Aquata Cove

Aquata Cove Chapter 79: Poetic Injustice

"Right, there we go..." Yuri says as she finishes attaching an I.V. bag next to Adam's bed, "You're really suckin these down, Adam..." She says, responded by the pump of the respirator, "Well, at least your lungs seem to be ok..."

She sighs as she picks up Adam's iPhone, and scrolls through the LGBT Advocate site on it. "You're famous, you know..." She mumbles, "`Gay Man Ambushed At Oz'... You're a small-town popstar, they hardly mention you being a fisherman too..." Yuri scrolls down, skimming a few words here and there, "Dammit, if you were going to get your name on the internet, I wished it would've been for your singing or catching a huge manta ray or something..."

Yuri looks at those closed eyes, with a light fog coming from his mouth from within the oxygen mask, "Your eyes are looking better... No bruises left..."

She shakes her head as she looks down, "Jamal, hah... Believe it not, hasn't gotten laid since this all happened; I can tell because he's been home a lot more often when he's not at work, and Nick's even vouched for him... Hahaha, God, their balls must be bluer than the sky. It's been what, 9 days now?..." She sniffed as her voice broke a little, "The house has definitely gotten a lot more quiet without you... It's almost unnerving..."

"Your parents, well... They're heartbroken, I can tell you that..." She continues, "They decided to relocate here until you get better... They've subleased their apartment in Washington, and they've rented a small apartment nearby. Good thing your Dad and your boss know each other, Luther was able to get a job at the Tin-Top Garage. Your Mom also has a substitute taking her place at her work there too, and she's found a good position here at out psychiatric ward... They said they'll only leave when you're as good as new, so it may take a few years, or at least time travel, if you want to go literal with that." She chuckled weakly. "... Shut up, dammit, I'm funny..."

"Your Mom and Dad also told your grandparents what happened... Heh, they, they can't afford the money or time for a ticket to Hawaii, but they're just as upset as the rest of us... Your creepy grandpa is in shock, and your grandma is terrified... Well, she's almost hysterical... She's distraught that no one really taught you to fight off a few people. Heh, she even made a jest at me for not teaching your karate. Eheheheheheh" She laughs a little, "Even your grandpa said I should have at least let you barrow one of my katanas."

"They really miss you at the Dream Waltz... Jessica keeps crying to me every day, asking how you're recovering." She huffed as she shook her head, "I swear, you should've gotten a restraining order on her since day one, I don't know how you can stand it... And Chloe," She smirked, "She keeps saying that you're faking it just to get out of work. She's still a bitch, but I think I know how she feels. It's just not the same without you -- who else can bite her back besides Rajani? You at least made it fun for her, that's all you... And Jerry's not thrilled about losing one of his front-line performers." She smiled weakly, "In a good way though. He says you're one of the best he's got."

"The boys from the Fish House might be coming over... Captain says he's pissed, it was your turn on Canning Duty, and it's way behind. Belinda gave me this weird plant paste that's supposed to help your injuries." She looks at the half empty container, "It's actually proven to be a good ointment... She even tried to heal you, but she couldn't decide how to go about mending anything internal, and it's not like we can have your surface injuries magically disappear. She and Harold are staying too, for moral support when you wake up..."

"You and I still need to finish watching the Kingdom Hearts X scenes in 2.8 Final Mix. Don't worry, I won't watch them without you, we promised. I um... I haven't been home a lot... Partly because I need to stay here and take care of you. And there's this guy around the hospital, I told you guys about him, right? He's a journalist, but he volunteers at the hospital all the time." She smiles, "I think he really likes me -- oh, if he was gay, he'd so be a bottom." She chuckles at that, "I took him out to the docks, and he's so shy and timid, he barely realized it was a date. I still think I'm the single type, but he's a good guy, I'm giving him a shot, at least."

