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sugarmaplewings-fics · 4 years

Text

Deep Blue Fantasy Part One

Pairing: Merman!Tamaki x fem reader

Warnings: None

{Pt. 1} {Pt. 2} {Pt. 3} {Pt. 4} {Pt. 5} {Pt. 6} {Pt. 7}

Author's Note:

It’s here! Finally! An AU by me! Yay! This is just part one of a little mini-series I decided to do. I had a lot of fun writing this and exploring the concept! I played around with different ideas and I think I might do another mermaid/man AU with a different character (because I like recycling ideas). Feel free to leave your own ideas, requests, and suggestions!

Btw, this whole story is going to be x fem!reader.

Also, after much thought I decided NOT to make Tamaki half-octopus (even though I thought about it and I love that idea).

I would like you to know that my friend calls him Tomato.

Enjoy some fun times with Mermaki and Merio!

-Sugar

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

You inhaled deeply, the sea breeze perfectly filling your lungs. Salty water sprayed itself over your bare legs, droplets collecting and running down in cool rivulets that tickled the surface of your skin.

Every morning you came out on the beach, watching the tumultuous waves crash over each other in the distance. Every day it was different. The sky might be a deep gray, reflecting upon the sea, turning her waters a mysterious black. Others the sky was clear and blue, and the ocean looked bright and inviting. But you knew her secrets. The ocean was one to be respected. No one dared enter her. The people of your island only looked on, scanning her depths. She was never benevolent.

You couldn't help but be drawn to her, however. The breeze flooded your senses, the sounds of the waves calmed you, and her sight hurled you into an almost poetic state. You began to hum, the music intertwining with the curls of deep green water. The form of a bird caught your attention, and you watched it catch the cool updrafts of the ocean breeze.

While you stood there, distractedly humming, something else was watching you. Someone.

Pale arms hugged a black rock protruding out of the water as the dark-haired figure watched your form, skirt fluttering in the breeze. He sighed, watching you, your gentle voice carrying over the water into his pointed awaiting ears. Tamaki Amajiki had a morning routine of his own, and that was watching you follow yours. Every day he would show up early to wait for you by the rocks, watching your angelic form as you gazed out wistfully at the sea.

Tamaki had decided that what he was doing was not spying, or at least, he detested thinking of it as such. He just . . . enjoyed watching you. He had no ill intentions behind it. He simply found you to be the most wonderful and interesting thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

There was only one problem. Well, maybe two.

One. He was shy. Even amongst peers that he didn't idolize as much as he did you, he often found himself struggling to speak. He had no idea how to approach you. What if you didn't like him back? What if you weren't interested in being friends? What if you thought the two of you were too different?

His second problem: he was a merman. You were a human. How could that even work out? The existence of his kind was one of the most closely guarded secrets of the ocean. He wasn't even supposed to be this close to shore.

Tamaki had always had a fascination with humans. He knew his part of the empire was close to a human settlement, but it had taken him up until a few months ago to work up the courage to go take a glimpse of the island's shore for himself. That was when he had spotted you, and upon cautiously swimming closer, heard your voice.

Ever since, he'd come back every day, just to see you, to hear you. He longed to speak to you, to learn more about you and your kind, but he simply wasn't ready yet.

He watched your chest rise and fall as you heaved in a final sigh of sea air. Tamaki pushed himself further down into the crashing waves and longingly watched you turn and go. What he would give to be able to follow you where he could not.

Once you were gone, he never lingered. As the sight of your (H/L) (H/C) hair disappeared over the crest of the hill, he would depart, not wanting to be spotted by another member of your species. With a few flicks of his powerful deep indigo-black tail, he was once again under the waves, alone in the comforting cold wetness. He sped through the water, making his way home.

Just as he saw the soft glow of the little town he'd grown up in, he was jolted to the side, being grabbed by a pair of strong arms. Tamaki made a little squeaking noise in his throat in surprise, squeezing his eyes shut.

Bubbles tickled his cheeks as they marched across his face, desperate to reach the surface. He opened his eyes again to be met with clear blue ones, still crinkled in the aftermaths of laughter.

"Got you!" Tamaki's best friend, Mirio, signed to him.

Tamaki rolled his eyes, relaxing his shoulders slightly. He had thought he had been discovered by one of the town leaders. He tried to make his visits to the surface as discreet as possible, but someone had to question his routine absence each morning eventually.

"I guess you did," Tamaki signed back.

The merpeople communicated in a combination of sign language and high pitched squeaks and clicks, much like dolphins. While their voice boxes had difficulties speaking like we humans do, they could manipulate them to create an eerie, haunting music, just as the ancient legends of sailors described.

"Where were you?" Mirio asked, his face changing from bright and humorous to nigh concerned.

Tamaki faltered slightly, trying to think of how to answer. "Just looking for shells for my collection," he lied.

Mirio looked down at his empty arms. "Didn't find any?"

"Nope."

He looked into Tamaki's face again, suspicion settling over his features. The two had been friends since they were very young, and Mirio had learned Tamaki's ways better than even his own parents.

"Do you want help finding some?" he asked, wiping the expression off his face and changing it to a more cheerful one. He'd let it slide, just this once.

"No, thank you," Tamaki responded. "I think I'll just head home."

"Okay." The blond merman watched his friend swim off. Something wasn't right, and he knew it was up to him to find out what it was that his friend was up to.

✤✤✤✤✤

The next morning, Mirio went straight to Tamaki's house. The blond was used to waking up early, but he usually spent his mornings with himself; working out or some other such self-improvement he allowed himself to indulge in in order to make himself the strong, cheery merperson he was. Today, however, he decided to check up on his friend.

Sure enough, just as he was approaching the mound of stones and sea mud that was the home of his best friend, Mirio saw the retreating dark purplish-blue tail of Tamaki. He subtly began to follow him, keeping a distance just enough so he would still be able to see the flashing of his friend's tail ahead of him. After about ten minutes, Mirio began to suspect where they were going.

Isn't that island in this direction? What are you doing over here, Tamaki? he wondered to himself.

Another fifteen minutes or so later, the water became more shallow and littered with black rocks. Mirio sped up, occasionally utilizing the new terrain to hide from his unsuspecting friend. Now that they were so far away, Tamaki had completely stopped checking behind him, and Mirio watched as he hoisted his waist out of the water, pulling himself up above the crashing waves.

Mirio stared at him, confused for a few minutes as his friend propped himself against the rock, clearly watching for something. He suddenly noticed him stiffen, now clearly more alert. It appeared as though whatever he had been waiting for had arrived. But what was it?

Mirio couldn't take it anymore. He swam the few lengths of distance that he had kept between them and popped his own head out of the water beside Tamaki.

His black-haired friend jumped at his sudden appearance.

"What are you doing?" Mirio signed.

Tamaki fearfully glanced toward shore before tackling Mirio, pushing him back underwater.

"What are you doing?" Tamaki frantically signed back.

"I wanted to know what you were doing."

Tamaki glanced up towards the surface, unsure of what to do.

"What's on the beach?" Mirio asked. "That's what you were looking at, right?"

Tamaki suddenly felt his cheeks begin to warm, color flooding his pale skin. "There's a human over there," he finally signed, deciding to tell his best friend everything.

Mirio stiffened, now uneasy. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"You know how dangerous they are, right? They're stupid but they'll kill you if you get too close. It hasn't seen you, has it?"

"No no." Tamaki shook his head, an uncomfortable feeling of annoyance settling in his chest. "I just stay over here and watch. Besides, I don't think she'd hurt anything."

"She?" Mirio asked, incredulous.

"Do you want to see for yourself?" Tamaki asked. "She should still be there."

Mirio narrowed his eyes warily.

"She hasn't noticed me yet," Tamaki went on, trying to soothe his friend. "I've been coming here for a while now. If you just make sure you're behind one of these rocks, it's like you're invisible."

Mirio slowly flared his gills in the merperson version of a sigh. Of course Tamaki would figure out how to be invisible.

Tamaki turned and hoisted himself out of the water again and Mirio did the same, pulling himself against a bigger rock a length away from his friend. He spotted you immediately, the light fabrics of your clothing contrasting the black sand beach. The two mermen watched as you gazed up at the sky, studying the white puffy shapes of the clouds above, being quickly blown about by the wind.

