#i would have merman in here but his present was an oc x oc x oc so unsure if yall into that yknow

[inkyquince]

PRESENTS FOR BELOVED MUTUALS! (Masterpost)

For @angrelysimpping:

Wremussy One Night Stand (Happy Birthday!)

Gabriel Sinclair's very lovely morning (Happy Yule!)

Worshipping at His Altar- Ewan Blythe (Happy Yule!)

The Christmas Party- Johann Lenz (Happy Yule!)

For @letstalktea:

New Year's Kiss With Harper (Happy Yule!)

[wallgirl]

The Little Nereid Part 9

Record of Ragnarok fanfiction

Poseidon x OC

Word count: 2,800

Dynamene, youngest of the 50 Nereids, has lived most of her adolescence as a servant alongside her sisters at Poseidon’s palace. But with her coming-of-age birthday and other developments, what she initially thought was just admiration of her master blossoms into something stronger and more passionate… and painful.

Categories and warnings: Romance, angst, unrequited love, coming-of-age, earn-your-happy-ending, slow-burn (ish); no sexual content. There will be some graphic violence in the future.

Updated regularly, multiple times a week; will have about ?15? parts total.

---

"Dynamene," a soft voice nudged her hours later. "Dynamene, wake up, we're almost there."

Dynamene opened her eyes groggily and looked up at Eione, whose shoulder she was still leaning against. "Huh?"

"Home; we're almost home." Eione smiled and drew back the carriage curtains to show her, letting in the bright sunshine. Dynamene sat up, quickly awoken by the warmth of the sunlight, and pressed herself to the window.

The rocky terrain and stormy weather had completely disappeared, giving way to rolling green hills lined with thick forest and sandy bluffs. The sky was clear without a cloud in sight, and Dynamene drank in the view of the pristine ocean under the bright blue sky. The gentle waves broke with crests like diamonds in the bright sun, before fading back into the cerulean waters. Dynamene's face lit up and she turned back to Eione, beaming. "It's just as beautiful as I remember."

"Isn't it?" Eione grinned. "We're nearly there. Just around this bend..."

The line of carriages rattled down the well-worn dirt road, turning around a thick grove of fig trees before beginning the final descent down a steep hill.

At the bottom was a sandy delta, flanked on the far side by a gorgeous palace made of sandstone and marble. The palace looked as if it had grown out of the bluffs as a natural extension of it, the exterior asymmetrical and rough but pleasing in a busy way. Sea glass in every color wrapped in whimsical patterns around the pillars and windows before winding down to the ground and forming a mosaic walkway to the entrance.

The ocean flowed into a cerulean lagoon before the palace, where the mouths of several small rivers met. Around the lagoon were large tide pools in which Dynamene could spot people and merfolk playing and basking.

There was a sudden shout from the distance, and the people began to stop what they were doing, looking towards the carriages. Then there was a loud chorus of calls and cheer, and the people scrambled in every which way. A trumpet sounded; now everyone knew that the Nereids were nearly home.

Before Dynamene could say anything, a booming voice came from the oceanside. "Greetings, Nereids!" She turned towards the other window to see a parade of merpeople headed by a handsome merman keeping pace with the carriage, leisurely leaping out of the water to speak to them. "Welcome home!"

Eione leaned over Dynamene and threw the window up. "Aye, merfolk! I thought I smelled fish!"

"Nay, Nereid," the merman replied smoothly. "It is yourself, I reckon." He gave Eione a mischievous wink.

Eione feigned a gasp of offense and flicked her hand. A spray of ocean water splashed the merman's face, but he laughed easily. "We will tell your parents of your arrival. Welcome home!" With that, he and the rest of the group sped ahead down along the beach, their tails glimmering in reds and greens under the surface of the water.

"Ah, that slimy fish," Eione tutted, but she tossed her hair in amusement. "It's so good to be back." She took in a deep breath before exhaling dramatically. "I can breathe here, you know?"

"Yes. Yes, I do," Dynamene whispered, unpinning her travel cloak. It was if the weight of the world had fallen off her shoulders with the fabric, and she began to help Eione get their bags sorted.

Minutes later, they had arrived before the palace. Beings of all sorts had gathered to greet their arrival with much a-do; fresh-water nymphs, dryads, fauns, satyrs, and merfolk. Familiar faces were on every side, and Dynamene lost track of the number of hugs she'd clasped with people she hadn't seen since goodness knows when. Old jokes were exchanged, and new ones made, as the crowd helped the Nereids unload their luggage from the carriages.

"Dynamene!" Actaea called from where a dryad was helping her lift down a trunk. "Look who it is!"

Dynamene turned and erupted once again into a wide smile. A boy with messy chestnut hair and freckles like hers was running down the path from the palace towards the group. "Dynamene!" He shouted. "Actaea! Eione! Everyone!" He flung himself into Dynamene's arms, and she squeezed him tight, rocking from side to side.

"Nerites," she whispered happily, taking the scent of seawater in her little brother's hair. "It's so good to see you again."

He pulled back to look at her with a frown. "You've gotten taller again. But I thought I would get taller than you someday?"

Dynamene laughed and ruffled his hair lovingly. "I think you have a few more centuries yet, little brother."

"That's fine," he replied. "As long as it happens someday." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards one of the inlets. "I can't believe you're finally here! Even Elasippus came to greet you all today, too!"

Dynamene knelt down at the edge of the small bluff. Basking in the shallow water of the pool was a young merman, barely out of boyhood, with strawberry blond hair strung with ocean droplets and a shimmering green tail. He looked up in surprise at Dynamene. "Hello, Dynamene."

"Elasippus!" She smiled at her brother's friend warmly. "It's been too long. Your tail's gotten longer, hasn't it?"

"Um, yes," he answered shyly, fins curling back and forth. "I just thought I'd come and say hello, since I've known you all for so long..."

"Don't be awkward, Elas," Nerites sighed. "We've been best friends for ages; it's okay to talk to my sisters."

Dynamene laughed. "It's okay, it's been a few years. It's still weird to see that you two have gotten bigger, though," she sighed. "I guess I still remember when you were both little tadpoles, crying when the sand got in your eyes."

"Hey, we're not crybabies anymore!" Nerites protested. "Actually, me and Elas have been exploring a lot recently. We found this underwater cave that's full of oysters, and we've been collecting them to harvest. Some of them even have pearls. We're gonna go again today, actually. If you want, you should come with us!"

"When? Now?" She asked in disbelief as Nerites pulled on her hand.

"Yeah! Come on!"

"Well..." She looked back at her other sisters, who were still bringing the luggage in.

"Go ahead, Dyna," Ianeira called. "We'll join you in a little bit."

"Scratch that," Eione jumped in, boldly tossing off her peplos and chiton. "I'm going with now. Come on, Dynamene! Last one into the water is rotten caviar!" She took a running start and dove head-first into the rippling water.

"Well, if it's alright with everyone else," Dynamene sighed dramatically, undoing her own peplos. "I suppose..."

And bolstered on by the happy exclamations of her brother, she dove in.

---

Hours later, Dynamene pulled herself back up onto shore, breathless from laughter. "Here," she tossed a pearl to Nerites. "Almost dropped that one."

The other Nereids broke the surface close-by, laughing and wringing out their hair. "Did you see how fast Thoe dissipated when that ray went by?" Eione teased. "I thought she was a cloud of silt for a moment."

"Hey, those things have barbs, you know," Thoe sniffed as she smoothed her wet bangs away from her forehead.

"I wish we could've seen some whales," Callianassa sighed as she finished reforming her hands. She gave her fingers a graceful wiggle. "It's been forever since I've heard a whale call."

"There are a lot of whales at the next cove down. They came here for the birthing season," Elasippus told her as he carefully pulled a strand of seaweed from his hair. "We can show you later if you want."

"We gave a few of them nicknames," Nerites added, looking up from where he was admiring his satchel full of freshly harvested pearls. "Two babies have been born so far; we named one Fig and the other Olive."

"That's so... unimaginative," Dynamene teased him good-naturedly, and he splashed her with water.

"You come up with better names, then!"

"I will," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"I bet I can come up with better names than both of you," Ianeira said, splashing them both. "Just give me until after supper."

"Speaking of supper, I'm starving," Eione groaned. She pulled her sandy chiton back on over her head before giving her hair one last shake. "What's on the menu?"

"Why don't we go inside and find out?" Ianeira said. "It must be nearly time to eat, anyways."

"Sounds good to me," Dynamene affirmed, gathering her clothes back up to get dressed. She paused for a moment, scouring the sand.

"Looking for something, Dynamene?" Elasippus asked.

"No, it's fine, just found it!" Dynamene sighed with relief. She brushed the sand away from where it had lightly blown over her bracelet. "False alarm." She quickly drew it back onto her wrist, carefully dusting any remaining sand off.

"That's pretty," Nerites said in awe. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, um," Dynamene blushed, smoothing her wet hair away from where it clung to her neck. "Lord... Lord Poseidon gave it to me not long ago, as a birthday present."

"Really?" He asked in surprise. "Wow. He didn't get you guys jewelry, did he?" He asked the other sisters tactlessly.

The sisters exchanged a silent look for half a moment before Ianeira cleared her throat. "Come on, everyone! I'm sure Mother and Father would like to see us at long last as well."

The rest of the girls finished dressing and began to make their way up the beach towards the glittering palace. Nerites said goodbye to Elasippus and ran after them.

"Dynamene, are you coming?" Actaea asked, pausing to look back at her younger sister. Dynamene was still carefully braiding her hair.

"I'll be there in a moment!" Dynamene called back, waving her on. "I just want to finish braiding my hair before it dries again. I'll meet up with you guys at the palace."

"Alright, don't be too long!" Actaea disappeared over the sandy hill, leaving Dynamene alone with Elasippus.

Elasippus remained for a moment, watching in fascination as Dynamene wove her hair back into two braids. "Beautiful," he whispered.

"Mm?" Dynamene looked up.

"The bracelet," he said hastily. "Lord Poseidon was very thoughtful. It's gorgeous."

"Isn't it?" Dynamene sighed and held out her hand so the merman could take a better look. "It's mother-of-pearl, my favorite."

"So it sounds like you get along with him, huh?" Elasippus swam in an idle circle. "That's good. I hear he's not so easy to be around."

"No, he's not," Dynamene admitted. "But, you know..." She remembered the times on the beach with him, and the way he had brushed her hair back. "He's not so bad, deep down." She began to blush.

"I see," Elasippus said slowly, watching Dynamene's face turn pink. "If you say so." He turned to look at the setting sun. "You and your sisters are really brave, you know. I don't think I could ever live with him. Not after what happened with his brother."

Dynamene stared at him for a moment blankly. Then she realized what he was referring to - Poseidon's killing of Adamas.

She stared back down at the ocean. "I suppose so. I guess I can see how that would make people... uncomfortable."

"Does it bother you?" Elasippus asked earnestly, tail flicking.

Dynamene bit her lower lip. What happened with Adamas was justified, wasn't it? I don't know all that was said between them, but Adamas did want to start a civil war, right? So... Is Poseidon really in the wrong for what he did? "No. I... I think he did the right thing," she said, but her voice was shaky.

Elasippus sensed her discomfort and frowned apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make things awkward. It's none of my business. I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's alright," Dynamene said quickly. "It's an honest question. I suppose I just don't really think about it much. We'd only been at the palace for a century when it happened, and I was still just a child, so my sisters didn't say much about it around me." Her thoughts went back to that day; what little she remembered of it, that was.

The Nereids had left the palace to picnic on the beach that fateful afternoon. They didn't want any part of Adamas's visit; he was nothing but a jealous troublemaker, and they wanted no part of whatever ill-will he brought.

