from whatever physical or mental damage they may have taken throughout their lives. They were the children of the sea and as such, the sea provided them with everything they needed to survive. That being said, Celeste had been adamant that Nereus stay home and recover several more days. Something the the blue tailed King could not do. He had recovered well enough and he couldn't continue to neglect his responsibility towards human kind. No matter how much his people and his sister protested.

 

Inhaling a deep breath of the warm early morning air, Nereus opened the violin case beside him and calmly pulled out the instrument. Despite being tired, he knew that he needed to play his violin because as much as the ocean healed him, his violin filled the holes inside his heart of his centuries old mistake. Slowly dragging one leg up to cross it over the other one, Nereus positioned his violin perfectly against his shoulder and chin before brining the other arm up to begin a soft melody that quickly rose and filled the air around him. As his music began to gain strength and volume, it was no surprise when people began to swarm out to catch sight of the violinist that had been missing for the last few days. Even with his eyes peacefully closed to the world around him, he wouldn't be alarmed to catch the sight of delight and happiness in the eyes of both the natives and tourists of Hawaii. After all, it had been a couple of years before he had pulled a disappearing act such as this one.

 

Feeling utter calm sweep through him as he continued to play his music for the growing crowd, a soft smile turned up the edges of his lips while feeling the crowd growing a bit closer with each note the escaped his violin. For several long minutes, he appeased the crowd with melody after melody that rang out true and pure the moment the strings were touched. By the time he played his last song, the applause was a bit more deafening than what was normal. Opening his eyes slowly, Nereus smiled politely and ever warmly towards those who had gathered to listen to him even while he took his bows from his seated position, feeling far less from inclined to move at the moment.

 

It surprised him a bit when several people pushed forward to speak to him about his graceful performance, even a woman who seemed to be eager to have him play in her wedding that was just a short couple of days away. Knowing the Celeste would kill him for pushing himself, Nereus grinned friendly at the woman and agreed to perform a few songs for her and her guests. His sister would have to hold her lecture for when he returned home, not that he would make that any easier for her. Despite being older than her, Nereus always enjoyed driving her up the wall during times like this. It made their sibling relationship all the more amusing to him.

 

"Ner!" a strong female voice called out to him just as the woman was walking away and the crowd had somewhat dispersed. Unable to hide the small startled gasp that escape him when a body all but collided with him, it was by sheer miracle that he managed to maintain his balance and not topple back in the fountain's water. Blinking a few times to clear the black dots from his vision at the suddness of the collision, Nereus looked down to the brown head of hair who's owner had her arms wrapped around his waist tightly.

 

"Auli! Let him breath for peeps sake!" a second voice soon joined the first as a rather muscular, tall tanned man parted his way through the dispersing people to give the young girl a firm glare through amber/golden eyes. Tribal tattoos wove their way up and down both his arms, even showing signs of expanding further into his back, which was hidden by a plain white short sleeved shirt.

 

Grunting when the arms immediately released him and cupped his face in a surprisingly strong grip for one still quite young, Nereus sputtered soft protests when the hands turned his face this way and that before forest greens eyes were peering into his ocean blue hues from just inches away, their noses a breathe from touching.

 

"Why are you up here! You should be home still!" The young brunette exclaimed, even if she was mindful enough to keep her voice from getting too loud. "Look at your skin, you're much to pale to be back at full strength, Ner! I can't believe Celeste let you come up here, let alone have Rei agree to it as well!"

 

"Auli, I'm fine. Besides, I can handle a few hours out here....nothing is going to happen, tadpole" Nereus exhaled with an affectionate smile as he gently pried the girl's hands from his face to lean back and give her and her brother a good once over. "I didn't think you two would be traveling to the main island today? Doesn't your tribe have some festivities coming up?" He asked, feeling quite amused when the girl's brother huffed and shrugged his broad shoulders.

 

"We do, but grandmother sent us here to look for you. She said she had a feeling that you were pushing yourself too hard again" Akela responded and though he still looked quite stern, there was an underlining of affection in his amber eyes as he looked upon the pair.

