{ chapter sixteen

Sehun has never really gone down to the rock shelves before – Jongin has kept the area private to himself, and always discouraged the proposal of visiting together. He feels alien to the area, and slightly apprehensive about the prospect of seeing another Mer.

He’s alone with the waves for a good half hour, burrowed between the rocks in the least visible position possible, before light splashing nearby startles him into motionlessness. A few moments pass, and hands appear on the edge of the rocks, clutching on for support.

Sehun watches in wonderment as a young man pulls himself up out of the water, seating himself on the edge of the rock gently. He knows it’s Taemin immediately – the dazzling colour of his tail matches Jongin’s description perfectly.

Nervous, he quietly shuffles out of his hideout and moves towards the Mer boy, clearing his throat. Taemin turns around, alarmed, and panic swipes the neutral expression from his face once he realises his visitor isn’t who he expected it to be.

“Wait!” Sehun calls, sensing his desperation to get away. “I’m Jongin’s friend. You’re Taemin, right?”

Taemin stares at the blonde-haired human, dubious, but relaxes obediently. “Yes. Explain yourself.”

Sehun approaches slowly and sits beside Taemin, a fair distance away – Taemin’s sharp tone is nothing short of intimidating, and his cold stare doesn’t help ease his nerves. He’s sure the Mer boy is just trying to protect himself and his identity, but knowing that comforts him little under such pressure.

“I’m Sehun. Um—Jongin couldn’t come down. He wanted to stay with Kyungsoo.”

“And why were you with Jongin?”

Sehun frowns, slightly offended. “He’s my best friend. He called me for help.”

“Why did he send you here?” Taemin queries.

Sehun feels as if he’s being interrogated, but for the sake of Kyungsoo’s safety and Jongin’s wellbeing, he fights back the urge to snap back sarcastically.

“Kyungsoo’s tail has gone grey.” Taemin’s expression immediately drops in panic, but Sehun quickly continues to reassure him. “But he’s still alive. And he’s not so cold.”

“He’s alive?”

Sehun nods and Taemin places a hand on his forehead in disbelief. He can barely believe the fact that Kyungsoo is still living and breathing – but the tail colour is what’s cryptic to him. He stares down into the water in thought, but nothing comes to mind, and he shakes his head in defeat.

“Our tails only blanch after death. That can’t be right.”

Sehun nibbles his lip nervously – there’s no time to waste pondering the unknown. Jongin is alone and distressed, and he needs assistance as soon as possible.

“What about the folktale? Did that mention anything?”

“No. I can’t remember. It was so long ago. I’m sorry.”

“What do I tell Jongin?”

Taemin shrugs helplessly. The thought of Jongin crouched over an unconscious Kyungsoo torments his conscience, but he has little advice to give. “Don’t tell him what the tail means. Just—assure him that Kyungsoo’s survival is good news. He shouldn’t even be alive at this point.”

Sehun agrees and moves to stand up, already uncomfortable enough with the atmosphere and rushed to return to Jongin, but Taemin stops him by placing a hand on his arm. He grimaces and moves to sit back down, praying that Taemin won’t probe him any further.

“You made up with him, right?”

Sehun tenses up, taken aback. “What?”

“He talks about you. A lot.” Sehun doesn’t need clarification to know that Taemin is referring to Jongin. “And he misses you. Stay with him, okay?”

Speechless, Sehun gulps and nods quickly, shaking off Taemin’s arm and clambering to his feet. His heart is pounding as he leaves, but suddenly, his urgency to go back to the house diminishes.

He never realised how much their separation impacted Jongin, too.

* * *

Sehun takes Jongin into his arms once he returns, comforting him by promising Kyungsoo’s signs of life are good news. Jongin thanks him for visiting Taemin and questions him about their encounter curiously, and Sehun relays the story, making sure to avoid mentioning their final exchange of words.

“You won’t leave now, right?” Jongin says softly, once his friend has finished speaking. Sehun shakes his head firmly. “I’ll stay. Are your parents coming back soon?”

“In a few days.”

“And how is Kyungsoo?”

Jongin shrugs and pulls away, turning back to sit on the edge of the bed and touch Kyungsoo’s arm. “No change so far.”