But when the sound of marble breaking echoed out from the palace, they had rushed back out of concern for their master. Dynamene remembered tagging along behind Actaea, barely able to see past the rest of her sisters as they crowded into the great hall where Poseidon had received Adamas...

"No, don't look," Actaea had said suddenly, covering Dynamene's eyes with her hands. "Don't look, Dynamene." Her sister's voice had wavered in horror. She had immediately steered Dynamene back out of the room, rushing her as fast as she could go. But Dynamene's ears were free, and she heard the rest of her sisters gasp and scream at the sight that greeted them in the great hall.

They hadn't been expected to clean up the mess. Poseidon had ordered them to leave the body where it lay, and continue on with their day as if nothing had happened. The other unseen servants of the palace took care of Adamas's body and the wreckage, and the following day, the great hall was spotless. The wall had been repaired, the table replaced, and no sign remained of the gory mess that Poseidon had made out of his older brother.

Dynamene shuddered at the memories. "Even now, no one speaks of it, especially at Lord Poseidon's palace. That's what he wanted, so we must obey. I don't think we would talk about it even if we could, though. It was so brutal." She swallowed. No one likes remembering that day. That was the first time we truly realized how powerful, and dangerous, Poseidon was.

"That's awful," Elasippus sympathized. "I hope it doesn't haunt you too much."

"No," Dynamene sighed. "No, I guess I owe Actaea for that. I never saw the... aftermath of Poseidon and Adamas's argument. I hear it was a horrible sight."

The two of them sat in silence for a while longer, neither of them knowing what to say. "I'm sorry," Dynamene said finally, getting to her feet. "I didn't mean to make things so dreary."

"No, not at all," Elasippus said quickly. "It's good to talk about things like that sometimes, right? If you ever want to talk about it, I'll listen. It doesn't bother me too much."

Dynamene smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you, Elas. I'm glad my brother is friends with you."

Now it was Elasippus whose face was pink. "It's... It's nothing much, we just have fun together. I'm glad I got to see you all again today."

"Me too. We should all meet again before we go back to the palace," Dynamene beamed. "I had a lot of fun today."

"I'm glad," Elasippus smiled back. "See you later." He sank back under the amber waves.

"Bye," Dynamene called after him. She watched his tail splash through the surface for a ways before he dove deeper into the water, returning to his underwater home. Left alone with her thoughts once more, she sighed.

I'm sure what Poseidon did was justified, even if it was violent. Over the top, even. Terrifying. But I guess that's just how Poseidon is; why would someone like him hold back? I know he'd never hurt us, at the very least.

She stared out at the setting sun, lost in thought, twisting the bracelet around her wrist.

Poseidon... I hope things are okay back at the palace. I hope the visit with Hades went as well as can be expected.

If you were here, I wonder... What would you say to me? She looked away from the sun's burning orange rays to the ocean. The dark hue of the water brought to mind Poseidon's eyes, so beautiful, yet so often cold and empty. Lately, though... Was it just her imagination, or was there truly life in them when he looked back at her?

 Would you tell me that you don't regret what you did? Even if you'd never harm me, surely there are still times that you hurt others. Or was Adamas an isolated event?

 She sighed before turning to make the journey back to the palace. This trip was meant to be relaxing, and worrying over the past did no good. Surely everyone was wondering where she was by now.

---

Author’s Notes: Another chapter that took on a life of its own. I think it'll work okay, though.

Next chapter is one I've been waiting to write almost since I started this fanfic. So much angst. I can't wait.

[shining-red-diamond]

Part VIII

Words: 1.3k

Pairing: Hendery x Brittany (OC)

Genre: Fluff, angst, suggestive

Rating: PG-15

Warnings: implied smut, mentions of marking and bleeding, mentions of possible pregnancy

“I think the pink suits him,” YangYang commented as he finished the roof on the last tower of his sandcastle.

“Does it?” Hendery asked, his fingers playing with a couple strands of hair.

“You look like strawberry ice cream,” Brittany complimented.

The couple had decided to visit the sirens a few days later, and they hoped to get some answers in terms of Hendery’s maternal side. His hair had started to fade a little, the roots now displaying their natural jet black color.

“Hair color varies among merfolk when they’ve been intimate for the first time,” Kun explained. “However, males typically have green or blue hair. Sometimes purple, depending on their DNA; but pink hair?”

Brittany’s smile became a worried frown. “Is it a bad sign?” she asked, not knowing if Hendery was ill or dying.

“No,” Kun chuckled. “It’s just nobody has seen a merman have pink hair before after intimacy. I’m sure it’s happened before, but there’s no record of it.”

“Well,” Brittany shrugged as she looked back at Hendery, “he is different.”

Ten thought for a moment. He and Kun were the brains of the sirens, so they knew their history of other creatures well. They had to know which creature would match part of Hendery’s DNA.

“It could be that his mother was not a mermaid,” Ten suggested.

“Hendery is aware,” the merman nodded.

“I mean, I think I have a few ideas of who your mother’s species is.”

“Which are?” Brittany asked.

“Well,” Ten scratched his head, “either his mom was an actual shark, or a shark-like creature.”

Brittany hoped it was the latter, otherwise, Hendery might be acting like an animal.

“How about this,” she suggested, “you guys can ask around, and we’ll take to Internet research to figure things out. That way, we can narrow down beings and pinpoint Hendery’s bloodline.”

“Deal,” Ten agreed. “Meet you two back here in a week?”

“Done.”

The sirens waved the couple goodbye before diving off to start their mission, the sandcastle left to be eventually washed away as the day went on.

Once the couple had returned home and dried off, Brittany got her laptop and began some heavy Googling. Now that Hendery was able to write, he could jot down everything they could find. For about an hour, Brittany typed in numerous keywords into the search bar, and millions of articles would pop up. They were able to narrow down to more shark creatures, but they still couldn’t quite pinpoint what they were looking for. The only two that seemed to match was a creature known in Native Hawaiian mythology and a species known as the Karcharo.

“That’s not something you see in mythology books,” Brittany commented.

“Hendery has never heard of them, either,” he shook his head in confusion.

“All it says here is that they look like mermaids but have sharklike characteristics. Sharp teeth, gills, a couple fins, dark eyes, things like that.”

“Are they gentle?”

Brittany shrugged. “Doesn’t say.”

“Maybe the sirens will know.”

Closing her laptop, she set it on the coffee table and snuggled up to Hendery. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, and his fingers traced the area where her future mark would be.

“At least we have something to go off of when we report to them next week,” Brittany sighed. “A few pieces of the puzzle are still missing, but we have sort of a basis.”

Hendery nodded in agreement. He couldn’t stop staring at her, and he couldn’t hardly pay attention to what she was saying. Her beauty distracted him, but it was a good distraction.

“Hendery has something for Brittany,” he remembered.

“What is it?” she asked as she lifted her head to look at him.

Her lover’s hand fished around his shorts pocket and pulled out a small, brown sack. He got on the floor to kneel in front of her. Pulling the string, the bag opened and he dumped something gold into his palm. The most beautiful pearl ring Brittany had ever seen was shined in the early evening sun that peaked into the large glass windows.

“Hendery,” she whispered as she felt joyful tears begin to pool in her eyes. “It’s gorgeous. Where did you get it?”

“Hendery found it in some coral when he went swimming a few days ago,” he explained. “He got Kun to make it into a ring for Brittany.”

He took her left hand into his and gazed into her ocean blue eyes.

“Hendery has loved Brittany since she first moved here,” he confessed. “He wasn’t sure if he’d ever get the chance to talk to her, but he’s happy he did. Being a merman, he wasn’t sure if he would be loved by a human, but Brittany saw through it. He has been blessed with getting to know and love Brittany Carter ever since they met on her back patio. Hendery wants to spend the rest of his life with her.”

Brittany was speechless as she struggled to stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. EIther was asking her to marry him, or he was just wanting to give her a special present.

“While merfolk don’t exactly have weddings,” Hendery continued, “would Brittany still be with Hendery for the rest of their lives as mates?”

It wasn’t exactly a marriage proposal, but Brittany wouldn’t want it any other way. She nodded as the water works rushed down her cheeks. Hendery was on the verge of tears himself as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

The two shared a loving hug and kiss before he whispered against her lips a soft, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered back.

When they released from each other, they pressed their foreheads together. Hendery was over the moon that the woman he loved agreed to be his mate. My mate, he thought.

“I still have to mark you,” he remembered out loud.

“Now?” Brittany asked with a sigh.

“Not immediately now, but it needs to be done in order for it to be official.”

Brittany thought for a moment. Her thumbs twiddled with each other, and she chewed on her lower lip. She was scared of how painful the ritual could be. The pleasure of them making love in the process would serve as a sort of distraction, but even that didn’t calm her nerves.

“Will it hurt?” she asked, her eyes staring at her hands in her lap. It was a stupid question she knew the answer to, but she couldn’t help it.

“In the moment,” Hendery nodded.

“Will I bleed?”

“A bit, but I’ll lick the wound to cauterize it.”

“You’re a merman, not a dog,” Brittany chuckled as she looked back up at him.

Hendery giggled as well. “Hendery promises it’ll help.”

“Okay,” Brittany smiled. “Can we do it tonight? I can make our room a more romantic setup.”

“Whatever Brittany would like.”

After one last kiss, she stood from the couch and began to make her way to the bedroom as Hendery went to go feed and play with Louis for a while. However, his lover stopped in her tracks.

“Hendery,” she called to him from the base of the stairs. “Will I get pregnant afterwards?”

Brittany wasn’t asking him in the sense of wanting a baby per sé, but more out of mere curiosity. She had wanted a family when she had found the right person, however, she wasn’t sure if she was ready. She and Hendery had discussed pregnancy before, but it was only that one time when she gave him the anatomy lesson. Hendery was scared for his soon-to-be mate’s health and had no knowledge of any fatherly ways to raise a child. He wasn’t opposed to having a baby of his own, but he didn’t quite feel ready himself. However, he was going to accept whatever fate had decided what the outcome was going to be.

He took a deep breath and answered, “It’s possible.”

-

Tagging: @fantasywayv​ @dearyongs​ @ethereal-eirene​ @lilhwahwa​

[lizartgurl]

"The Little Atlantean" (Aqualad x OC)

(part one) (part two) (part three) (part four) (part five) (part six) PART SEVEN

Emma sat on the picnic blanket while Annabella flew a kite for the entertainment of the little twins. Athanasia had all but forgotten their terrifying experience the day before, but Damian was more withdrawn, and he insisted on sitting on Emma's lap. He clung to her dress as tightly as a two year old child could. Emma soothingly rubbed his back as she stared out at the sea.

"You're not still thinking about that guy, are you?" Annabella asked.

Emma gave her sister a humorless smile, "I cant get his voice out of my head. I have to find him, to thank him at the very least."

"And what's the most you'd do?" Her sister teased.

"I don't know...marry him?" Emma shrugged. "It's apparently all Talia thinks I'm good for now."

Annabella shook her head, and reeled in the kite. "You know, if it weren't for the voice you keep insisting that you heard, I'd agree with Tim and say that you're hallucinating."

Emma's smile turned to a grin, "I'm surprised you don't dismiss the voice out of hand as well."

Annabella shrugged, and glanced up at a seagull that flew overhead, "Voices can be more real than we realize."

"Fishy!" Athanasia pointed at the seagull.

"No sweetie, that's a bird." Emma corrected gently.

"Fishy!" Athanasia insisted again, pointing at the water.

"There you go!" Annabella applauded her efforts.

Emma stood Damian on his feet and took his little hand in hers. "Come on, let's take a walk."

-

They broke the surface, and Kaldur gasped for air. Tula was surprised to find that she could still breathe as well. Maybe Shayla had been wrong about the human world.

