Archive of Our Own

Recalling exactly what happened was difficult.

It was difficult considering Taehyung was pretty sure he had a head injury as his head was pounding and the combination of the sun beating down on him made him sit up with a cough and puke out sea water onto the sand. He groaned and rested back into the sand, leaning up onto his elbows with a confused grunt.

Taehyung was positive that he had been miles from any land when he had gotten his boat flipped, let alone this close to an island.

If he had known, then Taehyung would have stopped because the amount of sharks circling around was ridiculous.

As a marine biologist who owned a sanctuary, he’d never seen something like it before - so many sharks herding together like that - it went against their instincts and drive for solidarity.

Originally, he’d ventured out into this area of the ocean because of the rumor of a rainbow of colors within the deep sea.

Fishermen and coast guards alike had been reporting such magnificent colors and Taehyung and his team worried about the hunting that people had been discussing going on. Hunting new marine life was unapproved unless they could prove they weren’t endangering the creature and he’d never heard of a creature that emitted different colors.

From what he’d seen so far, it was more likely to be a reflection of coral due to the colors mentioned or perhaps something like mandarin fish. Although, Taehyung hadn’t seen many creatures even when he did have his boat still.

And now all Taehyung could see that was left of his boat was floating pieces yards out away from the sand he was laid out in, his backpack was still attached to his back and he remembered attempting to lug it off as it weighed him down in the water.

Of course he hadn’t gotten that far before he passed out due to lack of oxygen and fear, because all he’d seen were sharks.

Sharks weren’t creatures to attack for no reason, but something was odd and he swore things were amiss for the sharks to have all grouped up just within that area.

As if they saw him and needed him to go - to leave the area.

“Fuck,” Taehyung cursed and removed his soaked bag, huffing with exhaustion and his skin hurt, it was horribly sunburnt.

Taehyung wondered how long he’d been here and how he possibly could have washed ashore with the weight on him. Stranger things had happened, he figured.

Just as that thought occurred to him, there was a flicker of nothing but colors in the corner of his eye, it made him startle and turn to acknowledge it.

A boy?

He sat straighter, confused, as he rubbed his eye and wondered if he was going delirious, “Hello?”

His eyes could betray him, but the slight chirp like noise from the direction didn’t as the boy ducked down to tuck behind a rock peeking out of the water; his eyes were popping out to check if he'd been spotted.

It was hard to not see the boy because there were so many strange things occurring due to the boy's big eyes, the color around them a light pink as if makeup on them and beneath them a line of blue glittering.. Taehyung couldn't tell what they were from this far away, but when the boy turned his head they turned rainbow in the light.

“Hey! I-I can see you! Did you help me get here?” Taehyung tried again, standing up wobbly in the sand to approach the area of large rocks along the edge of the water a few yards away.

Instead of a reply, what Taehyung heard was a handful of dolphin-like squeaking noises before the boy was suddenly dropping below the water and only the head of black hair could be seen.

Taehyung started rushing in fear he’d scared him and climbed onto the rocks, hurrying over, “No! There are sharks! Hey, there are sharks and you’ll get hurt!”

The boy's head popped back out of the water only this time with a laugh, as if all was fun and games and Taehyung was about to worry more about the other being inside the water still, but as he knelt down over the rock and attempted to give the other a hand he touched a handful of slimy, sticky flakes.

Scales, blue scales, but when the light hit they reflected an array of color.

Taehyung gawked for a moment before he felt wetness on the hand he’d been offering and mischievous laughter sounded as the boy grabbed his hand, pulling playfully for Taehyung to notice him again.

His nails were bright purple and this close he could see beneath his eyes were the same scales, with some randomly placed along his skin.

Perhaps Taehyung was dreaming or dead because certainly he hadn’t just come across a mythical creature.

“Y-You.. you..”

“Me!”

Taehyung jolted and flailed back against the rocks at the nearly song-like voice, watching the other turn to giggle and press fingers to his mouth with obvious amusement. “You can talk!” He yelled.

“I can also… swim!” The boy screamed before he was turning to dive into the water.

Taehyung felt his heart was racing with adrenaline as he leaned over the rock, watching as a tail of rainbow scales shone brightly into the water as the other swam deeper and deeper until there was nothing to see.

Taehyung couldn't believe what was occurring, he was eighty percent sure he’d just taken in too much sea water, but even then how did he make it here on this island?

As if resonating that thought he heard the most enchanting giggling in the distance as if echoing off the water.

He couldn’t believe it.

The creature he’d been searching for was a merman, and he was gorgeous.

***

The merman didn’t come back until a few days later as if he wanted to stay away but couldn’t.

Taehyung knew even if he didn’t actually come to the island that he watched from a distance because big eyes and rainbow scales were extremely hard to miss when all there was to see was tan sand and trees on this island and then a green blue of the sea.

Luckily, he’d done okay thus far with all the snacks in his backpack and the coconuts and fruit growing on the island.

Soon enough his crew would come looking for him.

“Do you have a name?”

The boy squeaked as if he hadn’t realized he was visible from the way he was resting just barely beneath the water, his eyes peering out with interest but otherwise he was completely under the water.

Taehyung was quick to find out the merman was the worst at hiding.

“My name is Taehyung, what’s your name? Like do you call yourself something.”

The merman laughed, a cackling sort of laugh that made Taehyung's face redden, “Of course I do!” He cried like a child would when excited, “I heard a person with feet like you say it and I’ve taken it for myself!” He proclaimed proudly.

Taehyung snorted, but he was unable to look away when the merman swam closer, resting on his front on the very edge of the sand.

His tail curled up and smacked back down against the water in a way that was almost like a teenager holding their feet up in the air.

Perhaps that was best what to compare the merman to - a teenager because he was full of excitement - but his features suggested he was more grown than Taehyung thought even if he had a small face.

“Then what is it?”

“Sir Jungkook!”

He stifled a laugh and shook his head, “Jungkook it is, when you say sir it suggests a title. Like perhaps the human was likely a captain or something. You, although enchanting, are no fishing captain.”

“I can fish if I want to!” Jungkook whined, resting his chin in his palms, “The fish come to me so easily!”

“Yeah?” Taehyung's interest perked, “What else can you do? Did you pull me to land?”

Jungkook’s mouth curled up and it was the first time Taehyung could read danger from the other because his teeth on the sides of his mouth were oddly sharp and it also occurred to him the merman’s nails were ridiculously long.

He could do damage if he so wanted.

“Those… those pesky sharks,” The merman huffed, “Pesky pesky I tell you! They’ve overtaken my home and are trying to force me to leave! Can you believe that? What a hassle!”

“T-The sharks are forcing you to leave…”

“Yes!” Jungkook cried in outrage, “I’ll scare them one day, I swear it! They cannot out swim me, but they’re lucky as I don’t have a taste for sharks much at all!”

Taehyung just stared blankly at him, confused and also unsure how to take this.

A merman ranting about hating sharks sounded like something from a children’s story, as if something a toddler would claim while visiting a zoo.

(But this was very much real if the water sprinkling onto Taehyung's skin when Jungkook flopped his tail into the water said anything.)

“Anyway!” The merman huffed with a twisted lip, “Is it true that you have something called toes? I’ve always wondered: woah! So many little things, they could easily get lost! What happens if you lose one of them?”

Taehyung threw his head back with a laugh, shoulder shaking as he shook his head, “You - where did you learn these things! Toes are not items you can just lose!”

Jungkook pouted his face and pointed to Taehyung's backpack, “That is not a toe? But I’ve seen many of them…”

“Oh, dear..” Taehyung snorted, “That is a bag, toes are… these..” He mumbled, pointing to his feet that were covered in sand, “They’re connected to the feet, they cannot just be lost.”

