Chanyeol stared into the boy's eyes, his heart thumping loudly in his chest after the words finally registered in his mind. He wanted to move and welcome Baekhyun into his arms, but he had been warned about the consequences and the distance to the water. Chanyeol didn't know if Baekhyun would have even been able to survive on land if he got wet and there wasn't a large enough pool of water for him to soak in nearby, he couldn't bring himself to ask. He really didn't want to know the answer. Instead he beckoned the boy to follow him, hoping that Baekhyun would understand his gesture as he began moving back towards the entrance of the cave.

"Suho is going to hate me.." Baekhyun whispered into the air, his voice echoing off the walls. Chanyeol stopped in his tracks, his feet sinking into the sand making him look slightly shorter than he usually was. He turned around to face the pink haired boy, his eyes narrowed waiting for Baekhyun's explanation. It took him a minute and a deep breath before he began explaining. "I was supposed to go home, but I stayed behind because I wished for us to meet again. Obviously I didn't know that you were already on your way here, but after we said goodbye in the channel I couldn't help but come here hoping that once night fell I would be able to return to you, for a proper goodbye. When Suho realises that I remained behind he'll snap, he knows my father's capabilities so he'll try to usher me back to sea."

"You said before that you have responsibilities back home and from what it sounds like your father is quite protective over you.." Chanyeol watched as Baekhyun dipped his head, the pink hair falling forward to cover the stranger's face. "I don't like assuming things so I'm going to wait until you're ready to tell me about it yourself. I'm sure that I'll be able to handle Suho, or at least have Sehun take care of him somehow. You're staying for me and you have no idea how much that means to me, I appreciate everything that you're doing for me knowing that you'll more than likely face consequences for it."

This seemed to bring the smile back on Baekhyun's face, when his head tilted back up Chanyeol was momentarily stunned into silence when he saw the sparkle dance in Baekhyun's chocolate eyes. The photographer watched as the stranger shrugged his shoulders, his smile never once leaving his lips as he picked up the lead towards the cave's opening. "My father will understand why I did what I did, he'll be annoyed surely but a couple days of freedom will be all I need before I comply with his wishes. He'll shut up about it then."

Chanyeol's lips curled into a smile at Baekhyun's words, the latter truly seemed to not give a damn now that he had agreed to Chanyeol's proposal of just a couple more days. There were no words to describe how happy the photographer felt knowing that he had persuaded the boy to stay by his side for at least another 48 hours, Chanyeol felt like the whole world had been taken from his shoulders. He didn't feel nervous about approaching the situation that was likely waiting for him when he returned to the island, it was probably a good decision that he and Baekhyun left the cave now because the last thing Chanyeol wanted was for the coast guards to be informed of his 'reckless behaviour'.

"Can I ask you a question before we get to the water..?" Chanyeol wondered, his index and thumb fingers on his left hand pulled the middle finger from his right. He couldn't hold Baekhyun's gaze when the latter turned back to look at him, he needed to ask before he allowed anything else to take place.

"I suppose." Baekhyun's voice was weary, like he was expecting something quite personal to be addressed. Chanyeol could tell by his voice alone that the boy standing in front of him was a little uncomfortable, but he decided to ignore that as he asked the question hoping that Baekhyun could understand his curiosity.

"Does it hurt when you..." the words died on his tongue, but thankfully Baekhyun was able to figure out what he was trying to ask. Chanyeol watched as the stranger's lips curled upwards, his eyes sparkling as he gestured for Chanyeol to come closer to him. The photographer knew that it would be okay to approach him now that they were so close to the water, but he still kept his distance.

"Do you remember how we talked about the story of the Little Mermaid?" Chanyeol nodded his head, brow raised but lips silenced. "You've seen that film right?" Again Chanyeol's head dipped. "My transformation is exactly like that, there is a lot more science in the shift but that's more or less what happens. I don't feel pain, it does take me a little while to get used to my legs though."

Chanyeol let out a breath of air he didn't even realise he was holding onto, the explanation from Baekhyun instantly calmed his nerves. He was glad that Baekhyun never felt any pain when he transformed, it had been travelling through Chanyeol's mind ever since he figured it out. There was no way that two legs could easily transform back into a tail after having already been one, there would have had to have been some pain right? Well according to Baekhyun, thankfully the transition was painless.

"If you want to you can go into the water first so you'll see how it happens, that's only if you want to!" Baekhyun nearly shrieked, his hands stretched out palm side up so Chanyeol knew his statement wasn't meant to bring offense.

"Actually I would be honoured." Chanyeol grinned, taking one last glance at Baekhyun before filling his lungs with air. He could see the boy rush to prevent him from doing it, but Chanyeol's knees had already sprung him out of the cave and into the ocean water. In a way he was glad that Baekhyun had brought him along the rocks, it had prevented them from getting stuck in the channel that would have just drifted them back into the cave.

