Chapter Text
“What a beautifullll day!” Roxy said, grinning as she pulled Jane to the edge of the water. The weather was perfect for swimming, and Jane had agreed to Roxy’s offer of bringing her out to the local beach.
“Well, I suppose it is,” Jane said as she laid out her blue towel. Roxy followed suit, laying her bright pink one next to Jane’s. She sat back on it and watched as Jane pulled something out from her bag.
“Roxy, do you need any sunscreen?” Jane asked, waving the tube in Roxy’s face. Roxy nodded, grabbing the lotion.
“Yeah, thanks, Jane! You always think of everything.” Roxy said. As Roxy lathered the lotion on, Jane seemed to caught sight of something just off the rocks.
“Roxy, I’m going to go check that out. I’ll be right back.” Jane said, her mouth drawn up a little. Roxy shrugged, laying back on her towel.
“Sure, Janey! Be careful, though, those rocks are pretty slippery. Don’t leave me alone for too long though!” Roxy giggled, and Jane rolled her eyes good-naturedly and walked off. Roxy slid on a pair of cute sunglasses (a gift from Jane- they were shaped like little cats!) and relaxed. Jane was responsible; she could take care of herself, probably.
Despite that, though, after about 10 minutes Roxy felt herself start to get a little anxious. She sat back up and saw Jane still on the rocks, enraptured by whatever it was that got her attention.
“Hey, Jane!” Roxy called out. Jane was getting rather close to the edge of the rocks, and the water out there looked quite turbulent. Worrying, to say the least.
“Jane!” Roxy’s voice increased in pitch, but Jane was preoccupied and didn’t make any indication that she had even heard Roxy at all. Roxy bit her lip and tried to make her way towards Jane, slowly. The rocks were even more slippery than she had thought.
“Jane-” Roxy’s cry was cut off by a loud splash, following by a loud screech. Roxy felt her blood run cold. She clenched her hands and rushed as fast as she could over the rocks, trying to stay upright, jumping from one rock to another. At the edge of the rocks, she dropped to her knees, clutching rocks and leaning out over the raging water. There was no sign of Jane at all; just the currents dancing to and fro. Roxy felt her throat close up. This couldn’t be happening! Oh god. She needed to wake up, wake up, wake up- no. She couldn’t delude herself. This was real, this was happening.
“Shit, shit, Janey! What am I supposed to do?” She cried out in frustration. Her eyes kept searching the water, scanning over and over, but- she just didn’t see anything.
“Can I- go in? But that’s- no, I can’t, Janey wouldn’t want- UGH!” Roxy pulled at her hair and sat back, scratching at her thighs. After a couple more seconds of freaking out, Roxy pulled herself together and edged back from the rapids.
“I have to calm down… what would Janey do? Get to somewhere safe.” Roxy swallowed and nodded, heading back slowly to the beach. When there, she let out a breath and walked over the clear part of the beach, where the rocks and rapids ended. She looked out on the water and shook her head.
“She can’t- can’t… She’ll show up, she has to.” Roxy told herself softly. She waded out into the water, heading for a rock outcropping to the right of the rapids. Maybe the currents would draw Jane out near it? She could only hope. Jane just wasn’t a very strong swimmer….
Roxy pulled herself up onto the rock and tucked her legs underneath her. She scanned the water, and this time, she spotted something. She couldn’t help the gasp that she drew in through her teeth. It looked like something (someone?) was coming towards her from under the waves. Roxy felt a smile tug at the edges of her mouth. Hopefully, it was Jane. After a couple seconds of waiting, she got her answer.
The first head that breached the water wasn’t Jane’s, and Roxy felt her stomach plummet. It belonged to a girl with wide, green eyes, short white hair, and… little green scales under her eyes? But the emergence of a second head halted that conversation in its tracks. It was Jane, although her eyes were closed and she seemed unconscious.
“Do you know this human?” The new girl asked softly. Her voice was somewhat British in tone, inexplicability. Roxy nodded rapidly, and the girl assisted Roxy in pulling Jane onto the shore. Roxy turned her full attention to Jane and checked her pulse. Still there, but weak. She wasn’t breathing, though, and Roxy began CPR. After a couple tense, silent moments, Jane began gagging and spasming. Roxy rolled Jane onto her side, whereupon Jane began hacking up water onto Roxy’s chest. Roxy just grinned softly, pulling Jane onto her lap and cradling her. Jane’s eyes cracked open as her cough subsided.