Sehun watches and waits as Jongin loses himself in his own little world with Kyungsoo, his fingers moving gently over Kyungsoo’s sallow skin, trying to rub the life back into it. He’s never seen Jongin look so tenderly at anyone before – it’s the same kind of love that twinkles in his irises when they visit the beach together and lie in the sand, staring up at the clouds, gazing across the waves, flipping shells between their palms and watching their toes sink into the sand. Jongin’s love for the ocean has been forever – it’s no wonder he’s fallen for Kyungsoo in such a short space of time.

“Jongin, do you love him?”

Jongin doesn’t look up. Sehun’s voice is gentle and kind, and he doesn’t feel intimidated by his inquisition. Instead, he continues to Kyungsoo’s cheeks, wondering how to properly respond. Nothing creative seems to suffice.

“Yes.”

Jongin raises his head and meets eyes with Sehun, who simply shrugs and lifts the corner of his mouth in a small smile.

“It’s okay.”

“I never asked if it was okay or not.”

Sehun rolls his eyes. “Don’t make me change my mind.”

Jongin smiles and looks back down at Kyungsoo shyly. He doesn’t want to admit it, but his heart was pounding as he admitted his feelings, even though he knows Sehun would never reject him. They’ve gone through too much for something so trivial to impact their friendship.

“I’m going to go call mom and tell her I’m staying the night again.”

“Okay. Thanks, Sehun.”

Sehun shrugs again modestly and exits the room, leaving Jongin to himself, a deep sigh escaping his lips. He can only pray that Kyungsoo will wake up soon and Jongin’s muddled mind will be set straight, because he’ll have a lot of explaining to do once his parents return home, and Sehun has no intentions of assisting him.

* * *

Kyungsoo doesn’t show any signs of improvement all day. His tail seems greyer and sicker, the life slowly dwindling from it, but his shallow breathing remains the same. Sehun brings Jongin coffee to keep him awake and tea to relax him, and forces him to eat despite his alleged lack of hunger. Jongin blatantly refuses to leave the room without Kyungsoo, and it takes Sehun a frustrating amount of effort to even convince him to go to the bathroom.

Jongin falls asleep restlessly in the early hours of the morning, after pacing his room to free some of his pent up energy, lying beside his bed on the carpet. Sehun curls up on the couch once he’s assured Jongin is unconscious, but once again he’s jolted awake by the sound of Jongin’s voice.

Tears stream from Jongin’s eyes, his body hunched over Kyungsoo’s, and Sehun assumes the worst until he sees that Jongin is beaming.

“Look at his tail,” he chokes, “oh, Sehun, I can’t believe it.”

Sehun hurries over and stops beside the bed, his breath hitching – half in amazement, half in disgust. It’s almost too crazy to be real.

The tail is now a translucent grey, wrinkled and very obviously dead, resembling the shed skin of a snake – which, apparently, is exactly what’s happened to him. The dried skin has split through the middle and opened, to reveal something unbelievable beneath.

Instead of a tail, Kyungsoo now has two long, slim, milky-white – but very alive – human legs.

* * *

It’s too early in the morning for Sehun to tell Taemin what’s happened, so instead, the two friends spend the next half hour checking on Kyungsoo’s heart rate and breathing, analysing whether or not they should pry away the tail skin from Kyungsoo’s legs. Jongin is against it, but Sehun can tell it’s because the sight of Kyungsoo is making him blush, so he pushes Jongin back and concludes he’ll do it himself.

“Don’t hurt him,” Jongin pleads.

“I’m not trying to, idiot.”

Sehun is meticulous as he peels Kyungsoo’s legs from the dead flesh of the tail, careful not to rip any skin that’s still attached, but his legs come away with ease. Within the few hours of sleep Jongin managed, the entire tail separated from the legs perfectly.

His skin is tender and quite raw, so Sehun demands for Jongin’s assistance as they gently lift Kyungsoo’s legs to slide the shell of Kyungsoo’s tail from underneath him. Jongin gags when he holds it up, the sheer thought of what it used to be making him sick.

“I’ll go and throw it away,” Sehun offers, seeing no use for the tail husk any longer. “Stay here and make sure nothing happens. We’ll dress him after, if that makes you feel better.”

