Taekwoon watched the others swim around him without a care in the world, his own thoughts wandering as he watched them play. Mermaids weren’t always so carefree and innocent, quite the opposite, actually.

In current times people believed sirens were the ones that sang people to a watery grave, but in all honesty, it was more likely a pissed off mermaid. Sirens weren’t even water dwelling creatures to begin with -and he should know, his father was one- though both races were notorious for singing people to their deaths. Once upon a time sirens and merpeople had even worked together, but those times were long past, the rivalry too strong.

So what happens when a siren and a mermaid mate, you ask?

Taekwoon sighed as he followed behind the other mermen his age, watching as they flirted with anything that swam by, but he was never one to join in, and for a very important reason: he wasn’t allowed to sing.

Their kind reveled in singing, their voices were the only way they found their soul mates in the first place, how they knew instinctively who they should be with, but Taekwoon wasn’t allowed to sing in front of anyone. Not to say that he couldn’t sing. His mother had always professed she was the best catch in all the sea, and sirens were arguably even better at singing (which was a big reason sirens and mermaids couldn’t stand each other nowadays) so when his parents mated, genetics had bred true, his voice as alluring as the warm rays of the sun. So no, it wasn’t that he couldn’t sing. It was that he was afraid to.

The true reason mermaids and sirens hated each other? Sirens had the ability to lure even them with their voices, and though Taekwoon had been born with the looks of a mermaid, he had the voice of a siren. When the clan had first found out, they had threatened to cast him out to sea, but thanks to the cries of his mother, they had reluctantly let him stay, but only if he played mute. So now, only a select few of his kind knew what he truly was, but most certainly none of the ones his age. He was often treated as a freak because of it -a mute mermaid, who could imagine- but there was nothing he could do. Even if he knew who his father really was, he would never be allowed to stay with him, his lack of wings apparent. So he was stuck here.

He sighed again, already bored with the mermen’s antics, when Hakyeon shot past him, red scales shimmering, making him practically spin in the water where he had been floating. He glared after him, but the older boy merely stuck his tongue out playfully before starting a game with the others. The older boy’s voice lilted as he talked, as if he were singing already, which always made Taekwoon irrationally angry. Spinning on his tail, he took off to his usual hangout. No one would miss him anyway.

But warm eyes followed him curiously, dark purple scales glistening as he swam quietly after him.

____________

Jaehwan was Taekwoon’s opposite in every way, but that only made him more curious about the silent merman. He’d watched the older boy disappear for months now, but this time he was finally going to figure him out. What did he do that was so secretive anyway? What kind of trouble could someone get into that couldn’t talk? That was usually the main reason Jaehwan got in trouble. He really did need to learn how to keep his mouth shut.

He stayed a good hundred yards away from Taekwoon at all times as he pursued –even hid stupidly behind some coral once- but it didn’t seem like the older was too worried about being followed. Jaehwan’s heart sank. Was he really so ignored normally that he didn’t think he would be missed? That no one would notice he was gone? Was Jaehwan really the only person who had ever realized Taekwoon disappeared every day for hours on end?

He looked around bemusedly as the water became more and more shallow. Huh. It wasn’t until he nearly ran into a sand bank that he realized Taekwoon was planning to go on land. Land?! Merpeople did not go on land.

Popping his head out of the water slightly, he watched in disbelief as Taekwoon grew legs and casually walked onto the shore, as if he did it all the time. His eyes grew even wider as he took in the form Taekwoon now sported, for all to see. Well, not all. Non-human races had the ability to make themselves invisible to human senses in every way if they wanted to. Jaehwan himself had never had to use that particular ability before, had never even been on land, so why had Taekwoon?

But that question was soon answered as the boy in question plopped down on the warm sand, digging his… -what were those called, toes?- into the sand, and then?

He sang.

______________

Only for a little bit, he promised himself, voice lifting to the sky as he tilted his head back, the sun beating down on his face a now familiar feeling. He never really cared what he sang about –and not like it mattered, no one would hear him- but today he was feeling particularly lonely, and it showed through his voice. He’d never find a mate at this rate, but it was just something he was going to have to live with.

A loud splashing in the water had him turning absently, but still he continued to sing. That is, until he realized just who was making the splashing noises.

Jaehwan, complete with human limbs, sat awkwardly on the shoreline, legs kicking out as he tried to squirm towards him like some sort of sea dwelling monster. Taekwoon’s jaw dropped, a very uncharacteristic thing for him to do, but honestly there was no other way to address the situation at hand. He stood stock still, eyeing Jaehwan in mild horror as the boy clawed his way across the beach with determination until finally a hand grasped at Taekwoon’s ankle.

Jaehwan panted and gasped liked a fish out of water before finally looking up, charming smile firmly in place as he said seductively, “Hi, I love you.”

Taekwoon opened and closed his mouth for a few moments until finally settling with, “…that’s nice?” Jaehwan took that as a good sign, it seemed, and continued to crawl further up his body.

