A/N:
This chapter is even longer than the previous (this will be the longest one) so beware and possibly ready to take breaks :P
Please enjoy!

    I hauled myself out of the water and lay panting on my back, the pebbled deck pressing into my bare shoulder blades as water droplets slid down from the curves of my stomach. I pressed my palms down into the deck to ground myself as I caught my breath, staring up at the ceiling of the gym’s indoor pool. The skylight was dark and I checked my watch, using my free hand to push my hair back off my forehead as I pulled in another deep breath of air. 
    I had started swimming in the evenings so I could meet with Leo in the mornings, and I had decided tonight that it would be a brilliant idea to hold a contest with myself. I would swim until I couldn’t swim anymore, and then I would see if exhaustion had any luck chasing Leo from my thoughts. 
    I couldn’t get him out of my mind. He was there when I walked through the fish markets late at night, when I dove into the pool, even in my dreams. It was starting to drive me crazy.
    I huffed out a sigh and pushed myself up, toweling off and slinging my bag of clothes over my shoulder. I walked to the locker rooms to rinse the chlorine from my skin and then change, sighing again when my keys fell out of my bag and struck the top of my foot. I rubbed at the sore spot and then stooped to pick up the keys, pausing for a moment to think and then check the time.
    It was late, nearly midnight, and no one would still be at the marine park. I didn’t have any fish with me, but Leo would probably be asleep. It would be nice to just go and keep him company, maybe work on the book I’d been trying to finish reading.
    I stuffed my wet swimsuit into a plastic bag and tossed my bag into my car, getting in and beginning the drive. I parked out on the street and walked inside the parking lot, my book tucked under one arm and my keys in my hand.
    The place was deserted, cool night wind blowing through the buildings and rustling the trees eerily. I shivered and picked up my pace, unlocking the door to Leo’s room and walking inside. Leo was asleep, just as I suspected, and I smiled subconsciously at him. I settled myself down on the catwalk with my back leaning against the side of the tank, opening my book on my lap.
    I could hear the water flowing peacefully over Leo’s form, Leo’s rhythmic breathing filling the air when I listened close. I realized dimly I had reread the same paragraph about six times, unable to focus with Leo so close. I sighed, shutting my book, and tipped my head back to rest against the tank. I began to doze, my body sinking against the tank and the book slipping off my lap to wake me with a soft thump, my eyes blinking back open.
    The door began to creak open and my eyes widened, my feet clattering against the catwalk as I sprinted for the cement bleachers. I slid behind them just as Hongbin and Hyuk entered the room, Hyuk rubbing at his eyes with a pout on his lips. 
    “Can’t believe he called us in at midnight.” Hyuk complained, looking up with a yawn as Hongbin climbed the stairs.
    “At least we’re getting paid overtime.” Hongbin said, peering down into the tank and rattling the side. “Hey, wake up!”
    Leo started awake and looked around, recognizing Hongbin and Hyuk and vanishing under the water. Leo flitted to one side of the tank and then turned to go towards the other, anxiously avoiding staying in one place and skimming along the sides. 
    “Come on, we’ve gotta get him ready for the doctor.” Hongbin said, looking back at Hyuk and motioning for the younger boy to hand him something.
    Hongbin took the long black object and I identified the gun with a flash of fear, my eyes widening. Hongbin tracked Leo through the water with the barrel as the merman flicked back and forth just under the surface, quickly squeezing the trigger and rocking back slightly at the recoil.
    The gun was quiet and I realized with a heady rush of relief that it was just a tranquilizer, a feathered dart rising from Leo’s left shoulder. Leo jerked slightly in the water at the impact and surfaced almost immediately, rolling so he was face-up. Leo hissed and tipped his head back, rolling into a flip and diving down deep into the tank, his tail sliding mesmerizingly under the surface of the water. Hongbin swore, about to grab for the catch pole when Hyuk stopped him.
    “He’s not suicidal. He’ll be back.” Hyuk said, nodding in satisfaction when Leo slowly drifted back up to the surface.
    Leo sunk back listlessly so he was reclining on his back, his lips drawn back in a snarl. He hissed at the two workers with narrowed eyes that began to slip shut, his body and face falling slack as he began to sink. Leo’s hands twitched feebly, stirring the surface of the water as he fought to stay afloat before his hands stilled as well. 
    Hyuk tapped a few buttons on the lifting machine used for raising large animals out of the water, relinquishing control to Hongbin so his hands were free to reach forward and drag Leo closer with the catch pole. Hongbin fiddled with the machine whilst water rushed over Leo’s face, his arms splayed helplessly out to his sides with his head tipped back and his tail hanging low in the water, the strong swell of his throat vulnerable and exposed. 
    The machine finally creaked in protest and shuddered before swinging forward, dropping the attached thick canvas sheet in the water. Hongbin maneuvered the canvas under Leo’s rapidly sinking form, catching him with it and pressing a button on the machine. The machine began to whir and clatter as it pulled the canvas out of the water, Leo’s unconscious form stretched out in the folds. 
    The tip of his tail was too long for the material and it hung out limply, silver droplets of water streaming down from the black length. Hongbin swung Leo over and slowly lowered him onto the cement floor, the canvas folding around the merman’s body and obscuring his figure. I watched nervously as Hongbin prodded at Leo’s supine body with his foot while Hyuk wheeled a long metal table over from by the sealed double doors. 
    Hongbin pulled the canvas away from Leo’s face and looked up when Hyuk locked the table’s wheels, positioning it right next to Leo. Hongbin bent and wrapped his hands under Leo’s armpits, lifting the merman’s torso and making his head fall back. Hyuk also bent and grasped the thinnest part of Leo’s tail, the section just above the flared fins at the bottom. 
    “One, two, three.” Hongbin grunted, hoisting Leo up onto the table with a small thud. Leo groaned softly and turned his head, his eyes fluttering. 
    Long padded straps dangled from the sides of the table, metal buckles tinkling softly as they brushed the floor, and Hongbin hurried to grasp one of the straps and secure it over Leo’s chest and shoulders. He buckled it in place and then pulled another over Leo’s neck, cinching it down tightly. Hyuk got to work on Leo’s tail, adding straps over the thin section, then Leo’s hips and waist. There were individual straps for each of Leo’s wrists and biceps, the table rattling slightly as Leo began to regain consciousness and fidget. 
    Goosebumps broke out over Leo’s chest and shoulders, spreading down his arms as he began to shiver. He moaned lowly and turned his head as much as the neck strap would allow, cracking his eyes open slowly and shuddering again.
    Hongbin plucked the dart from Leo’s shoulder while Hyuk wheeled over an IV pole, hanging up a bag of saline and connecting a lead. The dart clattered hollowly into a metal tin while Hyuk found a good place in Leo’s hand to sink the IV’s cannula into his skin. Leo groaned again and his eyes flicked open, a low hiss pouring from his throat. 
    The line between Leo’s skin and the beginning of the scales of his tail was incredibly seamless, smaller scales quickly transitioning into larger ones and changing from human to fish. I looked closer and realized Leo’s tail wasn’t actually black like I had first thought; it was a mesmerizing mixture of deep green and navy blue scales, each individual scale edged with delicate silver. I watched, transfixed, as he shifted slightly and light played over the length to reveal a stripe of violet shimmering down the side. Leo shifted again, shivering and trying to fight against Hongbin and Hyuk. 
    Hongbin ignored him to place an odd device on Leo’s left wrist and then attach a pulse oximeter to Leo’s finger, the device on his wrist beginning to measure his pulse with quiet beeping. Hongbin continued administering tests for vital signs while Hyuk grabbed a metal bucket and climbed the stairs to the catwalk encircling Leo’s empty tank. He scooped up a bucketful of water and then climbed back down carefully to pour the water over Leo’s tail. 
    The door swung open again and a man wearing a clean white lab coat stepped inside, preoccupied with pulling on disposable blue gloves. He looked young to be a doctor, but his confident stride and kind face made me certain he was the doctor Hyuk and Hongbin had spoken of. 
    “Dr. Cha, his pulse rate is—” Hongbin started, looking up when the doctor approached the table. Leo’s eyes were burning up at Hyuk and his lips were drawn back in a snarl, his biceps rigid as he strained against the cuffs holding him to the table.
    “Hongbin, can’t you see how cold he is?” Dr. Cha interrupted, frowning at the young man. Hongbin cut himself off and looked down, nodding apathetically at the goosebumps patterning Leo’s torso. 
    Dr. Cha pulled his lab coat off of his shoulders, smiling down at Leo while he draped the coat over Leo’s torso.
    “Hey, there. It’s Hakyeon.” Dr. Cha said softly to Leo, looking back at Hyuk. “Go get one of the blankets from the sick bay.”
    Hyuk nodded and turned, leaving Hongbin and Dr. Cha alone. Leo’s eyes faded from gold back to black and he relaxed, his snarl disappearing when Dr. Cha rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. 
    “Hongbin, you know how sensitive he is to temperature changes once he’s out of the water.” Dr. Cha scolded, his blue gloves stark against the white coat when he rubbed soothingly over Leo’s arms. 
    “How’ve you been, Taekwoon? Is that warmer?” Dr. Cha asked, glancing down at the beeping device on Leo’s wrist. 
    Taekwoon? I thought he said his name was Leo.
    Leo didn’t respond but Dr. Cha seemed content to just talk at Leo, murmuring about how his day had been so far. 
    Leo stopped shivering gradually and I decided I liked Dr. Cha, even if I didn’t particularly like how close he seemed with Leo. Hyuk appeared with a blanket and Dr. Cha pulled his coat off quickly, glancing down at Leo’s pale chest before frowning. Hyuk moved to toss the blanket over Leo’s torso but Dr. Cha stopped him with a wave of his hand, peering at Leo’s pronounced ribcage and collarbones.
    “Have you two been feeding him twice a day like I told you?” Dr. Cha asked, turning to address Hongbin with a warning edge in his voice. 
    “Of course, Doc. He just lets them rot.” Hongbin said, gesturing towards the tank. Dr. Cha frowned concernedly and covered Leo with the blanket, tucking the fabric around Leo’s arms.
    “Leo, you're getting too thin. You have to eat, please.” Dr. Cha said compassionately, patting Leo’s shoulder. A flash of anger rushed through me when Hongbin lied and it took everything I had not to jump up and tell Dr. Cha the truth.
    “Leo, can I take a look at your scar?” Dr. Cha asked, his fingers hovering on one edge of the blanket. Leo blinked slowly and Dr. Cha took that as a yes, carefully pulling back one corner of the blanket.
    He prodded carefully around the scar and then replaced the blanket before lifting up the other corner to check the scar tissue on Leo’s tail. Dr. Cha nodded to himself and then turned, picking up a few empty vials and a needle from the smaller table of medical equipment next to him.
    Dr. Cha held the needle where Leo could see it, giving him a few slow moments to take in the object.
    “I have to draw blood again. Is that okay?” Dr. Cha asked. Leo didn’t move and Dr. Cha continued as though this was customary, treating Leo like an animal that didn’t understand words but still making efforts to reassure him.
    “You’re going to feel a little pinch.” Dr. Cha warned, inserting the needle in the crook of Leo’s elbow and drawing blood quickly.
    Leo didn’t show any signs of discomfort, instead trying to strain against the strap on his neck and turn his head. Dr. Cha capped off the last vial and then pressed a piece of gauze to the injection site, looking up with concern when Leo let out a rough, stifled cough.
    “Hongbin, loosen that immediately.” Dr. Cha ordered, looking at the strap pressing into the skin of Leo’s throat hard enough to leave an indentation. 
    Hongbin grudgingly loosened the strap and Leo in a deep breath of air immediately, coughing again and beginning to pant, his cheeks flushed. 
    “You need to be careful with him.” Dr. Cha said gruffly, giving Hongbin a displeased look and then picking up a pair of scissors from the tray. He turned back to Leo and his tone changed immediately, regaining its kindness.
