Of ice cream and fins

by yuksibil

Summary:

Baekhyun thought that his life was turned upside down when he came to that island with legs and left with a tail, but then on the way to his new job in a cafe, he stumbled upon a handsome marine vet with love for both ice cream and creatures with fins.

Chapter 1: Of ice cream and fins

"Are you ready for your first day at work?"

"Yup! I'm on my way," Baekhyun said after answering the phone call from his friend.

"You left two hours prior?" Jongdae asked, confused. "Baekhyun, you aren't on the beach, are you?"

Dammit, exposed, Baekhyun cursed as he jumped off a giant rock and his feet touched the heated sand.

"I hear the waves, so don't try lying. Baekhyun, it's your first day! If there is supposed to be only one moment in your life that you shouldn't be late for, then it is today!"

"Get off me! That's why I have left earlier, right?" Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "What’s the difference if I go by bus or on foot by the shore? None."

"Famous last words. I will come by to check later. Don't forget to wear your lovely hat!"

"Sure, I won't forget to add poison to your ice cream too, bye!" he yelled and hung up before the other could say anything.

Baekhyun hid his phone in his bag and closed his eyes, inhaling the fresh breeze. He wanted to have a moment of peace before his first day, and there was no better place than the beach. Just the sound of the waves, the refreshing smell and the ticklish feeling of sand were enough for the boy to calm his senses down.

It wasn't like selling ice cream was the job of his dream, but the Australian marine park was definitely his goal workplace. For now, it was one of the many cafes, but later, when he would meet his colleagues and make the right connections, Baekhyun counted on his luck that someone would acknowledge him as a successful marine biologist.

It was the plan of his life.

And maybe Jongdae was a little right. The plan would go wrong at the very beginning if he was late for his first day. So, Baekhyun was about to leave for the bus when he suddenly heard very loud and dramatic squeals. Whatever creature made these sounds, it must have been in extreme pain, suffering, maybe even nearly dying. It sent Baekhyun into even bigger panic mode when he ran forward and behind a rock, he saw a dolphin. It was tangled in a fishing net, skin dry and bruised.

"Hold on!" Baekhyun yelled, tears already gathering in the corners of his eyes as he dropped down to his knees, "I will help you."

The boy tried his best to untangle the net, but it was so thick and rough and the cries coming from the panicking dolphin didn't help at all. Soon, it became more difficult because of the blurry vision caused by salty tears wetting Baekhyun's eyes and cheeks, his breathing sped up, and his hands started shaking. It was getting worse second by second.

"I will find a way to get you out of there," Baekhyun stuttered, voice cracking. "I will call for help—"

"Help is here," an unknown, deep like the ocean next to them voice spoke above Baekhyun's head.

Baekhyun looked up and saw a tall, very tall man in shorts, a cap and a white button-up that exposed a little of his bare chest and honey complexion.

"What happened that I found two poor things crying on a wild beach?" he asked, ignoring Baekhyun, who suddenly went silent and just stared at him.

"I found her like that," the boy informed after shaking his head and blinking a few times. "I don't have anything to cut the net with and she is dying!"

"No one is dying," the man stated firmly while grabbing a small pocket knife from his bag. "Tell me your name?"

"H-huh? It's Baekhyun."

"Hi, Baekhyun, I'm Chanyeol. Grab a greenish bag from my car, okay?" Chanyeol asked, switching to Korean and throwing keys at him.

Normally, Baekhyun wouldn't agree to go through a stranger's things, but now it was an emergency, and he hoped he judged the man's intentions right by how quickly he acted. He jumped to a white SUV, the only car nearby, and by the time he got back, the net was almost fully gone.

"Hush, sweetheart, you are okay," he kept talking to the dolphin, and something in his voice calmed Baekhyun down too, even though it wasn't directed at him. "You will be fine. I'm taking care of you. We're gonna take her to the water, and you will help me apply an ointment, all right?" This time, he asked Baekhyun.

"Water? No, no, I can't," Baekhyun refused, moving away from the shore, receiving a slightly confused look.

"It’s fine. We will do it quickly here, then," Chanyeol informed, taking out a box from the light green bag.

"What is that? Is it going to help her?" he asked, wiping tears off with his sleeve before taking some of the weird, white and sticky substance from the man.

"It's a kind of ointment that creates a waterproof layer on the skin. Come on, help me quickly," he encouraged. "Wounds heal faster thanks to it."

"Are we going to release her just like that?" Baekhyun panicked. "But she is crying so much— she is in big pain!"

"It's hurting more because her skin is dry. She will be fine when we get her into water."

"What if there is something wrong, and she is dying!" the boy yelled, causing the dolphin to squeal and mewl even more, yanking from Chanyeol's grip.

"Baekhyun," the man sighed, "she is dramatic because she is a baby and scared. Right, princess? You're gonna join your friends soon, little drama queen," he babied the dolphin as he picked her up and approached the shore. "Such a troublemaker."

Baekhyun's mind was filled so much with the dolphin's endless crying that he almost followed Chanyeol in. He gasped slightly when he realized how close to the water he was. The boy continued to watch the taller from afar, observing how gentle he was with the little creature in his arms, constantly talking to the animal until he finally let her go.

"We could have taken her to the marine hospital," Baekhyun complained when Chanyeol came back from the ocean half wet.

"Well, it's your lucky day — the marine hospital came to you. This isn't the first time I saw this kind of injury, and this one, trust me, was not that bad at all."

"Stupid illegal fishing," Baekhyun cursed, hiding his face in his hands helplessly. "I hate them so much."

"Me too, boy, me too," Chanyeol sighed, crouching beside the smaller. He wanted to lay his wet hand on the boy's shoulder, but, luckily, Baekhyun was quick enough to notice and dodged it.

Baekhyun tripped on the sand, slightly surprising and confusing the man. In this short moment, Baekhyun managed to take a look at the man's watch and read the time. He immediately gasped and jumped up.

"It took too long... I'm gonna be late! Shit, I’m late!" he yelled, pulling his hair harshly. "Jongdae was right. They're going to fire me, I will never get a good job, I will end up on the streets with my debts, they will take the last penny away from me, so I will starve and end up in the hospital with even bigger debts, I will get depression and—"

"Chill, kid," Chanyeol interrupted the miserable monologue, "what are you late for? I will drop you there."

"Huh? Ah, my first day at work."

Chanyeol fought the urge to roll his eyes, "where is the address?"

"Oh," Baekhyun realized. "I work at the marine park."

"Well, that's truly your lucky day," Chanyeol commented while gathering his stuff. "Hop into the car. It's my first day at work there too."

"I shouldn't go with strangers but..." He looked at the man, his car and the man again. "Kidnapping is better than debts I guess."

Chanyeol chuckled quietly as he followed the hurrying boy into his own car. Baekhyun was already waiting in the front passenger seat impatiently when Chanyeol took the driver seat.

"Anyway, what were you doing on a wild beach?"

"I could ask you the same," Baekhyun replied unclearly. "You came out of nowhere."

"I've just moved here. I take every opportunity to look around such a wonderful place," he informed. "And if that's near the ocean, it's even better."

"I like places near the ocean too," Baekhyun said, looking through the window at the endless blue. "I wanted to breathe before being stuck for six hours."

"I see. What's the job, then?"

"Mine? Nothing special. Just at a cafe." He shrugged. "What is yours? Judging by the car, I guess it's a bit better than selling ice cream."

"It's a company car, actually. I was offered a job at the marine hospital and apparently, they really wanted me to agree," Chanyeol laughed. "I'm a vet."

"And you agreed because they give you expensive things? Not to save animals?”

"I would rather to be judged by how I take care of animals if you don’t mind.”

"Sorry," Baekhyun grunted and dropped his head in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to sound rude. Accepting the offer was a good choice. Australia is a heaven if you are willing to discover it."

"How long have you lived here?"

"My parents moved here when I was a teenager so—"

"Wait, hold up." Chanyeol scratched his nose and looked at Baekhyun after he finally parked the car. "So now you are... how old?"

"Excuse me?" A big frown showed up on Baekhyun's face, looking almost offended. "For the record, I'm a sophomore. And you have just destroyed the whole mood." He rolled his eyes and left the car. He was stopped by a grip on his wrist and a smooth move that turned him around.

"Destroyed? I think completely otherwise," the vet suddenly smirked. "Now I can legally tell you that you are beautiful," he winked.

Because Baekhyun was truly a beauty. His complexion shone like the most gorgeous pearl, his blue eyes hid the depth of the ocean and his hair had a color of a clean, cloudless sky after a storm. And when he smiled, it was brighter than the sun, eyes turning into happy crescents, small nose wrinkled. Even when he cried, his red and puffy cheeks made him the most beautiful human being. At least among those that Chanyeol had seen.

"Well... thanks," Baekhyun replied shyly, a bit caught off guard by the sudden compliment. He couldn't lie and say that Chanyeol wasn't extraordinarily good-looking himself.

The big, almond-shaped eyes looked at him softly just like he looked earlier at the dolphin with care and worry. His smile was accompanied by a cute dimple that Baekhyun really wanted to poke. At the same time, protruding cheekbones and a sharp jawline sculpted his handsome face and underneath the white button-up, well-defined muscles were hidden. It wasn't fully about his looks, but his deep and low voice made him appear even more attractive, melodic sounds hitting some part of Baekhyun that had never been hit before, causing his chest to warm up and his insides to squeeze.

"Thanks for the help and the ride too," the younger added after shaking off his thoughts.

"Anytime, pearl," Chanyeol smiled. "See you around."

"Yeah. See you, Chanyeol."

 

***

 

Baekhyun had been thinking a lot, and perhaps his first day at work wasn't the best time for that, but he couldn't help it. To say that a sense of jealousy haunted him wasn't enough. It felt kind of unfair that he was selling ice cream here while Chanyeol was spending time with animals and after work with his new car and apartment. Baekhyun just wanted to fast forward university and have his dream job.

The appearance of Jongdae occupied his mind for a bit mostly thanks to his friend being a pain in the ass. He teased Baekhyun a lot about the turtle shell hat that the employees had to wear as a part of the uniform. He also had to order a coffee even if Baekhyun had only started to learn how to make it professionally.

The boy also thought a lot about the baby dolphin they had saved. He was wondering if she was all right and if the wound was healing well. Baekhyun was considering checking that, maybe not today but tomorrow for sure. When his shift ended, he was exhausted and thought only about the bed.

