A/N: That's Darius 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻 Don't worry, it's the same guy, just less facial hair!

**************

Kevin's POV

The moment she drinks whatever Darius gave her, her eyes roll back to her head and her body starts to jerk uncontrollably. Then, like a deja vu of events, her clothes begin to dissolve into her body, with me quickly pulling off my shirt to cover her breasts.

Just don't tell me she's going to die again.

I see the familiar, mesmerising scales sprouting out of her skin from waist down, the conjoining of her legs and then seconds later a fully transformed Iris lies in front of me. I slowly take off my shirt from her body, to find those hypnotising gems covering her voluptuous breasts.

Her chest is rapidly rising up and down and she looks at me with her bright blue eyes. Suddenly, she twists around and begins puking her guts out. Whatever she had ingested up until now, everything comes out as a stream of bile out of her mouth and her silver fins swiftly flaps up and down as she continues to throw up.

I keep rubbing her bare back in hopes of soothing her and after a while, she turns around, breathing heavily.

"Yeah, t-that fucking medicine d-doesn't do too good to m-mermaids!" she chokes out. My eyes go wide.

My sweet, innocent little Iris did not just curse!

"And now, I can't even fvcking walk in my damn tail. But it's so beautiful too. Who am I kidding, this is my fucking tail, of course it's beautiful!" she praises herself.

What the hell happened to my girlfriend?

"Why are you guys looking at me like that?" she asks and that's when I lift my head to see the rest of the faces just as surprised as me.

"You- you...." Caspian trails off, unable to form words.

"Yeah, me? Why don't you just fucking say what you feel, Caspian? First you kiss her neck, then you ignore her like a bitch, then you act like nothing happened, then you find out that she is with this guy..." she points at Darius, "....so you bawl your eyes out like a pussy!" she scowls.

I might have to literally pick my jaw up from the floor after this.

"I-Iris, w-what are you-" Caspian begins but she cuts him off.

"Nah, I ain't doing nothing, Caspy caspy! But you need to fucking open up to your Katarina! Because I want to see you guys together, for fuck sake!" she yells.

Caspian looks dumbstruck, Karen looks like she could faint and Darius...well, he is nowhere to be seen.
Where the hell did that guy go?

"I know you love her...Caspian, just say it to her..." Iris whispers.

How did we reach from a small tummy ache to here? I need more explanation. And I didn't even know that my little Iris was capable of swearing like a sailor. Although I feel like a father supposed to admonish his child for using bad words, I can't help but feel a little guilty but proud to find that my sweet little angel is not so innocent.

Karen looks at Caspian, and she looks like she would break down at any moment.

"And you...." she turns to me. I brace myself for what's next. "For how long have we been together, huh? You haven't fucked me once!"

What in the mother Mary did she just say?!

I think I hit my head somewhere because this is not Iris. This mermaid who I am holding right now, in this very moment is not my Iris. Because she did not just say that.

I swear my blood has stopped dead in its tracks because I don't feel anything. It may only be seconds before my hands loose strength and drop her down and she will be madder at me.

Well, she is mad at me for not making love to her. In her words, precisely, for not fucking her!

"I want to go back...to our tent! And you better give me my cookies!" she says to Caspian. "Or tonight, I'll stay with you."

Caspian's nose flares and I can see him trying to avoid eye contact with Karen. Where did Darius disappear to?

"Iris, transform back." Karen orders.

"And what, drain all my energy back? I don't think so." Iris scowls. But before any of this gets more complicated, I pick my mermaid up bridal style, and despite all her protests, take her back inside our tent.

The moment we step inside the tent, her pupils dilate and the scowl on her face turns to a confused expression. I carefully lay her down but even after she reaches the ground, she doesn't let go of my neck.

"Don't put me down...please!" she begs. And there is no way in the world can I say no to that cute doe- eyes.

"We need to talk. What you said right there, that was not good." I scold, still carrying her.

"What happened? What did I say?" she ask, looking very confused. She clearly is playing a game and it'll only be minutes before I lose it.