Mirio had only been to the surface a few times, and each occasion he was startled by how different the air was from the water, yet somehow almost the same. He knew that wind was the same as currents, birds an equivalent to fish, but clouds always amazed him. He liked their shapes and colors, each one decorating the atmosphere in its own unique way.

He found himself looking up too, and soon he spotted a cloud whose shape reminded him of a conch shell. He looked to Tamaki, prepared to point it out when he saw the expression on his friend's face.

He had never seen such a look of soft love swimming in his dark eyes. A small wistful smile had spread across his lips, and a light shade of pink dusted over his cheeks.

Beginning to catch on, Mirio looked from him to you and then back to his friend. He liked you, that much was blatantly clear. A grin of his own rose to Mirio's features, his sharp teeth flashing in the morning sun. He leaned over to Tamaki and nudged him, giving him a knowing look.

"You like her." Mirio signed, stating the obvious.

Tamaki blushed further, shrugging.

Mirio opened his mouth to click something, but Tamaki halted him by shoving a finger over his lips.

"Wait," he signed, pointing back to you.

As if on cue, music began to float over the water, carried by the breeze. They were lucky that the wind blew so, although it was still a bit of a strain to hear your voice.

Tamaki melted back against the rock, closing his eyes to fully take in the sound of your aubade.

Mirio watched him pityingly. His friend was hopelessly in love with a human; the most dangerous species on the planet. How had Tamaki, the cautious, sweet, shy boy he was, taken such an interest into something like a human?

It was no secret that the vast majority of the mer population had at minimum a mild interest in humans. There was an odd kinship in the blatant similarities between them, so there was an undoubtable draw to their kind. Merpeople also knew, however, of the dangers humans held. Ships, plastics, fishing nets, things called labs and circuses; each one posed its own horror story against the species, driving merpeople further away from the shores.

"I wish I could talk to her," Tamaki said, his fingers softly forming meaning with their nimble gestures. He finally turned to Mirio. "You haven't seen what I have. She's kind and smart and pretty. Maybe some humans are no good, but I'm sure she is."

Mirio pushed his lips to the side, torn and thinking. "Why don't you just go up to her, then?"

Tamaki almost fell back underwater. "I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Well, first of all, I can't even speak Human."

Mirio glanced over at you, then back to Tamaki. "If she's so smart, she should be able to figure out something."

Tamaki slumped. "Yeah . . . ."

"So just go then! Say hi!"

Tamaki looked back at Mirio, horrified. "But that's so against the rules! Besides, weren't you saying how awful humans are a minute ago? What made you change your mind?"

"How you look at her," Mirio stated simply, causing Tamaki to blush all over again. "Just kill a fish or something and swim up and present it to her. How different can she be from the mermaids back home?"

Tamaki had never really flirted with any girls, primarily keeping to himself and hanging around Mirio. It was completely foreign territory to him, and the fact that you were a human only made it worse.

"She wouldn't even like me—"

"Nonsense!" Mirio countered, now beginning to grow frustrated with his friend. He knew Tamaki struggled with anxiety, but sometimes he simply couldn't understand why his friend couldn't just go out and take what he wanted.

The boys noticed that the music had stopped. They turned back to shore, watching as you stood and brushed yourself off. You left the beach, taking one final look at the waves before disappearing onto land.

Mirio slumped back in the water. "Now she's gone. You said she comes here every day?"

Tamaki hesitantly answered. "Yes."

"Well, come back tomorrow and confess your love!"

"I don't love—" Tamaki faltered, realization flooding his being. He did love you. Or, at least, he admired you. He wanted to get to know you enough to eventually love you. "How do I even have a chance?" he clicked sadly. "We're so different—"

Mirio put a hand on Tamaki's shoulder. "Love finds a way," he said. "I'm going to help you."

"You will?"

"Of course. What are best friends for?"

Tamaki allowed himself a small smile. "Thanks, Mirio."

Mirio gave his back a firm pat. "No problem. Now come on, let's go home and plan."

Apprehension welled in Tamaki's chest. What had he gotten himself into?

...

The two had found themselves at the library, digging through scrolls to find as much information as they could on the landwalkers. Most of it was fiction and unhelpful; children's stories warning against getting too close to boats and land.

They found a few history texts about human alliances with the merpeople, most of them occurring thousands of years ago.

"What happened?" Tamaki quietly clicked, running his fingers over artwork of the deity Poseidon.

Mirio shrugged, glancing at it over his shoulder. He picked up another scroll, this one newer. He unrolled it to find a little leaf of seaweed paper, text scrawled on its surface.

"Tamaki, look at this." Mirio nudged his friend, gesturing towards his discovery.

The Sea Witch, Tamaki read. Ancient artifacts to make your dreams come true!

"Want to give her a try?" Mirio asked. "She only lives a few leagues away."

"That's still a lot of swimming," Tamaki said, his fingers hesitant.

"It's for love," Mirio countered, waggling his eyebrows.

Tamaki bit his lip. "Okay. I guess it's worth a try."

Mirio pumped his fist in the water. "We're going on an adventure!"

...

To be continued . . . .

[Part Two]

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

Taglist: @inumorph @engel-hageshii @basicaegyo @iiminibattlehero @pyrofanatic @sokkasangel @xoxopam4 @kingtamakimurder

#tamaki #amajiki #tamaki amajiki #mermaki #tamaki bnha #tamaki amajiki bnha #tamaki mha #tamaki amajiki mha #tamaki x reader #tamaki amajiki x reader #bnha x reader #mha x reader #reader insert #deepbluefantasy #sugar fics

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horrorlove14 · 10 months

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Merman! Mirio Togata as your Boyfriend Headcanon - My Hero Academia

Pairing: Merman! Mirio Togata x Human! Reader

Feel free to read The Merman and His Human as you wish 🤞 ❤️

Mirio loves it whenever you bring him stuff such as small mirrors, cups or trinkets, etc, you had in your home for him to look at as gifts

In return, he brings you his handmade jewellery such as bracelets and necklaces he created by using various seashells and coral where you would proudly wear 24/7, making him very happy.

When you do take a swim, he would make sure that you stay close to him in case if you get caught up by a wave current since mother nature can be unpredictable at the time.

He loves seeing you in your swimsuit because he gets to gawk at you when swimming or sunbathing at the beach like a lovesick puppy.

He loves to lay his head on your lap because he finds it comforting, and you get to run your fingers through his hair, which makes him pur as if he's like a cat.

You eventually introduce your best friends to him, and he does the same with his best friends. It went smoothly , and they ended up having a crush on each other.

When it's just you and Mirio alone, he loves to embrace you and leaves a lot of wet kisses all over your face and body because he misses you whenever you're not around to visit him.

You do show him stuff from your phone such as videos, games, and photos to help him learn about the human world and what they're capable of.

Not to worry, your phone is protected by an airtight waterproof case so Mirio doesn't have to worry about damaging it by accident.

He often asks you to sketch him, and you agree so he can admire you while he models for you in any pose he does.

You also feed him snacks and food from your bento box as he's curious about human food and often asks you to cook up something whatever he's craving for since he finds your cooking delicious.

----------------------------------------------------

Likes and reblogs are very much appreciated.

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horrorlove14 · 2 years

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Master list for my fanfiction works 01

I'm open for requests for any fandom you desire. Just send in an ask and you shall receive. I'll try my best to fulfil it to your satisfaction.

Second masterlist

The Sandman

His Shy Bookworm series (Morpheus/ Dream x shy! reader)

Part 01

Part 02 (coming soon)

The King of Dreams and His Energetic Adventuress (Morpheus/ Dream x Female! Pumpkinhead! Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham

Your Beauty Never Ever Scared Me (Edward Nygma/ Riddler x Female Vampire! Reader)

You've Got A Smile That Can Light Up This Whole Town (Bruce Wayne x Female! Reader)

The Red String of Fate (Jonathan Crane/ Scarecrow x Female! Reader)

The Cat's Out of The Bag - Jonathan Crane/ Scarecrow x Female! Reader

Relationship Headcanon of Jonathan Crane/ Scarecrow with a Scaredy cat! Reader

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Demon Slayer

Reunited Muse series (Yushiro x Tamayo reincarnated! Reader) (coming soon)

The Dream Demon's Childhood Sweetheart (Enmu x Female! reader)

Sweet as Caramel ( x reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resident Evil Franchise

Hey Nurse, Be Gentle With Me (Leon S. Kennedy x Nurse! Reader)

Let Me Take Care of You, Alright (William Birkin x Female Assistant! Reader)

Safe Haven (Leon S. Kennedy x Wife! Reader)

William Birkin x GN! Reader request

The Silent Research Assistant (Yandere! Albert Wesker x Female! Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Valorant

For this fandom, I'll be a writing an anthology where the stories are set at the same time as each other.

