Between dribbles (Patreon)

(Hey all, I know it's about time for the next 'between' update. The story is nearing its end and I am having some trouble wrapping it up in a way that flows naturally, so I'm taking a little extra time to write the next couple of chapters. Instead I present you with some little tidbits I have penned down for the sequels. Do let me know what you think! I feast on all the lovely comments you guys give me. <3 Enjoy!)

(Touch)

'Money?' Midas turned back towards Charybdis, wearing a confused look. 'Do we have any of that?'

The hag grinned. 'Not for pretty necklaces, we don't.' Scylla bolted over to another stall, entranced by more of those unfamiliar human food smells that stung Midas' nose.

'Shit...' Charybdis turned his attention towards the red haired blur. 'You're supposed to be the one to keep track of her today! Not me' He hissed at Midas.

There were more important matters at hand than keeping track of his overly excited little sister. 'In a minute...' He grunted. Charybdis snarled before launching a pursuit of his mate.

'They're cute together.' The human girl politely smiled. After hearing he lacked that 'money' stuff she was after, her eagerness had waned somewhat, but she waited patiently, arms folded behind the stall.

'There's nothing even remotely cute about either of them. Especially when put together.' Clearly the human had no idea what she was talking about. Midas sighed but then glanced over at the necklaces again. 'How about we trade?'

'Trade?' she parroted while a questioning frown snuck up her face. 'That's not...'

Midas reached for one of his earrings,opening the clasper with a short ‘click’ and lifting it over the auricle. 'Will this do?'

Before she could protest, he dropped the adornments right in front of her.

'I don't really trade...' she started, but not long after, her eyes grew wide. '-Is this gold?!'

'It is not enough?' Such a shame, he would prefer not to part with the other one if he could help it.

'You do realize my stuff is just glass and string, right?' Her voice took on an uncomfortably high pitch. 'This is way too much.'

Humans were weird. Midas didn't understand why one shiny was worth more than the other. Her necklace shone brighter than the one he offered her, so perhaps she just didn't like it?

A mix of emotions shot over the human's face as she stared at the earring in her palm. From worry to glee all the way back to guilt. Why was she being difficult? The matter seemed pretty clear-cut to him.

‘I can’t accept this.’ She eventually settled on guilt as she reached back for his hand, prying his fingers open and putting both the earring and the necklace in his palm. He stared at the contents of his hand. What was she doing?

‘I don’t understand. You said you required payment? Then why…?’

Maybe she took pity on him, or maybe the encounter was just getting way too awkward for her taste. 'Just…, just take it. It's basically one of my reject pieces anyway. I’d feel awful taking your earring, so you can have the necklace.’

Midas blinked. ‘You’re gifting it to me?’ An involuntary shudder ran up his neck. Oh no no no. Giving gifts like this was not just a simple, meaningless gesture amongst his kind. In fact, this skipped well beyond just showing mere interest, if she were a Mer, this was a blatant request to begin courting.

He stood there for a minute, frozen. Luckily the human was more concerned with packing up her wares, otherwise she would have noticed his slightly panicked expression. He’d gotten gift offers before, but no females had ever been so bold as to shove one directly in his grasp before he could decline.

‘I’m not running a charity here. Just pay me the next time you visit.’ She smiled politely again, before folding the cloth her other trinkets were displayed on. Next time? Midas relaxed ever so slightly. Accepting the necklace as a gift would be impossible, but he could borrow it now and ‘pay’ for it later. Yes, that made sense. His nerves settled as the collector in him clawed its way to the surface..

The necklace was a lovely addition to his hoard, and the thought of sorting everything again to accommodate the new piece sent a thrill of excitement through his body. Still…

‘Do you just dislike gold?’ he absentmindedly questioned as his mind considered some options.

He had plenty of other shiny things. Rocks that were even bluer than the deepest part of the ocean, green gems that put even his own scales to shame, or jewels a more vibrant shade of crimson than even blood. Surely one of those would be sufficient?

The human jolted at his query. ‘I…- I think you are missing the point.’

‘Hmm. I see. I’ll bring something more suitable then.’ The human girl just stared at him quizzically. ‘Not gold.’ He helpfully clarified.

The corner of her mouth rose slightly, and she produced a shy chuckle. ‘You tourists are getting weirder every season…Yeah whatever, that works.’

‘It’s a deal then.’

The necklace's cord was long enough to slide over his head easily. When Midas looked up again, he found the human staring to where the cord dipped underneath his cloth coverings.

A blush of red rose to her face at being caught, she forced her gaze back down towards the table. For a second, it looked like she was gathering the courage to ask something, but in the end her lips pressed together and she shook her head, letting out an elated sigh.