    “Leo, these aren’t going to hurt you. I need to trim your hair.” Dr. Cha said, holding up the scissors where Leo could see them and running the tip of scissors over his own palm to demonstrate their harmlessness.
    Dr. Cha began to trim Leo’s hair, snipping it down closer to his ears and running his fingers through the finished product. The shortened volumes of hair stuck up around Leo’s face and only made him more attractive, making me roll my eyes at the unfairness of it all. Nobody gets to look that good all the time. 
    “Are you two okay with putting him back? I’ve got to get some papers in order for the prescription I need for the walrus.” Dr. Cha said, removing his gloves and carding his fingers once more through Leo’s hair while looking at Hongbin and Hyuk.
    The two young men nodded and Dr. Cha thanked them, taking a moment to say goodbye to Leo before walking briskly through the door. Hongbin selected a sterile needle from the table and filled it with fluid from a clear bottle, double-checking that he got the dosage right before leaning towards a very pissed-off-looking Leo. 
    Hongbin stepped forward with the needle and sunk it firmly into Leo’s arm, smiling softly when Leo hissed at him and strained against the padded straps. Leo’s eyes fluttered shut almost immediately and Hongbin reached out to pinch Leo’s earlobe, checking that he was fully unconscious. When Leo didn't respond Hongbin nodded at Hyuk, beginning to unbuckle the straps from across Leo’s body. 
    Leo remained limply sprawled on the table but Hyuk still reached over to hold the tranquilizer gun firmly, keeping the barrel trained on Leo’s chest. Hongbin finished unstrapping Leo and then grasped him by the armpits again, leaning back to drag him off the table. Leo’s body hit the ground with another loud thud and smack and Leo groaned, grimacing and turning his head to the side.
    Hongbin began to drag him towards the canvas when Leo’s eyes shot open, his lips drawn back and his eyes searing gold. He twisted bodily and pried Hongbin’s hands off of his torso, swiping out with one clawed hand to open up a long cut on Hongbin’s calf. Hongbin jumped back with a loud swear and Hyuk swung the of the gun towards Leo, catching the merman between the shoulder blades and knocking him forward. 
    Leo fell onto his stomach and pushed himself up, hissing threateningly and swiping out again with those long claws. Hyuk hit him again and Leo’s arm buckled, a red mark blooming immediately along his shoulder. Hongbin kicked Leo hard in the ribs and Leo coughed, curling up at the impact to the scarred side of his torso. 
    “Enough,” Hyuk said when Hongbin drew his foot back to kick again, meeting Hongbin’s furious face.
    “I’m bleeding!” Hongbin pointed out angrily, gesturing to the long tracks of red dripping down his leg.
    “And if you beat him too bad, the doctor will notice again and we’ll have to feed him another bull story about Taekwoon hitting the sides of the tank.” Hyuk responded calmly, looking down at the curved outline Leo made on the floor. 
    “Fine. I can’t wait for the day the board gets tired of this thing and we can finally kill it.” Hongbin snapped, stepping back so Hyuk could shoot Leo again with a tranquilizer dart.
    The rigid muscles along Leo’s ribs stopped convulsing, his breathing slowing and his arms falling slack as the sedative finally took effect. Hongbin bent and prodded roughly at the growing bruise on Leo’s side, nodding in satisfaction when the merman didn’t stir. Hongbin continued dragging Leo over to the canvas and wrapped it over him, using the machine to deposit Leo back into the water.
    Leo floated on his back tonelessly, his body slack and relaxed and his head tipped back slightly. Hongbin returned the machine to its proper position and Hyuk set the tranquilizer gun on a rack on the wall, buckling it in place. Hongbin pressed a gauze pad to his leg to stop the bleeding and I felt a small thrill of satisfaction when I saw Leo had managed to cut him quite deeply. All while they worked, I watched to make sure Leo didn’t slip beneath the water and drown.
    “All done for the night,” Hongbin said at last, waiting for Hyuk to follow him towards the door after cleaning the examination area. 
    Hyuk and Hongbin walked out of the room and I sat rigid, watching for the smallest sign of movement from Leo. Finally Leo’s hands twitched and then his eyes fluttered as he came awake, grimacing immediately and pressing a hand to his side.
    I ran down from the bleachers, barely saving myself from tripping and watching him reach his other hand over his shoulder to palpate the bruise forming on his back. The bruise on his ribs was ugly and my stomach churned, my heartbeat thumping in my ears.
    “Leo! Leo, are you okay?” I asked anxiously, my hands gripping the rim of the tank. I had never felt so helpless in my life and Leo turned to face me slowly, moving painfully. 
    “How long were you there?” Leo asked, refusing to meet my eyes, his voice little more than a whisper. I frowned, shrugging.
    “I saw enough.” I said as kindly as I could. His behavior was starting to worry me.     
    Leo’s eyes flashed up briefly to look at me before returning to the surface of the water, his fingers nervously tracing invisible patterns. 
    “You watched them beat me.” Leo said dully, a defeated look in his eyes. I bit my lip, not wanting to treat him like he was helpless, but still deeply upset by his injuries. 
    “Why don’t you tell Dr. Cha that Hyuk and Hongbin are mistreating you? He’s seems like a kind soul; I’m sure he would help you.” I said hesitantly, trying to get Leo to meet my eyes. 
    “I can’t talk to humans.” Leo said firmly, meeting my gaze and abandoning the patterns he had been tracing. 
    “You talk to me.” I pointed out. Leo frowned deeply and shook his head, hands stirring at the water anxiously.
    “It’d be breaking the oldest rule. Besides, there’s no guarantee he wouldn’t torture me for information once he learns I can talk.” Leo said. 
    “Do you think Dr. Cha would really do something like that?” I asked, crossing my arms. I just couldn’t see the compassionate doctor harming a spider, let alone Leo. 
    “I can’t break the rule.” Leo said firmly, crossing his arms.
    “Why does Hongbin hate you so much anyway?” I asked, intrigued. Hongbin was obviously dealing with a very rare creature that I’m sure a lot of people wanted to possess; it didn’t make sense that he would mistreat Leo so badly.
    “It got worse after I pulled him into the tank and almost killed him. Before that, I wasn’t very happy here, so I lashed out a lot. He started fighting back, and then he started fighting first.” Leo said, his mouth hardening at the mention of Hongbin. 
    “Well, what if I tell Dr. Cha about him?” I suggested, willing to do anything to ensure Leo’s safety. Leo’s eyes widened in panic and he leaned forward in the water, capturing my full attention.
    “No!” Leo exclaimed. “He’d know you’ve been in here and you’re not allowed to be; you wouldn’t be able to come back and then I’d be all alone.”
    I nodded, motioning for Leo to relax and waiting for him to sink back down into the water.
    “Fine.” I sighed, covering a yawn and looking down at my watch.
    “You should get some sleep.” Leo said, looking concernedly up towards me. “I’ll be fine.”
    “Are you sure?” I asked, waiting for Leo’s nod before picking up my book and yawning again.
    “See you later,” Leo said, reclining onto his back and closing his eyes.
    “Bye, Leo. Take care of yourself.” I said.
    I walked from the arena, my mind set on finding some way of keeping Hongbin and Hyuk from ever harming Leo again.

    I unlocked the door to the arena and poked my head inside carefully, sweeping for any type of movement. The lights were off and there was no sign of Hongbin or Hyuk, so I stepped inside fully and flicked the light switch on. The lights began to hum and I locked the door behind myself, sliding my keys back into my pocket and stooping to pick up the small cooler I had brought with me.
    “Hey, Leo!” I called, approaching the tank with a smile. There was a splash and then Leo’s arm draped over the side of the tank, his head appearing a moment later when he hoisted himself up. My smile widened instinctively and he gave me a shy grin, raking a bashful hand through his shortened hair.
    “How’ve you been?” I asked as I finished walking up the catwalk, bending down to ruffle his hair. He made a face at me and pulled away, but his eyes sparkled softly, reflecting the lights overhead. 
    “Good.” Leo said, sinking back down in the water. It had been about a month since Hyuk and Hongbin had beaten him and his bruises had all but disappeared, the faint shadow of a bone bruise darkening a patch of his ribs. He peered up at me, plump lips slightly parted as he watched me toe off my sandals and then carefully perch up on the side of the tank. 
    “Same here.” I said, comfortably relaxing into my seat, my feet almost able to touch the surface of the water. I leaned back to open the cooler, popping the top off and making Leo inhale and smile immediately.
    I looked back down at his excited smile, his tail boosting him higher in the water as he flicked it harder than intended. He met my eyes and then rolled his own, crossing his arms and sinking back down into the water with a slight pout as he caught sight of my teasing gaze. 
    “Shut up.” Leo warned, making me throw my head back and laugh. I had learned early on that he wasn’t comfortable with doing a lot of talking, but when he did talk, I was usually laughing most of the time.
    A cold hand slid wetly up over my foot and onto my ankle, Leo’s fingers tightening imperceptibly on my flesh. He was careful to keep his long claws from scratching at my skin, but raised a challenging eyebrow as he gave the barest tug at my leg. I gasped, my hands flying out instinctively to catch at the side of the tank and keep myself from tipping forward. 
    “Stop,” I laughed shakily, the word drawn out as I caught my breath and looked down at him. Leo smirked dangerously and his eyes wavered gold for a moment, his sideways smile exposing one perfectly white incisor. 
    His grip on me tightened slightly and he gave a stronger yank, his dark eyes sparking with mischief and playfulness. I bit my lip, trying to ignore just how good that sinful smirk looked on him, and steadied myself on the side.
    “Leo—” I started, surprised when he released me gently and slid his hand back down into the water. There was a rough patch of scales on his palm that tickled when it skimmed over the top of my foot and I could feel goosebumps rise in his wake, caused by a combination of the cold water and his soft touch.
    “I know it’s too cold for you. Don’t worry, Ravi.” Leo reassured me, all trace of trickery gone from his face as he swam around my feet. 
    “Eyyy, I told you about that nickname so you could get to know me, not so you could hold it over my head,” I teased, reaching out with one toe to poke his forehead. Leo hissed at me playfully and grabbed at my toe, running light claws up the bottom of my foot and making me squirm at the ticklish feeling. 
    Leo began to tickle me in earnest and I jerked my foot away instinctively while I laughed, my body pitching forward as I lost my balance. I gasped as I felt myself falling towards the water, my hands scrabbling behind me for the solidity of the side, my stomach churning with panicked butterflies.
    Leo moved too fast to see, rocketing out of the water and pushing my shoulders back with just enough pressure to return my balance to me. I grabbed the side tightly, watching my knuckles turn white as I caught my breath. There were two wet handprints on my t-shirt and I looked down at Leo with wide eyes, smiling slightly.
    “Thanks,” I panted, watching Leo shrug, his ubiquitous blush still staining his cheeks. I grinned down at him, shaking my head. “You know, I’m a pretty good swimmer.”
    “So?” Leo said, raising one eyebrow and looking quite unimpressed as he crossed his arms over his chest.
    “So, it’s not the end of the world if I fall in. But thank you.” I said, shrugging with a wide smile.
    “Hey, I don’t want to have to haul your sorry back out of this tank.” Leo said, surprising me with both his quick wit and the longest sentence I’d heard him use. 
    “I-I could make it back out of the tank!” I said indignantly, crossing my arms before thinking better of the action and returning my grip to the side.
    “Ha, sure. I had to help you out last time, remember?” Leo reminded me, raising that infernally cocky eyebrow and smiling softly. 
    “Well…you can’t even get out of the tank on your own and you’re some superhuman hybrid; how do you expect a mere mortal like me to be able to do what you can’t?” I asked, my voice taking on a mocking tone as I saluted him humorously. 
    “I can get out of the tank.” Leo said, his brow furrowing as he realized I genuinely thought he couldn’t. I returned his puzzled look, my humor falling away as I realized he was about to reveal more about himself.
