Baekhyun sat across from Chanyeol at the breakfast table the following morning, his body trembling in excitement as the photographer shared everything the others had missed the previous night. The merman, having stayed up long enough to welcome Chanyeol home, had allowed Baekhyun the opportunity to listen to the material first hand which ultimately allowed both of them to get a good night's sleep.

Now, as Chanyeol conversed with his family and friends, Baekhyun was left to his own devices. He had indulged in one of the best breakfasts he had ever experienced and had the opportunity to try a strangely bitter beverage, one that was quickly explained to be orange juice. It instantly made its way onto Baekhyun's list of favourite things about the surface.

Though there did seem to be something else that had managed to crawl itself into his consciousness, a warm fuzzy feeling that was centred in one Park Chanyeol. The demigod had somehow managed to tear down Baekhyun's cautious walls, the very things that he had built in order to avoid growing attached to a world that he couldn't stay in. Though the idea of allowing himself to completely immerse himself into the drowning feeling of fluff and comfort was tempting, Baekhyun knew that it was an idea that would remain simply that; an idea.

"Forgive me for not completely following along," Jongin announced through a heavy sigh. "I'm just finding it so difficult to wrap my head around! I mean - for years I was fascinated by Greek mythology, so much so that I wrote all about it in senior year. You can't honestly expect me to simply accept that everything that is happening around me is natural, not when the King of the Olympian Gods almost made you into a barbecued skewer last night!"

"And you often said that I was the dramatic one in the family." Chanyeol scoffed, gesturing to his best friend who had taken the seat next to him at the table. Sehun choked back a chuckle while Jongin merely rolled his eyes while piling more croissants onto his plate, not completely finished with the banquet laid out before them. Baekhyun couldn't blame him, had it not been for his small appetite he would have devoured more of the fabulous food. He was grateful that Mrs. Park suggested to pack up some of the leftovers that he would be able to take with him on his journey back home.

Because that's where he needs to be, back home in the ocean where he belongs. Where his father has complete control over his life and the future marriage he wished was never an option to begin with.

Still the idea of his life being different was one Baekhyun constantly played in his mind, over and over again. Never once getting bored of the idea of living happily on the island, perhaps travelling by plane to various other places around the globe without having to worry about his father's consequences.

Gazing across the table, Baekhyun allowed himself the time to watch Chanyeol communicate with the others. His lips curling into a smile, the muscles moving to speak whenever he was addressed. Baekhyun's mind was incapable of listening to what was happening around him, afraid that if he did he would lose the precious moments he could have spent watching, memorising the boy who made his dusty heart flutter.

A burning sensation coiled around the expanse of his throat, searing the muscle and making him unable to talk even if he wanted to. Eventually the pain travelled and it wasn't just his throat he had to worry about anymore, instead Baekhyun mentally groaned at the burning sensation originating from his eyes. The tears were welling up a lot quicker than he had expected, pretty soon he would have no control over his ability to keep them at bay. So, keeping that in mind Baekhyun pushed himself up from his seat, avoiding everyone's gaze as he moved to exit the room.

Perhaps he had miscalculated his strength when he opened the front door, the air in his lungs desperate to be released. The door slammed against the wall, though its noise didn't reach Baekhyun's ears, his desperate attempts to calm himself down being the only thing on his mind. Within a few seconds he had placed himself and the Park house behind him, his feet carrying him through the bustling town and towards the beach.

He managed to slip his shoes off of his feet before he had managed to step out onto the sand, the trainers that magically appeared whenever he left the ocean remained on the concrete, a sole memory of his time there. Maybe Suho will find them and assume that he had left, willingly complying to Suho's desire to send him home.

The sand beneath his feet reminded him of the previous night when he found Chanyeol at the beach, waiting for the unknown arrival of the King of the Gods. Despite the tears streaming down his cheeks, Baekhyun still managed a genuine smile allowing himself to reminisce the cherished moments he had spent with the demigod especially since he wasn't entirely sure when they would meet each other again.

