Minho had lived in a small village by the sea his entire life. His feelings about the large body of water had always been some mix between fascination and fear of the unknown. While he did fear the strange creatures that lurked in the ocean, his curiosity had always been much more prominent than his fear. His mother used to say his curiosity and need for adventure would get him killed someday, but he simply couldn't control himself at times. While the stories of frightening creatures luring men to their deaths in the enclosed area at the edge of the beach had scared most everyone away, Minho had always found himself gazing over at it, wishing he could get a glimpse past those large rocks. No one dared to go past those boulders. The old stories that the fishermen would tell were more than just myths to them. Everyone in the village heeded their words, and never took one step into the area. But for Minho, these stories only fueled his curiosities. His grandmother would scold him every time she caught him staring over at the rocks, or when he even dared to speak of the place. "I've lost both your mother and father, Minho. I couldn't bear to lose you too. Please, don't do anything foolish." She knew she could convince him when she spoke of his deceased parents, so she usually used it to her advantage. A majority of the time, Minho would turn away and nod his head obediently "I understand, grandmother," he would mutter, and not dare to look over again.

He was expected to grow up into a healthy man, and become a great fisherman as his father had been. He did not want to disappoint his grandmother; the only family he had left, but he truly had no desire to be a fisherman. He was curious about the sea, yes, but he wanted to study it, not spend his days catching fish. He had always felt like an outcast in his village. All the boys spent their youths learning about fishing from their fathers, but Minho spent most of his time at home, reading his grandmother's books. He tried to befriend them, play games with them, but they wanted nothing to do with him. Sometimes he yearned to join them in playing sports, but once he discovered his love for swimming, he was content with doing that all by himself.

He was now at the age of seventeen, his body stuck between youth and manhood, and his grandmother was urging him to take an interest in fishing, but he was putting it off for as long as he could. He dreaded the conversation he would have to eventually have with her about his decision to not pursue fishing.

But for now, he would enjoy the moment. He had come down to the beach again for a swim, and it was almost completely empty save for the few children playing in the shallow part of the water a good distance away from him. He took a deep breathe, taking in the salty smell of the sea and staring out into the endless waves.

He didn't waste any more time, and quickly waded into the water until he couldn't feel the wet sand beneath his feet. He wasn't swimming for very long, maybe 10 minutes, when he noticed that the children had left the beach and he was now alone in the water.

After a quick glance around the empty beach, his eyes strayed to the large rocks in the distance. He was swimming back toward the shore before he was even aware of what he was doing. The area seemed to call to him, tempting him to take just one glance. He had been resisting long enough, and he now felt that he could no longer hold himself back. Maybe it was cursed? Maybe there really were dangerous creature waiting to lure men to their death? But Minho would never know unless he looked for himself, would he? Some may call him a fool, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

The warm sand stuck to the bottom of his wet feet as he walked across the beach, growing closer to the cluster of large rocks. He did not know why, but his heart was hammering in his chest, each beat feeling as though the organ would burst out of his chest. He wasn't even sure there would be anything there, but the thought of seeing something grand excited him. When he finally reached the rocks, he had to walk around to find any kind of opening. His hand glided along the cool, smooth surface of the rocks as he walked, and the only sounds he was aware of were the waves crashing and the loud beat of his heart echoing in his ears.

He finally found a small opening between two rocks, and with bated breath, he climbed through it. The inside looked almost like a cave, aside from the area that was open above him that allowed the sun to give warmth to the area. With a quick glance around, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Besides the fact that it was a lovely little sanctuary away from other people on the beach, there was nothing strange about it. Minho heaved a disappointed sigh. So much for having a little excitement in this boring village. It seemed that the old fisherman were poorly mistaken, but Minho wouldn't bother to tell them that. If anything, this place could be his very own private area.

He spotted a small cluster of rocks a little far out into the water, and he made his way over, climbing up and taking a seat close to the edge to dangle his legs over the edge so his feet could be submerged in the water. He had a perfect view of the sunset sitting there, and he decided that he was glad he had come, despite the lack of excitement he had expected.

He grabbed a few pebbles lying beside him and chucked one into the water, watching as the small ripple was swallowed by a wave in mere seconds. The wind wasn't very strong, but there was still a steady flow of small waves coming into the shore. Minho closed his eyes and leaned back on his palms, appreciating the light breeze as it ruffled his hair and tickled his cheeks.

The sounds of splashing water broke his peaceful trance, and he opened his eyes just in time to see a large fishtail disappear into the water a few feet in front of him. His first thought was a shark, and he lifted his feet away from the water, but when he took a moment to process what he had seen, he realized it couldn't have been a shark. The tail was large and flat, and the scales shone a light silvery blue. It looked nothing like the sharks Minho had seen.

Minho reached for another pebble, his fingers shaking with excitement, and threw it into the water where the tail had disappeared. He waited. But there was only the peaceful flow of waves, and the sounds of seagulls in the distance.

He released a breath he didn't know he had even been holding and turned to leave. He caught sight of something out the corner of his eye, just as he climbed down from the rock, and he whipped his head around so fast his neck hurt.

A mere 20 feet away from him, the top of someone's head rested above the water. Only it's light brown, wet hair and striking eyes were visible, as the rest of it was hidden under the water. The eyes were a shocking silvery blue, and they were staring right at Minho as he stood frozen in the water. They way it glared was defensive, but Minho could almost see a hint of curiosity lingering in its gaze.