The merman looked all kinds of confused before his face brightened up and he giggled, “That's such good news! I’ve always been scared of the change because I didn't want to lose a toe, what great news!”

Taehyung laughed along with him before his words caught up to him and he gasped, shifting closer onto his knees, “You can change?”

Jungkook didn’t give a direct answer, but he did beam, “I’ve seen many boats come through here! As my human pet I will try to find someone to come pick you up!”

The marine biologist was having trouble processing, but was still stuck on Jungkook’s previous words and couldn’t bother to acknowledge the merman’s ranting nor the fact he was just demoted to a human pet.

“You can change, like me?”

“Oh! I should go find you seaweed! I hope you love it, I probably eat pounds and pounds of it a day! Yum! Perhaps you can give me human food one day too, Taehyung? Maybe…”

“Jungkook,” Taehyung rumbled urgently and when his hand came in touch with the others arm around a handful of scales he found it wasn’t as slimy as he thought it would be, but nearly smooth as a dolphins skin was. “Can you change like me?”

It was obvious he wasn’t getting an answer as the merman squealed and giggled as he reached over to squeeze Taehyung's cheek with interest, as if him touching him gave him all the permission in the world to do as he wanted. “Are all humans this squishy? It feels just like my friend Momo, and he’s a jellyfish so his head is so squishy!”

Taehyung sighed and crossed his legs, at least Jungkook wasn’t scared of him - and getting your ear talked off was much better than being all alone at sea.

***

“I’ve brought friends! I brought you things!”

Taehyung snorted, not bothering to turn and face the water as he rang his jeans out and spread them in the sand.

He supposed he'd rather see Jungkook now than not at all regardless that now he was only in boxers, but after days of wearing the same clothes and boiling salt water under the sun he’d finally decided to clean himself off.

And now his skin was dried out and itching from all the salt water.

“Taehyung, I’m speaking here! Have you gone blind!”

“It’s deaf,” He corrected with a smile as he turned around.

Jungkook just whined and flopped his hand around irritably in an I don’t care sort of motion, “Hurry, hurry!”

The human snorted and hurried to his place on a shaded rock, somewhere he’d convinced Jungkook they needed to speak there from now on because unlike the merman he wasn’t immune to sunburns.

“What is happening, guppy? Why are you so loud today?”

Jungkook was loud everyday, so it was common to hear the other for hours on end. He didn’t mind, it was more information than he knew before after all.

Taehyung did find the other looked more interesting today, because his hair was tied back with what appeared to be seaweed and it looked like he’d gone on an adventure.

Jungkook was overwhelming sometimes just to look at because here he was on an island hungry, sunburnt, itching and rashy - and then this boy with perfect skin, perfect features, the prettiest of eyes - just stared at him in utter excitement every time he saw him.

Taehyung was a confident man, a confident human, but a merman could knock it right out of him it seemed.

“This is yours now!” Jungkook cried as he put out his hand.

In the center of his palm sat the tiniest of little creatures - a seahorse only as big as his pinky and instantly he was fond of the creature, it was adorable and small and it was so kind of Jungkook to try to give him over.

“Jungkook… I’m afraid I can’t take it at the moment, I don’t have the things to take care of it.”

“But.. but…” The merman frowned and pet the seahorse, “but if I put him back then the other creatures will eat him. I.. I told him I would find him a safe home and you.. you’re a science person... you said that you have many friends.”

Friends as in sea creatures, and he did, that was true because he was a marine biologist and had so many aquariums.

Honestly, with a creature like Jungkook who could speak to sea creatures he wanted to have the other ask and see if they were okay inside the tanks, because it never occurred to him that they may not like it, but now he knew that was an ignorant thought.

But, again, it was safer for some of them like this Pygmy seahorse.

Taehyung sighed and shook his head, ready to explain that he couldn’t, but Jungkook looked so upset.

There was no telling how long Taehyung would be here, and he didn’t want to make promises he didn’t know if he could keep but he was weak for the merman’s sad face and groaned as he turned to grab his backpack.

“You have to bring him food to eat every single day,” He said firmly, “Everyday I’m here I need you to bring him new food and coral, okay, Jungkook? This has to be a team effort.”

Taehyung wondered what the hell he was thinking as he grabbed an empty water bottle from his bag to fill with salt water, shaking his head at himself.

“Do you hear that!” Jungkook screamed down at the seahorse, “Now you don’t have to be alone, Taehyung will take you to all of his friends and they’ll take care of you!”

Taehyung also wondered what the other was thinking half the time; how it felt to speak to creatures and if they did speak back to him.

Of course a seahorse couldn't really show emotion, but it did start swimming around in the bottle as if nothing was amiss even if the seahorse's home just got much smaller.

“You don’t have to be lonely anymore.” Taehyung heard Jungkook coo and watched him dig a small hole in the sand to place the bottle into.

Taehyung thought it was a smart idea, to both keep it cool at the edge of the water and within Jungkook’s reach. Hopefully it wouldn’t float away or else the merman would be devastated.

But something in Jungkook’s tone made him frown, made him feel sad for the other. “Jungkook?”

“Yup!”

“Are you all alone too?”

It had occurred to him, it did a lot recently because Jungkook was excited to see Taehyung and they were much more closely related than him to a sea creature, likely relating more to a dolphin than anything - because of the noises he made - Taehyung had plenty of time to analyze such things.

Jungkook never mentioned things like himself. He went on and on about how he hated angelfishes because apparently they were rude and how he wanted to beat up sharks, but not much at all about anything like him.

It showed in how fast Jungkook scurried more towards the water with widened eyes at his question, an unnerved expression.

“I’m sorry,” Taehyung said quickly, “Ignore that. It’s not my business.”

Jungkook looked very sad then. He dug his chin into the sand and even his tail didn’t sway in the water as it normally did.

It just laid still.

“When… when we get big we’re supposed to go to the land and get toes.”

“You haven’t done that?”

“All my brothers did, they had people to go to. They had ones like you and.. I didn’t. I stayed.”

Taehyung frowned and wasn’t sure exactly what Jungkook was referring to, “Don't they still visit you?”

“Sometimes. But I stopped going to the docks because.. because.”

It wasn’t his business nor could he decide what Jungkook did so he just nodded slightly, feeling pity, “Aren’t you lonely?”

Jungkook frowned before shaking his head and scooting more into the island, fingers touching the water bottle and the sea horse went shooting to the places his finger touched as if it was a fun game.

(Maybe it was, Taehyung couldn't tell.)

“It’s okay now,” Jungkook grinned, looking up at him with diamond eyes, “Because I have a human now, so I’m not lonely.”

“If that’s what you want, then I’ll be your human, Jungkook.”

Taehyung hoped he didn’t speak too soon, but the happiness in Jungkook’s eyes gave him hope that he hadn’t promised too much.

***

It was actually pretty late by the time Taehyung caught sight of Jungkook today.

When he woke up he saw a handful of coral and the tiniest of specs he could only assume were plankton floating around inside of the sea horses bottle so he was glad the merman hadn't forgotten to feed him even if he wasn’t awake to see Jungkook.

Taehyung had explained that seahorses didn’t have digestive systems and needed to eat constantly and since then he felt there were piles of coral stacking up on the edge of the sand.

He felt too bad to tell Jungkook that the crustaceans the sea horses ate would be dried on those ones and unable to be eaten, so he just let the other start bringing tons of things anyway.

And tonight it seemed like he had all kinds of things.

Literally.

