Hunter Friend, Hunted Love {Nargi}

After a few hours at the hospital, Jas returned. He had gotten a few stitches along with some pain medication for his headache. They just told him to take it easy because of the concussion he had recieved from how he hit his head. Though he should be fine after some rest. He climbed out of his car and walked to the pool, deciding to turn the lights on so he wouldn't slip again. He didn't want to slip and actually kill himself.

He walked over to where Minot was, kneeling down beside him. "I'm.. sorry about your tail. I promise to help you gwt that tail healed." He told him, biting his lip as he stroked a hand gently down his tail. Avoiding the torn fin, not wanting to hurt him more. Feeling bad for hurting the poor merman like this. It was his fault after all that his fin was torn.

The merman continued to watch the other, petting his hair softly in an attempt to help him. He jumped as the other winced from him trying to lick his wounds, whimpering softly, "S-sorry... I don't know what to do" He whined softly, the merman seemingly quite upset that the other was hurt, still thinking it was his fault since he was there.

When the other got up to go to the hospital, the merman was hesitant to let him go, worried that he might not come back and he would be stuck there alone. He bit his lip lightly and gave a small nod as he listened to the man, the merman shifting his weight and beginning to lick at the wound on his tail in an attempt to help it.

"No... no, I'm haply your here." He said, closing his eyes and swallowing thickly. "I hit my head pretty hard, I probably busted it or something." He said, just keeping himself still and refusing to move his head until the throbbing pain died down. "I'll be fine in a moment, I just need to relax here for a while." Jas mumbled, wincing lightly as a tongue ran over his wounds.

After a few more minutes passed, he shifted himself so he could carefully stand up. Making sure he wasn't going to tip over. "I... should probably check and see if I need to get stitches. I don't know how deep this wound is," he said. Stepping inside with a hand pressed against the wound. Pulling his hand away to see the watered-down blood. Grabbing a towel and pressing it against the injury. "You stay here, I'm going to go to the hospital. I'll be back in a hour or so, okay?" He told him, wanting to get his wound taken care of as soon as possible.

"But it might not have been this bad if Minot wasn't here" He said with a small whimper, he tried his best to help the other relax so he wouldn't make himself worse, trying to clean up his head, "Minot think you're bleeding a bit... But it could be from Minot too... It is as hard to not use tail to help get you out" He admitted as he looked toward his tail, seeing his injury was much worse now.

"Minot doesn't know what to do to help" He whimpered softly, he did the best he could think of and knelt down, beginning to lick his wounds clean, the merman unsure of his new friend's injuries and what to do about them, he hadn't witnessed anyone with that type of injury.

"No.. no, accidents like this have happened before. I'm not... I'm not the most graceful person. It probably still would have happened anyway." He told the merman, wincing as he tried to shift up again. Arms shaking as his head throbbed yet again. The pain only causing a few tears and some noises. Exhaling once his head was guided onto the other's lap. Just falling limp, trying his best to relax while he waited for the pain to subside.

He felt fingers card through his hair, the action causing him to relax more. "Am I bleeding? I can't tell.." he finally asked. He couldn't tell the difference between water and blood on his head. He hit his head hard. So he probably cracked his skull, but he had no way to know. "Ugh... my head is killing me." He groaned, closing his eyes for a moment.

Minot continued trying different things to wake the man, whimpering fearfully, he didn't want the one land walker that seemed friendly to die. When the man woke he tried to help him get the water out of his lungs, rubbing his back softly as he did his best to help him, he shook his head lightly as the other thanked him, "You help Minot, Minot help" He told him softly.

"You might have been inside if Minot wasn't here though... What if you fell because of Minot being here?" He asked, shifting his weight to let the other's head rest in his lap, "You hit your head pretty hard... You should wait to sit up" He murmured, petting his hair softly in an attempt to relax him, the merman hoping to help him.

Jas was out for the longest time. And, when he finally awoke, his sides heaved and he felt water rush out of his mouth. Squirming on the ground as he coughed, doing his best to get the rest of the water out of his lungs. Breath ragged as he laid there in a daze. Not saying a word for the longest time. Doing his best to catch his breath and clear his lungs.

After a few minutes, he blinked and noticed someone looming over him. He squinted to see who it was, realizing it was Minot who was over him. The... merman had saved him from drowning. He was very thankful, to say the least. "I... thank you." He told him, not expecting him to have done that for him. "If you weren't here... I probably would have drowned." He told him, voice soft. Jas shifted to try and sit up, feeling his head start to throb with pain. Groaning and laying back down, head aching from slamming it into the edge of the pool.

