The wind hummed and the lake was calm, not until small ripples disturbed it, and based on the taste of it, he was sure that it was tears. Baekhyun swam upwards, half of his head poked out a little and observed a shapeshifter on his lake. 

Wolf boy..

He couldn't help but stare at the solemn expression of the red haired man, his eyes were lonely, gazing at the clear water of Baekhyun’s home with tears streaming down on his face, sending more ripples to him. 

He’s crying again..

Baekhyun could only wonder from afar, and it's not like they knew each other, maybe Baekhyun knows him a little, but what about him? Does he even know that there’s a Fossegrim in this lake? 

He waited until the wolf stopped weeping before he left, he couldn't do something about it anyway, all he could do was watch and worry. He could always find him at the same place every first month of every season, he was always waiting, admiring and sympathizing. He wanted to sing and play for the man, but was afraid of being discovered, and Baekhyun doesn't want the witch on the tower to be burdened on protecting him if ever he was captured.

I hope I could talk to you, but I don't want to risk a friend’s safety.

Years have passed, aside from the newly built deck that the Witch created for his offerings, there’s still not much difference, he was still watching the grieving wolf, and before he could notice, he found himself swimming a little closer, and closer. Until that one particular afternoon, a sudden ripple disturbed him beneath the cold waters, he swam ashore and poked his head out, cold brushes of air touched his face and as expected, his gaze fell on the man sitting on a deck, with head hung low, slumped on his knees and letting his tears pour on his lake. 

Silently, he swam below the deck and listened to the silent plea of a man who was completely overtaken by sadness.

“Please, let me see him again. Just this once, I’ll even offer my life if I have to.”

And a large splash of body jumping on water soon horrified Baekhyun to his core. Quickly diving after him before it's too late, hand desperately reaching to the body that's sinking fast. 

Grabbing him from the waist, he pulled him closer to his chest and swam upwards, flicking his tail faster in panic. He carried him to the side of the lake and banged his fists to the wolf’s chest, trying to wake him up. 

He could feel himself trembling, eyes were glistening with tears, he had no choice but to send sound waves that could be heard in miles. He needed the help of the witch and maybe he should ask him to move him away after this, knowing that he was not as safe now that his location was known just by sending signals from his mouth. 

The sound woke Chanyeol, vomiting out the water from his lungs, his chest was aching, his body was heavy and cold, as if there was a body pressing down to his, he reached out, caressing, tracing and it felt something scaly. He coughed a few more times, and opened his eyes. 

His world seemed to come to a stop as he stared at the breathtaking creature that he had been aching— no, longing for. Seeing his panicked stricken face inches from him, with damp twin orbs with blue hue, red lips, and a sun kissed skin with a hint of pale pink scales on his cheekbones. Chanyeol felt that he forgot to breathe for a second, and it seems the latter was surprised when he saw him awake and tried to get down and crawl away back to the water, only to be stopped when Chanyeol s his hand on his scaly waist, engulfing him in a tight embrace, as if clinging for dear life. 

"I found you. I really have found you." He kept on chanting on his bare shoulders, sending him shivers up on his spine that Baekhyun stilled for a moment before trying to wiggle away, tail was whipping hard in a similar way to a fish that was brought on land. 

Baekhyun could feel himself drying, and soon his fishtail was replaced with a pair of milky legs, straddling Chanyeol who was surprised by his sudden change. 

"You— you could shift?" 

This is the first time Baekhyun has seen him up close, with red piercing eyes staring at him, freckles adorned his face and lips were slightly parted. Annoyed at his amazement, Baekhyun slapped him hard on the chest and spoke.

"Let me go, wolf.”

But the latter just stared at him, as if memorizing his features, tracing his cheeks with his fingertips. Baekhyun could feel the warmth that spread on his chest while watching him and his touch, couldn't help but stay still and eagerly wait on what he would do next. 

“So pretty.” The wolf whispered, pushing hair on the back of his pointy ears, Baekhyun could feel the blood rushing on his face with a single statement, he pushed him hard on the ground and stood above Chanyeol with shaky legs, covering his flushed face with the back of his palm.

“You– Idiot!” He ran back to the water, diving back, creating a large splash of water. He could hear his boisterous laughter on the surface, Baekhyun couldn't restrain himself anymore from taking a pearl from the scale of his tail and swam back, only to throw it to the head of the laughing wolf.

Chanyeol could only smile at the disappearing figure on the water, his head rolled back and laugh once more, taking the pink pearl that was thrown to his head, now rolling on his side. The witch on the tower was right, he was here, and he was always watching him too. Luring him out from his hiding spot like this was the best choice he has ever made. Knowing that the latter care for him in his own way, hiding and spying him from afar while he fake cried on his lake, even diving after him to save him from drowning in panic, he was happy, and maybe, just maybe, he could steal a kiss next time. After all he has been pining on him for years, without him knowing of course, how would he know anyway? And unless he gets out of the water, how could a wolf like Chanyeol could court him if he doesn't lure him out? How could he tell him how he felt when the Fossegrim was always hiding?

Chanyeol stood up and about to walk away, he groaned, now that he sees and holds him once, why would he be satisfied with just that?

“Screw it.”

Chanyeol turned around and threw himself to the lake once more, creating large splash and ripples on the quiet lake.