My Trust in You

by The_Phantom_Writer

Summary:

Idia never knew what to expect when Yuu knocked on his door, but a child sized Azul was certainly not it. Now he found himself stuck watching the little octopus until Jade could fix his plight, and all because Yuu knew how to buy his help a little too well. Oh well, Idia was sure he could handle it right? Right?

Chapter 1

Idia had very few people he would bother opening his door for. His room was his sacred hiding space, and other than Ortho he didn't typically let people in. He'd had Riddle over once to study before deciding the younger boy was a bit too much for his personal taste. It wasn't like Idia needed help studying after all. He'd also had Azul over a few times to pick up errant things for the gaming club or to finish up a project. Occasionally the Leech twins were in tow, though they'd become increasingly absent as of late. Idia couldn't be anything but relieved. Jade was tolerable, though terrifying even in a good mood, but Floyd always left Idia feeling completely peopled out.

Yuu had become a rare exception as of late, the non-magical prefect a common companion. They played games together, or Yuu occasionally borrowed a new manga to read from the comfort of Idia's bed as he worked. They were quiet comfort. Someone who didn't completely exhaust Idia to be around and had even proven to be good company. So when he saw Yuu on the camera outside his dorm he barely gave it a second thought before going to answer it. The prefect looked unusually stressed, holding a bundle of cloth in their hands. A closer look showed it to be ceremonial robes, though Idia couldn't recall Yuu being given any during their time here.

"Something up?" Idia asked. Yuu glanced around the hallway, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"I...I have something I need help with," Yuu said, glancing up at him, "your help, specifically." Idia scratched at his neck slightly, unable to stop a nervous smile.

"Got a server down or something?" he asked. Yuu huffed, glaring at him and his smile fell.

"Can I just come in?" Yuu asked, "before someone shows up." Idia barely refrained from pointing out that most of the students were well into classes and nodded, stepping aside to let them in. It was only once the door slid shut that Yuu relaxed with a sigh, the bundle in their arms squirming slightly as their grip relaxed.

"Eep! D-Did that just move?" Idia asked, startling away from the other prefect, "W-What kind of beast did you bring here?"

"He's not a beast," Yuu said sharply, huffing in annoyance, "just tangled. Hang on." The other reached to pull at the robes, eventually revealing a small face from within. Steel grey eyes stared up at him, startlingly familiar despite the oddity of the body they belonged to. Idia just stared for a moment as Yuu dropped the robes aside. Idia's hair flashed with streaks of gold, startled at the small form clinging to Yuu's arm.

"I-Is that-?" he started, unable to continue.

"Yeah," Yuu answered, "It's Azul." Idia looked at the tiny merman, black tentacles clinging to Yuu's arm. His skin was grey, a purple hue shimmering just under the surface. Idia had heard a few stories from Azul's overblot, and even more when he offhandedly asked Azul about his mer form in club one day, but this was a far cry from what he'd heard. It was neither disturbing like Azul seemed to believe nor the graceful beauty Yuu had called his overblot form. Instead he was hardly a toddler, all squishy features and big, innocent eyes.

'He's...cute.' His hair flushed slight pink before he managed to get ahold of himself, sputtering. "Why'd ya bring him here? I'm like, the last person who should be involved in this!"

"He was in an accident while brewing potions," Yuu said without prompting, untangling Azul's small form from his arm and holding him out. Idia shied away, unwilling to touch. What if he hurt him somehow? He wasn't prepared for something like this! "Jade's looking into how to turn him back to his normal form, but right now he's stuck as a kid. And I'm not suitable to care for a non human child."

"Th-then leave him with Jade!" Idia protested, "or...or literally anyone else!"

"He doesn't want people seeing him in his mer form," Yuu said with a snort, "Which only leaves Ruggie and Leona aside from me and the twins. I can't see Leona being bothered to care for anything, let alone Azul, and neither of them would let him live it down."

"That still doesn't explain why you came here," he said with a huff.

"Jade said they can't watch him," Yuu said, "something about not leaving a toddler around Floyd. Especially one that 'looks delicious' according to him." Idia grimaced, a very unwanted image entering his brain. "Hence, you were the next choice."

"Why?!" Idia urged again.

"Because you're smart enough not to let him die," Yuu said matter of factly, "and we won't have to worry about people seeing him since you tend to stay in your room."

"Isn't he like...going to be mad when he knows I've seen him like-" he waved a hand toward Azul, "-this?"

"I doubt it," Yuu said, "Jade doesn't think he'll even remember anything, but if he does I'm sure he'd prefer you over someone else." Idia swallowed thickly, shaking his head wildly.

"N-No way! I can't take care of a child," he said. 'Especially not Azul. My heart can't take that!'

"Jade thought as much," Yuu said, setting the tiny octopus on Idia's bed and holding up one arm. A bag hung from it, one Idia recognized as coming from his favorite collector shop. "I brought a little something in return for your help. You watch over Azul until Jade can fix this, and this limited edition, signed figurine of your favorite idol group is all yours."

"N-No way! That must have cost a fortune!" Idia exclaimed, leaning forward to peer into the bag. Yuu stepped back, one hand stopping him.

"Nope. No looking until you agree," they said, "and after you get to add it to your collection."

"Okay! Okay!" Yuu grinned, holding the bag out for him to inspect. Sure enough, a limited edition Premo figure sat neatly in its box, the idol members' signatures neatly on the back. 'So worth it,' he decided, nearly beaming. He only paused when Azul shifted, reminded about the little octopus. "B-But...I don't know anything about merfolk, let alone their children."

"I'll get Jade to put some info together for you," Yuu offered, "just keep him fed and don't let him dry out I guess. Floyd always complains that being too dry in his eel form irritates him, so I'd say its a safe bet that they're all like that."

'I can do that,' Idia decided with a nod, 'Should be easy.' Yuu grinned brightly, hugging him quickly before bouncing off.

"Thanks Idia! I'll keep ya updated!" Idia sighed heavily as the door closed, turning to look at the bundle of tentacles on his bed. Azul looked like he was trying to melt into the bedding, half hidden in a mass of black limbs.

"Where do I even start?" he lamented, looking around. It was only when he spotted an old testing pool he'd used for Ortho that his grin sharpened. "Well, I guess I could always make a little pool for you." Azul didn't reply, not that Idia expected him to. Task decided he nodded to himself and set to work. Surely it wouldn't be too hard. Right?

Chapter 2

“Heehee. I should have known it would be a simple task." Idia stepped back, grinning at his newest creation. He'd successfully converted the tank into a nice saltwater pool, the water a pleasantly cool temperature to the touch. It had been harder to find materials to line the pool and make it more comfortable for a living creature. The sponge-like synthetic materials he used were a far cry from coral or sand, but it would suffice. "Best not to let you dry out too much, hmm?"

When he turned he saw that Azul had fallen asleep at some point, half tangled in the blankets and tentacles twitching restlessly. Almost like he was trying to swim away. Idia felt his hair flush for a moment at the sight, trying to hold himself together.

‘Too cute!' he thought before shaking himself out of his stupor. He took a breath before walking over to scoop the octopus up with the intent of getting him into the pool. What he hadn't anticipated, though perhaps he should have, was Azul waking in a panic at being picked up. The octopus flailed, tentacles splaying before a splatter of black struck his chest. Idia blinked, looking down at the inky splotch now covering his jacket. "Well, that was...unexpected."

"I didn't mean to!" He nearly dropped the little merman when he spoke, somehow more surprised to hear him talk than to have just been shot with ink.

"Wha- I didn't think you did," he replied, flustered as he turned to set Azul down into the pool. The octopus curled into himself as if he could vanish from sight with sheer will.

"I'm sorry," Azul said with a whimper, a sound that just felt wrong coming from him. Idia frowned, moving to unzip his jacket. Better to clean it sooner than later. Besides, he didn’t really want to drip ink onto anything else.

"Nah, it's fine," Idia said as he pulled the garment off to look at the mess, "just startled me in an ambush. Guess my perception stat needs work." Azul stared at him blankly, a look of confusion on his face. Idia let him think, turning away instead to where Ortho was in his charging pod. "Can you take this to get cleaned?" he asked when his brother woke.

"Of course Nii-san," Ortho chirped with a bright look, "Should I grab something to eat as well?"

"Yeah," he said, "should probably feed Azul something other than energy drinks. I'd check with Jade to see if there's anything he can't have. I can’t think of Azul ever mentioning an allergy or anything, but I don't know much about mer biology. Not exactly my field of study."

"Then I'll check with Jade Leech and be back with sustenance for both little Azul and you Nii-san," Ortho said before flitting off through the door.

