A/N: Happy New Year! I tried something new this time around so let me know how it is!

“Do you think we’d meet again?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I’d always find you.”

 

***

 

The water washed at her bare feet and JooHyun smiled, taking in the vast blue expanse in front of her while the smell of salt filled her nostrils. Sighing, she picked her charcoal piece again and began sketching, taking in the environment and immortalising it upon paper. The scratching sounds were drowned out by the sounds of the waves breaking on the shore, JooHyun rubbing yet another part of the drawing with her smudge filled fingers to give the art a little more depth.

 

A small thumping sound had her jumping up slightly, a black line drawn across the page and she scowled at the ruined artwork, her eyes flickering towards where the thumping sound persisted. Her fingers stiffened when she saw the figure, the charcoal dotting another blemish on her drawing and she tossed the items onto sand, toes curled into heated sand. She ran towards the unconscious figure in the water, the girl’s head hitting the pillar of the deck continuously as she floated lifelessly, lips pale and cheeks sunken.

 

JooHyun’s body reacted before her mind, her fingers gripping onto waterlogged clothes tightly and she dragged the girl out of the water. Her eyes took in the rusted red on the girl’s abdomen and the three slits on either side of her neck, the skin flapping open and close weakly. Swallowing tightly, JooHyun pulled the blonde onto the beach, hoping that the dipping sun would cast enough shadows to hide their forms.

 

For some reason, she didn’t want anyone to see the girl.

 

She placed a finger under the girl’s nose and breathed a sigh of relief when she felt air moving, JooHyun craning her head around and observing the abandoned beach side. Clenching her teeth, she nodded to herself and she pulled the brunette’s arms over her shoulder, stumbling slightly as JooHyun pulled the faint girl on her back. The brunette groaned when JooHyun accidentally jostled at her wound, the artist freezing slightly as the stranger moved, her fingers tightening under the blonde’s thighs.

 

Slowly, she trudged her way towards her cottage, wondering to herself how it was that an Atlantean had washed ashore.

 

And how were they real when the books said that they were extinct.

 

*

 

When the girl woke, JooHyun was greeted to a chokehold tighter than life itself, her neck bruising under the hold as the girl stared at her with wild eyes, blue like the ocean she loved and just as deep. She struggled to breathe and explain herself but the palm of the blonde’s hand was crushing , making it impossible to speak. She clawed at the hands, her vision tainted with black spots as she choked, the gills on the stranger’s neck flapping quickly.

 

“Who are you?! Where am I?!”

 

She wheezed, her nails digging into flesh and she scratched long lines of red that blossomed in the dark of the room. The sudden burst of colour drew the Atlantean out of her haze and her hands quickly drew back, JooHyun falling to her knees and coughing, her lungs burning as she tried to take in the air she had lost. A hand patted her back as she drew in shaky, wheezing breaths and she looked up to guilty blue eyes, the blonde rubbing gently and pursed with an apology.

 

“I’m sorry - I just - It’s not everyday a land dweller treats our kind with this much care.”

 

was inflamed but she managed to speak, her voice raspy and broken, making the blonde’s eyes grow darker with sorrow.

 

“I... understand...”

 

She coughed again, her fingers lingering at her bruised neck and pressing experimentally, inwardly taking note of the damage that was done. The other girl’s hand never stopped its motion as though the Atlantean was trying to use her touch to heal JooHyun.

 

It wasn’t until JooHyun spoke up again, her head lifting to look straight into eyes that spoke of the ocean that she loved and hair kissed by the sun that the Atlantean stopped her ministrations.

 

“I’m going to be fine. And you’re not getting out of this, I expect some form of compensation.”

 

The blonde’s fingers lingered before they closed into a fist on her back, the girl laughing softly. Her eyes scrunched up into a smile and the gills on her neck fluttered open once before closing, the sound of bells and life leaving her lips. JooHyun blinked, completely in a daze and wondered again.

 

Was it possible for someone to capture the stars and put it in their eyes, their smile, their laugh?