But it didn't stop him from being curious about the light that was still on in the marine hospital. Just before closing the cafe, Baekhyun made a strawberry frappuccino with extra sprinkles and decided to peek a look there. When he was about to knock, the door swung open, startling the poor boy.

He almost spilled the coffee on himself.

"Baekhyun?" the familiar voice called him out. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I could come by and," he grunted, "I made you drink to thank you again."

"Ah, there was no need. But since you are here," Chanyeol started, taking the cup from the boy, "do you want to see something? I just need to wait for it before going home, so you might as well accompany me."

"What do you mean?" the younger asked, frowning. He only received a wide grin and was pulled inside.

They went through a white and blueish corridor and entered one of the many rooms. It was half dark with aquariums around them, a table in the middle and a lamp pointing at one particular place on the counter. Chanyeol invited him further in with a gesture, bringing a second chair closer. Baekhyun walked towards the table and saw a small basket and inside it a small egg being warmed.

"It's a turtle," Chanyeol informed happily. "Someone brought the egg with a few cracks on it. I think it's going to hatch soon, and I need to check if it's all right."

Baekhyun hummed in excitement, taking a seat next to the vet. "Is it something serious if the shell cracks?"

"It could be a predator that might have caused some damage. Babies from cracked eggs usually hatch with a deformed fin. But it can be completely fine, we don't know that. That is why it is important to check on it right after being born," he cooed and gently pet the egg with his pinkie finger. "Right, tiny baby? Don't be scared, say hello to us."

The moment Chanyeol finished his sentence, the shell cracked again, and a small part of it fell off. Both of them gasped with even more curiosity.

"Yep, definitely coming out tonight. I guess the coffee from you isn't going to waste, after all," he snickered, opening the lid. He raised his eyebrow when he saw the weirdly shaped foam. "And what happened here?"

"Well..." Baekhyun grunted, "it was my attempt on a flower. Go easy on me, okay? You know it's my first day!" he sulked, purposely turning himself into the victim.

"I didn't even say anything," he whispered into the cup just before taking a sip. "It isn't that bad though. I just prefer more bitter coffee like americano. But imagine if I had skills like that on my first day," the vet mocked, pointing at the deformed plant formed by foam and laughing.

"You—" Baekhyun was ready to curse at the taller and smack him, but the shell cracked again, revealing a tiny fin. It caused Baekhyun to coo as he rested his chin on the table and busied himself with watching the baby turtle wiggling inside the egg.

Chanyeol smiled, happy with having two adorable beings in front of him.

It wasn't one, but at least three coffees were needed until the egg hatched. For a few hours straight, they did nothing but stared at the bigger and bigger cracks, at the little creature fighting for its life inside, willing to see the new world waiting for it. Even though Baekhyun spent hours watching the ocean's wildlife, he had never really seen the exact moment of a tiny turtle coming into this world. And even though Chanyeol had seen it countless times, he was still as amazed and excited by the magic of nature as if it was his first time.

"It's a baby girl," the vet informed after they could finally see it. "It means that the temperature in which the egg incubated was above thirty-one degrees Celcius."

"Really?"

"Yup. It's characteristic for some reptiles, very common for turtles and crocodiles," Chanyeol informed while checking up on the animal.

"It looks so fragile... Like she is about to break any second."

"She is a bit tiny, but that's all right." He put the animal on a scale. "This belly is going to get a lot of yummy food, right? We're gonna be big in no time, huh, princess?" His voice went a few octaves higher while he petted the little fin with gloves on. "Do you want to put her in the tank?"

"I—" Baekhyun bit his tongue in time. Of course, he would love to. But he also noticed that all aquariums were filled with water to the brim, and he couldn't risk that. The boy sighed and smiled sadly. "You do that."

Chanyeol raised one of his brows suspiciously but didn't say anything. He rumbled to the turtle instead while putting her into the water — the place she would feel the best in.

"Well, our mission for today is done," the elder informed and went to grab his stuff from the hanger in the corner. "Ready to go?"

Baekhyun nodded, following Chanyeol outside the marine hospital. It was the middle of the night. The marine park was empty and quiet with countless shimmering stars, reflecting in the waters of the aquariums. Even though the Sun hid under the horizon hours ago, the temperature was still high, and Baekhyun saw a comment about it coming from the newcomer's mouth eventually. Chanyeol was so fascinated by the fact that he could walk around in a t-shirt in December like every other person who came to Australia for the first time.

"Anyway, thanks for letting me accompany you," the student said when they reached Chanyeol's car. "It was a sight worth a sleepless night."

"Don't mention it. Waiting is more bearable if you do it with the right person," Chanyeol said it effortlessly while throwing his stuff into the car. "Why are you not getting into the car?"

"Huh? Ah, it's all right. You already gave me a ride."

"Come on, don't be ridiculous and hop in. I won't let you wander around the city alone at night after keeping you at the workplace for so long. Hush, I don't want any excuses," Chanyeol stopped him when he saw Baekhyun opening his mouth. "Get in."

"Well, I still can't be one hundred percent sure if you don't want to sell my organs," Baekhyun commented suspiciously and pointed his finger at the taller. "Just saying that my grandfather has kidney stones!"

Chanyeol's only reaction was bursting into laughter as he slid into the driver's seat. Baekhyun followed with a giggle and sat in the same car for the second time. The driver asked for the address, and with the soft music playing in the background, Baekhyun right away dozed off, head resting on the window.

Maybe it wasn't very responsible, it wasn't something an adult should do. However, the way in which Chanyeol spoke to animals, held them and cared about them somehow ensured the boy that the vet wouldn't ever want to hurt anyone. Chanyeol's attitude made him want to put trust in the doctor; to trust that he was a good person.

"We are here, sleepyhead."

A gentle voice and soft brushing on his hand stirred Baekhyun from his nap. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and stretched his muscles, recognizing the building in front of him.

"Oh. That was fast."

Chanyeol chuckled, letting the fact that the ride took half an hour slide.

"I will get going, then. Thanks for dropping me again and for letting me see your work."

"Sure thing. Just before you leave—" the taller quickly added when Baekhyun grabbed the knob. "I was thinking... since you've been living here for so long, would you mind showing me around when you are free? I want to discover the heaven that Australia is, you know," he recalled.

Baekhyun smiled shyly after hearing his own words. "Why not? But if your definition of heaven is a pub to get wasted on weekends, then you might be disappointed. Just warning you."

"I trust your judgment," Chanyeol commented, chuckling that Baekhyun even thought of it. "Can I get your number, then? So we can schedule a meeting."

"A meeting," Baekhyun laughed aloud, snatching Chanyeol's phone from him. "So this is the Korean word now?"

"You can call it however you want, baby," the vet licked his lips, voice going slightly lower while the temperature in the car respectively rose. "It's just about you and the place. And the time."

The blue-eyed boy tried to avoid looking at Chanyeol to hide the pink shade on his cheeks, probably caused by the warmth in his chest. And the reason for both was sitting suddenly way too close.

Baekhyun, for the last time this night, smiled at Chanyeol before leaving his car. "Text me. And good night."

"I will," Chanyeol promised. "Sweet dreams, pearl."

 

***

 

Sleep didn't have mercy for them both especially after he received a message from Chanyeol saying that he arrived safely. And that wasn't the last message they exchanged that night.

Baekhyun was like a zombie during his class. He kinda asked for it. But he could always blame Chanyeol. Yeah, it was Chanyeol's fault.

He still had a few hours left before going to work. Baekhyun knew that napping would make him even more tired and incapacitated. So instead, he decided to do something that would help him wake up and stay focused.

To swim.

The day was beautiful and sunny, perfect to grab stuff and go to the closest wild beach. Actually, for Baekhyun each moment was ideal for that. Even if he was in classes, his mind often drifted off to the thought of the endless blue, the sound of waves, and the way the warm water felt against his skin.

Against his skin and his tail.

A few years had passed since Baekhyun found himself on that island that changed his life forever. Was it for the better? Probably. Before that, Baekhyun was just an ordinary teenager lost in a new, strange place, trying to find his own path.

Now, he had a passion he loved with all his heart. Perhaps no one on this planet had a bond with animals like Baekhyun, especially when he discovered that he could understand and talk with those living in the ocean. That was the most magical experience for a human for sure.

But there were consequences. Just like people got angry at someone who hurt their friend, after years of listening and witnessing how terrible and selfish humankind was to the inhabitants of the waters of this planet, that, after all, belonged to animals as much as to humans, Baekhyun had never felt more disappointed.

The amount of garbage thrown into the ocean, plastic bags filling empty tummies and making animals sick, fishing nets tangled around little fins and necks, hurting skin and causing to suffocate. At the top were the worst of them all — illegal fishing and hunting; people who didn’t care about anything but money. They didn't care that the law regarding fishing was there for a reason - to spare unnecessary suffering and damage to nature.

They didn't give a damn that their greed intensified the process of some species going extinct, that animals were dying and disappearing forever.

All the traumatic experiences made Baekhyun slowly lose trust in humanity. He came to the point where he would rather hop into the ocean and spend hours there instead of meeting his friends. Developing any deeper kind of relationship, one that involved emotions and bonding, became the most difficult task.

He only had Jongdae in his life who had been there since Baekhyun moved to Australia and the family of dolphins that helped him with the first... steps with his new tail and a pair of fins.

The fishes living in the coral reefs peeked a curious look whenever they caught a glimpse of the merman. They weren't scared of him — not anymore. Not when every time Baekhyun visited, their gorgeous houses were de-cluttered, coming to life. Not when Baekhyun was always eager to help and protect them.

The coral reefs were absolutely breathtaking, becoming even more beautiful each time. Full of vivid colors, full of life. Each creature was special on its own, had a family, a very own personality. For the merman, it was a true honor to be able to be a part of this complex society.

Sometimes, they were curious about how life was on the land. How did it feel to dominate, how did it feel to have legs? Baekhyun's reply was the same — there is a reason why I spend so much time with you here.

He also loved how his appearance had changed. His blue eyes and blue hair received a lot of attention and compliments. His complexion shone like a pearl, especially with water drops shimmering on the soft skin and the shiny scales decorating the long and strong tail that became the secret of his life, his pride and joy.