“There’s my guppy, hello, I almost thought I wouldn’t see you today!” Taehyung cried, removing himself from eating dried seaweed - again, thanks Jungkook - to walk towards the shore.

Jungkook looked outrageously gorgeous tonight and Taehyung had half a mind to tease him who he was seeing because they both knew it was only him.

His hair had shells in it and on his skin Taehyung had to laugh at the mini starfish stuck to his body almost like beauty marks.

It was such an odd way of trying to dress up for him, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Perhaps even more attractive because this was the kind of thing Taehyung liked - the sea, the creatures.

Jungkook.

“I’m no guppy!” The merman huffed, dragging his tail into the sand with his hand to his chest holding something. “You are a - a human guppy then!”

A baby, Taehyung's mind supplied but he just laughed and took a seat beside the other regardless that the water was freezing on his toes and Jungkook’s tail was even colder when it brushed his leg.

“What’s this? What’d you bring me this time - other than these little friends.” Taehyung cooed, chuckling and petting a finger over an orange starfish on his shoulder.

Jungkook blushed, giggling, “Pretty, huh?”

“They’re very pretty.”

He didn’t think it was the right wording because Jungkook pouted a bit even though he nodded.

Jungkook was very pretty too.

“I’ve brought you this creature..” Jungkook revealed, “..so you can tell me what your kind calls them, I call them circle arms.”

Taehyung resisted the urge to snort up a storm and tease him, but he was still extremely touched because of all these creatures Jungkook wanted to show him all the time.

Did mermaids have some kind of courting or dating ceremony?

He had no idea but if they did he was sure Jungkook was doing it because he brought so many little creatures back to visit him and dove deep into the water to rush and put them back when done.

“It’s a baby octopus,” Taehyung grinned and couldn’t help a small laugh as he reached over to take the pink octopus. It must have only been the size of a pack of cards.

“What a ridiculous name, so stupid.” Jungkook whined beside him.

Taehyung laughed and could go into an explanation for it, but thought his name was much cuter and he couldn’t deny that yes an octopus was basically a circle with arms.

He just leaned over to place the octopus at the very edge of the water so it could be comfortable because he felt Jungkook forgot sometimes that these other creatures couldn’t really breathe air as he could.

But it didn’t seem to bother the octopus much, in fact it started scooting with its tentacles until it could latch onto the side of Jungkook’s tail that was in the water.

Taehyung would never understand these creatures and was eternally jealous of their connection to the merman.

“Taehyung?”

“Yes, guppy.”

Jungkook made a noise akin to hiss and flopped onto his back, “I’m no guppy!” He whined, flailing a hand above his head towards the stars.

The human hummed and started cupping water in his hands to dump onto the starfish even though sometimes these creatures liked to be closer to the edge of water rather than deep inside.

He pretended not to see Jungkook grin when he brushed his skin to ensure he was wetting the starfish enough.

“What were you saying, Jungkook?”

“Oh..” The merman pressed his lips together and scratched along the scales that dotted beneath his eye, “I.. I saw a ship this morning, and I was wondering if you… you wanted me to bring it here…”

“That’s dangerous, don't go after random ships, Jungkook,” Taehyung scolded instantly, because he was positive Jungkook didn’t understand the world like he did. He didn’t understand what was occurring other than what was happening under the sea.

“But.. I… I don’t think you can live here forever. Humans aren’t supposed to be here for always, only for a little while.”

Taehyung swallowed thickly because he was right and he was itchy and he had no idea how long he’d been here. He felt weak just living off of fish and seaweed and couldn’t keep relying on Jungkook to bring him food all the time even if the other said he didn’t mind.

In the end, Jungkook saved his life and he continued to save his life.

But Taehyung didn’t want to agree, because he didn’t want Jungkook to feel alone again. He didn’t want Jungkook to be sad anymore.

The human just sighed and laid down beside the other in the sand, freezing when Jungkook pressed his wet chin on his shoulder and laid on his side to look at him.

“It’s been more than a little while,” Jungkook whispered, resting his cheek down into Taehyung's chest and wetting all of his clothes.

That was fine, because a little affection went a long way.

***

Something was very wrong.

Something catastrophic was happening and Taehyung had nothing to go off of or think about. He was afraid because the skies were black and the ocean was angry.

He had never asked if Jungkook could influence it, if he had any other gifts that could cause the storm.

At this point he just overassumed that anything happening could be the others doing, that on calm days it was the ocean's way of accepting Jungkook into it.

And today, today it was mad. It was raging and it had gone this way in a split second.

Literally, one second he had been holding the seahorse in his combined palms on the edge of the water to let him swim in a large space without getting swept away, and the next he had to jump partially out into the water to catch the seahorse because the wave came out of nowhere.

And he most definitely was not allowing Jungkook’s seahorse to get lost.

Now Taehyung was huddled with everything he had under a tree, trying to hide from the rain and hugging his backpack which contained everything he had including the seahorse to his chest.

The only human food he had left was inside, the only knife he had, the only extra clothes he had. Everything was within this bag and he couldn’t just let it go washing away.

A chirping noise rang high pitched even over all of the storm surrounding him, that of a dolphin, he was positive because they were one of the most studied creatures at the sanctuary he had.

He wiped the rain water out of his eyes and stood up shakily, squinting through the rain as he tried to keep standing from all the wind.

Red.

Something was causing the water to turn red.

Instantly Taehyung's first reaction was to worry, and to freak out, “Jungkook! Jungkook! Kookie-“

He didn’t even know if Jungkook could hear him from under the water, but his stomach was twisting as if it was being wrung out.

The water edge was a muggy red sort of color, like that of what would occur during a shark attack, and with Jungkook’s attitude about said animals he could only pray that wasn’t the case even though the merman bragged about being stronger than them.

“Jungkook!” Taehyung cupped his hands around his mouth and nearly slipped on the rocks as he tried to find a spot close to the water, but not close enough that the wind could send him away.

Dolphins could make amazing sounds, ones that Jungkook was known to do without really even seeming to notice he was.

But they could also whistle.

Normally it was an excited noise followed by clicks, but this wasn’t a happy noise, it was more a shriek and Taehyung had only heard it once before when he and his crew had pulled a dolphin from a fishing net, it’s skin was so rope burned it cut straight through muscle.

This circumstance felt even more pressing than even then, and he’d sued the fishing company because of how angry he was for the cruelty. (And won.)

“No- Jungkook! Jungkook!” Taehyung saw fins, two of them, only what he cared about was the very weak arm draped over the dolphins and the trail of red.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck. Jungkook! Jungkook, l-let me see, let-“ He stumbled closer to the water and the dolphins didn’t even flinch, instead they continued squeaking frantically and came as close to the sand as they could without being beached.

Taehyung didn’t even think, he didn’t care if the water could have swallowed him up on the spot - Jungkook had saved his life once, and he was going to be damned if he didn’t return the favor.

“Jungkook, hey, hey. Baby..”

The merman was awake, but barely, and the only way Taehyung could tell he was devastated and injured was because Jungkook’s eyes were teary and he looked paler than normal as he started pulling him towards the sand.

One of the dolphins head butted him towards the island more, Taehyung was knee deep in the water and nearly fell, but regained himself to grab tighter around the merman’s waist.

“I got him!” He yelled, squinting with the rain pouring down his face, “You can go! You can leave, I got him!”

Whether dolphins agreed to that or not he didn’t know because they just started swimming around the island, peeking out and watching them.

“Y-You were right.”

Taehyung jolted at the cry, getting Jungkook’s upper body out of the water when he noticed the reason for all the red.

A fishing spear was sticking out of the water.