"The other reason for me not going home is Merrick... Yeah, I know how that sounds." Yuri nods to herself, "And I do feel like I'm avoiding him, but he'd rather have me here -- he doesn't trust the other doctors. And also... I can't tell you how broken he is, Adam." She sighed, "He hasn't been in here for a few days... Every time he does, he just falls apart... I think it'd be better for him not to come back until you've healed a little more, look a little better... But even that's the problem. His Dad pounded in some... I don't know, Be-A-Man, Men-Shouldn't-Cry' thing into him, so he hates himself the more he stays away, and the more he cries. Tritons must always be strong', he says... Your Mom says he's tearing himself apart that way, but you know what Merrick's like when it comes to psychologists."

Yuri sighed as she looked at Adam, still motionless and breathing shallow breaths. "Dammit, Adam, please wake up and answer me..." She pleaded softly, "The only times I talk to myself is in Japanese, otherwise I look crazy... And how long do you intend to just lie there? You're going to get married in about half a year." She wipes her eyes, "I'm supposed to be the Maid of Honor, remember, and damned if I'm gonna let a few idiots ruin that for me, you know?" Her voice shook, "A-And you already told Jamal he's going to be your Best Man, so y-you have to come out of this... Ok...?"

She puts her hand to her eyes, before her beeper rings up from her belt. She checks it, and sighs, "I need to head out... Tomorrow's the day your attackers are dragged into court. I'll make sure they're put away for awhile..." Her insides churn as she gets up, and pats Adam's shoulder, before exiting.

Just as she leaves, she jerks and nearly bumps into someone else. "Oh! I'm sorry-"

"Excuse me, please," Said Jessica, shuffling past Yuri, almost pushing her aside. She comes in with a very large bouquet into Adam's room. Yuri leers at her as while hesitating. She checks her watch, before walking back in.

"I'm sorry, Miss Jessica? Visiting hours are almost over. You will need to make this a short visit, if you please."

"I will, I will." Jessica nods, starting to sob. Yuri leaves, secretly rolling her eyes. "Hohh, Adam..." She whimpers as she sits down to look at her comatose crush.

"This... This is why you are not meant to be..." She huffs as she takes in a deep breath, "I wish you would just listen to me... I wanted to protect you..." She mumbled, "I wanted to stop this from hurting you... Why, why didn't you LISTEN to mee???" She sobbed.

"From the first moment I saw you... You are special..." Jessica sniffed as she wipes her tears, "You have always been special..."

---A Few Years Ago---

The stage picks into a gentle rhythm, a touch of guitar here, a few purple and dank orange colors here and there, while Adam sits at position on one side, his leg propped up with a wrist resting on his knee, and his other leg laying down. The music and the background of a dusk sky lights up as Adam starts his performance.
"~Iiii ~Am a question to the world ~Not an answer to be heard~" He sings to the microphone in his hand, "~Or a moment ~That's heeeld in your aaarrms~" He sits up and gestures to the audience, "~And what~Do you think you'd ever say?~" He gets up and casually walks, "~I won't listen anyway ~You don't know me ~And I'll never be what you waaannt me to be~"

Adam walks to a mast and holds onto it with one arm, "~And what do you think you'd understand? ~I'm a boy, no, I'm a man~" He walks around the mast and leans his back on it, "~You can't take me and throooow me awaaaay" He waved his free hand casually, 
"~And how can you learn what's never shown? ~Yeah, you stand here on your own~" He cocks his head and points out for a second, "~They don't know me ~Cause I'm not heeeeEEeerrrrre!~" He raises his voice.