"Now what?" She asked, noticing Kaldur was struggling to stay afloat without the aid of his powerful tail. La'gaan and Garth popped up under his other arm for added safety. 

Kaldur pointed to a dark shape outlined on the horizon. Land.

Tula gulped nervously. "If you say so." 

They were all exhausted by the time the waves washed them up into a tide pool. Tula and Kaldur collapsed onto a rock, breathing heavily, and Garth plopped down in the sand, muttering to himself.

Kaldur was the first to regain his energy as he fully realized that his tail was missing. In its place were two smooth human legs. He lifted one out of the water, examining the foot at the end. Five toes. He wiggled them. 

All thought of scolding Kaldur left Tula's mind as she saw the smile of pure, unbridled joy that spread across Kaldur's face. She hadn't seen him this happy since before their fathers died. Garth, however, was not on the same page.

A seagull screeched overhead, "Howya doin' kid!" Vulko circled down and landed on Kaldur's outstretched leg. 

"Ya know, I can't put my finger on it, but something's about you is definitely different. No wait, wait, don't tell me, you're using the dinglehopper."

Kaldur would have laughed at the obtuse seagull, but he couldn't, so he shook his head no.

"Really? Well, that's too bad."

Kaldur began to bounce his leg, shaking the seagull up and down, but Vulko was so deep in thought he hardly noticed it.

"I swear- I swear it's on the tip of my tongue if I could just think of it-"

"He's got legs, you idiot!" Garth screamed. Vulko squawked in surprise and fell off Kaldur's leg and into the tidepool.

"He made a deal with the Sea Witch! That's what he did!" Garth said, pacing back and forth. 

"Yeah!" La'gaan said, finally having caught his breath. While his friends were all talking about him, Kaldur tried to stand up and see how his new legs worked.

"And now- and now he has three days to kiss Princess Emma, or he'll turn back into a merman!"

All of them were doused as Kaldur tripped over his own wobbling legs and fell into a bed of seaweed. Shaking her head, Tula helped him pull the plant from his hair.

"Princess, ya mean the girl we saw last night?" Vulko asked.

"What will his mother say!" Garth moaned. He jabbed his claw in La'gaan's face. "She'd say she's going to cook herself a crab, that's what she'll say! Why I ought march right back there-" He started into the breaking waves, muttering angrily, but Kaldur splashed over as quickly as he could and scooped up the little blue crab, silently begging him not to tell the Queen Regent.

"Don't you shake your head at me, young man!" Garth said, "We will get your mother, and she can fix this, and then, you can go home, and go swimming with all the other fishes-" Garth stopped, as Kaldur's bottom lip began to quiver again, his whole body seemed to droop.

"...and just be miserable for the rest of your life." Garth sighed. "Very well. Let's see what we can do."

-

Athanasia ran from shell to shell along the seashore. Not wanting to be left out, Damian followed her lead, each of them running back to give their treasures to Emma and Bella, before taking off again to find more.

"I would have brought the basket if I knew this would turn into a treasure hunt," Emma said, placing yet another shell into the pockets of her dress.

"Everything is a treasure hunt when you're their age," Annabella pointed out.

"I wonder what kind of treasure would get me excited about a treasure hunt nowadays," Emma thought out loud.

"Perhaps your special rescuer?" Bella leaned into her, and Emma gave her playful shove towards the waves.

"Fishy!" Athanasia decreed once more.

"Yes, there's a fishy in the waves, Asia," Emma said patiently, taking another shell from Damian.

Athanasia shook her head, and stomped her foot in the sand. She pointed up ahead, around the bend along the seashore that led to the tidepools.

"Fishy!" She said insistently.

Emma sighed, "We'd probably best go see what she wants."

"Come on Damian," Annabella took his hand and ran after their sisters. 

-

"There ya go! All beauty-fied up for your beauty-full Princess!" Vulko declared.

"Huh," Tula grunted curiously, leaning on a rock while Kaldur posed confidently, "Human fashion choices leave much to be desired." 

Vulko had presented Kaldur with what he deemed "the perfect royal robe", to wear when he introduced himself to his princess. It was a yellowish white, and wrapped over his shoulder and around his body, held in place by brown ropes, which Vulko insisted all the humans were wearing nowadays.

"It looks great!" La'gaan said. 

"We are doomed." Garth declared.

"FISHY!" 

Tula started at the sound, and saw a small human child running at them from around the cliffside corner. She dove into the sea with La'gaan to keep themselves hidden, while Garth scurried for cover in the pocket of Kaldur's new robe.

Startled himself, Kaldur scurried up onto a rock to get out of the child's way as she laughed and ran towards him.

"Fishy! Fishy! Fishy!" She insisted, reaching up to him with her arms.

"Athanasia! Where are you?"

Kaldur's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the sound of that voice. This was Princess Emma's little sister. 

"Asia, come back here!" Princess Emma herself ran around the corner, looking back and forth until her eyes rested on her younger sister.

Athanasia laughed as if it were all a game "Uppy Emmy!" She said, holding her arms out to Emma.

With a weary but loving smile, Emma scooped Athanasia up into her arms, and stopped.

"Oh," She gasped softly as she spotted Athanasia's target.

Athanasia herself giggled as Annabella and Damian caught up with them. "Fishy!" She said proudly.

"That's not a fishy, Asia," Annabella shook her head. 

"I'm sorry if my sister scared you. Are you alright?" Emma asked, taking a step closer to Kaldur. 

Kaldur could only give her a big smile in response. He felt as if he were dreaming. The sun on his face, his own two legs, and he was talking with Princess Emma! Or at least, Princess Emma was talking to him.

Emma knelt down to let Athanasia run around with her brother and looked up at the mysterious stranger, who happened to be wrapped up in the remains of a canvas sail. Perhaps it was even the same one from the Royal ship that had been sunk in the hurricane.

"You...you look familiar…" she said, almost in a whisper. Perhaps it was the way the sunlight framed him, or the way he smiled at her, but-

"Of course!" Her blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she grabbed his hand. "You're him! The one I've been looking for!"

Kaldur's heart nearly exploded with joy; she recognized him! She wanted to get to know him too!

"What's your name?" Emma asked.

Kaldur's joy fell off a cliff and into the pit of his stomach as he failed to answer his question.

"You...you can't speak?" Emma asked slowly, now disappointed. 

Kaldur shook his head.

"Oh," Emma said softly, "Then I guess I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Tula and La'gaan sighed, banging their heads on the rock they hid behind. Garth groaned within the folds of Kaldur's robe. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy.

Though momentarily deterred, Kaldur wasn't willing to give up yet.

He tried to gesture to himself, tried to let her know that she had been right, that it was him. He mimed singing, and tried to show her that he'd lost his voice, but his legs were still uncertain, and he fell off the rock and on top of Emma.

Much quicker on her feet than Kaldur was, Emma wrapped her arms under his, pulling him back to his feet.

"Are...are you alright?" She asked quietly, now level with his stormy green eyes. They held so much more than she could see. She had to get to know this man, whether or not he was her rescuer.

"Come with me," she said with the finality of a queen, "You are welcome to stay with me and my family in our palace for as long as you'd like."

Kaldur's heart leaped for joy, he had a chance after all.

Annabella eyed her sister knowingly, "Talia's going to go crazy for him."

Emma ignored her comment, "Come on Dami, Come on Asia." 

"Fishy!" The two squealed, chasing each other back towards the palace.

"Good luck, kid!" Vulko squawked after him.

"Do you think it'll work?" La'gaan asked Tula, watching as Kaldur walked down the sandy beach with his arms around the Princess. He looked back and gave his friends a big smile to let them know it was okay.

"I hope so," Tula nervously twisted a piece of seaweed in her hands, "Because I don't want to see what the Sea Witch will do to him if it doesn't."

[bi-e-ne]

Monthly Reading List #May’18

Hello there!

Another month is gone and it’s about time again for my monthly recommendations! I really love to share these amazing stories from unbelievable talented writers with you! It’s always a blessing for me to collect it!

So, tomorrow is the day of the day: I’ll start my new job in a nearby hospital. I’m nervous and excited and just can’t wait because it’s damn time after three months of doing all but nothing!

Though, that’s not really true. I did something: I found out that I not only love to read fanfiction, but also write fanfiction on my own. But since I’m an absolute beginner in writing and furthermore English isn’t my first language, I’m struggling a bit.

So, I thought maybe I give a call to all these amazing readers and talented writers out there and maybe find one or the other I can tag and help me improve my writing? It doesn’t matter if you help me through reblogging, liking, feedbacks or even being a beta. Maybe you can challenge me with requests? I can use any help that is offered and I would really, really, really appreciate it! I mean, simple as it is, it’s learning by doing ;) But without being aware of my mistakes how should I improve then? I really hope to learn from all of you out there, because writing is really fun and even if I can’t see in the future and don’t now yet how my new job will influence my writing, I want to keep doing it!

But before I’m boring you, this is enough of me. Now enjoy the following list and cry, laugh and be happy with it like I was! Until next month ;)

Avengers

James ‘Bucky’ Barnes

A Second Chance Part 1 | tbc @acreativelydifferentlove

Assembling @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

Attention! | We don’t talk anymore... | Dangerously. | How Long? | Done For Me- @221bshrlocked

Balconies and Libraries @acreativelydifferentlove

Bashful Creatures Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 @buckymcbuttfacebarnes

Bring it on! @prettyyoungtragedy

Bucky, the Vampire Slayer - Masterlist @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan

Coffee and Texts @bolontiku

Come Back to Me @until-theend-oftheline

Emotions Part 1 | Part 2 @buckimagines

Focused @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

“Have I mentioned, I fucking hate Halloween.” @oriona75

I`ll Always Be With You My Love @storiesofthefandomlovers

I Need You @theimpossibleg1rl

Jealous @buckybarnesxreader

Late Nights at the Office @after-avenging-hours

Lets Play @acreativelydifferentlove

Love is For Children Part 1 | Part 2 @sebseyesandbuckysthighs

Mean Girls @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan

Mixed Signals @captainrogerss

Moonlight Swim @moondancewrites

Now You’re Mine @theimpossibleg1rl 

Rehab Rewards Part 1 | Part 2 | tbc @teamcap4bucky

Romeo and Juliet Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | tbc @spidersholland

Safe House @acreativelydifferentlove

Save the Last Dance for Me @captainrogerss

Sharing Masterlist @promarvelfangirl

Spring Fever @acreativelydifferentlove

Sunshine & Motor Oil @erisjade

Talk Dirty to Me @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan

Tell Me How @jamie-leah

Thin Walls @jamie-leah

Trepidation Part 1 | Part 2 | tbc @cumonbucky

Unrequited @justsomebucky

What Did You Just Call Me? @cleolemonfanfiction

Wavy @papi-chulo-bucky

Steve Rogers

A Restless Night @221bshrlocked

Can We Save Us @captain-ariel-barnes

Cloudburst - Masterlist @samingtonwilson

Five Minutes with Steve @star-trekkin-across-theuniverse

Infatuated @sebastixnstxn

No More Apologies @4theluvofall

“Rescue” @bolontiku

Size Perfect @sarahp879

Surprise Welcome @until-theend-oftheline

The Boy From Brooklyn @captain-rogers-beard

Too Long @justreadingfics

“Trust me, I love you.” - Bumps and scrapes | Open wounds and Blood | Stitches and blood transfusions @prettyyoungtragedy

Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes

jealous @flightofthefantasies

Lesson Learned @floatingpetals

Movie Night Part 1 | Part 2 @loveisfriendship

Two for One Master Post @captain-rogers-beard

Stucky

Bait With a Punch @until-theend-oftheline

Dreams Come True @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan

It’s A Date @until-theend-oftheline

Just Enough Time @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan

Morning after @prettyyoungtragedy

The White Palace Part 1 | Part 2 | tbc @angryschnauzer

Thor

Sparks Fly @acreativelydifferentlove

Winterhawk

464. @winterhawkkisses

“Here, let me.” @winterhawkkisses

What do they do when they can't sleep? @winterhawkkisses

Who gets overwhelmed by small acts of kindness? @winterhawkkisses

“You’re hurt” @clintbartonruinedmylife

Hawaii 5-0

Steve McGarrett

Daddy’s Girl @amarabliss

Things Fall Apart Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | tbc @amarabliss

Priest

Vascar

I’ll Be Gentle @bookcaseninja

Star Trek

Five minute ficlet @star-trekkin-across-theuniverse

James T. Kirk

Imagine Jim being nervous about your date @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy

Among My Stillness @outside-the-government

Plaid and Jeans @iguess-theyre-mymess

Student Loans - Masterlist @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

McKirk

Anything Like Me Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | tbc @pinkamour1588

Are you done sulking? @haveyouseenmymind

Diagnosis: Love @goingknowherewastaken

Don’t bite the hand…(That jerks you) @pinkamour1588

First Impressions are important @haveyouseenmymind

Little Things @pinkamour1588

Night Blues @haveyouseenmymind

Our Forbidden Love @jiminthestreets-bonesinthesheets

Plausible Attraction @goingknowherewastaken

Ten years @auduna-druitt

The Incident @haveyouseenmymind

Things you never said @southernbellestatues

things you said after you kissed me @lovelyleonard

Together @yallneedtrek

McKirk x OCs

Ready or Not Part One | Part Two | tbc @auduna-druitt

Supernatural

Fledgling Furor @crispychrissy

My Stack @crispychrissy

Sweet Karma @crispychrissy

Valentwins @crispychrissy

Castiel

Learning to Fly @crispychrissy

Dean Winchester

A Ruff Few Days @crispychrissy

First Day @crispychrissy

Just Me @crispychrissy

Magnolias in the Country @carryonmywaywardcaptain

Talk to Me @crispychrissy

Two Birds with One Song @crispychrissy

Sam Winchester

Actions and Words @crispychrissy

Crazy = Genius @crispychrissy

It’s Greek to Me @crispychrissy

Knife to Meet You @crispychrissy

One Wish @crispychrissy

Pitted @crispychrissy

Relieving Tension @crispychrissy

The Unexpected Guest @crispychrissy

The Bronze

Lance Tucker

Comfort @jbbmoved

Curves And Edges Masterlist @jaamesbbarnes

Dilemma @jaamesbbarnes

In His Eyes @cumonbucky

Jealousy @jaamesbbarnes

Mine @jaamesbbarnes

Not My Friends @jbbmoved

Office sex @jaamesbbarnes

Secret @jbbmoved

takes some time @theassetseyeliner

Wonder Woman

Steve Trevor

Imagine sharing a tent with Steve @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

Crossing fandoms

Steve Rogers x Jim Kirk

Captain @iguess-theyre-mymess

Race @iguess-theyre-mymess

Monster @monstersandmaw

10 sentence drabbles

male werewolf x trans!guy

yautja x female reader

male grey alien x female reader

large male Minotaur x smol gem reader 

Big furry beast x gf (not present)

male naga x female reader

kelpie x female reader

drowsy and soft satyr x female reader

male gargoyle x male reader 

Female banshee x male reader

male centaur x male reader

mothman x nb reader

shark!merman x female reader

Stories

Merman x female reader

Hellhound

Shadow Monster Lover

Deaf Werewolf Part One | Part Two

Gargoyle x fem reader

Shadow

Slime boy x male reader

Deep sea merman x shallow water merman Part 1 | Part 2

Just a thought...  @strange-quiet-love

RPF

Christ Pratt

Wrong Number One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | tbc @i-dont-do-rpfs

Sebastian Stan

Cosa Nostra @senorita-stucky

You’re Perfect @buckyslongasshair

[readyplayerhobi]

Part Of Your World | 04

; Merman!Jimin x OC

; Genre: Little Mermaid!AU /Angst / Fluff

; Word Count: 9k

; Synopsis: Jimin has always longed for the wide-open skies of the Above Sea. After saving the life of a beautiful woman, he seeks to find her and live in his dream world. But young mermen should be careful what they wish for.

Previous Chapter ; Next Chapter

-

Silence.

 Silence is the first thing that greets Jimin; the first thing that he realises is strange through the heavy fog of his mind that makes it hard to think. Opening his eyes is tiring, he feels groggy and his limbs feel as if they are full of rocks.

 For a moment, he’s staring at the ceiling in confusion, wondering how sea foam is on the ceiling. It’s white and looks frothy and he wonders if he’s hallucinating, maybe he accidentally ate the wrong part of a puffer fish or something, until he realises suddenly that it’s very real when he spots the dangling thing in the centre that he knows he could not have imagined.

 It hangs from the ceiling, strands of gold falling down before curving up elegantly. From the ends are droplets that sparkle in the light and at first he wants to call them sea glass but he recognises them suddenly as those human jewels they covet so much.

 Once his mind gets around seeing this, he looks to the side and realises that the reason it’s so light is because there is a window. There are swathes of white fabric surrounding the glass and through it; all he can see is the light blue of the sky.

Crawling to the edge of what he realises is an incredibly soft bed, he takes a moment to pat and marvel at the suppleness, he pulls himself over the side and falls to the floor, the slippery fabric from the bed falling with him where it is wrapped around his body.

 Pushing away the fabric in haste, he yanks his hands away in shock at the sight in front of him. Instead of the familiar black tail that he expected to see, he is greeted with two pale limbs, splayed where they had landed.

 The memories of the pain suddenly hit him and he gasps brokenly, the sound silent, clutching at his chest as he remembers the agony the creation of these had caused him. His hands move to touch them and he finds that he is trembling violently, before his fingers touch the smooth skin.

 Jimin isn’t entirely sure what he’s supposed to do with these and he stares at the tiny limbs on the end of what he recalls are feet. They look like deformed fingers and his stomach churns at the sight. With a little thought, he finds that he can wiggle them and the feeling is so foreign it makes him shudder in disgust.

 He gingerly moves one leg to the side, before discovering he can do so with the other as well. Jimin is not sure how he is going to cope with this; he had spent his whole life with his lower body being just one limb, now he had to think of two.

 For the next five minutes, he experiments with his legs, finding a strange novelty in how bizarre he looks. It’s only when he looks back up at the window that he remembers his original mission, he’s suddenly struck with the realisation that he has no idea how to walk.

 He doesn’t even know how to move these legs to stand up. Thinking back, he tries to remember how every human he had seen had stood up before. Only to realise that none of them had seemed to do the same thing.

 Some had rolled onto their knees; some had simply stood straight on their feet. Puffing out his cheeks, he blows air slowly as he works it out. Perhaps moving onto his knees would be easiest; he assumes that his centre of balance would be more equal in that position.

 It sounded better than admitting to himself that he had no idea what he was doing.

 Rolling onto his stomach, he pauses for a moment before pushing up on his arms. Nothing happens though except now he’s just holding himself up with his arms. He scowls down at his legs and tries to think how he’s supposed to move them to make them work. Humans make it look so easy!

 It’s only when his arms start to tremble that he finally flops back onto the floor, glaring at the wall before taking a moment to admire it. He’s never seen walls with such strange patterns before, sea foam green with swirls of white that are deliberate, yet they look textured too.

 A small voice in the back of his mind wonders how they did it, before he shakes his head with a start and focuses back on trying to stand. He moves onto his back again and manages to shuffle himself so that he is sitting with his back to the bed and simply stares at his legs again.

 For the amount of pain he’d suffered to get these, he’d expected that it would be second nature to use them. At that thought, Jimin realises that he has no memory of how he got into this room, or even where this room is. The last thing he remembers is seeing the sea witches face, the ocean waves crashing around them as she held him aloft.

 He hoped that he was somewhere safe, but what was safe Above Sea?

 A look of concentration overtakes his face as he makes an effort to climb back onto the bed, primarily using his arms but discovering that if he pushes hard at his legs, they actually help him to get enough lift to roll back onto the plush bed.

 For a second he simply pants as he stares at the strange ceiling again, wondering if he had always been this unfit or if being Above Sea required more strength than he’d thought. He’d been under the illusion that merfolk were stronger than humans, but maybe not?

 It’s then that he remembers seeing humans stand from a sitting position on chairs, and if his memory is correct then it looked far easier. Manoeuvring his legs off the edge of the bed, he takes a moment to concentrate before pushing with both his hands and his legs.

 He’s rewarded with almost toppling forwards as he loses his balance immediately. Arms swinging wildly, he’s slightly amazed by the fact that humans require this much balance just to simply stand. There’s a lot of shaking, but he finally stands straight, legs trembling under holding his weight and he thanks Poseidon that merfolk have strong cores from swimming.

 His bright eyes are wide before a smile finally spreads across his face. He did it! He’s standing! Raising a fist in pleasure, he lets out a silent yell of happiness that he’d conquered standing before lowering it, feeling stupid. It was like getting excited that a merbaby was swimming.

 Now to reach the window, it was simple. Just lift one foot, put it down then left the other. Jimin lifted his right foot in the air, wobbled intensely and put his foot down slightly forwards. And promptly collapsed as his legs gave out under him.

 For a moment, he simply lays there before flailing his body around in a silent tantrum, screaming soundlessly. Being a human was hard.

  Jimin doesn’t even want to know how long it took him to figure out how to walk, in fact he’s positive he’d like to have that memory removed from his mind forever. But after a lot of trials and effort, oh Poseidon a lot of effort, he’s finally made it to the window and he stands there with wide-open eyes, his jaw agape at the view.

 He’s up high in the air, so high it makes his stomach turn and he wants to vomit suddenly. The room he is in is part of a giant stone building from what he can see, towers pointing up towards the sky and the white sheen to the building sparks the memory that this has to be the palace he had always admired.

 But his attention is caught by the view of the ocean, far below him and stretching as far as the eye can see. Sunlight sparkles off the soft waves, silver speckles that break up the endless aqua blue. He can see that Poseidon must be calm today, for the waves are gentle and soft.

 There a sudden pang of longing in his chest as he stares at his former home, his chest aching gently as he suddenly wonders what his brothers are doing right now. But a shake of his head brings him back to his senses.

 He knows that there is no point in thinking that as his home is here now. The dirt and rock that makes the Above Sea must become his home and he must learn how to adapt to living like the humans. Most importantly, he must figure out how to get a human woman fall in love with him.

 A sudden sound from the other side of the room causing him to jerk around, wobbling violently until he grips the wood below the window tensely. His body stiffens as he experiences his first meeting with a conscious human.

 It’s a woman, and the fabric she is wearing looks drab compared to what he had seen on the women who had frequented the beach, in shades of brown and black. Her hair was also pulled tightly behind her head, in a tight ball that had him wondering how she’d done that with no visible ties.

 He supposed she looked young, but in truth he had no concept of human age. Some merfolk speculated that most humans didn’t even live to their 60th year, a startling number considering the large majority of merfolk passed away in their fourth century, fifth if they were lucky and healthy.

 So this human in front of him could be 10 or she could be 50, he didn’t understand enough to guess.

 She moved forward with her head lowered, a tray in her hands filled with a bowl and some objects he didn’t recognise. It was only when she lifted her head to look at the now empty bed that a noise left her, a gasp of surprise as she spotted him standing by the window.

 “Sir! You’re awake! Oh my, I must go get the doctor! Please excuse me!” She speaks quickly, bowing to him before shuffling back out of the room at speed. He’s slightly perplexed as to what has just happened and his eyebrows crease as he wonders what a doctor is.