Taehyung panicked and continued to pull Jungkook closer and closer to the trees and when the merman was pulled from the water, he was more than surprised at the skin where his tail would normally begin around his spine.

The spear was embedded at least a few inches into his right thigh and he saw Jungkook pressing his toes and feet onto the sand experimentally, as if trying to help and test them out.

Things shouldn’t be this way, he shouldn’t get to experience having legs the first time like this.

Taehyung yelled in anger, likely not even heard through the rain as he carried the heavy body - mostly heavy with sea water and the rain and elements didn’t help at all.

“You’re okay!” Taehyung screamed, setting Jungkook down under the trees and kneeling beside him to pet the rain from his face, “You’re okay! You’re going to be fine!”

The merman heard him and gave a trembling nod, but Taehyung could only tell he was crying because of the red of his eyes. “I-it was d-dangerous!”

Taehyung’s face contorted with pain as he realized what Jungkook was saying - he’d tried to find him help and gotten hurt in the process.

He could only imagine what the other had tried to do - if he’d exposed himself, if he had spoken to them.

Maybe they just saw a tail and shot.

Jungkook didn’t understand how the human world worked, but he would now.

He had to.

“You’re okay..” Taehyung cried, leaning down to press his forehead onto the others, “Go to sleep! I got you, sleep.”

It was likely nearly impossible for Jungkook to do that when he was probably in so much pain, but Taehyung needed to remove the spear and he needed to clean it up and he had no idea how he could get clean water and boil leaves in this weather.

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook sobbed, “Wanted to h-help.”

“Sh, no. No. I’m going to help you now. You’re done helping, baby.” Taehyung soothed, petting at his face frantically as if afraid he wouldn’t pay attention, but only god knew how much blood was lost in the water.

The other whimpered a scared noise and pressed his nose against Taehyung's.

“Sleep, guppy. Go to sleep,” The human mumbled, lips brushing over his with every word.

Jungkook tasted like salt water, but that was more than fine.

***

“Yeah? What a nice story, guppy.”

Jungkook giggled, big eyes shooting around as he placed his hands on his chest in a bashful manner, “And then all of the little seals tried to follow me away! Isn’t that so funny? I had to take them back to their mommies like four times!”

“Maybe don’t carry fish on you anymore then!”

The merman laughed and plopped into the sand with a huff, as if exhausted despite doing nothing.

Nothing for two days now really.

But, Taehyung could understand it must be incredibly pressing and exhausting for someone with as much energy as Jungkook to just relax.

Or, maybe he was just going easy on him because of his wound and the scream he’d given when they had to take it out.

Jungkook had tiny scars on him, on his chest and back, ones that suggested he swam into coral reefs or maybe got caught up in a few creatures arguing, but nothing like a gash.

No cruelty as he was exposed to now with the four inch hole in his thigh.

Taehyung did what he could with what little fishing wire he had, and it hadn’t been pretty at all, in fact the dolphins started flicking water towards the island and screaming angry noises when the merman started crying and the human had to reassure them I know, I don’t like it either, and had been forced to carry Jungkook down to pet them after so they’d stop with the high pitched whistling.

Taehyung sighed at the reminder, pulling his extra shirt back over Jungkook’s legs because the merman wasn’t used to his new.. lower body and was a million ways confused when he’d explained it to him.

And the exact moment Jungkook understood he’d turned as red as the coral he ripped up from the bottom of the sea to give to the seahorse.

It was adorable, even if Jungkook was going to need a lot of work fitting into the human world with the scales beneath his eyes and on his arms and his blinding blue scales.

Or, maybe not, because nobody would believe them if they claimed Jungkook a merman anyway, they’d be more likely to believe it was makeup.

“Let’s walk for a second, baby.”

Jungkook perked up at the suggestion, excited hands coming to grab his shoulders as he sat up.

The good news was someone with a tail before legs had absolutely incredible leg strength even after never having stood before.

The biologist in Taehyung just wanted to know everything there was about Jungkook and his kind, but internally he knew ever proving it or producing research about it would put him and his kind in grave danger.

And that wasn’t what he wanted at all.

“You know, I’ve been wondering,” Taehyung mumbled, resting against the others right side for support as he watched Jungkook curl his toes up into the sand with a small smile. “Will you be able to change again? Or is this permanent?”

“Um..” The merman clicked his tongue and stumbled into his side with a wince when he applied too much onto his thigh, “My brothers… I only saw them come into the water a few times, so it's possible.”

“But it’s not common?”

Jungkook nodded a bit, a tiny sad look on his face.

That could never be Jungkook. That could never be his little merman because he loved the ocean so much. He loved to play and collect items and help miniature creatures.

Even if it was dangerous, it wouldn’t be if Taehyung just sat in a boat or on the docks to watch him, to make sure nobody was approaching and interrupting his fun.

Humans could be cruel, especially when they were confused about a creature, but he wasn’t taking that risk with Jungkook, and if need be then the tanks at the sanctuary would give him plenty of room to play.

“At the aquarium,” Taehyung whispered, pressing a kiss to his head as he helped Jungkook stumble towards the sand because of course he wanted to see the dolphins that nonstop had been watching the island. “There is a dolphin named Bloo and she doesn’t have a right fin. You would love her so much.”

Jungkook gasped, grabbing into his hand for help as he sank down onto the edge of the water so he sat hip deep.

Taehyung cringed as it probably wasn’t good for his wound, but at the same time this was a merman and he was sure Jungkook’s body was more than used to the sea water.

Maybe it would help it.

“Why is she like that?”

Taehyung sighed and moved to sit behind him, spreading his legs on either side of the other and he heard Jungkook make a series of chirps at the action. “Humans cut it off to sell and dropped her back into the water. She was two months old and would have died if she hadn’t washed up on the beach, unable to balance properly.”

Jungkook didn’t respond, but he saw the other look angry as he licked his sharp teeth.

It lasted only a minute before one of the smaller of the three dolphins noticed him and was whistling and dashing in between the merman’s newfound legs for touch and bumping into his chest with his nose.

It made Jungkook relax and lean over to cuddle into the dolphins head.

Again, Taehyung supposed he should get used to the sight of Jungkook handling wild sea creatures, but a dolphin was a much different sight to the mini starfish he always seemed to be carrying around.

It was truly beautiful.

“I don’t think I trust humans on boats anymore.”

Taehyung hummed and pet the back of his neck softly.

“I only popped up for one moment, I don’t know if I scared them, they all started yelling and before I could ask them to follow me, they hurt me and it hurt so much. My friends must have found me because it was so much pain my tail just started shedding away.”

He could picture how naive Jungkook must have been. Too trusting and excited, he probably would have blabbered everything ever if the people asked without second thought - or worse, voluntarily climbed into the boat only to be locked in a fish cage.

The thoughts made Taehyung's skin crawl, and one day - eventually - he would tell Jungkook all about how he only knew of his existence because he had been too curious of humans in the first place.

But not now.

“Some friends you have, guppy,” He murmured, reaching over to softly pet the dolphins bottlenose and grinning when it leaned into his palm.

Jungkook laughed and snuggled into his chest, but the two dolphins that had been circling around suddenly whistled and chirped and the little one was making a similar noise before it turned to dive deep into the water.

“Huh? Why’d they go?”

Jungkook twisted at the waist with eyes wide, turning around to peer at something behind him before suddenly he cupped his face and pressed a very quick kiss onto his mouth.

Sudden, but accepted quickly.

“Taehyung! There’s a boat!”

***

“What’s up with his eyes?”

Taehyung sighed and shook his head, holding Jungkook tight into his lap.

“What about those shiny things, what are those?”