Should he say something? Should he run?

No! He didn't muster up the courage to go there just so he could run away when something shocked him.

"Um-"he started, stepping further into the water and reaching out his hand. The head disappeared back into the water faster than Minho could get another word out. "Wait!" He pleaded, but the creature did not come back. Minho was left standing in the shallow water, wondering what in the world he had just seen.

______________________

Minho went back to the beach the next day around the same time. His grandmother protested, like she always did when he spent too much time "off by himself, doing God knows what" as she would put it. He went anyways. He was much too curious to spend another minute at home. He had hardly slept at all the night before, as his thoughts were consumed by the strange creature in the water. He tried to find something in his grandmother's books about what it could be, but he found nothing. So he spend most of the night staring at the ceiling, his thoughts in disarray.
When he went back to the enclosed area around sunset the next day, and three pebbles in the water, the creature did not return. He waited and waited, sitting down to draw circles in the sand with a stick, but there was nothing but the steady waves lapping at the shore.

He went back every day for a week, and just as he was ready to give up, he arrived on the seventh day to a sight he could not comprehend.

He first noticed the large shimmering silver-blue fish tail stretched out on the sand, the end of it resting in the water at the shore. But as his eyes trailed upward, he took in the sight of the thin torso of a boy. He was leaning back on his palms, head tilted back as his long brown hair dripped water down his skin.

Minho was frozen in shock, only staring with his mouth wide open when the boy - the creature - finally glanced over at him with those striking silver-blue eyes. He looked stunningly radiant, with the sunset shining behind him. Minho had never seen anything more beautiful than this strange, ethereal creature.

The creature's stance immediately became defensive when he spotted Minho, crouching low to the sand with cautious, but curious, eyes. Minho advanced slowly, his palms sweating with anticipation, and the creature watched his feet with every step he took. "H-Hello," Minho sputtered. The creature furrowed his brow, thoroughly confused by the way Minho spoke.

 "Oh, I'm a fool. He probably doesn't speak any human language."

He found that his assumptions were correct when the creature said something in a strange, foreign language. It sounded like a question, but Minho couldn't tell. He only knew that it was a language he had never heard before.

Minho sat down cross-legged in the sand, careful to keep a few feet between them. But the creature still shuffled back defensively. Minho didn't understand how anyone could consider these creatures deadly. It seemed more frightened of him than he was of it.

He stretched out his palms slowly, "I won't hurt you." He knew the creature could not understand him, but he spoke in a gentle tone, hoping that would be enough to calm it.

The creature gradually shifted out of the defensive stance, sitting up and loosening his rigged shoulders, but keeping his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Minho scooted a little closer, feeling pleased when the creature didn't shuffle away. In fact, he looked much less guarded, and his eyes raked over Minho's body curiously, stopping to stare at his crossed legs. He watched as the creature extended his arm slowly, until his fingers came in contact with Minho's toes. Minho couldn't control the laughter that slipped through his lips, both from the ticklish feeling of the creature's fingers and the pure look of confusion and fascination on his face. "Toes," Minho explained simply. The creature looked up at him, titling his head cutely as he stared at Minho with wide eyes. "We should probably start with introductions, huh?" The creature didn't answer of course, but Minho was mostly mumbling to himself anyways.

"Minho," he stated, pointing to himself. The creature simply blinked at him, looking lost as ever. "Miiiinhoo," he said again, slowly. "Can you say it?"

A look of realization crossed the creatures face and he nodded. "M-mi-ho," he tried, his voice soft and foreign.

Minho chuckled again, finding him extremely endearing. "Min. Min-ho."

"Miiiin-hoo"

"Yes! Good! Very good!" He praised, grinning at the creature's accomplishment. "Now you," he pointed to the creature. He seemed to understand immediately, and pointed to his own chest as he spoke his foreign name. Minho could not even begin to try to pronounce it. The creature seemed to grasp his language easily, but Minho wasn't sure he could say one word in its language.

"Uh...Tae-min?" He tried a name in his language that sounded very similar to what the creature said, hoping it would be enough. The creature laughed, the sound of it so pleasant that it caused Minho's heart to lurch in his chest. But he nodded, accepting the strange pronunciation of his name. "Taemin," he tested the name on his tongue, and nodded again.

Minho's eyes were drawn to the shimmering fish-tail again, and he reached his hand out, "Can I?" He asked, looking back at Taemin's face. Taemin nodded, understanding what he was asking immediately.

When his fingers touched the scales of the fish-tail, it definitely wasn't what he had been expecting. It was warm and dry from sitting in the sun, and quite smooth, not slimy and slick as he thought it would be. The scales sparkled under the light of the sunset, causing different colors to shine through. The sight was unlike anything Minho had ever seen, and the situation still felt completely unreal. He had heard of merpeople in ancient legends, but he never believed they were real. He thought it was just old fisherman telling crazy stories after hallucinating because they were at sea for so long.

If Taemin was here, right before his eyes, there had to be more of his kind living in the sea, and they probably had been for centuries.

He had to keep this a secret...If he told anyone in the village, they would either think he was crazy or they would all be frightened once they realized he was telling the truth.