    “Then why don't you? You could get back to the ocean, be free of this place.” I said quietly. We had never really openly discussed his entrapment, and the last thing I wanted to do was upset him. 
    “This.” Leo said, holding up his right wrist for me to inspect. His tail propelled him up further in the water and he paused at eye level with me, gently holding his hand out for me to inspect.
    A smooth band of metal wrapped fluidly around his wrist, no discernible end or beginning, and I fiddled with it quietly. I recognized it from when Leo had first dragged me underwater; I had cut my finger on the barbed underside. I looked closer and saw the familiar barbs sunk into Leo’s skin, preventing him from pulling it off.
    “It shocks me if I cross the tank’s boundary.” Leo said, gesturing to the rim where I sat. I recalled now that he had only ever draped one arm—his left—over the side of the tank when he greeted me, and something hot and angry fizzed in the back of my throat.
    “Is there a way to pull the barbs from your skin?” I asked, swallowing against the tide of protective anger that threatened to rush through my veins and made my voice shake.
    “No, he screwed it into my bone.” Leo said quietly, dropping his gaze. My mouth fell open and Leo sunk back down, seeming to sense my anger. Strong emotions, especially anger, obviously made him uncomfortable, and I struggled to rein in the fury that poured into my body.
    “Your bone?” I repeated, my voice deep and rough with rage. “Who did? Dr. Cha did?”
    Leo shrank back from me, swimming back to hover a few feet away from my legs, his wrist clutched protectively to his chest. His eyes were large and I could see gold beginning to stir in their black depths, the fin running along Leo’s spine beginning to rise as he grew more distressed. 
    “Leo, baby, I’m not mad at you,” I reassured him, holding my arms out placatingly and taking a deep breath. “I’m just upset that someone would hurt you.”
    Leo mulled over my words and inspected my features closely before nodding and returning to his place next to me, letting his fingertips scull lazily through the water.
    “Not Dr. Cha. Hongbin.” Leo admitted quietly, my gaze falling on his bracelet. His nose wrinkled cutely and he peered up at me with narrowing eyes. “Baby?”
    “Sorry, instinct.” I said, shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly. I wasn’t ready to admit how badly I wanted to pull him close and call him my own, to protect him from bastards like Hongbin.
    Leo nodded, biting his lip, and we sat in silence for several moments. Leo finally nodded towards something behind me and forced a smile, crossing his arms.
    “Did you bring that cooler for fun or…?” Leo trailed off demonstratively, making me reach behind myself hurriedly.
    “Ah, sorry, I forgot. We’ll deal with Hongbin later; for now it’s time to eat.” I said, reaching down into the cooler and pulling out a handful of chilled fish. 
    Leo returned to eye level with me and waited patiently while I carefully brushed the ice chips off a few salmon fillets and handed them to him. Leo held them gently and his lips, staring down at the pink meat. 
    “Go ahead,” I chuckled, watching him begin to cram fish into his mouth as quickly as he could. I reached down to dig out a few smaller silver fish with the heads still on, watching them disappear smoothly down his throat. 
    Leo paused to take a breath in between bites and caught me looking, giving me a self-conscious half-shrug and smile. I shook my head dismissively and bent to pull out a thermos of chilled sweet tea, uncapping it for him and holding it out. He had sampled some by accident on a previous visit and fallen in love, so I made sure to bring extra for him. Leo took it hesitantly and rushed a quick gulp, tipping his head back as he emptied the rest of the amber liquid down his throat. 
    I was just reaching my hand out to take the empty thermos back when the door residing above the cement bleachers swung open. A bar of bright sunlight fell across the tank and Leo jerked back in pain, covering his eyes. I leaned forward instinctively, trying to reach him to see if he was alright as he splashed back, both palms pressed firmly over his eyes. 
    Dr. Cha stood on the metal stairs leading down from the door and his eyes widened when he saw me sitting up on the side, one arm outstretched and the other buried in the cooler.
    “Who allowed you in here?!” Dr. Cha boomed, rushing down the stairs. The shock of finally being caught and the precarious position I was in finally won out and I tipped forward, trying to catch myself before I hit the cold water.
    I plunged down into the blue depths and found it wasn’t as cold as before; this temperature was bearable. I looked around for Leo, peering underwater to locate his dark shape. Leo surfaced right next to me, looking perturbed when he saw me treading water. His tail skimmed along my legs and wrapped loosely around my calves, holding me afloat while he looked around for Dr. Cha.
    “I’m coming, hold on!” Dr. Cha yelled. I could hear him running across the metal catwalk and wondered why he sounded so panicked. 
    Leo seemed more agitated than normal, his tail leaving my legs so he could swim between Dr. Cha and me, his arms spreading protectively when Dr. Cha leaned over the side. My eyes widened when I saw the tranquilizer gun Dr. Cha was holding, the black gun contrasting harshly with his white lab coat. 
    Leo saw the gun too and rose out of the water so that his entire torso was exposed, his arms still spread wide to cover me. He hissed in earnest—not like the playful hisses he had sometimes directed at me in response to my teasing—and the warning sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I could feel the raw power Leo possessed from where I swam, the incredible strength that churned the water all around me as he backpedaled so I was tucked safely behind him. 
    “Don’t!” I yelled, raising my hands above the water and watching the fin along Leo’s spine snap out to its full height, sharp black spines reflecting the overhead light. It reminded me of a dog’s ruff standing up and I shook myself back out of my thoughts, looking up at Dr. Cha.
    Luckily, the doctor’s finger had paused on the trigger and he seemed disinclined to continue, conflicted emotions crossing his face. Leo hadn’t budged, the same low hiss pouring from his throat as he remained between the gun and me, the water frothing around his tail.
    “He’s not doing anything!” I called to the doctor, letting out a sigh of relief when the doctor nodded and lowered the gun. 
    “Leo, baby, relax.” I said, the nickname falling off my tongue without any thought. I swam forward and ran my hand down the bottom part of Leo’s tail, feeling the soft scales twitch softly under my touch. 
    I moved my hand upwards as I got closer, my fingertips carefully along the smooth skin alongside the fin on his spine. Leo slowly sunk back down into the water and the fin relaxed, the bunched muscles of his shoulders easing out when I ran a palm down each gently.
    “Nobody’s going to hurt anybody.” I reassured both Leo and Dr. Cha, making eye contact with both. Leo stared trustingly at me, glancing back towards the doctor, while Dr. Cha simply looked fascinated. 
    Once I was sure both had calmed down, I rested a hand on Leo’s shoulder. It felt good to be on the same level as him finally, able to touch and see him completely. His tail was much longer than I first thought, about six feet total, and I had to forcibly stop myself from marveling over it at that immediate second. 
    “Leo, why don’t you help me climb out.” I suggested quietly, looking evenly at him. Leo looked hesitantly from me to Dr. Cha, worrying at his bottom lip.
    I gave him an encouraging nod and Leo returned my nod, sinking down to place the soles of my feet on his shoulders again. His hands steadied my ankles just like last time as he boosted me up so I could grab the side of the tank and pull myself onto the catwalk.
    Dr. Cha reached out to steady me before I could fall and I turned back to thank Leo, watching the merman nod and then hover anxiously by the side. He looked torn between diving deeper into the tank and watching to make sure I was okay. 
    “He didn’t attack you.” Dr. Cha said softly to me, sounding amazed. I furrowed my brow and glanced down at Leo, giving the merman a smile.
    “Of course not. Leo’s not violent; he’d never hurt me.” I said, looking away from Dr. Cha to grab the rest of the fish from the cooler and hold it over the side.
    Leo hesitantly rose up to take it, falling back into the water before quickly finishing his meal. Dr. Cha still looked dumbfounded—pleasantly dumbfounded, but dumbfounded all the same.
    “He protected you from me.” Dr. Cha said, more to himself before swinging his gaze over to meet my eyes. I looked down at Leo; he was normally so soft-spoken and shy it was difficult to remember that he had been strong enough to pull me twenty feet underwater and hold me there like it was nothing. 
    “He pulled Hongbin in and nearly drowned him; that’s why we added the carabiners.” Dr. Cha said, gesturing to the ropes hanging from the railing. I scowled, crossing my arms hostilely.
    “Hongbin is a no-good bastard who abuses and starves Leo. He deserved it.” I spat, distantly wondering how on earth I was so flippant. This doctor could fire me no problem just for being in here, but here I was, spouting off about one of his employees. 
    “He did?” Dr. Cha, looking just about as angry as I felt. He turned, hesitantly stepping closer to the tank and looking down at Leo. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
    Leo gazed solemnly up at the doctor, and Dr. Cha turned his head to glance at me.
    “You called him Leo? Is that his name?” Dr. Cha asked. I made eye contact with Leo, silently asking permission. Leo nodded almost imperceptibly and I nodded at Dr. Cha.
    “Yeah, that’s his name.” I said. Dr. Cha scooted a little closer to the railing and I joined him, leaning my elbows against the fiberglass and then holding my hand out to beckon Leo closer.
    “You can speak with him?” Dr. Cha asked, breathlessly. I nodded, bringing the attention back towards Hongbin.
    “Hongbin also did this.” I said, holding my hand out for Leo’s wrist. Leo quietly stretched up to place his right hand in mine so I could show Dr. Cha the bracelet, my other hand tightening around his fingers to support his weight. 
    “What is it?” Dr. Cha asked, reaching out very slowly to gently touch the skin around the bracelet, maintaining eye contact with Leo the whole time. 
    “It shocks him if he crosses the tank’s side and it’s screwed into his bone. Did you know about this?” I demanded, looking at Dr. Cha’s horrified face.
    “Good god, no! I would never do anything like this; this is barbaric and cruel. Leo, I’m so sorry.” Dr. Cha said quietly, tears pooling in his eyes. “I let them treat you like this.”
    “It’s okay.” Leo said softly, reaching out to carefully brush away a tear that threatened to roll down the doctor’s face. 
    Dr. Cha looked surprised and sighed, letting out a bitter laugh.
    “I measured your growth for three years, but I guess I wasn’t that observant after all, huh?” Dr. Cha said ruefully, shaking his head. 
    We were silent for several moments and I wondered if I was getting fired anytime soon when Dr. Cha pulled a cell phone from the pocket of his coat. He dialed something quickly and put the device to his ear.
    “Hello, Hongbin? Come to Taekwoon’s tank immediately.” Dr. Cha ordered, promptly hanging up. 
    Leo and I both looked at him, perplexed, and Dr. Cha put his hands on his hips, clearing his throat.
    “Hongbin will come and deactivate whatever’s shocking you,” Dr. Cha said, looking at Leo. “And then he’s fired and banned from the premises. Hyuk too, I assume.”
    I nodded in confirmation and Dr. Cha looked from Leo, to the empty cooler, back to me.
    “You, what’s your name?” Dr. Cha asked, holding out his hand for me to shake. I accepted it, meeting his even gaze.
    “Wonshik Kim. I’ve been working here for about a month and a half.” I said.
    “Congratulations; you’re now in charge of taking care of Leo. You’ll make sure he’s fed, his water is the right chemistry, that sort of thing.” Dr. Cha said firmly. I nodded, smiling despite myself. This was the best possible outcome.
    Well, maybe not the best.
    “Dr. Cha, would it be possible for us to just let Leo go? He's miserable here, living in a cage. Look at him, he hasn’t been outside in years.” I said, recalling the way sunlight had burned Leo’s eyes.
    “I would love to. Unfortunately, the board would never authorize his return to the wild.” Dr. Cha said regretfully, turning to Leo. “We’ll put you under general anesthesia tomorrow and I’ll remove that dreadful bracelet from your bone.”
    “Thank you.” Leo said, sounding relieved. Dr. Cha nodded and his eyes crinkled warmly as he leaned forward, offering his right hand to Leo. Leo rose up slowly and clasped his hand in the doctor’s, shaking it hesitantly.