“Jimin,” He heard Hoseok snap at the crew member, “Can’t you cut him a break? They’re malnourished and exhausted. We finally found him and you’re quick to interrogate?”

“Just curious,” The other whined, turning to walk into the cabin of the ship.

“How’d you find me?” Taehyung asked, feeling Jungkook’s fingers picking with the edge of the shorts he’d been given to wear. It likely wasn’t comfortable for his skin or wound, but they didn’t have much a choice and docking with a half dressed man looked so suspicious.

“Please,” Hoseok snickered, “My husbands were adamant you must have survived. We found the remainder of the boat about two weeks ago, but no bags - no body. We scanned with radar and didn’t see any blips to suggest you were under the water. And here you are with some scaled boy.”

Taehyung laughed and squeezed Jungkook’s waist softly, “Jungkook, do you want to talk? They are friends.”

Jungkook looked much more nervous this time around, a huge contrast to his excitement and easygoingness when they’d first met, but Taehyung couldn't blame him.

The last humans he’d tried to talk to had tried to kill him.

“It’s safe,” He whispered, eyeing the Are you sure look in Jungkook’s diamond eyes. “They're safe, baby.” Taehyung promised, pressing his chapped lips to Jungkook’s cheek.

The merman blushed, fingers moving to fiddle with the end of Taehyung's before looking through his hair at Hoseok, “Do.. do you like seaweed?”

Taehyung chuckled and pecked his jaw praisingly.

Hoseok eyed Jungkook with something unreadable before smiling gently, “Your eyes are just gorgeous, aren’t they?”

***

“Come on, baby. I know, guppy.”

Taehyung gently lifted under Jungkook's arms to help him into the dock, the smaller shivering a bit - unused to being cold, but skin didn’t exactly respond to temperature change as scales did.

The sanctuary was on the side of a docking port, making it easy to take one of the ships and sail out, usually attempting to stop an illegal hunt, and also it was close to the towns police department, because unfortunately some fishermen didn’t find them interrupting hunts interesting and they’d had boats and the sanctuary graffitied and broken more time than they could count before they got fed up.

“Taehyung… it must be as cold as i-ice,” The merman shivered, trying to press into his chest.

“Sh, let's get you inside then.” The human soothed, rubbing up and down the thin blanket on his shoulders.

Jungkook limped beside him, still being shot weird looks from Jimin as the other trailed in front of them.

Jimin was weird himself so Taehyung just snorted and couldn’t wait to get back to the upper level of the sanctuary that was the housing area.

Because having so many rehabilitating animals or ones that were unfit to go back at sea required their attention to be available at any time, so they had studio homes up top.

“Finally! Finally! Oh-“

Taehyung heard Jungkook release a small grunt and frowned in confusion, petting his hair, “Kookie, this is Seokjin-“

“Jungkook!” Seokjin cried out, bypassing his husband with a stern look on his face, “You never visited! Do you know how long Yoongi and I looked for you? Huh? And- and what the hell were you thinking? Why-“

Jungkook turned to snuggle into Taehyung's arm with a soft whine, “Was angry, I didn’t want to see you guys.”

It took a look at Seokjin to process what was happening, because the other looked equally as confused before his mouth was turning into a soft O.

“What the fuck?” Taehyung burst, staring at Seokjin in confusion, “You? Really? Y-You and Yoongi? But none of you have… Jungkook has scales.”

“What the fuck is goin’ on?” Jimin commented in an uninterested tone, popping an almond into his mouth and looking around between everyone.

“Jungkook is... he’s a little different.” Seokjin answered, but he wouldn’t stop staring at the merman, “He’s always been different. What are you doing-“

“I’ve found my own human now!” Jungkook humphed with a serious headnod, “I’m not jealous of you guys anymore! I found one all on my own and he’s mine so I don’t care and I’ll be a land walker now with toes and everything!”

Taehyung nearly deadpanned at that, but instead just sighed at his outburst and pet Jungkook’s head as it was obvious he was overwhelmed seeing his brother again - soon to be brothers.

“Look. Can we do this tomorrow? I really want to shower and fucking eat something that’s not kelp and seaweed - no offense, baby, you did well - but I get you’re both missing each other, etcetra, but Jungkook and I have just gone through hell.” Taehyung ranted, shifting his backpack on his arm to grab Jungkook’s hand.

Seokjin looked as if he was going to argue, but instead just nodded and shifted out of the way of the stairs, eyeing Jungkook all the while.

Taehyung didn’t really understand the dynamics of their lifestyle, how it worked and if this counted as abandonment because his brothers had left Jungkook.

But then again, Jungkook said he didn’t go to see them either.

Out of jealousy and anger and likely loneliness, which Taehyung knew were emotions Jungkook had when speaking about his brothers leaving for the land.

He’d be okay now.

“Wah…” He heard the merman gasp as he pushed open the door to his studio - their studio - instantly turning to the fish tank beside the door and pressing against the glass.

Every single little fish, crab, and starfish inside started swarming towards his hand on the glass and Jungkook giggled and lit up, it was gorgeous.

“Why don’t you put your little friend inside,” Taehyung suggested softly, kissing his head as he set his backpack down, “He must be hungry.”

The merman squealed and leaned down to dig into his bag for the bottle as the human started walking across the room to the kitchen ready to down a million glasses of fresh, clean water.

He could see Jungkook from over the counter, watched the merman make these clicking noises as he poured the seahorse inside.

One day he wanted to understand more about Jungkook, if it was a sonar type of thing or not, and truthfully he was a bit upset his own crew and friends didn’t think to tell him of what they were.

He couldn’t be too upset though because he never really suspected a thing. Still, Seokjin had been with the sanctuary ever since it was mainly just Taehyung as a student stealing from fishermen before they could slaughter and releasing them back into the ocean.

And he hadn’t questioned when Jimin brought Yoongi in nor when Seokjin came to volunteer and eventually become part of the team. It made more sense now that they’d want to be a part of something they truly stood for and it was close to the docks, perfect cover for them.

Taehyung never had suspicions at all really, but then again, Seokjin and Yoongi were so much better at pretending to be human than Jungkook was.

So, so much better.

“He says thank you!”

Taehyung laughed and watched Jungkook turn around and oo some more as he touched the back of the couch and look at every little thing, “He’s very welcome, guppy."

“Are all human homes like this? My cave wasn’t like this at all, and the dolphins kept coming to steal my resting place - isn’t that rude!”

“So rude, Jungkook,” He chided with a fond smile, “Not all human homes are this small, but I think it will be okay for the two of us.” Taehyung mused as he watched Jungkook sniff a candle before scrunching his nose up in disgust.

It was only a singular room practically, a space that had no walls and only the bathroom was separate, but Taehyung liked it best this way, to be able to see his huge aquarium and have access to everything at all times without doors. It felt more open.

He was sure Jungkook liked it too if the way he flopped down into the huge bed said anything, a tiny giggle falling from his lips as he rolled on the blanket before looking at him with his cheek pressed into the fabric, “I can hear all the creatures downstairs.”

Taehyung raised his brows as he strolled over to the bed, “Are they happy?”

Jungkook hummed and again was the chirp like tone that sounded more a high pitched whistle than anything.

Taehyung supposed he'd have to get used to it even at times this late as he laid down with a sigh as the blankets touched his sunburnt skin.

The merman beamed and scooted to tuck into his side with a cheesy smile, “Very happy. Me too.”

“Me too, guppy.” The human grinned, leaning down to press a soft kiss onto Jungkook’s mouth, petting below his eye and feeling adoring the half lidded expression of happiness on the other's face. “I’ll take care of you.”