“And as soon as I get these legs working properly, we can figure out how to use these other new appendages,” Jaehwan winked.

Taekwoon blushed. What the hell was going on? No, ‘you aren’t mute, you liar’? No, ‘I’m gonna tell on you’? Instead he was feeding him terrible pickup lines and trying to bone him in human form? “I don’t think so, Casanova.”

“Am I coming on too strong? Sorry, I just really really like you… you wanna get married after this?”

“What? No. What is wrong with you?”

“Your voice is what’s wrong with me! I can’t get you out of my head!” Jaehwan groaned, rubbing himself shamelessly against Taekwoon. “Not that that’s a bad thing, oh look! I got my legs working!” he exclaimed, pushing Taekwoon down to kneel over him. “Wonder what other parts I can get working,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Taekwoon made a disgusted face before pushing him off, his voice pulsing with power as he said, “Do not touch me, you blowfish.”

Jaehwan’s smile never wavered as he sat back on his haunches, tilting to the side awkwardly until finally resting on the sand in a provocative manner. “Okay, you can touch me.”

Taekwoon mentally face palmed. This was all his fault, he should have been more careful. Sure, he had secretly hoped one day he’d find a mate, but not this… weirdo… and definitely not like this. Sighing, he dragged Jaehwan back into the water by his legs, wading in deep enough until their borrowed appendages formed back into tails, Jaehwan’s a deep purple and Taekwoon’s a pearl black.

He eyed the other merman warily, watching the younger blink innocently at him. “Let’s go,” he sighed, grabbing his hand and swimming off. Jaehwan happily followed.

______________

Three hours later had Jaehwan in Taekwoon’s room chilling out on his quite literally water bed, eyeing the silent man curiously. “So you can talk?”

Taekwoon nodded.

“But you aren’t going to talk now?”

Taekwoon shook his head.

“Why? You have a pretty voice.”

Taekwoon glared at him but said nothing, instead pointed towards the door.

Jaehwan gasped. “You want me to leave? No way! I’ve been trying to get into your room for years!” At Taekwoon’s wide eyed stare, he backtracked, “That came out wrong, my apologies, I just meant I’ve wanted to get closer to you for a while. I don’t like how everyone treats you like you don’t exist.”

Taekwoon merely shrugged before plopping down onto a bed of seaweed, staring at Jaehwan pointedly.

“What?” But Taekwoon merely stared, raised his eyebrows. “You know, this would be a lot easier if you would just talk to me. Your mother’s already explained your situation and I promise not to tell anyone, but what’s the harm in talking to me? I’m fairly certain you can’t bespell me just by talking.” Though Jaehwan wasn’t so sure about that, he’d been smitten with the boy for a while now. He blushed as he recalled all the things he’d said to Taekwoon on the beach, but he couldn’t really regret it. In fact, in only made him more sure of his decision.

Taekwoon shrugged, mouthing, I’m not supposed to.

“But I promise not to tell,” he whispered, swimming over to him and putting a finger over his lips, tilting his head to the side cutely.

Taekwoon blushed before finally whispering, “Pinky swear on it.”

Jaehwan’s eyes lit up as he nodded fervently, fingers intertwining.

____________

Taekwoon watched as Jaehwan sang yet another song to the young mermaids grouping around him, only mildly annoyed. He rubbed at his chest strangely, not liking the unfamiliar feeling. Jaehwan had been spending every day with him ever since their ‘incident’ and though it was nice… it was also worrying him. The elders had already noticed how much time they had spent together recently and it was no secret they were not happy. Taekwoon hunched into himself more on the rock, trying to blend into the dark grey mass as best he could.

An arm slung around his shoulder, a voice whispering into his ear. Sanghyuk. “So Jaehwan told me you could talk.”

Taekwoon jerked away, looking over at the younger boy and back to Jaehwan repeatedly –who was giving him a thumbs up- until finally settling on shaking his head manically.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, I won’t tell… but you can talk to me now too, just so you know,” he smiled before swimming off. Taekwoon growled silently.

When they were finally alone back in Taekwoon’s bedroom, he shoved Jaehwan up against the algae covered wall, an angry forced whisper, “You promised!”

“You’re so cute when you’re mad,” Jaehwan smiled before relenting when Taekwoon’s hands gripped into his arms harder. “Okay okay, I’m sorry, but it’s fine, Hakyeon won’t tell, I swear!”

“….Sanghyuk was the one who came up and talked to me!” he whispered in despair before letting him go to sink onto his bed.

“…ah. I knew that. Well, he won’t tell either.”

“Who. Else.”

“Oh.. um.. you know, just the normal uh.. Hongbin and Wonshik might know too?”

“What?!” The loudness of that one word surprised both of them, Taekwoon burying his head into his hands while Jaehwan praised him for his outburst.

“It really isn’t a big deal, why should anyone care that you aren’t mute?”

“They care that I’m not normal.”

“Well that’s their problem.”

“No, you don’t understand. They could banish me for this.”