Minot gave a small nod as he watched the man sit down, "Minot is grateful" He said as he began swimming around, getting used to the pool, after a while he let himself sink to the bottom of the pool to sleep, making himself comfortable, the merman relaxing for quite a while before a splash sound woke him, he looked up and spotted the man.

In a panic he swam quickly and tried to help the other out of the pool, he winced as he struggled at first, the merman wasn't the strongest out there, and with his tail injured he didn't have much power in his swimming, he ended up tearing his tail more and causing blood to stain the pool water, but he got the man out of the water. Minot was in a panic as he tried to wake the other, trying anything he could before finally trying mouth to mouth.

Jas was pleased to see that Minot didn't mind the pool. That was a good thing, right? Hopefully it would be good enough for the time being. He glanced over to the merman when he had asked where they were. "This is where I live. I remembered that I had a pool here in my backyard. I thought you would prefer this over what you were in previously." He said, sitting down on one of his chairs. Yawning and stretching himself out lightly. "If you need anything, just ask." He told the merman.

Jas ended up dozing off in his seat. Laying curled on it, fast asleep. He hadn't expected to fall asleep, but he did. After a few hours, he woke up and blinked. Sitting up and wiping his eyes, "ngh.." he groaned, glancing around to try and figure out what time it was. He stood up and walked blindly to find his house. It was dark and his vision was still blurry. He ended up slipping on the corner of the pool and fell. Hitting his head on the edge and falling in. Knocking himself unconscious because of that.

Minot gave a small mumble as he settled himself within the water, giving a quiet thank you to the man as he felt more water being poured in with him, the merman was quick to doze off after that, apparently needing the sleep as he only woke when he felt the water of the pool, the temperature was a bit different, one he could get used to easily, though the water felt different, though it didn't seem to bother him.

Minot swam to the surface and looked up toward the man, "Where are we?" He asked, staying almost fully submerged save for his shoulders and up, the merman leaning against the steps of the pool to give his tail a break from keeping him up, trying to rest his tail so it could heal quicker, though the merman was still unsure if his tail would ever heal fully.

"Ah.." Was all that Jas managed to say, placing the empty sandwich bag back into the lunchbox he carried with him. Starting to eat at the cake that he had, finishing that by the time Minot started to grow a tad bit sleepy. "You're more than welcome to stay here and rest, I don't mind." He told the merman, watching as he shifted into the water. Standing so he could grab for a bucket, pouring more water in with him.

As Minot dozed off, Jas just sat down and continued to fish. He fished for a while before starting his boat and driving off towards home. Perhaps he could  give Minot a more comfortable place to stay besides being all crammed up. Luckily for him, his house was right off the water. His parents were decently wealthy, so they bought him this nice plot of land to call his own. Guess it was rather handy to have. Jas carefully grabbed Minot and lifted him up, carrying him onto the dock and towards his house. Spotting his pool, deeming that would be a good spot for him. Placing the merman in the pool. Would he be fine without saltwater? Or did he specifically need that? Jas didn't know anything about these kinds of creatures.

Minot watched the other as he spoke, he gave a small shake of his head, "Minot is okay... Wasn't really hungry anyway" He said, giving the other a small smile, he truly wasn't hungry, he was really just getting tired at that point, the stress of being captured then injured was getting to him, his eyes even drooping slightly.

"Minot is... Tired... Big light time" He murmured lightly, claiming to have had a big day, the merman shifting his weight slightly so more of his body was covered with water, trying to keep himself from drying out, though needing to protect his tail more than anything on his body, without his tail he would struggle to survive if not perish without it.

Jas chuckled and shook his head lightly, "not quite, no. Though we do eat eggs that come from fish. Though we typically eat eggs from a bird. Perhaps you've seen a seagull? A bird like that, though they are brown and cannot fly." He tried to explain to the merman. Watching as he took the spoon and ate the cake.

"Yeah, it's called a "dessert". Humans make them sweet like that for the most part. A lot of people like eating them and making them on certain occasions. There are a ton of different kinds of sweets out there. Though this is probably the main and biggest one out there." He said, taking the spoon back from the other. Placing it down and eating the rest of his sandwich. "You are more than welcome to have some more, if you want some." He told the merman.

The merman tilted his head as he listened to the other as he chewed on the food in his mouth, "Animal, like fish?" He questioned, "This egg... Strange... Different..." The merman admitted as he watched the other. He looked up toward the other when he spoke of another food, he tilted his head and gave a curious look.