***

“No! No, no! Baby, don't-“ Too late, “... spit it out…” Taehyung sighed, shaking his head with a quiet laugh.

“Jungkook, what the hell is wrong with you? It’s just bread!” Yoongi cried somewhere behind Taehyung.

Taehyung laughed at Jungkook’s angry and offronted face as the merman turned to swim to the edge of the tank, wrapping his arms tight around the humans leg, scales slick against his ankle.

“It’s so dry!” He complained with a pout.

“It’s supposed to be. Don't be a clownfish." Seokjin snorted from the other side of the tank, dropping fish into the water.

Perhaps the other two had just gotten used to being on two legs, because since their arrival Taehyung had only seen Yoongi swim and it was just once when he’d first seen Jungkook again and had gotten over excited and jumped right into the tank with the other.

His tail had been a deep red, and it was gorgeous, but he hadn’t gotten the scales Jungkook had across his chest and face nor the colored eyes - he’d just looked the same - only with a huge tail instead of legs.

Even Namjoon and Hoseok looked shocked when seeing Jungkook in the tank - although Jimin was the most expressive of all and had forced Jungkook to let him feel his scales for a good hour after nearly passing out at the sight.

But, they kind of couldn’t hide it, there wasn’t really a reason to and Jungkook needed to swim often.

Well, he didn’t need to, but Jungkook was never going to be quite as adapted to the human world as the others, he was so much more talkative to the creatures and more physically nurturing.

He would rather just jump in or hold them and comfort rather than simply talking like everyone else.

Although Seokjin  had looked happy to do his own dolphin-like noises, as if relieved he could freely do so now and it had caused all the seals to start barking.

Taehyung was biased, but he still felt Jungkook’s noises drew in the entire sanctuary.

“Okay, back to fruit then,” He commented, picking up a chunk of strawberry to press to Jungkook’s lips.

His tail showed his excitement as it splashed frantically in the water and made Taehyung smile as Jungkook squeaked and jolted back with a happy spin, “like it!” He cooed before diving down into the tank.

“God, he’s still so obnoxious,” Yoongi sighed, but it sounded fond and happy.

Taehyung laughed and shook his head, “You probably would have been so mad about how friendly he was. Now that I think about it I just want to scold him for just going up to humans like that.”

Yoongi huffed an angry noise as he bent down to pick up the array of bread and crackers he’d been trying to feed Jungkook - but the merman had a thing about rough texture and refused anything that wasn’t to his liking. “I can’t fucking believe he was trying to approach ships.”

Taehyung chewed his lip, eyeing what looked like Jungkook scolding a dolphin under the water, “He told me.. he wanted a human, that’s why. He’s naive, but not a fool. He’s just… he gets emotional and lets it take over. He must have been so jealous of you guys.”

Seokjin looked across the water at him and Taehyung felt bad about the guilt in his eyes, it wasn’t their fault they had fallen in love and it wasn’t their fault they left Jungkook alone, it was their lifestyle, but they hadn’t abandoned him.

It was Jungkook’s own emotions that made him envious and angry enough to not come visit them anymore.

“I’m sure it’s fine now,” He heard Namjoon drawl, “Because you’re all together and he’s not upset anymore. Taehyung will take care of him, I mean.. without Jungkook being here then all of you wouldn’t have opportunities like this. If you want to swim, we close down tours so you can swim, you can talk more and it doesn’t have to be a secret.”

“I had a thought,” Taehyung raised his head to look at Yoongi lugging a huge bucket of fish from opposite the room and walking towards Hoseok, “What if we… they can go out and try to find more? More like them. After what happened to Jungkook… it’s obvious it’s becoming too dangerous.”

“I thought there wasn’t more like them?” Taehyung frowned.

Seokjin snickered beside him, “Please. As if. We had friends other than shrimp, you know.”

Taehyung did feel startled at that, because he’d always only heard Jungkook refer to his friends as squid, jellyfish, or some other creatures.

But maybe Jungkook simply meant that he personally didn’t have many friends.

“Oh, fuck. I might pass out again,” He heard Jimin whine.

“Let’s do it. But only if you guys stick together.” Taehyung whispered.

A high pitched squeak rang from the tank before a dolphin was lopsidedly swimming to his feet, brushing up against his legs beneath the water for attention.

Taehyung had to manually help her to the surface and the dolphin whistled happily even though she couldn’t stay balanced without leaning to the side that should have another fin, it never seemed to stop her though, even with a prosthetic on she always acted just as normal as a regular dolphin despite swimming at an angle.

“Hi, Bloo. My sweet girl, I missed you too.”

“She refused to let anyone put her prosthetic on her the entire time you were gone,” Seokjin huffed, “But I think she has competition now and can’t be as stingy for your attention.”

Taehyung snorted at that, and within a second of petting her he had Jungkook swimming up between his knees at rapid speeds with a pout, pushing the dolphin out of his way for attention.

“Yes, my sweet boy,” Taehyung teased, petting Jungkook’s head.

The merman pouted at the dolphin with a familiar click in his voice, “Mine. Get your own human.”

“Share,” Yoongi ordered, “Taehyung was her human first.”

“You don’t have to share your human!” Jungkook hissed.

“Because Jimin is only close with the seals, not the dolphins.”

Jungkook didn’t seem to like that as he whined and pointed an angry finger as the dolphin buzzed a noise the human was going to assume was playful. “No. Mine.”

If Jungkook wasn’t so nice, Taehyung was sure he was going to fight the dolphin all day as Bloo whistled and started pressing into his knee in a way that suggested she was pissing Jungkook off for fun.

But Jungkook just reached over to push her away a bit before whining some more and trying to climb over the side of the tank into Taehyung's lap.

Which didn’t work because in this form he was so heavy with muscle from his tail and Taehyung just grunted and gave him an apologetic look when Seokjin told him he was too big.

“No! Mine, my human, go chase Rocky!” Jungkook cried angrily, arms leeching around Taehyung's knee, pointed teeth on show with jealousy as he scolded the dolphin.

Taehyung snorted, grabbing his angry pointed finger and leaning down to kiss his soaked cheeks, “Calm down, guppy. She likes me because I saved her, not because she’s in love with me. You can have that spot, Jungkook. Chill, pretty.”

The scales beneath Jungkook’s eyes looked so much more colorful after he’d been swimming for a while, but still it wasn’t quite as sparkling as his beam as he grabbed Taehyung's face to kiss him.

The human had to hold the edge of the tank because it wouldn’t be the first Jungkook yanked him in.

“Jungkook is still a little shit,” Yoongi sighed in a disappointed way and it made Taehyung laugh against Jungkook's mouth.

***

Jungkook liked human movies.

Really, the merman was just obsessed with them.

Normally it was very cute to watch, just see Jungkook sitting criss crossed on the couch across the studio and chomping at his snacks thoughtlessly as he watched movies.

He reacted to every little thing - squealing in surprise, gasping out loud, giggling like cheesy comedy jokes really were funny (They weren’t.)

For once, Taehyung was the jealous one.

He’d just gotten out of the shower, having a rough day cleaning out the seals area because one of them had just given birth and that had been an experience.

One which Jungkook’s excited cooing and getting in the way accounted for more than half of.

Now, Taehyung just wanted attention, and it was weird to be the needy one, but Jungkook’s job was to pay attention to him.

Okay, not literally, but that’s what the merman made it seem like when he woke Taehyung up by squeezing his face and giggling at least a few night a week.

So Taehyung felt completely entitled to attention if he wanted it, and that said a lot coming from someone whom normally let Jungkook whine for his attention.

“Baby.”

The merman didn’t even give any sign he’d heard, just making a sad noise when the girl on the television started yelling at her boyfriend.