I'm Forever Yours, My Love (Chamber/ Vincent Fabron x Female Doctor! Reader)

Being Forever Thankful (Husband! Chamber/ Vincent Fabron x Doctor Wife! Reader)

Reuniting With My Old Flame From Mother Russia (Sova x Female Ex-lover! Reader)

Ramen Bar Nights (Yoru x Female! Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lies of P

The Puppet's Songbird (Pinocchio x Female Singer! Reader)

Sequel to The Puppet's Songbird: Finally Human (Pinocchio x Female Lover! Reader)

It's A Fine Day (Human! Pinocchio x Wife! Reader)

Fluff one-shot request

Heartfelt Flowers and Books series (Pinocchio x Violet (OC))

Character Profiles and Moodboards

Couple and Story Moodboards

Relationship Headcanon

Marriage Headcanon

Halloween Special 🎃👻

Chapter 1: First Meeting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tokyo Revengers

His Pretty Tattooed Doll (Timeskip! Hanma Shuji x Himura Natsu (OC))

A New Addition To The Family (Timeskip! Hanma Shuji x Wife! Himura Natsu (OC))

Paralyzed (Sanzu Haruchiyo song fic)

Happy Blissful Life (Timeskip! Hanemiya Kazutora x Pregnant Wife! Reader)

She Changes The Weather (Timeskip! Kokonoi Haijime x Wife! Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Umbrella Academy

Old Scars and A Bandaged Heart (Five Hargreeves × Female Doctor! Blood Healer! Reader)

Old Scars and A Healed Heart (Five Hargreeves × Female Doctor! Blood Healer! SO Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Final Fantasy Franchise

Arranged Royal Love - Final Fantasy XVI

The Royal and His Street Performer - Final Fantasy XVI

His Mermaid Maiden - Final Fantasy XVI

Clive Rosefield short fic request

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One Piece

His Forever Home (Trafalgar D. Water Law x Pregnant Wife! Reader)

Another Bun In The Oven (Trafalgar D. Water Law x Pregnant Wife! Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dead by Daylight

The Trickster and His Assassin Darling (Ji-woon Hak/ Trickster x Female Assassin Killer! Reader)

Thanks, Killer ♡ (Ghostface/ Danny Johnson x Killer! Artist! Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miscellaneous

Star Walkin' - Cyberpunk Edgerunners

Street Angel In The Rough - Peaky Blinders

Relationship Headcanon with Vash - Trigun (1998 & 2023)

Relationship Headcanon with Knives- Trigun (1998 & 2023)

Paper Rings and Wedding Bells - Haikyuu

The Merman and His Human - My Hero Academia

Merman! Mirio Togata as your Boyfriend Headcanon - My Hero Academia

-----------------------------------

The masterlist will be updated once I've written something down.

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sugarmaplewings-fics · 4 years

Text

Deep Blue Fantasy Part Seven

Pairing: Merman!Tamaki Amajiki x fem!reader

Warnings: None, maybe a vague sexual reference

Author’s Note:

Whoo! It's Sugar; back to bring you the conclusion to the Mermaki saga. So it's finally over! I'm a little sad to see it go, but I'm glad to have my vision complete. I think I worked on this for ~3 months.

Anyway, not to bore you before we get to the story, I just wanted to give a huge thank you for all the support! Even if you don't leave comments or even a like, I want to thank you for reading. I don't publish these for the notes or comments. I do this simply because I want to get my writing out to the world for people to hopefully enjoy. If you liked reading my stories, even if you don't say anything, I'm happy to think I made you smile with something I've written. It's still nice to know for sure, but no pressure.

Thanks again for reading, I couldn't do it without you guys.

Love,

-Sugar

✤✤✤✤✤

{Pt. 1} {Pt. 2} {Pt. 3} {Pt. 4} {Pt. 5} {Pt. 6} {Pt. 7}

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

The membranous lids over Tamaki's eyes slid to the side, only to be met with more darkness. It was then that he remembered. He was alone, at the bottom of the ocean.

Tamaki straightened, now unused to the drag of the water slightly hindering his movements. His tail curled up, and he studied the overlapping scales that adorned it, looking pitch black in the dim depths of where he had lain. He must have fallen asleep after he'd fled from you. Tamaki looked up towards the surface, wondering how much time had passed since. It looked considerably brighter up there, so he'd probably slept the full night. Great.

The fins on his tail waved a little in the mini currents swirling around him. He watched a little crab wander over the grey sand before burying itself beneath the fine grains. Now that Tamaki was settled down, he realized how dumb his actions the previous night had been. Seriously? Running away? What good did that do for him?

You were royalty . . . . Interesting. He really should have seen it coming, what with all the blatantly obvious signs there were. Maybe he had been trying to lie to himself. Maybe he had suspected all along, but just wanted to play to the fantasy that you were still, somehow, not too far out of his league.

But a princess? That had been too much. And yet . . . Tamaki found that you never talked down to him. You never treated him different. You must have known he was a commoner, and yet you hadn't been put off by it. Maybe you were only interested because he was a merman? But you hadn't even known it that first day, and your kindness hadn't changed since.

Tamaki laid himself back down, sand softly shifting under his ruined white human shirt. He hid his face in his hands again, replaying the events of last night over in his mind. What had he done? You were so close to him, and the dance you'd had was nothing short of magical. The connection he'd felt between you . . . he couldn't have just imagined it.

The merman gingerly lifted a hand, letting his fingertips ghost over his chest where your hands had been placed mere hours before. He pushed into himself a little harder, trying to imagine it was you, mind beginning to race with ideas of how it all could have gone differently.

Tamaki's fingers froze. His chest was smooth. Too smooth. It was only then that he remembered what had made him human in the first place, followed by what he'd done with it.

The necklace!

In a moment of denial, Tamaki began patting himself around his neck, ripping his shirt over his head in a desperate attempt at finding the valuable object he was borrowing. But he knew it was gone. He distinctly remembered throwing it behind him as he ran into the sea.

He laid himself back down in the sand again, right next to his old shirt.

Stupid stupid stupid stupid—

Tamaki let out a high pitched keen into the water around him, trying to vent his frustration towards himself. Not only had he destroyed his chances with you, he'd also broken his promise to that Nejire mermaid.

It was over. He'd yee'd his last haw. There was no more hope for him. He'd have to go to live off in the corners of the ocean, holed up like some kind of hermit crab where no one he'd ever known would find him again. This was it. It was time to go run—no, swim—away again.

Tamaki didn't move. He allowed himself to lie down and sulk for another good, long time before finally hauling himself up. He needed help, that much was clear. Maybe Mirio would lift his spirits enough for him to snap out of this. Besides, his best friend had a lot of good ideas and always seemed to know what to say to Tamaki.

He flicked his tail, letting himself rise up a bit in the water before sluggishly making his way in the direction of his old home.

Tamaki soon came upon the merpeople village, the familiar outline of homes jutting from the sandy sea floor. He swam through them, trying to keep a low profile in case someone decided to question his disappearance for the past week. Granted, not letting anyone see him for extended amounts of time was nothing new for Tamaki, but now that he was guilty, it was hard to brush the fact aside.

He couldn't help but feel like an outsider among the buildings. Tamaki had never been all that social, so he didn't have the most ties to the town he'd grown up in. Really it had always just been him and Mirio, but now that he'd experienced you, he felt as though there was no going back to his old ways.

I may still have to, Tamaki glumly thought before finally reaching the large entry hole in the side of Mirio's home. He sent a ping inside, letting it bounce around the sandy mud walls. A dark form moved in the shadows, quickly telling Tamaki that Mirio was, in fact, home.

"Tamaki?" Mirio asked, running a hand over his face like he'd just woke up. "What are you doing here?" The blond finally registered the panicked expression on his friend's face, and ushered him inside. "What happened?" Mirio signed, floating back to activate a luminous lamp so it would be easier to converse. "Why are you a merman again?"

Tamaki crumbled a little, hunching in on himself. "I messed up."

Mirio's brow ridge pushed together, trying to make sense of what might have happened. "Did she reject you?" he guessed, trying to get his friend talking.