 

"Did she now?" Nereus chuckled with a shake of his head. The tribe of which these two siblings belonged to, the Kanaka Maoli, had always protected his people. Since the moment they had discovered the People of the Mere soon after arriving here in Hawaii many centuries ago, the two species had formed a bond of friendship. It was a bond so strong that it had never been broken throughout the length of the years that had passed them by since the first Chief who had made contact with Nereus' people. To Nereus, though they were not Mere, he still loved them like family and he was sure it was an affection reciprocated by them as well. How could it not when their bond ran far before he was even born.

 

"Well be sure to send her my love, would you? And tell her she worries way too much...she seems to forget who exactly it was who helped her take her first steps into the ocean when she as nothing more than a babe" Nereus laughed softly while Auli and Akela joined in his mirth. It had been a bit over a week since he had last visited the tribe and he knew that the appearance of the siblings was a sheer sign that he was past due in going to see them. However, how could he be blamed when his mind had been in shambles since the appearance of a particular human.

 

Thinking of, he hadn't really seen the man around since he got here. Sure he hadn't exactly been too aware of the individuals around him but he was sure he hadn't been absentminded enough to completely ignore the man. Breathing in a deep whiff of fresh air, Nereus tilted his head to one side curiously. He could pick up the man's scent in the air but as annoying as it was, he couldn't really pinpoint him....which really was a drag since he had been looking forward to seeing the man again.

[Morirp]

From his place, eating breakfast, Hosoke could just barely make out the notes of the violin, it made him feel cold this time; none of the boiling rage from before filling his mind. It was difficult for him to stomach anymore food after the music began, but he tried. Finally when he felt he'd had enough Hosoke went back to his room, and dressed accordingly to what he intended to take as a lazy day. He might go to the beach and read but he had no desires to interact with the blue haired man. He couldn't remember most of his dream, but he remembered that hair, that uncomfortable feeling and the first part of his name, how could he know his name though?

 

After much self-persuading that it would be ok, and once the music had stopped Hosogoe felt safe enough to go outside, dressed in light shorts and a white gauze shirt with a book in his hand he walked down to the beach. Hosoke stopped though, on his way to the beach with the sound of the first bit of his name 'Ner' by an unfamiliar voice. He turned, and caught sight of the two people talking to the mess of blue hair. Swallowing a lump in his throat Hosoke turned away from the group and continued on his way down the beach, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach that had resurfaced.

 

His eyes looked out at the sea for a long moment, the rolling waves, the happy people, and his own chilled skin. Thankfully like most nicer hotels there were chairs set out for patrons so he picked one, and laid out on it, lifting his book to read. He didn't get far though, the smell of the air coming off the waves, and the happy sounds of people around him combined with the warmth of the sun was enough to put anyone to sleep. Soon the book fell to his chest and his eyes drifted shut once more. Perhaps his body was trying to make up for the nightmares the night before.

 

His dreams had become increasingly strange... that late morning nap was no different...

Black clouds haunted his dreams, his body ached, and he could hear the dull splashing of waves as they rolled up onto the shore. He couldn't move his body, it was like he was watching it lay there in the third person. Two people yelled in a language he didn't know, but somehow could understand.

They were yelling about him.

One of them was cursing his soul to be restless for an eternity.

Restless and doomed to misery.

Restless and doomed to misery, and there was his body as if he'd been murdered, the sea trying to engulf it and call him home.

Someone who was cloaked in shadow wouldn't let it happen - there was fire instead and his body was nothing but ash at the end.

Blackness, and soot.

 

Hosoke's eyes opened only to reveal he'd been crying in his sleep. At least this time he hadn't been screaming. He quickly wiped the tears away and went back to reading his book like nothing had happened.

[Time_Keeper]

Catching the stronger scent of the man's unique smell in the air, Nereus turned his aquamarine colored eyes towards the slightly distant figure that he could see turned to face him and the younger two before once again heading off the way he had been going. By the direction of his path, it was more than likely that the man was heading for the beach. Something Nereus couldn't think of as surprising considering that by all intents and purposes, his once lover was a tourist on their island on this lifetime. Tourist tended to like going to the beaches wherever they were and enjoyed the feeling of being so at peace and secure. However, something seemed off about the man's scent and that worried Nereus quite a bit more than it normally would have.