"~And IIIIII want a moment to be real! ~Wanna touch things I don't feel~" He walks as he sings out, "~Wanna hold on ~And feeeeeeeel I beloooonnng~" "~And how ~Can the world want me to change?~" He points outward with his finger, "~They're the ones that stay the same ~They don't know me ~'Cause I'm not heeerrre~"

"~And you see the things they never see~" The music calms down as the lights reilluminate to different colors to make the background more brighter, "~All you wanted, I could be~" Adam calms his voice down again, "~Now you know me, and I'm not afraid~" He puts his hand to his chest, "~And I wanna tell you who I am ~Can you help me be a man? ~They can't break me ~As long as I know who I am~"

The music and Adam escalates again, "~And IIIII want a moment to be real~! ~Wanna touch things I don't feel~! ~Wanna hold on and feEEEEel I belong ~And how can the world want me to change? ~They're the ones that stay the same~! ~They can't see me, But I'm still heeerrre~"

"~They can't tell me who to beeee~" Adam portrays feelings of hurt as he comes to this point, "~`Cause I'm not what they see-heee ~Yeah, the world is still sleepin' while I keep on dreamin' for meeee~" The lights of the dusk sky behind him flush between blue and purple as the music gets faster, "~And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never beliEEEEEEEve~!"

The lights stay on bright orange and yellow, "~And IIIII want a moment to be real~! ~Wanna touch things I don't feel~! ~Wanna hold on and feeeeeel I beloonnng~!" Adam walks to here and there, gesturing his hand to his chest, "~And how can they say I never change~? ~They're the ones that stay the same~! ~I'm the one now ~`Cause I'm still here~"

The clashing of the drums bring the end of the song closer and closer as the lights settle down, "~I'm the one ~`Cause I'm still here, I'm still heeere ~I'm still here ~I'm still heeeerrre~"

The audience claps as Adam takes a bow before waves out to them. His insides are still going berserk in his gut as his body is also still shaking. Hours of rehearsal, and still a new performer at the Waltz, Adam still can't get over the jitters. Oh, if only Merrick didn't have to go to the Kenovani so he ease Adam down with a good-luck blowjob.

Adam climbs down the steps at the side of the stage, when several people come to him.

"OOHHHH My GOOOOOSSSHH!!" Squeals a young woman. Adam steps back a little as she comes to him.

"A-Ah, hi, sorry, I"

"Oh my gosh, you were AMAAAZIIINNG!"

"Th-Thank you, please, I can barely breathe." Adam said.

"Oh my gosh, it's, it's Adam, isn't it??" She asked.

"Yes, I-I am." Adam nodded, "Um, was there something you wanted? I kinda need to head back to my dressing room."

"Oh! Oh, oh!" The lady then takes out a notepad and a pen, as she beams at him, "I know this is weird, but I can I PLEASE get your autograph???"

"Wha- I, what?" Adam blinked awkwardly as his face feels a weird flush, "But wait, I'm not famous or anything, I just work here-"

"Oh you should be, Adam~" She said with a sigh and shaking her head, "You're the most wonderful singer in the world~"

"Ah, aheheh, ok..." Adam chuckled awkwardly, seeing she's pushing her book to him, "Ahaha, ok, ok..." He smiles as he takes the pen, and opens the book, "What's your name?"

"Jessica~" She answered, breathless "Jessica Foster~"

The next morning, Merrick stars listlessly at the strange clothing Donna gave to him. This is apparently what humans are supposed to wear when they go to a place where law and order takes place. Humans really are so tedious, aren't they? They can't even directly convict ones who have clearly done wrong. No, they need to set up complex systems and overelaborated operations for who knows how long...

Yuri glances into the bedroom. Merrick is still sitting on the bed in his boxershorts and socks... She adjusts her own navy tweed suit, her hair sleek and styled into a bun with a pair of jeweled chopsticks tucked into them. She walks to the living room where Jamal is waiting, wearing a formal suit of his own.

"He doing aight?" Jamal asked lowly.

"You really need to ask?" Yuri replied in a mutter. "He's just sitting there, looking at the cloths... Haghh, I still think this isn't a good idea."

"He wants Adam to get justice, that all."

"I know, but you know his temper. If this goes wrong, Merrick will probably go berserk."

