The moon was dim above him, just a sliver of silver in the star covered sky. The sand was warm under his feet being as it hadn’t cooled from the hours of baking in the blistering sun. The waves crashed against the shore slowly, but consistently, and for once their sound wasn’t comforting. The shells hanging around his neck jostled slightly in the wind and the sound only made his heart ache a little more. Minho, Jonghyun and the rest of the crew had threw him a grand party for his birthday in the main tavern of the island, but he couldn’t drink and be merry. He needed to be alone with his thoughts. He appreciated his crew, but if he didn’t gain control of his emotions they would cause him his life one of these raids. 

His eyes were down at his feet, how the sand was kicked and how his heel left an impression. His boots were held in his left hand as he continued down the beach away from the docks and the quickly fading lights of the town. The smell of the sea, the sounds of the waves and the seagulls flying above the water’s surface, all of it reminded him of the merman who swam away with his heart. Even the damn sand under his feet that was getting between his toes uncomfortably reminded him of all those times waiting on the beach for the merman’s pink hair to appear above the surface.

It had been just under a year since he had woken up to be told Jinki was gone as he was handed the necklace he had given him so many months before, but it felt like so much longer. He had forgotten just how it felt to have his fingers in Jinki’s long hair, how his scales felt under his fingers and he couldn’t even place the distinctive birthmark on his long, strong tail.  

He spotted a large rock a little ways ahead of him a couple feet into the water and figured it was about time he stopped. Just when he could make out the waves crashing against the rock he heard his name, so soft he believed he had imagined it. He shook his head and pressed on. It was his mind playing games on him again. The water was way cooler than the sand as he stepped closer to the rock and jumped up onto it. The waves that were crashing against the rock splashed against his toes as he stared out into the open dark sea.

Then he heard his name again and it was loud enough that he gave it a second thought. Then he heard movement in the water and as his hand moved to the pistol on his hip he saw the pink hair breaching the surface. The name fell from his lips in shock before he could think to stop it, “ Jinki?”

The form swam closer and closer and Kibum’s hand fell from the pistol when he saw that smile. He was so close that Kibum could reach out and touch him, but after so long he didn’t trust himself or his mind that the figure before him was actually Jinki. “Has is really been that long that you don’t remember me Treasure?” 

“You’re not real.” Kibum whispered, bringing his legs closer away from the water’s edge and Jinki. “You’re just my mind playing cruel cruel tricks on me.”

Jinki looked down at his form and touched his face. “I was real when I woke up this morning to find clams for breakfast.”

Kibum reached out with a shaking hand as he slowly scooted down the big slop of the rock and his breathing stopped for a moment when his fingers touched warm skin of Jinki’s cheek. The merman’s hand came up to cup the other’s hand as a sweet smile formed on his face. “Why.. why did you go?”

“It was for the best. You were safer without me.”

“I love you.” Kibum exclaimed. “How could not seeing you be the best for me?” 

“Kibum,” Jinki’s voice was soft and filled with despair as he pushed himself further out of the water. His face was so close to Kibum’s their breaths were mingling between them, “I loved you then, and I love you now, just like I will for as long as I live, but that’s not why I came back.”

“Then why did you?”

Jinki flashed a quick smile before reaching down into the bag he had around his shoulder, the same sail bag he had when they met, and pulled out a small painted metal box. “To give you this. The day of our birth isn’t of very much importance to my people, but it is to you and yours. Happy Birthday.”

The box was placed into Kibum’s palms, but all the man did was set the box behind him on the rock and surge forward. His hands were pushed into Jinki’s hair, lips molded together. Jinki was tense at first and fear began to bubble in Kibum’s stomach, but then the merman was melting against his kiss and his hands were moving around his neck and deepening the kiss. When they pulled away Kibum pressed their foreheads together and said while looking into Jinki’s eyes, “ Whatever is in that box is not worth more to me than you. I might be your greatest treasure, but you’re my greatest discovery. Please don’t leave me again.”

Kibum could see the internal struggle going on within Jinki’s beautiful eyes, but then the gorgeous orbs were being cut off from his vision when he closed his eyes. Dread was filling him when Jinki opened his eyes again and a soft smile formed on his lips. “Okay.. okay I won’t leave you again.” Kibum was so happy he tugged the very heavy merman up onto the rock with him to lay along him. Jinki beamed from his place above him and leaned down to nudge his nose with his. When his human lifted his fingers to run through his hair sadness entered the edges of his smile. “It never grew out properly, so I’ve gotten used to it this length.”

“Your longer hair was breathtaking, but you’re just as breathtaking like this Baby.” It was just to his chin, but it was just as beautiful. “Gods I’ve missed you.”

“I never fully left you. I had to make sure you recovered.”

“It was you! I wasn’t seeing things.”

Jinki gave a small smile before laying his head on Kibum’s shoulder, and his tail splashed against the water happily. The present he came to give to Kibum stayed up further on the rock as the man held his true gift close. Even if he was getting his tunic soaked.