    “It’s nice to properly meet you, Leo. I’m Hakyeon.” Dr. Cha smiled, earning himself a shy smile from Leo. 
    “Nice to meet you, too.” Leo echoed, leaving his hand in the doctor’s so Dr. Cha could inspect the bracelet further.
    “I’ll need to take an x-ray to see exactly how I need to remove it. Is that alright?” Dr. Cha asked. Leo nodded reluctantly, and Dr. Cha gave his fingers a gentle squeeze before releasing them. “No tranquilizer darts anymore.”
    Leo looked even more relieved at Dr. Cha’s new promise, and I nodded gratefully at the doctor. Dr. Cha nodded back at me, raising his eyebrows.
    “I assume you have your own key?” Dr. Cha asked. I nodded and he laughed, a sheepish smile spreading over my face. “I knew I should’ve kept Hongbin’s keys locked up.”
    “Why didn't you?” I asked, a little curious myself as to why it was so easy to steal keys to such a top secret room.
    “Hongbin and I agreed it would draw attention to this if we did anything out of the ordinary. We wanted people to think it was just a store room with sensitive medical equipment that only Hongbin and Hyuk were trained in handling; anything like an extra lock on the door or security cameras would bring attention to the room.” 
    “Ah…I see.” I said, realizing that Dr. Cha did make some sense. I probably would’ve installed security cameras on the inside of the room, but I suppose Dr. Cha’s unwillingness to be conspicuous had worked out quite well for me.
    “Do you have any medical experience?” Dr. Cha asked, drawing my attention back to him.
    “My uncles run a marine sanctuary, and I’ve been helping them since I was little,” I said. Dr. Cha nodded, looking pleased.
    “You’ll help me take the x-rays and remove the bracelet.”
    “Really?” I asked, surprised. Dr. Cha nodded firmly, clapping me on the shoulder. “Thank you so much.”
    Dr. Cha was prevented from answering when Hongbin opened the door, walking into the arena quickly.
    “You needed me, Dr. Cha?” Hongbin said, climbing the stairs to the catwalk and looking surprised to see me.
    I was unprepared for the white-hot bolt of hatred that slammed through me and I had to ball my hands into tight fists at my sides to keep from punching him right then and there. 
    “Deactivate Taekwoon’s shock bracelet immediately and give me your keys. You and Hyuk are banned from the premises.” Dr. Cha ordered in a cold, clipped voice. Leo was watching from the tank, his expression indecipherable with just his eyes peeking over the surface of the water. 
    Hongbin blinked slowly, processing the doctor’s words. Realization seeped through his features and he scowled, glaring over at me. I readily returned his dark look, injecting venom into the air between us. Hongbin knelt silently and began to rip at something taped under the rim of the tank, pulling out a long strip of wire and then pulling it out from all the way around the tank.
    “You told me he just wasn’t climbing out; you didn’t tell me you went behind my back and inflicted pain on this living being.” Dr. Cha’s even words were dense with anger and Hongbin simply glared at me, his mouth twisted in a scowl. 
    Hongbin pressed a button on the side of the tank and turned back to Dr. Cha, crossing his arms.
    “Bracelet’s fine now.” Hongbin muttered, digging around in his pocket. He pulled out his key ring, laden with myriad heavy keys, and offered it silently to the doctor.
    Dr. Cha reached to accept the keys but Hongbin turned, winding up his arm and sending the keys hurtling towards Leo’s face. They impacted with a loud metallic smack and Leo gasped, his head snapping back and his hand flying to his face as he whipped around and fled into deeper water.
    “You son of a !” I yelled, closing the distance between us and seizing Hongbin by the collar of his shirt.
    His eyes widened and met mine for a split second as I rushed him, holding him with both hands and slamming him back into the side of the tank hard enough to send vibrations all throughout the catwalk beneath my feet. His hands scrabbled to push me off of him and I drove my right hand into his face, watching his head snap back and blood spray from his mouth. My years of swimming had hammered strength and endurance into my muscles—two things I took advantage of as I continued to hit Hongbin until his nose and mouth streamed blood and he could barely hold himself upright.
    “Wonshik, that’s enough!” Dr. Cha’s voice cut through my thoughts and I finally looked up, my knuckles aching in a detached sort of way. “You’ll kill him.”
    I looked down distastefully, dropping Hongbin roughly on the catwalk before walking to brace my hands on the rim of the tank. Leo was nowhere to be seen and I only briefly heard Dr. Cha call out a “Be careful!” before I was vaulting over the side of the tank. Water crashed all around me and I took comfort in its familiarity, its support. I took a quick breath and then ducked down, swimming purposefully down to the bottom, pausing momentarily to equalize the pressure in my ears.
    Leo was lying on the bottom of the tank, one hand still protectively over his face and his other arm guarding his stomach, his shoulders curled in and his head down. He turned to look at me with the eye that wasn’t covered, looking relieved when he recognized me. I reached him and then grasped his free hand gently, beckoning him up to the surface. Leo shook his head and I stopped tugging at him, instead electing to wrap my arms around his torso in a soft hug. He stiffened at first but I held on tightly, feeling him slowly rest his face carefully in the crook of my neck. His spinal fin was spiky under my fingertips and I rubbed his back soothingly, letting him sink into me.
    We sat on the bottom until my lungs began to ache and I pulled back, looking up demonstratively towards the surface. Leo nodded tentatively, letting me take his hand and kick up towards the surface. My head broke through the water and I in a deep breath, feeling weakness tingle through my limbs as my body realized how much it had needed air. I in another heady breath before turning, pulling Leo up so his head broke the surface as well. I kept my body between Leo and the side of the tank, ensuring Hongbin would have to hit me before he managed to hit Leo. 
    “He’s not going to hurt you ever again.” I promised, meeting Leo’s gaze and waiting for him to nod before I slowly reached up to touch the hand covering the right side of his face.
    I curled my fingers slowly around his and pulled his pale hand away, biting my lip at the ugly purple bruise already spreading over Leo’s cheekbone and around his eye. A deep gash across his cheekbone leaked blood down his face and I swore, more anger pooling in my gut. 
    “Come on, let’s put some ice on that.” I suggested, motioning him over to the side. Leo reached out to help me out of the tank and Dr. Cha was waiting for me, Hongbin nowhere in sight.
    “Is he hurt badly?” Dr. Cha asked, already pulling gloves from his pocket and snapping them on. I shrugged and looked back when Leo draped his left arm over the rim of the tank, hesitantly bringing his right to join it.
    “Where’s Hongbin?” I asked, stepping in front of Leo to keep him from getting out. Dr. Cha pointed at the door derisively and I nodded, turning back towards Leo. 
    “No shock this time?” I asked, watching him smile slightly at me in relief. Blood from his face painted his teeth red and the smile was a gruesome thing, borrowed from a fallen angel. 
    Leo braced both hands on the rim of the tank and pulled his torso over, his tail moving fluidly to help him work his upper body forward. I moved to catch him before he could fall, guiding his arms around my neck and leaning back to help pull his tail over the side. 
    I bent, switching my hold on his torso so that his arms were still looped over my neck but one of my arms was across his back. The other dropped lower to scoop under where his knees would be and I rose from my squat, finding my balance with him cradled in my arms and his long tail warm against my soaked shirt.
    “Your tail couldn’t have been shorter?” I joked, struggling to keep the tip from dragging on the ground. Leo chuckled softly and clutched tightly to my neck as I carried him carefully down the stairs and then set him down on the table with all the padded straps. He sat up, his tail spilling out in front of him and onto the floor when he braced his weight back on his hands.
    I ignored the straps on the table in favor of grabbing a neatly folded blanket from the stack by the door and wrapping it around Leo’s shoulders. Leo frowned and shook his head, taking the blanket off of his shoulders and draping it over mine instead.
    “You’re shivering.” Leo told me quietly, looking up when Dr. Cha appeared, holding several IV bags of saline and a sterile lead and cannula wrapped in thin plastic. 
    “But you’re hurt,” I returned easily, wrapping the blanket back around his shoulders and tucking it firmly around his neck.
    “So are you,” Leo said softly, looking down demonstratively at my hand. I glanced down, surprised to see that blood had mixed with the water on my hands and dripped from my fingertips to pool on the floor, trailing in scarlet droplets down from my knuckles. 
    “It’s not mine,” I said, looking down with a frown when Leo insisted again that I was hurt. I realized the knuckles of my right hand were raw and red, steadily dripping more blood. I shook my head dismissively, rubbing my palms gently along his upper arms and making sure the blanket covered his skin.
    “It’s nothing.” I said, looking up when Dr. Cha cleared his throat, motioning for me to take the IV bags from him. 
    “Leo, you’re going to feel a little pinch in your hand, is that okay?” Dr. Cha asked, holding out the IV cannula for Leo to inspect. Leo looked the needle over carefully and then nodded, clearing his throat softly.
    “Um, can I see that first-aid kit there?” Leo mumbled, his eyes fixed on the floor as he pointed to a small first-aid kit sitting on a table a few feet away. Dr. Cha furrowed his brow, perplexed, and straightened up.
    “Leo, we’re going to treat you; you don’t have to treat yourself.” Dr. Cha said kindly, making Leo glance up and speak a little firmer. 
    “Could I see it?” Leo repeated, making Dr. Cha nod and reach back to set the kit next to Leo on the table. Leo nodded in thanks and then held out his hand for Dr. Cha to slide the cannula in, using his other hand to flip open the top on the first-aid kit.
    “Wonshik, could you hang this up on that pole over there?” Dr. Cha asked, gesturing to the IV bag in my hands that he had just hooked up to the lead in Leo’s hand. I nodded, following his instructions, and Dr. Cha sat carefully on the table by Leo.
    “I’m just going to take a look at what we’ve got here.” Dr. Cha said, reaching out with a gloved finger to gently examine the length and severity of the cut. Leo ignored him, preoccupied with digging through the first-aid kit.
    “Wonshik, that bucket right there,” Dr. Cha said, gesturing to a metal bucket by the stairs to the catwalk. “Can you fill it with water from the tank and pour it over his tail?”
    I nodded, glancing down at Leo’s tail and feeling my eyes widen. The two sides of the tail had begun to stiffen and resemble separate limbs, the skin in the middle falling slack and sinking further in on itself. Leo reached down subconsciously to scratch at the top of the tail, grimacing slightly when the fins at the bottom began to shorten.
    “Wonshik,” Dr. Cha reminded me gently. I nodded again and scooped up a quick bucketful of water, hurrying back down to pour it slowly over the shimmering scales.
    The process reversed almost immediately, fins lengthening and tail filling out. Leo stopped scratching and glanced up at me, his eyes smiling at me despite his expressionless face as Dr. Cha held a gauze pad to the bleeding cut.
    “Wonshik, this is going to need stitches. Would you mind holding this here while I get everything ready?” Dr. Cha asked, standing up and keeping his firm pressure on the gauze. I nodded, taking his place next to Leo.
    I reached up with one hand to steady the back of Leo’s head and used the other to press against the gauze firmly, Leo’s hair silky under my palm. I had to stop myself from carding my fingertips through it, focusing instead on keeping even pressure on his cut.
    “I’m sorry I let him hurt you.” I said quietly, watching Leo’s eyes flit briefly from the kit to my face before sliding away shyly. His eyelashes were oh so long, the kind that girls envied, and they swept the tops of his cheekbones with inky brushstrokes. 
    “It’s not your fault.” Leo murmured decidedly, looking up when Dr. Cha stepped forward with a small syringe. Leo shook his head, gesturing instead to the small bottle of saline solution Dr. Cha had in his other hand.
    “You don’t want the anesthetic?” Dr. Cha asked, concern written across his open face. Leo nodded, his eyes flicking towards me again.
    “Just get it over with.” Leo asked quietly, blood running down over his jawbone to collect in the hollow of his collarbone. 
