Lir came home from school on the edge of a break out. A week of having to be home by 7 pm started to get to him. Sure, he almost lost his soul to the Darkfin's Mysterious Associate, but he didn't want to be a prisoner in his own home either.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593058651_3eaef93434_h.jpgSo, before curfew, he went for a jog to clear his mind.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593721319_c55d6ba477_h.jpgAs he ran past the Temple to the Ancient Elementals in Ohan'Ali, he noticed that the islanders were having a festival. When he arrived, a girl caught his attention. She was another stranger like the Darkfin, but unlike the Darkfin, there was kindness in her eyes... a sea green shared by all natural born merfolk.
Lir flirted, and she fell for it. The gesture wasn't as suave as his dads' romance.
Lir: "Hi there moon fish."
Krista: "My name is Krista, not moon fish."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593280558_333ae198e5_h.jpgWhile the festivities carried on, Lir, and Krista huddled close by the fire. To Lir's dismay, his father sent him a text warning him about curfew, so he reluctantly left his princess to return home.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593280543_991bb4a90c_h.jpgDespite his best efforts, he still got home after curfew. Fortunately, his dad was at home, not his father.
Aaron: "Young man, I'm very disappointed in you."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51592238317_810f615b66_h.jpgLir: "But dad, I'm just a little late getting home."
Aaron: "You know that's not the point. What if something happened? You're the Abalone Prince, the White Heart of Sulani."
Lir mumbled. "Most people don't know that."
Aaron: "Enough of the wrong people do."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593280278_e1d377c97d_h.jpgAaron: "Anyways, I got a call from your uncle that you were seeing someone. Who's the lucky mermaid?"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593953640_cbee0ded68_h.jpgLir smiled. "Her name's Krista, and I'm SO in love with her!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593953630_7363d4a0e0_h.jpgThe next day, Kylen heard about Lir braking the curfew from his husband.
Kylen lectured. "I heard you broke curfew, and I just wanted to remind you of your respons..."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593280168_a13a8abdd6_h.jpgLir stepped back and interrupted his father. "Enough with this curfew. I feel like I'm living in a prison!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593058086_951168dfe6_h.jpgKylen raised his voice. "This home is not a prison. It's the furthest thing from it."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51592238202_55b23e45f6_h.jpgKylen continued to lecture. "You have everything a merboy could want and more here! You get plenty of time in the sea, and we let you see your friends. It's not much to ask you to be home by 7."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593952840_1c4996eb80_h.jpgLir retorted. "You used that word again!"
Kylen: "What word?"
Lir: "Merboy. I'm not a child anymore. Father, can't you see how much I've grown! Why can't I have more freedom!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593720719_7d233bc05c_h.jpgKylen: "You'll be a merboy as long as I say you are one. You'll be home by 7, period!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593280083_c602b56b3c_h.jpgLir: "Barnacles! Barnacles! BARNACLES! I'm a merman! I'm old enough to make my own choices and have more freedom!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51592237502_6affc652db_h.jpgLir: "I hate you. I hate you so much! I would have been better off losing my soul instead of living in this prison!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593058036_cacb89d2cc_h.jpgThinking that his dad would be more understanding, Lir went to him, but Aaron didn't want to hear it.
Lir: "Dad, this curfew is ridiculous. It's been an entire week and there hasn't been any sign of a Darkfin!"
Aaron thought. "Watcher, help me with this one."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593720619_354e192c30_h.jpgAaron: "Just stop right there. Do you remember what happened? Can't you see that we are trying to keep you safe?"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593057946_fc7d0b09aa_h.jpgLir muttered to himself. "Why doesn't anyone understand?"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593953350_37c6374854_h.jpgLir yelled at his dad. "I'm done with this curfew. It would have been better if you never saved me from the Darkfin!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593279433_ebef37601e_h.jpgAaron: "What would you even do if there wasn't a curfew?! Stay up all night on a school night! Swim in the sea until Dawn! You have so much you can do at home, so much you still need to do!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593720519_71d1f9d1e6_h.jpgLir: "At least this place wouldn't feel like a prison!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593720489_18ee16b3be_h.jpgAs night set in and his dads went to sleep, Lir snuck off and swam to Mua Pel'Am. He slept in the reefs near Wayfarer's Atoll. He was determined to never go back home. While he slept, merfolk from the Mua Pel'Am Pod kept watch from a distance, protecting him from harm.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593953200_ba12ac0a36_h.jpgWhen Lir woke up the next morning, he felt free at last. He also got slimed by the polluted water.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593720394_37302a50e7_h.jpgThat didn't stop him from swimming around the island. He stayed close to the shore. He didn't need his dads to warn him about sharks and the dangers of open water.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593953130_4f5ca85fa3_h.jpgWhen he returned to the atoll, he swam into Krista and playfully splashed her.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593952730_f8348b2ebd_h.jpgShe splashed back, and the two merfolk laughed.
Krista: "That's what you get for splashing me!"
Lir: "I give. I give."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593279773_e34fe9cc0a_h.jpgWhether it was just teenage rebellion or something more, Lir started to feel close enough to Krista to sing her his Charmer's Lullaby. He poored all his heart into his song.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51592237387_7c82c7692e_h.jpgAnd before Krista could react, he gave her his Mermaid's Kiss.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593279718_fc67e60c4b_h.jpgWith their hands holding the other close at the waist, they kissed.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593720274_55ec35544d_h.jpgAs night set in, Lir met with Abalone.
Lir: "Life in the sea is so much better than life on land. Maybe I could swim with your pod?"
Abalone: "But don't you have your father and dad on land?"
Lir: "I swam away from home, and I don't plan on going back. Life is so much better swimming free in the sea!"
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51593279698_e8842952e6_h.jpgBefore Lir could continue, Abalone squirted the young merman.
Lir: "What was that for?"
Abalone: "You're such a barnacle brain. Your dads are probably worried sick."
Lir: "But..."
Abalone: "I'm telling this to you as a friend, go home. Or, I'll squirt you again."
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51592237697_aeb67f3f40_h.jpg
