Vault Hunters (Finished~)

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"Isa?" Moss gasped bubbles.

He stared at him, then at the statue, then back at him, and was just stunned. He felt webbing push between his fingers, gaped as the cocoon lifted like a curtain, first revealing an actual tail --- Isa's tail! --- feathery side fins? A tendril?! And then Moss crooned at his belly. It looked soft! And his tattoos. When Isa opened his eyes, Moss staggered backwards. "Isa . . . you . . . wow . . ."

He hugged him too, just amazed, his hands just feeling Isa's skin and scales. "I love you!" Moss hugged him tighter, a little distracted. He drew back a little, examining him, concerned. "Are you alright? It . . . does the water . . . does not breathing . . . is it okay?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

As Moss explored his skin and scales, he could feel Isa’s body jolting a couple of times. Coughing and trembling.

When he drew back, the redhead stared at him for a moment. Thinking. Then he signed with shaky hands. “I’m … I’m trying to not freak out because this goes against what I’m normal with. To not breathe in the water…” Isa paused for a moment, grinned a bit, and signed.

“I’ll get used to it. Just like how I got used to swimming, I’ll get used to this since you’re here with me.” Then he looked at Queen Hera with a shaky but grateful smile, signing. “Thank you, Queen Hera.”

That’s when he noticed the crack in the ice. He blinked owlishly and pointed it out to Moss. “Is that a crack?” He signed.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss stopped touching immediately, and just held his hand, side fins curling close but hesitating. "Alright then." his concern was still there, but he smiled and looked Isa up and down with that expression he gives him whenever he comes in the caravan with his hair all windswept from driving Smoky. Then he remembered they were still with Queen Hera, and Moss too turned back to her and signed. "Thank you, Queen Hera." And did his wide arms and fins bow.

Isa's spell had ended somewhere, perhaps during the blessing, as the frozen queen was as if she had never changed. Eyes glassy, fractal hair, the ice unbroken and pristine, and she not answering. But the waters seemed warmer than before to Isa, and he could see so much more clearly and further away in the darkness. There was also a new sensation. A tingling, like light electricity that felt like the waves of the ocean, and the waves that Moss' fins and tail were making in the water --- like he could feel the currents, and even though he could not see behind him, this awareness of vibrations in the water, allowed Isa to know that there was a pillar directly behind him to his left. There were also . . . smells? . . . but . . . he tasted them through his skin? It was odd . . . But it seemed like even if he would be in the dark, and only had his sense of touch, he could tell that the hand he's holding is Moss, not only by their shape, but by his scent that he was touching and there was more . . . he also knew the emotions behind those scents, because they fluctuated with Moss' expressions.

Right now he was touching the inky cloud Isa had trailed, waving them towards him and just closing his eyes. And through the hand he was holding he sensed a calm sweetness.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa blinked owlishly before looking at his tail again. They should probably ask her again tomorrow…if she wanted to rest instead of being trapped in the ice. He could have sworn he saw a crack in the ice…was it just in his mind? No…that meant something, but he didn’t know what exactly.

‘Isa shuddered, noticing all the new sensations he gained, and realized why Moss was concerned. He’s aware that humans normally don‘t feel this way. Nor elves or half-elves. Worse with Isa who is afraid of the water-

Touched by his concern, the redhead focused on trying to understand how certain things worked, trying to not flinch at the slightest of changes from the currents around him. “It’s warm~” Isa signed to Moss, his smile softened as he slowly became comfortable. Now that he is aware of the water not feeling cold. “Ya smell and taste really nice~ So sweet~”

He leaned in a bit as if he wanted to feel Moss more without actually touching yet, wondering how overwhelming it could be should they hug with fins- Oh! He has fins now! Maybe?

Within those smoky trails of indigo, red, and blues, Moss could smell a depth of soft sweetness. It tasted like a freshly made cinnamon roll with a warm lavender and chamomile tea. Undertones of honey invaded the taste too. Suddenly, he got hit with a wave of that same sweet cinnamon roll as he felt Isa hold onto his other hand gently.

Rich indigo eyes gazed at Moss, waiting for his attention, and smiled warmly as he slowly swam around the merman royal. Squeezing his hands a bit as that trail of red and indigo became Leor words written in fluid script; poetry wrapped around the teal merman in a cocoon of his own. The colors changed as well, from just indigo and red to a multitude of pastel colors, weaving around like the Southern lights. Surrounding Moss with that cinnamon sweetness as he stared at Moss with a softness in his eyes that could rival a cloud.

Isa’s fins were waving happily. Along with the seaweed on top of his head.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"O', yes," Moss noticed his shuddering and just waited, " the water isn't so cold when you're a merman. And, yes, now you know why I like being me when we cuddle." Moss smiled. "I feel literally bathed in you."