"Ah, you don't need to-" he sighed as the door closed, "He never listens to me." He shook his head, looking over to Azul. The little octopus had finally uncurled, gripping the edge of the tank as he watched him curiously. He looked much more at home in the water, tentacles shifting just enough to keep him afloat. Idia grabbed his computer chair, pulling it over to sit next to the tank and looking Azul over. "Kinda hard to think you were ever this tiny," he muttered.

"I've always been tiny," Azul said with a pout, "Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not," Idia said, "just you're...a lot bigger normally. At least whenever I see you. And now you're just tiny and..." He trailed off, making a face to himself. 'Nearly slipped. I dunno how much of this he'll remember once he's back to normal. Don't get a nat fail and ruin everything like usual, Idia.'

"So...you know me?" Azul asked tentatively, blinking up at him. Idia nodded and the mer cocked his head. "And we're friends?"

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?" he asked with a frown, "I know I'm not like...S tier or anything but I'd like to think we get along." He couldn't help but be mildly offended at the statement, pulling his legs up onto his chair as if he could hide himself. He felt weirdly exposed without his jacket right then.

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad," Azul said, pouting, "I don't...I don't have many friends is all. So, do you...how do you know a bigger me?"

"You were a teenager until recently," Idia muttered, fiddling with his sleeve, "Jade said it was some kinda accident with potions or something. I'm not too sure on the specifics. But now you're just a little squid."

"I'm an octopus!" Azul protested, making Idia chuckle.

"I know! I know," he said quickly, grinning sharply, "I didn't mean to piss you off. God knows you're like, too smart to just be a squid. Nearly top in school, god tier magic skills, a great housewarden, attractive and a keen businessman? Really, save something for the rest of us." He cut off his rambling when something chimed on his computer, making him turn around to investigate. Some issue with the servers huh? Should be an easy fix.

"You think I'm attractive?" Idia nearly smacked himself at that. Of course Azul had heard him. Child or not, he was more observant than he had any right to be.

"Dunno what you're talking about," he said instead.

"I'm not deaf," Azul said, "don't make me come over there." He glanced back at where Azul was clinging to the rim of the tank, clearly struggling to hold on.

"Uh...can you even escape that?" he asked. Azul pouted at him, brow furrowing. "Right, sorry. Ignore me. Just pretend I don't exist."

"Why would I ignore you?" He nearly startled at that. Sure, Azul never blatantly avoided him, but surely it was obvious right? Azul just liked picking his brain. Nothing more to it. And yet his kid form seemed much too intuned with their dynamic already, even without prior knowledge.

"Everyone does," Idia said quickly instead, turning back to his computer and pulling up the programs he needed. There was a few beats of silence before he spoke up again.

"Did I?" Idia startled, glancing back anxiously at the merman.

"Did you what?" he asked slowly. Azul blinked at him, wide grey eyes seeming to stare through him.

"Did I avoid you?" Idia twiddled his fingers, fidgeting slightly.

"I guess not?" he said slowly, "I mean, we only really saw each other at club and you always liked to challenge me to whatever game you'd found, but we didn't really hang outside of that."

"Did you want to?" Idia shrugged.

"I dunno. I'm not a big people person, you know?" His computer pinged again and he groaned, turning his focus back to it. "For the love of- if you didn't mess with the systems it wouldn't keep breaking!" He started combing through the code, looking for the various issues to smooth out and get everything working again.

Hardly fifteen minutes went by before a small weight dragged itself up into his lap. He jumped, looking first at the small, makeshift steps beside his chair then to the smug looking merman in his lap.

"Can I help?" Azul asked. Idia shifted, giving Azul a clear view of the screen.

"See this?" he asked, pointing out a nonsensical string of numbers and letters that seemed to clutter the code. "I need to clear this junk out to get it working again." Azul stared at the screen for a moment before nodding firmly. Idia smiled at him. He doubted Azul would be much help, but who was he to deny him some entertainment?

Chapter 3

Idia stretched himself out, feeling his spine pop from the many hours in his desk chair. Maybe he should get a new one soon, something fancy and comfortable he could lounge in without ruining his back. It was a nice thought, though he doubted he'd act on it. He liked his old gaming chair for one, and it wasn't like it was broken. A sleepy noise got his attention as he looked down at the tiny octopus in his lap. Azul had, unsurprisingly, been very little help with Idia's endeavor, but he let the other think he'd been at least moderately helpful. No need to kill his excitement.

Ortho had returned fairly quickly with food, drawing Azul's attention away as his hunger kicked in. Idia was less ravenous, but he still dutifully ate whatever his brother had gotten for him. He was even more thrilled to get his jacket back, able to hide in the fabric once more and feel less exposed to Azul's piercing gaze. Even as small and young as he was currently, Azul still had that intensity that Idia was used to. But now, without other things to divide his attention, all of that intensity was focused on picking him apart and seeing how he worked.

"I'm not gonna make it at this rate," Idia lamented, pouting to himself, "Should've asked for more from Yuu in exchange than just one figurine. They got the best of me this time." His phone pinged before he could continue his line of thought, reaching for the device and tapping to open his messages. There sat a detailed text from Jade, a variety of tips and instructions about merfolk to help him with Azul. 'Let's see...no restrictions on food, though I remember Azul saying he tries to avoid too many sweets. Tends to get sluggish if its too cold. Has a tendency to hide if he gets stressed or overwhelmed. Not too fast in the water but clumsy on land.' He glanced down at the bundle of tentacles in his lap. 'Yeah, I can see why. I barely know what to do with two legs. I can't imagine having eight.' He turned back to the text message, happy that everything was fairly straight forward. A small note at the bottom of the message was what really caught his attention.

[He's rather affectionate and likes attention, though you never heard that from me ;)]

He almost snorted at the little emoji, shaking his head. He always forgot how devious both twins were, even if Jade tended to act more composed most of the time. He shot back a quick 'thanks' to the man before setting his phone aside. After some careful maneuvering he managed to slip Azul back into the pool so he could take himself a shower. He hung his jacket over the back of his chair and sent his tablet off to record lectures before stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door.

He took a moment to look himself over in the mirror, all pale skin and dark ringed eyes. He'd never cared much for his appearance outside of the eye makeup that Vil had shown him, rather aggressively, how to do. He'd ended up liking the look, and it didn't take much time at all with magic. But it didn't help make him look any less of a mess when he truly thought about it. "Besides, I'd probably drown on his home turf," Idia said, shucking his clothes off and into the hamper, "At the very least someone would probably turn me into a snack. And not the good kind either." He turned the water on and left it to warm up, cocking his head slightly as he looked himself over fully. He knew he wasn't unattractive necessarily, being less poised and perfect than many of his classmates but still rather decent in appearance. 'I'd probably look better if I tried, but then I'd stand out. And the last thing I want is to stand out.' He shuddered at the mere idea, turning away to step into the shower instead.

Showering was always interesting to deal with, his hair flickering and wavering as the water made contact. Sure, it'd never go out from water, not even being submerged, but it tended to be harder to control. The constant flickering light and wisps of flame in the shower a reminder of just how inhuman he really was. How abnormal he was.

'Why would someone like Azul even look once at me,' he thought bitterly, 'I doubt he'd even entertain the idea. More likely he'd just laugh in my face and then I'd lose any relation points I had to begin with.' He sighed, shutting the water off and drying off. He tried to take his mind off his spiraling thoughts, thinking to the new game he had waiting for him to download. A choose your own story kind of thing. Maybe Azul would even enjoy it in his child form. He doubted Azul would find it all that fun normally, but his child version seemed much more interested in Idia's errant interests. Maybe they could even watch a movie together. Hadn't that famous animator everyone raved about come out with something new? Maybe they could check it out together.

"Hey, Azul-shi, do you-" he paused as he stepped into the room, frowning slightly at the sight of an empty pool. 'Okay. No panicking. He's around somewhere. It's not like he could have slipped out.' He looked around the room, unable to find him anywhere out in the open. His bed and chair were empty, and nothing looked out of place to indicate Azul had touched anything. 'Okay! Now I think I can panic,' he thought, his hair flaring up with his growing anxiety. "Azul? Where are you? D-Don't tell me you're suddenly doing a stealth run now?" He looked around wildly, wondering if he should call Ortho and have him help look. But Ortho was out with Yuu and Grim today, so he didn't want to-

He paused at the sight of a wet spot on the floor, right next to the tank. A few smaller splatters trailed off from it, likely due to Azul's movement. He forced himself to breathe, trying to follow the wet patches until he found himself in front of his closet. He shoved it open, gaze drawn to the pile of clothes haphazardly tossed inside. There, amongst the bundles of fabric, were two steel grey eyes filled with tears. He let out a relieved groan, crouching down in front of the mess.

"You scared me half to death," Idia said, "I thought someone had snuck in and harpooned you or something." Azul ducked his head more into the pile of clothes, mumbling something the other couldn't hope to make out. "I don't have super hearing you know, just good reflexes."