 

*

 

It turned out that the girl, SeungWan, could cook, delicious dishes that had JooHyun’s mouth watering, dishes that spoilt her and made her stomach heavy, especially since the blonde found out that JooHyun was the one who found her and gave her medical attention. She did so with gusto, placing JooHyun on a chair firmly before perusing the cooking area, her hands clever and body quick, completely unhindered by the huge wound that JooHyun had stitched and bandaged earlier.

 

Their dinner was filled with colourful conversation, though they avoided the fact that SeungWan had gills on her neck and that JooHyun had found her injured with a wound that looked like it came from a knife. Instead, SeungWan made JooHyun laugh, her sun-kissed hair gleaming under the moonlight, catching JooHyun’s attention, her eyes twinkling with the stars that JooHyun loved to stare at when she couldn’t sleep and her lips curling into a smile that would haunt JooHyun for days.

 

They talked over dinner as though they were old friends.

 

As they talked, JooHyun wondered whether it was possible to fall in love with someone’s eyes.

 

*

 

It was when the sun was rising on the blonde’s third night with JooHyun that SeungWan spoke up about their unusual meeting, one hand on her neck and the other splayed on her abdomen where white bandages hit a wound that was still hurting.

 

“Thank you for saving me.”

 

JooHyun pulled her eyes away from the colours of love and the heat that was flushing on her cheeks with SeungWan’s stare on her face. SeungWan chuckled and moved the hand on her neck towards JooHyun’s, her thumb rubbing against the purple that had splotched across the white expanse of skin. Her lips pulled down and she spoke again, her apology heavy in the atmosphere.

 

“I’m sorry for this.”

 

JooHyun shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips.

 

(It was funny how she never blamed SeungWan, even though the blonde’s fingertips spoke of hidden strength that could’ve easily killed her.)

 

“I’m fine.”

 

She clutched the boards of the deck tightly, lest she did something stupid like hold onto SeungWan’s hand and turned her head towards the sunrise, the orange mixing in with the blue in a way that never seem to clash like it did on her drawings. SeungWan’s thumb was gentle against her damaged throat and JooHyun found herself leaning into the touch, drawing comfort in a stranger’s caress.

 

(There was an insistent tug in her soul, her heart singing when SeungWan drew closer, her face pulled into a happy expression.)

 

They observed the sunrise quietly, thighs pressed against each other, SeungWan’s warmth anchoring JooHyun’s daydreams in a way that she had never been anchored before. The other girl’s thumb was still rubbing against her bruises and JooHyun could feel the apology lace every swipe of the digit, SeungWan’s soft breathing the soundtrack to a morning that was coming. The birds around them chirped once, twice before being squawked away by the seagulls.

 

And then SeungWan spoke up again, JooHyun turning her head towards her when she picked up a sense of urgency in the blonde’s voice.

 

“JooHyun?”

 

JooHyun tilted her head, taking in the way the gears behind SeungWan’s eyes were spinning overtime.

 

“Yes?”

 

The Atlantean cleared and looked down, her voice weak and her fingers stilling at the nape of JooHyun’s neck.

 

“Is there...is there a place you can go that is not here? Somewhere safe?”

 

Confused, JooHyun scrunched her eyebrows at SeungWan and was taken aback by the wildness that had not been present since the other girl tried to strangle her. Shaking her head slowly, she questioned the other girl, the Atlantean’s gills flaring open fully and remained that way, the girl obviously agitated.

 

“I don’t... But why? I’ve lived here all my life. It’s safe.”

 

She received a pained look from the blonde and her heart fell when SeungWan whispered her answer.

 

“Because there’s going to be war.”

 

*

 

Hiding away in her own private corner of the world meant that JooHyun would have the peace and quiet she never had in a household filled with siblings and older family members. Being secluded in an area by the beach where no one goes meant that JooHyun didn’t have to deal with daily marriage proposals from boys barely turning into men. Living on her own, solitary and quiet meant that the world was JooHyun and JooHyun’s alone to conquer, a piece of drawing at one time, filled with colours and shades that attracted people at the market when she made her weekly trip to sell them.

 

It also meant that when her city was preparing for war with a species of human that she thought had gone extinct, she had absolutely no idea that it was happening.

 

She had blinked at SeungWan before standing up abruptly, leaving the wide eyed girl in front of her house and running for the town.