His arms automatically opened when Isa leaned in, though he paused when he didn't go all the way. And then he closed his eyes humming out bubbles when the wave of cinnamon hit him. He didn't know what was happening, just slowly turning with Isa until he opened his eyes and saw he was in a poetry cocoon! But it was Isa's!

Moss was struck by his gaze, and his pale almost transparent skin flushed a vivid red. "I-Isa." his fins waved shyly. When did he get so confident under water! " O luprisca! I don't know what to do, you're overwhelming me! --- Is, is my grandma still looking at us?" He peeked at the statue, not sure how to behave, though his sidefins were just inching closer and closer to Isa's.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

“I’m sorry, Love.” Isa replied warmly. “I just…I’ve always wanted to reply back properly and now that I can…I couldn‘t hold back my excitement to show ya.”

”Should I hold back?” And a waft of stale cinnamon hit Moss. Isa hadn’t changed his expression, but Moss knew that he hesitated; afraid to harm his beau by accident with his excitement. However willing to stop.

The redhead leaned in to gently nuzzle his cheek with his own. “I don’t know. If she is, then I don‘t mind since she gave us her blessing…though she didn’t answer if she wanted to be free from the ice.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"No, no!" Moss actually said the words. And his sidefins that have been itching to curl Isa, gently touched the tip of his beau's feathery fins. "It's just I thought she was still looking?" Moss glanced at the unmoving frozen queen. "That's odd that she didn't answer. Did --- did you ask? Did I miss it? I entirely forgot after . . . after . . ." and he chuckled happily gesturing at the cocoon that was slowly drifting around him, and then gestured at all of Isa, "she gave us this gift."

He gazed at him. "You . . . you're already . . . very . . . handsome as a man." Moss' cheeks continued to flush. " Now you . . . it's like . . . I don't have the words. Like you are sharing in my culture and I'm touched that you're willing to go this far and you look really hot! And I've never been cocooned before. I'm so happy. I've never . . . human courtship with flowers and things was never something that resonated with me. So when you did this and you can feel me and I can feel you more, I . . . I just want to bowl you over, Isa --- but I won't! Don't worry . . . Take your time getting used to everything." His side fins caressed Isa's gently.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa shuddered when Moss’ fin touched the tip of his own and blinked owlishly. His face turned red as that cinnamon smell became fresh and warm again. He cleared his throat, trying to calm down— not that it’s possible at the moment. “I’m more surprised that ya couldn’t hear her and she couldn’t hear ya…I’ve asked twice if she wanted to move on, but as she gave me this gift…the connection cut off.”

…It’s not possible to connect with her again…not with his spell…so they will never know if she wants to or not…though it seems like she could sense them through the ice somehow. Isa gently touched the ice with a hand and thought ‘If ya could send me a signal, would ya want to move on?’

”. . . And we were wondering if she wanted to move on too. . .” He wondered if she did hear him and changed the subject after he asked her about the blessing instead of focusing on her moving on. The redhead pouted a bit, however his expression soothed out as he saw Moss’ signing. Then he smiled bashfully. Face turning redder.“Even though ya didn’t resonated with flowers and human traditions…ya still did them because ya knew that made me happy. I wanted to do the same somehow…” Like the fish line poem and changing his voice.

”. . . T-that feels nice.” Isa gestured their fins; willing his own to respond somehow—- he blinked owlishly as he watched his fins wiggle a bit before wrapping itself around Moss’. Like they were holding hands but with fins. “Can ya bowl me over by Capellini? That way, I can have time to get use being a merman?” He asked casually as he smiled. “I wanna be overwhelmed by ya.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

The magical remnants of the blessing pressed against Isa's hand on the ice, as though her spirit was touching his hand. It felt thankful and kind, peaceful and unhurried, as though she wasn't looking to go anywhere. And that feeling of the Heart blossomed on his fingertips. Wherever she is, the Heart was there too, and she was home.

As Moss watched him, he shrugged. "Magic works differently here, I guess? Maybe because my folk's magic is tied to the Heart?" Then he smiled, and with controlled excitement, swam closer and let Isa wrap all of his fins. And then very gently, as he got very close, he let the base of one of his side fins cross beneath his and splay open, hooking it there for a few moments before he released. "I would gladly overwhelm you, my love~"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa froze, surprised to feel like someone is pressing on his hand as a wave of kindness and thankfulness washed over him. His eyes twinkled as he looked at Moss with an excited smile. “She replied! She just replied without my spell-!…She said that she’s happy and grateful for the offer, but she’s okay in the ice. We can talk to her through the crystal.” The redhead signed to his beau.

Then he turned red as he felt tingles from their fins, letting Moss move away freely. The gentle smell of sweetness and comfort invaded his space even more. Isa didn‘t want his beau to go away yet, so he swam a bit closer to nuzzle him. After a few more moments of nuzzling Moss—-and remembering his alluring scent—- Isa tried to learn how to swim.