Tamaki shook his head. "No. It's almost like . . . I rejected her . . . ?"

"What?"

"She—Apparently—I didn't know—" Tamaki's tail wouldn't stop twitching, his fins waving in invisible currents. "She told me she's royalty," he finally motioned out.

Mirio blinked. "Humans do that? With monarchies?"

"Yes." Tamaki nearly growled in frustration at his predicament. "Except she doesn't have an empire or anything, she's what's called a princess. And her dad is rich and important and he like, owns the islands around here and I had no idea this entire time until last night and—"

"Tamaki." Mirio put a hand on his shoulder. "Breathe."

Tamaki paused, allowing himself to pull extra water through his gills. The sensation helped him calm down for a second, but then he began to fret again. "She—she was teaching me how to dance like a human, you know, with my legs and stuff, a-and we almost kissed but then I just had to ask her what a princess was and she looked upset and I ruined everything and I looked like an idiot—"

"Tamaki."

The merman in question froze again, slowly dropping his hands.

"It was an honest mistake," Mirio assured him. "Did she say anything about it?"

"No," Tamaki admitted. "But I ran away before she really could. There was something in her face . . . . She just looked so sad."

"Hmm." Mirio tapped a finger to his chin, thinking. "Have you told her you like her yet?" he finally asked.

"Not really, no." It was then that Tamaki's brain decided to give him flashbacks of the sponge incident, making him subtly shudder.

"Well . . . do you think she might like you back?" Mirio prodded.

Tamaki's first instinct was to say no, to keep his hopes from getting too high by denying any possible indication that you might think about him in that way. And yet, all the time you spent together, coupled with how close you had grown within the short time you'd known each other, and there was the moment you'd held yourself so close to him after you danced, mere moments before he ruined everything. If only he'd kissed you then . . . .

"Maybe," Tamaki hesitantly signed.

"And you know you like her, right?"

"Of course."

Mirio triumphantly lifted himself a little higher in the water. "There you go. Now all you have to do is tell her how you feel. Simple as that. She can only either reject or accept you. If she says no, then you can come back home with me and never see her again and we can pretend this never happened. If she likes you back, then yay! You have a girlfriend."

Tamaki was almost indignant towards how simply Mirio put it. Why did he have to make so much sense? But he had to admit he was right. Tamaki should just go back to you and apologize, maybe propose courtship while he was at it to get everything over with. Except one thing was stopping him . . . .

"So, uh, there's one more problem," Tamaki said.

"Oh?"

"You know the necklace I used to turn myself into a human?"

Mirio's eyes darted to Tamaki's chest, finding it bare before looking in his hands, as if he may have been holding it this entire time without him noticing. At the realization he couldn't see it, his gills flared a bit. "Tamaki? Where is it?"

"That's my problem. I . . . lost it."

"Why would you do that?!" Mirio lightly shook Tamaki's shoulders.

"It wasn't on purpose! I just . . . needed to get it off, and then I threw it somewhere . . . ."

"You threw it somewhere?!" For once, Mirio looked more panicked than his best friend. "But we have to give it back to Nejire! And you need to talk to her—that girl! What's her name again?"

"(Y/N)."

"Exactly! Is there any chance we could find it?"

Tamaki wanted to hope, he wanted to say that there was a chance, but he knew better. The ocean was so vast and violent, even within the past few hours it had to be gone forever. Tamaki should have thought more about the price he would have to pay for such a reckless action.

His slumped shoulders were enough of a hint for Mirio to what he was thinking. Mirio slumped a little too, feeling a bit defeated. "So is that it? Is there no other way for you to contact her?"

Tamaki began to think. You had been doing well with the sign language he'd been teaching you, and that stretch of beach Mirio had showed him where there weren't so many rocks would be a good place to meet up . . . . His mind began to spin, already trying to work something out for you.

"Well?" Mirio asked, wondering what made his friend shift his mood so suddenly.

"There may be something I can do," Tamaki said. After a few more moments of sorting out his thoughts, he began to relay them to Mirio.

"That could work," Mirio ruled.

"I may not be able to get my legs back, but I still have to apologize and tell her how I feel," Tamaki said, newly determined.

Mirio pumped his fist. "Let's go!"

By the time Mirio and Tamaki were ready, the surface had already surpassed its peak brightness. Tamaki vigorously pumped his tail in the direction of your island home, sincerely hoping you didn't hate him after the stunt he'd pulled.

✤✤✤✤✤

You hadn't slept well last night. Worry for your friend had worked its way into your very being, your position flighty and your eyebrows creased.

You didn't know how to feel. You weren't angry with him—well, maybe you were a little mad that he ran off without giving you a chance to talk or even say goodbye. You just wondered why he had gotten so upset. Truth be told, you'd thought he knew what you were talking about when you called yourself a princess. You liked how he treated you . . . just like any other person. He'd thought you were just another human. So that was why.

The realization had struck you the other night. You'd always hated the way people tended to act towards you; treating you either like you were some type of bomb or a piece of glass; dangerous, but fragile. Yet Tamaki had been different. Tamaki treated you like a friend. He was genuine and he was sweet . . . and he was a merman who had little clue as to how your world worked.

Had it all meant nothing? Would he flip that switch inside of him and never be himself around you again? Had that been the last time you'd see his carefree smile? The smile you were starting to fall in love with?

Love? You had more important things to worry about. Like your kingdom. And also the fact that he'd turned tail and ran the moment you said 'royalty'.

Stupid, you thought, though you weren't certain if it was directed at yourself or him. Forget about seeing his true smile again, you may never see him again.

You'd finally walked back to the chateau alone in the dark after deeming Tamaki gone for good. You hadn't even bothered to tell anyone that he was gone. What were they going to do? And it wasn't like now was a great time to reveal to an entire chateau of people that the boy you'd been hanging out with for the past week had actually been a merman this entire time, but now he ran away. Oopsie.

Ever your faithful friend, Brianne still poked her head inside your bedroom, wondering where you'd gone off to. She must have noticed the slump you'd fallen into after walking in on you laying face-down on your plush bed.

"Everything alright, princess?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"Y-yeah." You forced yourself to sit up in the bed, already in your night dress.

"Where's that boy?" she asked you. "I haven't seen either of you for the past hour."

You bit your lip, trying to decide whether or not you should lie. "He's in his room," you finally said, internally cringing at yourself for choosing untruth. "He doesn't like crowds much, so he went to bed early. I think I will too." You staged a yawn.

"Sounds like him," Brianne remarked. "He's stayed here all week and I don't think I've heard his voice. Oh, well. I hope he'll be up for the dance tomorrow night. I think he'd like it. Have a good rest, princess."

"Thank you. You as well."

She left and shut the door behind her, leaving you alone in your room with your thoughts. A week ago, you had been used to being alone, simply anticipating the return of your father from his important business in other lands. But now you had grown used to a very particular presence, and his absence was already beginning to settle very heavily on your heart.

One difficult night later, you found yourself in the company of your father, trying to keep all conversations away from the mysterious visitor you'd been harboring in the chateau. You'd missed your father, the king, and you still listened to every story he told you of his most recent travels. But at every pause, every distraction, your mind began to slip. It danced to lands of indigo-black hair, and infinite eyes of sapphire and cobalt, of a timid, gentle voice.

Tush! You'd let yourself catch feelings. What could be a more foolish move than that? You tried to subtly grind your teeth as your father began to talk about some lord of Ospal and their herring trade. Of all the people across all the seas, it had to be the one you couldn't have. The merman who fled. The merman who was probably only interested in you because you were a human.

Obscenities that had no business floating around the head of a princess angrily danced around in your mind, only interrupted from their chaotic boogie when your dad asked if you were okay. You glanced up from the desk you'd been boring holes into with your eyes, guiltily trying to wipe the blatantly aggravated expression off your face for a more pensive one.

You were dismissed after a long lunch with the king, retreating to your study to pour over your books. Maybe that would take your mind off the boy who'd made off with your heart. Or at least, that was what you'd hoped until you glanced out your window when a flash of movement caught your eye.

This window happened to have a lovely view of your beach, sprawling out below a large black cliff face abruptly cutting downward to dark ebony sand. Your gaze had grown used to the constant motions of the sea; black brackish waters undertoned with green and crested with white foam, infinitely pushing forward and rolling back on the shore. But what your peripheral vision wasn't accustomed to was a sudden flash of shiny brilliance lifting and falling from the waves beyond the rocks.