No...Taemin would be his secret to keep.

_____________________

Minho went back home after the sun disappeared from the sky, when the beach became much too cold for him to stay. He walked back home in a daze, and hardly even flinched when his grandmother yelled at him for coming back so late. He still found it hard to believe Taemin was real. Even when he woke up the next morning, he thought everything may have been a dream.
He finished his chores around the house and outside quickly, eager to go back to the beach as soon as possible. He snuck some freshly baked bread out of the house to take with him, hoping Taemin might like it.

When he arrived, which was quite earlier than he had in the past few days, he was surprised to see Taemin lying there waiting for him. He was lying in the exact same spot, his tail shimmering in the sun, looking as beautiful as ever. As soon as the merboy spotted him, his eyes lit up and his lips stretched into a huge grin. "Minho!" He called eagerly. His excitement was extremely endearing, and Minho waved back, smiling gently at the merboy and heading over to sit next to him. Minho's name was now one of the only words Taemin knew. The day before, Minho had spent most of their time together teaching Taemin some basic words. He caught on very quickly, and Minho made it his mission to teach the boy to speak his language. He thought maybe he had a few school books stored away from his younger years in school. Maybe they could be of good use for this?

When he sat down next to Taemin, he held his hand out, offering the piece of bread to him with an encouraging smile. Taemin glanced down at it, his expression growing puzzled. "Minho?" He asked, as if to question what the item was.

"It's food. Bread," he explained, tearing off a piece and eating it to show Taemin what he meant. He tore off another piece and offered it to Taemin, and the merboy still looked a little hesitant, but he took it nonetheless. Minho watched his expression as he slowly chewed it. After swallowing it, his eyes lit up and he looked as though he had discovered something wonderful. He snatched the bread from Minho's hand, and began eating it ravenously. Minho wasn't sure what his diet consisted of - fish probably - but he could imagine that Taemin had never tasted anything like bread before, so he could somewhat understand the excitement.

When Taemin finished the bread in record timing, he grabbed Minho's empty hand with the both of his, frowning when he realized there was nothing left. Minho chuckled, "I'll bring you more tomorrow, I promise." Taemin simply blinked up at him, but he hoped the merboy had some understanding of what he had said. "It's called 'bread.' Can you say it? Bread."

"Bur-read," Taemin repeated slowly.

"Very good," he praised, ruffling the boy's damp hair. "I'll bring you something else you'll like tomorrow too." Taemin simply smiled up him, oblivious to what his was saying, but happy to hear his voice nonetheless. Minho was extremely eager to teach the boy his language. He wasn't sure if he was any good as a teacher, but he would try his best. He suddenly wished he had brought his old school books today, instead of waiting. For now, he supposed, he would have to settle for teaching Taemin miscellaneous words as he had done the day before.

By sunset, Taemin could pronounce most of names for body parts and the names for the things surrounding them. He was currently picking up sand and letting it fall through his fingers as he tested the word on his tongue, mumbling it over and over again so he would memorize it.

"I should probably go home," Minho announced dejectedly. Taemin looked up at him, tilting his head in confusion. "Home," Minho said again, pointing toward the exit. The merboy frowned as he finally understood what Minho was trying to say. "Minho," he whined, his bottom lip jutting out the slightest bit. He took Minho's wrist in a light grip, a small whine coming from the back of his throat as he shook his head.

"I'll be back tomorrow, I promise." He was a little surprised that Taemin seemed so attached to him already. Not that he wasn't growing quickly attached also. They both fascinated each other, and when they separated the day before, Minho felt strange going back to his dull life. He felt like everything else was simply a waste of his time.

"I'll come back," he promised again, placing his hand on the one Taemin was gripping his wrist with.

"Come back?" Taemin repeated, looking like he vaguely understood what it meant. His slowly released Minho's wrist.

"Yes, I promise," Minho lifted his pinky, and Taemin simply stared at it in bewilderment. Minho chuckled, and lifted Taemin's hand close to his own. Taemin stared at his hand for a moment, before copying Minho, and stinking his pinky out. "Promise," Minho said, linking their pinkies.
"Promise," Taemin copied slowly, staring at their linked fingers.

________________________

Minho always kept his promises.

He came back every day, bringing his old school books along, and teaching Taemin more and more. He learned incredibly fast, so fast that Minho questioned how it could be possible. For all he knew, merpeople could have advanced intelligence. Taemin still could not have lengthy conversation, so he couldn't give Minho much detail about his life in the sea or others of his kind. As much as he was curious about creatures like Taemin, he was content with how things were. Weeks passed and Minho found himself growing extremely attached to the merboy. His day didn't feel complete without seeing the boy's smile, or hearing his soft, accented voice.

It seemed as though Taemin felt something similar. Minho could hardly go home at the end of the day without the boy pleading with him to stay. He was also not hesitant to show affection. Taemin often clung to him, curling into his side as he read children's books to the boy.

Almost 3 weeks had gone by since the first day he set eyes on Taemin, and the merboy was currently waiting for him near the shore, just as he had been every day. He seemed fidgety and impatient as he waited, and Minho watched him a little longer before he made his presence known. "Minho," Taemin called when he spotted him.

"Hello, Taemin." Minho say next to him in the sand, staring curiously at his pink cheeks and nervous expression. "Is something wrong?"