"I still think he gotta right, ya know?"

"Either way, it's almost time to go. I'm just not entirely sure about the judge."

"What d'ya mean?"

"I've been following up with everything, and well... The judge handling this case old-fashioned, to say the least."

"Ah, fuck dat," Jamal dismissed, "It's a hate crime, anybody can see that."

"You never know. You'd think we could afford a lawyer."

"We don't need a lawyer, gurl, we cool."

"I hope so." She inhales, and huffs before turning around to the hallway, and taking a few steps, "Mer-"

"I'm ready. Let's go." Merrick said, fully dressed in the stiff, button-up shirt with an office coat, the cyan tie perfectly set, along with the proper slacks and shoes. Yuri can't help but feel impressed at how well he has put himself together in those kind of clothes... All by himself.

"Merrick, look... I understand if you'd rather stay home." Yuri said, "I think it might even be-"

"I'm not staying here." Merrick said, before leering at her, "I want to look into the eyes of the ones who attacked my partner."

"A-Alright, just... Take it easy." Yuri said as they exited the house, "We're going to a place of utmost formality -- I know you might want to confront the attackers, but you need to let the judge handle it." She notice's a strain in Merrick's skin, also hearing a very subtle rattle from Merrick's throat.

"Fine. I will contain what sanity I have left." Merrick angrily said as they made for one of the cars. This should be interesting.' Merrick thought as he climbed into the backseat, Human laws in practice... Lets see how it compares.'

"M-Merrick!" Yuri stumbles out of the car, just parked in front of the house. Merrick rips the tie off of him, and yanked the coat down onto the sand, "Merrick, stop!"

"You HAVE to be joking!!" Merrick ranted. He goes to one of the driftwood walls, "RRRRHHHHHH!!" With one arm, he pushes and topples the whole section down! He then rips the polyester shirt off of his torso, and lashes it at the porch!

"MERRICK! Please stop!!" Yuri begs.

"IS THIS WHAT HUMAN JUSTICE IS SUPPOSED TO BE?!" Merrick yelled. "First Adam is one who is bashed and butchered, and they're listing off the reasons why HE'S guilty?!"

"NO! No, Merrick, I swear, that is not how it works!"

"Jamal is inprisoned on WHAT grounds?!" Merrick shouted, "He fucking SAVED Adam, goddammit!! He brought him from his own blood, and now he's being shut down because of something he did a long time ago?!"

"I-It's just one person, Merrick!" Yuri tried to protest, "It was just one stupid man who was never supposed to be allowed in the court house!"

"Merrick!" Donna climbs out of her car as Luther too emerged.

"FUCK IT ALL!!!" Merrick whirls around, and bashes a huge dent into the old white wood! Half of the entire log seemed to have split from the sheer force of Merrick's fist.

"Oh my goodness." Donna hushed as she covered her mouth.

"Merrick, stop it!" Luther called out.

"Merrick! Settle down!"

"STAY BACK!!" Merrick yelled. "This is fucking ridiculous! Give me one night, and I will END those men! That's all that I need!"

"Merrick it doesn't work like that!" Yuri said, "If you murder them, you'll be the one put in jail."

"Aaahhhh this is MADNESS!!!" Merrick grabs his hair, "How do you humans fucking get things DONE?!" He demanded through gritted teeth. "My Adam is dead, and nothing will ever be done to rectify it because the ones in power and authority don't give a damn other than their twisted sense of thinking!"

"Adam is NOT dead!" Yuri replied, "Who told you that??"

"That bald doctor from before..." Merrick's eyes rim with furious moisture, "He told me what you avoided to tell me... Adam doesn't have a chance, so stop pretending..."

"Merrick." Yuri huffed, "Doctor Todd Heffner is the most pessimistic, tactless, worst-case-scenario member of the hospital staff! He always assumes the worst because his outlook on life is total gloom!"