 It is only minutes later that the door opens again, this time presenting a human male. Jimin wishes he could describe what the man is wearing, but that would require knowledge of the fabrics, which he simply doesn’t have. He didn’t even know the names of what he was wearing, just that it itched and made his skin feel stifled.

 Bright blonde hair is swept back from his forehead and he wears some strange thin metal around his eyes. Curiosity awakens in Jimin as he realises that there is glass in the circular metal. He wonders idly what its purpose could possibly be.

 “Sir, the maid told me that you are finally awake. We have been waiting for you to awaken for three weeks now; we were afraid that you would never awaken. Whatever happened to you at sea must have been truly traumatic.” The man comes closer to Jimin, causing him to cringe away from him.

 It’s only once the man manages to pull him back towards the bed, observing the way that Jimin leans heavily on him to walk stably that his words filter into Jimin’s head properly.

 Three weeks? He had been asleep for three weeks? But the sea witch had told him that he would only have four months to win his true love’s kiss, he’d already lost almost a month being unconscious!

 Panic fills his gut at this and he grips onto the bed tightly with fear, his breathing coming quick and fast. The human with him looks alarmed and presses a cold metal object to Jimin’s chest, causing him to jerk away with fright. The item follows and he’s left to sit frozen in fear, as the man appears to be listening to a tube pressed to his ear that connects to the metal.

 “Sir, please calm yourself if you can. You’re safe now, I swear. Your heart is racing and this will not be helpful to you.” He murmurs, pulling away the object to lay it over his neck. The metal could hear his heart?

 “You seem to be very weak still, I noticed that you were leaning on me and your legs appeared to be shaking walking here. Do you feel faint? We have been feeding and watering you through a tube though I feared it was not helping you given you did not wake.” Jimin stares at the man, his mind calculating quickly that this must be the doctor the woman went to get, and a doctor must be the healer of humans.

 It made him think of Hoseok immediately and he knew that his brother would love to be able to hear heartbeats so easily.

 He doesn’t realise that his silence is unusual until the doctor begins to frown at him, eyes flickering over Jimin’s body quickly.

 “Can you hear me?” Jimin nods. “You can understand me, correct?” Again, Jimin nods. “So why have you not spoken? Can you tell me your name?” Jimin’s mouth opens to provide his name, only to remember the lack of voice. His hands come up immediately instead to sign out his name to the doctor.

 Only the man stares blankly at Jimin’s hands. “Do you not know your name? And are your hands okay? You may experience some side effects from the long sleep and whatever injuries you may have sustained during your ship wreck.”

 Jimin stares at him for a moment before looking at his hands. He tries once more to sign out his name only to receive no recognition. Ice seeps into his veins as he realises that the mer sign language is evidently not recognised by humans, and he hits his head a second later as the realisation seeps in. Of course it wouldn’t be!

 Why would humans know mer-sign?

 He doesn’t see the doctors wide eyes as his patient begins to harm himself, only realising he’s doing something wrong when the doctor grabs at his arms firmly. “Sir please, there’s no need to become frustrated. Just, take a deep breath and think deeply. We have no name for you currently, but we assume that you must be someone important as you were found with a veritable bounty on the beach.”

 Jimin pauses at that, wondering what he meant. He had nothing on him; it was why he had to give up his voice. Had the sea witch provided him with riches? It would make sense he guessed, the quickest way into the palace would be to appear as someone important and rich.

 He sends a silent thank you to the sea witch, realising that she had been far more generous than he could have ever expected from someone so feared.

 Staring at the doctor, he feels frustrating rising up inside him, causing his brow to crease in irritation. The man sighs lightly and murmurs something under his breath before pointing at himself.

 “My name is Doctor Jackson, what is your name?” He gestures towards Jimin and Jimin face falls as he glares at the man. He couldn’t speak, that didn’t mean that he was incompetent.

 Mouthing out his name, he points towards his throat and makes what he presumes to be negative gestures, hoping it gets across that he cannot speak. Doctor Jackson’s eyes narrow in focus on his throat and Jimin recognises the look of inquisitiveness that takes over.

 “One minute sir, I will be right back.” He leaves the room quickly and as soon as he’s gone Jimin lets out a silent groan, head falling back onto his shoulders. So far, living as a human had been nothing like he had expected.

 Doctor Jackson reappears quickly with a rectangle of white in his hands along with a feather and what appears to be a small black pot. Jimin watches fascinated as he dips the feather into the pot and begins to write, producing clear black lines. It takes a moment for him to realise that somehow humans had managed to create the ink that squids produced and used it to write.

 The letters were so fine and Jimin’s eyes are wide as he observes. Understandably, merfolk were unable to use liquid such as ink under the sea. Thinking about it, he wouldn’t even know how to explain how merfolk write or paint, the ink that was common to him would be foreign to humans.

 “Okay, so you can’t speak but you seem to be intelligent to a degree.” Jimin glares at that. “So hopefully you can read. Spell out your name by pointing at it.” Excitement fills Jimin at the realisation that perhaps he can communicate after all; only for it to be dashed quickly upon realising the written language he is looking at is foreign.

 Poseidon’s blood running through merfolk gifted them with the ability to understand any human language when spoken, but when the merfolk had been created thousands upon thousands of years ago there was no such thing as written language, so he was left to sigh dejectedly.

 Raising a hand, he pointed to the letters and shrugged. The doctor’s eyebrows rose up in surprise. “You can’t read?” The shock in the man’s voice makes Jimin think that this is probably something that would be expected of someone who had washed up on shore with riches.

 “Well…perhaps you simply have a head injury that is…preventing this somehow. I’m sure you’ll remember how soon.” He gives a tense smile and Jimin doesn’t need to be an expert in humans to recognise that as a look that lacked sincerity. “For now, we’ll call you John.”

 The doctor proceeds to do what Jimin assumes is a full examination, looking into his eyes, pressing along certain points of his body and asking if there is any pain, timing his heart beat. He even takes Jimin’s temperature with a fascinating little stick, which makes him realise then that his skin is incredibly warm to the touch compared to his normal temperature.

 He’s left alone once the examination finishes and Jimin isn’t entirely sure what he is supposed to do now. It’s only when the maid returns that he realises he was supposed to use the fabric that had been left for him. She moves into the room quickly, sheets that are reminiscent of the ones on the bed in her arms.

 Upon seeing him sat there, she starts and frowns at him. “Sir, you need to get dressed. It’s lunchtime and there is food being served in the dining room, the doctor has informed His Highness of your health and he would like to see you.”

 He picks up the fabric, noting that there is more than one and stares at it. The colour is white, reminding him of the soft clouds that dance lazily across the sky above the sea on a pleasant day. Jimin presumes the second piece of fabric is for his legs given the length of it and he muses that it’s almost as if someone had managed to spin sand into fabric.

 The maid watches him stare at them in confusion and frowns slightly, recalling overhearing the doctor say that there are likely problems with his memory. Maybe this handsome man cannot remember how to dress himself?

 “Err, sir. Would you…like me to help you dress?” Jimin stares at her for a moment before nodding shyly. He figures that there is no point in being prideful, otherwise he was likely to spend the remainder of his short life stuck in this room.

 He does watch her intently though as she helps him navigate into what he learns is called a ‘shirt’ and ‘trousers’. It’s only once he’s wearing them that he discovers the shirt has ruffles on the front and where it ends at his hands, reminding him of certain types of fish.

 The maid finishes putting his feet into what she calls ‘boots’, the fabric a stiff and shiny black that feels like it has sucked to his lower limbs. He doesn’t like it and the entire combination of clothing makes him feel like he’s suffocating, no matter how soft it feels.

 Standing back up, taking a moment to feel proud of doing it with barely a wobble, he looks back at the maid and gives her a bright smile before bowing in thanks. He doesn’t see the wide eyes she gives him, nor the hand that shakes on her chest at seeing a smile that turns him from simply handsome into quite possibly the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.

Jimin is pretty positive that the maid thinks he has the mind of a child. He’d be more annoyed about that, but he recognised that he was acting with childlike wonder in this palace. Every few steps he had to stop to admire something on the walls or in the corridor, looking in awe at the huge paintings on the wall.

 The detail was startling, it was almost as if these humans could walk out of the frames and onto the floor. And the furniture gleamed, strong and firm under his touch with no hint of rot like he often found with the furniture in ship wrecks Under Sea.

 If he was being honest, he felt a little overwhelmed with everything and as they carried on throughout the palace he got a strong urge to flee back to the room he had woken in. Everything felt so…open and full of air, there was no sense of security and he found himself pining slightly for the rhythmic sound of the ocean that he had become so used to.

 A flurry of movement ahead takes his attention, letting him see two women exiting a room ahead, gentle giggles floating down the hall to him. Their clothing looks far freer than his, which he takes a moment to resent. One wore fabric of soft pink mixed with white while the other wore the essence of the sea with light green and blue, standing out sharply from the wooden floorboards and off white walls.

 For a moment he watches them curiously, their behaviour reminding him of the way the mermaids back home would group up and giggle at the mermen. The corner of his lips rise as he realises that perhaps there were some similarities between both species.

 But then the girl who wears the sea on her body turns so that he can see her face and his heart jumps into his throat. It’s her; it’s his human woman. Standing in place, he watches her walk away and finds himself unable to move suddenly with fear.

 Soft tendrils of hair spill down her back, unbidden despite the white ribbons that wind through the mass, attempting to bring order. Her face has broken into a sweet smile that fills his stomach with plankton, causing him to let out a puff of air as he opens and closes his hands with nerves.

 Jimin is suddenly reminded of the night he saved her, and how he admired that beautiful face up close in the bright light of the moon. It seems like a lifetime ago and yet here she is, in front of him and filled with so much life. Pride fills his chest until the maid, tapping his arm lightly, breaks him from his reverie.

 “Sir? Sir you should move, His Highness is waiting for you.” She murmurs quietly and Jimin allows her to lead him forward. His excitement and wonder at the world suddenly seems to pale compared to the nerves he feels at meeting her formally for the first time.

 The large room he enters is filled with so many objects he’s never seen before that for a moment it feels like his brain short circuits. From the ceiling hangs a metal and jewel contraption that makes his look like a clown fish next to a great white. There looks to be hundreds of tiny jewels dripping from it and he wonders how the ceiling can hold its weight given nothing is made from strong natural rock.

 Floor to ceiling windows make up the wall to his left and a few of them have been opened, soft almost transparent white fabric blowing gently in the breeze that comes in. He realises that the salty smell is the ocean and he rubs his chest gently as he sees the expanse of blue past the balcony that extends out.

 Looking back, he notes a long table in the centre of the room with high backed wooden chairs spaced evenly along the sides. His human woman is sat near the end furthest from him, close to a man who takes the end position and radiates power. His hair is grey, leading Jimin to believe that this is a human nearing the end of his life given the wrinkles on his face.

 It’s only then that his eyes move over to the wall on the other side and he stares in shock at an exact reflection of the room. He’d heard from other merfolk that humans had something called mirrors that reflected whatever image they saw and seeing it now was a shock.

 It’s only then that he realises the human man staring back is himself. Without even thinking, he finds himself striding forward to observe his human form. Jimin had never seen what he looked before and he leans in close to study his reflection.

 His black hair shines brightly in the daylight, drier than he’d ever seen it and surprisingly light and soft. Running a hand through it, he finds that the strands are much easier to handle dry than wet and he wonders idly what his brothers would look like with dry hair too.

 Dark eyes that he recognised in each of his brothers, though he’s surprised to realise that he doesn’t particularly resemble any of them. In fact he looks nothing like Taehyung, his own twin. Soft and plump lips, a strong jawline and a hint of softness to his cheeks remind him more of Jungkook instead.

 But it’s his legs that soon take his attention, the limbs longer than he expected and so foreign looking to him that he takes a moment to pat them one at a time to remind himself they are real. Jimin is not entirely sure what to make of them still, though he will admit that he’s fonder of them now that he has figured out how to walk.