It was a painful revolution, Baekhyun realised. The idea of leaving behind Chanyeol hurt more than the time he had said goodbye to Suho, his closest and dearest friend in the entire world. He scoffed to himself when he realised that he would be unable to fulfil his promise to the demigod, Chanyeol had asked him to stay and yet here he was. Ready to throw himself into the ocean and hope that the current would take him as far away as possible.

"Now I know you're not thinking about jumping," a familiar voice spoke out from behind him, sending goosebumps down his arms. "we had a deal."

Still, despite the tears Baekhyun still managed to let out a laugh. His tears collecting on the sand below him, he stood a few centimetres from the water. A total of two steps would be all he needed to do to seal his fate, two simple steps would activate his merman ability and he would be forced back to his pod knowing that he couldn't come back to the island.

"Deal's off." Baekhyun swallowed, eyes lingering on the horizon. "I realised after listening to you all chat about your joint journey to find Aphrodite that I wouldn't be able to join you, despite how much I wish I could."

"I didn't expect you to want to join," Chanyeol admitted, joining Baekhyun by his side. The merman allowed himself to steal a glance, noticing how Chanyeol's gaze remained ahead of them. "I thought that you would simply wish us well on our journey and head back home after all," their gazes locked. "our deal would be over then."

"I don't want our deal to be off," Baekhyun admitted through a sigh, allowing himself to close his eyes and wallow in the gentle breeze blowing against him. "I want to come with you -"

"Then come." Chanyeol whispered, the sand beneath Baekhyun's feet shifted suggesting that the taller had turned to look at him rather than the horizon though he couldn't open his eyes to confirm. "Come with us and help us save your kingdom."

Baekhyun let out a non humorous laugh, his eyes choosing to remain closed. "I never wanted my kingdom, I knew my duty as being the son of the chief but I never wished for the day to come where I assumed the throne. Ever since I was a child my life had been mapped out and for a time I thought that I may never be able to complete a merman's right by transitioning into a mortal, and for a time my Father refused to allow me. It was the Elders that spoke in my favour as they wished to uphold centuries old traditions, merfolk had to complete their transition at least once in their lives. If not, it was seen as a crime against nature. Denying us the ability to choose the course of our own life, a practice your Father put in place centuries ago."

"My Father allowed you to choose what you wanted from your life?" Chanyeol wondered, sounding surprised by the information Baekhyun unconsciously revealed.

"Of course," Baekhyun agreed, finally allowing his eyes to open. He was grateful to see that his line of sight wasn't completely overrun by a tall handsome demigod, instead the boy remained by his side. His eyes bored holes into Baekhyun's skin, though it was a welcomed attention. "your Dad was very big on allowing merfolk the opportunities to choose if they wanted a life on land or beneath the surface. It was seen as a revolutionary scheme, one that would completely wipe out the former laws of the land put in place by Poseidon's uncle Oceanus."

"But I overheard you speaking with your kidnapper yesterday, you said that your Father had granted you a week to come to land. Surely that offer still stands?"

"Of course," Baekhyun blinked, turning to look at the demigod whose eyes sparkled in mischievousness. "Why?"

"Can't we use the rest of your time here to find Aphrodite? I can you back to the ocean myself-"

"Do you really think that we can travel to Rome and find Aphrodite in three days?" Baekhyun let out a scoff, his head shaking from side to side. "Chanyeol what you're talking about is both impossible and an unrealistic dream, I mean think about it... if we somehow managed to stretch out these three days and find Aphrodite, what's to say that we would be able to leave each other then? Do you really think that I'm going to be capable of leaving you behind after everything the two of us have gone through? Do you really think that I could leave you after everything I've felt for you?"