"I...thought you'd left me," Azul muttered, poking his head out with a notable darkening on his cheeks. "I woke up and there was no one here, so I thought...maybe you were tired of me." Idia swore his heart broke a bit at that, so he squeezed himself into the closet and scooped Azul into his lap with a squeak.

"That's my line," he said, "you're the one who's supposed to get tired of me. Not the other way around you silly squid."

"Why would I get tired of you?" Azul asked with a sniffle.

"Why would I get tired of you?" Idia countered, "I'm just some shut in with level zero social skills. Not exactly what most people consider fun to be around."

"But you're smart," Azul challenged, the same streak of hotheaded stubbornness Idia was used to rearing its head, "and you're passionate about stuff you like, even if I don't get it. And you don't make fun of me if I don't know something."

"Azul, you know more than seventy percent of the school combined," Idia scoffed, "the stuff you don't know is all useless nerd junk. Or human functionality which, like, same. I'm not gonna make fun of you for not knowing that kind of stuff. No one knows everything." Azul made a small noise of agreement, curling into him as the octopus relaxed. 'Right. Jade said he hides when he's freaked out. Must've been the quickest spot he could get to.' He smoothed a hand over Azul's hair, calming himself now that the crisis had been averted.

"Nii-san! We're back!" He nearly jumped out of his skin when Ortho hovered in with Yuu in tow. Grim was, thankfully, absent from their shoulder. Idia wasn't sure he could handle the cat right now.

"Idia, I'd make a joke about coming out of the closet but what are you doing in there?" Yuu asked with an amused smile.

"Board game meeting," he blurted out, "real top secret stuff. You wouldn't understand."Yuu snorted just as Azul let out a little giggle, and the whole thing made Idia give a sharp grin. Maybe this whole babysitting thing wouldn't be so bad after all.

Chapter 4

Yuu: [Jade and I are swinging by. A potential cure for our little problem.]

Idia eyed the phone for a few moments, rereading the message for what had to be the millionth time. Cure. He couldn't even imagine how Jade had figured something out so quickly. It had barely been a few days since the whole closet mess. Barely a week since Azul's initial transformation. Yet if the Leech brother thought he had a cure, who was Idia to challenge it? He turned his attention to Azul, the merfolk leaning on the edge of his tank as he read some book on Idia's tablet while being careful not to get it wet. What he was reading, Idia had no idea. With the hundreds of books available for Azul to pick from on there, he'd go crazy trying to guess.

"Is something wrong?" Azul asked, looking up at him.

"Not wrong, no," he said, "Jade's coming by with a potential fix for your little curse there."

"Is Floyd coming too?" Azul asked, perking up.

"I don't think so," Idia said, "but once you're back to normal you can hang out with twins all you want."

"What about you?" Idia paused at that, turning to look at the merfolk with wide eyes. His hair flushed for a moment before reverting to its usual blue.

"What about me?" he asked, "I'll be around as usual, and I'll see you at club as I always do." Azul pouted, his cheeks puffing out slightly. He chuckled slightly, ruffling the merfolk's hair despite Azul's protest. "And if you, for some reason, want to see me you know where to find me." The other didn't get a chance to respond before a knock sounded at his door. A quick check of the cameras confirmed Yuu and Jade waiting outside his door, so he went to let them in.

"Thank you again for everything you've done Idia," Yuu said with a nod, hugging him. Idia squeezed them back.

"It wasn't like it was hard or anything," he muttered, pulling away, "You already figured something out, Jade?"

"Perhaps," the eel said with a smile, "At the very least it won't make things worse. We won't know for certain that it works until we try it." The man held up a simple vial of shimmering violet potion, setting it in Idia's hands.

"So...he's just gotta drink it?" Idia asked, looking it over.

"Correct," Jade said, "It should, in theory, return him to normal. If not, then I keep looking." Idia nodded, turning to approach the tank and popping the cork from the bottle.

"This'll make me an adult again?" Azul asked, surveying the bottle.

"Teen but it should," Idia said, letting him hold it. Azul sniffed at the solution for a moment before tentatively bringing the opening to his mouth and knocking the potion back. Idia watched and waited, curious what would happen. There wasn't a flash of light or any clear shifting, just a shudder running through the merfolk's body. Idia swore he could see the faintest shimmer of violet in Azul's gaze, but it was so brief he couldn't be sure. His tentacles twitched, Azul blinking at them all for a moment before making a face.

"Gross," he said, sticking his tongue out. Idia felt his shoulders slump, frowning slightly.

"Nat fail on that one," he said, taking the bottle back and standing.

"Oh dear," Jade said, his same sly smile on his lips, "Do you feel any different at all Azul?" The octopus stared at Jade for a moment, something hard passing over his features before he shook his head.

"No," he answered, "just cold." Jade chuckled, shaking his head.

"A shame. I'll have to keep looking then," the eel said, "I suppose it was naive of me to think it would be quite so simple."

"I'm sorry, Idia," Yuu said with a frown, "I thought he'd figured it out."

"No biggie," the man said, "I don't mind him staying a bit longer. Better to do the research rather than rush straight for a cure. I'd rather he not turn to goo or something."

"I would never," Jade scoffed, "I'm offended you think I'm that reckless. That's more of Floyd's forte, not mine." Yuu sighed, crossing their arms.

"Sorry to leave this in your hands for a bit longer," Yuu said, "but thanks Idia. I'm sure Azul will appreciate it when he gets back to normal."

"R-Really, it's no big deal," Idia said, slightly embarrassed at the praise, "It's not like it's interrupting my routine or anything.

"I'll continue looking into Azul's condition," Jade said, smiling at Azul and pinching his cheek, "Don't give our dear Idia too much trouble now." Azul huffed, pulling away from Jade's touch and swatting at him.

"I'm not gonna," he complained, "I'm not a little kid Jade!" Jade chuckled, an odd glint in his eye that made Idia shudder.

"No, I suppose not," he said, "behave Azul. I'll be back when I find something else to try."

"We'll figure this out, I promise," Yuu said, casting them both another look before heading out after Jade. It was only when the door slid shut that Idia breathed a sigh of relief, sitting heavily in his chair.

"Thank god," he groaned, "I can't take too much of him."

"Of Jade?" Azul asked.

"Either of the Leech twins," Idia said, grimacing, "They're just...way too much. I feel like I'm going to get eaten every time they grin at me." He shuddered at the mere thought, hair darkening closer to navy as chills ran down his spine.

"Does your hair...always change color like that?" Idia blinked, turning around to look at Azul. The merfolk had abandoned his reading, watching him like he was a curiosity the merfolk wanted to unravel.

"My hair? Y-Yeah," Idia said, self-conscious under that steely gaze, "It changes composition with my emotions, so it changes colors sometimes. Not that most people have seen it. Shut in and all that." He gave a nervous chuckle, curling more into the safety of his jacket.

"Did it get darker cause you're upset?"

"You're asking a lot of questions all of a sudden," Idia said, "why the sudden interest? I'm like...not interesting lore." Azul hid behind the edge of the tank slightly, ducking his head.

"Sorry. I just...was curious," he said after a moment, "I've never seen it before." He couldn't help but feel unsettled by the whole line of questioning. Yet another reminder of how inhuman he was.

"I'm not surprised," Idia said with a hum, "my kind aren't common by the sea. But enough of my weird features! There's a new movie I picked up if you'd like to see it with me?" Azul nodded, making Idia brighten a bit. He went about setting up the movie as Azul got free from the tank and clambered over to him. He scooped the merfolk up and into his lap, dimming the lights as he got ready to play it. He'd just have to handle the questions from Azul for now. After all, it was just a child's curiosity. Surely he could handle it.

Chapter 5

As it turned out, Idia very much could not handle it. Azul had seemingly gotten a sudden fixation with his hair, asking questions that Idia had never even thought about before. How was he supposed to know what kind of chemical makeup his hair had? He'd never tested it!

He was almost grateful when something came up that required his attention as housewarden. He wasted no time texting Yuu to have them watch the tiny merfolk as he went to deal with some technical issue in the lounge, nearly heaving a sigh of relief to be out from under that critical gaze. At least for a little bit.

It was nearing midnight by the time he finished and trudged back to his room. Yuu was reclining on the bed, comic in hand. Azul was sleeping peacefully in his tank nearby, coiled into a ball beneath a faux shelter Idia had helped construct.

"You're back," Yuu said softly, tone gentle and soothing, "but...are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just a technical mishap," he said, "took a while to get all the parts back in order. That's all." Yuu shut the book, setting it aside and patting the bed beside them. Idia took the hint and sat, feeling like a child about to be scolded for being out late.

"I don't mean that," Yuu said, "you seem...on edge lately. Is it because of..." They glanced at the tank and sleeping Azul, gaze asking the silent question. Idia sighed, pushing a hand against his eye. He could feel a migraine coming on.

