Monday #egorodriguez #illustrationinsta #QueerArt #popart #mermen — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/36aaO7E
“Honestly, some part of me thinks I’m just running from my problems. But I only have problems when I’m home – I didn’t finish university, everyone expects me to date girls, and my parents are just disappointed in me I guess cause I never moved out. I only joined the Navy because I didn’t know what else to do. I don’t have any other skills besides working on a boat. As long as I’m in the Navy, I don’t have any problems.”
“You like Navy?” the merman asked. Jack couldn’t pronounce his name properly, as he couldn’t use sonar.
“I do.”
“Lots of men. See them on beaches in same hat.”
Jack giggled. “There are.”
“Are you good at Navy?”
“Yes. I may be promoted soon.”
“Promoted is…good?” The merman asked.
“Yes. More work, more money.”
“Then no problem. Stay on water, no problem. Stay on lands, problems. Stay on water. Water always best.”
Jack gazed up at his pretty blue eyes. “You make it seem so simple.”
He furrowed his brow. “Is simple.”
Jack chuckled. “Is your life simple?”
The merman glanced out over the water. “Before, simple. No boats. Fish. Now boats, loud boats. Some boats take many many fish. But we still happy. But also complicated.”
“What’s complicated?” Jack asked.
“Men drive boats. But I like you.”
“Oh. That is complicated. I like you too.” Jack reached up and cupped his cheek. The merman nuzzled it. Jack scratched his beard and the merman tilted his head like a puppy.
“Six days, boat go?” The merman asked.
“Five,” Jack said with a sigh.
The merman pouted. “Stay?”
Jack sighed. “Can’t. Navy.”
“When come back?”
“I don’t know.
The merman thought. “You go toward sun set or sun rise?”
“What?” Jack blinked. It took him a moment to realize the merman was asking if he was headed east or west. “Sun set.”
The merman brightened. “I go with.”
“What? Really? But…it’s so far from your beach.”
“We go west. For spawning. Not now. In days. But early ok.”
Jack smiled. “I would like that. I’d miss you.”
“Miss you too. You see, yes? Land, problems. Water, no problems.”
Jack reached for his hand. “Yes. I see.”
They intertwined their fingers together and watched the clouds move over the sea.
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Captions are fictional.