"Why do you think I'm desperate to keep you close to me?" Chanyeol muttered, creeping closer, completely invading Baekhyun's personal space bubble. "Why do you think I made that deal with you in the first place? Do you think I do that with everyone I meet? I haven't been able to get you out of my head, never been able to focus on anything else other than you. My mind has been split in so many different ways to accommodate you and every other thought that came to my mind, but you..." a pause so that Chanyeol could run his hand down the merman's cheek. "You're the only constant I've had in my life and I haven't even known you for very long."

"Chanyeol..." Baekhyun whispered, allowing himself the time to be weak. Allowing him the opportunity to wallow in Chanyeol's touch and warmth, because despite everything he wishes for, he can't have it.

"Shush.." the demigod's voice was barely audible against the crashing waves. Baekhyun's brows furrowing when he realised that the water that had been centimetres away from his feet before, hadn't drifted any closer to him. "Do you trust me?"

The next second was spent with the two conversing boys merely staring into the other's being, completely submerging themselves in the other while they could still be as close as they were. There was something within the demigod's gaze that had Baekhyun's entire being tingle, an emotion that he thought had been lost throughout his life. Chanyeol's gaze provided the merman with a dizzying revelation, a promise of something worthwhile. Chanyeol allowed him to hope.

"Yes.." he whispered, allowing his chin to rise with the gentle nudge of Chanyeol's index. "I trust you."

"Good," the demigod chuckled, lips curling into a small smile. Baekhyun giggled against his frame, the excitement he felt earlier reentering his body. A feeling that wouldn't be as easy to overlook again, because he meant it. Baekhyun truly meant what he said when Chanyeol questioned him, he wholeheartedly knew that he could trust the demigod. "because I'm going to need you to do something for me."

Baekhyun's brows furrowed, his eyes continuing to search for an answer within the boy's gaze. He was unable to find one, though he could spot a very familiar trait shining back at him from the depths of Chanyeol's iris.

Determination.

Whatever he had planned, Chanyeol was going to see that it was fulfilled and at least this time he was going to be taking Baekhyun along for the ride.

"Alright," he agreed, though slightly hesitant. He squared his shoulders and stood taller despite the sand making him lose a couple inches. "what can I do for you?"

"Kiss me." Chanyeol declared, loud enough for only Baekhyun to hear. The touch to the merman's cheek grew hotter as blood rushed into his cheeks, heating them up from the inside out. "I only ask so that I can breathe under water."

"Where do you plan on going?" Baekhyun wondered, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I meant what I said earlier," Chanyeol said, his other hand gently placing itself against the curve of Baekhyun's waist. The merman instantly felt his insides melt, his body growing light beneath the man's touch. "I'm going to bring you back home. I have a few things I want to discuss with your father."

As far as Baekhyun was concerned, the conversation was over. There was a certain gleam in Chanyeol's eye that claimed he had said all he had to say on the matter, still managing to keep his mysterious aura.

The merman hummed quietly to himself, continuing to wallow in the warmth that was Park Chanyeol.

With his tears now dry and his emotions running rampant in his chest, Baekhyun allowed his arms to lift from their position by his sides, slipping around the demigod's shoulders before finally interlocking against his neck.

"Okay..." he whispered, tongue swiping across his lower lip. His eyes remained on Chanyeol's, though the taller's attention seemed to be fixed elsewhere on Baekhyun's face.

His cheeks burned at the realization of Chanyeol's fascination with his lips. He giggled slightly, raising himself up onto his tiptoes. "You can kiss me."

Without delay, the taller's head swooped down and claimed the sweet pink buds that had been teasing him ever since he first laid eyes on them. Baekhyun hummed against the soft muscles, his fingers reaching up to card through the demigod's hair.

He was unable to hold back a squeak when Chanyeol's arms gripped his waist tighter, pulling him impossibly closer. It was incredible how much a simple lip-on-lip kiss drove him into insanity. Baekhyun tightened his fingers against a few strands of Chanyeol's hair, ultimately keeping him in place to accept his addicting kisses.

Oh Baekhyun certainly was in trouble, and quite a lot of it indeed.