    “Okay,” Dr. Cha said, setting the needle aside on the table and gesturing for me to pull the gauze away. 
    Dr. Cha flushed the wound with a saline solution and Leo closed his eyes, a faint crease appearing between his brows at the pain. I bit my lip and watched Dr. Cha carefully pat the wound dry, threading a needle and beginning to stitch Leo’s wound closed. 
    Leo’s hands were balled into fists on the table and I reached out, slipping my fingers through his and holding on tightly. Leo’s eyes slid open and he looked at me, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly as I threaded our hands together. I looked briefly at the small pile of medical equipment Leo had acquired from the first-aid kit before finding my eyes drawn by his, rubbing my thumb instinctively over a patch of scales on his skin.
    Leo’s hand curled firmly around mine and I gave his fingers a reassuring squeeze, meeting his stoic gaze as Dr. Cha kept working. Leo’s eyes flashed gold once or twice but he never broke eye contact, his palms cool and oddly soft against mine. Dr. Cha was done in record time, tying off the end of the stitches and applying antibiotic cream to the reddened skin.
    Dr. Cha affixed a bandage to Leo’s skin carefully and then pulled off his gloves, glancing down briefly at our linked hands but not saying a word about them. Dr. Cha wheeled Leo’s table over towards x-ray equipment that stood in one corner of the room, tying on a heavy lead apron and handing one to me.
    “I’m sorry, but you’ve gotta stay over here,” Dr. Cha said, busy arranging Leo’s wrist for the best image.
    I reluctantly walked over to stand by Dr. Cha, tying my apron firmly and watching Dr. Cha lay another apron over Leo. It only took a few minutes to take the x-rays before Dr. Cha wheeled Leo back over to our starting position, digging through a box of instant cold packs.
    “Here, hit this.” Dr. Cha said, handing me one. I hit it obediently, feeling something pop inside the pack and shaking it to distribute the chemicals inside. “I’m going to go get a better ice pack; I’ll be right back.”
    “Okay,” I said, noting a wheeled stool near a medicine cabinet and pulling it over with my foot to position it across from Leo’s table. 
    I leaned forward, carefully holding the ice pack to the gauze covering over Leo’s stitches, checking for any discomfort. I pressed the ice pack gently to his face, content to sit on the stool across from him and merely let my mind drift for several minutes, letting the coolness suffuse Leo’s skin and numb the pain. Leo pulled me back into my own thoughts by reaching out with both hands, mindful of the IV in his arm, and grasping my right hand gently. I furrowed my brow, watching him guide my hand towards him while leaving my left free to gently hold the ice to his face.
    “What are you doing?” I asked, watching Leo meticulously inspect my hand. I had hit Hongbin so hard the skin over my knuckles had split and begun to bruise, quite badly on my second and third knuckles especially, and blood still leaked sluggishly from the tender skin. 
    Leo let my hand rest on his tail while he carefully tore open a package from the pile he had accumulated from the first-aid kit, pulling out a small alcohol pad. The strong, bitter scent made my nose wrinkle and Leo grasped my fingers gently, looking up at me evenly.
    “It’s going to sting a little, okay?” Leo asked, his voice soothing. I was surprised at his thoughtfulness and compassion, too stunned to do little more than nod.
    Leo dabbed at my split skin sedulously, leaning forward to blow cool air over the wet, stinging cuts. I grimaced and focused instead on holding the ice steady on his face, leaning forward slightly to keep the ice from slipping. Leo set the alcohol pad down and dabbed some antibiotic cream over the cuts with a slender finger, blowing on them again. He unwrapped a set of butterfly closures, slowly applying them to my skin and then placing band-aids over them.
    “Isn’t that overkill?” I asked, a sheepish smile on my face at how considerate he was being. Leo gave me a chastening look and then reached up to wrap one of his hands around my hand holding the pack to his cheek.
    “No.” Leo said bluntly, taking the ice pack from me and placing it over the band-aids. I began to protest but Leo raised an imperious eyebrow. I took the ice pack and tried to place it on his cheek, my movement halted when Leo suddenly raised a hand and brushed his fingertips lightly over my cheek.
    I hadn't realized how close we had gotten to each other until that moment, our faces mere inches apart. There was a deep pink blush on Leo’s cheek—the visible one—but he met my eyes evenly. My heart thundered in my ears and my breath hitched.
    “Did you know that,” Leo started, his voice soft and sweet as ever as he brushed his knuckles once more tenderly over my cheekbone. “To be kissed by the merpeople is to breathe easy even in the deepest water?”
    “What?” I murmured, watching him halt with his lips achingly close to mine. It was clear he was waiting for me, waiting for permission or for me to take the initiative. I was just beginning to lean into him when the door flew open and Dr. Cha breezed inside, staring down at the phone in his left hand.
    Leo and I leapt apart, the ice pack falling from my knuckles and hitting the floor with a soft thunk and splash. Leo and I both ducked for it and knocked heads loudly, a dull stinging spreading through my forehead as Leo clutched at his nose. I opened my mouth and began stuttering apologies uncontrollably, Leo’s blush spreading down to heat his chest and ears.
    “Here’s the better ice pack. I’ll text you all the information on Leo; what’s your number?” Dr. Cha asked, holding out his phone and seeming oblivious to my nonsense as he pressed the ice to Leo’s face gently.
    “Uh, I just, it’s uh,” I started, my hands shaking so badly I nearly dropped the phone. I fumbled at it and managed to type in my number, nervously rubbing the nape of my neck as I handed the phone back to Dr. Cha. 
    “Thank you for all of your help,” Dr. Cha smiled at me. “I think I can take it from here. I’ll take a look at those x-rays and we’ll perform the surgery tomorrow afternoon.”
    “Alright, thank you,” I managed, turning to wave awkwardly at Leo and then stumbling into one of the tables of medical equipment.
    Four metal tins clattered loudly to the floor and I grimaced, bending quickly to scoop their contents back inside. I stood up too fast and hit the back of my head on the underside of the table, sighing and letting out a bout of nervous laughter. 
    “Uh, bye,” I mumbled, racing for the door and barely managing to avoid having it slam back into my shoulder.
    I paused outside the building, pressing my back to the door and struggling to catch my breath. My mind was spinning with all the new developments, from the end of Leo’s torture to our almost-kiss. And what did he mean, being kissed by a merman helped you breathe easily? 
    “I could probably use that now,” I decided, my palm splayed over my thundering heart as I in another deep breath. Was there maybe the slim possibility that Leo felt for me what I felt for him? Or was it just friendship?
    I mulled it over for several minutes before sighing in frustration, subconsciously running my fingertips over the bandaids on my knuckles. My heart warmed when I remembered his tender fingers and careful movements, a smile spreading my lips as I pushed off the wall. 
    I had a big day tomorrow, and I would have to go to the fish market tonight to pick up some of Leo’s favorites for him to eat after we removed the bracelet. I smiled again, stuffing my hands in my pockets as I walked towards my car and tried to decide which food would please him the most.  

    I squinted out at the surface of the water, adjusting my sunglasses to fight the glare thrown back by the myriad swimmers as they splashed around in my section of the pool. The lifeguarding rescue tube was hot under my forearms when I adjusted my grip, leaning into the squishy pad and feeling sweat drip down the small of my back to soak into the top of my uniform shorts. It was oppressively hot today and the water looked so inviting, promising cool depths and instant relief from the balmy air. 
    I checked my watch and then continued scanning the water, relieved that my shift only lasted five more minutes. After I got off the stand I would go see Leo and bring him some food, taking a little extra time to check his healing wrist. Dr. Cha and I had removed the bracelet about a week before but the injury was healing slowly and would scar quite badly. 
    I was pulled out of my thoughts by Ken walking up towards the other side of the pool, giving me a quick wave before diving forward into the water. He swam to my side of the pool and hauled himself out onto the deck, taking a moment to unstick his clinging shirt from his torso and shake the water from his hair.
    “I’ll take it from here,” Ken smiled, reaching out for the rescue tube. I handed it to him gladly and stood, panting in the heat as I reached back for my empty water bottle.
    “See you tomorrow,” I said, giving him a quick wave. I paused, staring down at the inviting surface of the water and unbuckling my hip pack full of rescue equipment. I kicked off my flip-flops and left them by the pack and my water bottle, jumping feet-first into the deep end.
    Cool water crashed all around my head and I smiled instinctively, letting myself sink down to rest on the bottom. I opened my eyes and looked around underwater, realizing this swimming pool was much bigger than I’d first noticed. It was designed for diving as well as swimming, and had a deep bottom with plenty of room for both activities at once.
    It was roughly the size of Leo’s tank and I frowned as I thought of Leo stuck in such a small area for so many years. Dr. Cha had already petitioned to the board to let Leo go, but they refused immediately. I knew Dr. Cha would never go against the wishes of the board, but it still made my heart ache to think of Leo trapped alone.
    I exhaled strongly and pushed off the bottom, kicking my way up towards the surface and feeling my head break into the sweltering air. I took a deep breath and swam to the side, boosting myself out of the water and listening to the water stream down from my clothes to patter against the deck. My tank top stuck to me and I wrestled it off over my head, draping the cool cloth around my neck to keep it from burning as I shuffled my feet back into my flip-flops and picked up my water bottle and pack. 
    My shorts clung to my legs and I reached down to unstick them, small water droplets tickling me as they ran down over my bare stomach and soaked into the top of my wet shorts. I refilled the water bottle in the snack bar and left my pack inside, retrieving my keys from the ring by the door.
    Dr. Cha let me install a small refrigerator in Leo’s arena so I wouldn’t have to lug a heavy ice chest up and down the stairs anymore, and I climbed them slowly. I took a long gulp of water, sighing as I looked down and found my torso already dry in the hot afternoon. 
    I unlocked the door to Leo’s enclosure and stepped inside, finding the air inside only slightly cooler. I closed the door behind myself and switched on the fan a few feet inside, standing in front of the cool air.
    “Hey, Leo,” I greeted, walking over to the refrigerator. I pulled out a few fish and then stood in front of the open appliance, sighing as cold air washed over my torso. My hair dripped water into my eyes and I closed the door reluctantly when Leo appeared, hanging over the side.
    “Hey,” Leo smiled, his eyes widening when I turned and walked towards him.
    “I brought you a snack,” I said, looking around thoughtfully at the small tank and walking up the stairs.
    “Oh.” Leo said, refusing to meet my eyes and his cheeks heated with a deep blush. His eyes flicked from my bare torso up towards my face and then back to my feet, and I realized with a small smile that he was embarrassed. 
    “You hungry?” I asked, holding out the food and letting Leo take it slowly. 
    There was a white bandage protecting the stitches on his wrist and I held my hands out for him to place his hand in mine. I unwrapped the bandage carefully while he held the fish with his left, holding himself in place with his upper arm over the rim. 
    “Does it hurt badly?” I asked, reaching for the kit Dr. Cha kept by the side of the tank and dabbing some antibiotic cream over the irregular line of stitches. 
    “No,” Leo said, letting me wrap another bandage over the top and secure it. The bandage wasn’t waterproof, but it helped to have at least a small barrier to keep Leo from accidentally scraping his stitches on things. 
    “What about your face?” I asked, looking at the healing scab on Leo’s cheek. The stitches had been removed four days after the injury had occurred and it looked like the cut was healing nicely, maybe leaving only a faint scar. 
    “It itches,” Leo complained, sinking back down into the water and clearing his throat awkwardly. “Was there a shortage of shirts today?”
    I looked down at my bare torso and laughed, pulling my shirt from around my neck to tug it back on.
    “It’s hot outside,” I explained, bracing my hands on my hips and looking around the tank while Leo ate. 
    I really couldn’t stand to think of him living here any longer. I sighed, crossing my arms, and bit my lower lip as an idea slowly came to me. I took a few extra minutes to mull it over, tell myself I was crazy, and then entertain the idea once more. 
    “Leo,” I said slowly, trying to decide if I was really going to do what I thought I was going to do. 