Taemin opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when he realized he didn't have the knowledge to respond the way he wished to. He turned around, facing away from Minho and picking something up from beside his tail, fidgeting with it. Minho leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was, but he couldn't see it. When Taemin turned around, he held out his hand, a shy smile gracing his lips and the blush on his face more prominent than ever.

"Present." He said simply, and Minho glanced down to see a seashell in his hand.

"For me?" Minho questioned, taking the pretty little seashell from the boy's hand.

Taemin nodded excitedly, his lips stretching into a large grin when Minho accepted his present.

"Well...thank you, Taemin. It's lovely," he said a little awkwardly.

Taemin threw himself at the older boy, wrapping skinny arms around him and nuzzling his face into his shoulder. Minho was shocked to say the least, not expecting the embrace at all. But he eventually wrapped his arms around the boy in return, smiling softly when he heard a muffled giggle close to his ear.

The warmth that spread through him was something he could not begin to explain. It was an unfamiliar, but very pleasant feeling. How could a simple embrace from Taemin give him such a feeling?

Taemin continued to give him little presents every few days. They were only little things he found in the sea; seashells, utensils he probably found in a wrecked ship, colorful plants from the seafloor. But Taemin seemed to think of it as an extremely special gesture when Minho accepted his little gifts, and Minho began to think this exchange could mean something different to Taemin. He wasn't sure what exactly, but it was obviously a very nice gesture. He felt bad for accepting these things with nothing to give in return, so he searched around his room for anything he could give the boy. He eventually found the hand-made bracelet he had bought from strange-looking travelers a few years back. It was simply a few mismatched beads, each of them a different swirl of colors, but it was beautiful. He never wore it because he felt that it was too treasured to wear and take the chance of losing it. It was his one connection to the world outside of his village, and so was Taemin. He felt that it was quite fitting.

"I have a present for you, Taemin."

Taemin whipped his head up so fast, it probably hurt. His stared at Minho with wide, shining eyes, "Present?"

Minho pulled the bracelet from his pocket, took Taemin's hand, and slid the piece of jewelry onto his wrist. Taemin watched his every move carefully. He stared at the bracelet in wonder, the fingers of his other hand brushing lightly against the beads. He then whispered something in his own language, and Minho wished more than anything that he could understand it. "Thank you," the boy finally said, smiling brighter than ever. Before Minho could realize what was happening, Taemin had leaned forward and planted soft plump lips on his own in an innocent kiss. He stared wide-eyed, his heart thumping loudly in his chest, as Taemin pulled away with shy smile.

____________________

What did a kiss mean to Taemin? Did it mean something different to his people? Had he simply seen humans do it and assumed it was the appropriate thing to do?

Minho hated that he couldn't possibly get a proper answer to these questions with Taemin's limited vocabulary.

What he hated even more though, was that he liked the kiss.

And he cared for Taemin far more than he should.

_____________________________

The next day, they got so carried away with reading, they both began to drift off. Minho woke up hours later lying in the sand with Taemin's arms wrapped around his middle and his tail tangled in between his legs. It was warm and comfortable, and Minho didn't have the heart to wake the merboy up, even though it was already dark. He stared down at Taemin's face, studying it carefully; from his dark eyelashes, to his full cheeks, to those plump lips. He could still remember the feeling of those soft lips on his own, so warm and gentle. He was leaning down before he was aware of what he was doing, and his lips met Taemin's in their second kiss. Taemin stirred in his sleep, and when he became vaguely aware of what was happening, his arms tightened around Minho and he pulled them closer. Taemin's lips moved slowly against his own, soft sounds of pleasure coming from the back of throat.

Minho pulled away after a moment, his heart racing and his stomach filled with a warmth he couldn't explain. With the light of the moon, he could see the pink flush on Taemin's cheeks and the smile gracing his lips.

"I- I love you, Taemin."

Taemin looked up at him, his stare calculating. "Love," he said softly. Minho wasn't sure if he understood or not, but he couldn't stop himself from saying it.

"Love Minho," he finally said, looking very sure of himself.

Somehow, he knew Taemin could understand. Maybe it was the way he looked at the merboy, or the way he said those words? He didn't know. But Taemin understood his feelings, and Taemin felt the same.

_________________________

People in the village began to talk.

Minho was already seen as an outcast, and when people began to notice him sneaking off to the area at the edge of the each, they didn't know what to think of him. They whispered and stared as he walked by. His grandmother confronted him about it, but he didn't reveal anything. The feelings of seclusion that used to haunt him no longer seemed to matter. He wasn't bothered by the village people's gossip and the way they shunned him. Taemin would always be there waiting for him, and that was all that mattered.

Weeks turned into months, and Taemin was eventually able to carry on broken conversations with him. His progression was rapid, and Minho was immensely impressed.

He was finally able to ask questions about Taemin's people, and he learned that they had been there for a very long time. It wasn't easy for Taemin to describe things properly though, so he promised to show Minho.

"Come. Swim," Taemin pulled him into the water and further away from the shore, eager to show him his world. Minho let Taemin lead him, feeling a little hesitant, but too curious to care. He didn't know how much he would be able to see with the limited amount of time he could be under water, but even if it was just a glimpse of something, it would be worth it.