Taehyung huffed under his breath, pulling his pajama pants up his hips and eyeing across the studio.

He abandoned his pajama shirt on the edge of the bed, truthfully he was hoping it would capture Jungkook’s attention as he walked over.

Not like the merman really knew much about others bodies, but he’d been studying a lot lately and his brothers explained so much and Taehyung found Jungkook looking at him more than normal recently.

He liked it, it was cute and Jungkook had even said he was comparing when he was bothered by the smaller to stay still while the merman traced his arms and chest.

Jungkook certainly had so much to be proud of in the looks department, absolutely beautiful with his softly defined body - swimmers always seemed to have the most lean of muscles and Taehyung really liked to be able to hold Jungkook’s narrow waist in both hands.

He walked down the single stair into the sunken living area, finding a spot on the couch and promptly plopping his head down on Jungkook’s shoulder.

The most Jungkook did was a little hm noise and he didn’t even look at him when offering him a piece of popcorn, partially pressing it to Taehyung's cheek instead of his lips.

God, Jungkook was adorable, and Taehyung wanted all of his attention right this second.

“Baby,” He murmured, sitting up to promptly tug Jungkook.

The merman whined, trying to turn and watch the tv and Taehyung just snorted and continued yanking him, “Hey, give me love, guppy!”

“Movie!”

Taehyung scrunched up his nose and jostled Jungkook into his lap, the merman now sticking his lips out with scales under his eyes glittering and rounded eyes pouting.

“You’re so rude to me,” Taehyung cried exasperatedly, dramatically leaning back against the arm of the couch with the smallers weight on his lap, “I just love you all the time, and you’re too busy watching people have angry sex on tv to pay attention!”

“Not true!” Jungkook squealed, leaning down to lay his cheek against Taehyung's sternum and hug his ribs, “My human is sad?”

“Just want Jungkook kisses,” Taehyung smiled, petting over Jungkook’s soft hair and running fingers over his spine and upper back as his large shirt draped from Jungkook’s arms.

“Always time for kisses for my human!”

Taehyung grinned harder as he got his way, the merman sitting up to press a loud smacking kiss to his mouth and dramatically pecking his cheeks.

Jungkook was an angel, really, even if he was sometimes too curious for his own good and obnoxiously jealous.

He supposed the merman had a right to be possessive whenever he wanted, it was perfectly fine, and as of now he was glad Jungkook had yet to really understand humans flirting with Taehyung because it would be a war once he realized some tourists tended to.

That was fine because he’d more than once had to go save Jungkook from accidentally leading someone on - “if someone asks you to lunch, that means it’s a date, guppy.”

“Oh? Really? I just really wanted foods! Can we go to lunch, Taehyung?”

Taehyung just cupped Jungkook’s face to bring their lips together, thumb soothing over the soft scales under his eyes and listening to the soft noises his boyfriend - or merman - made.

The merman was getting pretty good at kissing, and Taehyung knew it had to do with all the romance movies he’d been watching.

Or all the practice.

Jungkook shifted up into his lap, pressing his ass down right against Taehyung's hips making the human groan in surprise, grasping his waist quickly and pulling away to look down at Jungkook.

The merman smiled so his eyes scrunched up, hands running down Taehyung's chest and while he tended to do that a lot this felt different when he was seated on such a heated area.

“What’re you up to, little pearl?”

Jungkook had a silly looking smile on his face, one that made his teeth press into his bottom lip.

“Kissing.”

“You’re not just kissing,” Taehyung raised a brow, hands running down Jungkook’s sides and watching as the merman smiled coyly and ducked down to kiss his jaw.

“Human things.”

Snorting, Taehyung pulled him close, hugging his chest, “What human things?”

“The touchy ones.”

Confused for a moment, Taehyung placed his knees flat on the couch and adjusted Jungkook to sit back on his thighs before he realized oh those human things…

The oversized shirt Jungkook wore was pulled up his thighs revealing his loose boxers and his hardness.

It’d happened before, Jungkook was so confused at first, and it wasn’t like Taehyung hadn’t seen the smaller naked.

He had many times, especially because when they’d first gotten hime Jungkook needed help balancing and with his leg Taehyung had been the one to help him into bottoms.

This wasn’t an accident though and Jungkook understood so much more than he had previously.

Of course Taehyung was interested, so much so he was immediately flipping Jungkook onto his back on the sofa making the merman laugh happily because he always found it so entertaining to be manhandled around.

(Which Taehyung admittedly was known to do a lot - mainly tossing him over his shoulder when Jungkook was acting up and screaming arguments at dolphins.)

“What to do, guppy?” Taehyung mused, pushing the oversized shirt up Jungkook’s waist, running fingers over any blueish scale in sight. “What to do, what to do.”

Impatient as always, Jungkook whined, flopping his arms beside his ears and pouting, “Like the tv!”

God. He really needed to monitor what Jungkook was watching.

“Like the tv,” Taehyung snickered, running his tongue across his teeth because god Jungkook was sexy even if he had no idea of it. “Fuck-“

“Bad word!”

Taehyung laughed and threw a hand over Jungkook’s lips, other hand digging into the merman’s boxer waistband, “You really need to learn not to ruin the mood, you’re such a little rascal.”

Jungkook shook his hand off with a pretty smile, giggling and reaching up to be pulled up.

Taehyung pulled him up with a fond kiss to his temple, pulling down his boxers as Jungkook sat up on his knees, holding onto his shoulders.

“I’ll get better words,” Jungkook laughed into his cheek, completely giggly and happy even as his human touched his ass and thighs, “From.. from internet!”

Smiling and chuckling, Taehyung moved off the sofa to stand up, putting his arms out to carry his nearly naked boyfriend, “It’s okay, you won’t be able to say very many words in a few minutes. Gonna make you feel very good, baby.”

Plus, he really didn’t mind at all, Jungkook was just a little weird.

And even more loveable than anyone Taehyung had ever met.

***

“Don't shake the boat! Jungkook!”

Said merman released a squeal as he hopped into the water off the edge of the boat, sinking deep into the dark depths.

Such a thing shouldn’t give Taehyung a heart attack, but it always did when the other just jumped straight into deep waters like that.

Even though Jungkook had a tail and certainly was not going to drown anytime soon.

As if answering his thoughts, seconds later his soppy head of hair was popping back up with a loud scream of excitement and hands gripping the side of the boat.

Taehyung snickered, putting a hand out to accept his soaking wet shirt to lay next to dry jeans because apparently the merman was too excited to remove everything before acting like a heathen.

Jungkook though just tossed his soaked shirt over the side of the boat and beamed cheesily, “Taehyung!”

The man grinned at his excitement, leaning down to rest his chin on the edge of the boat, “So excited, baby? I’m glad, my little guppy.”

The merman puffed his cheeks out in mock anger at the nickname although Taehyung knew he was overly fond of it because he’d once teased one of the dolphins with said nickname and Jungkook just about threw the dolphin back to sea.

Taehyung had to explain animal abuse to him then, but he found dolphins were rather playful creatures and just teased Jungkook more since then.

“Taehyung.” The big eyed boy giggled, cold fingers grabbing onto his face in an excited manner, “The ocean.”

His happiness nearly made Taehyung feel bad for him - for separating him from the sea, but that wasn’t the case really at all.

It had been time for Jungkook to come out of the ocean just as it'd been time he finally got someone to love him - although the merman was very particular of the word boyfriend and always instead said Taehyung is my human!

People found it cute, and it was, but they didn’t realize the meaning behind it was not just a silly endearment; it was a fact, Jungkook chose him to be his human.

