Saying bye to Elias

With a skeptical sigh, Noah relinquished the baby. The moment Thalassius’s took him, the infant's cries began to subside. It was as if the child recognized something soothing in Thalassius’s touch. As Noah watched, unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his bare chest. The muscles there rippled in the dim light of the living room, and the baby's eyes locked onto his chest. Before Noah could fully comprehend what was happening, Elias lifted the baby's head to his nipple.

The room grew still, save for the sound of the baby's eager suckling. Noah's jaw dropped. "What the hell?!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Is he getting milk from that?"

Thalassius’s looked up, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "It seems so," he replied, his tone casual despite the shocking scene unfolding before them. "I guess I've got a little trick of my own."

As he tried to pull away from his thoughts, Noah glanced back at Elias, who was now sound asleep, his soft, rhythmic breathing filling the quiet room.

Thalassius carefully picked up the little boy, his massive hands cradling Elias gently. Elias mumbled a few words, his eyes closing as the merman carried him back to the bed, carefully lying him down beside Noah.

The merman glanced at Noah, his expression unreadable, before he finally spoke in a soft voice.

“I’m sorry for the trouble,” Thalassius murmured. “I’ll make sure Elias is safe. I won’t let anything happen to him.”

Noah didn’t say anything as he watched Thalassius lie down next to him, his long body resting against the edge of the bed. Thalassius’s presence was so overwhelming, yet calming in a way Noah couldn’t explain.

The merman curled his body slightly, just enough to be close but not too much, and Noah felt a strange pull—almost like an invisible tether connecting them.

But for now, in the stillness of the night, Noah just closed his eyes and tried to ignore the overwhelming weight of everything that had happened. Elias’s tiny hand found his, and Noah held it tightly, trying to forget for just a moment that his life had been turned upside down by a merman.

And for the first time in days, Noah allowed himself to relax, the merman’s gentle presence at his side offering him an unexpected comfort in the chaos.

But he couldn’t forget. The darkness, the strange fate they were all tangled in, and the bond that was forming between him and Thalassius… none of it would be easy to ignore.

In the morning

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft rays across the room where Noah lay asleep. Elias, his tiny form curled up next to Noah, was still peacefully sleeping, his small chest rising and falling with each breath. The quiet of the morning was calming, and for a brief moment, Noah was able to forget the chaos of the past few days.

But as he slowly stirred awake, he noticed something missing. Thalassius, the merman who had caused so much confusion and turmoil, was nowhere to be found. The bed was empty beside him, and the room felt strangely silent without his presence.

Noah sat up, rubbing his eyes, still groggy from sleep. He glanced over at Elias, who was still deep in slumber. Noah breathed a sigh of relief, glad that his cousin was safe and sound. But the absence of Thalassius gnawed at him. Where had the merman gone? Why had he left so suddenly?

Just as Noah was about to get up to search for him, there was a soft knock on the door. He stood quickly, opening it to find Elias's mother standing in the doorway, her face warm with a smile as she reached out for her son.

"Good morning," she said gently, her voice soft and soothing as she glanced at Noah. "Thank you for taking care of him. He's such a handful, but I know he’s safe with you."

Noah nodded, a faint smile on his lips as he handed her Elias. The little boy stirred as he was lifted, his tiny hands clinging to Noah for a moment before he reluctantly let go.

"Take good care of him," Noah said quietly, his voice betraying a hint of sadness as he watched Elias being carried out the door.

"Of course," Elias’s mother replied, turning to leave. "Thank you again, Noah. We’ll be seeing you soon."

Noah stood there for a moment, staring at the door long after it had closed. The quiet of the house settled over him again, but his mind was far from peaceful. He had to find Thalassius. The merman’s sudden disappearance didn’t sit right with him. Noah felt like there was something more he needed to understand about the situation, something deeper than just the strange bond they seemed to share.

With a determined sigh, Noah grabbed his jacket and stepped outside. The sun had just risen, and the day felt fresh and full of possibility. He began to walk down the path that led toward the sea, the place where he had first met Thalassius.

His heart raced as he thought of the merman—his feelings, his anger, and his undeniable connection to Noah. But Noah didn’t fully understand what it all meant. The words Thalassius had confessed to him, the strange forces pulling them together, and the confusion that followed—it was all too much to process.

But he had to know. He had to find Thalassius and confront whatever it was that was happening between them.

As Noah reached the shore, he paused and scanned the water, waiting for any sign of the merman. The ocean stretched out before him, vast and endless. Was Thalassius truly gone? Or was he hiding, waiting for Noah to come to him?

Noah stood there for a long moment, feeling the cool breeze on his skin, his mind racing. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something important was about to unfold, and he had to be there for it.

to be continued

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