Mermaid AU starter for @devildungeondm

"Oh come off it, Henderson, you know that the fresh air is so much more enjoyable than being stuck in the palace." Steve had shot at who he considered his best friend, who also just happened to work for him and be the one to keep tabs on him, but Steve hardly cared about that. Dustin had been complaining that he needed to focus more on not being such a 'rebellious little shit' - his words, not Steves - but Steve knew that he was tired of all that palace life. Everything his father wanted for him, to form him into this perfect Prince. No, Steve wanted freedom to be himself.

"Besides, it's just one day at sea. One. It isn't like I'm kidnapping you for a week or anything. I just was tired of having to listen to my dad bitch and moan about how I needed to start taking more responsibility, settling down, all that shit. I'm still young. I should be able to find love when it's ready to find me." He knew, in all actuality, that Dustin agreed with him. He could see it from the way that his eyes glimmered in his own mischief - he just needed to do what King Harrington said in terms of keeping tabs on Prince Steven.

Steve was practically leaning over the railing at this point, allowing the salty air of the open sea to hit all his senses, eyes closed as he took it all in. "None of this changes the fact that a storm is very clearly coming, Steve. We should get home before it hits." Dustin had been eye-ing the weather nervously, the way the dark clouds were rolling over the horizon, competing with the blue of the ocean. Steve, ever ignorant in his bliss, simply shook his head. "It will be fine, man. We'll be home long before it reaches us."

He clapped the other on the back, moving back across the expanse of ship with a confident grin. "We've got time." He reassured, kicking his shoes off, not because he had any intention to hop into the murky fathoms below, but because he wanted to feel less prim and proper, and feel that sense of independence. Rolling his pants up to his knees, he sat down on the edge of boat that opened up to water, crossing arms under his chin and supporting himself as he looked out. "It's like a whole new world out there, Henderson. We don't even know what's down there. Like sure, there's fish. But is that really all?"