And the few tricks he could do since then were cool too. Perhaps the few disadvantages like having to avoid water like normal people avoided a fire and the perspective of being single were worth living like a fairy tale hero.

The blue locks stuck to his wet forehead when Baekhyun emerged from the water, giggling at the sunshine tickling his nose. He ran a hand through his hair to let droplets fall off and took a deep breath of the ocean breeze.

"Oh, hi, little one," the merman snickered when he noticed a starfish on his shoulder. "Huh? What is it?" he asked, smile dropping. "You’re hurt? Where? Let me take a look."

Baekhyun carefully grabbed the fragile being and a gasp left his mouth when he noticed a terrible cut on its body, the hurt place bruised and swollen.

"Don't worry about it. I know someone who can help you."

 

***

 

The marine park was always less busy on weekdays, and Baekhyun couldn't be more thankful for that. His colleagues could easily and calmly explain to him recipes and how to use some of the machines. Because there were not many clients, they could sit for a bit and drink the iced coffee that Baekhyun had just learned to prepare. And when someone came in, and Baekhyun declared to take care of the client, he didn't expect to see the vet with a wide grin and a dimple.

"Hi, pearl" Chanyeol spoke, hands stuck in the pockets of his white lab coat. "I thought the sun was shining bright today, but that was until I saw this smile."

Baekhyun cringed at the cheesy pickup line but couldn't fight the pink shade creeping up his cheeks. "What are you doing here?"

"What can I do in a cafe? I came to eat ice cream, of course. Two portions of strawberry, please," the vet smirked, leaning slightly on the counter.

The worker grunted and nodded, accepting the reply. He moved to prepare the ice cream, catching with the corner of his eye his giggling co-workers that stared intensively at the tall man from behind a wall.

Baekhyun handed two waffles to Chanyeol, but the vet took only one portion, shooting a short thanks. The younger looked at him and at the ice cream in his hand confused.

"Ah, sorry. I wanted to treat you, and you look like you like strawberries. Was my assumption correct?" he asked smoothly, licking the creamy dessert on his lips.

"You didn't have to..." Baekhyun whispered, taking his portion back. Meanwhile, Chanyeol took a look around and hummed.

"Well, looks like there is no one around. Can you sit for a moment with me? I still have a few minutes of my break left."

"Okay."

Chanyeol grinned, coming up to one of the tables, and moved the chair for Baekhyun to sit. The vet sat across, visibly excited.

"You know what," he started again while biting on the cone. "Just before my lunch break, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it and saw a bottle with a starfish inside. Someone dropped it off."

"Really?" Baekhyun asked and licked the ice cream to hide his nervous reaction. Did Chanyeol notice him?

"Yup. Someone must have seen its wound."

"What happened to it?" he shot another question, determined to sound non-suspicious at all.

"It's been burned by a jellyfish," the vet informed, noticing how Baekhyun's lip formed an o. "Luckily, we had an antidote for that kind of toxin."

"Does it mean that everything is going to be all right?"

"Sure thing. That little cutie is gonna be healthy in a blink of an eye thanks to that person who saved it."

Chanyeol's words warmed up Baekhyun's chest. He looked down at the wooden table counter and smiled to himself.

"You saved it though," Baekhyun whispered, shy eyes meeting Chanyeol's again.

"What could I do if that someone had abandoned the poor baby? Nothing. It wouldn't have stood a chance."

"So..." the younger grunted, "you don't mind treating foundlings too?"

The tall man suddenly rested his elbows on the table, leaning over and closing the distance between the. He stared so long that the ice cream started melting and the sticky, pinkish liquid ran down Baekhyun's slender fingers. Chanyeol's eyes traced it carefully and he instinctively licked his lips, smirking.

Baekhyun was left completely speechless when the vet looked at him again, grabbed a napkin and quickly wiped his hand for him.

"I don't mind treating anyone." His expression softened again. "This is my life's purpose."

And after hearing these words, Baekhyun thought that perhaps there was a person on this planet that could bond with animals as much as he. And maybe a person he wouldn't mind trying to bond with as well.

 

***

 

Ever since then, Chanyeol had been finding every kind of ocean creature underneath the door of the marine hospital. Whether it was a fish, a seahorse or even some special species of colorful snails that were often shown in documentaries. Most of them struggled with being too small and too weak to provide themselves with food and survive, becoming some kind of marine strays.

And Chanyeol was absolutely delighted to have a chance to see those incredible creatures with his own eyes. Some of them only needed to recover and could be released back to the ocean while some would have to stay with them. The young vet had already learned so much new information, and all of it was thanks to that secret savior.

Chanyeol and the other marine scientists only wondered how it was possible to catch animals from such deep parts of the ocean. He happened to think about it loudly at the cafe while munching a waffle with chocolate ice cream that Baekhyun prepared for him another week in a row.

"I don't know... submarine?" Baekhyun suggested while looking at his portion of quickly disappearing ice cream.

"It requires permission to perform such advanced research. We would know about this," the vet commented. "Anyway. Since weekend is coming, I wondered if you want to take the first step in," he paused and bit his lip, "showing me around?"

"Are you inviting me on a date, or are you suggesting that I should invite you on a date?" Baekhyun frowned, crossing his arms on his chest. "Or is it a sightseeing tour?"

Chanyeol suddenly let out a low hum that caused shivers down Baekhyun's spine, almost like an electric impulse going through his body. The taller stood up with a visible smirk on his handsome face, tucking cold hands into pockets of his lab coat. He leaned over, lips only an inch away from Baekhyun's ear, and the smaller could feel Chanyeol's hot breath on his sensitive skin.

"Definitely a date, pearl," Chanyeol whispered, quietly chuckling when he noticed how the poor boy trembled. He made a step backward again, ignoring the completely not sneaky fangirling from behind a wall. "Choose a place, and I will pick you up Saturday afternoon," he added, peeking a look at the watch on his wrist.

"Wait!" Baekhyun called him a bit too loudly, gripping the sleeve of the vet's coat when he snapped from his thoughts. "I can't this weekend. I have a final next week."

Chanyeol smiled and turned around again. "What exam?"

"Biochemistry," Baekhyun murmured pathetically, expression turning into a grumpy one.

"Ah, biochemistry," the vet laughed, the vibration of his deep voice resonating through the room. Then, he raised his hand and suddenly ruffled Baekhyun's hair. "I'm so sorry, puppy. But you know, I don't mind a study date. In fact, I believe me plus nature will help you pass even biochemistry," he suggested, still visibly amused by how sulky the student became at the mention of the exam. Chanyeol pinched his cheeks playfully. "Don't sulk, trust me. Don't forget to take your books, and we will see each other on Saturday."

How was Baekhyun going to survive work when his heart raced like it never did before?

 

***

 

"What the hell are you doing?" Jongdae snapped suddenly when he saw his friend with books. "You said you had a date?"

"Well, yeah."

"I thought he was a vet, not a librarian. Or are you having a date in a bookstore?" he mocked.

"No. He let me choose the place."

"Ah, what a gentleman. Do you want me to cramp at Junmyeon's? I don't mind if you love birds make a mess in our flat," he giggled. "Just stop packing these books and change into that lingerie I bought you for your birthday."

"What the hell? I'm not like that," Baekhyun threw a piercing look at his friend. "I hate people."

"Of course, you do. Especially tall, smart and soft-hearted veterinarians," Jongdae teased him again. "What are you going to do, then?"

"I'm taking him to a beach, and he is going to teach me biochemistry."

"The beach?! No, you are completely crazy," Jongdae suddenly yelled and pulled his hair harshly. "It isn't hard to know about people more than you, so let me tell you that. He definitely seems like a person who will throw you playfully into the water. What will you do?"

Baekhyun paused for a moment, his bag hanging in the air. What would he do? He was put into risky situations a few times— maybe more than a few. But he always somehow found a way out of it. It was fair to say that he had more luck than sense.

Was it okay to say that he wouldn't mind if Chanyeol knew?

"I will handle it," he simply said and zipped his bag.

"I don't like this," Jongdae sighed and approached his friend, resting a hand on his shoulder. "But I trust you, Hyunnie. You are finally getting someone close to you. That's good."

"Thanks, Dae," Baekhyun sent him a faint smile, and a second later he received a notification. "That's probably him. I will see you later."

Jongdae showed him crossed fingers and let his peer go, feeling a little like a mother duckling letting her chick out of a nest for the first time.

Baekhyun noticed the black Mercedes, which he already knew quite well, waiting for him in the parking lot, and the man leaning on it with arms crossed on his back. Chanyeol waved to him immediately when he saw him and bounced off the car.

"Hi," Baekhyun started, looking up with eyes shining with excitement.

"Hi," Chanyeol smiled and opened the car door for him. "You look gorgeous," he commented unexpectedly after measuring the smaller from head to toe.

"Thanks..." Baekhyun suddenly went all shy, hiding his embarrassment.

He was just wearing blue mom jeans, a casual black t-shirt and put his usually hidden necklace over it. Baekhyun didn't really mind anyone's opinion about what he was wearing, but somehow it was heart-warming to hear that Chanyeol appreciated his outfit.

"Smells nice," Baekhyun commented after picking up a delicious scent floating in the air.

"We will surely be hungry after we are done," the vet spoke casually while Baekhyun almost choked on air. "I mean with studying, of course. I cooked for us. The theme is nuts because nuts help to stimulate the brain," Chanyeol added, explaining further.

And when Baekhyun sniffed again, he really could smell the aroma of nuts. He turned around, and in the backseat, he spotted a basket with many boxes filled to the brim.

"You cooked all of that?" Baekhyun looked at the vet, who was focused on the road, and received a nod. "You didn't have to."

"It's more romantic than a takeout, isn't it?" the man smirked, looking at his companion when he stopped at a red light. "Just kidding. I like cooking, so I don't mind. And I used to be a student, so I know how you guys eat, especially when exams are coming."

Baekhyun pouted, feeling slightly exposed. "I don't think a takeout is a problem, but the fact that we are going to study damn biochemistry."

"I scored ninety percent on mine," Chanyeol informed, and Baekhyun looked at him so quickly that his neck hurt. "Are you sure you don't want my help?"

"Ninety– wait, what's your IQ? Ninety multiplied by three?"

Chanyeol immediately burst into laughter. "Let's say that I liked studying. My social life kinda died because of it though."