The weather was nice and the water was warm from the sun, leaving Minho feeling grateful they decided to do this today. Taemin dragged him further and further into the water, until he could no longer feel the sand beneath his feet and he had to rely on his swimming skills. It was hard to keep up with the merboy, for obvious reasons. He could feel Taemin’s tail brushing against his leg every so often, and he shivered each time at the strange, but pleasantly ticklish sensation.

When Taemin decided they were out far enough, he halted in the water and turned around with a bright smile. “I show you,” he said eagerly. Minho nodded, giving the merboy’s hand a squeeze under water.

He inhaled a great amount of air before letting Taemin pull him under water. The water rushed passed his face as Taemin sped up and swam deeper into the water, dragging Minho behind him. It was impossible for Minho to keep up, so he simply let Taemin lead him. His eyes were stinging from the salt when he opened them, but he couldn’t let himself miss anything. They hadn’t gone very far in, but Minho was already beginning to notice things lurking around them, just far enough away for Minho not to see. His lungs were just beginning to yearn for precious oxygen, but he ignored it, too focused on his surroundings.

His sight was blurry from the salt water, but slowly, Minho began to spot them.

A silver-haired male with a tail like shimmering opal gems.

One with hair as dark as night and a soft salmon-pink colored tail.

Another with golden brown hair and an emerald green tail.

He couldn’t see their faces properly, as they were too far away and his vision was still quite blurred, but he could make out at least that much about each of them.

He had been so distracted by them, he hardly noticed his lungs begging for oxygen. But he was now fully aware of the burning in his chest and the lightheadedness as he was dragged even deeper into the water. Taemin was still pulling him along, too eager to get wherever he was trying to go.

“Taemin!” he screamed, but there were only bubbles and no sound loud enough for the boy to hear. Opening his mouth was a big mistake. Water flooded into his lungs and away the little oxygen he had left. Instinctively, he jerked away from Taemin, pulling his hand out of the boy’s grip to try and swim back to the surface. Panic was setting in, and he kicked his feet and flailed his arms in a desperate attempt to swim.

His last bit of energy was fading. He tried and tried to fight the exhaustion, but it was no use. His lungs still burned with the need for air, but his limbs felt numb and relaxed.

He couldn’t move…

Everything was fading…

Was this how he would die?

What would Taemin do?

He felt gentle arms embrace him as his vision faded to black.

_____________________

Minho was vaguely aware of someone calling his name. It sounded so far away, so muffled and distant, but just clear enough for him to know that it was his name.
The voice grew louder, and he could almost hear the sound of waves crashing....
He felt liquid come up his throat and abruptly, he was coughing up all the water in his lungs. He turned his head to the side, feeling sand on his cheek as he sputtered and coughed.

"Minho! Minho! Minho!"

Still feeling groggy and confused, he glanced down to see Taemin clinging to him desperately, arms wrapped around his middle and face buried in his chest. His body was shaking with sobs as he cried out Minho's name over and over. They were both still soaked, and Taemin's tail felt wet and heavy on his legs.

The memories came back to him in pieces. Taemin leading him deep into the ocean...other merpeople...losing air...drowning...dying...or so he thought. Taemin must have grabbed him as soon as he realized there was something wrong, and when he didn't wake up, the boy could only think the worst.

"Taemin," he croaked, his throat feeling horribly sore. He placed a hand on Taemin's damp hair to get his attention, and only then did the boy look up. The boy's red-rimmed widened when he saw that Minho was awake. "Minho! Taemin sorry! Taemin sorry!" Taemin pulled himself up, his hair tickling Minho's cheeks as he leaned over him. He cradled Minho's face in his palms as he apologized, tears still spilling down his cheeks.

"It's alright, Taemin, I'm alright. Don't cry," he pleaded, wiping a tear away with his thumb. "I should have explained properly too you. It's my fault."

He now realize what a fool he had been. Of course Taemin understood that humans did not live in the water, but how could he know that they couldn't breathe underwater at all? Taemin could breathe both under and above water, so it wasn't strange for him to assume humans could also.

Still, the fact that Minho had almost died was frightening.

"Taemin sorry...Taemin sorry...," the merboy still repeated, calmer this time, but he was still weeping.

Seeing his face stained with such pain and sadness made Minho's heart ache with the longing to make him smile again. He had never seen Taemin cry before...

Minho wrapped his arms around the boy, and pulled him flush against his body. "I'm alright. You don't have to apologize, Taemin. You saved me."

Taemin buried his nose in Minho shoulder, his apologies finally ceasing, but his body still racked with sobs.

"Shh, it's alright," he soothed, rubbing the merboy's back. The skin was smooth beneath his fingers, but still wet with sea water. He brushed his fingers along Taemin's spine gently, up and down until he reached the spot on his lower back where his skin turned to scales. With Minho comforting him with soft touches of his fingers and quiet whispers of reassurance, Taemin eventually managed to calm down. He fell asleep at some point, his arms still very tight around Minho's middle. Minho wasn't sure he could move even if he tried. Not that he wanted to leave Taemin's embrace.

Almost drowning was surprisingly exhausting, and he drifted into a light sleep right there in the sand, with the heavy weight of Taemin's tail on his legs, and the boy's arms around him.

______________________

To say his grandmother was angry was an understatement. He had never been yelled at so much in his life, when he got home very late that night (it was more of early morning the next day actually).