Well, the merman claimed he didn’t choose but that it was already chosen for him.

Taehyung didn’t pretend to understand what swam around in that pretty head of his.

“Will you stay within this area, please?” Taehyung requested, pressing a kiss to Jungkook’s salty temple, “I have to make sure boats won’t be coming.”

“I’ll stay deep if I go crazy far! But don't worry, I can swim super fast!”

“I’m not worried,” Taehyung snorted, pecking his cheekbone and petting down the scales on his arms, “My guppy swims like a dolphin.”

“No! Dolphins swim like me!”

Him and his jealousy over dolphins, Taehyung laughed and nodded, accepting a soaking wet kiss on his cheek before sitting back properly in the boat. “Of course. What are dolphins anyway? I only know of a Jungkook.”

Jungkook giggled and sunk back away from the boat only to start circling it in an action Taehyung wanted to point out was very shark like, but knew the merman would squeal a fit and probably throw kelp at him.

He heard the splashing of water and snorted at the ripples of it when Jungkook sunk back down, he leaned over the side of the fishing boat to squint down and catch what little glimmer of his bright blue tail he could see.

It was hard though, as it was growing pretty dark out.

It was really the only time Taehyung felt comfortable to bring the other out into the water, because he could see the lights of other boats easier - should another boat even be around.

The boat shifted again only this time with a resounding noise of a hit to the bottom of it leaving Taehyung to sigh and shake his head fondly as he sat against the side, playful giggles muffled by water around him.

“Hey! I took you out here to play, baby! So play! Go on, I’m fine here!”

“Want to play with you!”

Taehyung smiled although he couldn’t pinpoint where the call came from, leaning over to dangle a hand into the water.

It took only a moment before Jungkook was blasting over, an impish grin on his face as he swam to the hand and nuzzled his nose against it.

“You don’t always have to just play with me, guppy,” The human mumbled, wiping at his soaking cheek and tip of his nose, “You should go play with your friends.”

Jungkook pouted, holding onto his wrist and he always seemed to forget he was so much heavier in this form because Taehyung grunted and had to use his opposite hand to grab the boat so he wouldn’t flip in. “But you’re my human.”

“And you’re my guppy,” Taehyung mused fondly, “And I want you to go play.”

“But… but want to play with you.”

Taehyung grinned and shook his head, feeling the boat tilt when he leaned over the side to peck Jungkook’s cheek loudly, “Next time I’ll bring a wetsuit, okay?”

The merman whistled, the sound bouncing off the top of the water as he surged up for more kisses, preferring mouth kisses if his puckered lips said as much. “Love ya.”

“I love you too, guppy,” Taehyung laughed, his own face wet by the time Jungkook was content begging for attention and even then he was sure the merman only let go because of three approaching fins.

“The baby grew up!”

The human snorted and sat back, “Go play, Jungkook. They want to play with you.”

“I’ll stay in the area!” Jungkook promised with a squeal, already getting bottlenoses into his ribs.

One of the dolphins came right up to the boat, water shooting out of its blowhole with a high pitched echo.

It felt amazing to have wild creatures do this, trust him so easily, and it was all Jungkook’s doing.

Taehyung leaned over to pet the dolphin with a slightly amazed expression “Hi, sweetheart. You guys being careful out here?”

***

“But I want it! I want it!”

Taehyung was about to blow a fuse.

Honestly, he was bordering on never ever taking the merman out to the market again.

It was part of his chores though, to restock their fish supplies when they hadn’t caught many. They couldn’t let their animals starve after all.

But, his boyfriend was slightly crazy.

(By slightly he meant completely - to the point that he wanted to tell Jungkook to swim his ass home.)

Jungkook was just terrible at fitting in, not only because he visually looked too appealing and unique for his own good, but because - by human standards - he was so weird.

The merman had legitimately walked up to a seafood stall and taken a bite out of one of the shrimp for sale, murmuring on a mouthful that he didn’t get to have them very often.

Taehyung nearly cracked there, when everyone was staring at them, but Jungkook looked very happy to chomp away at stinky raw seafood.

He let him do so because the merman had a very rough morning trying to cover up his scales, nearly crying really, because he claimed they made him pretty.

They weren’t what made Jungkook pretty - Jungkook was just pretty in general, in personality.

Still, he'd huffed and puffed and whined into his chest all morning.

“If I buy it for you-“ Taehyung yanked on the smallers fingers when he tried to run off, “-will you stop being so loud, did you forget to play human today?”

Jungkook widened eyes dramatically, gasping and grasping Taehyung’s sleeve, “Oh no!” He yelled, making the human flinch, which he noticed and then tried again with a whispered, “oh no!”

Taehyung wished he had a stronger heart, because Jungkook was too adorable for his own good and it was concerning.

He laughed and shook his head at his antics, reaching over to drape an arm around him - mostly to make sure he didn’t go running off again - before kissing his head. “I will buy you the seaweed-“

“Buying!” The merman screeched, flopping his sleeve back and forth with his face all scrunched up in disagreement, “But there’s so much under the water! Why would they sell it! That… that’s… that's not fair at all!”

“Well that's what humans do, my love, they sell things.”

“Well!” Jungkook huffed and stopped in place to put hands on his hips, eyes blinding as he pouted up at Taehyung, “Then i'll just have to go get some myself!”

For a moment, the human didn’t register what he was talking about, he just frowned in confusion as the merman turned to saunter down the docks with angry stomps, his large sweater flowing behind him.

Taehyung sighed and lugged the bucket of fish in his left hand as he started to follow, “Babe! Jungkook, don’t you run off, baby!”

Of course his request fell on deaf ears, the merman was storming back towards the marine center looking like someone just told him his pet seahorse died.

Taehyung could only grin fondly and roll his eyes, figuring the merman was going to go storm inside to scream everyone’s head off - that or scold the dolphins for no apparent reason, because he was a little shit like that.

So, he busied distributing fish into their feed cooler beside the boat for only about one minute.

And yet one minute was all it took for him to turn to check on the merman who he’d have to coddle to calm down, and he was gone.

Taehyung instantly cursed, dropping the bucket and running full spread to the side of the dock where he merman was last seen.

“Jungkook, you little demon.” He cursed under his breath at the clothes floating atop of the water, climbing down to his knees to lean closer to the water.

The sun was only just going down - anyone could have seen Jungkook slide in.

You’d think he’d have a little more common sense after getting hurt by humans before, but of course not, this was Jungkook who stole food from the sharks because he claimed their family stole his cave.

As if he even ever used it anymore.

“See!”

There was a ripple of water and Taehyung sighed with relief when he peered underneath the dock.

And there he was, makeup off his face and blue scales exposed as water ran down his chin.

Jungkook had an accomplished look on his face as he held his head up and pulled hands out of the water, “For free,” He cried, shaking the huge chunks of seaweed in his grip, “I win.”

Taehyung didn’t know when it became a competition, so he snorted, probably looking insane if anyone caught him leaning so far over the side of the docks to see Jungkook hiding in the shadows beneath. “That's great, guppy. Really, but get your ass out of there before I have to go in and freeze my ass off.”

Wrong choice in words, because Jungkook’s eyes just went huge and his grin started spreading, “Tae…”

“No."

“Taehyungie…”

“Absolutely not.”

Jungkook pouted harder, bringing a hand up towards him and opening and closing it dramatically, “My human won’t swim with me.”

“Goddamn it, fine,” Taehyung hissed, sitting back to begin removing his shoes, “I’m going to freeze to death one day or drown and it’s going to be your fault.”

The merman’s laughter was way too loud and enchanting for something that really needed to be a secret, but Taehyung didn’t have the heart to shush him.