 

Feeling a nudge in his side, Nereus jumped a bit startled to realize that he had completely blocked out the two siblings when his attention had suddenly locked fully onto the male. Turning his face to look at the pair, he offered them a sheepish little smile and hoped that his sudden interest in the other man wouldn't be mentioned or noted by the pair. It was a foolish hope and the King knew it from the start but he couldn't help the feeling of his heart sinking a bit when Akela frowned and turned his eyes to the vanishing stranger and Auli gazed up at hims with concerned and sad eyes.

 

"Who is that, Ner? And why did you look so sad and worried just now when he came out?" Auli asked, her eyes never quite leaving his even as Nereus felt the urge to look away and hide the torment of his emotions from her. The last thing he wanted was to burden the siblings with problems from his past , however, he knew they wouldn't stop probing him until he gave them an answer to Auli's question.

 

"He's just......I don't know. He's someone who I had once shared a deep bond with many centuries ago. I thought him dead and I'm positive he was not part of this world anymore yet a few days ago I run into this ghost again. And yet he doesn't seem to know who I am, he has no memories of his previous life....of which I suppose I'm grateful for even if it hurts but at the same time something seems to remind him to hate me. And that's not something I can fault him for....after all, his death was my fault" Nereus murmured softly as he finally managed to look away and turn his eyes back in the direction that the other man had gone.

 

"Grandmother told us the story of your former mate....of the accidental misunderstanding that caused his death....but Nereus, that was not your fault. You had no way of knowing that he had been innocent and you are more aware than we are of how the Mere react when they feel betrayed or threatened. There was nothing you could have done" Akela stated gently, turning those soft eyes on the crestfallen King that silently inclined his head ever so slightly but refused to meet his eyes.

 

"The fates are sometimes cruel, Ner, and for some reason they have decided to throw him back into your life one more time. But maybe they're offering you both a second chance, maybe they want this story to try and have a happy ending....Have you tried to form any contact with him" Auli asked gently, reaching out the grasp his hand in between both of her smaller ones.

 

"When I first saw him but not after that.....I haven't wanted to cause him any more trouble or pain" Nereus murmured quietly, blinking surprised when Auli stood up with a firm nod.

 

"Alright, you stay here. We're going to the tribe's first celebration tonight. Akela, watch him and make sure he doesn't run off. I'm going to offer that tourist a chance to catch a glimpse of the true native spirit of Hawaii" Auli exclaimed, striding off quickly and ignoring the stuttered protests from Nereus and her brother calming yet slightly amused murmurs.

 

Marching into the beach area, Auli looked around for several long moments before finally spotting the head of the man she had only seen from a distance away. Squaring her shoulders, the young girl balled her hands into fists and quickly marched over to the seat the man was in. Without hesitance or excuses, the young tribe's girl strolled in front of the seat before plopping down on the soft sand in front of the chair.

 

"Hey tourist, sorry if I don't know your name. My name is Auli and I would like to invite you to a celebration my tribe is having today in a few hours. I know it's short notice and you may have plans, but I'm sure that you wouldn't want to leave Hawaii without seeing the spirit of the true natives to our land. My people don't often extend their hands to tourists and our tribe is located a bit of a ways away from here. Being that only the tribe knows where we are truly located, this might be a one time offer. I am speaking on behalf of my tribe when I say that we would be honored if you could join us tonight and we will be sure to see that you will need for nothing while in our presence" Auli stated with a firm tone of voice that could be welcoming as it could be filled of authority with how she chose to use it.

 

"So what do you say sir? Do you accept our invitation? My grandmother, former Chieften of the tribe, would be happy to provide you with souvenirs to take back home with you and I'm sure you'll have a ball in hearing all the stories my tribe has both witnessed and created over the centuries" She asked after a moment, never once taking her eyes off the man.

[Morirp]

Hosoke was determined to read and not let the awkward dream ruin his day, even though there had been so many of them. His fingers were just pushing through his hair when the very determined young girl sat in front of him in the sand. His eyes lifted and looked at her as she demanded his attention, whether or not she meant to be so forceful. He was actually a little taken aback by how intense her purpose was; but he didn't buy it. She didn't pick him just becuase he was some random tourist. She didn't pick him because she wanted to bring an outsider into her world, she picked him because of that blue haired man... She picked him because of Ner. Whatever it was that that man wanted with him though, he wasn't sure if his sleep cycle could tolerate the hit.