When he woke up, he had a hard time convincing Taemin to let him leave. The boy seemed frightened to let him out if his sight after what happened, but he eventually managed to convince Taemin that he would be alright.

He wished he could stay, because he knew what was waiting for him at home.

His grandmother had stayed up waiting for him and as soon as he walked through the door, she began yelling at him for staying out so late and worrying her. He didn't bother trying to give excuses because he couldn't get a word in. He just let her yell at him until she was fed up and walked back into her room.

He was surprised at how little he cared about getting in trouble. If he could sleep with Taemin in his arms every night, he would put up with the yelling any day.

________________________

"No no no! Don't touch water!"

Taemin pulled at the back of his shirt, trying to pull him away from the small waves that lapped at the shore and soaked his feet.

"It's fine, Taemin. It's only my feet."

Since the day Minho had almost drowned, Taemin refused to let him near the water, even if it was hardly touching his toes. He seemed to think the water would harm him somehow. He tried to explain to Taemin that the reason he almost drowned was because he couldn't breathe underwater like Taemin could, and that he needed oxygen, but Taemin didn't quite understand. He just knew that Minho had almost died going into the water, so he needed to stay away from it.
Taemin shook his head furiously, a frown on his lips. "No! Water hurt Minho!"

Minho sighed, taking Taemin’s hand from his shirt and gently prying his fingers off of the fabric. He held the merboy’s small hand in both of his, and gazed tenderly at his silver-blue eyes. “Taemin, the water won’t harm me. I need oxygen to breathe,” he explained again, inhaling and exhaling slowly as to show Taemin what he meant. “I can’t do that under water. But touching the water or being in it won’t hurt me, I promise. And I always keep my promises, don’t I?”

Taemin had a harder time speaking and understanding Minho’s language when he was upset. And he was, quite understandably, very upset after what happened. Taemin had gotten to the point where he could understand Minho’s language much more than he could speak it, and it seemed, now that he had calmed down and let Minho explain again, that he was finally beginning to grasp what Minho was trying to tell him.

Taemin gazed out at the ocean, looking at the water with his brow knitted in frustration, and then turned his head back to Minho. He mumbled something in his own language, but Minho had no way of knowing what it meant. He then nodded hesitantly, understanding and accepting Minho’s words. Minho smiled, lifting one hand to Taemin’s still-damp hair, “Do not worry. It won’t happen next time I swim.”

“But- but Minho must be- ah um...” He struggled to find the word he was looking for, biting his lips softly and holding a finger to his chin as he thought. Minho tried to hold back his smile. It was quite the endearing sight. “Careful. Minho must be careful,” Taemin finished, eyes brightening when he got the words out.

"I'll be very careful," he promised, bringing his hand down to lift Taemin's chin and leaning forward to kiss the boy's pouty lips. It had become a natural thing to do.

Taemin lifted a hand to cradle Minho's cheek in his palm, "Yes, very careful," the merboy said firmly. "Minho cannot die. Taemin...very sad." He placed his other hand on his chest, right over his heart, and spoke a few words in his own language. "Hurt," was all he could manage in Minho's language.

"I understand, Taemin. You don't have to worry. I'll be alright," he assured the merboy.

There was no need for Taemin to explain thoroughly the feeling he had when he thought Minho would die. Because Minho knew he would feel that same pain if anything were to happen to Taemin.

___________________________

Weeks passed, and Minho had practically began to live on the beach. He usually spent the entire day and sometimes even slept there. His grandmother soon gave up on reprimanding him. She would simply glance at him when he walked in the door, shaking her head in disappointment. He felt guilty for letting her down, and keeping secrets from her, but there was nothing he could do.

Taemin had been the only real blessing in his life. Minho never realized he hadn't really been living at all; just alive, just there. His parents were gone, he was trapped in a tiny village where he had been shunned his entire life, and he would've been forced into a job he did not want.

He wasn't going to give up on the only person that ever made him truly happy.

_______________________

He had been reading more difficult books to Taemin, and even teaching the boy how to read a few very easy words.

Taemin usually laid there on the sand, soaking up every word he said, and occasionally asking Minho what certain words meant.

He was currently lying on his stomach, his head resting on Minho's legs as Minho read to him. He seemed distracted, which was a very rare thing to happen when Minho read.

Minho had his legs stretched out so Taemin could comfortably lean his crossed arms on them and rest his chin on top. He was staring off with distant eyes, clearly not listening to anything Minho was saying.

So Minho stopped, and when Taemin didn't seem to even notice that, Minho poked him in the cheek. "What's wrong?"

Taemin blinked, coming out of his thoughts and looking over at Minho in surprise. "Nothing is wrong," he finally said.

Minho raised an eyebrow disbelievingly, "Well, you must be thinking about something important, to be so distracted while I'm reading."

Taemin sighed, his gaze dropping to Minho's legs. "Legs," he said, poking at Minho's thigh. "Want to- to walk," he mumbled.

"You want legs?" Minho asked incredulously.

Taemin nodded. "Want to walk. Like you."

"But your tail is beautiful," he brushed his fingers down Taemin's spine until he reached the silver-blue scales of his tail. He took his time to appreciate the beauty of it, watching a rainbow of colors shimmer on each scale as the sunlit hit it. "Legs are nothing special compared to this."