The silence that followed was intriguing.

‘What is it?’

Leaning her hand on top of the table, the human stood up and smoothed over her skirts.

‘Ah, uhm. Actually, I was wondering…’ A finger twirled around one of her curls as she shuffled from side to side, looking anywhere but at him. ‘-If maybe I could have your number?’

‘Number?’ The abstractness of her question befuddled him for a second. How was this supposed to be interpreted? He was the oldest of six siblings, did that make him number one? Why would she want to know that, though? Unless she was interested in securing an important or powerful mate. Some females actually preferred mating the eldest son. But that meant she was interested in him. Midas grinned. Such a bold one, this female.

Now the fumbling was starting to make sense. It seemed human females acted much in a similar manner to female Mer. He wasn’t particularly interested, but she’d given him the necklace, so he’d humor her.

‘One.’

Her eyes narrowed.

‘Uhm, and?’

‘Out of six?’

The pair stared at each other for a moment, slowly but steadily her face soured. There was a slight possibility that he’d misunderstood.

‘Alright then!’ A scale ruffling, fin raising voice exclaimed from behind Midas. Charybdis’ shoved himself in between the pair, giving her an apologetic smile, all while suppressing a grin. ‘Very sorry, lass. He doesn’t have a phone.’

‘What? Wait!’ The hag ushered Midas towards the other side of the square before she could respond any further.

Being pulled away from that situation was almost a relief. Midas detested making a fool of himself and going by Charybdis’ smirk, he had just done exactly that.

‘Let go of me.’ He snarled at the hag, shaking off one of Charybdis’ claws.

‘That. Was. Spectacular.’ He burst out laughing. ‘You, Midas, are the gift that keeps on giving. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself but watch you struggle for a bit. Looks like even you can be a fish out of water sometimes.’

‘And you didn’t think to step in a little sooner?’

‘It didn’t cross my mind at all. Watching you chat up the local tail was way too entertaining.’ Charybdis slunk around another stall.

‘Ass…, I wasn’t chatting up anyone, and she doesn’t have a tail.’

‘Astute observation! Is that what’s bothering you? No tail? It’s a mild inconvenience if you ask me. And what’s this?’ Before Midas could react, Charybdis got up close and personal, lifting the necklace up by its cord.

‘Now, how did you get that? Did you bat your pretty eyelashes to get her to hand it over? You sly dog.’

‘Get off!’ Midas growled. ‘Only you could twist this into something perverted! As if I'd stoop down to that level for a human. Unlike you, I'll stick to my own species, thank you very much.’

Charybdis stilled. ‘Your own species?’ His tone of voice twisted into something darker. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Let’s just say you are in luck that my sister tolerated your deception, Charybdis. The same wouldn’t be true if it were me.’

‘And here I thought we were getting along just fine, Midas. You have to go and say something hurtful like that.’ The hag didn’t look hurt. Not in the slightest. A mischievous glint shimmered in his eyes.

‘Oh please. If it wasn’t for Scylla, none of us would even tolerate your presence.’

‘Good thing the choice lies with her then, and not with some princeling, born with his head shoved up his own slit.’

Midas paused, his body trembling in anger. Calm down. Pissing off the hag would only cause trouble for Scylla.

‘Trust me, little merman, If it wasn’t for Scylla, it would be your kind that wasn’t tolerated.’ The hag added after a threatening stare. ‘Know your place.’

Midas always had a temper, he’d managed to get it under control growing up, but at that precise moment, he lost it. His vision went white. It wasn’t until after the words had already escaped from his mouth, that he realized what exactly he’d said.

‘And how long do you think my sister's favor will last, once she realizes you can’t give her pups?’

It was as if the world had gone quiet. Charybdis didn’t move a muscle. His expression remained unreadable, but Midas could feel the atmosphere in the town starting to change. A cold pang spread down his shoulder, where the first raindrop hit him. Where there’d been a clear sky only minutes before, now dark clouds started rolling in, accompanied by the distant sound of thunder.

‘Get out of my sight, Midas.’ The rumbling of Charybdis’ voice echoed in the thunder and could be felt all the way down in Midas’ ribcage. 'before I do something we both regret.' Oh, a line had just been crossed. Scylla had entrusted him with her worries, and he ruined it. Just like he ruined everything.

Everywhere droplets hit, Midas skin started to ripple and itch as emerald scales pierced though. The hag balled his fist, rage now coloring his irises. Scylla popped out of a nearby alleyway, looking up anxiously at the sky. When she met his eye, the distraught worry in them broke him even further. Midas turned away and ran for the ocean without looking back.