"Cake?" He asked as he stared at the dessert, he was hesitant at first before taking the spoon, he held it much like a toddler would while learning to hold utensils. He sniffed at the cake before taking it into his mouth, he struggled for a moment while figuring out the spoon, taking the spoon out of his mouth and eating the cake, "Is... Very sweet" He said, not used to the taste or texture, but he wasn't complaining.

Jas blinked when the merman spoke of making a baby. Feeling heat rush up to his cheeks. That... was not at all what he meant. "No! No... I don't mean that kind of eggs. We have a kind of animal that lays eggs. They aren't fertilized and we take and eat them. We make the eggs into different kinds of foods, one being egg salad. And that's what I have on the sandwich, it's one of my favorites." He said, watching as the merman took a small bite. Not looking impressed by it at all, moving a hand up to rub his neck awkwardly.

"Hmm.. my mom made this a few nights ago. She made a cake for me and I brought a slice. It's really good, but I don't know what you'd think of it." He said, taking some of the cake onto a spoon and holding it up to the merman. "Try not to eat the spoon off." Jas mused, wondering how he'd like the cake.

The merman tilted his head at the words the other spoke, he didn't really understand them, but he assumed that they weren't good, he stared out at the water again before looking to his tail, wondering if he would even be able to swim normally again, the wound was still fairly bad, he wouldn't be able to go back on his own for quite some time.

He tilted his head as he listened to the other, "Eggs?" He questioned, "Minot can have eggs" He said, "Minot had eggs before, but no other mer to make baby" He rambled, the merman oblivious to human appetite and the different things they ate. Minot stared at the piece of the sandwich before taking it and sniffing it briefly, he looked to the man again before he took a small bite, he wasn't too sure of the taste, it wasn't bad to him, but he didn't necessarily enjoy the taste either.

Ah, so the merman had the same assumption as he did. At least the other was aware of what might have happened to his family. "I... think you're right. I don't know if all of them are gone. Since a few could have been taken to a lab for experiments. Though others could have been taken to fish markets." He told the creature. Still sitting on the edge of the boat. Turning his head to look out towards sea, watching the water lightly ripple.

"I got a few different kinds of fish on here that I had fished up before. I also have stuff that I brought from home for lunch. Have you ever tried eggs? I don't know if you have eaten eggs before.." he said as he pulled out a small bag, lifting out a sandwich that he had wrapped up. Shifting to take a piece off the sandwich, handing it over to him. "Here, try this. I don't know if you would like it or not. But just try it to see what you think." He told him, hoping he'd eat it.

Minot watched the other closely, giving a small shrug, "Minot thinks family gone... Would be back by now" He said while sighing before he shifted his weight to make himself more comfortable, he seemed to be starting to trust the man, "Minot doesn't see many land walker... When he does he swim fast away" He rambled as he practically waved his hands about as he spoke.

Minot watched the other as he spoke about food, watching the man look for something for him, "Minot no eat fish often... Only in cold time when less kelp" He explained to the other, at least he wasn't against eating fish, though he only did it when there wasn't another option for him, he mostly ate things like kelp or anything plant based that grew in the water.

Jas listened to what the merman had to say. He shifted on his feet and glanced over to the open ocean. Lightly chewing on his bottom lip, trying to decide what he should say to the merman. "Yeah... most of my kind isn't very friendly. Though there are a few people out there who are." He exhaled, shifting himself so he could sit down on the edge of his boat. Lightly tapping his fingertips against the rim. "I'm sorry to hear that about your family... maybe you'll find them again one day." He said, though Jas knew that probably wouldn't be the case. His family was probably butchered and their meat sold. Or they're probably being experimented on.

When the other nodded in response to having some food, he looked around to see what he had. "I have some fish, I don't quite know what you eat. Would you like some fish? I also have other food if you would like to try it." The other food being his lunch, though Jas would survive until he was able to go home and make something. He was more worried about this poor merman than himself.

The merman seemed to be catching on to what the other was saying, almost as if he was learning the human language while just speaking to the other. The merman seemed to be relaxing a bit more, allowing the other to tend to his injured tail, he watched him closely then tried to fight and squirm away when the man tried to grab him, he gave a small defensive hiss until he realized the other was just placing him in some water, Minot relaxed in the water, glad he at least wouldn't dry out now.