He looks like a floating worm, wiggling in place before floating upside down. He crossed his arms with a pout and limped.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"O, I am glad." signed Moss, relieved. "Here I thought a wonderful person had been trapped for so many centuries and I was just nonchalantly visiting many times while she was suffering. I'm glad that wasn't the case . . ." He looked at his many great grandma. "I knew she was a great mermaid, but I didn't know she was this nice." he smiled at her, very grateful.

As they touched, Moss, pleased, nuzzled Isa some more, being careful still and letting him lead, only touching him more if Isa invited him, still admiring all his beautiful colors and tentacles???? He had looked curiously at that. "You know, you . . . remind me of this very fleshy water lizard I saw in a cave once. You look more like that than a fish." he signed as he examined his tail. Then he chuckled. Figured Isa would be unique in this too.

And then Moss saw him start to try out how to swim. He smiled, excited for him, and swam back a little to give him space. He laughed out bubbles, looking at him like he was adorable.

"You are trying to swim as if you have legs." This was very new. Come to think of it, he had never really taught any merman how to swim, he never thought of it since it came so naturally. So Moss, looking at his own tail, swam more a little, waving his tail deliberately and feeling the motion. "It's more of a wiggle that starts at the top of your butt, and then you swish your tail down." Moss demonstrated. "Does it feel more natural and not tiring?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa invited him to touch him, always gesturing with a fin or one of the very sensitive tentacles. He shuddered again and realized those were feelers. The smells and current-feeling becomes much more accurate. He didn’t mind since Moss tended to be gentle with exploration. Besides it felt nice~

”A fleshy lizard thingy?” Isa repeated, raising a brow.

Currently, as the redhead gave up of trying to balance himself, he looked at Moss. His pout soothed out. Then he turned bright red. “Wit-with the top of my butt?!” So after a moment to spin with his tummy down, Isa tried what Moss advices him to do. He arched his back to raise his tail and swished-

He moved! He moved forward! It wasn’t much but he moved!

With a bright smile, Isa kept doing the same thing over and over. Slowly but surely, the redhead managed to swim forward and turn too. He wasn’t fast, but he got better. He can move now~

“Kind of? It still new to me.” Isa replied, wanting to swim around Moss.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"O! You are doing it!" Moss pointed excitedly. He stayed still, letting Isa swim around him.

"Ah, now for turning, you don't use your tail, you use your fins." he spread his fins out. "Do you feel how you drag in the water if you open them up? If you angle them like this and keep one tucked as you swish your tail, you'll turn. Or like this, you'll rise fast. Or like this, you'll twirl~"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa copied what Moss did, fanning his fins when it was right, turning slowly as he swam around his beau. Then he did the same for twisting around as he propelled himself a few times—-and accidentally banged his head on a pillar. Again. What’s with him and walking into pillars?!

After a few more minutes of swimming practice, did the redhead gingerly held his hand with a bashful grin and asked. “Wanna swim together to Capellini?” The tentacles started to swirl around each other.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"O! Careful!" Moss swam quickly over and checked his head and the seaweed. He positioned himself in front of the pillars Isa swam close to after that, just watching him happily.

After Isa's swimming practice, he stared at how his tentacles swirled in front of each other shyly. "Y-yes!" Moss signed distractedly, looking up. He held Isa's hand, smiling, and started swimming at his beau's pace. "You . . . you are really beautiful as a merman. Are you feeling alright with your body?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

As Moss checked his head and seaweed, Isa nuzzled mindlessly in his hands. Smiling happily to be close to his beau. Then he went off to try swimming again.

Now that he could swim at a regular jogging pace, the redhead perked up and squeezed his hand. The couple swam together at Isa’s pace—which wasn’t fast. To Moss, it was like swimming with a kid in Leor. However, his scales would shimmer under the light beams. “Hm?” Isa blinked owlishly before turning red, his fins and tentacles started to curl around his hips and tail, but held back. Like he was trying to not show how happy and shy that Moss found him beautiful. “Y-yeah…I-I….my senses are amplified. More than usual, especially with these.”

He uncurled one of the tentacles to timidly wave and tucked it back around his waist. “It’s like looking through a magnifying glass but with touch.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"O! That's the same with my horn!" Moss pointed at his forehead. "I'll be careful with your tentacles then." he looked at them. "I'm still in disbelief that you can turn into a merman now. And that of all the people I fall in love with, it's with someone whose ancestors had a connection with mine."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa nodded. “Thank ya, mi tesoro~”

Then he smiled, his fins flickered happily. “I feel like Loki knew somehow…afterall, he’s the one who convinced me to talk with ya in the boat. Perhaps he knew that our paths would become one or at least, aligned.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss chuckled out bubbles. "I'm glad he convinced you. It feels almost like it's just been a week or two since we met." He played with their entwined webbed fingers.

