Canada X Mermaid!Reader REQUEST

Music…music is playing…but it isn't like the one back home. How…why are you even in here?

Where are you?

You open your eyes to the starry sky…which is supposed to be a good thing…but you're not floating in the water.

You can no longer feel the heaviness of your tail…because it isn't there. In its place are these two, odd, skinny things…"legs", as humans call them. You can't possibly understand how they can do anything on these pathetic, little sticks. You use your arms to sit up on this boat thing.

There is a boat on a ship. Actually, there are many of these boats on this ship. That doesn't even make sense.

Last night, your friends and you were joking around as you followed this big cruise ship. They dared you to go into the ship and bring back a piece of evidence of something manmade, so you did. It was hard at first, considering your arms needed to be able to support the weight of your heavy tail, but you managed to get onto the boat without anyone noticing and reached to get something—a life preserver, it's called.

But when mermaids become dry, their tail becomes legs. You have never experienced legs before—nor did you ever want to—so, of course, it was a shock to you when you were suddenly crawling with these bony legs. Thinking cleverly, you figured you could walk back to the railing and jump into the water…but then you tripped—these damn legs are so hard to maneuver in!—and fell headfirst into this boat. You hit your head and must've passed out.

Thank goodness it's still dark out.

The music is strong, something you can imagine yourself doing something crazy to—crazier than this—and doing what humans called "dancing."

As you examine your legs, you also notice a few other things that come with it. These extra body parts—that's how humans mate, right? How odd… You know that these extra body parts are sacred, and thus they remain covered. Naked girls are crazy girls, the ones who mate with many men.

But you're a naked girl right now…

You hear the shuffling of feet and look up to find a blonde boy looking down at you.

You scream, using both your hands to cover your body—but you don't know what to cover! Your breasts or the back of your body or the front or…maybe your face! What are you supposed to cover?

He goes red and turns away, unbuttoning his shirt. You scream again—does he expect you to mate with him simply because you are a naked girl? How…deplorable!

Actually, it turns out, he takes off his shirt so he can hand it to you. You take the cotton button-up, realizing it is for you to put on. You slide your arms in and then try to button it, but it is hard. You've never had to button anything in your life. The blonde boy, with eyes so blue they could pass as violet, notices your struggle, and he reaches over to button the shirt for you, his face as red as possible.

And he is wearing those…um, you think they're called "glasses."

"There," he says gently.

You continue to stare at him. The shirt is so much bigger than you that it feels more like one of those "dresses" rather than a shirt. It reaches a little above mid-thigh, and sleeves are past your finger-tips.

"My name is Matthew Williams," he tries again.

"________," you answer, and you stand to get up only to fall again due to your lack of success in balance with your legs.

Matthew catches you. "A-are you all right?"

"I…I can't walk with these," you snarl as you look down at your legs. "I can move them, but I…I don't know how to balance on them or how to direct my strength to them. They're so…weak."

He puts one of your arms around his shoulder. "Here. I'll help you." He actually provides most of the strength when you step out of the boat, but he doesn't seem worn out. It is like you're the weight of a feather.

Ha! You can't be. Or else you'd float on the surface of the ocean forever.

But then again, you also used to have an extremely heavy tail.

"Where…where do you need to go?" he asks.

"The ocean," you say with a longing to your voice. You look over towards the railing. It is so close by that you can almost cry from the happiness.

"The…ocean?" he asks.

You notice he also seems a bit disappointed. "I have a question…" His beautiful eyes meet yours. "Can you teach me how to dance?" He seems so confused by your request. "I've never danced before. I can't even walk on these sticks. But if you'd do be the favor of teaching me to dance…oh, I'd be forever grateful!"

And your request is true. That's the one thing you've always envied about humans. You can't dance in the water, only on land. You can't dance with a tail, only with legs.

"But…you need to walk before you can dance," he tells me, and then he regrets saying it. "I…I have an idea." He shifts you around to him so that your chest is pressed against his. "Can you put both of your feet atop mine?" You glance down at the gaudy, shiny, black things covering his feet and step up on them. "This way, you can dance with me."

And so he starts.

You find yourself giggling at this—even if you're not doing the work, you've never done anything like this before. It's like you're really dancing! You keep glancing down at his feet, trying to memorize his steps. Even if you can't walk properly or dance by yourself, this is wonderful…and maybe when you can walk and dance properly, you will be able to find Matthew and dance with him.

Maybe.

When he is done, he helps you the railing, like you asked. "What did you mean when you said the ocean is where you need to go?" he asks, worried it might mean…something really bad.

Maybe he thinks you mean suicide.

"I'm a mermaid," you suddenly tell him before you kiss him, surprising the heck out of him. You use your arms to get over the railing. "Thank you for the shirt and for the dancing lesson, but I need to return to my friends and family."

"Wait," he says as he cups your cheek. "Don't go." He kisses you gently. "Don't go."

"I'll see you again, I promise!" And then you let go, falling backwards into the water. He tries to capture your hand but misses, and when you hit the water, an old sensation returns.

Your tail!

You head back for the surface, looking up at the startled Matthew. "Thank you!" you blurt with a wave. "I hope to see you again!"

He simply nods, watching as you head back home, his shirt still on you.

His shirt is your proof of something manmade…and it's something you want to treasure.

Now, all you want to think about it learning to dance so you can dance with him, and the next time…for real.

Extended Ending
~Matthew's POV~

"Hey, bro! Where ya been?" an obnoxious voice blurts.

I turn back to my brother, the annoying Alfred Jones. We're only halfway related, explaining the difference in our last names. "Here, obviously."

"Why do you look so sad, broksi?" Al leans against the railing, taking a drink of alcohol. It smells like beer. "I mean, isn't my party totally kickass? Why would you be sad?"

I sigh and look back at the water to where ______ had been only moments before. The first girl who actually likes me and notices me isn't even human, and now she's gone. Great.

"Don't worry about it. Let's get back to your party."

I hope to see you again!

Maybe. Just maybe.

And then I'll be the one kissing her.