"Yeah," he admitted despite himself, "yeah, it is." Yuu was always so easy to talk to. A constant presence that held no judgement or ill will. "You know me. Brain is always trying to speedrun its way to anxiety."

"Wanna talk about it?" A request, not an order. It's what made Idia like Yuu so much. Always stepping up to the line but never crossing without permission.

"It's stupid, even for me," he said, sighing as his hair turned a deep indigo. Yuu glanced at it for a moment but said nothing. "He's...just been asking a lot of questions I don't want to answer. Like what each color my hair turns means. What's it made of and does it ever go out. How come my skin's always so cold. Stuff like that." Yuu blinked slow and deliberate, as if considering his words.

"Not a fan of having that stuff pointed out?" Yuu asked.

"Not particularly," Idia said, fidgeting with the sleeve of his coat, "most people don't point it out cause they're trying to make nice, you know? I know I'm not normal, even for where I'm from, so I don't really like it being shoved in my face."

"For what it's worth, I don't think he's judging you," Yuu said, hesitantly reaching for Idia's hand. He let them take it, relaxing a bit at the slight squeeze. "He's always been curious. I think he just has less impulse control as a kid." Idia chewed on his lip for a moment.

"Azul's always been the one that treated me normal," he admitted, hair flushing pink at the tips with embarrassment, "He never pointed any of that stuff out or asked about it. And...I dunno, it made me feel seen a bit."

"Azul knows better than anyone what it feels like to be ridiculed," Yuu said, leaning against his shoulder, "and despite the tough front he puts up, that's a line he doesn't cross. But as he is right now, he might not even realize it's an issue. More likely, he's just wanting to understand this new thing he's experiencing. Just...try not to hold it against him too much."

"I'm trying not to," he said, "just brings up some bad memories."

"Well, if you want to talk, I'm here," Yuu said, "bug me anytime."

"Mmm...maybe," he said, nearly snickering as they stifled a yawn, "Now go get some sleep normie. You'll crash at this rate."

"Maybe I'm just trying to force a sleepover," Yuu teased before clambering out of the bed and stretching, "try and get some sleep yourself, alright?"

"I make no promises," Idia said, "but alright." Yuu waved goodnight before heading out, the door sliding shut soundlessly and locking behind them. Idia flopped back on his bed, feeling oddly exhausted all of a sudden. Normally he would have gotten up to play some games, but in that instance he couldn't be bothered to move. 'Man...I hope they find that cure soon. Kid Azul is gonna kill me at this rate.' He didn't want to say it, even in his own thoughts, but he missed Azul. Missed hanging out at club with the merfolk and watching the fierce determination in his eyes as he strategized.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when something touched his arm, gaze snapping over to see Azul coiled beside him. The merfolk shrank back slightly, tentacles flexing. Even with the endless questions over the last few days, Idia couldn't be mad at him. "Sorry..."

"It's fine. Ya just surprised me," he said, leaning up on his elbows, "something up?"

"No I'm...sorry," Azul said, sounding as if the words were hard to get out, "for all the questions. For...making you upset."

"It's not nice to eavesdrop you know," he said, "I'm guessing you heard Yuu and me talking then?" Azul nodded.

"I just...you were different," the merfolk said, making Idia tense slightly before he continued, "you didn't look like anyone I've seen before. You were like me. I don't look like other merfolk. I never really fit in with them. So I thought..."

"You figured we were the same," Idia finished, reaching an arm out to scoop Azul up onto his chest, "Heh...I guess we are. There aren't many that look like me and my brother. The questions were just a sore reminder that I'm the outlier."

"I didn't mean to..." Azul said softly.

"I know," Idia said, "you were just your usual curious self. It's kinda nice to know that you've always been like that." Wisps of his hair fluttered around them, a bright cyan he hadn't seen in a long time. Azul looked captivated, watching the shifting flames with wide eyes.

"It's so pretty," he said softly, something that made Idia glance away.

"I haven't seen it this color in a long time," he admitted, "not since..." He shook his head. Some memories he didn't want to delve into. Especially not now. Azul hesitantly reached out a hand before jolting and pulling back with a flush. Idia couldn't help but find it cute. "Here, you can touch," he said, offering a strand of his hair. Azul immediately brightened, reaching out gently toward the flames. They licked over his fingers and the merfolk shivered.

"They're cold!" he said in surprise.

"Yeah, it's not standard fire," he said, "it's always burned cold. Makes summers more bearable at least." Azul pulled his hand back, turning it to watch the light dance over his fingers.

"I like this color," he said, "does it...does it mean something?"

"Yeah," Idia said, ruffling his head, "It means I'm happy."

"Then...why isn't it this color more?" he asked. Idia shrugged and Azul puffed his cheeks out. "I'll help make it this color more often."

"I'm sure you will," Idia said, not doubting for a second that it might be possible.

Chapter 6

"Alright. Take two." Idia drummed his fingers on his leg as Yuu settled in front of Azul's tank. Jade had passed them another potion to try, claiming he was busy with classes before leaving them on their own. Now they were sitting in Idia's room, Yuu wrenching the stopper from the bottle. "Here, Azul. Try this." The merman took the bottle carefully, treading water as he drank. Azul shuddered, dropping the empty bottle into the water with a dazed expression.

"Azul? Are you alright?" Idia asked, sitting up slightly. Azul shook his head, blinking wildly as he looked up at them. He looked himself over for a moment before sinking into the water slightly.

"Ah," he breathed out, face flushing darkly, "This is...less than ideal."

"Azul? Do you know where you are?" Yuu asked.

"Yes," he said, "Jade seems to have been at least partially successful in reversing this...condition."

"Still tiny, but at least your head's back in place," Yuu said with a smile, "that's progress. Do you remember what happened the day you ended up like this?"

"Jade and I were working on a new concoction for Vil," Azul said slowly, brow furrowing as he thought, "Everything seemed to be going fine, but next thing I knew the potion exploded. Jade was grabbing something from the pantry and escaped the mess, but I wasn't quite so lucky. Without knowing what caused this effect, It'll be harder to reverse it. Jade's lucky he even got this far."

"It's a start," Yuu said, "At least we'll be able to put your head together with the rest of us. I'll let Jade know the outcome of his potion. Anything you might want?"

"My dignity back," Azul huffed indignantly, "but no. I'll manage for now, but thank you." Yuu patted him on the head before getting to their feet and dusting their pants off.

"Alright. I gotta get back before Grim wreaks havoc," Yuu said, "you two behave yourselves."

"H-Hang on! What are you insinuating?!" Yuu grinned and left, leaving Idia to stare after them. "Hah...I'm back to babysitting then."

"I'm hardly a child," Azul scoffed, "even if I am currently the size of one. I assure you, I can take care of myself."

"I don't exactly mind," Idia said, standing to approach the tank. Azul shrank back, grey eyes narrowing at him. Idia paused, suddenly hyper aware that the dynamic had changed. Azul was no longer just some curious child, even if he still looked like one. He swallowed, hair flushing a dark indigo as he stepped back. "I'll uh...I'll just be working over here then. Let me know if you need anything."

"I think I'll be quite fine on my own, thank you." He went back to his computer chair, pulling his headphones on and bringing up the dorm security to look over the coding. Yet he couldn't pay attention to the screens in front of him, chin propped up on his hand.

'I shouldn't be surprised. I knew he'd be mad once he got back to himself,' Idia thought idly, 'Especially since he's not really back to normal. Just mentally.' He sighed, running a hand over his face. 'How much will this change? Will Azul...not want to be around me after this is all done?' A garbled voice met his ears, so he turned back toward the tank and pulled his headphones off. "Sorry, what'd you say?" Azul pursed his lips for a moment, looking him over as if trying to pick him apart.

"Are you...alright?" Azul asked tentatively.

"Yup. Right as rain. Why?" Idia asked, fiddling with his sleeve.

"Your hair," Azul said slowly, "it's black." Idia blinked, turning back to his computer. A few keyboard strokes brought up his webcam, showing his own pale face wreathed in ebony flames. He studied himself for a moment, fingering the icy strands.

"Huh," Idia said, "looks like I've got a new skin."

"What does it mean?" Azul asked, and Idia was so fascinated with the new coloration that he wasn't even offended by the question.

"No clue. It's never been this color before," he said. Slowly the black bled away, returning to its normal blue as if nothing had happened. "Weird. I thought I'd seen every variation by now."

"What were you thinking about?" Azul asked, leaning on the edge of the tank, "you said it's tied to your emotions, so likely that would explain why it did that."

"Ah. You remember everything we talked about then," Idia said, slumping in his chair.

"Of course. Why should that matter?"