 

Perhaps his soul had once belonged to this tribe, or it was just the island waking up parts of him Hosoke didn't know existed, but a soft chuckle left his lips. After all, he was a man who was going to a top graduate school after finishing college top of his class. It was a bit much to think he'd believe such a story. An impatient smile sat on his lips, when she finally ended her diatribe he spoke. "You're not here to show me native Hawaii. You're here because of the blue haired violinist. I saw you talking to him, you called his name 'Ner'... It's what made me turn around in the first place."

 

Hosoke wasn't sure how to phrase his sentence, so instead he stood, without another word to the girl. He headed up the beach and into the garden where the other Hawaiian man and Ner still were. His pace was gentle, and not hurried, he tossed his book into a bench nearby. He walked up to the blue haired male, ignoring the Hawaiian and locking eyes with Ner. "You've been in my dreams a lot since I arrived here Nereus. And it's crazy, because I don't know you, or your name, but you've been there, and I know it now." Hosoke paused, as if he was choking on his next set of words. "And every time you show up in my dreams I end up waking in pain. Screaming, crying..." He crossed his arms in order to keep from smacking him and ruining that nice complexion.

 

"Theres something that happened, and its darker than anyone wants to admit, but I know its about you... and me.... Nereus." The name tasted bitter on his tongue "So instead of having a girl come and lie to me, give me more credit than that, and come and talk to me next time..." He paused, a frustrated hand moving to rub his temples and push through his hair. He said somethings in Japanese under his breath. "I'll be going home in two weeks... and we can both put this behind us." His hard eyes pulled away from the other last as he turned and headed back down the beach, still ignoring the Hawaiians. He left his book - forgetting it there - and removed his shirt, throwing it into the chair he'd sat in.

 

Without another thought he dove into the ocean - instinct overpowering his fear of the water as he allowed the waves to engulf him before he resurfaced. Everything ached, everything.

[Time_Keeper]

Watching the tourist walk away towards where she had left the two boys, Auli surged to her feet and followed him at a bit of a slower pace. She was weary of what the man would do now that he seemed determined to get to Nereus and her brother but somewhere inside her heart, she knew this had to happen. This had to be a stepping stone for those two finally be able to bring the past to the light. This man had to have some things made clear to him and Nereus had to show this tourist who he really was now that they had been brought back together by fate. It was only chance Nereus had to move on with his nearly immortal existence and for the tourist to understand what more than likely had been plaguing him by the look on his face.

 

Seeing Akela stiffen when the man approached the merman, Auli quickly shook her head in an effort to keep her brother from interfering just as Nereus gently grasped Akela's wrist when the man stopped in front of them while Akela tried to make a move to shove his body between the pair. It was a gentle hold, one that spoke of standing down even while Nereus listened to the words spoken to him with a perfectly constructed serene expression. Eyes closed off to the turmoil he must have been feeling under his mask. He said not a word even when the tourist turned and walked away. Even when Auli carefully approached and Akela shot a quiet curse towards the retreating man, Nereus couldn't help but let out a soft empty chuckle.

 

"There's no need for that language, Akela....he's right you know" he murmured softly, chuckling again when Akela turned his enraged gray eyes upon him.

 

"Right or not, it's not his place to be speaking to you in such a manner. You're a King, the last time someone spoke to a King that way, they were knocked back down to their place in a heartbeat" Akela snapped though it was obvious his anger was not directed at Nereus.

 

"Yes but he doesn't know that, brother....And maybe it's time that he had things made clear to him" Auli interjected softly, stopping in front of the pair. Not winching when Nereus snapped his gaze in her direction and delivered a firm

 

"No"

 

"You can't keep running and hiding the fact from him, Ner. If he truly was your mate in another life, then he deserves to know about why things happened the way they did. He has to know of the betrayal that caused your loss of control and ultimately his death....he deserves at least that much, Ner" Auli stated gently, eyes never wavering from the gaze of the man who had helped raise her, her siblings, her parents, and her grandparents.

