Their Sanctuary (1/3)
Title: Their Sanctuary
Pairing: 2min
Rating: PG-13
Genre: angst, drama, some fluff?, mermaid!AU
Warnings: violence
Summary: Minho's curiosity led him to the forbidden area at the edge of the beach, and he discovered something that altered his life immensely.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 sucked 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.
next
Pairing: 2min
Rating: PG-13
Genre: angst, drama, some fluff?, mermaid!AU
Warnings: violence
Summary: Minho's curiosity led him to the forbidden area at the edge of the beach, and he discovered something that altered his life immensely.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 sucked 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.
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