"I was...kind of hoping you wouldn't," Idia admitted. A quick glance showed Azul glowering at him, clearly unamused. He groaned, plopping his head on his arms. "Ugh. Glad to know you'll remember all the pathetic crap I said then. Zero stars. Do not recommend."

"I don't recall anything pathetic," Azul commented, "I seem to recall mostly asking you a million questions and you, for some reason, entertaining me. If anything I should apologize for being so nosy even after you were clearly uncomfortable."

"Eh, it's fine. I'm used to being the focus of people's badgering," Idia said, shifting to glance over at the merman, "It's helped me up my stealth game. Can't badger what you can't see."

"I fail to see how avoiding people is a positive," Azul said, frowning.

"It is for me. I've never been a people person," Idia said, giving a wry smile, "guess that would be a bit foreign for you though. You're one of the most popular students in school and a businessman, so of course you'd be a people person. Can't be successful in the business of deal making and running a restaurant otherwise."

"Bold of you to assume I actually enjoy being around people." Idia sat up, turning to fully face him. "People are a means to an end. Most of them are just faces, and even more I'll never think of again. There are very few people I enjoy being around by choice."

"The Leech twins, right?" Idia asked.

"Them, yes," Azul said, "and Yuu. And, well...you."

"You said Yuu twice," Idia mused. Azul scowled, rolling his eyes.

"Not Yuu. You." Idia went silent, trying to process the statement.

"Ah. R-Right," he eventually said, "I uh...you're fun to be around too. It's not often I find someone to put up with me." Azul made to say something when the door slid open, breaking the moment as Ortho wandered in.

"I brought dinner!" he chimed, arms loaded with food. Idia turned away to clear a space for his brother to put the food down, though his mind kept drifting back to the brief conversation he and Azul had been having.

'Maybe this will all work out after all.'

Chapter 7

Idia knew he was having a nightmare. He'd gotten used to them by now, or so he'd thought. The icy chill in his veins as his own memories distorted and forced the air from his lungs. He was shivering, hands clenched and fighting against the blanket tangled around his legs. He knew his hair was blazing brightly around him, catching his skin like freezing fingers.

"Nii-san? Wake up!"

Ortho's voice sounded far away, garbled and growing hazier the more he tried to reach for it. He knew the cycle by now. Knew that he'd never surface if he kept trying so he let himself drown in his own dark thoughts. Eventually his brother would leave him to sleep, though he couldn't help but feel bad at how panicked the younger sounded. He made a mental note to apologize once he was awake again, losing focus just as something prodded his cheek. A moment later something wet and rubbery struck his cheek harshly, startling him into wakefulness. He yelped sharply, eyes wide and hair blazing so bright it looked nearly white.

Ortho was hovering beside him, looking down at him with concern. Idia didn't hesitate to sit up and pull his brother in for a hug, clutching at the metal casing of Ortho's form to ground himself. The younger man let out a soft sound of understanding, returning the hug as if it weren't Idia's only lifeline.

"Was it...?" Ortho began, though the way Idia's grip tightened must have answered him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart and listening to the thrum of Ortho's systems. He was fine. Ortho was fine. They were safe at school in his room and-

Movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention, drawing his focus to the bundle of tentacles perched nearby. Azul froze from where he was trying to slip away, gaze flicking over to the brothers. His tentacles curled under his form, and Idia had a sudden realization.

"Did you slap me?" Azul immediately tensed, looking torn between fight and flight as he scowled at the bedspread.

"You wouldn't wake up," Ortho said, "we didn't know what else to do, and I would have hurt you if I'd done it."

"I'm not like...mad," Idia said, scratching his head, "I'm more surprised. I didn't expect you to pack such a punch Azul." The merman huffed, crossing his arms.

"I suppose these limbs have some sort of use," he muttered.

"I mean, use sure, but they're pretty cool looking either way," Idia said absently, his mind calming with the idle chatter. Azul looked toward him suddenly, looking startled.

"You think they're...cool..." Azul deadpanned, "they are nothing like the tails of typical merpeople. Surely you realize that."

"So?" Idia asked, "I always liked the art people made of merpeople, but the octopus and squid ones were always my favorite. Like, an octopus is was smarter than fish for one, and they're little escape artists who always get into trouble."

"Nii-san likes to watch animal videos when he's upset," Ortho chirped, making Idia flush, "especially aquatic ones! He's always learning about the ocean and stuff."

"T-That's because I never saw the ocean," Idia said quickly, uneasy with the blank stare Azul was leveling at his head, "so aquariums and nature documentaries were the only way to learn about them."

"Is that why you always talked about how cute they were?" Ortho asked, and Idia was certain his brother was officially messing with him.

"J-Just go back to bed Ortho." His brother laughed before returning to his charging pod. Idia stared at him until he saw his brother power down and Azul spoke.

"You've never seen the ocean? Don't you live on an island?" He glanced down at the tiny merman, shaking his head.

"Well, yeah, but I was never allowed to see the ocean," he said, "My parents kept me on a pretty tight leash. Everything I learned was through a screen. I guess I liked the ocean because it felt so wildly different from the world I'd grown up knowing."

"The ocean isn't that great," Azul said. Idia sighed, holding out a hand. With a small nod from Azul he scooped the merman up, relaxing at the surprising coolness of Azul's skin.

"We all think our own realities are lame," Idia said, "but I'd take the ocean over my home any day. So much space and beauty down there, even if its tough going." For a long moment Azul was quiet; so quiet that Idia thought he'd fallen asleep again.

"So you don't find this form...unappealing?" Idia blinked, looking down at the other.

"Huh? I mean, in terms of bottom halves for a merperson, its definitely A tier at least," he said, "I think they're cool looking, and if you move similarly to an actual octopus, then I'm sure you're pretty graceful in the water too." Azul scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"I am slow, not graceful," the merman said with a huff.

"Uh, those two things aren't exclusive you know. Just cause you aren't made for speed doesn't mean you aren't graceful," he said, "I'd have to actually see you swim to know for sure though."

"You will never see me swim," Azul challenged, "not in this form at least."

"You know, I'm kind of excited for Jade to get you back to normal so I can see how big your mer form is," Idia said, "Like is your height the same as you are in human form? Or is your top half the same size and your bottom half longer. How far can you reach with the tentacles, and how much control do you have." He paused when he realized he was rambling, clearing his throat. "Ah, sorry. I shouldn't ask so many questions. Especially when I didn't care for it myself."

"If you had questions about merfolk, you could have asked someone," Azul commented.

"No way. I only talk to you and the twins, sometimes, and even then you're the only one with tentacles. Not that I'd talk to the twins even if they did. They creep me out." Azul giggled, an amused smirk on his lips.

"They can be rather unnerving when they want to be," he said, "but they're loyal to a fault, and...they were there for me when no one else was."

"Well, hopefully you know you've got me here for you now too," Idia said, "I know it doesn't mean much, but still." Azul gave a soft sigh, leaning heavily against his chest.

"Actually, it means much more than you could know."

Chapter 8

"Gym is the worst class ever," Idia lamented as he got back to his room, flopping face first on the bed, "It's cruel and unusual punishment."

"Now that I can agree with." He looked up at the tank, spotting no sign of Azul in the water. A quick scan of the room found the merman on his computer chair, carefully seated on a pile of textbooks with the computer on before him. Azul glanced at the screen, a light flush on his cheeks. "Ah...I apologize. I didn't think to ask if you'd be alright with me touching your computer. Though Ortho said you likely wouldn't mind."

"As long as you're not doing something illegal, it doesn't bother me," Idia said, pushing himself upright, "anything confidential on there is secure enough that even you couldn't get into it. Whatcha up to anyway?"

"Just trying to keep myself occupied," Azul admitted, "There's only so much I can do in this form, and trying to research my condition led to very few results." He shifted back toward the screen. "I wouldn't dream of messing with any of your games, nor do I have the coordination to play much, so I figured I'd investigate some of those videos Ortho mentioned."

"The documentaries?" Azul nodded, crossing his arms. Idia smirked slightly at how cute the action was on his small form. "Find any good ones?"

"I must say, the outside world have a very interesting view of the ocean," Azul said, tilting his head to one side, "they find a strange beauty in things I hardly ever paid attention to."

"Once you're used to something, it doesn't seem as fascinating," Idia said with a nod, "I can't even count the amount of people who came to the Island of Woe and started fangirling over it. To me, it's nothing special, but I guess it's nice looking to others." Azul hummed, leaning over to tap away on the keyboard. A new tab opened, photos of his homeland flashing onto the screen. The futuristic buildings surrounded by dark ocean waters and brilliant skies gave him a pang of homesickness, though it was fleeting.

"It's beautiful," Azul breathed out, staring at the screen with bright eyes. To someone who spent their life underwater, Idia could only imagine how the technological STYX buildings appeared.

"I guess so," Idia said, shrugging, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that. But let me just say, they're less fun to live in than to look at."