Chanyeol knew that he was able to hold his breath for quite awhile, he had experienced it when he first came to the edge of the mountain so he figured that he could hold it long enough for Baekhyun to appear in front of him. Suddenly Chanyeol's vision was overrun with bubbles, Baekhyun's eyes opening to glance at him the moment he plunged into the water. Chanyeol offered him a shy smile, his eyes locked on the boy who returned the grin with his own box shaped one. At first nothing happened, Baekhyun's body remained in his human state. It wasn't until the bubbles that had formed when he plunged suddenly began moving like they had a mind of their own, here it goes!

Chanyeol watched amazed as the bubbles swarmed around Baekhyun, the boy blowing out the last of his oxygen creating even more of the spherical shapes. A thought of Baekhyun drowning crossed Chanyeol's mind, his arms already moving to swim straight up to the boy but Baekhyun's gaze fixated on him making him stay where he was a couple inches away from him.

The bubbles stuck to Baekhyun's body like a cocoon, swirling around him and gradually extending downwards. Within the time that it takes for a person to blink Chanyeol was able to notice that Baekhyun was no longer wearing a shirt, his chest and torso was visible through the bubbles almost as if they had stripped the fabric away. However, there was no material floating around them, Baekhyun's clothes had simply vanished into thin (well air but-) sea. Just when he thought that the transformation had surprised him enough, Chanyeol was shocked to see the bubbles eventually drift away from Baekhyun's body flowing towards the surface. He watched a group of them go, his vision barely able to see through the sun's rays splitting through the waves. When he turned back to look at Baekhyun, the boy he had once known no longer looked the same as before.

Baekhyun gulped as he studied Chanyeol's face, the photographer's eyes wide as he took in the sight in front of him. Baekhyun's neck looked as though he had been attacked (badly) by a cat, three large and deep gashes ran along the side of his neck. His eyes were the same chocolate brown but Chanyeol noticed two strange blue markings had appeared on the merman's left cheek, he didn't exactly know what they were for but they didn't take away his beauty. Chanyeol's gaze continued to fall, taking in Baekhyun's (seemingly) human torso before noticing that there was a strange substance linking four of the five fingers on each hand it was only a shade paler than Baekhyun's average skin tone so Chanyeol nearly missed it.

Then the thing that Baekhyun was really worried about, happened.

Chanyeol saw his tail and gasped letting out the air he had taken into his lungs, the boy's eyes went wider than Baekhyun had ever thought possible.

Chanyeol watched helplessly as his bubbles of oxygen drifted away from him, floating towards the surface. He started to panic, feeling his diaphragm contract in desperate need to gulp air, but for some unknown reason Chanyeol's legs weren't listening to him when he tried to kick himself to the surface. They felt weighed down, almost as if something was keeping him there. Chanyeol's body struggled, his vision going fuzzy momentarily before finally his body gave out. He took a breath and instead of the water filling his lungs and completely suffocating him Chanyeol actually felt his body relax, almost like he had been holding his breath around air this entire time. His jaw dropped, his vision clearing just in time to see Baekhyun's face so close. Chanyeol could feel the tips of Baekhyun's fingers holding onto his head, before their lips met. The photographer was somewhat glad that he discovered the fact that he could breathe underwater before this happened because if Baekhyun had done that before, Chanyeol was almost certain that whatever leftover oxygen he had would have left him the second Baekhyun's lips touched his.

Like his before Chanyeol found his body struggling, not for air this time (thankfully) but for where he could put his hands. His mind was telling him to keep them by his side in order to respect Baekhyun's privacy, but his heart was begging him to wrap his arms around the merman's wasit. Two different signals meant that Chanyeol could pick either of them, but the boy decided instead to wrap one arm around the merman (and pull him close) while the other reached up to cup his cheek. 'If he's kissing me to keep me alive, I might as well enjoy it..' he thought, a small smirk creeped onto his lips as he allowed himself to push just as much pressure as Baekhyun was giving him right back.

The merman gasped, his gills expanding and closing as he pushed himself away. Chanyeol's eyes reopened, he didn't know what was going to happen now so he pretended that he was holding his breath again. His action made Baekhyun chuckle and shake his head, his webbed fingers pressing playfully against his chest.

"I know this is going to sound really strange but a kiss from a merman will allow you to breathe and communicate under water for roughly fifteen minutes, after that I have to kiss you again." Baekhyun explained, noticing the surprise in Chanyeol's face. There was no doubt in his mind that Chnayeol was shocked about the whole experience, but to the photographer the only thing he was shocked about was the fact that Baekhyun was able to talk under water and therefore apparently he could too.