"My social life is dead, and I can only dream about such score." Baekhyun shrugged, sulking in jealousy. "Turn right, there will be a parking spot."

Chanyeol listened to his instruction, and after driving through a forest path for a while, the endless blue of the ocean emerged right in front of them. A small gasp left the elder's mouth.

"I don't think I will ever get used to this view," the vet commented and left the car without waiting for a reply.

"I still haven't," Baekhyun whispered to himself, staring forward until the door opened for him. He snapped and followed Chanyeol outside, helping him with stuff.

Chanyeol not only brought food, but because he knew that they are going to the beach, he took blankets, a sun umbrella, towels and even a small portable fridge for cold drinks.

Right, Baekhyun didn't think about this because he usually jumped straight into the water.

"This is the first beach I found after moving in," Baekhyun said while they were settling. "I was still quite angry with the whole world because I had to leave everything behind. I would come here just to not spend time at home. Show my parents that I was against, you know, as if it would change anything," he snorted.

"Hm, a rebel," Chanyeol smirked, sitting down on a blanket they placed beside a rock that was their backrest. "Well, to be honest, I was quite the opposite. I would spend hours and hours studying in my room. My parents had to force me to go out and meet some friends or at least breathe some fresh air. I was lowkey an overachiever."

"It's called being a nerd," Baekhyun pointed out, causing a deep laugh to come out.

"Right, but what to do? I really wanted to be a vet. I'm living my dream right now. I call it worth it. Besides, now..."

A smirk suddenly appeared on the handsome face as Chanyeol unexpectedly leaned forward. He was close, dangerously close, eyeing every feature of Baekhyun's face, including small details like his moles, then his eyes and finally down to his lips. Chanyeol's eyes stopped on the pair of soft, pinkish lips for a moment.

"... now I can be a little naughtier," he finished and leaned back with a strawberry in his hand.

Right, the bowl of strawberries was beside him.

"Let's do it like this," Chanyeol continued like nothing ever happened, munching on the strawberry. "A treat for every right answer?"

 

***

 

Baekhyun threw himself on the blanket and whined loudly, small fists and feet hitting the sand angrily like a five-year-old.

"Chanyeol...Stop torturing me. I’ve lost my last braincell," the student cried, rolling over on the blanket, basically throwing a tantrum.

"Okay, all right," the elder chuckled, cooing at the adorable behavior. He ruffled the blue hair playfully but gently. "You did well, pearl. You are such a smart boy, just revise the day before, and you are fine."

"No, I'm stupid," he mumbled into the fabric, some sand getting into his mouth. "I'm gonna forget everything."

"You won't, trust me. Come and get your final reward, sunshine," the vet encouraged him with a smile, holding a bowl with bibimbap.

Baekhyun perked when he smelled the delicious fragrance.

"Anyone ever told you that you look like a puppy?" Chanyeol snickered lightly, reaching out his hand with a spoon full of food. "Say ahh."

Baekhyun eagerly accepted his portion, humming in appreciation, until he sent Chanyeol a glare and pointed at him. "I will bite you next time," he threatened, full cheeks sticking out. "I'm not a puppy."

"Whatever you say, little pup," the elder teased him, offering another spoon that Baekhyun accepted.

The student eventually stood up and continued eating together with the sound of waves in the background. After he was finished, Chanyeol unexpectedly stood up and completely suddenly started taking off his shirt.

"What are you d-doing?"

"Me? We are done with responsibilities, so it's time to have some fun."

"F-fun?" Baekhyun stuttered, eyes focused on the tall silhouette towering over him. Chanyeol's skin looked like kissed by the sun, and the well-defined muscles almost caused a nosebleed. "What k-kind?"

"Why do you look so terrified?" Chanyeol burst into laughter. "I mean swimming, of course. We are on the beach!"

Baekhyun's lungs filled with air when he could finally breathe again.

"Let's hop into the water before the sun sets," he suggested with a wide, excited grin. Baekhyun grunted, lowered his head and shook it a few times. Chanyeol's smile immediately dropped too, and he tilted his head in confusion. "You spend time in interesting places for a person who doesn't like water."

"It's not that," Baekhyun whispered, a bit ashamed. "When I touch water, my skin becomes... weird. Especially my legs."

"Oh. Just say that it's an allergy! It's nothing to be embarrassed about," the vet smiled again, quickly shaking it off. "I will swim if you don't mind. I haven't gone into the water since I came here. Excluding pools in the marine park."

"Sure," Baekhyun breathed out, nervously biting his inner cheek. "Just be careful. It's a wild beach, after all."

"I will, pearl," Chanyeol winked and made his way towards the coast in just a swimming suit.

Baekhyun squeezed the fabric of his t-shirt, waving back and forth. Just looking at the man in front of him going into the water made him want to join him. He really wanted to swim with Chanyeol, show off his skills and simply have fun together.

Baekhyun never realized how lonely he was until now. Yes, he had his marine friends, but he was still a human. And perhaps he needed human company more than he thought.

 

***

 

To. Jongdae

He didn't throw me into the water.

 

***

 

When they were on their way back, it was already dark. Thanks to common music taste, they could scream to Queen's songs all the way to Baekhyun's. Chanyeol stopped the car in front of the apartment that the two students shared, and at the same time, his phone rang.

"I will wait outside," Baekhyun whispered, not wanting to invade the elder's privacy.

He gathered his stuff and left the car, climbing onto the brick fence. The lights were on, meaning that his friend was still waiting for him. Baekhyun's cheeks heated up instantly in shyness. It would be the first time he was coming back happy, not disappointed.

Chanyeol joined him a minute later, but he suddenly seemed in rush.

"Is something wrong?" Baekhyun asked in worry, looking up.

"One of today's patients turned out to need surgery," Chanyeol informed with a glimpse of sadness in his voice. He took a look at the watch on his wrist again. "I have to go to the hospital."

"Oh, no... Is it the sea lion you found in the morning?"

"Yeah..." Chanyeol confirmed, hiding his confusion.

"Then go quickly. She needs you."

"I'm going. I will see you around?"

"Of course," Baekhyun smiled and jumped off the fence. "Thank you, Chanyeol. I didn't enjoy studying, but I enjoyed spending time with you. I really did."

"Well, can I treat it as a yes for a next date?" the taller grinned sheepishly, but the smirk almost disappeared when he got surprised by Baekhyun tiptoeing and leaning over to place a soft peck on his cheek.

"Now, that's a yes," the smaller corrected him, stepping back. Chanyeol smiled again and tucked the blue hair behind its owner's ear.

"Go. I will watch you getting inside."

"Okay."

Chanyeol only took off after seeing Baekhyun safely enter the building. The roads were almost empty as he drove to the hospital quickly. Opposite to his mind that was filled with only one thought —

— he never mentioned any sea lion, so how did Baekhyun know?

 

***

 

"Why would you take a shift before an exam?" Chanyeol scolded him for the nth time during this relatively short lunch break.

"Because I earn per day as much as you earn per hour, now don't waste time and ask me another question," Baekhyun urged him, receiving a helpless sigh.

Just when Chanyeol was about to speak again, the door to the cafe slammed and revealed three giggling teenagers.

"Waiter?" one of them called out when their eyes landed on Baekhyun. "Two iced caramel latte and one cappuccino with vanilla ice cream and cookie syrup."

Baekhyun looked around, but his colleague wasn't anywhere nearby. He sighed quietly and stood up to serve the clients. He noticed they were out of cookie syrup only when he finished preparing the third coffee. Why everything seemed to be against him today?

"I apologize, but we are out of the cookie syrup," Baekhyun informed while placing a tray on the girls' table. "I added vanilla instead and a chocolate cupcake on the house."

"Are you kidding me?" the girl snorted, standing up to face Baekhyun. "I said I wanted a cookie syrup. If I don't get it, I'm going to smear you on my instastory. No one will ever visit you anymore!"

"As I said, the cookie syrup is out. If I can suggest anything—"

"I don't want anything else!" she squeaked out dramatically, the high-pitched tone hurting everyone’s ears. At the same time, her hand flew over to the glass with the coffee, slamming it.

The glass swayed, and the content landed all over Baekhyun's uniform, leaving him shocked and speechless. The girls burst into laughter, one started taking photos, Chanyeol yelled in the background, and Baekhyun was just standing in the middle of this chaos.

He snapped when Chanyeol stood in between him and the prying camera and covered him with a lab coat. Baekhyun looked into his worried eyes and shook his head, running to the restroom with the speed of light. And the second he locked the door was also the last moment he had legs and could stand freely. His tail appeared and made him lose balance right away, falling right on the cold and hard tiles.

Baekhyun groaned. Another painful bruise.

"Hyunnie, are you okay?" Chanyeol's voice sounded from the other side of the door along with impatient knocking. "Did you fall? Are you hurt, sweetheart?"

Baekhyun bit his lip nervously, looking around for paper towels that should be here. "Give me a few minutes!" he yelled back and began to wipe his bare tummy from the sticky liquid.

"Okay, all right. The girls are gone. Take your time, puppy."

The student didn't answer this time. His mind was filled with embarrassment and worry. Not because of these stupid girls, but because Chanyeol was a witness. It was just a little bit of stupid coffee, but he ran away and locked himself up like a total loser.

He wished he could just pick up a fight with the stupid girls that tried to humiliate him. He wanted to show Chanyeol that he was strong and able to take care of himself. But he couldn't.

Baekhyun put a hand over his heart. That weird feeling... fear. He was scared of opening the door and seeing the man gone. The only person he was willing to trust.

The merman didn't notice the few tears rolling down his cheek. He right away wiped it with the paper towel, and just a few seconds after, his tail disappeared too.

The tail that he perhaps regretted having for the first time.

Baekhyun shook his head and started unbuttoning the uniform when someone knocked on the door again.

"Hyunnie, I brought you clean clothes. Open the door for me, pearl?"

The merman almost burst into tears when he heard Chanyeol's voice. He covered himself and unlocked the door, peeking through the gap.

"Hi, sweetie," the taller smiled at him and handed over some folded clothes. "There you go. Change, I will be waiting for you."

Baekhyun sniffed, accepting the gift. Chanyeol gave him a striped t-shirt that was almost like a dress on him. The man's fragrance immediately enveloped him, filling his lungs. Chanyeol's clothes smelled of coffee, mint and antibiotics.