"Right. I suppose the same could be said of the ocean," Azul mused, "pretty from the outside, but less enjoyable to live within."

"I'd love to actually see the ocean some time," Idia remarked, leaning on his hand, "though someone like me underwater would probably start a riot."

"Fire is definitely an unusual sight," Azul said, "you'd have the young kids flocking you in no time." Idia made a face of disgust, Azul chuckling at his distaste. The sound was strangely melodic, making his hair burn brighter just at the sound. "Ah, right. I was intending to look at that artwork you were talking about. How did you find it?"

"I just searched octopus merman art," Idia said simply. Azul nodded, the clacking of keys signaling his search. It was only as the merman hit enter that he jumped to his feet with a sudden realization. "W-wait! You should-" The pictures loaded before he could finish, starting out as simply pretty artwork before devolving into more questionable things. Idia flushed blue, making an uneasy noise. "-turn on...safe search..."

"Ah..." Azul's small sound wasn't uneasy or disturbed, thank god for Idia's sanity, but it was certainly surprised. His face was slightly flushed, refusing to focus too long on any one image. "This is...certainly not what I expected." Idia sputtered, lunging for the computer to turn on the filter and breathing a sigh in relief as the search got more tame.

"The internet has some freaky people," he said simply, trying to avoid the urge to flee in his embarrassment. After all, how was he supposed to explain he'd definitely looked through those images in the past without Azul thinking he was weird. The merman's expression darkened, something closing off in his steely gaze.

"It makes more sense that something like that would be the outlier." Idia blinked, looking over Azul's sulking form. His tentacles were curled under himself, as if hiding them.

"I mean, for merfolk its more normal to be into those kinds of things right?" he tried, chewing on his lip, "like...it'd be weirder for you to not be into your own kind, wouldn't it?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never met another merfolk with my anatomy. But given your reaction, I can imagine it wouldn't be that strange at all."

"H-Huh?" Idia stared at him, trying to get a read on the situation. He wasn't great at reading people, but it was clear even to him that Azul was closing off. "I mean I'm not gonna say there's anything wrong with that. People like what they like and..." He turned away when Azul stared at him, feeling the urge to throw up. "Can we like...not talk about this?"

"Because it disgusts you?" Idia's hair flushed bright pink, the anxious man caving to the urge to hide his face in his jacket.

"B-Because I don't think discussing my porn habits with you is a very good topic of conversation!" Azul fell silent, and it took Idia a moment to process what he'd just blurted out. "W-Wait! I didn't mean it like that. Just-" He cut himself off, crouching on the floor and burying his face in his knees. "God. Just put me out of my misery now."

"You...that's the kind of thing you're into?" Idia let out an embarrassed whine.

"I know, I know," he said quickly, words tumbling from his lips without being able to stop, "I'm a weird, disgusting freak. I'm sorry and I...I'll call Yuu to come get you or something. Just...please don't tell anyone about this?"

"Why would I tell someone? It's...not like I'm judging you, even if the admission was...unexpected." Idia didn't move for a moment, face burning with embarrassment. "I suppose I'm confused as to why-"

"Please don't ask me why I'm into that kind of thing," Idia said quickly, "I will literally die. Actually, just kill me anyway before you hate me any more than you do."

"When did I say I hated you?" Idia glanced up, a touch surprised at how genuinely confused Azul looked.

"Shouldn't that be obvious?" he asked, "like...to find out some weirdo has a kink for your kind is usually a pretty firm deal breaker." Azul rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you choose to indulge in during your free time is none of my business," the merman said, "so I hardly see why it matters. Unless you plan to jump me once I'm back to normal size." Idia flushed again, sputtering.

"Absolutely not! What kind of creep do you take me for?!" He pulled himself up, shaking his head. "A-Anyway, can we never speak of this again? For my sanity?"

"Fine, but I'll be keeping it with all of my other secretive knowledge," Azul said, smirking.

"You're such a jerk," Idia said, turning away, "I'm going to take a shower and change. Don't go looking up any more porn on my computer."

"It was an accident!" He flashed a grin, racing off before Azul could try to retaliate. Thank god he was too small to give chase. He shut the bathroom door, leaning against it and slumping.

"Well...that went okay somehow," he said to himself, "though...I have a feeling the rest of this mess is going to be hell." With a groan and a light tug at his hair to ground himself he pulled himself up. Shower first. He could worry about his dwindling sanity later.

Chapter 9

The following few days Idia found himself swamped in work. Between projects, his housewarden duties, and general course work, he felt like he was barely in his room. And when he was, he was glued to his computer. He'd given Azul his old laptop to borrow so the merman wouldn't be bored but he couldn't help but feel bad about leaving him to fend for himself. Ortho, and sometimes Yuu, had been keeping him company but even still Idia found himself relieved when the weekend came and he was finally able to drag himself back to the room before 2 AM.

"Hey, I'm back," he said as he pushed the door open with a yawn and rubbed his tired eyes. He heard Azul sputter, a startled noise that got his attention. "You alri-" He barely managed to open his eyes and look toward the tank when he was struck with a dark fluid. He yelped in surprise, stumbling slightly from the force.

"Nii-san! Are you okay?" He could sense Ortho hovering beside him, shoving some kind of cloth into his hand to wipe his face.

"Azul!" He hadn't expected Yuu's voice to follow, chastising the merman from the sound of it.

"It was impulse," Azul protested, though his voice sounded off for a reason Idia couldn't place. He wiped at his face, blinking down at the ruined towel in his hand.

"Did you shoot ink at me again?" he blurted out. His eyes stung slightly from the ink dripping into them, but he was too surprised to actually pay it any mind. He wiped away another glob to clear his vision, glancing up at the tank.

"H-Hold on. Don't look over here." Azul's warning came too late, Idia meeting his steely gaze as the merman curled his tentacles close like he could vanish within them. Yet he no longer fit neatly into the tank, tentacles spilling over the edge and trailing on the carpet below. Yuu was kneeling beside it, a discarded bottle at his feet.

"You're back to normal," Idia commented dumbly, grinning despite himself. Azul scowled, a violet flush spreading down his neck.

"Do I look normal to you?" the merman snapped. Immediately Idia's smile dropped, replaced by confusion instead.

"But...you're full sized again. Doesn't that mean Jade reversed whatever happened?" he asked, a touch confused. Azul scowled, glaring at a random corner of the room. Yuu sighed, reaching out to pat one of Azul's tentacles gently.

"We ran into a complication," Yuu admitted, "Jade managed to undo the age regression, but it seems to have come with an unforeseen side effect."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I'm currently stuck like this." Azul hissed the last word as if it had personally offended him, his tentacles flexing in agitation. "I swear if Jade is being incompetent on purpose I'll flay him."

"Oh. So you can't take human form then." Azul shot him a look at the obvious statement, looking frustrated and out of patience. He held his hands up in surrender. "I-I'm just trying to make sure I understood the situation that's all."

"I thought you were smart enough to avoid stating the obvious." Idia shrank back slightly at the irritation, fiddling with his sleeve. Yuu sent him a silent look of apology, giving him the strength to avoid fleeing entirely.

"You need a bigger tank," he commented instead, chewing on his lip as he thought. 'I might be able to rig up something better if I use the pump system from my old sensory pod. And I bet Sam will have something better to use as a liner than sponge.'

"Are you even listening?" Idia snapped his gaze up to Azul's face, the merman's eye twitching.

"No," he admitted, "I was planning how to expand the tank without a hassle." Azul just stared at him, wide eyed and mouth slightly agape. Idia flushed in embarrassment. "Oh uh...unless you wanted to be moved elsewhere for better space. I could set it up in Yuu's dorm if you'd rather? Or even your room." Yuu smirked, nudging Azul's arm.

"Told you he was still on board," they said.

"Did I miss something?" he asked with a frown. Even Ortho was giggling at him now.

"Why are you being so frustratingly helpful?" Azul asked with a scowl. Yuu cracked a smile, shaking their head.

"He figured you wouldn't want to be involved anymore now that he's back in an adult body," Yuu explained. Idia huffed, crossing his arms.

"Do I look like the kind of person to do things halfway?" he asked pointedly, flecks of red racing through his hair, "until you're back to a satisfactory state then this isn't over. Hence, you're continued to be welcome in my little nerd cave."

"Shall I go get more reinforced glass?" Ortho chimed, cocking his head.

"Yeah. Wait, no. Let me write up a list first," Idia said, turning to snatch his tablet, "I need a lot more than just glass for this. Though I can probably repurpose some of the parts from the original tank..."

"There he goes," Yuu mused, watching as Idia rapidly tapped out a list of materials, "Lost in the intricacies in a new invention."

"It's foolish to get so lost in one project," Azul said idly, shifting as he leaned against the side of the tank. He couldn't help but wince as he shifted, muscles straining in his tentacles. "Though I will admit, I'm a bit large for this tank now."