As he listened to the other he tilted his head slightly, "We stay hidden... Land walkers take take take" The merman said as he wrapped his arms around himself, "Land walkers take Minot family when he young" He said as he hung his head, "Mother... Father... Clutch mates... All gone" He rambled quietly, bringing nf his tail close to himself. He looked back up as he heard the other ask if he was hungry, he didn't seem to understand at first before he gave a small nod, "Not hungry... But need strength" He said.

"It's going to hurt, I'm trying to make it so it'll hurt less." Jas explained wondering if the merman understood his long sentences. He looked through his medkit, trying to see what else he could use. The hunter lifted his gaze up when the creature pointed to the water. "I figured, this blood won't help either. It'll attract sharks and things." He said, looking around his boat to find something for the merman. Finding the storage filled with water, it wasn't big enough for him to swim around but it was good enough.

"Come here," he said, carefully grabbing him into his arms. Trying to be as gentle with him as possible. Moving him to where the water on his boat was. "Is that a little better?" He asked, wondering if the water helped him just a bit. Jas sat down and brushed the stray strands of hair out of his eyes. "So... I didn't know you creatures exsisted." He said, tapping his fingers together. "Hungry? I can get you some food." He offered, wondering if that would get the merman to relax.

The merman tried to keep his injured tail away from the other, too nervous, he let out a yelp as the man tended to his tail fin, when he finished he pulled his tail away and held it to him, eyeing the man as he backed up, "Hurt" The merman said as he gave a flare toward the med kit. Minot looked back toward the water behind him, biting his lip, he knew that with an injured tail he couldn't swim as well as before, which meant he couldn't get away from predators.

"No swim" He said quietly to the other, eyeing him hesitantly, "Danger" He said, trying to use his hands to explain how he could be in danger if he went into the water where they were. The mercreature didn't know if the man would understand him, or if he would even get him somewhere safer. Minot would be happy just in some cove where he could hide, he probably would have been more curious with the man, trying to figure him out, if he hadn't been captured and now injured.

Jas frowned and undid the net, easing the Merman down. That was when he noticed the cut through his thin, silky fin. Wincing at the sight, wondering if he had caused that to happen. "Hey, easy. Don't go into the water just yet. That blood will attract sharks." He said, kneeling and looking over the cut. Standing to look around his boat, finding a medkit.

This creature was part human, so hopefully some of this stuff should work. He knelt down and grabbed some antiseptic, rubbing some carefully along the wound. "This should help keep it clean," he said, though he didn't know how long it would stay on m due to the creature mostly living within the water. "And if I wanted to hurt you, I would have killed you by now." He told him, sitting down and sighing. Unsure of what to do for the Merman.

Minot breathed heavily as he squirmed uncomfortably in the net, he tilted his head slightly as he heard the other's voice, confused at first to listen to his words, finding them similar to his own. He seemed hesitant before he opened his mouth to speak, "I not sure you no hurt" the merman said slowly, his voice thick with an accent, it was a strange accent but he was at least able to be understood.

The merman watched the other closely, jumping as the net loosened around him, he looked up once he was set down on the deck, he tried to pull himself back toward the water but he gave a pained hiss, looking to his tail and seeing a long cut right through his tail fin, he whimpered as he pulled his tail close, examining the wound, it blew quite a bit surprisingly for how thin his tail fin was.

Jas was fishing out on his boat. It had been a long time since he last decided to go fishing, so why not have some fun? The hunter was hoping to fish up something nice, like perhaps a tuna or something to fillet for later. He stood with his net, reaching a hand up to brush his hair back. Cursing softly to himself, he should really pin his hair back. So, dropping his net, he decided to pin his brunet hair up into a messy bun. Grabbing the net and tossing it down into the water. Letting it go until he decided to pull it up.

The hunter tried to pull up the net himself, a bit surprised by how weighted it was. Turning to the machine the net was hooked to, using that to bring up his catch. "Hope it's some tuna, I haven't had that in a while." He drawled out. Having a slight lisp and accent to his words. Sometimes he hated it, but there wasn't anything he could really do to fix his lisp. Let alone even his southern accent.

When the net was retrieved, he wasn't expecting to come face to face with a creature such as this. He just gawked for a moment, mind trying to process what he had just caught in his neck. "I... what?" He echoed cluelessly, looking over the merman that he caught. Eventually Jas snapped himself from his daze. "I... didn't think you creatures were real. I mean.." he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm not going to hurt you, I was just out here fishing for tuna and all that for later. I wasn't expecting to fish you up-" he spoke awkwardly.