He gently pried Baekhyun's hands from his chest and held onto them tight, if he wanted to fool the merman he was going to have to look the part. Baekhyun gave him an encouraging look before dramatically taking a deep breath, to Chanyeol that looked like all types of wrong considering they were in the ocean right now but he still allowed himself to take a breath just like Baekhyun taught him.

"There you go, cool right?!"

"I have to admit I'm a little freaked out," Chanyeol knew that he was the only one that fully understood his reasoning, but to Baekhyun, Chanyeol's reaction was a lot less tame than he expected. "I haven't grown gills like you have I?" he sounded genuinely curious, he would have to know just in case Baekhyun got suspicious!

"Nope, a kiss only allows your lungs to adapt to water for a certain time limit. You would only have gills if you were born one of us-"

"I thought we just concluded that I was?" Chanyeol shrieked, his hands coiling around his neck. He didn't feel any gashes but when Baekhyun's fingers wrapped around his wrist he instantly let go. He tilted his head back for the merman who gave it a quick check before shaking his head.

"No gills, no tail and no webbed fingers. You're fine, maybe you aren't able to breath underwater like the rest of us because you're only half?"

Chanyeol didn't want to think too much into it, he had just learned that he could breathe underwater without Baekhyun's miracle kissing lips. There were no gills on either side of his neck and just like the merman before him said, maybe he didn't get all of that because he was only half. Whatever the hell that meant!

"So if I was to go to the surface right now, would I need another kiss or something?" he wondered, looking into those chocolate orbs that had crinkled at his question.

"No, that's only when you're entering the ocean. Your lungs will go back to normal the moment you break the surface, however you will still be able to re-enter the ocean as long as you're still within the fifteen minutes of the kiss."

"Noted." Chanyeol bobbed his head, surprised to see the bubbles forming around him. As his eyes followed the bubbles, he found himself catching a glimpse of Baekhyun's tail. The merman's cheeks lit up in a bright red as he leaned back against Chanyeol's arm to show it off better.

The tail started at Baekhyun's hips, Chanyeol was actually able to see the boy's hip-bone through the water. It was prominent and the entirety of the skin on top of it was coloured in a deep navy blue, it was also brought to Chanyeol's attention that Baekhyun's merman form didn't appear to have any.. ual organs, just straight torso all the way down until where Chanyeol would have assumed Baekhyun's balls to have been when he was in his human form. The navy blue was shaped in a V curving out a section of skin that Baekhyun's human body would have had, but his merman form did not. Chanyeol didn't think too much into it though, his mind clearing and focusing only on the colours that greeted him. Meeting the navy blue just at the general thigh section was a beautiful lilac purple, Chanyeol's hand reached out to touch it but his touch halted in mid-well sea. Baekhyun quietly giggled, his webbed hand coming out to wrap around Chanyeol's wrist. The photographer allowed him to move his hand so that it was now on top of the tail. It felt quite rough to Chanyeol, but he certainly couldn't deny it's beauty. The longer he stared at it the more he noticed. There was a pale pink that blended with the purple before taking up a section of Baekhyun's tail where it then followed into a pale yellow tone. The taller one noticed that the end of Baekhyun's tail was shaped almost like the end of a dolphin's tail, coloured to look like a sunrise.

"It's really beautiful." Chanyeol whispered, his eyes searching Baekhyun's who hadn't been able to remove his gaze since the moment he allowed Chanyeol to touch him. "It reminds me of the sunrise."

"I don't think that I've ever received such a statement before.." Baekhyun admitted bashfully, his head dipping to look at the ocean floor below them. Chanyeol's other hand was pushing the water so that they remained on the bottom and not floating to the top. "it gets me into a lot of trouble."

Chanyeol sent it one last look before gently caressing the tough skin, Baekhyun shivered his breath hitching as his eyes widened. Chanyeol knew that he should probably say something, apologise or just take his hand away completely but for some unknown reason he couldn't. Every fibre in his being was telling him to be as close to Baekhyun as possible, like if he was to turn away for just one second the boy he had grown to cherish would be gone and there may not have been a way for him to return.

"I think we should head back now.." Chanyeol swallowed, momentarily tasting the saltiness from the ocean around him. He hissed when his hand brushed by his jeans, he had obviously forgotten that he had slit his hand on the rock before arriving at the base of the mountain. Baekhyun, who saw the cut gasped at it's length, quickly pulled Chanyeol's hand close to him. Chanyeol watched him as the merman began humming, his eyes falling close as he held on tightly to his wrist.

He wanted to laugh and call Baekhyun Rapunzel since he recalls something similar happening in that film, but the words die on his tongue. He was completely captivated by the man before him, fish tail, webbed fingers, gills and all.