“Finally! I thought I was going to dry up on land.”

Taemin watched in amusement as Minho slipped into the ocean and swam a tight circle in the shallow waters. He ambled after Minho, shivering when the waves lapped at his toes. He stopped when the water reached past his ankles.

“You should have told me,” Taemin called out. Minho was no where to be seen and Taemin wondered if Minho had heard him at all. But then Minho’s head broke the surface of water and the merman returned to his side.

Minho tugged at Taemin’s hand and Taemin squatted down so that he was eye-to-eye with Minho.

“I didn’t want to miss a moment with you.”

Taemin laughed, giving Minho’s shoulder a gentle shove. “You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you? Do you say that to every pretty face?”

“No, you’re the first.” Minho said it with such seriousness that Taemin couldn’t find the words to refute it.

Taemin cleared his throat and diverted his eyes. “So how are we going to do this?” he asked. He looked out to the horizon, almost expecting Minho to summon a great sea monster to take him home.

“We’re going to swim,” Minho replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Taemin raised a brow. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m human.”

Minho laughed. “I can lend you a bit of… I suppose humans would call it ‘magic’.”

Taemin threw his head back and laughed but while the corners of Minho’s lips twitched upwards, he did not join in.

“You’re serious,” Taemin said after a while and Minho nodded. “How do you plan to do that?”

“Like this.”

Minho curled his fingers around the back of Taemin’s neck. Minho gave him a wobbly smile, and Taemin had no time to register its significance before Minho was swooping forward and capturing his lips in the softest and most hesitant of kisses. Minho’s eyes were closed, but Taemin’s was blown wide and he could count each one of Minho’s lashes and he saw the way Minho’s eyes flitted back and forth beneath eyelids. Taemin made a small strangled noise, mouth parting just the slightest. A rush of air filled him.

Taemin clapped his hand to his mouth as soon as Minho pulled away. “W—what was that for?” he stammered, looking at Minho with wide eyes. He could feel the heat from his cheeks warming his chilled fingers and his lips tingled.

“Now you’ll be able to breathe underwater.”

Taemin’s jaw dropped. He shook his head, wondering if he heard correctly. “You’re joking,” he breathed.

“But we’ll have to come up for air every half hour or so,” Minho added. Minho went on to tell him that they wouldn’t be able to talk underwater. When Taemin asked him how he communicated with other merfolk, Minho told him that they used whistles and pulses of sound. Minho demonstrated, but while Taemin saw him pursing his lips together in a whistle, he heard nothing.

“You’ll be protected from the cold and the pressure of the water above you.” Taemin’s skin erupted into gooseflesh as Minho trailed his fingers over his bare arms. And then Minho looked into his eyes and Taemin barely lasted a second before he turned away. “It will protect your eyes, too.”

Taemin took all of this in with a stunned silence.

Minho grinned at him slyly. “Did you want the kiss to mean something else?”

Taemin flushed, not giving Minho the satisfaction of an answer. He waded further out to sea until the water reached his neck. He yelped when his toes brushed seaweed and he pointedly ignored Minho’s laughter from behind him. Taking a deep breath, Taemin submerged himself. He blew bubbles out of embarrassment, grateful for the cool waters soothing his skin.

Minho joined him. The merman swam over and below him in a circle and Taemin struggled to follow his movements. He didn’t even realise he was still holding his breath until Minho tapped him on his nose in reminder.

Fear sparked through him—how could a human possibly breathe underwater? One inhale and he would drown. Maybe that was Minho’s intention all along and he had just been trying to lull Taemin into a false sense of security.

Minho moved closer to him until they were chest-to-chest and their noses were but an inch from each other. While Taemin couldn’t see Minho smile, he saw the merman’s eyes crinkling at the corners. He remembered how Minho had saved him from a certain death, how Minho’s lips had moved over his and gave him the oxygen he so desperately needed, and with that, he inhaled.

Taemin thumped Minho’s arm excitedly and Minho’s smile grew into a grin. Taemin grinned back, his cheeks hurting from the force of his joy.