"You are just so small, aren't you?" Chanyeol cooed when the younger left the restroom with the uniform in his hands. "Don't be shy. I work near water, so I always bring spare clothes just in case."

"Thank you..." Baekhyun whispered, giving back the clothes that he didn't wear.

"Don't mention it. I will drop you at home and then drive you to the university. Hush, I don't want to hear any complaints. We don't want you late for the exam, right?"

"Yeol..." Baekhyun whispered, slender fingers touching the vet's hands gently, tangling them together.

He was surprised by his own behavior, but Chanyeol just made him feel so protected. Like he had someone to lean on even when it came to his secret.

"I like you like this too, you know." Chanyeol brushed the blue bangs off, revealing a shy expression. "A soft puppy. You can lower your guards around me, huh? I would love to watch over you."

Baekhyun nodded slowly. Having someone who wanted to take care of you didn't seem that bad after all.

 

***

 

"And? How did it go?" the vet asked the grumpy student who just entered his car. He received a shrug. "Was it hard?"

"Of course, it was hard. It's biochemistry," Baekhyun sighed, but a second later, he felt a bit guilty for the way he talked to the elder. "I couldn’t solve the last problem, but I'm not sure about the rest too."

"Let's not think about that," Chanyeol suggested, starting the engine.

"Where are we going?" Baekhyun asked after noticing that they weren't going toward his accommodation.

"I'm taking you to my place. I can't have you sad for the rest of the day."

"I'm okay..." Baekhyun murmured. "I don't want to be a bother. You are still tired after the surgery."

"You are never a bother, pearl. We're just gonna play or watch something."

The younger looked at the driver and raised his eyebrow suspiciously. "I'm not Netflix and chilling with you," he warned, surprised by Chanyeol's joyful laugh.

"You are adorable," Chanyeol commented, his dimple poking out. "I have ice cream."

Baekhyun couldn't say no to ice cream and movie evening.

Chanyeol's apartment was in the new neighborhood. The interior looked modern and was fully furnished with luxury items. The place still smelled of fresh paint. The room that he rented with Jongdae wasn't the worst quality thanks to their parents that still helped them financially, but it was nothing compared to what the company prepared for the veterinarian.

The host cooked ddeokbokki that Baekhyun ate eagerly, only feeling how hungry he was when stress decreased. Chanyeol made sure that Baekhyun's stomach was full, but he still prepared snacks and cold drinks. They cramped on the couch, and the movie choice ended up being old Disney fairy tales.

"Why not Little Mermaid? It's the best movie!" Chanyeol whined, rolling on the couch with a sulky expression.

"Because Ariel is stupid." Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "Who in their right mind would like to live on the land instead?"

"She was curious and in love! Wouldn't you want to live in the ocean with a handsome merman prince that you met?" Chanyeol teased.

"Merman princes don't exist," he murmured into the pillow.

"Is there anyone who can assure me that mermaids don't live at the bottom of the oceans? I even thought about carrying out research about it for my PhD."

"Yes, there is someone. It's called common sense," Baekhyun mocked him and glared at Chanyeol like at the silly he was. "Are you really a scientist?"

"I'm just daydreaming. Let's watch something else."

They changed the movie to Lilo and Stitch, which left Chanyeol all excited about having an opportunity to try surfing himself. Baekhyun promised to introduce him to his parents' friend who was an instructor. Lastly, they played Finding Nemo. Chanyeol was proud of himself, seeing how many new species he had learned to recognize since he came here. Then both of them slowly dozed off on the couch.

Chanyeol stirred from sleep when the credits were on the screen. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, and a second later, they landed on the peacefully napping boy next to him. His lips immediately stretched into a soft smile. Baekhyun was breathing steadily, a bit of saliva rolled down from the corner of his lip. He was incredibly adorable and so defenseless.

The vet laughed under his breath. Baekhyun was all bark no bite when he was awake. It was weird, seeing him so calm. Chanyeol's attention was also taken by the boy's necklace flashing at him. He had already seen it once and the silver chain of it basically every day. He was almost convinced it was a scale, a blue one, but he couldn't match it with any type of scale that he knew. And it wasn't artificial either.

But since Baekhyun almost always hid it underneath his clothes, maybe asking him wasn't appropriate.

"Hyun, my little puppy," the man whispered, brushing the soft cheek with his thumb gently. "Come, you will sleep in the bedroom."

A soft whimper came from the sleeping boy, but Baekhyun only changed his position slightly, completely ignoring Chanyeol. He didn't react to the taller talking or even shaking him very gently.

"Are you that tired?" the elder cooed and carefully picked up the boy. He slowly went to his bedroom and placed the small body on the king-sized bed. Just when he was about to let go of Baekhyun, he felt a pair of small hands holding his neck.

"Yeollie... sleepy no?"

"I'm going to sleep too, pearl," Chanyeol snickered at the baby-like talk. "I will be on the couch."

"Couchie short... here."

"It's okay. I want you to be comfortable, sleepyhead."

Chanyeol yelped when he was suddenly yanked down and almost fell on the petite body under him.

"Silly. It’s your bed."

"Okay, okay. You won't let me go, baby koala, will you? Let me just turn off the TV."

Baekhyun hummed, closing his eyes again and letting the man above him free. Chanyeol came back a moment later, lying on the bed at a respectful distance from the smaller. But only a few minutes later, after Chanyeol thought that Baekhyun had already fallen asleep, the boy rolled over and closed the taller in a tight hug.

Falling asleep had never been more pleasant.

 

***

 

"I did it! Chanyeol, I did it!" Excited screams traveled through the corridors of the marine hospital along with quick steps. Baekhyun rushed inside, knowing that his favorite veterinarian had a shift right now. But he wasn't sure where exactly.

Baekhyun stood at the end of the corridor, feeling slightly lost. He took out his phone to dial Chanyeol’s number when suddenly he heard the very known baritone coming from one of the rooms. He followed the voice impatiently. He couldn't wait to share the good news with Chanyeol!

He leaned over to one of the doors from where the coming voice was the loudest, hand on the knob.

"Is the patient ready?" It was definitely Chanyeol's voice. "I am going to inject potassium chloride now."

A loud gasp left Baekhyun's mouth. He stepped back, almost falling to the ground. He tried his best to get a grip, and the next moment he was pushing the door, storming inside. Everyone's eyes immediately landed on him, including Chanyeol's, who was holding a syringe and standing next to an unconscious sea lion lying on a table. The sea lion that he had brought in a few days before.

"W-what..." he managed to spit out, tears immediately blurring his vision. He wanted to go further, he wanted to ask the sea lion specifically what was going on. However, strong arms stopped him, pushing him out of the room.

"—hyun, Baekhyun!" Chanyeol was trying to gain his attention, shaking the petite arms.

But the merman was completely devastated. His heart raced, he couldn't catch his breath and his lungs let out a weird wheeze every time he tried. It was so painful, his chest almost exploded in pain, but it didn't matter.

He couldn't hear the sea lion. She didn't talk to him.

Chanyeol yanked him when he was trying to run into the room again. The taller picked him up and tried moving him into a different room. One that was empty, silent and dark. Then, Chanyeol sat on the chair and hugged the miserable boy so tightly that he couldn't wiggle anymore. He forced Baekhyun to his chest and began whispering comforting words.

"I know, I know, baby, hush." He quickly took off the glove on his hand and caressed the boy's back. "But sometimes it's better like that. Sometimes you need to say goodbye."

"Y-you said... s-surgery had gone well..."

"I know I did. But the internal bleeding wasn't the only issue. She was in big pain, sweetheart. We have to let her go," the doctor explained calmly, but it caused only a bigger burst of tears to come. "You are so soft-hearted. I'm sure she would tell you not to cry too much. Just keep in mind that no one will ever hurt her anymore."

Baekhyun squeezed the vet's scrubs in his fist, still trembling uncontrollably. Now not only sadness but also anger began overflowing him. His hatred towards poachers perhaps had never been stronger. Because he knew, everyone knew, that she wasn't the last sea lion to have a spear piercing its body. Not the last sea lion, not the last dolphin, not the last seal. They were never going to stop unless someone made them.

The merman knew he had to find a way to put an end to it soon.

"Breathe nicely, Baekhyun," the vet reminded him. "I don't want to give you sedatives. Keep calming down, baby."

Chanyeol's melodic voice was a big help to this process. His scrubs reeked of antiseptics, so Baekhyun stunk his nose into the man's neck to smell his comforting fragrance instead.

"Pearl, you can't just barge into the hospital," he sighed. Scolding was coming. "It wasn't an invasive procedure, but what if you interrupted a surgery? It would be dangerous for the animals, and we don't want that, right?"

"—m sorry," the younger mumbled into the fabric of scrubs.

"I know you are." Chanyeol muffled the blue hair. "You can be here. Just text me next time, and I will pick you up at the entrance. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Now tell me, why did you come in the first place?"

Baekhyun finally was calm enough to look into the elder's face. He wiped his tear-stained cheeks and sniffed. "I have passed the exam," he informed. "I scored ninety-two."

"That's so incredible! My smart puppy," Chanyeol burst with happiness, chest swelling with pride. "I knew you could do it. How about I finish—" he bit his tongue and grunted. "I will take you to eat something yummy, okay? You deserved it."

 

***

 

The atmosphere wasn't the best during the short walk. Baekhyun was moody, and Chanyeol couldn't blame him. Their conversation always circled around the topics of the marine park, the hospital and animals. Even when they talked about themselves, their lives were so strongly connected with the ocean that it was hard not to mention it anyhow. Even the conversation about the exam didn't really flow between them.

It wasn't awkward. It was depressing.

Chanyeol chose a vegan burger place he really wanted to try. He had to order for Baekhyun because his partner only shrugged.

"Excuse me, do you have straws?" Chanyeol asked the waiter after noticing that Baekhyun didn't get one.

Baekhyun perked up, his chest filling with warmth. Chanyeol already remembered that he always used a straw to drink.

"I apologize, sir. We haven't received the supplies delivery yet."

"It's okay. I always carry my own," Baekhyun informed, sending a short smile. He took out a steel straw from his bag and put it into the cup. Chanyeol frowned when he noticed that the glass wasn't covered with tiny droplets like his.

"You didn't get a cold drink?" he asked, confused.

"I did."

The man hummed, nodding once. He accepted the answer.