Your eyes darted up, uncertain if they'd seen right, and if they had, what it was they'd detected. But there it was again, and another. Two unmistakable scaly tails were poking out from the water. One was a sort of light blue green, while the other was more of an indigo black, reminding you of a certain someone's hair. You had only seen the likes of these tails in drawings; art typically accompanying a fantastical story, but there they were, basking in the steadily lowering sun right outside your window.

You shot yourself up, letting your chair screech as it abruptly slid out from behind you. Clutching your thin skirt in one hand, you began to run through the halls, flying past people in other rooms as you went. You flung the back door open, slippered feet pounding on the lush grass leading down to your favorite part of the island. They finally met the sand, your chest heaving as you focused your gaze on the two figures sliding above and under the surface.

"Tamaki?!" you called, hoping he would be able to hear you.

Sure enough, a familiar head poked up, waving to you urgently and pointing to your right. You frowned, confused as to what he was trying to say before he made a show of swimming in that direction.

So he wanted you to follow. That was something you could do.

You began to pick your way down the shore, trodding through overgrown tan grass and weaving through rocks deposited and littered throughout your path. After a few minutes of constant checking that the other was there, you found yourself on a new expanse of beach; this one still as violent as the last, but certainly more devoid of the large black rocks jutting from the frigid waves. It was then that Tamaki finally began to swim towards you rather than parallel, coming as close as he dared to the sandy beach.

You kicked off your shoes and stood at the edge of the water, wincing at each lap the cold water took at your bare feet. Don't go into the ocean had been drilled into your head so thoroughly from such a young age, that even going this far tensed your muscles to run at any moment.

You frowned at how far Tamaki had to float, bobbing up and down meters away from you. Hesitantly, you took another step, letting the water rush over your ankles and fleck onto your calves.

No closer, you saw him sign, fighting to keep himself in position and his hands visible at the same time. Not safe.

Your face ticked. You knew that.

"What happened?" you called out over the sea, hoping you'd still be able to understand each other. "You just left me, Tamaki. Why?"

Hurt flashed on his face after a moment of processing your words. I'm sorry! he signed. I got scared.

"Why are you all the way over there?" you asked. "What happened to your legs? The necklace?"

Tamaki winced again. You really seemed to be hitting the worst points right on the head. I, um, lost it.

"It's gone?!" you asked, incredulous. The volume you needed to be heard over the sound of the waves wasn't helping with your tone.

Look, Tamaki signed. I have something I need to tell you. I messed up and I was being stupid last night, and I'm really really sorry for overreacting—

He jerked a bit in the water, jolting him out of the rant he had begun to go on with his hands. He glared down into the water, and it was only then that you wondered what had happened to the second tail.

"Is that what you wanted to say?" you said, making him look up at you again. "If you need to go back home—I-I understand. You were a really great friend, Tamaki. I really liked you."

Tamaki shook his head, frantically waving his hands at you to stop. That wasn't it! I just, um, well, this isn't a goodbye. I wanted you to know—I've been thinking about it for a long time—I—I'm in love with you!

You blinked. Had you interpreted that correctly? He had just used a lot of signs you weren't familiar with. "What?!"

A little cloth bag was suddenly launched out of the water, splashing next to you and drenching a side of your skirt. You bent down to pick it up, watching as Tamaki's hands moved to scold his friend.

Mirio! She doesn't like it when you throw things at her!

You pulled at a drawstring that was keeping it closed. Inside was an assortment of shells, some of which the likes you'd never seen before.

"Are these for me?" you asked, clutching the dripping bag.

Tamaki nodded. If you'll accept them. Do you, by any chance, like me back?

You squinted at his hands. "I'm having a hard time understanding you," you said. "You've only been teaching me this for a week."

Tamaki stopped short, letting his hands fall back into the water. A sense of hopelessness began to wash over him. He didn't know how much you were able to understand. The distance between you frustrated him, and at that moment he would have given anything to be back in last night, with you pulled flush into his chest. If only, if only.

He punched his fist into the water, the resulting splash flecking him with a familiar wetness. So this was it. He had been so close, but you'd never know his true feelings. He may as well take his losses and turn to go now.

"Will I ever see you again?" you called, the expression on your face only describable as deeply sad.

He wanted to say yes. He wanted to say he'd always find a way to be with you. And yet, it couldn't be. You were from two very different worlds, and even now you were struggling to talk to each other. It would be best if he took the cold approach, steeling himself to never appear on your beaches again.

Tamaki was about to shake his head, sealing his answer when he noticed the grass on the shore part for a familiar figure.

"Gabriel!" you said, startling at his sudden presence. "Where did—how long have you—?"

"Princess, get out of the water."

You heeded his calm but firm voice, glancing back at Tamaki's head before gratefully stepping out of the cold sea that had been encasing your feet.

The burly man stood next to you, crossing his arms as he studied Tamaki from afar. "A merman," he stated. "So the legends are true."

You swallowed. "Please don't tell anyone. It's supposed to be a secret."

Gabriel nodded and held out a hand. "Don't worry about it, princess. Now what's going on between you?"

Tamaki had dared to drift a little closer, ears straining to catch words he faintly remembered the meanings of.

"He's leaving now," you said, casting your eyes to the sand. "I guess this is it."

Gabriel made eye contact with Tamaki. "You sure that's what you want to do? Because I have something that might change your mind."

You blinked, confused, looking up to see Gabriel fishing something out of a pocket on the front of his burgundy shirt. A thin cord was raised from the material, followed by a curious shell securely tied to the center.

"I found this little trinket washed up on the beach this morning. I knew it looked familiar."

Tamaki caught sight of the necklace, eagerly swimming forward.

"It's yours, isn't it? It was the only thing you were wearing when you washed ashore. I believe it belongs with you."

Tamaki finally gave into the waves pushing him to shore, surging towards you and Gabriel. This was his chance, the necklace wasn't lost after all! He could tell you how he felt and you could be together!

You watched as his form took greater detail with proximity. A long fishy tail more than half the length of his human torso powerfully pumped itself through the water. Iridescent indigo scales caught the light, ever changing between black and blue. Lighter, thin blue fins flared around the tail and from behind his ears. You couldn't help but think about how absolutely beautiful he was like this, in his original form.

It was then that it really registered for you that Tamaki was a merman. You'd believed him, and the stories of his undersea home only helped you to imagine him in this way, but it wasn't until you were actually able to see him like this that it clicked for you how smitten you had grown for this mythical creature, who existed, and was your new best friend.

He pulled himself onto the sand, dragging a once graceful tail heavily onto the beach. Gabriel placed the necklace into his outstretched webbed hand, and Tamaki went to lift it over his head.

"Wait!" Gabriel said suddenly.

Tamaki froze, looking to Gabriel uncertainly.

"That thing doesn't give you any pants!" he said, causing you to burst out laughing. "You can't be like that in front of the princess!"

Tamaki sheepishly lowered the cord. He had a point.

"Wait here, I'll go find you some." Your friend turned to sprint off, leaving the two of you alone together.

"Tamaki!" You knelt down and threw your arms around him, disregarding how cold and wet his skin was. "I was starting to think I was never going to see you again!"

He patted your back with shaky hands, having gone rigid at your sudden touch.

You pushed yourself back. "Look at you! You're an actual merman! That's crazy! Can I see your tail?"

Tamaki shuffled himself a bit, pulling it most of the rest of the way out of the water. He sincerely hoped that Gabriel would be back soon, otherwise he'd be in a bit of a predicament. His gills would stay moist for only so long.

You admired his scales, glistening with seawater in the afternoon sun. "Pretty," you murmured to yourself, eyes unashamedly scanning up and down his body. You studied the various fins and scales on his tail, marveling at how seamlessly he went from man to fish at the base of his torso.

Tamaki's first instinct was to hunch in on himself and be a touch embarrassed, but he couldn't help a sense of flattery at how your eyes scooped him in with such fascinated wonder. Remembering how the mermen back home would show off, he shifted so he could stretch out his tail a bit more, trying to gently flutter his caudal fins. The effect wasn't the same as it would have been underwater, but luckily he didn't look too much like a floppy dying fish.

"Can I touch it?" you asked, making Tamaki jump and go back to hunching in his shoulders. Typically, tail touches didn't occur among simple acquaintances; usually gentle affectionate rubs among close friends, and tender handsy touches during . . . those times. Thinking about it made Tamaki's entire face turn red, even as your face remained innocently curious.