"Iris, stop playing this game. Do you know what you said there? You swore like a bitch, and told all that stuff you probably weren't supposed to say, and then you were angry at me for not having sex with you!" I explain and then carefully place her down.

She looks like she saw a ghost and then her face twists with realization followed with anger.

"Delmar..." she breathes.

******

Karen's POV

After Kevin leaves with a tantrum- throwing Iris, I don't have words to describe what is present between me and Caspian. The tension is so thick that you can physically slice through it.

"Why did you hold back?" I ask, lowly. He doesn't answer and he stands up to leave, but I grab his arm, stopping him. Of course, he protests but I am stronger.

"Answer my question then, and only then can you leave." I declare.

"Katarina-"

"Caspian, answer the damn question and then leave. Or else you are not moving and please, do not test my patience. One can only be patient for so long." I say through gritted teeth.

"I can't tell you, Katarina. The only person I poured my heart out to was Iris and now here we are. Did the medicine get her drunk or what?" he says.

"Well, thanks to whatever happened, now I know the truth." I say.

"I'm sorry, Katarina. But-"

"No, you're not! You're not sorry, Caspian. If you are, tell me why you held back. Why did you distance yourself from me?" I ask. He sighs and looks down.

"I knew Darius wanted you. You know, he is like my brother. Knowing that he liked you, I couldn't have you for myself." he answers.

Bull. Shit.

"What do you guys think I am? An object to be shared?" I fume.

"No, that's not-"

"You know, I really should have chosen none of you. That way, it wouldn't have been this complicated." I snap.

"Listen to me..." he says.

"Is it true? You love me?" I whisper.

"I can't answer that, Katarina." he replies.

So technically, I ain't getting no answers and asking him about this will only make it more complicated. It's best to focus on finding the Borat and then being queen and then reigning as the first ever unmarried monarch of Eponine. Easy, no big deal. Relationships only make stuff hard.

"You know what, I'm gonna leave! Screw boys and boyfriends. I'm going to be single for the rest of my life." I scoff. "Because when I gave you a chance, you blew it. And when I am happy with your brother as you say, you are sad. Sorry Caspian, but I hate to see my friends sad, and that includes you." I say and stand up to leave.

But he grabs my wrists, stopping me.

"I'm sorry." he whispers. So now he's apologising. And why in god's name is something inside me forcing me to forgive him. It's like I can't say no to that puppy dog eyes he is making unintentionally.

I nod stifly, signalling my forgiveness and make my way towards our tent. And in the tent awaits another task.

On the corner sits Darius, hugging his knees and head bent low.

"Darius..." I whisper, placing a hand on his shoulder and he looks up at me through red, teary eyes. And it breaks my heart to see them.

"He kissed you? Why didn't you tell me?" he chokes out.

"It was before we were together. It was when we were training." I say.

"You knew he liked you, then why are you with me?"

"Because he kept avoiding me and being rude to me. I was confused. But you were always nice to me, Darius. You kept showing me your feelings and I had them too. But Caspian didn't show me anything. He kept them hidden. And not to mention, he was drunk when he kissed me." I explain.

"When I found you in the hallway. When your eyes were gold." he realizes and I nod.

"Any form of excitement causes my eyes to glow."

"Who did you like?" he asks.

"I don't know. I still don't, if I should be honest. I like both of you. Liked." I correct. "But he was distant, you weren't." I reply. "Please don't cry, Darius." I plead, cupping his face in my hands.

"I am just guilty, Karen." He says.

"Don't be. Now can we forget about this and go to sleep? The medicine worked. And we got a big day ahead of us right? Gotta pass Almine unnoticed. And I have to ask that bitch Iris about what the hell happened to her!" I say and he smiles.

God, I love that smile.

"Let's sleep?" I ask and he nods.

He lies down with me, but scoots lower and rests his head on my chest, burying his face in it. He wraps his legs around mine and sighs.

"Sneaky..." I whisper.

"Oh come on, you can't blame me! They're so comfortable." he says rubbing his face on my boobs.

"Don't get too comfortable babe! Might as well, kick you to the other side of the tent." I warn and he giggles as I lightly scratch his scalp to sleep.