They ate in silence, or more like Chanyeol ate, and Baekhyun just munched his fries because he didn't want to upset the elder and waste food. A couple of clients around them chatted and laughed, soft jazz music played from the speakers. Baekhyun felt his headache intensifying; his eyes were still swollen and in pain because of earlier. His body and mind were so exhausted.

"Actually, I'm curious about something," Chanyeol interrupted the eternal silence. "That necklace of yours... it's a scale, right?"

"Why?"

"Just curious. Where did you get it from?"

"None of your business," he spat out, surprising the elder.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound inconsiderate. It's just that I have never seen one like this before."

"How am I supposed to tell you?!" Baekhyun burst out, eyes becoming glassy again. "How can I trust you? You... k-killed her."

Chanyeol froze, the boy's words leaving him speechless. Was this what Baekhyun had been thinking about all this time?

"Aren't you too hard on me?" he spoke calmly after grunting. "I have tried my best."

"Apparently it wasn't enough!" his voice rose, small fists hitting the table. "You gave up on her."

"I don't know how to prove you that nothing else could have been done," Chanyeol replied, voice filled with sadness. Baekhyun's words hurt more than an arrow to his heart.

"You can't!" The boy pulled his hair harshly and stood up. "I thought you are different, but you are just like any other human. You will always end up hurting us."

He took his bag and stormed out.

 

***

 

The ocean was uneasy tonight. The weather forecast didn't predict any abnormalities, so for safety reasons, the local authorities closed beaches and banned everyone from entering the water.

But there was, of course, one person who was an exemption. The merman was drifting on the surface, letting the waves toss him around. He wished they could take him somewhere far. The other side of the ocean, for example. Somewhere he could be alone with his thoughts, where he could easily pity his life choices.

Baekhyun had already been through this a few times. He didn’t feel sad because of the breakup itself. Quite the opposite, he usually felt better after dumping his dates that always turned out to be as trashy as the waters of planet Earth.

Why did it feel different with Chanyeol? His chest felt heavy.

"Baekhyunnie?" the squeaky voice surprised him, causing him to almost lose his balance.

"Oh. Hi, ladies," he greeted the group of dolphins after wiping his tears.

"So, it's you. Who upset our Baekhyunnie this time?"

"It's nothing." He shook his head. "I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"You are old enough to know that the ocean is connected to your emotions. You can't fool anyone here, Baekhyunnie."

The merman sighed, flipping from his back on his tummy to face the dolphins. "It's human things. Not important."

"Very important," one of them opposed. "Is it school or guys?"

"...guys."

"Huh? But last time you said that the cute doctor was good! We even saw you on your date."

"Right, you two look cute together!"

"I know!" Baekhyun groaned. "He is super good! We have similar taste in music and series. He cooks delicious vegan food. He helps me with studying and always waits until I get home... And he is always so gentle with his patients."

Baekhyun looked at his fingers, the corners of his lips twitching.

"And I know the sea lion wasn't his fault, but— I'm just so terrified. I have already started opening up, but what if I'm wrong again? I'm so tired of getting hurt. And I definitely don't want anyone who hurts you all, even unknowingly."

"Did he give you any reason to think like that?"

"Well... no, but—"

"Did you get any hints that he might give you a reason in the future?"

"N-not really—"

"Was he bad in the past?"

"Quite the opposite. He studied hard to be a doctor."

"Baekhyun!" the four of them yelled at him at the same time.

"Baekhyunnie," the eldest dolphin swam up to him. "We appreciate your care for us, we truly do. But it's high time you let someone take care of you, sweetness. As hard as you want to fully belong to the oceanic life, you are still a human. And humans aren't perfect; it's their nature."

"They will always make mistakes. The most important is to be a good person. If he wants to make you happy, then why don't you give him a chance?"

Baekhyun let out a dramatic whine and lay on his back again, arms crossed on his chest. The dolphins giggled at the baby behavior, poking the sulky merman with their wet noses.

"You know what, Baekhyunnie? The lights in the hospital were still on when we were passing by. You might want to check yourself."

 

***

 

The lights were truly on.

Yes, Baekhyun checked. He was supposed to finally go home to not make Jongdae worry anymore, but he made a turn just before leaving the ocean. He only wanted to take a look, not really sure what to expect.

The merman rested his upper body on the thick fence of the outer pools, his tail swaying nervously in the water. The marine hospital was a very spacious, open-space building with many windows. Thanks to that, Baekhyun could see the inside of the rooms. He recognized one of them, a large room with an operating table in the middle. Now he could also see many glass door cabinets filled with medications and medical supplies.

There was also someone sitting on the chair in the middle, half lying on the table. The person wasn't moving at all.

Can it be him? Baekhyun thought, squinting and focusing his eyes on the silhouette. He was, however, still too far to see it clearly. He bit his lip, fighting with himself. I’m just gonna take a look, the merman decided and dove in.

It was easy to get into the pool, he already knew. The trapdoor opened smoothly if you had fingers, not only fins. He swam inside gently, silencing with a finger on his lips a beluga whale that got excited as soon as it saw the merman. Baekhyun swam to the edge and peeked out just the top of his eyes above his nose.

It was enough to know it was Chanyeol. He recognized the clothes the doctor had today— no, yesterday when they went to the restaurant. It was the middle of the night, why didn't he go home, change and sleep? The vet was obviously tired after the morning shift.

Could it be because of him? Baekhyun's heart filled with guilt and his chest overflowed with a weird, painful feeling. He wanted to protect himself from suffering, but in the end, he made them both heartbroken.

And he hated that he couldn't walk in and comfort Chanyeol. He hated that his secret was a reason for all of it to happen. If it wasn't for that stupid tail, Baekhyun wouldn’t care just like everyone else didn’t. He would be able to create a healthy relationship without his bloody trust issues and sleep peacefully.

All of it if only he hadn't found that bloody island during that one full moon night.

Baekhyun almost got a heart attack when a dolphin from the other pool woke up and squeaked happily after seeing the merman. Without leaving any time to react, the excited animal jumped over the fence that separated the two pools, making a huge splash, leaving everything wet.

The surprised merman immediately hid underneath the water's surface, running away from the shocked vet's eyes. His right fin hurt like hell after hitting a steel pool ladder, but it wasn't the time to pity himself. Baekhyun quickly swam away without looking behind, only closing the trapdoor. He didn't need to take a look to know that Chanyeol stepped outside.

The veterinarian glared at the overexcited dolphin in confusion, resting hands over his hips helplessly. He superficially investigated the place in search of anything that might have caused that rather unusual behavior but found nothing.

He was alone.

Chanyeol crouched at the edge of the pool and called out for the dolphin. The animal gladly listened, letting his favorite doctor pet him gently.

"What now, kid? Are you that proud of yourself?" he sighed, commenting sarcastically. Animals of course didn't know sarcasm, so the dolphin only splashed the water with his fins, satisfied with the attention he received.

The doctor chuckled, observing the mammal swimming away to show him a trick. He just couldn't be angry.

But there was something in the water that took his attention. Something intensively reflected the lights inside the pool. Chanyeol frowned.

"Can you bring me that?" he asked the dolphin, pointing at the bottom of the pool. The animal squealed and dove in. It came back with something very small in between his teeth.

Chanyeol reached out his arm and put that object in his hand. It was small, gentle but stiff and with a shape of a raindrop. It flashed nicely in the moonlight. And it was blue. The veterinarian didn't take long to recognize the thing in his hand. He was a specialist, after all. It was a scale. The same scale as Baekhyun's necklace.

 

***

 

"Excuse me? Is this Mr. Park from building 4 apartment 8?"

"Speaking. How can I help you?"

"I'm calling from security. Sir, there is a young man waiting for you for a couple of hours now. He ran into the office when it started raining, and now he is refusing to come out."

Chanyeol came up to the broad windows and moved the curtain, noticing the heavy rain. He also looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was 4 AM.

"If you don't agree to let the student in, I will have to call the police."

"No, no, that's unnecessary!" Chanyeol protested when the man's words reached him finally. "I will go down in a moment."

The veterinarian hung up and threw his phone on his bed. He ran out of his bedroom, wearing only a hoodie. He grabbed a raincoat from the wardrobe and an umbrella and dashed out of his apartment. The security officer was already waiting for him underneath an awning, smoking a cigarette in front of the building.

"He's inside," the man informed shortly, pointing the tip of the cigarette at the open door.

Without any further questions, Chanyeol stepped inside. He looked around the small room filled mainly with screens, a desk, a chair and a leather couch on the other side. He really took a moment to localize the tiny ball of misery curled in the corner and it was only thanks to a quiet sobbing. Chanyeol carefully approached the smaller and crouched in front of him.

"Baekhyun," he called out, "come with me."

The younger carefully lifted his chin, hesitantly looking into Chanyeol's eyes. The vet barely stopped a gasp when he saw the state Baekhyun was in. Swollen, red eyes filled with tears and dark circles that looked almost as if someone had beaten the poor boy up. His usually healthy, shining complexion was paper white, completely lacking any color. Lips were almost purple, dry and bitten to blood. Hair stuck out in every direction, clothes messy and definitely not suitable for the weather.

"Come on, let's go," Chanyeol encouraged him one more time, trying to hold the boy somehow to help him stand.

Baekhyun was trembling uncontrollably, muscles stiff from cold and legs numb from the uncomfortable position, almost giving up. The elder right away covered him with the raincoat precisely, one hand wrapped around the slim waist to keep it in place, and the other was holding the umbrella.

They somehow reached the apartment, accompanied by teeth tapping and quiet sniffs. Chanyeol sat his guest on a chair, took off the coat and wrapped him tightly in a blanket instead. Then, he went to the kitchen to prepare a cup of hot tea that he brought to the freezing cold boy. Nights were usually no less warm than days, but the weather had been grumpy for a week now.

The couple was sitting in silence. Baekhyun was slowly calming down, sipping the warm drink prepared for him with a straw that Chanyeol got earlier for his special guest. He stopped crying, only sniffed from time to time while hugging the soft blanket that smelled like the owner of the house.

"Baekhyun, what were you thinking? Did you want to get sick?" he finally spoke, voice quiet and gentle but firm. The other shook his head. "Then why would you go out at night dressed like that?"

"...wanted to talk," the younger replied, voice hoarse, causing him to grunt.

"You could have texted me."