He shakily nodded. What could it hurt? You gingerly brought your fingertips down onto his scales, finding them moist and cool and smooth. He was still a bit slippery, though you could tell he was beginning to suffer from the exposure to the dry air. The sensation of your fingers on his tail was foreign to Tamaki, and he found himself not wanting you to stop. You were so gentle, so tender, little jolts of electricity found themselves running all the way up to his spine.

A sudden whistle cut through the air, making both you and Tamaki jump. The merman turned, recognizing the pitch. A blond head had poked from the waves a few meters away, bobbing up and down as close as he dared.

Holy hagfish! he signed. You two work fast. On the beach, you're going to start that?!

Tamaki tensed, honestly having forgotten that Mirio was still there. How long had he been watching you?

You weren't quite certain as to what the blond was saying, but the way Tamaki's soul left his body and, if it were possible, his face turned even more brick red told you enough that you should probably stop touching him.

As if on cue, Gabriel saved you both by running back in with a pair of trousers. "For our guest," he said as he presented them to Tamaki.

You turned as he finally slipped the necklace over his head. The pain of transforming was over far faster than it had the first time, and within seconds he was standing and pulling the brown cloth onto himself.

"(Y/N)."

You turned back to him, seeing Tamaki standing before you again as a human. "Tamaki!" You pulled him into a second hug, letting his damp hair tickle against your cheek. Finally, he hugged you back, and the sensation was so warm and so fulfilling you never wanted it to end.

As always, the moment was ruined by your audience.

Two sets of hands clapped, one from the land, and one from the sea. You cracked open your eyes to look at Mirio, who motioned a sign which you didn't know the meaning of.

You pulled yourself from Tamaki. "Can I still understand you?" you asked.

"I hope so," he said, causing you to beam at him.

"So what were you trying to say out there? I couldn't see you that well."

"Oh." Tamaki looked at his bare feet, spotting the brown cloth bag that momentarily laid forgotten on the sand. He turned to glance at Mirio, who gave him a thumbs up, then looked at Gabriel. Tamaki knelt and grabbed the bag of shells, presenting it to you again. "I'm sorry this always ends in disaster for me," he began, letting you take it from him. "I just needed to get something off my chest."

"What is it?" you asked, wondering if he'd done all this just to say he was leaving you.

"Ever since I first saw you on the beach, I-I—I've liked you, (Y/N). And then I went on this crazy adventure to get myself in a position where we could meet and I could get to know you, and all that time, I-I just couldn't help myself. I'm falling in love with you, (Y/N), and I don't care if we're some of the most different people on the planet, I still want to be with you. I'm so sorry about that stunt I pulled last night and I know I messed up. I'm no prince or anything, but—please give me a chance."

Tamaki finally let himself meet your eyes. He hadn't expected to see your touched expression, looking upon his face like he was the sweetest, most caring person in your world.

"Of course, Tamaki. I'd be honored to court you." With that, you flung your arms around his neck and partook in the kiss you'd missed out upon the night before. Tamaki melted into your lips, his slightly salty taste mingling with your sweet.

The kiss didn't last long, but it spoke volumes. You pulled apart, cheeks glowing with rouge warmth as you took a final lingering look into each other's eyes.

Loud splashing made the two of you look back to Mirio, who was giddily celebrating with his own merman cheers. Tamaki smiled at his friend, glad to have had him at his side all this time, leading him to this very moment.

"Now, I have no idea what he just said," Gabriel began, making the two of you turn back to him. "But I'll assume he confessed his feelings, and now Brianne owes me a drink."

You and Tamaki chuckled, settling into a state of complete contentment.

"Now you two lovebirds best be getting back home," Gabriel continued. "The dance starts in an hour, and I suspect neither of you want to be late."

You gasped, having forgotten the welcome party that had been planned for the evening. "Come on!" you said, taking Tamaki's hand in yours. This time, there was an extra warmth behind it, and you took an additional second to twine your fingers around his. With that, you pulled him back along the beach toward home; Gabriel in tow from behind, Mirio still frisking along parallel in the ocean.

Tamaki couldn't wipe the grin off his face if he tried. Three weeks he had. Three weeks to be human, to fall deeper in love with you. It could never be enough time, but once it was up, he wouldn't rest until he found a way to spend the rest of his life with you. He pushed the gnawing worries down deep inside, letting excitement for the night course into his system instead. You and him and the town would dance under the stars, and no matter what, he'd give you the time of your life.

✤✤✤✤✤

Just as he'd expected, his three weeks flew by in a blur. He hid nothing from you, so it was a certain understanding quickly established that one day soon, he would have to go.

Taking the opportunity nevertheless, you spent those weeks well, hanging out in the chateau or wandering around the island. Tamaki never lost his curiosity for your world, and you were eager to show him everything you knew. He started to become familiar with some of the townsfolk, and even met a few sailors at the docks when they came. Tamaki also began to grow closer with your father, explaining after a few days that he was, in fact, a merman, and that, yes, you were dating him.

He seemed open to the idea, especially once he got to know Tamaki better. The king left you alone to bond when needed, and the two of you certainly did. News spread that you had found yourself a boyfriend, and everyone on the island agreed that you were cute together. Brianne was quickly let in on the secret that he was a merman, and she finally began to warm up to Tamaki.

Those three weeks were some of the best of his life; wandering the grassy plains with you and watching the clouds one day, holing up in your study for hours the next. You found excuse after excuse to kiss him, enjoying the way it made his cheeks flare with color. Every now and then though, he'd steal one from you, delighting in how the tables turned to make you flustered as well. Anything from hand holding to hugging fired his heart into a furious beat, savoring every moment he could hold you close as his own.

But all things must come to an end, and his mental tracker finally reached the number 29. You stood with your father, Gabriel, and Brianne on that expanse of open beach, solemnly watching as he waded further into the sea. You had given him a final hug and a kiss, and he whispered a promise into your ear that he would find a way back to you, and this one would be permanent.

Tamaki's body shuddered as waves slapped at his thighs, and he suddenly began to lose his footing. His pants slid off as his legs began to merge once more into a single appendage, familiar indigo scales scattering over his surface. He swam to Mirio, who had been waiting for him, giving a final wave over their shoulders. This was only a temporary goodbye, he would make sure of that.

After readjusting to being a merman for a bit, Mirio and Tamaki made their way south to visit Nejire, ready to return the now useless necklace. One long day of swimming later, they poked their heads into a familiar cave. Had it only been a month since they'd been here last?

Mirio swam straight in, confident as ever. He loudly clicked, calling for the mermaid. She glided out from an area in the back, lighting up at the sight of them.

"Hey, it's you guys!" Nejire pulled the boys into the back room, delightedly listening to Tamaki tell her everything she wanted to know about the human world.

Both she and Mirio fired off questions, nearly overwhelming him at some points. Eventually, they were satisfied, and Tamaki opened his bag to present the necklace back to its rightful owner.

"Sure sounds like you had fun!" Nejire signed, taking the necklace and putting it on a shelf behind her for safekeeping. "I'm definitely going to try it out sometime! I'm not sure if I'll go to that island. Maybe the mainland. Do you think I'd meet someone cute like you did? That would be so tragically romantic. I belong in the sea, though, isn't that right, Amajiki?"

"Actually," he began, "I was wondering if you had another option, something more permanent."

She stared at his stilled hands, then looked back at his face. "So that's what you want to do? Be human forever?"

Tamaki nodded. "I don't think I'll miss the ocean too much. I may not see Mirio every day, but we can still always talk every now and then. (Y/N) said that some of her other islands have calmer beaches that would be better for visiting with him."

Mirio nodded. It had taken him some time, but eventually he had grown to accept the fact that Tamaki preferred to be on land with you.

"You want to be human . . . ." Nejire mused, tapping against her lip for a moment.

"Is it possible? Can I do it?" Tamaki studied her face, allowing himself to hope it could be this simple. He had already accepted it was likely it wouldn't be, and he was more than prepared to journey through the merpeople empires around the world to find someone who could help him. But Nejire was a start, and it never hurt to ask.

Nejire's slightly pointed teeth made an appearance as she began to chew at her lip. "My mother . . . she was the last sea witch before me. She may be able to help you. She retired earlier this year and gave the shop to me, but I can go fetch her for you if you'd like."