"But there's truth to what he says..." Merrick shook his head as he takes a few steps back, "So far, his words are the only ones that speak to me."

"Merrick, please, I know how you feel," Donna called out, her husband holding her from behind, "Please, we can-"

"NO!" Merrick yelled, "I don't want to hear it!!" They stop talking for a moment while Merrick paces back and forth a few times, "You want to know what we do with people who did what they did??" Merrick demanded, "Hah, they wouldn't even be Coshiton, like me!" He scoffed, "With THAT malice, for the very reason that they attacked Adam, for putting him on his death bed?! The Triton and the Noita both would execute them!! And yet those men get to walk scott-free without a second note!"

"No, Merrick, I swear," Donna said, "They're put in jail until the trial can be dated again."

"For what reason, DONNA?!" Merrick shouted. "That so-called judge is just going to do what he did today: arrest Jamal, arrest me, and release the murderers. "

"No, Merrick! What that judge was doing is in violation of everything about the criminal-justice system." Donna claimed.

"Khh, yeah, ok." Merrick shook his head as he turns away.

"Merrick, just stop!" Yuri said, a little hurt by his reaction, "Look, I understand your frustration-"
"You don't understand a damn thing!" Merrick growled through gritted teeth as he points and strides to her. Yuri takes a few steps back, in fear that he might actually strike her. "You humans don't understand one sing thing. In all my time of being on the land, I've seen madmen run and trample everything and everyone they please, and no one has the fucking balls to stand up and fight back. Don't you DARE talk to me about how things are supposed to work, because there was NOTHING justifiable about what happened today!"

"That's enough, Merrick!" Luther barked. "I know you're angry. And so are we." He lets go of Donna, and walks to him, "You don't think we're not pissed about what happened??" Those fiery sapphires glare at him as he talks. "We've seen this happen to Adam a lot longer before you've known him." Merrick simply turns his back and paces again. "You don't believe me?? Adam used to get bullied all the time in school!" He walks after Merrick, "And everyday, I've always had to see my son come home with a new bruise or cut -- do you have any idea what it's like as a parent?? Are you listening to me??"

Merrick's throat rattles with anger again, "Merrick, stop!" Luther says as he grabs onto his bare shoulder just before Merrick is about to punch into a log again, "LISTEN!" He grabs both of those shoulders, "I know what it's like to have someone you love shown such cruelty and get nothing to compensate for it other than a few words. We're ALL hurt over what happened, not just you!"

"Get off of me, Luther..." Merrick hissed.

"Merrick, you need to calm yourself down-"

"Don't TELL me how to FEEL!" Merrick threw off Luther's hands, his eyes moistening with seething hot tears, "Least of all from you..."

"Merrick, just stop, for ONE second, and look!" He turned and gestured to Yuri and Donna, "And look at what you're doing." He gestured to the broken driftwood wall, "Look at what you're doing to yourself." Merrick's bloodied hand shakes a little, with little notice. "As I said, we're all furious about this... But you need to calm yourself down. All you're doing is breaking everything, and that doesn't solve anything either. You need to be patient."

Merrick huffs harshly through his nose as his tears start to take his eyes again.

"Merrick, please believe me." Yuri says, "I've been monitoring Adam's condition since day one. His vitals are keeping steady, he's shown no signs of taking a bad turn. The only thing that's going down is his hydration, and that's nothing. Merrick... It's going to be-"

"No, stop there." Merrick glares as he points to her, "Don't say it, don't." His voice cracks as a drop rolls down his cheek, "I don't want to hear for one more second that things will look up, or he will survive, or just avoid telling me things you know will hurt me. I am sick of being looked and talked to as if I'm too weak to keep going with this."

"Merrick, have a little more faith than that." Yuri continues, "Yes, everything has fallen apart so far, but what happened-"

"No. I said no more." Merrick steps backward as he shakes his head, "If you want to know the truth, Adam is the only reason why I would even put up with this life." Merrick sniffed as he wipes his tears off. "I've just about had it with you humans and the backward ways you do things..." He then turns away, and starts to walk.