"I didn't know if you would want to read messages from me. You have stopped coming to the cafe."

A moment of silence filled the room.

"I was convinced you didn't wish to see me anymore. You were quite obvious in the restaurant."

"You have stopped texting me good night and good morning. You don’t watch me getting home safely anymore," he listed. "I can't eat because nothing tastes as good as your food. It's been only a week, and I already miss all of this... I miss you."

Chanyeol seemed visibly lost, not sure what to say.

"You need to know that..." Baekhyun paused hesitantly. Talking about his own weaknesses wasn't a piece of cake. "I am terrible with people. This... t-this is very difficult to me, everything, all of it. I can't make new friends. I can't maintain a proper relationship with anyone. My trust issues are so huge, overwhelming the remains of any social needs left in me."

Baekhyun's voice cracked every now and then, full of uncertainty, sounding like on the edge of crying.

"I can't date. I was so tired of it. Everyone tried to date me just because of my looks. They always ran away at some stage. They called me names when I didn't agree to go to a party every weekend, so they could show off in front of their friends as if I was a prize they earned," he sniffed, remembering the awful memories of being treated like a thing. "And none of them accepted my distance to water. Why is it so hard to understand that I can't touch it? Some even tried to make me wet on purpose..."

The slender fingers squeezed the fabric of the blanket nervously.

"No one understands my connection with nature, my bond with animals. Yes, of course, there are people who value it, but no one makes it their top priority. It's not the same. No one in their right mind puts a fish over a relationship. However, I do. And I am already so exhausted, so terrified of trying to trust someone, to open up only to get disappointed or dumped like trash when they realize I am indeed very serious about my beliefs and that I am a complicated person. I came to the point when giving up made more sense."

Their eyes finally met, and Baekhyun noticed he wasn't the only one with glossy eyes.

"I didn't believe there was someone for me out there until I met you. Only you respected all these traits of mine, even the stupidest. This is so tough for me already, but I know it is going to get worse if I lose you. I might regret it till the end of my life," he confessed. "I am sorry, Chanyeol. Even if you don't want to deal with me anymore, which is totally understandable, could you forgive me, please?"

Baekhyun stared at him with hope, still biting his bottom lip and nervously playing with his fingers. Waiting for an answer felt like an eternity, probably the most stressful moment of the merman's life, topping even the biochemistry exam. It was until Chanyeol cracked a smile, wrinkles showed up around his eyes, and his dimple popped out.

"How can you even be sorry, pearl? You have struggled so much. No one would have the heart to blame you," Chanyeol finally said, causing a stream of tears to flow again. He cooed and stood up to gather the small boy and welcome him on his lap.

Baekhyun immediately hid in the man's chest, feeling guilty for wetting his hoodie, but  Chanyeol clearly didn't mind as he hugged him tighter. The comforting scent enveloped him, having him realize that it was indeed possible to miss the owner of it even more. Chanyeol's heart was beating steadily while Baekhyun's seemed to want to synchronize, calming down minute by minute.

It was such a reassuring moment.

"—m sorry. I was so scared you wouldn't even want to talk to me. I wanted to catch you on your morning jog, but it started raining, and I was so scared the security guy would throw me out. Then he called you, and if you hadn't come, I have no idea what I would have done,
and—"

"Hush, everything's all right now. I am here, right?" Chanyeol petted his hair gently. "I missed you too, pearl, so much. Every day I was wondering if you got home safely and had a nice dream. If only I'd knew, I would have contacted you. I'm not a prideful jerk. But you know I have to scold you, right?" the vet suddenly changed the topic, glossy eyes looking up at him. "You can't wander alone at night, not to mention your clothing. I won't be surprised if you wake up sick."

"Well... I have an amazing doctor to take care of me?"

"Maybe if you had a pair of fins, it would work, vixen," Chanyeol mocked him, a small laugh and a smirk on Baekhyun's hidden face going unnoticed.

"Anyway, Chanyeol..." his voice suddenly turned serious as he looked up, blue eyes focusing on the handsome face. "Since we successfully went through our first quarrel, and we both still want to do it... Can I be your boyfriend?"

Chanyeol smiled and firstly wiped the wet stains from the puffy cheeks, then held the pretty hands that were sculpted by a god.

"I would love that, baby."

 

***

 

Chanyeol skipped his morning jog. It was still raining anyway. Instead, they could sleep till noon, cuddled on Chanyeol's bed. Since the vet had slept a bit earlier, he woke up first. As much as he wanted to stay and appreciate the view of the sleeping angel that was clinging to him, he had to leave the bed now if he wanted to make it on time.

The smell of soft tofu stew was most likely what brought the half-conscious merman to the kitchen. He didn't even try to hide his yawn while wiping his tired eyes. Baekhyun perked up when he saw Chanyeol in an apron, rolled up sleeves revealing his veiny forearms working on stirring the soup.

The cook yelped in surprise when the smaller suddenly bumped into him and clung around his waist like a koala.

"You already up?"

"Yeah, good morning, sleeping beauty," Chanyeol chuckled, using one hand to hold his clingy boyfriend and kissed the top of his head. "Hungry?"

"Of course! Otherwise, do you think I would leave the bed so fast if it wasn't for your food?"

"Hmm, I thought so. That's why I'm preparing a lot for my starving prince."

Baekhyun smiled affectionately and let the taller go to set the table. The food was delicious, as expected. The merman didn't say a word the whole time, stuffing his mouth with rice and self-made kimchi until the doctor had to scold him, afraid of him choking.

While Baekhyun was sipping the broth directly from the bowl, he was swinging his short legs in the air in excitement. Chanyeol couldn't fight a snicker when he noticed it. But then his expression changed into worry when he noticed a patch falling off Baekhyun's leg.

"Did you hurt yourself?" the doctor immediately asked and grabbed the other's ankle, placing it on his leg.

Baekhyun yelped when Chanyeol ripped off the patch fully and started investigating the wound. He recognized it was already a few days old; it wasn't that swollen, and the bruise began turning a bit yellow, but the skin was badly damaged where the scab was forming.

"Uhm..." the merman stuttered awkwardly, caught off guard. "Well— yeah. It was just an accident."

"It looks really bad. Hold on.." He stood up and walked up to one of the cupboards, taking out a little more advanced first aid kit.

"I'm okay, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"But it will hurt if you get an infection, now come on," Chanyeol said while wearing gloves. "How did this happen?"

"I just hit something because I didn't notice. That's all," Baekhyun quickly said, but the way he squeezed the fabric of Chanyeol's hoodie on him like always when he was nervous didn't go unnoticed. "I had worse bruises when I was a kid. Let's not talk about it."

The veterinarian hummed, continuing to take care of the wound in silence while Baekhyun was munching on his food. Chanyeol cleared the wound thoroughly, listening to quiet hisses, but there was no complaining. He applied an ointment gently, and after waiting a moment, neatly put a patch over it.

"Doesn't it look and feel better?"

"Yeah, I wonder why?" Baekhyun mocked him. "Thanks, doc. You are way gentler than doctors for humans. No wonder why your patients like you."

"My patients can't just tell me when it hurts, so I have to be extra careful," Chanyeol explained while cleaning the supplies.

"But they also can't sue you," he pointed out, receiving a snort.

Perhaps Baekhyun was right. It was truly a regular wound caused by an accident and nothing to worry about.

 

***

 

Chanyeol's doctor's senses were right. Baekhyun began feeling worse and worse during his shift until in the evening he completely passed out with a fever. Before that, he received a life scolding from Jongdae, who in the end stole his phone, called Chanyeol and ordered him to take care of his boyfriend.

And the vet really came with a bag of ingredients for samgyetang and a second bag with medicines, blankets and tissues. Firstly, Baekhyun was mad at his friend for bothering Chanyeol after work, but Jongdae was very firm.

"You spent the night outside waiting for him, so that's basically his fault, isn't it?" Jongdae pointed out. "Besides, it's his first boyfriend test, and I have my eye on you, doc," he warned before leaving for his room.

Chanyeol started by preparing the soup. Then, he put more comforters and blankets on Baekhyun's bed to make it cozier and warmer. He made the sick boy drink hot tea and swallow some pills. Lastly, he put some ice cubes into a bag and wrapped a towel around it to make a cooling patch.

"What's that?" Baekhyun asked quietly, voice weak and hoarse.

"Everyone usually wets towels in cold water, so I had to find another way to break your fever," Chanyeol explained and gently laid the cold towel on his boyfriend's forehead after pinning his bangs. He lay next to the smaller, letting him hide in his embrace and the warmth of his body that slowly stopped his muscles from shaking. "Just sleep, baby. I will watch over you."

Baekhyun wasn't entirely sure if the wave of heat he felt was caused by the fever or the fact that Chanyeol really found a way to cool him down without using water.

Baekhyun's sickness lasted five days. He was lucky his exams were over, and that his boss was a cool guy that didn't see a problem in giving him a few days off. And Chanyeol was with him all the time except when he had to be in the hospital. The vet, however, always made sure that his boyfriend had a warm meal when he woke up, pills prepared and his phone charged, so Baekhyun could call whenever it got worse.

It was adorable, really. Baekhyun enjoyed having a personal doctor, even though he wasn't the kind of patient that Chanyeol aimed for. He also couldn't complain about having his boyfriend with him so much after they'd barely started dating. Even Jongdae decided to accept him, and that was something unexpected, considering all the people that managed to hurt Baekhyun in many ways.

Chanyeol also noticed a few things while spending time in the friends' apartment. Especially Baekhyun's room and how it was filled with so many underwater photos. Not only that, but everywhere there were shells, corals and all kinds of water plants, some only found in the deepest part of the ocean.

There was also something about the bottle with a straw that Baekhyun always carried around and now Chanyeol brought him every drink in. It took Chanyeol some time to realize that it was the same bottle inside which the sick marine animals were brought to the hospital. Not that the bottles were a limited edition, but who else used them besides toddlers and Baekhyun, of course?

And one more detail. Sometimes when Chanyeol left the room, he heard Baekhyun's voice like he was talking to somebody. The doctor blamed it quickly on the raising fever because there was simply no one else in the room besides Baekhyun's pet fish in his own aquarium.