Good Lord! I’m breathing under water! Taemin thought in awe. He twirled around in place, overcome by the urge to move, to cross all the oceans and see everything there was to be seen in this new world. He paddled about experimentally, confusion tempering his excitement when he found that he remained stationary.

He looked to Minho for help and he swore at that moment, his heart stopped. Minho’s confidence in the water was mesmerising: the merman moved with a fluidity Taemin didn’t think possible. His strong arms cut through the water, his abs clenched and unclenched in time to the rolling of his tail. The columns of sunlight filtering through the water set golden scales afire. Minho’s hair was wild around him and Taemin thought of water gods that flooded entire cities and called upon waves dozens of meters high. Taemin forgot what he was going to ask Minho.

Minho smiled at him and slipped his hand through Taemin’s. A gentle tug, and Taemin was moving through water with as little resistance he experienced when moving on land. It seemed even the currents were on their side, because they covered meters in the blink of an eye.

From the corner of his eyes, Taemin could see Minho shaking his head in amusement whenever Taemin waved at a school of fish. He gaped in wonder as the rippling bodies of thousands of fish swam over him and Minho, tickling his feet and swimming alongside Minho in what could only be affection.

They stayed close to the surface so that Taemin could replenish his oxygen stores. Taemin would be lying if his said he didn’t enjoy those moments. He liked being able to see Minho’s face rather than just his back—even though Minho’s back was a sight to behold when the muscles rippled with every movement.  

But as the day wore on, the formations of coral and the sea creatures could no longer distract him from the tiredness weighing down on him. He didn’t want to ask Minho to slow down—after all, Minho was doing most of the work and all he had to do was hold onto Minho’s hand and kick his legs a bit.

Minho must have noticed him lagging, because he pulled Taemin towards the surface.

Taemin took a shuddering inhale, his chest stinging as his lungs took in oxygen instead of the water it had become accustomed to. He thought he would get used to it, but the ache was ever-present whenever they rose for water.

Minho’s fingers gripped him by the waist, holding him afloat. They were in the middle of the ocean and the waters stretched on for miles in all directions. Seagulls wheeled in the sky, calling out with their distinct cries. Taemin had never felt so exposed and so insignificant.

“You alright?” Minho asked, rubbing circles into his hip with his thumbs.

Taemin pushed back his wet bangs from his face then rested his hands on Minho’s shoulders. He nodded, not quite making eye contact with Minho.  “Just tired.”

“There isn’t anywhere we can stop. Can you keep going for a bit longer? We can be there by nightfall.”

Taemin held back a groan. When Minho said ‘a bit longer’, he was thinking an hour or two at most. It was only late afternoon.

Minho smiled at him in sympathy. His fingers left Taemin’s hips and he instead wrapped his arms around Taemin’s waist and drew him into his torso. Taemin splayed his fingers over a hard chest. He squirmed, trying to ignore the warmth pooling in his stomach.

“Just hold onto me, okay?”

Taemin’s cheeks burned brightly and he ducked his head to hide beneath Minho’s chin. “Okay,” he mumbled into the skin of Minho’s neck, feeling the merman shiver. Minho gave him a squeeze, then they were diving back underwater.

Minho nudged him into place. Taemin folded his arms around Minho’s shoulder, pressing his chest against Minho’s back in a semblance of piggyback. Minho moved, and Taemin moved with him, legs drifting behind him. He didn’t think it would make much of a difference on his body, but it did, because now he could rest his head on Minho’s shoulders and close his eyes for a few minutes at a time.

Several times Taemin asked Minho if he was tired. Minho would only give him a cheeky grin, saying, “I don’t mind. I quite like it.” Taemin huffed in embarrassment, but during their short stops, he had taken to massaging away the kinks in Minho’s shoulders.

The waters darkened as night fell. Taemin felt suffocated by the darkness—while they were relatively close to the surface, the dim moonlight penetrating the surface did little to guide their way.