Taemin shook his head stubbornly, "Only swim. Can't walk like you." He looked truly crushed to know he would never have legs, or experience the things Minho got to experience. Minho wished more than anything that he could give the merboy what he wanted, but there was no possible way it could happen.

An idea suddenly came to mind, and he smiled, hoping it would bring Taemin a little happiness. "Sit up for a moment, Taemin."

Taemin glanced at him curiously, but moved off if Minho's legs to turn around on his back and sit up.

Minho set his book down, and kneeled at Taemin's side. He placed one arm around Taemin's middle and the other under his tail, only to lift him into the air as he stood up. Taemin gasped softly as he was lifted into the air, instinctively wrapping his arms around Minho's neck.

"You can't walk on your own, so maybe I can be your legs for a moment," with that said, Minho began to walk around the small area, with Taemin in his arms. The merboy smiled as he looked down at Minho's feet, watching every step he took.

It may not have been much, but at least it made Taemin smile.

He carried Taemin around the enclosed area until his arms grew much too tired to bear the weight anymore. He eventually had to sit Taemin back in the sand, while he collapsed right next to him. "That was more tiring than I expected," he mumbled, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "But worth it."

"Thank you," he heard Taemin say. He felt the merboy's hand his hair, and he opened his eyes to see him smiling brightly in his direction.

But before he could reply, the expression on Taemin's face changed drastically. The merboy's smile slipped from his face and he whipped his head around fast to face the rocks behind them.
"Taemin, what's wrong?" He glanced over at the opening between the rocks, but saw nothing.
Taemin's eyes narrowed, his expression guarded and defensive. "Someone..."

That was all Minho needed to hear. He stood up and ran to the opening, peeking his head out and glancing around the beach.

There was a boy, someone who looked close to Minho's age, kicking up the sand as he ran away from the area with haste.

Someone had seen them.

_______________________

Minho was almost too scared to go back to the village that night. He wasn't sure what to expect. Had the boy really seen them? Did he tell anyone? Would anyone even believe him?
And if they did believe him, would they confront Minho?

He had no choice but to go back though, so all he could do was prepare for the worst.

They whispered as he walked by, much like they had the past few weeks, but no one said a word to his face. When he got home, his grandmother was waiting for him.

"People are talking, Minho," she said, staring at the fireplace in front of her. "What on earth are you doing in that place?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

His grandmother stood up from her chair faster than he had ever seen her move. His cheek stung sharply when she struck him with an open palm. He hadn't really been expecting the hit, and it shocked him. "You are a disgrace to this family. Your parents would be so disappointed to see what you're doing with your life."

He said nothing. There were no words to say, really. He could hope that she was wrong, but he would never really know how his parents would feel about what he was doing.

He turned around and swung open the door, bolting out of the house and away from the village without looking back.

When he got to the beach, Taemin was still there, sitting in the sand with the end of his tail resting on the shore. His tail was shining so beautifully in the moonlight, it took Minho's breath away.

"Minho?" Taemin looked back at him with his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Hello," he murmured, walking over and lowering to the ground right next to Taemin, sitting close enough for their shoulders to touch. "I- I had to come back."

Taemin said nothing, but Minho could feel those silver blue eyes on him. The merboy eventually stopped staring and let his head rest on Minho's shoulder. Minho leaned his head on top of Taemin, smelling the salt water in his hair.

They stared out at the sea silently for a while, until Minho finally found his voice. "I was thinking," he started. "I could get a boat and just live out at sea, so I could be with you all the time."

Taemin lifted his head, and stared over at him with wide eyes, slowly understanding what he had said.

"There is nothing left here that I want. You are the only part of my life that brings me happiness. I want to be with you always, Taemin." He moved his hand over in the sand until he found Taemin's hand, linking their fingers and gripping tightly.

Taemin blinked. "Always?" He said, going over the word in his mind. "Forever?"

"Yes, forever."

The smile on Taemin's face was more radiant than anything Minho had ever seen. His eyes lit up, and lips stretched so wide, the apples of his cheeks caused the creases around his eyes to show.
Taemin wrapped thin arms around his neck and pulled him into a warm embrace. He could feel the merboy's lips brush against his ear, and he shivered at the contact. Foreign words came from Taemin's lips in a quiet whisper, the sound of it relaxing him like warm water spilling over him. He had no idea what it could have meant until Taemin whispered "I love you" into his ear seconds later. 

"I love you, too." He wrapped his arms around Taemin's middle, pulling them as close as possible. Feeling Taemin's back move with every breath he took was a strange kind of comfort.

He would do anything to be with Taemin. If being with him meant spending the rest of his life on a boat, he would gladly do it. He didn't think he could live without the merboy. He was in much too deep, and so was Taemin. There was no going back now.

_______________________

He ended up spending the night there in the sand with Taemin. The merboy fell asleep in his arms quite easily, but he laid awake, trying to figure out how he would accomplish his task. He didn't have enough money to his name to buy a boat, and they had sold his father's boat years ago. The only option he had left was to steal one.

He could do it. Sneak onto the docks in the middle of the night and take one without anyone even spotting him. He knew enough about boats to be able to steer it and take care of it.

He didn't have any time to waste. He planned to do it by nightfall the next day.