“I can’t believe it,” Jongin murmurs, staring at Kyungsoo’s bare human body as Sehun leaves the room. He averts his eyes from the additional human feature Kyungsoo has developed and instead stares at his beautiful and graceful legs, so perfectly suited to his petite body. Seeing Kyungsoo in human form is surreal, and it’s taking him a while to wrap his head around the bizarre transformation.

Sehun walks back in, failing to hide how shaken he looks, and clears his throat as he approaches Jongin’s wardrobe, trying to recover his composure. He’s obviously just as freaked out as Jongin is.

“Right. I need some clean underwear of yours to put on Kyungsoo.”

Jongin shuffles over and peers across Sehun’s shoulder. “Nothing is going to fit him.”

“Don’t you have a pair you’ve grown out of?”

“Maybe?”

Sehun digs through his underwear drawer, much to Jongin’s humiliation, and finally manages to find a pair that’s much too small for Jongin’s broad frame, but seems to be just the right size for small Kyungsoo.

They don’t have time to put it on him, because once they turn around, they realise Kyungsoo is stirring.

Sehun drops the garment and Jongin gasps, running over and collapsing to his knees beside the bed to watch. The small boy moves ever so slightly, turning his head and twitching his fingers, before a hoarse gasp rips through his throat, fists clenching, knuckles whitening.

“Kyungsoo!” Jongin cries.

Kyungsoo’s eyes snap open wide in panic, his breathing fast and shallow, and tries to speak but can only manage helpless chokes. Sehun stares in horror as Jongin Kyungsoo’s cheeks to comfort him, shoulders relaxing in understanding. Kyungsoo has never breathed on the Surface before, and of course, it’s painful for him.

“Kyungsoo, relax,” he says, voice wavering. “It’s okay. I’m here. J-Just breathe, okay?”

Kyungsoo struggles to catch his breath and it’s evident he’s trying to relax, but failing. The Surface air is harsh on his throat, so well adapted to the smoothness of the Sea, and his state of shock doesn’t help, either.

“It—hurts,” he manages to rasp, screwing up his eyes and throwing back his head in pain. Jongin covers his mouth to lessen the loudness of a sob, bending over Kyungsoo and kissing him softly on the lips.

“I know. I know it hurts. I’m here.”

Jongin turns around quickly, motioning for Sehun to leave. “Get some water. Hurry.”

Sehun turns to get water, but Jongin stops him again. “And a fork! Bring a clean fork.”

“Why?”

“Just do it!” Jongin cries.

Bewildered, Sehun runs out and hurriedly pours a glass of water, before grabbing a fork from the cutlery drawer and sprinting back to the room. Jongin is helping Kyungsoo to sit up in bed, propping him up against the wall. Kyungsoo’s eyes are squeezed shut and he’s obviously in pain, and Jongin whispers soft words into his ear to assist him.

“It’s okay,” Jongin coos, “the pain will go. I promise.”

“I have the water,” Sehun says, crouching next to the bed and handing the cup to Jongin. Jongin holds it up to Kyungsoo’s lips, rubbing his fingers soothingly over Kyungsoo’s cheeks to bring his attention to it.

“Can you drink this?” Jongin asks softly. Kyungsoo forces his eyes open and leans his head back, and Jongin tilts the cup, letting the water drip slowly into his mouth. Kyungsoo turns away when he feels satiated, his mouth and throat moistened, and it’s much easier to breathe with the water coating his dry mouth.

“Do you feel better?”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo says quietly. “What’s—going on?”

Jongin laughs gently, wiping away a tear, and pushes himself up to sit on the edge of the bed, leaning forward to kiss Kyungsoo. “You won’t believe it.”

Sehun offers the fork when Jongin turns to face him, and Jongin holds up the clean silverware for Kyungsoo to take. Kyungsoo cups it in his hands, smiling gently, before he catches sight of what’s below his torso.

“My tail!” Kyungsoo exclaims, his expression fallen in horror. He drops the fork beside him and leans forward, touching his thighs, terrified. He seems particularly fascinated at what’s between his legs, and Sehun quickly notices Jongin’s embarrassment and goes to pick up the underwear again.