    “Yeah?” Leo asked, glancing up from his meal to look at me. 
    “That…thing your tail does when it gets dry…does it turn into legs?” I asked, hoping distantly that the myth about mermaids was actually true.
    “Yeah, eventually. It hurts though.” Leo said, his attention held and his meal forgotten. I nodded, worrying at my lower lip.
    “But you can walk?” I asked. Leo shrugged, draping both arms around the rim of the tank to rest at eye level with me.
    “Theoretically. I’ve never tried; it’s forbidden. But we are equipped with the ability to move both on land and in the water; it’s another evolutionary trait like my eyes.” Leo said. “When I get upset my eyes flash and scare away potential predators.”
    “Are you willing to break another rule and try to walk?” I asked quietly, watching Leo frown and think.
    “Why?” Leo asked. “It hurts every time my tail turns, and walking is supposed to be really hard—”
    “Because I think I can get you out of here.” I interrupted, watching his mouth fall open. Leo was stunned into silence, slowly closing his mouth and swallowing hard.
    “How?” Leo finally managed to whisper.
    “We’ll walk out of here and I’ll drive you to the ocean; it’s only a few minutes away. You can be free again.” I said, his eyes lighting up.
    “Won’t you get in trouble?” Leo asked, not letting himself give into his excitement yet. I shrugged, reaching out impulsively to push his wet hair back from his face and smiling at him slightly.
    “It doesn’t matter.” I said. “So, can you walk?”
    “I can. If I’m dry, I can.” Leo said, fervent hope burning in his eyes. He had never really thought escape was possible; now he fairly vibrated with nervous energy. 
    “You need clothes. Wait here, I’ll find you something to wear and then I’ll be back.” I said, turning to run down the catwalk stairs and then out into the sunlight.
    I hurried to the storage room behind the snack bar, remembering our supply of extra uniforms kept there. My hands pawed through the different sizes before selecting a white tank top and some red shorts that looked like they should fit Leo, tucking them under my arm and closing the storage room door behind myself. I ducked into the snack bar to seize my bag and clock out, hurrying back to Leo’s room.
    “I’m back,” I said, leaving the clothes and my bag by the bottom of the catwalk stairs and walking up to the tank. “Are you ready?”
    “Yeah,” Leo said, taking one last look around before inhaling deeply and bracing his left hand on the rim of the tank.
    He kept the injured right hand tucked to his chest and used his tail to help him get halfway out of the tank. I stepped forward and took his weight like last time, letting him hold onto my neck and stepping back until his tail flopped gently onto the metal catwalk.
    I carried him down the stairs and deposited him on the floor, grabbing a few blankets from the basket by the medical equipment and beginning to dry his tail as gently as possible. Leo watched me work, leaning back on his good arm with his bottom lip caught nervously between his teeth.
    Within seconds of becoming fully dry the skin of his tail began to fall slack in the middle, the two sides stiffening just like before. Leo grimaced, biting down hard on his lip when his fins began to shorten. His entire tail began to shrink in length and I could hear bones popping, grasping Leo’s hand gently to try to distract him.
    “You okay?” I asked, watching Leo grit his teeth and nod, his free hand scratching absently at the line of scales around his waist. 
    The lines between his scales melted away and then his scales sunk down to turn to smooth white skin, his fins transitioning to blocky wedges. Bones began to appear throughout his tail, turning to toes and slender feet and then to ankles. His skin gradually separated to reveal calves, then knees, then thighs. Leo squeezed my hand hard when his bones rearranged to form femurs and I murmured soft assurances, his transformation almost done and goosebumps appearing on his pale legs. 
    “Here,” I turned back to hand him the shorts and tank top I had brought, helping him shimmy his damp legs into the shorts. Patches of scales still resided on his skin, refusing to fade, and I realized it would be difficult to sneak him by effortlessly; we would have to leave as quickly as possible and hope nobody noticed him. 
    I helped Leo put the tank top on over his head and offered him a hand, pulling him to his feet. Leo wobbled unsteadily, trying to find his balance and failing as he crashed to his knees, the new bones cracking against the cement floor. His pallid hands tightened into frustrated fists on the floor and he determinedly pushed himself up again, managing a step or two before collapsing again with another loud crack. 
    “Here, I can carry you,” I said, stepping forward to pull him upright again, eager to prevent more injury to him.
    Leo began to protest but I bent down anyway, scooping him up and cradling him to my chest. His warmth was oddly comforting and he blushed softly, looking down at his hands. I could feel my own cheeks warming as well and cleared my throat awkwardly, busying myself with checking the bandage wrapped around his wounded wrist.     
    “You doing alright?” I asked again, getting a quick nod in reply. I bent briefly to sling my backpack across one shoulder and then walked from the room, finding myself lit by brilliant sunlight. Leo immediately raised one hand to cover his eyes with a faint grunt of pain, causing me to turn back inside to pull sunglasses from my bag.
    “Here,” I said, placing them over his squinted eyes. “That should help.”
    I ventured back out into the sunlight, taking the back way out towards the parking lot and keeping watch for any coworkers. Luckily none appeared, apparently busy with work, and I looked to check that Leo was alright. Bruises already reddened the swell of his knees and contrasted with the circular swatch of dark scales on one of his calves, another dark patch dwelling on one shoulder. 
    I walked carefully out to the parking lot and looked around, realizing I had parked my car all the way out on the street. Sweat had already begun to slide down my back again, a product of both the heat and the exercise, and I could see a sunburn already starting on Leo’s cheek. I looked around for a solution and saw a shaded bench nearby, bending to set Leo on it gently.
    “I need to go get my car. Can you stay here for a few minutes by yourself?” I asked, digging around inside my bag for a beat-up ball cap and setting it gently on Leo’s head.
    “Yeah,” Leo said, reaching up with his good hand to pull the cap more firmly onto his head, concealing his face.
    “I’ll be right back.” I promised, setting my backpack on his lap to further conceal him and letting my hand linger a second too long on one pale shoulder. I held eye contact with him and took a step back, forcing myself to walk quickly through the parking lot.
    I got my car and drove as quickly as I could back to the bench, relief flooding my body and making my hands shake when I saw Leo was still safely on the bench. I got out of the car and scooped Leo up, maneuvering the passenger door open and throwing my backpack in the back seat.
    I eased Leo down into the passenger seat and moved to close the door, wheeling around when a voice split the afternoon air.
    “Wait!” Dr. Cha yelled, sprinting toward the car with his white coat flying out behind his legs, his arms clutching something tight to his chest.
    I spread my arms wide and shielded Leo with my body, setting my feet firmly and blocking the doctor from the car.
    “Dr. Cha, I’m not letting him stay—” I started warningly, cut off when Dr. Cha shook his head and showed me the multiple IV bags of saline clutched in his hands.
    “Hush, there’s no time. He needs to stay hydrated.” Dr. Cha said, waiting for me to move aside before slipping the cannula into Leo’s hand and zip-tying one of the saline bags to the passenger side’s panic bar. The bag began to drain effectively and Dr. Cha smiled, looking pleased.
    “Best of luck to the both of you; I’ll tell them Leo was transferred south to get looked at by a specialist.” Dr. Cha smiled, giving me a quick squeeze and handing me the rest of the bags.
    “Thank you,” I said warmly, relief rushing through me at Dr. Cha’s cooperation. I hurried to get into the driver’s seat, leaning back to stack the bags against the back seat and then reaching across Leo’s lap to close his door for him. I buckled Leo’s seatbelt and looked at his excited half-smile, waving at Dr. Cha and then pulling out of the parking lot. 
    I turned towards the ocean, rolling down my window to let in a fresh breeze and watching Leo inhale deeply. I didn't want to risk rolling down his window and losing the protection the glass afforded from the sun, but I rolled down the window behind him to get more air moving through the car.
    Leo smiled wider and I fiddled with the radio, finding a station I liked and turning it up. The wind played with Leo’s hair and I smiled, trying to take my time with the short journey. The drive was bittersweet and I glanced over at Leo with his face pressed to the glass, my sunglasses a little too big for his face and sliding down the bridge of his nose.
    I was so happy to see that smile on his face, but it felt like I could barely breathe because my heart was lodged stubbornly in the back of my throat. I hadn’t realized how I attached I had gotten to him until I truly realized he would be gone soon. I steeled myself, smoothed the grief from my face, and focused on how good he looked next to me. What I would give to just turn around and take him home, keep him forever. 
    The crashing of the waves began as a dull susurration in the background, gradually building to a steady rhythm that made Leo go suddenly still. His eyes closed and an expression of profound peace overtook his features, his eyes remaining closed as I pulled into a parking place and looked out at the expanse of sand in front of me. 
    “Leo.” I said quietly, afraid to disturb him. “We’re here.”
    Leo’s eyes slid open and they were burning gold, his hands clumsy as they fell upon the door and scrabbled for the handle. Leo fiddled with the handle on his door and the metal piece swung open easily, admitting him into the warm afternoon air. He struggled to find his footing, leaning back against the side of the car as he stood up, looking out towards the ocean. I got out of my side and crossed around to the front of the car, halting in my tracks as I watched the peaceful expression slide from Leo’s face. 
    He closed his eyes behind the sunglasses and inhaled deeply, breathing in the salty air and the scent of the beach. Leo slowly pulled the sunglasses off and folded them with hands that shook so badly, his eyes squinting against the sunlight and looking out at the crashing waves with growing distress.
    “Leo, are you alright?” I asked, concerned but somehow unable to move closer to him. I was hesitant, waiting for his true reaction, my worry growing with each passing second.
    “I don’t…I don’t remember this place.” Leo murmured, breathless. He turned, bracing his hands on the roof of the car and struggling to in enough air. His quick movements tore the IV cannula from his hand and the lead fell and dangled out of the car limply, a small trickle of blood beginning to track down Leo’s milky skin. 
    “Whoa, whoa, hey,” I said, watching him turn to look quickly at the waves before dropping his head back down. His shoulders rose and fell rapidly as he began to hyperventilate, his breath wheezing in the back of his throat before he let out a strangled sob. His fingers spasmed on the car hood and flexed so hard his knuckles turned white, the muscles in his arms shuddering. 
    Leo hiccuped through another sob and I rushed to his side, barely managing to wrap my arms around him before his legs gave out. I sank down with him and pulled him attentively onto my lap, crossing my legs under his weight and leaning my back against the body of the car. My arms held tightly to his torso, curling firmly around his shoulders so he could sit and bury his face in my chest. 
    Leo’s hands bunched in my t-shirt, crumpling the fabric, and his hair tickled the underside of my chin as he wept. His tears racked his entire body and tore long gashes in my heart, making my chest ache with physical pain as I rocked him slowly. 
    “I’ve got you, baby,” I murmured, holding him as close to me as I could manage. “I’m not letting go of you, you’re safe with me.”
    “This isn’t my home.” Leo choked out into my collarbones, his hot tears dribbling across the base of my neck and seeping into the collar of my shirt. “I’ve never been here before; I’m lost.”
    “You’re not lost,” I said soothingly, running my palm gently along his spine and reaching up with my other to card through his hair and brush the silky strands off his forehead. 
    “I’m lost, Ravi. My pod’s gone, I don’t know where I am…I’m all alone.” Leo managed, his sweet voice turned rough and watery and his hands flexing anxiously against my chest. 
    “You’re not alone,” I said firmly, reaching down to place one finger under his chin and use it to tip his face up towards me. He glanced down at his lap, refusing to meet my eyes, and tears tracked across his cheeks, his eyes rimmed with red and his long lashes clumped together from the wet. 
    “You hear me?” I asked. “You’re never alone.” 
    Leo nodded slightly, hiccuping loudly, and I leaned forward to press a soft kiss under each of his eyes. He sniffled and closed his eyes, more tear drops spilling from under his lids. I pressed more soft kisses on each closed eyelid, across his furrowed brows, along his flushed and dampened cheeks. Salt seeped in onto my tongue and I sighed softly, kissing the tip of his  nose. He leaned back against my arm and into my chest, letting me curl around him and support him as his tears began to slow.