"You're not large," Yuu said firmly, "the tank is just meant for a child. Idia will get one into something more suitable before you know it."

"Ah! Azul, what do merpeople need in a habitat?" Azul looked up, raising a brow at Idia's expectant look.

"It's a water tank, not an artificial habitat," he retorted.

"Why not both?" Idia's grin was lopsided, an excited sparkle in his eye a clear sign of his sudden enthusiasm to his project.

"Huh? Just, think of it like a saltwater aquarium if you must!" Yuu snickered at the dark flush taking over Azul's skin, too subtle for Idia to notice as he turned back to his tablet, tapping a few more things in before handing it to his brother. "Keep your mouth shut," Azul hissed lowly, clearly embarrassed.

"He's not a bad pick, I have to say. You've got pretty good taste in-" One of his tentacles swatted Yuu roughly, knocking them back slightly. They smirked viciously, prodding the flustered merman. "I mean it though."

"Stop. Talking." Yuu shrugged, miming zipping his own lips.

"Your secret's safe with me."

Chapter 10

Idia began construction as soon as he had the materials, diving into the production like he would with any other gadget he was working on. Azul sat coiled in the old tank, so still and silent Idia was sure he was trying to vanish. 'Am I making him uncomfortable with all of this?' he wondered idly, frowning, 'Maybe I should find some place to hide out before he gets sick of me. At least until he's back to walking on two legs. Maybe I can still salvage this and-' He sputtered as a bit of water struck his cheek, startling him from his thoughts and drawing his attention toward Azul. For once the merman wasn't frozen stiff. "What? Is something on my face?"

"Your hair is black again." Idia blinked, glancing down to see the flames indeed black.

"You care way too much about that," he blurted out. Azul shot him an unamused look. "I-I just mean, it's not like it matters. It does what it wants, you know? It's not like I could stop it even if I knew why it did that."

"You aren't curious?" the merman asked. Idia shrugged.

"I guess," he replied, "but it's not like I'm doing anything different than usual." Azul hummed, leaning on the side of the tank.

"Which is?" Idia sighed, reaching to tangle his fingers into his own hair out of habit.

"Are we having a therapy session right now?" he asked, tone tight, "like...I can't imagine why else you want to hear about the self deprecating shit in my brain." Azul's brow furrowed.

"Did something happen?" he asked carefully.

"Uh, not really," he said, "I'm always a self deprecating mess."

"I see." Azul looked like he was about to say more before the door opened, Ortho bounding in with another pile of materials. Idia was grateful for the distraction, turning his attention back to the tank. He couldn't handle Azul's questions at the moment. Or maybe never, really.

---

Azul was quiet for the rest of the tank build, letting Idia focus as he fiddled with tubing and pressure valves until he was satisfied. After way too many spells to fill the thing and a generous amount of salt, it was finished. Idia sat back with a satisfied grin, hair flashing with flecks of violet alongside his pride.

"All done," he announced, looking over to the merman watching him, "Now to figure out how to move you." Azul pursed his lips, looking annoyed for a moment before sighing.

"If you're able to help balance me, I can manage myself," he said, waving him over. Idia obediently approached, letting Azul wrap a damp arm around his shoulders as his tentacles grip the edge of the tank. It wasn't a very large gap between the two, barely an inch or two, but Azul was clearly unsteady in this form. Likely as a result of avoiding it for so long.

Idia's mind wandered as he propped the merman up, cataloguing each new piece of information like a scientific result. The way Azul's skin shimmered almost violet beneath the grey tones. The light chill of his body from being in the water so long. The scent of the sea that seemed to cling to him along with something lighter. Sweeter maybe. Azul tipped forward before he could consider it further, letting go to slip gracefully into the water and avoid dragging Idia with him. He couldn't help but stare, mouth slightly agape as Azul's tentacles flared out with the extra space, stretching and shifting rhythmically as he resurfaced.

"So pretty." He only realized the thought escaped his brain and slipped through his lips when Azul flushed violet, staring at him in bewilderment. "Ah! I m-meant just that you're really uh...graceful! In the water and all." He bit his lip, chewing on it until he felt the barest tang of blood between his teeth. "Just uh...just forget I said anything."

"You really find this form so appealing?" Azul asked skeptically.

"I would have thought my rambling would have made that apparent by now," Idia muttered, fiddling with his sleeve.

"What's there to like?"

"What's not to like?" Azul blinked, staring wide eyed at him as if he'd grown a second head. Idia huffed. Well, he'd shoved his foot in his mouth already. May as well continue. "Like just in general. You're smart and talented at magic, not to mention a strategic genius. And on the physical side you're just...pretty? Handsome? Beautiful? I dunno what term you'd prefer." Azul barked out a laugh, startling him.

"We can agree to disagree on that last point," he said bitterly.

"Huh? I mean, everyone thinks so," he said, "people are always talking about how good looking you are. They're kinda cringy about it though, talking about all the house wardens. I think you were...third? Or maybe you were tied with Leona. I don't really remember, but Vil and Malleus are basically impossible to beat in the look department so-"

"They were ranking us on our...attractiveness?" Azul asked, clearly caught off guard.

"Yup. Vil first. Then Malleus. Then you and Leona in the middle with Riddle, Yuu, and Kalim following." Azul ducked his head, looking embarrassed before he cocked his head.

"And you?" Idia blinked.

"What about me?" he asked, confused. Azul rolled his eyes.

"Where were you on that list?"

"Oh." Idia shrugged, hair darkening. "Dead last, duh. It's not like I'm surprised or nothing." A loud splash interrupted his thoughts from spiraling, Azul leaning up on the edge with a sharp glare.

"What kind of foolish parameters were they using?" Azul asked, sounding personally offended, "if anything, you should be replacing Leona the prideful brute. At the very least you should be above me of all people."

"Uh, Leona's like...hot though," Idia said, "even if he is a handful, people aren't blind. And like I said, you're pretty or whatever. I'm just...weird? I mean, I know I freak people out at least. They don't call me creepy for nothing."

"Idia, you're not creepy. Weird, maybe, but in a unique way, not a negative way." Idia shook his head, spotting the black bleeding into his hair once more.

"You don't need to try and make me feel better," he said, getting to his feet as the need to run lanced through him, "I know what I am. I know I'm just the weird tech nerd who people think might eat their souls or something. Th-that I'm just a social pariah that makes everyone uncomfortable to be around outside of needing something." He was getting louder by the second, panic and adrenaline coursing through him with each work from his traitorous mouth. Why couldn't he stop talking? "I hear the things people say about me when they think I'm not listening. That I'm not meant to be a house warden. That I'm just going to live my life alone in my room with my technology because I'm too terrified to just-" He nearly bit his tongue off as the words kept coming, unable to stop them before they tumbled out. "-just admit to my first real friend that I have some stupid crush on him despite being way out of my league." Azul looked stunned into silence, mouth working without words for a moment. But Idia knew what was coming.

"By that you mean...me?" He wanted to throw up at the pure disbelief in the merman's voice, digging his nails into his palms instead.

"I...I'm sorry." He barely choked the words out before fleeing the room, unable to bear looking at the other any more.

"Idia, wait!" He dashed down the hall without pause, hearing a splash as Azul shifted in the tank. Yet his own blood nearly drowned it out, rushing in his head and swallowing him. His eyes burned, hair burning black as night as he ran blindly. Someone smacked into him, shaking him somewhat back to reality.

"Idia? Why the rush?" He nearly choked at Jade's voice, the eel cocking his head. "I was just about to-"

"Door's open," he blurted out, shoving past him to keep moving. He could feel Jade boring holes in his back, but he couldn't care less. Hell, if Jade killed him he wouldn't have to deal with his own mess. An angry Azul or, worse, a mocking one.

He stumbled out into the campus, picking a random direction and running like his life depended on it. He didn't care where he ended up. He just needed to get away. To get away before he fully fell apart.

Chapter 11

Notes:

Extra long chapter to finish everything off. Thanks for all the support guys. It's been so much fun working on this. Now, what to write next for this fandom?

'Stupid! You're an absolute moron!' Idia's mind ran as fast as his feet did, thoughts racing a mile a minute. He could barely see past his tears, vision blurry and blood rushing in his ears. 'You ruined everything. The same way you always do.' When he slowed down, it was only because his lungs ached and his muscles burned. A reminder of how little he went to gym class. He doubled over, gasping for air as he tried to take stock of where he'd ended up. He wiped at his face, standing to look around.

The sleek tile and concrete of the pool yard greeted him, empty as it ever was. Typically the pools were only used by merfolk when it was too cold to visit home and they craved a dip. But during these warmer months it was as still as a graveyard. Silent and isolated in a way that he desperately needed in that moment. He wrapped his arms around his waist, crouching down beside the water.