“Jongin, help me dress him.”

Kyungsoo raises his head and spots Sehun standing over the bed, and looks to Jongin for reassurance, frightened by the unfamiliar face. Jongin touches his waist and smiles gently, “he’s my friend.”

Kyungsoo stares in bafflement as he watches the two help him, lifting his legs and putting the clothing on him. He’s never worn clothes before, and the texture of the material on his tender skin feels strange and rough.

“Jongin?” Kyungsoo says fearfully. “I’m scared.”

Jongin leaves Sehun to adjust the clothes and he drops back down onto the bed beside Kyungsoo. “I know. It’ll be okay.”

Kyungsoo reaches out and Jongin takes his hands, his delicate knuckles with his thumbs. He wants to kiss Kyungsoo desperately, but he feels Sehun’s presence behind him, and doesn’t want to make his friend uncomfortable. He turns and motions towards Sehun, allowing him to leave.

“Can you go and tell Taemin?”

Relieved to have an excuse to go, Sehun agrees and hurries out of the room, shutting the door behind him, and Jongin turns back to Kyungsoo and presses their lips together. He moves closer and pulls Kyungsoo towards him by his waist, replicating the affection they’d always share under the water to make him feel more at home.

“You’ve been unconscious since the…execution,” Jongin explains carefully. “I brought you up here. Taemin told me of some folktale. I didn’t think it would work.” His lip begins to wobble, and he purses them together to stop himself from crying again. “I—I really thought I was going to lose you.”

Kyungsoo, however, doesn’t seem interested in the terrible fate he could have faced. “Does Junmyeon know?”

Jongin gulps and shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”

“He’s worried about me.” Kyungsoo tries to move, but he struggles under the weight of his new and foreign legs. “I have to see him.”

Jongin rubs his waist apologetically. He can tell Kyungsoo is distressed, but the last thing he needs is to visit the Sea, not when he’s just woken up. “Kyungsoo, you can’t. You’re not stable enough. I’ll try and get Taemin to pass on the message, okay?”

Kyungsoo seems reluctant to agree, but does nonetheless, knowing that Jongin is worried for his health.

“What about my necklace?”

Teary-eyed, Jongin lets out something between a sob and a laugh, and he kisses Kyungsoo’s cheek. “Oh, forget about the necklace, Kyungsoo. I’ll buy you a new one.”

“But—”

“I’m just glad you’re alive,” Jongin breathes. He moves to sit in front of Kyungsoo and lifts him up, sitting him in his lap, and Kyungsoo gasps in surprise. Seeing his legs splayed on either side of Jongin shocks him, and he can’t help but laugh in disbelief – he’d never have imagined being in this position before, not when he had his enormous tail.

“I can’t believe this is real,” Kyungsoo says, as Jongin begins at his neck and shoulders, cherishing the precious time they have together. He’s thankful for his life and knows he should be grateful towards Taemin and Jongin for saving him, but all he can think about his how peculiar his legs look on him.

“I love you,” Jongin says suddenly. Kyungsoo jolts in surprise and a smile rises to his lips – hearing the words is what really makes him appreciate how glad he is to be here, alive, sitting with Jongin, breathing his air and touching his skin. He’s free from the King, free from his betrothal, free to run on the ground and leap through the air and stare up at the sky and the clouds. All with Jongin by his side.

“I love you, too,” he breathes, and although the Surface air is still coarse in his throat, the words have never come out smoother.

* * *

When Sehun returns, he sees Kyungsoo with his arms outstretched for balance, teetering across the room with Jongin holding onto his waist from behind. His legs are wobbly and he sways unsteadily, unaccustomed to how heavy he is on the ground, but the bright, beaming smile lighting up his astonished face makes the sight more beautiful than anything Sehun’s ever seen before.

✏ [ a/n ] guys....the last chapter is ing the next chapter wtf.......im gonna cry.....imma miss the 3 of u that commented every chapter you guys are BAE and i LOVE YOU B) and of course i love everyone else that's supported me even though you guys are quiet af but thank you to y'all that are finally speaking up omg i'm so glad to hear from every single one of you and u make my heart go DOKI DOKI DOKI love you guys

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