 

She didn’t even have to reach the town entrance to see that SeungWan was telling the truth, that they were ready for war, ships from long ago ready at the docks, cannons being loaded and armed men marching around, all grave and solemn as they prepared for a battle JooHyun had no idea was taking place. Children were scurried away by their mothers, the women’s eyes filled with unshed tears and desolation written into every line.

 

Her feet paused before stopping, her eyes taking in the sights before she bit her lower lip, drawing blood from the harsh motion. She clenched her fists and turned around, ignoring the shouts of soldiers and the commands of generals behind her, the commotion of an incoming war looming over the peaceful seaside town.

 

SeungWan was still where she left her, the blonde’s hands folded on her lap. Her face was drained of colour and there was a quiet desperation in her eyes.

 

(Eyes that was filled with the depth of the oceans, where stars lived and where JooHyun found herself wondering about love.)

 

She marched towards the Atlantean and planted her hands on her hips, her voice quivering and raspy, the bruises on her neck just burning and burning.

 

“Explain.”

 

SeungWan opened before closing it, her head lowered and her shoulders drooped.

 

*

 

There was a tale of an ancient city within the depths of the ocean, filled with a species of humans that were superior to those that lived on land. A species of humans that could breathe underwater, that had a power siphoned into their city unlike anything the land dwellers have ever seen before. The history books spoke of the extinction of these humans, of the fall of the ancient city, of how the land dwellers attacked and took and conquered, how they established themselves as the superior half.

 

There were whispers of a fail attempt at conquering, whispers of an ancient city slipping away into the darkness and hiding themselves, their people wary and vigilant, their inventions twice as good and their weapons twice as deadly.

 

There were whispers of gold and glory, of unearthed gems that were worth a fortune.

 

There were talks of taking what they thought were theirs from the water dwellers, talks about finishing what their ancestors had started.

 

There were talks of conquering.

 

There were talks of war.

 

*

 

“I am a scout. They saw me by the port, where their warships were at and attacked me. I got away just in time.”

 

SeungWan had spun a tale of ancient grudges and battles that were silent, her fingers in tight fists on her lap and her teeth worrying her lower lip.

 

JooHyun believed her.

 

There was a tension in the blonde’s shoulders that were too tight to be faked, an age-old wisdom that lined the litheness of a body that hid strength.

 

And JooHyun did not forget the way SeungWan had panicked when she woke up, the feeling of nearly being crushed and the wildness in SeungWan’s eyes, an ocean whipped up in a frenzy.

 

(She didn’t forget how beautiful eyes wrapped beneath light lashes like a present had broken apart like a hurricane at sea.)

 

JooHyun whispered softly.

 

“Then why are you telling me to go somewhere safe? Shouldn’t you...”

 

She trailed off, unable to continue, her eyes trained on SeungWan’s form. The blonde’s head snapped up, mouth pulled down and her eyes fierce, her tone just as sharp.

 

“We don’t waste human life. We wanted to discuss peace but your people wanted war. You wanted my city.”

 

JooHyun’s mouth shut with a click and she looked away, unable to take the accusation in SeungWan’s tone.

 

There was a sigh and warmth engulfed her hands, SeungWan pulling on her fingers for her attention. She looked up slowly, wondering how it was that this girl that she had known for days at most could affect her so, the blonde’s fire drained away and sorrow taking over in choppy oceans. SeungWan pulled her closer, almost speaking into JooHyun’s abdomen, apology lacing her words.

 

“I- I didn’t mean you. But this war is not our wish. It’s your people’s wishes. We’re just defending ourselves.”

 

JooHyun swallowed the lump in and nodded.

“Alright.”

 

She made the mistake of looking directly into SeungWan’s eyes, the cerulean washing over like a wave breaking down a sand sculpture and JooHyun found herself drowning.

 

“And I asked for a safe place for you because...”

 

Whirlpools released her from their holds, blue wrapped tightly behind lashes and SeungWan looked away, her voice tight and her face red.

 

“I just... If anything, I wanted you to be safe.”

 

There was a certain shyness in the way SeungWan spoke and it made JooHyun impulsive.

 

(They’ve only known each other for a day but JooHyun had already drowned in pools of oceans, swept away from the sun in flickering yellow and the promises of stars that spoke of forever behind lashes of ribbons.