 

It was silent for several long moments before the King quietly slide his eyes away from her saying "He'll be terrified of me and he'll hate me all the more for what I did to him"

 

"Not if you tell him to complete truth. Yeah he'll be afraid at first but if you tell him exactly what happened and you show him the love you have mourned all these years, he'll eventually have to understand.....besides, if the myths are true...then we need his help" the girl replied, silently willing the older male to concede to her point.

 

It took several more moments of long silence before Nereus was getting to his feet and quietly shrugging off his shirt after it was unbuttoned. Turning to head in the direction the tourist had gone, he called over his shoulder "Take my violin back to the tribe, I'll be there by sunset......or sooner if my guess is right". As he walked off, the siblings could do nothing but watch and wish him the best of luck.

 

By the time Nereus had reached the water and taken the time to slip his slacks off for his shift to fully happen, he was already regretting his decision. Nonetheless, fueled by at least trying to bring some peace to the other man in form of the truth, Nereus quietly swam under the ocean waves towards where he could see the man's legs. Powerfully propelling his way forward with his tail, he gently curled under the man for a split moment before forcing himself to break the surface to the water just a few feet behind the other man.

 

"Hosoke...." he called out to him using the name that had tormented his mind and filled his heart with angst tainted grief for so many centuries.

 

[[lA lot of people seem to like that one, haha. And I think I might be more comfortable with being Muse B since I already seem to have a character made for him. However, I wouldn't mind switching it up and playing Muse A if you want to give Muse B a go.

 

 

Hmmm, well I have to admit that the Cindefella idea definitely looks interesting to try out^^. Sorry for putting this here, your mailbox says it's full]]

[Morirp]

Hosoke’s mind was lost the moment he was beneath the gentle rocking of the waves. His mind going blank as the roll of the ocean surrounded him. He could hear people that yesterday he didn’t think he was in tune enough to listen to. Other people beneath the waves. He surfaced once or twice for air, his body craving the gentle peace that came from being below the ocean where nothing could reach him for a moment. His deep eyes shutting everytime he dove, shutting out the images of Nereus and the two Hawaiians.

 

It seemed as though his peace from the world that surrounded him would be short lived though, when surfacing he felt something swim beneath him. He looked down and didn’t see anything, but his ears prickled when Nereus’ voice called his name. He lifted his head and shot a glare in the direction of the blue haired man. His heart beat was immediately racing at the sight of the man in the water with him, his body aching to get away – fearful- though he wasn’t sure why. He forced himself to calm down, and the more rational side of his brain started to wonder how the man got there so quickly. It was crazy to think that he had managed to sprint down the beach and swim out that fast – he didn’t even think a life guard could make it that quick.

 

Hosoke treaded water for a moment, letting the waves push him around before he decided he would swim closer to Nereus. Though his eyes were sharp and cutting, he didn’t want to get too comfortable around this man… though something about him seemed very… different. “What do you want Nereus?! Why… why can’t you just leave me in peace? I leave in two weeks… why can’t… you just leave me be?” His voice cracked, and without warning tears spilled forth from his eyes.

 

He choked on his voice as he asked finally – “who, who are you? How do I know your name? Why does everything ache when you’re near?” He pushed a hand through his hair, obviously tormented by the appearance of the other man in the water next to him. He bit his bottom lip, tasting salt water until he bit so hard he also tasted the iron of blood. It was all he could do to not let his body sink into the water now, as a way to escape.

[Time_Keeper]

Feeling his heard break at the emotions in the other man's voice and how the tears were brought forth without any warning aside from his tone of voice, Nereus inhaled quietly thanking the heavens that the water was hiding his tail and that his long hair was hiding the fin like appendages where his ears would have normally been. Sure it was probably alarming that he had gotten so close to Hosoke in just a matter of short moments, but aside from that fact, with his Mere characteristics hidden, he didn't seem any different than he had been on dry land. Aside from the appearance of the odd black skin tight jacket sort of cloth and the long necklace, he looked the same. But that was an illusion he would have to break for Hosoke in a few short seconds and it was something he was dreading.