"Merrick-" Donna calls out weakly, only to be waved off by his as he went.

"Right this way." Dennis says as he escorts Belinda and Harold into Adam's room.

"Thank you very much." Harold nodded to him, "We'll call you if we need anything." Dennis nodded, and left them to visit.

Belinda holds Theodore as they take a seat next to Adam. "He does look a little better." She said as she gently rocks back and forth.

"Looks like Yuri's been using the herbs you brought." Harold says as he taps the half-used bottle.

"That can only mend the injuries on the outside. I can do nothing for the inside of his body."

"Hhho boy..." Harold leaned forward, shaking his head, "That freaking judge... What the heck is he playing at??"

"Nothing in that trial sounded right. It sounds like they were trying to make Adam look like the one at fault."

"I mean, could they possible choose a worse guy for the job?"

"You said many humans are opposed to homosexuals to great lengths, but to just feign ignorance of the damage that has been done." She shakes her head and looks to Adam, "How do you face it so much??" She pats Theodore's back softly as she rocks him.

"Man..." Harold watch's as Adam's chest carefully inflates, before descending, "I'm sorry, Adam..." He reaches over, and gently holds on top of one of Adam's hands, "I should have driven us... O-Or..."

"Why didn't you go with him?" Belinda asked, "Is he not allowed to drive on his own, yes?"

"He wanted to show off a little... He was a fast learner behind the wheel, and he wanted to pick us up. And out of all of us, he had the least to drink that night."

"I hope he wakes up soon..." Belinda said, "I can sense that Merrick's anger is only growing larger... Pretty soon, he might forget and hate me as a Latolcus again."

"Seriously, I thought Merrick was going to climb up on the podium, and rip that judge a new one."

"If I did not stop the trial when I did, he may have."

"Yeah... Wait, what?"

"When Merrick started to yell and shout, I snuck away, and activated the red box on the wall."

"You pulled the fire alarm??" Harold asks with a wide berth, "Honey, if people find out, you can get in trouble."

"Which is why I always carry my gloves with me." Belinda smiled as she holds up an open hand, which turned white with a peach curved design on it, before transmuting back into human flesh.

"Hah... You hear that, Adam?" Harold said, "You need to wake up, or Merrick's going to go all ape shit."

"Harold!" Belinda hissed as she covers Theodore's ears.

"Oop!" Harold covers his mouth, "Now, see what you did? Made me cuss in front of the baby." Harold said as he playfully swatted Adam's foot. He pauses there, hoping to see any kind of movement from Adam's leg... But nothing.

After about half an hour of sitting in the room, Harold stands up, "Anyway, Adam, we need to go... Syrinx and Kevin want to stop by some time, but they can't find the time yet. They sent you these in the meantime..." Harold then places an elegantly made glittering angel made of white seashells, with several pearls glued here and there in an artistic way, "That's from Syrinx; she's really good with arts and crafts... And Kevin sent this for you..." He then placed a decorative-set of gift cards, discounts vouchers, and coupons for Checkeroni Pizzeria, where Kevin works, set up in a cardboard arcade console.

Belinda inserts a few bright purple flowers into the half empty glass bottle of medicinal mixture, before hitching up her child, "Alright, we have to go now... Say bye-bye, Theo." She says.

"Bye-by..." The toddler said lightly as he bats at Adam's blanket.

"You better get better soon. I want my son to recite the entire Declaration of Independence before you wake up." Harold chuckles.

"... Harold, that does not even make sense." Belinda says as they leave.

Once alone, the machine beeps away, monitoring Adam's heartbeat. Under the oxygen mask, the plastic fogs for a few seconds, before clearing away, as always. Below the mask, Adam's lips remain motionless...

His jaw moves half an inch, before stopping, remaining inanimate again.