Tamaki nodded vigorously and waited as she swam off. An hour later, she came back with a second mermaid in tow. She looked strikingly similar to her daughter, her hair just a few shades lighter. Tamaki assisted in explaining his situation to her, and she agreed to help.

"Normally I wouldn't want to be involved in breaking the laws," she said, "but it's their own fault for not enforcing them. I'll help you, little merman. You seem passionate about this human girl. I'll make you a brew, but just understand you won't be able to come back to the ocean."

"I know." Even if everything fell through with you, which Tamaki was certain it wouldn't, he was deeply intrigued with exploring the land and sea, witnessing the sights the earth had to offer.

"But mother," Nejire said, "don't potions have a tendency to not last long? I mean, once they go through one's system—"

"That's only for the amateurs." Nejire's mother grinned. "I know how to give lasting effects. Come along, there's much to be done!"

✤✤✤✤✤

You gazed out at the sea from your window, thinking about Tamaki. You were prepared to wait weeks—months even for his return, but even so you couldn't help but miss his presence. Your father kept you busy with your duties, yet every chance it got, your mind found itself wandering back to the timid mer-boy.

You hummed to yourself contentedly, glancing back down at your notes. You so happened to be studying some of the Greek legends; illustrations of gods and monsters decorating the margins of the page. You couldn't help but wonder if all of them were true, since you'd now met a merman for yourself.

Eventually you were able to settle back into your work, the distant sound of the ocean occasionally breezing into your ears as your pen scratched at your parchment. The story you were reading was interesting, so much so that you didn't hear your door creak open behind you, nor did you pick up on the footsteps that snuck up from over your shoulder.

A pair of pale, somewhat lanky arms gently wrapped around your shoulders. You jumped and spun, meeting two indigo blue eyes with your own (E/C). Raven hair fell over his nose and a small smile graced his handsome face. The face of the man you adored. The face of the man who would be yours forever.

"Hey, princess," he said. "I'm back."

...

The End.

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

Taglist:

@bnhavibes @engel-hageshii @inumorph @good-so @krissy189 @milkteeboba @pansexual-potterhead @selfship-mishaps @ure-a-sunflower @xeina @kingtamakimurder @basicaegyo @iiminibattlehero @pyrofanatic @sokkasangel @xoxopam4

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sugarmaplewings-fics · 4 years

Text

Deep Blue Fantasy Part Two

Pairing: Merman!Tamaki Amajiki x fem!reader

Warnings: Uhh, there’s some angsty bits at the end I guess. Some drowning but no death

{Pt. 1} {Pt. 2} {Pt. 3} {Pt. 4} {Pt. 5} {Pt. 6} {Pt. 7}

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

After swimming for more than a full day, the two friends arrived at a trench.

"This is where it said she lived," Mirio remarked, glancing down at the flyer in his hands.

"There." Tamaki pointed to a faintly glowing cave on the opposite side.

They swam over to it, halting just at the entrance to peek inside.

A mermaid bustled around, jars clinking together as she held them in her arms before placing them on various shelves. Luminescent purple seaweed grew on the ceiling, throwing the cavern in a warm magenta light. Shelves and tables were scattered haphazardly around, overflowing with objects ranging in size and shape.

Mirio confidently swam in, giving powerful flicks of his tail while Tamaki trailed after him, keeping the movements of his own tail fast and small. Mirio sent a ping in the mermaid's direction, getting her focus enough to turn around.

Light periwinkle hair floated around her head, perfectly framing a round, cheerful face. She appeared to be the same age as the two mermen, which surprised them.

"Hi!" she waved, swimming up to them still holding an armful of jars. "How can I help you?"

"Would you know how to turn a merman into a human?" Mirio asked.

A jolt went through her body in reaction to Mirio's question. Some of the jars fell out of her grip and slowly sank down in the water around her. Tamaki bent to pick them up, but the mermaid paid no attention to them.

"That kind of stuff . . . ? It's complicated," she muttered. "It's not the most legal thing either . . . ."

Mirio slumped, having let his hopes grow for his friend.

"But it's not impossible!" The mermaid's demeanor changed back to bubbly and bright. "I hear of it happening quite a lot on the black market! You're lucky I'm not a crab in the muck when it comes to following rules like that. Is it for you?"

Mirio glanced at Tamaki. "Not quite. It's for my friend here."

The blue-haired mermaid finally looked at him. Tamaki offered her jars back to her, a sheepish look on his face.

"I see," she said, accepting them. "What do you plan to do with a pair of human legs?"

Tamaki blushed, floating backward a bit and fidgeting with his hands before answering. "There's this girl on the island—"

"A GIRL?!" The mermaid barreled into him, dropping all her jars now in order to take hold of Tamaki's shoulders. "Why didn't you say so in the first place?!" She shook him a little hard, her loud voice pinging around in the water.

"Uhh—" Tamaki began, made extremely uncomfortable in his situation.

"You're in love!" she practically sang, finally leaning back out of his face.

"Hey," Mirio clicked, putting a gentle hand on the girl's arm, having noticed his friend's distress.

Unfazed, she turned to him, clasping her hands together. "And you're the wingman-best friend! How adorable! I have never been so excited to help a customer before!" Finally she backed up, exiting the boys' personal space. "I'm Nejire Hado. It's a pleasure doing business with you!" She extended a hand to Mirio, who shook it, smiling.

"I'm Togata Mirio, and this is my friend Amajiki Tamaki."

Tamaki waved as Nejire's eyes turned to meet his at the mention of his name.

"So let's see," she signed, releasing Mirio and fully turning her attention to his friend. "You're trying to impress a human girl, so you're going to want to look pretty human. Come with me."

She led them deeper into the cave and around a bend that had been invisible from the outside. This room was far smaller and darker compared to the main one, and Tamaki needed a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimness. The merpeople could naturally see in the dark, but even this was proving difficult for him.

Nejire swished her tail over a patch of algae growing on the floor. The disturbance in the water around it caused it to glow a deep blue, somewhat raising the light level in the room.

"So you want to turn into a human." Nejire leaned forward, her face pensive as she held her thumb and forefinger to her chin. The blue glow of the floor eerily underlit her features. "Have you met this girl? Like actually talked to her?" she asked.

Tamaki swallowed. "No, not yet."

"So you won't want a potion. Those don't tend to last." She turned from him and went to a shelf on one of the slanting walls. Nejire selected a chest from the shelf and pulled it down. She then turned to a small table near her, clearing its surface with a swipe of her arm before setting it down. Trinkets slowly floated down to the floor below, the algae glowing even brighter to mark where they settled. The mermaid opened the chest, rummaging around for a minute, occasionally placing an object on the table next to it.

"Aha!" Nejire lifted a necklace out of the chest, her eyes glimmering at her find. It was a simple cord with a single shell intricately tied to the center of it. "This should do the trick," she said, closing the chest and swimming back up to the boys. "Just put it on and you'll have legs! You'll also be able to speak to the first human that touches you, so make sure it's her."

"Awesome!" Mirio said, studying the necklace. "How much for it?"

Nejire faltered for a moment. "You're right. I'm really not supposed to sell this . . . my mother . . . . How much do you have?"

Mirio gripped the bag that was slung around his shoulders. It held the combined majority of both his and Tamaki's savings, which, to say the least, wasn't much. Tamaki had tried to insist that Mirio didn't have to help him in payment, but they both had to admit, something as rare and challenging as turning a merman into a human was going to be pricey at minimum.

The blond merman held out the bag to the mermaid, allowing her to take it and peek inside. She frowned and looked up at Tamaki. "You like this girl?"

He nodded, vigorously.

"You're going to treat her right?"

"Of course!"

She flexed her gills. "It's settled then. I'll only take half your money for it."

Mirio's eyes shone in the blue light. "Really?"

"It's for love." Nejire leaned back, clasping her hands together and waving her caudal fins. "I wish someone could do that for me . . . . No matter. I will want it back though."

"What?" Tamaki asked.

"You see," the mermaid said, running her fingers along the side of their bag, "there's a bit of a catch to the magic."

Tamaki and Mirio both stiffened, wondering what new obstacle they would have to overcome.

"The magic only lasts for one full cycle of the moon," she continued, glancing back up at the men before her. "Once your time is up, you won't be able to use it anymore. I would like to have it back by then, so someone else might enjoy it."

"A moon? That's it?" Tamaki asked, growing nervous. Well, more nervous than usual.

"Yes. Put it on, thirty days later you can't have legs anymore. That's how it works."