 

Swaying his tail gently in the water beneath them in order to stay in place against the gentle rocking of the ocean, Nereus forced himself to keep his eyes locked on Hosoke's cutting stare before gathering his courage and finally parting his lips to speak. "I promise, I will leave you alone after this. It's the best thing I can offer to do for you...though you deserve so much more than what is in my power" he said softly, regret and grief filling his eyes the longer he stared at the other man who had moved closer by his own free will just a few moments ago when Nereus had appeared behind him.

 

"Hosoke....what I am is not something you will find easy to believe" Nereus started, keeping his voice as calm as he could even as he felt his chest tightening and his heart cracking within it. Reaching a hand up and out of the water, the blue haired King quickly moved the appendage up to remove his hair from the sides of his face and toss those long strands over his shoulders, revealing what his hair had been hiding. Said fins flickered momentarily at the sensation of the warm breeze against their moist surface before Nereus began to speak again. "I come from a people that are born in the sea. We are the children of the ocean and humanity rarely ever catches a glimpse of us. My people are illusive and we rarely come to the surface, it's not a danger we often want to toy with....Hosoke, I believe that the name humanity has for us is People of the Mere....or Mereman, Meremaid" Nereus said while gently arching his tail a bit so just the end of it broke through the the surface of the water a few inches away from where Hosoke was.

 

Close enough for the man to be able to touch the brilliant blue colored tail but not actually touching the man as it sank below the surface once again.

 

"You and I have had a life together many centuries ago, when my people's existence was only barely known by humanity. I...I loved you and I do believe that you loved me. We were happy, despite the weariness of those around us and the uncertainty of others. We had the support of my family and I would like to say that we had the support of your family as well....But I made a mistake....one that I have regretted to the very core of my existence from the moment I lost you" Nereus began quietly, voice just barely loud enough to carry over the sound of the ocean to the other man. Unable to keep his eyes on Hosoke, Nereus lowered his eyes in shame and self hatred as he took another deep breath to continue.

 

"When the Mere feel threatened or when they feel that their chosen mate has been disloyal to them, it sends us into a state of feral insanity. It's not something we can control, no matter how much we try to. We lose our minds and what we do during those times we have no memory of when the haze finally subsides....That's no excuse for my actions, but I have to make you understand that I didn't know what I was doing. I had no control....When I saw you with the other man, when I heard his words on how much he knew he could take you away without much effort. When I heard how much you enjoyed spending time with him, the letters he faked in order for me to think that you were having an affair with him and lying to me while you were with me....it blinded me. It hurt more than I could believe and the more I tried to believe that you would never betray me for someone else, he showed me so many things that said otherwise....and I lost control one night" he said, glaring down at the water as if it were to blame for everything that had happened. As if it was the source of the angst that slammed into him so strongly that it almost made him believe that the night he had lost this man had just happened a few days ago.

 

"I tried to stop, I fought against my instincts...I tried to hold back the feral rage that surfaced....but Hosoke, I couldn't hold it back long enough. My parents had just been killed, my people were grieving, my sister had just lost her first child and everything had been thrown onto my shoulders as their new King....everything just happened at once and I couldn't hold on to my sanity..." Nereus spoke through clenched teeth as he felt his body start shaking from the shock of that night and the mess of emotions that had assaulted him. "I took you away from everything you loved and everyone that loved you. I took your life foolishly without seeing the truth in your eyes. I ripped you away from this world that you cherished so much because I couldn't control myself and I couldn't see the game this other man had been playing at....And for that I am sorry....I am so so very sorry, Hosoke" He forced out quietly, seeming to be pushing his words painfully through the grief that was making his chest grow tighter and tighter.

 

"I know I do not deserve your forgiveness and I will not ask for it. I know you will hate me, and I can't stop you from feeling the way you do....I just wanted to let you know how sorry I was and still am. Of how much I will always love you, no matter what. Of how much I wish I could turn back the hands of time and stop myself before it was too late. I know the past can not be changed, but I know you needed to know the truth. There is nothing more painful than not knowing" Nereus finished in a soft exhale of breath, keeping his eyes lowered from the man. He didn't have the right to look at him...not after what he had done.