 

JooHyun had fallen.)

 

Maybe it was the looming war, maybe it was the threat of death that was about to come knocking on her doorstep.

 

Whatever it was, it made JooHyun want to be reckless, made her want to break out of the peace that she had built for herself.

 

It made JooHyun lean down slowly, giving SeungWan enough time to figure out what she was about to do, gave the blonde enough time to pull away.

 

But SeungWan didn’t.

 

SeungWan, with her whirlpools that drew JooHyun in, with strength behind thin fingers, met her halfway, lips pressing in a kiss that spoke of a love that JooHyun longed to have for many lifetimes.

 

SeungWan smiled when they broke apart, a smile that spoke of forever and of love, bright and blinding.

 

It made JooHyun forget about their inevitable ending.

 

(It made JooHyun forget about the war.)

 

*

 

SeungWan doesn’t leave her.

 

She stayed by JooHyun’s side, fingers tight around JooHyun’s and her eyes sharp.

 

She played with knives and whittled arrows like the soldier she was and stood by JooHyun.

 

JooHyun didn’t know if she was betraying Atlantis by staying but she couldn’t find it within herself to care.

 

Not when SeungWan was warm in her bed with soft kisses to collarbones.

 

Where whispers of goodnight promised a good morning and mornings that promised a night together.

 

Again and again.

 

*

 

And then there was a whisper of goodnight that brought upon a morning where the world burned.

 

The ships that left the ports were burning on the ocean, the waves cruel and angry as they swallowed survivors that jumped into the water. There were loud snapping sounds and screams of death and heat burning sand into glass.

 

SeungWan had pulled her flush to her side and they ran, ran towards the carnage that was her burning town and witnessed a scene out of history books.

 

Bodies littered the ground, children, women, men, soldiers, generals.

 

And there was so much blood.

 

War had come, breaking apart the illusion that JooHyun had carved for herself.

 

People with gills like SeungWan walked amongst them, fighting against men who were like JooHyun and red splattered the ground.

 

She ran alongside SeungWan, pulling the blonde towards the mountains that made the other half of her city and they made their way towards safety, leaving behind the carnage of war.

 

They had barely clear the last steps of the town and towards the hills when a loud crack stopped them in their tracks, SeungWan wrapping an arm around JooHyun protectively before turning around.

 

A young man, with gills like SeungWan, was staring at them, holding out a weapon that JooHyun had never seen before. It clicked when he moved and he shouted at them, a language that JooHyun could not understand but his anger was universal. He pointed an accusing finger at SeungWan before jabbing it towards JooHyun, SeungWan shielding her partially with her body. The blonde yelled back, her eyes stormy and JooHyun held onto her shirt tightly, fingers pressing into the notches of SeungWan’s back.

 

They argued back and forth, the Atlantean male slowly losing his temper and coming forward. SeungWan hissed and threw a knife towards him, missing his face and slicing his shoulder.

 

The man’s eyes flashed and the weapon was raised.

 

JooHyun froze when it was aimed at her, a noisy click sounding before a crack echoed.

 

There was a beat when everything stopped.

 

And then warmth splattered across her face, SeungWan throwing her own body over JooHyun just as the weapon went off.

 

Stormy oceans turned dull, water captured in a bottle, still and quiet and SeungWan slumped over her, sun-kissed hair bled red. She shook the girl once, twice, tasting blood on her teeth and the smell of sulphur in her nostrils.

 

“SeungWan?”

 

The ground crunched under the man’s boots, the soldier coming closer while murmuring under his breath.

 

“SeungWan, wake up.”

 

SeungWan didn’t move.

 

“SeungWan.”

 

The crunching got louder.

 

“SeungWan!”

 

She shook the girl again, JooHyun frantically pressing her fingers into SeungWan’s cooling face. The blonde’s head rolled backwards and hit the floor with a thud so similar to when JooHyun first found her.

 

“SeungWan!”

 

The sky growled and thundered, opening up to put out the fire that has razed her city and JooHyun looked up to the man looming over her, the weapon aimed directly at her head.

 

He rasped awkwardly, his anger present behind blue eyes that looked nothing lik