Minho craned his neck over his shoulder to look at Taemin. “Careful now,” Minho mouthed. “We’re close—”

Taemin furrowed his brows, trying to make out Minho’s words. When he realised what Minho was saying, the fatigue left Taemin’s shoulders and he perked up. “Really? Are we?” He couldn’t tell; the seascape seemed unchanging to him. He wasn’t sure what Minho was looking at when he swam to the surface to follow the movement of the sun across the sky, or what Minho was talking about when he commented on how the water felt different. He had no way of gauging how many leagues they had travelled.

Taemin loosened his hold on Minho. He was about to swim upwards when Minho’s fingers wrapped around his wrist and yanked him back. Startled, Taemin turned to Minho.

Minho shook his head. “There’s a boat nearby,” he mouthed.

Taemin craned his neck back to look above him, but every patch of shadow and light looked the same to him.

Minho dove lower and Taemin’s ears popped as they descended. The murkiness turned to black and Taemin panicked. The water around him was so heavy that it felt like every last bit of breath was being squeezed from his body. He tried to pull away, but Minho reached up to keep his arms in place and didn’t budge despite Taemin’s struggles.

“Minho!” he cried out, but only a gurgle of bubbles escaped his mouth.

Taemin wasn’t sure if Minho’s magic was wearing out earlier than expected or if it was just the pressure, but it felt like he his chest was being crushed. Just when he thought his lungs would collapse, Minho rose again. Only then did Taemin notice a net stretched across the water. He wilted against Minho in relief, feeling the merman patting his forearms reassuringly.

Soon, Taemin’s head broke the surface and a smile overcame him. There was no feeling quite like the one of seeing the lights of his city against the black of night after a long journey. Despite the hours he had spent in the water, he felt well-rested and he was eager to swim the last stretch to shore. It seemed surreal—he had only been gone for two weeks at most, and yet it felt like so much had changed, that this city was not his home, but the home of a Taemin from a different time.

He turned to Minho, smile faltering when Minho didn’t look the least bit excited for him. He guessed it was because of the nature of his city.

“You don’t have to come any further,” Taemin said. “You’ve already done enough for me.”

“No, it’s fine. Let me see you off properly.”

Taemin hesitated. He racked his brain for a place near Whiterock hidden from prying eyes but nothing come to mind.  “There isn’t really anywhere safe—”

“I know of one,” Minho said. “Come on.”

Minho led him nearly halfway around the island city until they came upon a forest of rocks splitting the sands with its jagged edges. The waves seemed more violent here, crashing against the rocks with a roar. His mother had often warned him of the place as a child—it was easy to lose footing over the unsteady ground or wet rocks and hit one’s head on a crag. Ships, too, avoided the place to protect their hulls. But as far as Taemin knew, they would still be exposed to an adventurous soul.

Minho continued on until they reached the side of a blackened cliff.

“It should be around here…” Minho murmured to himself. He placed a hand on the cliff face as he moved, Taemin trailing behind. A few seconds later, Minho made a little sound of satisfaction.

Taemin would have missed it if Minho hadn’t pointed it out. Hidden behind two pointed rocks piercing up from the oceans, there was a crack in the cliff—only a shoulder length across and near invisible against the shadows.

They stopped in front of the entrance to the cove. Taemin peered over Minho’s shoulder, but could make out few details. He saw a strip of sand against the side of the cave and calm waters, but nothing other than that. Minho turned his head slightly to smile at him. He offered his hand and Taemin took it. They moved forward.

Even guarded by Minho’s magic, the water inside the cave held a different sort of chill. It seeped into his skin, down to his very bones, and Taemin for the life of him couldn’t even remember the warmth of the sun. He felt so numb that if it weren’t for Minho’s hold around him, he would have thought he ceased to exist.

They broke the surface of the water and Taemin took a freezing breath of air. He sniffled, drawing the back of his hand over his nose. The cavern walls reminded him of an oil spill: black and glistening with swirls of metallic colours. Stalagmites and stalactites protruded from the rock ceiling and floor, joining to form columns in places.