 It’s only when his eyes glance over to the table reflected that he realises the room has gone silent and everyone is staring at him. Pausing, he turns round slowly and flushes at the realisation that he had forgotten everyone else in the room during his spell of curiosity.

 Normally he wouldn’t be bothered, but this is a room full of humans he had never met before and he was pretty sure this was not normal human behaviour. It was even more humiliating to see the look of bewilderment painted on his human woman’s face.

 The maid from before comes over silently and takes his arm, leading him to a free seat and gesturing for him to sit. It would appear she had taken him under her fin, and he was both thankful and embarrassed about it.

 A minute of silence passes before a man coughs and Jimin sees that it is Doctor Jackson. “It’s like I said earlier Your Majesty, I fear that he has suffered some brain trauma during the shipwreck. He acts…oddly sometimes but he seems to be intelligent and understood me.”

 The man he talks to, the grey haired man, eyes Jimin with calculation, scanning along him to the degree that he can’t help but shuffle with discomfort. “You say he is a mute?” His tone is curious and it infuriates Jimin to be talked about so casually while he is sat right there. Surely even humans consider this behaviour to be rude?

 “Yes, it is the strangest thing. He cannot appear to make a sound, not even when coughing or groaning, which he should most definitely be capable of doing, as I believe that is just expelling air rapidly. I would not expect him to be able to inform you of where he is from either, as I stated he cannot read, which in turn means he cannot write.” Jimin doesn’t think he’s ever been so embarrassed in his life, his cheeks hotter than he’s ever felt them before.

 The woman to the right of the older man gives Jimin a closer look, her eyes focusing on his face. “He must be of good standing, his face is striking and there is simply no way that anything other than good breeding could have produced that. Not to mention he looks strong and healthy.” She muses and Jimin feels like a dolphin being eyed for sale, maybe she’d start examining his teeth soon.

 “Mother! Stop talking about him like he’s a horse, he’s sat right there.” His eyes catch on his human woman as she speaks up in his defence and his heart begins to race. She looks over at him and he sees for the first time that her eyes are bright and clear, full of intelligence and so much life it makes his chest hurt.

 There’s a snort of laughter from the girl next to her whereas another human male sat opposite Jimin sneers at him, his face ugly with negative emotions. “So he’s pretty, so what? Apparently he’s too dumb to be able to read or write. A pretty face can only get you so far in life.” Jimin is not sure what he’s done to warrant such nastiness and he immediately decides that he doesn’t like this man.

 “Yugyeom, please. It is quite unbecoming for a well-bred young man like you to be so uncouth to this unfortunate survivor. I apologise for my words earlier Princess, we are simply curious as to where you came from. You made quite an appearance and the items that washed up with you, and on you, raised more than a few eyebrows.” The regal woman, who he has gathered is the Queen, states with a serene smile and Jimin feels slightly better.

 He nods with a polite smile, unsure what they expect him to do. What he has gleaned from this conversation however is that his human woman is of royalty, just like he is. Perhaps it was destiny that brought her ship down where he had decided to swim.

 It’s only as his gaze tracks onto the table that he realises the rich bounty of food that has been left out and he finds his eyes widening once more. He doesn’t even recognise the vast majority of what is in front of him and he once more feels overwhelmed with what he is seeing.

 What he assumes to be some form of plants layer the bottom of plates with veritable mountains of food stacked on top. Red spheres, orange sticks, golden food in shapes he doesn’t understand that appear to break apart to reveal fluffy white insides when someone pulls it apart.

 There is also what he assumes to be meat; only it is not meat like he has ever seen before. This meat looks tough and unyielding, brown and white and he presumes that these have been cooked. He had heard of this human activity but he hadn’t realised how strange it was until he was staring at it. It made his stomach churn at the thought and he wasn’t sure if he’d like it.

 It’s only as he begins to reach for a piece of brown meat that he realises he’s not acting like a human again. Servants have come forward and are placing items of food onto plates based on what people point at. His maid is standing next to him and he assumes she’s waiting for him to make his choices.

 He slowly points out things that look as if they could be potentially interesting before spying what is obviously a fish. His face lights up in a grin at the sight of familiar food and he is entirely unaware of the soft gasps from the woman around the table as they stare at his face.

 His helper serves his plate up and Jimin watches carefully to see how humans eat. If he can try to make less of a fool out of himself then that would be most definitely preferred. Those who are not drinking hot liquid appear to be using spiky metal sticks combined with knives.

 He copies them subtly, stabbing the brown meat with the spiky stick and cutting with the knife. Jimin knows knives, even merfolk use knives and he feels comfortable with this.

 Placing the meat into his mouth, he moves it around experimentally and discovers that it actually tastes delicious. Rich and with far more spice than he expected, he can’t help but quickly eat the rest with gusto.

 In his excitement at eating human food, he discovers that he does not like the red spheres, tomatoes he overhears someone call them, but the orange sticks, carrots, are amenable. The white meat, chicken, is also appetising, though significantly blander than the brown, beef.

 It’s while eating that Jimin discovers his throat feels funny, almost dry and he finds himself licking his lips more often and swallowing. He’s not sure why, until he watches his maid fill a glass in front of him with water and he suddenly remembers that humans have to drink liquids.

 Picking the glass up, he takes a drink and closes his eyes with the relief that runs through his body at the cool liquid running down his throat. He would have never suspected that drinking would feel this pleasurable.

 The only thing left on his plate now is the fish, which he had purposefully left last. Mainly because he had wanted to try the human food first but also because they had apparently cooked this too.

 Spearing it with the fork, he’d overheard that too, he pushed it into his mouth happily only to spit it out immediately. His hand flew to his throat as a tiny bit had flown back in his surprise and he began to choke silently, his body convulsing.

 A hand hit his back sharply, a loud slap sounding out in the quiet room and the fish flew out of his throat. Gasping noiselessly, he stared down at the fish with confusion. Jimin would like to say that it was because it had tasted horrible, which it truly had, but it had also been because it had burned his mouth intensely.

 In fact his mouth felt numb now and he eyed the fish. It wasn’t a poisonous fish so he did not understand his reaction to it. He tried another piece only for the same to happen, causing laughter amongst a few of the humans.

 “I guess you don’t like fish John? That’s sad, we have some wonderful fish stock here with the sea.” The elder man, the King he had discovered throughout the lunch, chuckled lightly, his face breaking out into a friendly smile.

 Jimin gave a weak smile before looking back down at his plate, unease swimming in his gut. The King could not be more wrong, for a merman who could not eat fish would die very quickly. So why had this fish burned his tongue and throat?

  To say that lunch had been awkward that day would be an understatement and Jimin had been more than thankful to retreat back to his room. It had been exactly two days since his first human interactions, and while he found Above Sea to be fascinating and full of wonders, it was also becoming a little stressful that he could not communicate.

 Everyone seemed to think he was stupid, and he was positive his innocent interactions with the world were not helping. He’d been dizzy with glee when he’d spotted the metal contraption he had back at home, the one he had never been able to figure out a purpose.

 He’d tapped Doctor Jackson’s arm, or Jackson rather as he asked to be called, and pointed at the strange object with a questioning look on his face. Jackson had looked between the two with confusion before simply stating “Do you want the corkscrew?” and handing it to him.

 It was only after it became painfully apparent that Jimin didn’t know what to do with it that Jackson demonstrated the purpose, pulling the cork out of a bottle of wine with a flourish. Jimin had looked at it with happiness before falling into contemplation, entirely unaware that Jackson had observed this with interest, noting that his patient was far more intelligent than some of the court would like to think.

 The King had since requested that someone bring Jimin down to the beach where he had washed up onshore, to see if perhaps there was something there that might trigger his memory. It sounded stupid to Jimin, as he was aware that his memory was fine, he just couldn’t communicate with them but you don’t say no to a King.

 Or in Jimin’s case you don’t say no at all.

 Even if he’d had a voice though, he would not have voiced dissent to this decision. He knew it was silly but he found himself missing the sea, despite his excitement at living on the land. It was only to be expected; he reasoned with himself, he had spent 20 years of his life there after all.

 Jackson had told him that he’d escort him to the beach at noon, which Jimin had worked out over the last two days was when the sun was its highest. The whole concept of time on land was very strange to him; the fact that they had a specific way of calculating the exact time made them a very prompt species.

 It was not unheard of Under Sea to miss appointments if one hadn’t been paying attention to the tides.

 Jimin was pretty pleased to have mostly got used to clothing, though it still made him feel like he had a second skin. He would fully admit to shedding the clothing as soon as he retired to his room for the night, enjoying the freeing feeling again of being in his natural state, though he understood the need for them. Humans got cold incredibly easy.

 He’d chosen to wear a shirt of deep red today, the colour marvellous and bright. It was hard to see red in the depths of the ocean, he wasn’t sure why but what was vivid along the surface soon became a deep, dark black the further into the depths he swam.

 His tan trousers were baggy, providing a strange airy feeling and the maid, whom he had learn was called Elisa, gave him shiny black shoes that simply slipped on. She had called him casual, but handsome, which had caused a flush to spread along his cheeks.

 A light knock on the door distracted him from his thoughts as he stared out the window, and he moved across and opened the door with a wide, happy smile. He had decided that he liked Jackson, and found the man fascinating along with his strange human methods.

 Only he was not greeted with Doctor Jackson. Instead he was greeted with a vision of beauty that even Aphrodite herself would be unable to match in the form of the Princess. Dressed in a pretty yellow dress, she gave him a polite smile; her own cheeks tinged ever so slightly in a pink that spoke of sunsets before giving him a slight bow of her head.

 “I apologise for intruding upon your scheduled walk with Doctor Jackson but I requested if I could accompany you to the beach. I have a particular interest in your story.” She finished, biting her luscious lip between pristine white teeth. Jimin stared at her for a few seconds before nodding shyly, black hair falling into his eyes before he pushed it away quickly.

 Following her into the hallway, he found that she was accompanied by the young woman he had seen the other day with her, Joy, and two guards in full uniform. They made him feel uneasy but the Princess didn’t seem to notice their presence, perhaps she was so used to them. Odd as in Thelassia he didn’t remember ever seeing guards follow him or his brothers.

 He kept a few paces behind her as they made their way through the palace hallways, and he was very pleased that he did not see anything unusual or he would have surely made a fool in front of her.

 Soon they were outside and Jimin took a breath of fresh air for the first time in what felt like forever and he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as his lips curved into a smile as the heat of the sun kissed his face.

 A soft giggle took his attention and he glanced over to the Princess, admiring the way her dress almost glowed in the rays of the sun at its highest. Her delicate hand was pressed to her mouth, though he could see from her raised cheeks that she was smiling behind it.

 “You look as if you haven’t seen the sun in a while. Though I guess you haven’t, you have been cooped up in there for almost a month.” She smiled pleasantly and Jimin felt his heart skip a beat.

 His mouth opens to answer only the lack of noise causes him to internally sigh in frustration. He settles for a shrug, lifting his hands up before giving her a gentle smile. She smiles back before following Joy through the courtyard towards a little gate in the side of a wall.

 He takes a moment to admire it all, eyes big with awe at the sheer scale of everything. The open air makes everything seem so much bigger than when he is underwater, making him truly feel tiny and small. Stone that has been bleached white from centuries of exposure extend towards the sky, the turrets topped with dark grey and pointed as if they sought to spear the clouds as they passed.

 The courtyard itself was bustling with life, servants carrying food or clothing to be cleaned and soldiers moving to train or take up their duties. A man in the corner was hammering what looked to be metal only it was glowing bright white and red, steaming with heat. Sharp clangs rang out each time the object he used hit the metal, sparks flying every time. Jimin could see a circle with glowing rocks inside the open wood structure, the air above it hazy with the temperature.