'Me and my stupid mouth,' he thought bitterly, looking down at his own reflection. His skin looked even paler than it usually did, golden eyes watery and wreathed in black flames. 'I ruined everything. He's not even going to want to look at me after this. I wouldn't be surprised if his eels dragged me into the ocean to drown.' He pulled one arm free, fingers touching the reflection with a wry smile as the black seemed to grow darker. Suddenly, the odd color made perfect sense. 'Heh. Heartbreak. So that's what the black means. I guess at least something came out of all of this.'

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, crouched by the edge of the pool and wallowing in self hatred, before the sound of footsteps and a familiar voice reached him. "Nii-san!" He sighed, unsurprised that Ortho had found him. He dragged himself to his feet, taking a breath to steady his nerves before turning around.

"O-Ortho, you could have just messaged m-" He cut himself off as he fully turned around, any attempt at a fake smile sliding from his features. Ortho wasn't alone. On one side of him stood Yuu, and the other was Jade and Azul. The smaller merman looked out of breath, eyes narrowed into sharpened daggers. But he was back to normal, his usual school uniform lightly rumpled from a rushed dressing. But he was back to his usual petite stature, shoulders all but heaving. A quick glance at Jade gave him no information, the eel carefully still with his usual alarming smile. "Ah? What're you all doing here?"

"We came to find you," Yuu said, smiling gently, "You took off so fast we didn't get a chance to go over the final testing." Idia's gaze flickered between the group, feeling suddenly cornered. He looked at Azul, shrinking away at the steel looking back at him."I-I didn't think you needed me around for that," he said, shivering, "I had something come up is a-all."

"Cut the crap." Azul's hissed words caught him off guard. The merman was always so put together, so to hear him come anywhere close to profanity was like being struck. Azul took a step toward him, nearly vibrating with pent up energy. "You drop all of that in my lap then take off without another word? Did you really think I'd just leave it at that?" Another step. "That this would all just get swept under the rug!"

"I uh...I just-" He couldn't help but back up, wanting to escape the fury that was an angered Azul. He put his hands up, as if that would protect him. Azul tensed, Yuu's expression morphing to surprise over the merman's shoulder.

"Idia, watch out!" Yuu's shout was the last warning he got before his foot met air. He gave a yelp as he tried to catch himself, tumbling backwards. Azul ran forward, reaching to grab at his jacket and saying something Idia didn't catch. The fabric slipped through his fingers and Idia tumbled back into an icy abyss. It took him a few moments to realize he'd fallen into the pool. The water was strangely calm, the light filtering down through the water in a hazy shimmer. The cold and sudden silence was almost a blessing, pulling a ragged gasp from his lips in a cloud of bubbles. It was peaceful, his eyes half closing as his stress seemed to dissolve.

'I could just stay here,' he thought, 'stay where it's safe and quiet. Then...nothing would matter anymore. All the mistakes I've made...they would finally be over.' He couldn't help but smile a bit at the thought. Peace. It sounded nice.

Just as suddenly he found himself surfacing, coughing on impulse despite not needing the air. Hands grabbed the collar of his jacket, hauling him up face to face with Azul's angered face. But instead of the pale skin he expected, he was instead met with sprawling black tendrils and ashy grey hue. He gaped at Azul like a floundering guppy, flushed blue with how close the merman had pulled him. 'Too close! Way too close! Don't think on it too much Idia.'

"Idiot!" Azul's angry shout coupled with a harsh shake snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts, eyes nearly rattling in his skull, "Are you really so desperate to escape me that you'd drown yourself?"

"But I can't drown," he protested before he could think better on it, sputtering out the last bits of water from his throat. Azul grit his teeth, showing off the barest hint of razor teeth similar to the Leech twins. "B-But someone's going to see you like this. We're not exactly hidden and-"

"Would you shut up," Azul hissed, and Idia snapped his mouth shut so fast he swore it clicked. Azul huffed in irritation, hands clenching in Idia's jacket. "How dare you assume you can just say whatever you want and then run off without letting me say my piece."

"I-I already knew what you'll say," Idia said softly, hair bleeding black once more, "I figured there'd be less trouble if I just gave you the distance myself rather than you having to push me away." Azul startled, staring at him with a look of disdain and bewildered fury. Yuu giggled, one hand covering their mouth to silence it.

"I told you he'd need it to be clearer," they said. Azul scowled, a light flush overtaking his face as he shook Idia again.

"How does someone with so much intelligence manage to be such an idiot," he hissed.

"Ah. I'm so-" His apology was cut off as Azul hauled him forward, Idia's eyes widening as wet lips pressed forcefully against his. He couldn't help but be startled, one hand grabbing Azul's shoulder for purchase. The merman tensed for a moment before seemingly realizing that Idia wasn't shoving him off. If anything, Idia was frozen stiff like a statue. Azul pulled back just as suddenly, looking as flustered as Idia felt. "Why would you...?"

"You really are an idiot," Azul said, softer and with a light frown. Idia decided in that moment that he hated that expression on Azul's face, pushing his own anxiety aside to press a kiss of his own to Azul's lips. It was less frantic and more uncertain, neither of them all too sure exactly how to proceed but seemingly willing to find a way. When he pulled back, hair flushed pink, Azul was studying his face. "For a minute I thought you'd regretted what you said," Azul muttered.

"I do," Idia said. Azul pulled back a bit and, unwilling to let go for once, Idia held fast. "I mean, I regret saying it the way I did. Not like...the meaning itself."

"So you actually have a crush on me?" Azul asked, looking skeptical. Idia couldn't manage the words, so he simply nodded. Azul's expression twitched into something akin to disbelief, and that finally broke his silence.

"Why's that so weird?" Idia asked, offended on the merman's behalf, "You're like, top tier for sure. I'd throw as many attempts at that gacha as I needed to in order to pull that triple S reward." Azul glanced over his shoulder, silently asking Yuu for clarification. They laughed fully, grinning.

"It means he really, really likes you," Yuu clarified. Azul gave a hum of thought, turning back to man slowly receding into his jacket.

"Well, I think you're a perfect catch as well," Azul said firmly, "And, since you don't find this form off putting for some reason-"

"Are you kidding? Octopus merfolk are the coolest," Idia blurted out. Azul clamped a hand over his mouth, flushed violet.

"As I was saying," he ground out, "since you, for some reason, don't mind me either way, perhaps we can come to a deal of sorts." Idia blinked, glancing over the merman's shoulder now to ask Yuu for his own clarification. They shook their head, moments away from bursting with laughter.

"I do believe he's asking you out," Jade commented with a fiendish grin. Azul whipped his head toward the eel, looking furious. "Am I wrong?"

"You slippery little-" Azul started. Idia didn't let him finish, wrapping his arms around the merman's shoulders. He could feel the way his hair flared up, blazing the brightest blue it had ever been as far as he could remember.

"You're serious right?" he asked, already too invested for a no. Azul sighed, smiling with a touch of fondness.

"Am I ever not serious?" Idia stared at him for a moment before beaming. They were both at their least human in that moment, Azul in full merfolk form and Idia with his teeth and hair on full display, yet no one cared. In that moment, there was an odd sort of peace that shattered the tension they'd been building. They'd both still have their walls, but at least now a door had been added to the fortress.

A click of a camera shutter sounded, disrupting their moment. Idia looked up at see Ortho eying them with a grin of his own, small camera display jutting from his arm. Idia sputtered, pulling away from Azul to lunge toward the side of the pool. When he managed to do little more than sink, Azul snagged him and forced him back to the surface. "Ortho, delete that!" he sputtered, absolutely mortified.

"But Nii-san, it's your first memory together!" He scowled at his little brother, trying to haul himself up like a half drowned cat. Ortho snapped the camera display away, holding his arm protectively with a stubborn glare.

"Would you mind sending that to me?" Jade asked politely, "for safe keeping that is. I'm glad to see my little potion experiment worked out." Ortho nodded, and this time Azul was the one to scowl.

"Experiment? Jade, you'll pay for this," he threatened, "You'll be lucky I don't skin you alive." The eel only watched him with amusement, shrugging without a care in the world. "How dare you use me as a test subject!"

"Oh hush now. Floyd and I got tired of watching you pine. Besides, it worked out, didn't it?" Idia flushed darkly, covering his face in his hands. If the Leech twins knew, then who knew how many others had clocked their pining too.

"Oh! Send it to me too," Yuu requested, breaking the tension. Idia finally freed himself from the pool, lurching toward his brother. Ortho simply boosted out of reach, giggling like the troublemaker he was. But for once, Idia didn't feel like he was being made fun of. For once, he felt like he was finally content. He had his friends and his brother. And now he had a boyfriend. Whatever would come, he was sure that he and Azul would manage it. Together.