He managed to fall asleep eventually, the sound of the waves and Taemin's quiet snores lulling him into a peaceful sleep.

He opened his eyes the next morning to see Taemin's smiling face inches from his own. The merboy was so close, it almost gave him a fright.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a sleep-glazed voice.

"Very cute when you sleep." Taemin poked his cheek, looking quite amused as he stared at Minho's dazed expression. "Like a child."

"I am not," Minho argued, failing to keep the smile off his face.

"You are," Taemin demanded, poking his nose this time.

"Alright, alright. You win." He poked the merboy in the forehead to get back at him, chuckling quietly at their ridiculous quarreling. He lifted himself from the ground, ruffling his hair in an attempt to shake all the sand out. There were definitely downsides to sleeping in the sand.
He stood up, looking out at the sea as he stretched, and contemplated how he would get food. Taemin could probably get fish for him, right? He didn't want to go back into the village at all, even for food.

He heard a quick rustling in the sand, and before he could realize what was happening, Taemin had his tail wrapped around his legs, his stance defensive and tense. When he looked at the merboy's face, he was surprised to see the previous carefree expression replaced by one of rage; teeth bared and eyes flaring with hatred a he stared forward.

Minho's attention was only drawn from Taemin by the sound of a gun cocking. He looked up, eyes going wide as he spotted two men from the village, both pointing hunting rifles right at them.

"Step away from that thing, kid. We need to get rid of it," the tall one said gruffly. He recognized them, not by name, but just by seeing them around the village often.

"W-Wait. You don't understand." He placed his hand on Taemin's shoulder, keeping a firm grip on it despite his trembling hands. "He hasn't done anything wrong. You don't need-"

"Back away!" The other one yelled. "Whether you get in the way or not, we'll shoot." The man took a step forward, causing Taemin to go rigid, and a low growl to come from the back of his throat.

Minho glanced frantically around the beach for anything they could use to defend themselves, but there was nothing. The grip Taemin's tail had around his legs was tight, and he couldn't take a step forward with the merboy blocking his path. "Please," he begged. "He hasn't done any harm to anyone."

"That thing is a demon of the sea. We've heard the stories. We can't let it live."

"Those are myths!" he yelled frantically, heart hammering in his chest.

"Just be quiet and back away!" The tall man commanded, aiming his gun at Minho instead.
Taemin reacted immediately, arms spread wide in front of Minho as he yelled foreign words at the two men.

"It's cursing us in a demon language! Back away so we can kill the thing!"

"No! Please- just- just calm down."

He kneeled a bit so his lips were close to Taemin's ear. "Taemin, go back to the sea, please. Swim away as fast as you can."

Taemin shook his head, his expression stubborn and firm as he continued to glare at the two men. "Protect Minho."

"I don't need protecting! You do!" He reasoned desperately. "Go!"

"I'm done wasting time," he heard one of the men say. He looked just as the man aimed his gun, his breath catching in throat as he realized what was about to happen.

"No!" He screamed, wrapping his arms around Taemin's middle as the sound of the gunshot echoed in the air.

Silence hung in the air seconds after the gun was fired. Minho held his breath, waiting for the outcome.

He felt a slight sting on his wrist, before something warm and wet poured over his hands.

Taemin's body slowly went limp in his arms. "No..."

The bullet had grazed his wrist, and went right into Taemin's chest.

"Taemin," he cried, hands gripping desperately at the merboy. He turned him over, relieved to see Taemin's eyes still open, but terrified by the amount of blood that stained the boy's chest and his own hands. "Taemin, n-no..." He could feel Taemin chest convulsing as the boy struggled to breathe. "Stay with me, alright?"

"M-Minho," Taemin managed to say, his eyelids fluttering as he stared up at Minho with pain clouding his features.

This couldn't be happening...after everything they had been through, after the plans he made to run away, after all the happiness Taemin had given him. Life could not possibly be so cruel.

"No," he whispered again, desperately searching Taemin's eyes, watching the bright color slowly dull.

"You can't die," he cried, his eyes burning with tears and his heart clenching painfully in his chest.

In a last desperate attempt, he placed one hand under Taemin's tail, and the other around his middle, lifting him up. He ran toward the shore, tears spilling down his cheeks. Maybe another merperson could help them? He wasn't sure how, but the only thing he could think to do was get Taemin to the sea as fast as possible. He could feel the merboy's blood continue to spill over his hand, precious life draining out of him by the seconds.

Minho heard the sound of the second gunshot before he felt it. The water was almost to his chest when the sound of it caused him to halt.

The bullet hit him right in the back, puncturing his lung and causing every part of him to erupt in pain.

His legs ceased to move, and he soon sunk into the water with Taemin still in his arms.

Water and blood both filled his lungs quickly, and he knew somehow through the confusion and chaos that he didn't have much longer.

He looked down at Taemin, still able to see well enough through his fading vision and bloody, murky water. Minho wanted to etch every one of Taemin’s feature into his memory, from his long copper hair, to his full cheeks, his plump lips, and the curve of his slender neck.

Taemin looked so peaceful, as if he were only sleeping.

Minho wished that were the case, as they sunk lower and lower into the ocean, oxygen becoming scarce and heart slowing down. He wished they were simply going to sleep, and that they would wake up in each other's arms.

He closed his eyes, and let the sea take them.