 Next to the building that this man occupied was a row of wooden boxes, each containing an animal that he had seen in passing as they walked along the beach with riders atop. He had seen nothing like them before and his eyes widened in shock as a black one with white markings along its face lifted its head and let out an incredibly loud noise.

  “That’s Amaranthine, my horse. She’s rather impatient with me but she loves me, I swear.” The fact that his Princess was talking to him filtered into his mind, but the majority of him latched onto the morsel of information.

 A horse. They had seahorses in the ocean only they were far, far smaller than these magnificent beasts. And they couldn’t be ridden either.

 “Come along John, the beach is this way.” Soft skin touching his hand startles him, causing him to jerk away quickly as he eyes the Princess’ hand. She had already turned away and moved through the gate, the path past this point no longer covered in smooth stone but simple dirt.

 She had touched him, Jimin thought to himself with awe, looking at his hand as he followed her.

 It’s only then that he realises they are walking along the cliffside path that he had always seen her venture down when he had watched her from the ocean. Looking to his left, he stops suddenly at the incredible sight of his home. From this height, the ocean appears to be endless and the blue so rich it appears almost black in places.

 He’d never realised that it would look so beautiful from the land and he turns away with an uncertain feeling. Eyes moving forward to the Princess, dressed in sunshine in front of him, and he berates himself internally. This is what he had wanted, he had wanted to be here on land and he wanted a chance to be with her.

 That does not stop his eyes flickering to the ocean with every other step.

 Upon reaching the sandy beach, the Princess lets out a laugh of happiness and spins in circles with her arms spread wide. Joy giggles and follows suit, dresses of sunlight and seafoam standing out vividly from the sand.

 “I apologise John, I simply love the beach. It’s such a place of happiness don’t you think? I come here whenever I have bad thoughts as I feel like I can deposit all my negative feelings onto the sand and the sea will wash them away when the tide comes in.” She gives a gentle smile and Jimin can’t help but smile back at her beautiful thought process. He liked that, the sea as a purifying process.

 The Princess sits daintily on the sand; carefully arranging her dress around her while Joy bows and moves away, providing privacy. Jimin is surprised to find his hands are slightly wet and he’s not entirely sure why, but he feels it might have something to do with his racing heart.

 She gestures to him and he folds his legs as carefully as possible, though he still lands with a slump, which gets him a laugh. He hasn’t quite figured out his legs properly still when getting up or getting onto the floor.

 It’s silent for a few moments; the only sound between them the gentle crashing of the ocean against the shore and the calling of seagulls in the air. If he closes his eyes, he can almost image that he is back in the cool depths of the sea, floating along the surface.

 “Do you know how to write?” She queries softly, her voice barely heard above the music of the ocean. Looking at her in surprise, he realises that she is the first person to ask and he nods his assent. Her perfect mouth forms an ‘O’ as she points at the sand.

 “Write your name then!” Excitement fills her tone and his eyes widen with realisation. He can write in his language, though it wouldn’t do any good. But maybe people would stop thinking he was dumb.

 He reaches forward and begins to trace his finger through the soft sand, the tan grains parting underneath his fingertip easily. Once finished, his name is written proudly on the beach and he looks at her with a proud look. She stares at the letters with fascination.

 “I’ve never seen a language that looks like this before. It’s almost…it’s almost like drawings but fluid.” She looks at him wistfully, her mouth twisting slightly. “Oh I wish you could speak your name John, I’ve no doubt it’s beautiful and strong.”

 He’s not sure if he’s not supposed to blush at that, but he does anyway. If this is how she feels about his name before she even knows it, he’s suddenly desperate to sound out the syllables for her.

 “I asked to escort you instead of Doctor Jackson for a reason by the way. We’ve never met before but I feel like we have the oddest connection.” She stares back out at the ocean, her gaze becoming contemplative.

 “A few months ago, well over half a year ago, I was returning to Terriana from Excalibarus across the sea. The ship I was travelling on had an accident; someone accidently set fire to the gunpowder stores and blew out the side. It sank fast and those who did not die in the explosion died in the cold ocean, it was night when it happened.” She pauses, her hand to her throat and he knows she is remembering.

 “I remember that there was a second explosion and it threw me into the sea. God, the sea was so cold that I fell unconscious immediately. I thought that was it, I was dead and no one would ever find me.”

 “But then I wake up and see the sun above me, hear the ocean and I can feel something hard beneath me. I don’t know how, and nor does anyone else, but somehow I ended up washed ashore here, just down the beach. Everyone is convinced that I was remembering wrong and that we were closer to shore than I thought, but I know we weren’t. It sounds the strangest thing, but I swear I saw someone when I first opened my eyes, only I couldn’t have because they fled into the sea”

 Jimin stares with wide eyes at the blue water, unwilling to look at her to potentially give away his feelings. He’s actually glad he can’t speak for once, as surely he would have made a sound of surprise that would have brought her attention. She had seen him that morning?

 He’s suddenly intensely glad that his brothers cannot hear this, as he just knows they would box his ears in frustration. At least she didn’t see his face; otherwise she would have recognised him and pointed it out immediately.

 “My point here, is that we have something in similar. I know you can’t speak but…I just want you to know that I am here and I understand. I know it is not proper for a man and a woman to be together, even for talk, which is why I have brought Joy but I just needed you to know. It’s not everyday you have two shipwreck survivors. I just feel sorry that you washed ashore where no one knows you.” A rueful smile spreads along her face and Jimin stares at her.

 There is silence before he nods slightly, smiling at her and trying to convey his appreciation at the gesture of friendship. A part of him is marvelling that he has only been awake for days yet he has already gained her friendship. Confidence fills him and he tells himself that he can do this, he’s not sure how but he’s positive he can show her that he can be the man for her.

 They sit there for a while longer, the Princess filling the quiet air with mindless chatter and he figures that she must be one of those people who can’t stand idle silence. He doesn’t mind though, her voice is soothing and he finds himself learning a lot about her.

 It’s only when the sun lowers itself to blind him that she rises elegantly, Joy rushing over to greet her and wipe down her dress to remove any errant sand grains.

 “It will be dinner soon John, would you like to accompany us back?” He goes to agree until his eyes drag back to the ocean and he finds himself shaking his head. A soft smile softens the rejection before he points at the ocean. She looks over and a secretive look comes across her own face.

 “I understand. Please try not to be late, the kitchen staff will be annoyed if they have to cook you food later.” With a quick bow, she gives him her goodbyes and soon sets off back to the castle.

 He wishes he could say that he watched her leave; only the ocean, a siren song that he wasn’t aware he’d been listening to, has entranced his eyes. Jimin knows he shouldn’t care, but as he stands up and walks towards the gentle waves, he reasons that he will spend the rest of his life viewing the ocean. He should not resent it; it was not the oceans fault that he had been unhappy after all.

 Toeing his shoes off to prevent them from getting ruined, the salt in the ocean could ruin many human things; he tosses them further up the beach. Turning back, he takes a fortifying breath and moves forward, the cool water lapping low at his feet.

 Things are fine for a few moments and Jimin finds his throat tight suddenly with emotion that wells up in his chest at the feel of the sea. Licking his lips, he keeps his eyes closed to try and stop any tears.

 But then he feels something change, almost as if there was a presence near him. He opens his eyes and looks around quickly but there is nothing there. What had been gentle and calming now though, feels malevolent and angry.

 Jimin doesn’t notice the water raging ahead of him suddenly, not until the crashing waves catch his attention but it’s too late. The waves hit him like a solid wall and his breath is knocked out of him as the water pushes him backwards.

 It’s only then that he realises that the water is burning him, his skin feeling like he’s dived head first into an underwater volcano. He started to scream, throat working despite no noise sounding and he writhes on the sand as the water retreats and it was only minutes later when his skin had dried that the pain went away, leaving tiny pinpricks of irritation behind.

 Sitting up, he breathes heavily as he stares at what had once been his home, his love and his world. What had been so soothing and welcoming only moments ago was now writhing with anger and violence. Jimin got the distinct impression that he was being warned.

 Inching forward, he cautiously reaches out a hand to where the sea pushed onto the shore and his feelings are proven correct when an errant wave lashes out at him. The droplets that land on him hiss as it steams and his skin blotches an ugly red underneath it, causing him to cradle his hand to his chest.

 He simply knows if he tries again, it will be worse for him. It’s at this moment that he recalls being unable to eat fish the other day, the taste burning his mouth and feeling like what he imagined acid to feel like. The sensation was so incredibly similar to touching the sea just now that he knew it was connected.

 As his mind makes the connection, he suddenly remembers the words that the sea witch had spoken to him before the spell had completed and given him legs. The pain had been so incredible that he’d forgotten all about the extra intricacies involved, except his four-month limit, until now.

 “The sea is yielding and benevolent, but it is also powerful and a force to be reckoned with…I’m sorry Jimin, the ocean does not let her creatures go quietly.”

 His stomach falls as he realises that her warning had contained more than he’d realised. He had been granted his wish and was able to live on land with his legs, however Jimin was no longer welcome to anything the ocean had to offer, whether it was the water itself or the bounty it held within.

 He had rejected the ocean and her gifts when he had chosen the land over his home and family. And so the ocean had rejected him in turn, body and soul.

A/N: I’ve been told by my mum that if I let Jimin die she’ll be incredibly unhappy with me lol. I hope you all enjoy it! I’d love to hear your thoughts/theories if you have any :)

[lizartgurl]

The Little Atlantean (Aqualad x OC AU)

(part one) PART TWO

@super-spoiler @flamebiirds @the-shadow-of-atlantis @thespacebuns @princes-jasmine

“MERMAN OFF THE PORT BOOOWW!” The eccentric seagull, feathers sticking out in all the wrong places, hollered, looking out the wrong end of his telescope as Kaldur and La’gaan surfaced at his rock.

“Woah,” Vulko scuttered backwards, falling off his driftwood perch as he lowered the scope, “You swim fast for a little merman,” He told Kaldur.

“Vulko,” Kaldur dispensed with the pleasantries, holding out his bag to his mentor, “Look at what we’ve found!”

“Well,” Vulko remarked, holding both items in his wingtips to examine. He put down the tube for favor of this tiny trident.

“Yes, this is very, very interesting. Intriguing indeed!”

“Well, what is it?” La’gaan insisted impatiently.

“Hold your seahorses, young guppy, I’ll get to it,” Vulko said.

Kaldur and La’gaan waited impatiently, with bated breath, as Vulko buzzed appreciatively.

“A-HA!” Vulko declared.

“What is it?” Kaldur and La’gaan demanded in unison.

“This fine little specimen you have here,” Vulko rubbed off a bit of the grime on his feathers to give it a shine, “Is none other than a dinglehopper!”

“A dinglehopper? There’s no such thing!”

“A dinglehopper,” Kaldur sighed happily, “What do humans use it for?”

“Well, they use it on their hair!” Vulko pointed to the tufts of feathers on either side of his head, “Beauty like this doesn’t come easy.”

He demonstrated, sticking the prongs of the dinglehopper into one of the tufts, and twirled it rapidly three times before yanking it out.

“Ta-da!” He gestured to his curlier tuft with fanfare, “Now you try, kid.”

Kaldur snatched up the dinglehopper, caressing it with reverence before daintily twisting it into a thin layer of his already curly hair.

“How do I look?” He asked La’gaan.

The guppy squinted, regarding that area of Kaldur’s head carefully. “Well, it looked a lot curlier than it did before!” He said hopefully.

Kaldur beamed. “What about the other one, Vulko?” He asked.

“This, my young mer-prince, is a snarfblat,” Vulko grinned. He put the small end of the curved tube in his beak, and blew hard, causing the large, open end to spout a pile of sand and seaweed that then dripped out onto Vulko’s rock, before being lapped up by the calm waves.