“Well… you know we could rectify this problem… right?” Taekwoon looked up at Jaehwan uncertainly. “We could… you know… mate? Maybe your siren’s call won’t work on others after that.”

“…and you’re willing to take one for the team, are you?”

“No, that’s not what I-“

“Get. Out.”

Jaehwan sighed but did as Taekwoon asked, looking over his shoulder like a lost puppy as he did so, but Taekwoon ignored him.

Even after he had gone, Jaehwan’s words rang out in his mind. It was true a mated siren’s call could be ignored by other non-human races, but there was no way he was going to let Jaehwan ruin his chances at finding a normal mate. It was no secret he was the most sought after merman in the clan, after all, and he wasn’t about to ruin that for him.

Not even if he wanted him for himself.

______________

Several more days passed with Jaehwan coming to visit him –random courting gifts in tow- but Taekwoon ignored him, well, as much as he could. Jaehwan was rather hard to ignore. Last night he’d even woken up to the man serenading him outside his bedroom window. He’d thrown a conch shell at him.

He’d even gone so low as to get his friends in on it, the other four collectively bombarding him every chance they could. He’d had to punch Sanghyuk in the face earlier to get the younger to finally leave him alone. He only felt a little bad about it.

So he sat huddled in his room. At least he was safe there.

Jaehwan sighed as he stared at Taekwoon’s house. Maybe he’d come on too strong? Looking down at the sand in front of Taekwoon’s window, he smirked, an idea forming.

By the fifth rock hurled into his room, Taekwoon finally gave up and went to his window. He wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t get injured otherwise. He didn’t see anyone outside, but there was a note scribbled haphazardly into the sand. The letters were slowly eroding, but he could still barely make out the word:

Beach.

________________

Taekwoon grumbled the whole way there, not seeing any sign of Jaehwan, but he knew it had to be him that had written the note. Who else would know about this spot? Well… with Jaehwan’s mouth… probably a lot of frickin’ people by now. Sighing, he popped his head up out of the water, surprised to see so many people on the beach for once. But then he knew why.

Jaehwan, dressed only in his birthday suit, ran around the beach, screaming at the top of his lungs, “I love Jung Taekwoon!”

Taekwoon gaped at the scene, much like the humans were doing. Jaehwan wasn’t even remotely trying to hide his presence from the humans.

Jaehwan looked over hopefully before finally spotting Taekwoon, his smile bright as he continued, “But he doesn’t love me back! To show him my love is true, I, Lee Jaehwan, am going to cast myself into the sea!” He then began climbing a rather large pile of rocks, his legs uncoordinated as usual as he made his way to the top.

The humans didn’t really seem to care about the situation, and most certainly didn’t try to stop him from his ‘suicide mission’. They were probably happy to have one less idiot in the world. If only they knew the half of it. Taekwoon rolled his eyes as the moron jumped off from his high perch, belly flopping to the water below with a painfully loud thwack. 

He chuckled quietly, diving under the water to watch what stupid thing Jaehwan would do next... but the fool was still in human form, stubbornly waiting for him to ‘save him’.

He swam over to him quickly, voice nervous as he said, “Okay, you’ve made your point. You can turn back now.” But Jaehwan stubbornly shook his head. “You’re going to drown if you don’t turn back.” But still he shook his head even as his eyes widened in worry.

Taekwoon watched as he began to struggle for air, but still Jaehwan didn’t turn back to his normal form. Looking to the heavens one final time, he dragged the boy into him, mouth covering the younger’s, blowing air into his lungs.

But to a mermaid, a kiss meant forever... no matter how sloppily it was performed.

Jaehwan turned back finally, breathing the water into his lungs with an exaggerated gasp.

“That’s what you get for being so stupid,” Taekwoon grumbled, blushing when the reality of what he’d just done sunk in. He’d just mated with Jaehwan.

But the other merman didn’t give him another chance to second guess his decision, instead brought him closer to kiss him like he deserved, like he would die if he couldn’t taste his lips. And he would.

______________

It wasn’t until much later that they finally spoke, bodies now entwined on the moonlit beach.

“…those people probably all think you died, you know,” Taekwoon groused as he snuggled into Jaehwan’s chest.

The younger merely laughed as he whispered into Taekwoon’s hair. “I think I did. How else would I get to have such a perfect mate?”

“…you’re such a cheeseball…” he muttered.

But then Jaehwan was singing, his voice filled with love as he held Taekwoon that much closer to him. After a few more moments, Taekwoon gave in and joined the song as well, their voices blending together perfectly.

And even though their powers of concealment cloaked them, the entire city swore they heard the beautiful song of the mermaids all through the night, two voices rising into the sky to become one, perfect melody.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: *hides face in shame* this is by FAR the cheesiest thing I've ever written. And that's saying something. I have to go to bed. I can't stay here any longer >///< and I'm so sorry for any spelling errors... I'll come back and proof read it another day.. that is, if my cheeks ever stop burning in embarrassment OTL Thanks for reading, gah <3