    I was content to merely rock him gently, dropping occasional pecks along his forehead and the top of his head, sliding my chin forward so the side of his face rested perfectly in the curve of my throat. The waves crashed just out of sight, the sound simultaneously soothing and yet distressing, reminding me of how upset they made Leo. There was sand or gravel scattered across the pavement beneath me and the little bits of rock dug into the back of my shorts, pressing into my skin uncomfortably. I ignored it, leaning down to nuzzle my face into Leo’s hair and breathe in deeply, pressing another kiss to the top of his head before dropping my face back down.
    His tears slowly faded to nothing and then his breathing began to deepen, his muscles falling slack. I let him sleep for a long time, dozing periodically myself and taking comfort in his warmth and weight, his trust. His fingers were still hooked tightly around the collar of my shirt even in sleep, his face relaxed and peaceful when I bent quickly to gaze at him.
    I realized we had been sitting here for too long when my legs began to cramp up, my stomach growling hungrily. I stood slowly, keeping Leo cradled gently in my arms and turning to deposit him carefully onto the leather seat. He murmured as I pulled away but didn’t wake, stilling when I buckled his seatbelt and pulled the blanket up over him from the floor.
    I slowly put the cannula back into his hand, taping it gently in place and checking that the IV bag still had some saline in it. I closed his door and slid into the driver’s seat, buckling my seatbelt and starting the ignition. I looked over to make sure Leo was still sleeping soundly, a smile curling my mouth when his head slipped forward to rest on the console between us, his cheek pillowed in his palm. 
    I pulled out of the parking lot as smoothly as I could and wrapped my right arm around his back, rubbing gently along his spine and shoulder blades as I started towards my house. I turned the radio on in the background, soft music filling the quiet car and mingling with Leo’s rhythmic breathing.
    I would’ve given anything to take him home with me, except for his happiness. 
    His panic and loneliness had startled me at first, but I realized the depth of his feelings. He had been stuck in a tank for three years dreaming of returning home, and he had come so close but had missed by so much. It made sense for him to finally break down; I was only glad I had been there to help him.
    I pulled into my driveway and turned the car off, closing my door quietly to avoid waking Leo and walking around to open his. I unhooked the IV bag from the panic bar and clenched part of it between my teeth, leaving my hands free to scoop under Leo’s back and knees. I pulled him from the car and started up my front walkway, unlocking the door and pushing it open with my foot.
    Leo didn’t stir, thoroughly exhausted, and I laid him carefully in my bed, pulling my covers up around his shoulders. I swept his hair back with a palm and kissed his forehead, drawing the curtains closed to make the room dark enough for his sensitive skin and eyes. 
    I walked back outside and grabbed the IV bags from the backseat, carrying everything inside and depositing it down on the kitchen counter. I let Leo sleep for hours, puttering around the house as quietly as I could and fixing myself dinner. I poked my head into the bedroom to see if Leo wanted anything to eat but found him still asleep, wrapped around one of my pillows with his chest falling evenly. 
    I walked carefully inside and perched myself on the edge of the bed, sweeping my palm gently over his forehead. Leo murmured and shifted his legs under the covers, pushing his head back into my hand like a cat arching into someone its back. I stayed a few minutes before I realized my dinner was getting cold, standing up slowly and pulling the covers higher on his shoulders. 
    I closed the bedroom door quietly behind myself and walked to the hall closet, pulling out the red fabric kit on the bottom shelf. I walked to the kitchen with it, picking up my cellphone and calling the number I had for Dr. Cha’s office. The line rang and then a secretary picked up, giving a brief greeting. 
    “Could you please connect me to Dr. Cha?” I asked, pawing through my mediocre medical kit in search of something substantial and balancing the phone between my shoulder and chin.
    “Dr. Cha is out right now, could I take a message?” The secretary said immediately, making me sigh and then dig through the kitchen drawer just under the sink. I found what I was looking for and uncapped the pen with my teeth, spitting the cap onto the countertop so I could speak. 
    “Then could you give me Dr. Cha’s number?” I asked, a pen resting in my hand and a pad of paper open in front of me.
    “Unfortunately, I can’t give out his personal number.” The secretary said. I sighed again and dropped the pen, pinching the bridge of my nose.
    “Ok, then could you give him a message as soon as possible?” I asked. The secretary agreed and I cleared my throat. “Tell him that he needs to call me and it’s urgent. Tell him I’m a friend of Leo’s.”
    I left my phone number with the secretary and then ended the call, my phone ringing a few moments later. I answered the call and sighed in relief, leaning against the countertop.
    “Wonshik? Are you okay?” Dr. Cha asked, making me smile.
    “I am so glad you picked up. Leo is staying with me for a few days until we figure out how to find his home. Could you come by and bring some more medical equipment for him? I’ll feed you dinner,” I offered, browsing around in the refrigerator and finding enough food for another meal. 
    “I can’t come by tonight, but I could come by tomorrow around noon. Does that work for you?” Dr. Cha asked apologetically.
    “Yeah, that’ll be fine. Thank you,” I said, ending the call and looking back at my kit. “I guess I can just use this antibiotic cream and some bandaids…”
    I set aside the aforementioned items and then sat to eat my dinner quickly, washing it down with a glass of iced tea and loading the dishes in the dishwasher. I moved a cut of salmon from the freezer to defrost in the refrigerator and locked up all the doors, yawning as I checked the clock. 
    I turned off all the lights and yawned again, pausing outside my bedroom door with my dilemma. I could grab a blanket and walk down the hall to my roommate’s bedroom. I could go curl up in his bed all by myself and leave Leo asleep in mine.
    Or I could go in and see if Leo wanted some company. 
    I quietly opened the door to my bedroom, surprised to find Leo awake. He was sitting up in my bed, one of my photo albums spread open on his lap, his wan fingers delicately plucking at the page to turn it. He looked up slowly, half-closing the book and beginning to murmur an apology.
    “No, no, it’s fine.” I reassured, pulling sweatpants and a tank top from the dresser and putting them on before walking over to lie down next to him and reopen the book. My fingertips brushed the bandage on his wrist and I frowned, realizing he would need a doctor to keep looking after him.
    “Is this your family?” Leo asked, pointing to a picture of me, my mom, and one of the guys who had taught me to surf. I shook my head with a small laugh, pointing to the tattooed man.
    “That’s Alika. He was like a big brother or an uncle, but he wasn’t my dad.” I explained. “My dad died before I knew him.”
    “I’m sorry,” Leo said genuinely, and I shrugged. I flipped the pages and pointed to a picture of a smiling woman, tracing her hair with a soft fingertip.
    “That’s my mom.” I said, watching Leo smile hesitantly.
    “She’s very pretty,” Leo said, also reaching out and tracing the delicate curve of her cheek. 
    “This is my dad,” I said, turning the pages to the very back to reveal a picture of both of my parents.
    My mom was sitting on a surfboard and my dad was swimming next to her, his arm draped over her board and his face turned so he could smile adoringly up at her. My mom was laughing down at him, her fingers frozen in place tucking her hair behind her ear, and I could feel the happiness between them.
    Leo was looking intently at my dad, a pensive line between his brows.
    “What’s that?” Leo asked, pointing to a dark shadow on my dad’s shoulder. I pulled my pants up in response, baring a darkened patch of skin on my knee.
    “My dad had eczema just like I do. It makes my skin itchy, and sometimes turns it a darker color,” I said, watching Leo’s eyes widen.
    He stared at my knee and I could feel myself growing self-conscious, tugging my sweatpants back down to cover my skin and rubbing my clothed knee. Leo looked away quickly, noting my discomfort, and I cast around for a change of subject.
    I set the photo book down on my nightstand and turned to look at him, my curiosity winning out once again when I gestured to Leo’s shoulder. 
    “Leo, how did you get that scar?” I asked hesitantly, looking over at him. Leo glanced down towards the bit of scar revealed by the tank top and pulled the fabric up to glance at the scar on his stomach.
    “I was protecting people.” Leo said, looking uncertain about revealing more. I nodded, accepting his silence, and turned back to the photo album. “I could…I could tell you, or I could show you.”
    “Show me what?” I asked, looking back at him, perplexed. Leo frowned and fiddled quietly with his hands, rubbing a nervous fingertip over the bandage on his wrist.
    “I could show you my memories. We have way of manipulating nerve impulses in the brain which can give the impression of sensing things that aren’t actually there…it would be like the attack was really happening.” Leo said haltingly.
    “Wow.” I said, intrigued and a little nervous. “Alright.”
    “Are you sure? It might be scary.” Leo warned, already beginning to sit up and move closer to me on the bed. 
    “I want to know.” I said, watching him place a gentle palm on my forehead. “Will it hurt?”
    “Not really…more like prickle.” Leo reassured, closing his eyes and motioning for me to do the same.
    Darkness aded my vision before changing suddenly to brilliant blue, my eyes sliding open to look around. Sunlight filtered down all around me and I could feel water against my skin, hear the dull roar of waves and bubbles in my ears. I was underwater, swimming along quickly through brackish volumes of ocean water. The sensations were incredibly vivid and I swept my arms forward, feeling the familiar resistance as I pulled myself through the water. 
    I forced myself to focus on what was going on and watched images flit past my eyes as I picked up speed, analyzing the new thoughts that filled my brain. Knowledge of a large shark nearby and a group of people preparing to swimming prompted my tail to sweep faster, my muscles working to propel me as quickly as possible towards the beach. 
    My head broke the surface briefly and I gulped in a breath of air before sliding back down, my arms stretched out in front of my head to prevent me from slamming into any underwater debris. I realized the beach was quite close and my head broke the surface again, giving me enough time to look around carefully.
    A group of people stood on the beach wearing wetsuits and swimming caps, a bolt of panic slicing through me when I felt the telltale stirring of a shark swimming nearby. A loud horn cut through the excited murmuring of the people and they all rushed forward, wading into the cold water and beginning a race towards the large island behind me. They did this every year and the water was usually safe, but I could feel the spiked fin standing up on my back in apprehension.
    I slid back beneath the water and swam towards the group, staying far enough away that they wouldn’t be able to see me through the murky water but still tracking the group’s movement. We swam together for a while and I could tell we were nearing the deepest part of the swim, ducking down to swim underneath the group. 
    A few swimmers were lagging at the back and I could tell they were younger, not as fit or as tall as the rest of the group. A sudden flash of dark movement caught my eye and I looked down, finally seeing the dark grey of the shark’s back. 
    It was swimming steadily for the last five or six swimmers, picking up speed as it began to charge the group, either mistaking them for a group of sea lions or deciding it didn’t particularly care what it was eating. I gritted my teeth and shot in between the shark and the swimmers, hoping to cut off its upward trajectory and scare it away. I’d scared away plenty of sharks from my pod, but it was hard to be certain of success. 
    I hissed loudly, making myself visible to the shark and trying to appear as big as possible. I had a split second to meet the cold black eyes and realize the shark wasn’t going to stop before it was opening its serrated maw and clamping down on my torso. 
    It hit me with enough force to knock the breath from my body, my left arm frantically pushing up on its jaw to keep it from biting down all the way. Pain exploded through my body and I could feel my bones cracking, a scream leaving my throat as I felt the shark beginning to thrash me in its jaws. Years of training kicked in and I reached out with the arm not trapped in the shark’s mouth to claw at its eyes, wrapping my arm around its snout to keep it from tearing off my right arm. 
    I pushed as hard as I could against the shark’s jaws, watching my blood stain the water red as I struggled against the massive strength of this beast. I could dimly hear the others swimmers screaming and scattering, and I flicked my tail up to smack it against the shark’s nose as hard as I could. The shark shuddered and I smacked it again, simultaneously clawing at its eyes viciously and feeling my nails rip into a soft eye socket. 