Slowly Capellini came into view, peeking through the thick kelp forest. "It's been an amazing time since we met. Isa, how have you been feeling since we went on our journey since we met for the first time?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

“It does, doesn’t it?” Isa agreed, gingerly squeezing Moss’ hand before wiggling his fingers playfully.

As the couple swam through the thick forest of kelp, the redhead pondered for a moment and grinned timidly. “ . . . Unbelievable. At the beginning, I’ve always wondered if I ever will catch my uncle and die afterwards without any connections. Without Gramps and the others knowing about my death. Ever since I met ya, however, my world started to change.”

” . . . Thanks to ya, I was able to gain closure for my mother. I was able to find the cure and not be alone during a painful recovery. We even helped our new friends find a better answer to their problems as we gained new technology to help and meet our end goals.” Isa paused in the middle of the forest, feeling the seaweed gently wave around the couple as he raised Moss’ hand up to his lips; pressed them on his knuckles like a prince. Rich indigo eyes gazed at the merman before him.

“I want to live. Not just for ya anymore, but for me too. I found my reason to live and that’s all thanks to ya, Moss…I feel grateful. I feel happy…I feel loved and that’s more than I can ever ask for…so thank you, Moss, for coming into my life.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"I had forgotten about that conversation, you wanting to die after you've done what you wanted to do."He signed solemnly. Then he chuckled, bashful. "It wasn't just me that helped, you know. You and our friends did a lot of the work."

Then he stared at him, and suddenly kissed him. Isa could feel his big happy you're welcome, happy that Isa was happy, and that Moss was in disbelief that he actually had him.

His hand just gently hovered close to his cheek, lightly touching with his tips. His side fin featherlike on Isa's.

"You're welcome, Isa Bianchi." he smiled, looking at him preciously. "I love you."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa froze for a second before responding back, humming happily as he smelled Moss’ comforting sweet scent around him. Fluttering his eyes closed, he shivered when he felt the teasing fingertips by his cheek and fins touching—- why is Moss tormenting him like this? The redhead wants him to come closer everyti— is it because he asked Moss to overwhelm him by Capellini?

Isa followed those lips, dazed as he didn’t want to separate yet. Before he could keep kissing Moss, however, he heard his words, and blushed. Like his whole human-esqe half turned red. Gazing at Moss with wide and starry eyes. His fins waved rapidly before they curled around his hips and tail along with his tentacles just like how he would do when he was an octopus; Isa curled into a ball of bashfulness.

”I love ya too!” Isa shouted with a gust of bubbles, his arms crossing over his head and heated face. Oh gosh! He felt so happy that he didn’t know what to do! It’s rare for Moss to say ‘I love you’ on his own, without Isa saying it. It’s something the merman wouldn’t do since it’s not his custom in merfolk culture to say it—-but because he did, without Isa saying it first, it made Isa feel so overwhelming giddy that he didn’t know what to do!

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss looked at Isa as though he was even more adorable and laughed.

"I can't believe that curling up has the same effect as when you were a little octopus. You're adorable, Isa!" Then his smile turned mischievous. "My takoyaki roll~" his fingers danced on his fins. "My --- O my ancients! My HUSBAND! It ---- it almost flew over my head because of Queen Hera's blessing, but, Isa!" He touched his shoulders. " We are married!"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa shuddered when he felt familiar fingertips dance on his fins, making them wiggle in place. Peeking through his arms to read Moss’ signs and puffed his cheeks. “Moss-! Hm?”

The redhead blinked owlishly, feeling hands on his shoulders as he lowered his arms down. Taken off guard. Then he smiled. “We are? Are we really?!” Isa leaned in close to wrap his arms around Moss fully. Same with his fins, tucking them underneath Moss’ fins to hook them. His tail slightly wrapped around Moss’ too, mimicking a koala to a branch: not wanting to let go this time.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss' tail and fins stood in attention at the sudden affection, and then he melted, hooking down his sidefins and wrapping them around Isa, just as he hugged him and nuzzled.

"Yes. Is --- is that alright? It was like a sudden marriage ambush without permission. It's just that the vow you made was like marriage, so I said my promise too. Though honestly it was a very short promise. I have so many much more promises!" His tail swished gently, keeping them both up and floating. "There's the promise to make a home together with you, where when you return from exploring ancient places there'll be hot grub and a hot hubby waiting for you." he winked. "Give you hugs when you are sad." He hugged him. "Listen to you talk about all the amazing things you'll discover. Protect all the artifacts you bring back and keep in our home~ And I'll try not to be such a mom when I see you eat unhealthy food too often." he chuckled.

Katsuya