“R-roxy…” She murmured, reaching for Roxy’s face. Roxy smiled and let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Jane was okay. Jane was alright. Jane was alive.
“I’m here, Janey, I’m here, you’re okay.” Roxy comforted, running a hand down the side of Jane’s face. Jane twisted her face up in mild confusion, eyes darting to and fro.
“I’m glad, Roxy, but… how?” She asked, trying to sit up. Roxy helped her and turned back towards the girl that had saved Jane. The girl was still there, waiting patiently, an apprehensive look on her face.
“This girl saved you,” Roxy said. Jane swallowed and looked the girl, her confusion melting away to gratefulness.
“Thank you! I don’t even really know what happened… I just felt myself slipping off and then I was here. Why don’t you come up onto the rock? It must be tiring, treading water like that…” Jane asked, extending a trembling hand. Roxy nodded, extending hers as well.
“Yeah, come on up. We need to thank you.” Roxy added. The girl bit her lip and averted her gaze to the side, playing her hands awkwardly.
“Sorry, I…. can’t.” She said. Roxy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
“Why not?” Roxy asked, leaning forward. The girl scrunched up a corner of her mouth.
“Maybe it’ll be easier if I just… show you?” She said, leaning back. Her lower torso came up the surface of the water, and to Roxy’s shock, it wasn’t a pair of human legs. Her lower half was a gorgeous emerald green, a fish tail. This girl was a mermaid? Roxy was surprised, but… it made sense, considering how treacherous the waters out by the rock had been. Jane bit back a gasp, but it still came out as a soft little noise. The girl looked more and more nervous by the moment, so Roxy spoke.
“Uh! That’s… cool! Yeah. Nice tail!” Roxy said before she could stop and think. Her face reddened and she glanced down at Jane nervously. God, she really had to think before she spoke. When she looked back up, though, the girl seemed surprised and… pleased?
“You really mean it?” She asked. Roxy brightened and nodded rapidly. “Thank you!”
Roxy looked down at Jane, who still looked surprised. Roxy lightly rubbed Jane’s back, then spoke, “Well, Jane and I need to get back to shore. Would you mind helping Jane back?” Roxy asked. The girl nodded eagerly. Roxy already liked her.
…
The girl’s name, as it turned out, was Calliope; one of the prettiest names she had ever heard (it was up there with Jane, that was for sure). Calliope was so polite, but had to leave shortly after helping Jane to shore. Roxy promised Calliope she would bring her a gift, and Calliope nodded sadly before leaving. Jane had remained somewhat silent throughout the exchange, though, and Roxy engaged her as they walked back up the path to their car.
“I’m so glad you’re alright, Janey! What did you think of your savior, huh? Dreamy, am I right?” Roxy said, swooning a little. Jane chuckled and sent Roxy a sidelong glance.
“Thanks for your concern, Roxy. I thought she was an alright gal.” Jane said. Roxy hmm’d and prodded Jane’s side.
“Still, you seem a little… off. I suppose it is kinda weird that mermaids exist though!” Roxy nodded. Jane tilted her head back a forth, then nodded.
“Well, I guess. With Jade being a witch and all, though, it’s not that surprising. I just wish we could have talked more to her, you know? I wonder if there’s more. Merpeople, that is.” Jane mused, opening the driver’s side of the car. Roxy slid in the passenger seat.
“Well, we’re going to see her again! I promised I’d get her a present for saving my little sweet,” Roxy emphasized sweet by ruffling Jane’s hair, and Jane just smiled and shook Roxy’s hand off, “so you can ask your questions then!” Jane thought for a moment.
“Technically, since she saved my life, shouldn’t I be the one giving her a gift?” Jane said. Roxy set her chin in her hand.
“Well, sure, if you want! But I’m still going to, either way.” Roxy responded, leaning back in her seat and looking up at the ceiling of the car. Pristine, perfectly clean. Jane always kept such good care of her stuff. Jane hummed in response and started the car, then pulled smoothly out of her spot and onto the street. Roxy thought for a moment, tapping her fingers against the window.
“Hey… Janey? You almost just drowned. Maybe we should head to the, like, hospital..?” Roxy said, letting her voice trail off. It took Jane a moment to process the words, and she swerved a bit when she did.
“OH! Yeah. Let’s… do that.”