Title: Jounetsu Jump
Pairing: dainoo
Genre: au, fantasy
Notes: Present for daichanlove. I hope this works. You asked for dainoo and I had this picture in my head of Inoo the mermaid.
Jounetsu Jump prologue Inoo fell asleep beneath the waves the night before his birthday, Jam and Ann swam to the surface. Inoo had fallen asleep on Jam again, they had to get him to the surface before he changed. They couldn’t let their friend drown…
Inoo woke up on a beach he’d seen only from a distance, he head Jam and Ann whistle. They had watched over him all night, he stood on shaky legs. An observer would compare him to a newborn colt. He had to take a while to learn how to swim with legs but after an hour in the water his tail returned, He swam near an empty shore line. Inoo crawled onto the beach and watched as his tail shimmered away beneath the warm sun. He would miss his tail but he could still hear his friends; that was a comfort.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Daiki sat on the shore sketching, his paints were beside him but he liked to sketch first. He stood and sipped his tea as he stretched. He scanned the beach, he’d picked this place because it was quiet and empty. He spotted someone sitting naked near the water. He saw dorsal fins and thought sharks, he ran towards the figure calling out, “Don’t go in the water…”
Inoo heard the voice and turned to see a teenage boy running towards him; he sensed the boy’s fear for him and laughed. He must think Jam and Ann were sharks. He learned as a child the languages of many lands that bordered the sea, the boy was Japanese. He spoke slowly; he had to translate his words from Oceania to Japanese. They didn’t relate well and his words were mixed up, “It safe. Jam, Ann, won’t hurt. Dolphin; not shark.”
Daiki blinked at the face, “It’s you…I thought you were a mermaid…” he was shocked to see the Mermaid was a boy, the boy’s legs were bent together but he could see that he was definitely male. He couldn’t believe he’d fancied himself in love with this person, he wasn’t gay. He’d never looked at a guy before but this person was so pretty…
Inoo blushed at his words and thoughts, “How did you know I was a merperson? Did you see me when I got out of the water…”
Daiki looked away embarrassed, “No but I think I’ve dreamed about you…I don’t know why.”
Inoo’s grandmother’s words rang in his mind, “The first person you meet on shore was meant for you. They will recognize you and know what you are.” He hadn’t understood then…now he did. “My name Inoo Kei.”
Daiki smiled holding out his hand, “Arioka Daiki, it’s nice to meet you.” The boy spoke funny, but if he was a mermaid…no merperson he didn’t speak Japanese. He spoke like someone who knew the language but forgot it. He asked softly, “What do you eat…are you hungry? I brought a bento for lunch…”
Inoo stared at Daiki’s hand, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do, “I eat fish and seaweed.”
Daiki dropped his hand; the boy didn’t know he was expected to shake. He would need to give him tips on Japanese culture. He changed his mind and took Inoo’s wet hand. It felt different, it had a smooth texture like fish scales, he had the strangest urge to paint him.
Inoo stared at the warm hand in his, “Why…”
Daiki bit his lip, “Because, I don’t think you’re used to walking yet and if you’re hungry my lunch is over there.”
Inoo looked at the ground, “Standing is hard; walking is weird. Swimming is faster.”
Daiki helped him up and wrapped his arm around the boy’s waist, “I’ll help you…”
Inoo noticed Daiki was wearing clothes, “What those? Am I to wear some…”
Daiki noticed his Japanese was getting easier to understand, “These are clothes. I might have some things you can wear, right now lets eat. He helped Inoo to the blanket, he handed his new friend a jacket, “Here, this will be better.” He dug out his swim trunks, “Put these on…”
Inoo stared at the clothes, put them on? How?
Daiki slid Inoo’s hands through the sleeves and zipped it. He also picked up each of Inoo’s feet and put them into the holes of the shorts. He pulled them up Inoo’s body, he turned red; it was nerve-racking to touch that cold wet skin. Inoo smelled like the sea, it was a nice smell not like dead fish but like warm salty air, water and sunlight.
Inoo shivered at the touch, who was this boy?
Daiki turned and opened the bento, he was glad he had sushi, rice balls and fish.
Inoo stared at the food, “It smells weird, what is it…”
Daiki smiled, “It tastes good. I made it. I hope you like it.”
Inoo reached for some and nibble at it; he tasted fish and seaweed in this…sushi? He didn’t mind it but he missed the fish Jam and Ann would bring him.
Daiki asked nervously, “Do you like it…”
Inoo nodded, “Its good…”
Daiki was so happy, he should have brought more. He was planning on spending the night here but he didn’t have enough food…
~~~~~~~~~~~
It was dark, Inoo stared out at the water. He missed it already, how was he going to last a year. He stood at the edge…
Daiki stepped beside him, “It’s late and it will be cold, I set up the tent…”
Inoo blinked, “Tent…”
Daiki took his hand, “It’s a shelter. I planned to spend the night anyway…” he led him back towards the place they had eaten. He unzipped the tent door and led Inoo inside. He had brought in everything; he had laid the blanket in half on the tent floor for Inoo to sleep.
Inoo had never slept alone, he wanted Jam or Ann but he couldn’t be with them. He said softly, “Am I supposed to sleep alone…”
Daiki blinked, he sounded scared, “I thought you would want to…”
Inoo looked away, “I always sleep on Jam or Ann’s back. It’s nice to feel someone close to you when you sleep, it helps you feel safe.”
Daiki opened the blanket and the sleeping bag. He lay on the blanket and patted the space next to him, “Then you can sleep with me.”
Inoo whispered, “Do you think it makes me sound like a child…” he lay beside Daiki; he could feel the boy’s warm body behind him.
Daiki wrapped an arm around Inoo’s waist, “You’ll be safe…so get some sleep…”:
Inoo closed his eyes, being close to Daiki made him extremely warm…