    The shark released me abruptly and turned, blood leaking from its ruined eye. I weakly flopped my tail to propel myself up towards the surface as I gasped for air and swam towards the fresh water flowing into the bay. I could adapt to the fresh water better than the shark could and I needed a safe place, my blood pouring into the water dangerously fast.
    I found the mouth of a river that emptied into the ocean and swam up it as quickly as I could manage, my head breaking the surface to look around. Slippery rocks lined the bank closest to me, the rocks blanketed with black algae, and I could sand residing just past the rocks. I hauled myself towards the beach, dragging myself onto the rocks with my left arm and collapsing in the sand. Blood trailed through the water behind me and stained the sand beneath me, prompting me to stare at the ragged wounds littering my torso after I caught my breath.
    My right arm dangled uselessly by my side, my shoulder joint crushed and bleeding heavily. It was getting more and more difficult to breathe, my ribs crushed badly on my right side, and a crescent-shaped bite and smaller gashes wrapped my torso. Crimson drenched my flesh, a chunk of muscle gone from my tail. I in another difficult breath of air and leaned forward to scribble groggily in the sand, the pain and lack of blood getting to me. 
    I hoped dimly the blood I left behind would convince the humans that the shark warning was genuine, and then forced myself back into the water. I would swim farther up the river and find a secluded place to either rest or die, a place I would never be found. 
    I began to swim and then found my eyelids were getting impossibly heavy, my limbs beginning to drag in the water. I could feel myself being carried by the waves, washing up on a beach with my body still half in the water but my face resting on warm sand. 
    I was losing consciousness rapidly, not energy or time left to find a hiding place or swim myself down to the bottom and weight my body so it wouldn’t float back up and be discovered. I out abruptly, completely vulnerable and full of pain. 

    I blinked rapidly, looking around my bedroom and focusing on Leo sitting next to me. He withdrew his hand slowly, fingers curling slightly before resting in his lap.
    “Are you okay?” Leo asked, looking concerned. I blinked again and tried to organize my thoughts, his ordeal still fresh in my mind. 
    “You put yourself in the way to save all those people?” I said quietly, looking at Leo with new eyes. He had risked so much for humans and had been treated so badly by them for his trouble; it made me both amazed and angry all at once.
    “It was my job.” Leo said simply, looking embarrassed at my obvious admiration. 
    “Leo, you’re incredible. I’m sorry humans have treated you so badly.” I said honestly, watching him shrug.
    “I didn’t really notice it once Dr. Cha was kind. I figured before that humans were just generally ignorant and cruel until I realized some of them aren’t, and then I tried to forgive the ones that are. You’re the best human I’ve known.” Leo said with a shy smile. My heart swelled and I grinned, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
    “Thank you, Leo. You’re the best merman I’ve known,” I teased, watching him lie down slowly and tuck his injured hand to his chest. Leo chuckled a little at my remark and I watched his eyes flutter, still processing the memory he had shared. 
    Leo’s eyes began to drift closed and I patted his pillow invitingly, reaching over to turn off his light.
    “You should get some sleep. It’s been a long day.” I said, watching him nod and burrow down. I stood, opening my dresser and pulling out a softer tank top and pair of sweatpants. Leo put them on and folded the uniform carefully before leaving it on his nightstand.
    “Good night, Wonshik.” Leo said, resting his head on the pillow. “Thank you.”
    “Of course. Now, get some sleep.” I said with a smile, watching his eyes slip closed.
    He fidgeted for a while, trying to get comfortable, before his breathing finally evened out. I settled in next to him, setting my phone down to adjust my pillows behind my head and wonder if I had the willpower to start a new book. 
    Leo shifted suddenly and his soft feet pressed against my ankles when he turned over, tucking himself firmly against my side. His arm raised sleepily and he draped it over my stomach, resting his head on the right side of my chest. I looked down at him with a smile and my arm wrapped around his back instinctively, my eyes drawn to the burgundy scar along the back of his shoulder. This close up, I could see the individual teeth marks in his skin and the smaller dots left behind on either side of the bite by the stitches when they healed. The scar itself was uneven, hypertrophic in some places but atrophic in others, the texture of his skin marred. I ran gentle fingertips over the section of scar revealed by his tank top, the skin smoother than expected. 
    Leo murmured softly and then curled even closer, his fingers hooking in the soft fabric of my shirt and his fingernails scraping softly against my skin. The hem of my shirt rode up and Leo drowsily burrowed his fingers under the fabric, his nails tickling me as he pressed his cold palm against my warm stomach and then sighed contentedly. I glanced down and realized more goosebumps had broken out along his shoulders, reaching down to pull the blankets higher around his shoulders and tucking my shirt back down over his hand. I ran my fingers through his silky hair and then rested my hand on his back again, drawing absentminded circles on his shirt. 
    Leo sighed again happily and I picked up my phone with my other hand, happy he looked warmer. I was busy scrolling through my calendar on my phone when it began to buzz, my mom’s familiar face appearing on the screen when I accepted her video call.
    “Hey, sweetie!” Mom smiled, waving to me. I smiled and waved back, returning her greeting and attempting to sit up.
    Leo’s head on my chest prevented me from straightening up and I didn’t want to wake him, electing instead to rest the back of my head on the headboard. Leo grumbled something quietly and I was afraid for a moment he had woken up, but a few seconds of silence to listen to his soft breathing assured me otherwise.
    “How’ve you been? How was your day?” I asked, giving my mom a bright smile. She launched into an account of her day and I realized this particular head position was going to give my neck a painful crick.
    I propped my phone on my thigh, drawing my knees up to support the screen and keep my mom within my sights. Slowly, I slid careful hands under Leo’s head and supported it so I could scoot my body further upright and lean my shoulders against the headboard. Leo began to stir and I replaced his head on my stomach, his breathing evening out when I my palm gently across his forehead and over his hair. 
    His hand rested gently on my stomach before curling around so he could wrap his whole arm around my torso, his fingertips tucking themselves into the warm space under my right hip. His comforting weight on my stomach was soothing and made me feel sleepy, some intrinsic part of me wanting nothing more than to curl around him and keep him safe from everything. I settled for continuing to card my fingertips through his hair, picking my phone up with my other hand and glancing down to see a soft smile curling Leo’s lips in his sleep.
    “…and that’s why Alika and I have decided to get married.” Mom finished, making my attention immediately snap back towards the phone, my eyes wide.
    “Wha-what?” I stuttered, watching her throw her head back and laugh before giving me a reproachful look.  
    “You weren’t even listening to me,” Mom scolded knowingly. 
    “I was, too!” I started defensively, keeping my voice down but still giving her my most convincing look.
    “Okay, what’s his name?” Mom asked, crossing her arms and raising a predatory eyebrow.
    “Whose?” I asked innocently, my hand sliding down to rub softly along Leo’s spine. I could feel the raised line of his scar on his back through the thin material of the tank top, and I trailed my fingertips over it as gently as possible.
    “The boy you like. I can tell, you're in limerence.” Mom smiled, happy to show off her superior vocabulary and motherly instincts. 
    “I’m in what?” I questioned, stalling.
    “Infatuated, besotted with, enamored of, moonstruck…” Mom rattled off synonyms and it was just like the grammar games we used to play at the dinner table, pulling me unexpectedly back into my childhood. 
    “In other words, you have a crush.” Mom finished with a smug smile, making me roll my eyes.
    “How did you know?” I admitted grudgingly, trying to decide just how obvious I was. Mom tilted her head to the side and appeared to think quite hard for several moments, tapping her bottom lip with pensive fingers.
    “Well,” she said, looking back at me. “It was pretty easy to tell from the inflection of your voice, the way your eyes twinkle, and the fact that I saw him when you moved your phone.”
    I rolled my eyes at her teasing, and gave up any hope of denying my crush.
    “He’s just some guy I met at work. He needed a place to crash.” I said, not willing to give up Leo’s secret even to the woman who had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. 
    “Doesn’t your roommate have a bed he could stay in?” Mom asked playfully. 
    “You’re sadistic.” I informed her dryly, checking the clock. “I’ve gotta go.”
    “No, wait, lemme see!” Mom said, sounding no older than two. I rolled my eyes but slowly tilted the phone screen down so she could Leo asleep on my stomach. 
    “Just, be quiet, okay? He’s had a long day.” I said, giving her a few moments to look before tilting the phone back up towards my face.
    “Ooh, he’s so cute! Very exotic-looking, good job.” Mom praised, clasping her hands together happily. I rolled my eyes with a small smile, shaking my head.
    “We’re not even officially—” I started, interrupted when my mom turned and beckoned to someone off-screen.
    “Boys, come see Ravi’s boyfriend!” Mom called, making my eyes widen in panic. 
    “Mom, it’s late here and he’s asleep!” I hissed. “And we’re not even official—”
    “Honey, you have a boy asleep in your bed with his head on your stomach, I’d say you’re pretty damn close to official.” Mom laughed, a tumble of masculine voices crackling over the line as the boys approached.
    “Ew, I don’t wanna see lil Ravi doin’ the nasty,” one voice protested teasingly while another one echoed, “Boy in his bed?”
    Mom disappeared from the screen as a group of men grabbed the phone, waving and greeting me enthusiastically. I shushed them but smiled back, my heart beginning to ache with homesickness. The faces staring at me were as familiar as my own and I took a moment to look at each man—Alika, Holokai, Makoa, Kaimana, and Kanani—before focusing back on the conversation. 
    “Eyyy, lil Ravi, lemme see the guy.” Alika smiled, flashing me his comfortable one-sided smile.
    “He’s asleep, guys. Call back tomorrow maybe,” I said, looking around at the group of men who had basically raised me and served as father figures. 
    “Yeah, let’s call so we can talk to him,” Makoa agreed, looking at the other men.
    “Talk to him? More like grill him,” Holokai smiled, exchanging a dangerous look with Kanani.
    “Ey, you let him know that if he hurts you we’ll hunt him down, okay?” Kaimana said. I nodded, smiling at the protective group, and gave Kaimana a little wave. 
    “Okay, guys, I should get to sleep.” I said, yawning quietly and waving goodbye.
    “Take care, lil Ravi,” the group chorused. Alika let me know that my mom had already fallen asleep on the couch, and Kanani stooped to carry her into her room. 
    “See you tomorrow, Ravi.” Alika said, giving me a wide smile before ending the call. 
    I set the phone back down on my nightstand, scooting back down after turning off my light. Leo mumbled and rolled over on his side, tucking his back firmly against my right arm. I rolled over as well, sliding my knees underneath his and resting my left arm cautiously on his hip. I didn’t want to encroach on his personal space, but my heart warmed when Leo searched back with fingers made clumsy from sleep and grasped my hand.
    He pulled my arm further towards him and tucked it around his body, inviting me to pull him closer with both arms and rest my face in the crook created by his neck. I sighed, fully content, and focused on his heart beating through his back to thud against my own chest. I closed my eyes and let my thoughts drift away, my tired mind soothed by the comforting weight and warmth of the boy in my arms. 
    Everything was going to be okay. 

A/N:
I’m so happy I finally finished this update! As you can see, it’s quite long and I had a very hectic schedule, so I’m glad I was able to complete it on time!
Hopefully it was enjoyable, not too long, and not too full of typos. I considered shortening it but found it impossible, so please just bear with me.
I hope all of your questions have been answered so far; if not please feel free to leave a comment below
In fact, please leave a comment below :P I love them and they make me very happy
Special props to my lovely commenters:
Amalya
yogurt3200
PeasantOTP
fourteenlove
edrylla_Dya
KTsuki-chan
zelovesick
And special credit for fourteenlove for using her detective skills and figuring out the clues I’ve been leaving y’all — you go girl (or guy)!
Thank you so much for sticking with my (super long) story, I hope you enjoy the next and final chapter
<33333
—Sujinnie
Love you all!