“What’s it for?”

“You did hear?” Vulko raised a bush, feathered brow at La’gaan critically.

“The snarfblat dates back to pre-hysterical times when humans sat around, and stared at each other all day.” He got up in Kaldur's face, locking eyes to demonstrate. “Got very boring, eh? And so! Humans invented these to make music!”

“Music!?” Kaldur’s face paled.

“The concert!” La’gaan exclaimed.

Kaldur groaned, tossing both items back into his bag, “My mother is going to kill me! Thank you, Vulko!” He waved briefly, before grabbing La’gaan’s fin and diving back beneath the sea.

“Anytime, kid! Come back soon!”

-

Kaldur doubted he’d be allowed anywhere anytime soon, as Tula cornered him at the palace gates.

“Where have you been!?” She hissed, “Auntie Shayla threw a fit when you didn’t make it! Garth is saying it’s the downfall of his career!”

“Garth is always dramatic, and I’ve dealt with my mother before, I can handle it now.”

Tula huffed at his naive confidence. “The entire kingdom of Atlantis was there for your performance. Do you know how ridiculous I felt presenting an empty clamshell for all my future subjects to see?”

Kaldur sighed, “Tula, I’m sorry-”

“I know you are,” She groaned, “But this habit of yours is getting ridiculous. I can’t keep covering for you every time you want to see a new wreckage.”

“It’s not as if I will ever take the throne.”

“No, but Kaldur, if you’re not there, it makes us look weak, it looks like you don’t support me or your mother. Worse, it feels like you don’t care about us.”

Kaldur stared at Tula, her face downtrod as she absently traced patterns in the sandy ground with her tail.

“Your mother had another briefing with General Mera while you were gone, you missed that too. The Purists are getting restless again. They’re not looking for much more of an excuse to attack. We can’t give them an excuse. We have to be at our strongest.”

Kaldur nodded grimly. “I guess I’d better give my apologies to my mother, then.”

“One moment,” Tula pointed to the bag clutched in his hand, still holding his precious human treasures, “Want me to hold that while you deal with Auntie Shayla?”

“Yes, thank you, that would be much appreciated.”

Tula grinned half-heartedly. “Don’t get zapped,” She teased, floating off to hide in the shadows and watch the whole thing, where she thought Kaldur wouldn’t notice her.

La’gaan trailing along nervously, “Do you think we’ll get zapped?” He whispered, echoing off the columns in the hall.

“I highly doubt it.”

Still, as he swam into the throne room to find his mother pacing back and forth, with Garth the tiny gray crab shouting in agitation, he couldn’t be sure. At least while she was pacing, the Royal trident rested safely on the throne, unable to react to the emotions of the wielder.

“Kaldur!” Queen Regent Sha’lain’a held back her rage only to give her son a hug, relieved for his safety.

Her face darkened, holding him out at arms length. “Where have you been?”

Kaldur balked, “Um, well-”

Garth scuttled forward, “Tonight was to be the pinnacle of my distinguished career!” he dithered, interrupting the queen and the prince, “And now it is ruined! Completely ruined!”

Kaldur rolled his eyes, and caught the wry smile his mother shot at him as the little blue crab paced the sandy bottom between them.

“It wasn’t his fault, your majesty!” La’gaan plead in his behalf. “There was this shark!”

Queen Sha’lain’a backed off at this. Certainly, Kaldur hadn’t been where he should have, but if he had run in with a shark, she could hardly blame him for missing the concert.

“A shark?” She glanced between La’gaan and Kaldur curiously.

“Y-yeah!” La’gaan was astonished that she believed him, “He was all- grr- and then he was- and we were like- AH!-” La’gaan put on quite a show for the confused Queen and Composer.

“And we just barely made it out!” La’gaan finished. Kaldur nodded eagerly, confirming La’gaan’s report.

“And then there was this seagull-” Kaldur’s face fell. La’gaan was too into it, he didn’t realize what he was saying as Queen Sha’lain’a’s face darkened while La’gaan did a mocking performance of Vulko’s confident explanation of “human stuff”.

“You went to the surface?” Her tail swirled the water between them furiously. Kaldur glared at La’gaan even as the guppy ducked behind him for cover.

“It was just for a little while, nothing happened-” Kaldur tried to assure her.

His mother took his hands in her own.

“Kaldur, you know why I forbid all merpeople from going too close to the surface. “We have already lost your father and uncle.”

“King Orin, may he rest in peace,” Garth recited with a salute.

“In peace,” La’gaan mumbled.

“I do not know what I would do if I lost you too.” Sha’lain’a hugged her son tightly. “You may not be the next king, but you still have responsibilities. As do I.”

Back straight to balance her crown, Sha’lain’a resumed her seat on the throne, her grip on the regent’s trident loose and comfortable. “As Queen of Atlantis, I forbid you from ever returning to the surface.”

“But mother-!”

“Not another word, Kaldur. That is final.”

His bottom lip shook with his fists, and then Kaldur turned and swam from the throne room, La’gaan calling his name.

Sha’lain’a collapsed into her throne with a sigh.

“Teenagers,” Garth huffed, “Give them an inch, they swim all over you.”

Sha’lain’a raised her head from her hand. “Was I too harsh, Garth?”

“Not harsh enough,” A new voice stated. From a side entrance close to the throne, the Queen’s advisor and the third of the royal siblings floated forward.

“Orm. I suppose I should scold you as well for missing the concert.” Sha’lain’a joked.

“You could, if you had not delegated me with the responsibility of ensuring that no Purists disrupted the celebration and brought harm to your son or the Crown Princess.” Orm returned the playful smile.

Sha’lain’a glanced between her brother and advisor, and the court’s composer.

“What am I to do?”

“Kaldur’ahm is a troubled youth. He is not expected to hold the place that his cousin one day will, yet he is expected to act as if he is.” Orm said slowly.

“You are saying he is jealous?” Sha’lain’a asked, “Kaldur has never wished for the throne. He is as free-spirited as his father.” She glanced at her mirror image in the polished trident, as if she could see the vision of her late husband in the reflection.

“Perhaps not jealous, but under increasing pressure. And when teenagers are under pressure, they tend to rebel.” Orm stated matter-of-factly. “I trust you recall our days of youth?”

Sha’lain’a shook her head. “I was always the one leading our escapades in our youth.”

“Orm is correct!” Garth declared. “Kaldur needs constant supervision!”

“Constant?” Sha’lain’a questioned.

“Someone to supervise him, keep his head on his shoulders, his fins on his tail, et cetera.” Garth embellished.

“Hmm,” Sha’lain’a turned the idea over in her head. “Perhaps you are both right.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Garth bowed lowly, Orm respectfully inclined his head.

“Garth, I place you in charge of supervising Kaldur’ahm.”

“Me!?” Obviously, Garth was not his own first choice.

“Perhaps this way Kaldur will be able to show up for rehearsal more often,” Sha’lain’a winked at the crab.

“You did say that his voice was the best you had ever heard.” Orm smiled, and perhaps from the angle where Garth was standing, it took on a wicked glint.

“It’s settled then.” Sha’lain’a resumed her seat on the throne, confidence restored, and planted her trident on the ground.

“But Your Majesty-”

“That will be all, Garth. You are dismissed.”

Garth was pacing the halls of the Palace moments later.

“I should be writing symphonies, not babysitting some child”

Garth stopped, hearing the insufferable Prince Kaldur’s voice, and the hushed voice of his normally well-behaved older cousin, Crown Princess Tula.

“She’s right, you know.” Tula whispered, handing Kaldur a woven bag. Kaldur snatched it from her, holding it close to his chest, “Humans are dangerous, they killed our fathers.”

“Not all of them are bad, I just have to prove it to her.”

Tula shook her head, floating aside to allow Kaldur to swim past, heading for the palace exit.

“Where is he going?” Garth grumbled, scuttling after him.

He followed Kaldur and La'gaan out of the palace, past the homes of many Atlanteans citizens, and to a rocky outcropping on the very far edges of Atlantis, where the magical shields that hid their city safely in the fathoms below the sea just barely had a hold.

La'gaan kept lookout and Garth hid himself in a pile of rocks as Kaldur heaved a boulder aside, revealing a cave opening.

Garth scuttled forward, barely making it through the opening as Kaldur and La'gaan hastily replaced the rock behind them.

The cave was much bigger than the outside had led Garth to believe he tumbled down a steep sandy path, and the narrow cave tunnel opened up into a grotto with shelf-looking rock formations that spiralled up and up and up, each one full of strange objects- human objects- that Kaldur'ahm had obviously spent years collecting.

Garth's jaw slackened. How had the young prince kept all this from his mother for so long?

"Kaldur?"  Garth scuttled behind a two round pieces of sandglass connected by a wire at the sound of La'gaan's voice. The glass actually allowed him to spot La'gaan more easily, hesitantly floating at Kaldur's shoulder while the mer-prince drooped across a rock, moping as he cleaned off his latest treasure.

"Kaldur, are you okay?" La'gaan pressed.

Kaldur didn't reply at first, setting aside the seaweed and adding the dinglehopper to his collection of similar human stuff.

He sighed and sat up, placing the snarfblat with other human instruments like the butterflorp and the vigetti.

"If only I could make my mother understand," Kaldur murmured wistfully, "I just don't see how a world that makes such beautiful things...could be so bad." Kaldur's tail, a mesmerizing swirl of orange, gray, and silver, flicked almost unconsciously, lifting him from his rock and up to where his precious treasures were stored. He spread his arms, showing La’gaan his collection of twenty thingamabobs, which fearfully struck Gar with the resemblance of human harpoons as he cowered in the corner. Kaldur showed off his books next, pretending to illuminate them with a human lantern, which didn’t work underwater. Apparently humans powered them with what was called “fire”.

“I want to dance down the streets with the humans! Stretch my-” Kaldur paused in the middle of gazing at a dancing statuette of a human boy and girl, which tinkled with the faint sound of bells as he spun it around.

“What are they called again?” he asked La’gaan. With a grin, the green guppy wiggled his back fins at Kaldur. His face brightened.

“That’s right! Feet!” Kaldur sighed dreamily, and gazed up at the grotto’s opening far above.

“I wish I could be a part of that world.” He sighed, slowly putting away his treasures with the car of a mother seal for her babies.

Garth decided that he had heard enough. He puffed up his shell and strode forward to declare his presence and the foolishness of what he had found here, when he tripped and fell into a human tureen with a loud clatter, tangling himself in the pearls and other jewels Kaldur had stored in it.

“Garth!” La’gaan ducked behind the rock in fear of a scolding.

“We weren’t doing-”

“Anything?” Garth huffed as Kaldur helped get untangled from the human stuff.

“Why, if your mother knew-”

“You’re not gonna tell her, are you?” La’gaan begged, and Garth suddenly found himself trapped between the two youngsters.

“Oh please, Garth, she could never understand!” Kaldur plead.

“Alright fine!” Garth snapped his claws to get their attention. “I will keep this a secret from the queen mother.”

“Oh thank you!” Kaldur was unable to hear the rest of what Garth said from the sheer relief that flooded over him, but he was able to catch the shadow that passed over the grotto’s opening.

“But still! You know your mother’s decree,” Garth continued, oblivious, “I cannot let you return to the surface, or explore other human wreckage-” He finally noticed that he was speaking to the empty grotto.

“Kaldur?” He asked.

Kaldur and La’gaan had swam back up to the cave’s opening, the water had grown a bit darker, to herald the nighttime in the world above, but a flash of light every so often showed Kaldur the shilouette of a ship-still floating on the water, not sunken like the other’s he had come across.

Garth caught up with them, just in time to follow Kaldur and La’gaan up to the surface.