"But—isn't there something a little more . . . permanent?" Tamaki asked.

Both Nejire and Mirio looked at him.

"You want to be human . . . forever?" Mirio asked.

"I just want to be with her!" Tamaki said, suddenly defensive. "I don't care if I'm a merman or not, I just want to be able to meet her and talk to her. Geez, guys, I don't even know if she likes me back!"

"Tamaki." Mirio pulled him a length away from Nejire, who suddenly became very interested in studying the coins in their bag. He turned his back to her, hunching his shoulders so it would be more difficult for her to make out his hand gestures. "What if you do decide you like her? Is that going to be it? Am I going to lose you?"

Tamaki's gills flared. He hadn't thought of it like that yet. "No! Of course not! I can still visit . . . sorta. Besides, it's not like you'll be alone. You get along with everyone—"

"But you're my best friend, Tamaki," Mirio put one of his hands on Tamaki's shoulder, looking into his eyes in earnest. "I want you to be a part of my life."

Tamaki swallowed, his gills gently pulsing. "Isn't it a little early for talk like this? We don't even have a solution. I could get up there and she's already wed to someone else."

"He's right."

The two of them jumped at the clicks and pings breaking the silence of the cave. Nejire had, in fact, been watching them.

"You have a month to figure this out," she said. "It's useless to fret now."

"A month . . . ." Tamaki echoed.

She playfully slapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, that's plenty of time! You're already head over fins for her! That's like, a third of the work. Woo her with your charmingly awkward personality! You'll be a couple of kissy gouramis in no time!" (Google it)

Tamaki blushed at the image, turning to hide his face in his hands.

Nejire swam back to her table and poured out the coins, counting them up and dividing them in half. She swept one pile back into the bag along with the necklace, thrusting it into Mirio's hands. "Now go!" she said, pumping a fist up in the water. "Find love!"

Tamaki peeked out from under his fingers, watching as she somersaulted in the water.

Nejire paused for a moment, pointing accusingly at him. "Whatever you do, don't. Lose. The pendant. That's the only rule. Bring it back when you're done, and I won't say anything. Deal?"

Tamaki nodded, seeing Mirio clench the bag around his shoulders a little tighter in his grip.

"What would happen if I took it off?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the bag. "Would it end early?"

Nejire waved a hand. "You can take it off and turn back into a merman anytime, it won't affect anything. But I'm serious about you not losing it. Try not to take it off too much."

"Okay," Tamaki agreed, returning his eyes to hers.

"Is that all?" Nejire finally asked, cocking her head.

All? I'm completely changing my life . . . .

"Yes," Tamaki said, allowing a small smile onto his face as he nodded. "Thank you so much."

"No problem." Nejire beamed.

"Nejire?" Mirio asked.

The mermaid turned, looking at him questioningly.

"Have you ever been human before?"

She offered him a small smile. "Not yet. Maybe someday when I'm older." She grinned wider and patted Tamaki's shoulder. "Be sure to tell me all about it when you bring my pendant back to me! Give me some pointers for how to blend in. Or maybe I shouldn't blend in. That would be fun. Seeing all those land people and being like 'Hi humans!' Do you think they would stare at me? Would they kill me? Isn't it exciting just thinking about it? Are you excited? I'm excited for you. Are you going to tell her you're actually a merman or keep it secret? Ooh, I already can't wait to hear how it goes!"

Tamaki's back hit the wall, a nervous smile on his face as the bubbly mermaid pushed him farther back with each question radiating off her flying hands. "Uhh, sure."

"Come on, Tamaki!" Mirio pinged, already near the entrance back into the main room. Tamaki sheepishly ducked around her to follow after his friend. "Thank you!" Mirio called behind his shoulder.

"My pleasure!" Nejire clicked back.

The two exited her cave, beginning on the long journey back home.

✤✤✤✤✤

"Ready?" Mirio asked, holding the necklace up for Tamaki to see.

The black-haired merman swallowed, shaking his head.

"Come on, Tamaki. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Everything."

Mirio frowned. "Okay, maybe you have a point. Let's just run over the plan one more time. Sound good?"

"Yeah."

The two friends were about half a mile from the shore, just able to see the edge of the black rocks leading up to the island. The sea was darker than usual today, which only reflected on Tamaki's mood. He didn't like the way the surface of the water moved above their heads, but Mirio assured him he had nothing to worry about.

"You're going to swim towards the surface and put this on. Then you're going to meet her and confess your feelings! You show her how awesome you are and maybe take her out or something, and then boom! She'll love you back. Guarantee."

Tamaki chewed on the inside of his lip, eyeing the shell hanging on the necklace. "How should I say it? What should I tell her? I can't exactly confess to having been watching her for almost two months!"

Mirio tapped his chin. "True . . . . Just tell her that she's really pretty and you like her a lot and you want to get to know her. Simple as that."

"Simple . . . . Should I tell her I'm a merman?"

Mirio put on his thinking face again. "Maybe not right away—although lying is never a good idea. Maybe just wait to mention it? Nah, you should tell her."

"She'll just think I'm crazy."

"Then take off the necklace and show her! It's not that hard."

Tamaki mulled over his friend's words in his mind. They were slightly comforting, sure, but he couldn't help but feel near sick with how nervous he was. Him? Alone? In a completely different world with his crush? That just smelled like disaster to him, and every nerve in his body was screaming to swim away.

And yet, his heart . . . it had different feelings. Tamaki thought of your angelic face and how your voice carried over the water into his ears. He longed to join you on that beach, clasping your hand in his and intertwining his voice with yours.

"You can do it! You can do it!" Mirio chanted before him, snatching Tamaki out of his thoughts.

"Alright, I'm going."

Mirio flipped in the water, unable to contain his excitement. "Good. She'll be there in a few minutes, right?"

Tamaki nodded.

"Make sure you get there first. And don't let anyone else touch you until she does."

Tamaki nodded again.

"Don't forget to come visit me!" Mirio teased. "I want to meet her too! Good luck!"

Tamaki took the necklace from his hands, finally turning away from his friend. He swam out into the rocks, just as he'd done nearly every day since he'd first caught a glimpse of you. He took one last look at his friend, who was already little more than a speck in the distance.

Tamaki glanced down at his tail for what would be the last time in . . . a moon? Hopefully. He liked his tail. It was a deep indigo that would sometimes look almost black when the light shifted off of it. Purply-blue frills came off the sides, shifting with the motion of the water. He was sad to see his tail go, but he knew it wouldn't be for forever. He took a final deep breath of seawater, slipping the necklace over his head, ready for what the next month would ensue.

Actually, he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready at all.

A burning sensation erupted in his tail, making Tamaki's back arch in shock. It felt like his scales were being individually sucked back into his body as pale skin the same shade of his top half began to spread along its surface. It began to split in half; muscles and bones reworking themselves, shrinking and expanding and duplicating. His lower region suddenly went completely numb, as if he'd been severed at the navel. He went still, just floating in shock, wondering if it was over until a new sense of feeling flared through him.

The water he was encased in was suddenly cold, so cold Tamaki couldn't take it, curling in on himself and trying to wrap his arms around his chest. He tried taking in a breath, and at first, it worked, but then his gills laid flat against his neck, fading flush into his skin. He could feel his lungs growing within him, expanding to fill his chest cavity. The newly adjusted organs burned, aching for air which he could not provide. A small stream of seawater flooded his mouth, making him spit it back out again at the overwhelmingly salty taste. He needed to get to the surface. Why had he done it so far away?

Silently cursing himself, Tamaki tried to kick his way up. His new legs felt clumsy and weak; nothing compared to the powerful tail he was so used to. He began to use his arms, eventually finding a rhythm that successfully brought him closer to air. But it wasn't fast enough. His vision was already fading, his pulse throbbing in his ears. Finally his head broke the surface, allowing him to suck in a breath before a wave crashed over his head, pushing him back down. Tamaki couldn't take it anymore, using the last of his strength to desperately try to cling to a rock near him. He missed in his exhausted state, and another wave pushed him closer to shore, his head colliding painfully with one of the black rocks.

Deprived of oxygen, more exhausted than he'd ever been in his entire life, and now with a horrible, stinging pain encompassing his skull, Tamaki finally slipped into the darkness that had been calling his name.

...

To be continued . . . .

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

[Part Three]

Author's Note:

Sorry, not sorry ｡◕‿◕｡

-Sugar

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