Taemin hauled himself onto the cavern floor on his hands and knees, his wet clothes dragging him down. Minho followed behind him. Now that he was out of the water, the cold hit him at full force and curled in on himself. His teeth chattered and continued to vibrate even when Taemin forcibly shut his jaw with his hand.

Minho shifted to sit by his side and Taemin instinctively leaned towards him. To his delight, Minho wrapped an arm around his shoulder and drew him into his side. Taemin sighed as Minho’s warmth enveloped him, driving off the cold. If Taemin was honest, he would be content just staying here like this for a bit longer, but he knew that every minute Minho spent here would endanger him further.

Is this it? Taemin asked himself. After all the time they spent together, was this the end of whatever bond they formed?

“Can I see you again?” Minho asked, voice echoing in the cave.

“Won’t it be dangerous for you?” Taemin asked. When Minho pouted, Taemin said quickly, “Not that I don’t want to see you, because I do. I just don’t want you to get hurt…”

Minho chuckled, gently knocking his head against Taemin’s. “You underestimate me. If you want to see me, I will make it happen.”

Taemin composed himself with shallow breaths. He didn’t want to appear too eager. “I’d like that,” he mumbled.

“Me too,” Minho said. And then he asked, “Meet me here in three days’ time at midnight?”

Taemin nodded into the crook of Minho’s neck. Butterflies rampaged in his stomach—from fear, from excitement, from the impossibility that he had befriended a merman and was arranging to meet him in a future that felt too far away. Taemin sat there for a bit longer. Minho ran a hot palm up and down his arms, trying to warm him up, and Taemin felt a warmth in his chest that even the chill couldn’t penetrate.

“So, I guess I’ll be going,” Taemin said, though he made no move to get up.

Minho pulled away and Taemin stopped himself from following Minho.

“Alright. That’s probably a good idea—you’ll catch your death out here.”

Taemin pushed himself to standing. “I’ll see you soon then,” he said with a small smile.

“Soon,” Minho echoed. “Take care.”

Taemin took half a step.

“Wait!” Minho called softly and Taemin glanced over his shoulder.

Minho placed a finger on his lips. “How about a good luck kiss to see me off?”

Taemin smothered a laugh with the back of his hand, grateful that Minho wouldn’t be able to see his pink cheeks in the darkness. “Nice try, Minho. I’m not that easy,” he teased.

Minho shrugged with a grin. “I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Taemin shook his head in amusement. “Bye, Minho,” he said, curling and uncurling his fingers in a wave. With the faintest of sighs, he was off, part of him regretting that he didn’t take the chance to kiss Minho.

Minho watched as Taemin walked away, pressing himself against the side of the cavern so that he could stay on the cave floor. His shoulders were hunched and still shaking, and how desperately Minho wanted to call out to the boy and ask him to come back. Taemin’s back disappeared into the night far too soon and even then, Minho strained his eyes in an effort to see the boy.

Minho tore himself away. Now that Taemin was gone, there was no sense in staying any longer. He slipped back into the waters. His journey back was doubly fast. Without fearing Taemin would be whisked away, his manipulation of the currents gave him the speed of a tsunami breaking over land.

The stiffness in his shoulders eased as he left the cold waters surrounding Whiterock and it wasn’t before long he passed into familiar territory. The eddies swelled around him, caressing his torso and fins as though welcoming him home.

Minho sliced through the water. He barely moved his tail, instead relying on the water to transport him. Any extraneous movement would alert his shoal. He continued to swim until the ocean floor seemed to drop away into nothingness—Mariana’s Trench, the place his shoal called their kingdom. He swam along the abyss, knowing that the blackness would hide him. If he could just slip by without anyone noticing—

“Where in Poseidon’s name have you been?”

A/N: A transition chapter more than anything, but I hope you guys enjoyed it all the same. I probably won’t update next week. I’m going to have something else for you guy instead, so please anticipate it! As usual, I’d love to hear what you think—any mistakes I made, if anything was unclear or boring, your favourite parts, that sort of thing. Thanks!