Anyway, Baekhyun recovered and felt way better, but his boyfriend still wasn't very convinced. Baekhyun decided to show him that he was fine and show up at his workplace without further notice. He already did it once, and it didn't end up nicely, but earlier Chanyeol couldn't shut up about being asked to supervise a dolphins' training. It also stopped raining, and the weather became Australian again, so the merman didn't have to worry.

He saw the giant of his boyfriend from far away and recognized the deep laugh that urged him to smile. The vet was having the time of his life with a dolphin trainer and the dolphins in the water. Baekhyun was happy to see it because there was probably no one who knew better how fun spending time with those adorable creatures could be.

The trainer taught the vet how to conduct one trick which turned out successful, so Baekhyun, as the only audience, gave his boyfriend a round of applause. Chanyeol immediately noticed him, and his eyes opened wide in surprise.

"Baekhyun!" he called out, leaving the pool. He wanted to reach out for the smaller, but Baekhyun right away gestured him to stop and took a step back. "Right, sorry. But what are you doing here? You should be in bed," the vet said while grabbing a towel.

"I told you I was okay! See? I've had enough of bed. You can't be the only one having fun."

"All right, fine," Chanyeol sighed. "Stop pouting, you endless cutie. You can stay and watch, but no cold drinks and ice cream, okay? And you are going to bed right after."

"Okay, doc," Baekhyun grinned, letting his boyfriend pet his hair with a dry hand before he went back to the water.

The dolphins became a bit more excited, and Baekhyun knew it was because of his presence. They peeked their noses from the water's surface just to take a look and squeak at the merman. Their handful of behavior caused the inexperienced veterinarian to get a bit frustrated, and the show became even more fun to watch.

Until it became a bit dangerous. One of the dolphins probably wanted to show off in front of Baekhyun, but it didn't go well, and he hit a different dolphin while in the air and landed at a weird angle very close to the pool's edge. The merman immediately jumped on straight legs, especially after he heard that miserable cry. He quickly came up closer to the pool. The closer he was, the better he heard whiny sobs and quiet it hurts, hurts constantly repeated. He finally noticed a silhouette of a dolphin and how the water slowly turned red.

Baekhyun let out a huge gasp, almost tripping over on the concrete. His eyes localized his unaware boyfriend on the other side of the pool.

"Chanyeol!" the merman managed to yell before his voice cracked, and he burst into tears.

The dolphin's crying was so loud in his head, sounding so miserable. Baekhyun dropped on his knees, covering his ears. When the vet saw him, he right away knew something was wrong. He swam there as fast as he could, finally noticing the pool of blood.

Chanyeol took a deep breath and dove in, right away seeing the source of the problem. He swam to the dolphin and pet the poor animal first, then put a hand on his underbelly and gently pushed him up. It took a moment, but both of them finally emerged from the water.

"Hey, sweetheart, hush, you are okay. I'm here, it's nothing," he spoke calmly to the worked-up animal, investigating the badly bleeding wound on his tail. "It's just a scratch, you will be fine," he repeated, but the dolphin squeaked even louder, synchronizing with the loud cries of Baekhyun. The vet clicked his tongue. "This won't do. Baekhyun, love, I beg you. Stop crying and bring me a towel first."

The merman listened well, wanting to help. He tried to muffle his sobs, knowing that it only stressed out the hurt animal more, and it was enough that it was his fault from the beginning. He grabbed the first towel that was lying there and threw it to the vet. Chanyeol used it to stop the bleeding.

"Ronnie..." Baekhyun whispered, crouching on the edge of the pool. "I know it hurts. Chanyeollie hyung will take care of you. He is a very good doctor for dolphins. J-just calm down, okay? Don't make it worse."

Chanyeol had had a habit of talking to animals for a very long, and for some of his patients, it really worked, calming them down. It didn't seem to work on Ronnie until Baekhyun spoke up. They needed to buy some time for the trainers who had to bring a transporter that allowed them to move the dolphin to the hospital. They were already so close, but something suddenly broke down there, scaring the animal.

Ronnie hit his fins against the water's surface, splashing the water everywhere, leaving the merman wet.

Baekhyun immediately stood up, freezing on spot. He wasted a few seconds just standing because there were people everywhere and his boyfriend was looking directly at him. He could do nothing else but run up to where the pool was connected to the ocean and jump straight into it before it was too late.

 

***

 

To. Pearl

Hyunnie, are you okay?

I know you got surprised when Ronnie splashed water on you but...

why would you run away from me?

even if your allergy looks bad and you might be worried about that since im your bf now, it doesnt matter to me, really

not even mentioning that i've seen all kinds of allergic reactions in my career

im sure yours is not as bad as you think and even if it is, i don't care

From. Pearl

Chanyeol, i'm sorry

To. Pearl

its all right, there is nothing to be sorry about

From. Pearl

how's Ronnie?

To. Pearl

he is okay

he hit the pool ladder with his tail

it was just an accident, he didn't notice

Chanyeol paused for a moment while writing this message. This weird feeling... did he just experience a deja vu? He felt like someone'd already said it before.

From. Pearl

Just this? he seemed to be in a huge pain

To. Pearl

yes, sunshine, just the wound

Ronnie is a bit dramatic, isnt he? kkk

you did magic to calm him down, good job

I checked him really thoroughly, dont worry

From. Pearl

okay

I trust you, yeollie

im tired and you should sleep too

To. Pearl

right

good night, pearl

From. Pearl

I liked how you called me earlier

To. Pearl

sunshine?

From. Pearl

not this

To. Pearl

pearl?

From. Pearl

earlier!

To. Pearl

Ah

sweet dreams, love

 

***

 

Baekhyun had a plan.

He couldn't risk letting one more animal get hurt by poachers, not on his watch. Especially after his friends overheard a top-secret conversation at the dock about their next hunting spot. The information finally reached the merman because everyone in the ocean knew he was the only one who could do something about it.

The police were perfectly aware of the illegal hunting, but more often the hunters were smarter than the officers. They chose their spots very carefully, changed it all the time and only hunted at night. Even if someone reported them, they always found a way to escape.

Also now, if Baekhyun wanted to go to the police station, what would he even say if they asked him how he knew? He was not going to say that his friends dolphins had told him, the police officers would either call him crazy or charge him of complicity.

But luckily, Baekhyun happened to have a boyfriend who was a very dedicated man. Chanyeol hated poachers just as much and Baekhyun knew the vet would be eager to help him with his plan.

Just the fact that he was going to be a part of it without knowing was a little detail.

To. hubby

Hi, babe

I prepared something special...

From. hubby

oh is that so?

im sorry dear but im having a surgery soon and it will take some time

To. hubby

I know you will be tired but its important

come to the nearest wild beach to the deck at 2

you know which one

 

From. hubby

...okay

I would be surprised to hear it from any other person but I cant forget my boyfriend isnt like the others

To. Hubby

u are learning fast!

see you there<3

 

***

 

Chanyeol kept his promise and right after the surgery, which ended even later than he expected, he went to the appointed place. There was a boat on the coast, inside were blankets, a basket with something smelling very delicious and candles lightening up the place.

There was no sign of Baekhyun anywhere though.

The vet looked around, using his phone as a flashlight. There were tracks on the sand, but they ended where the water met the land. Baekhyun wouldn't just go swimming while waiting for him, so Chanyeol excluded that option.

Where the hell is he? Chanyeol thought, his boyfriend leaving him completely confused. He was about to call him when he suddenly spotted something weird after looking towards the ocean.

Very, very far away, a white light constantly flashed at him. At first, he thought the water reflected the light of a faraway ship or even a plane, but he realized it wasn't the case because the light was flashing in a specific order.

Three shorts, three longs, three shorts. SOS.

Chanyeol immediately jumped into the boat and started the engine. With a free hand, he dialed the emergency number, hoping they would arrive on time. The closer he got, the better he could see a silhouette of a medium-sized ship, hear people shouting and... dolphins?

The veterinarian stopped the boat when he was close enough and turned off the engine. He could hear clearly now, and he was sure. He heard a dolphin crying too many times to be mistaken.

Chanyeol's heart sank when he realized what was going on here. The light led him to an illegal hunting spot. He knew he had to keep them here before the police would come. The tall man removed his shoes and slid into the water as quietly as possible. He swam up to the ship, looking for a way to climb up.

"It's too loud. We're gonna get in trouble."

"Then just kill it now."

"No, we can't. They pay more for alive ones."

Chanyeol put a hand over his mouth to prevent any sounds from coming out. He finally found a way to get on the deck. He put his feet carefully, hiding behind the wall, trying to get close enough to see and hear them. He was surprised they couldn’t hear his heart racing in his chest.

"You won't get money when they catch you, move," one of the men snarled and walked up to a chest, taking out a spear from it. The sharp blade shone in the moonlight, flashing at Chanyeol, whose heart stopped at the single thought of seeing the animal dead soon. Adrenaline rushed in his veins; he just had to do something.

"Don't you try!" the vet yelled and just a second later, he was jumping toward the man.

The moment of surprise was an advantage, and he managed to punch the one who held the spear, throwing him to the ground. He smashed his head against the wooden planks, knocking the poacher out completely.

He could win against one, but fighting five men was definitely out of the doctor's range of abilities. After two more men joined out of nowhere, he was quickly snatched, tied up and thrown into the corner of the ship.

Perhaps he was going to regret that sudden rush of adrenaline pretty soon.

"Where the fuck did he come from?"

"We will figure it out later. Let's get the hell out of there."

"Hold up, let's just throw him out. No one will find him so far from the coast."

Five pairs of eyes landed on the doctor, causing a wave of heat to go through his body. He started wiggling out of the ropes, mumbling something against the silver tape. Sweat and blood mixed with water on Chanyeol's face after being beaten up; wounds itched, and he could feel the bruises forming up. Was it really how it was going to end?

"Fine. Take him—"

"What the fuck is that?" one of the men suddenly interrupted, gaining everyone's attention. He was pointing at something, and there was a perfectly round bubble of water floating in the air.

It left each of them so shocked that no one had the time to react when the bubble turned into ice and was thrown in their direction. The tough surface hit one of the men, leaving him unconscious on the ground.

"There is something in the water!" another poacher yelled, alerting the rest.

The one closest to the chest grabbed another spear and ran up to the edge while they were trying their best to dodge a rain of ice cubes and hot water. Chanyeol observed all of it in awe because he was the only one who wasn’t aimed by the abnormality.

It all stopped after the poacher threw the spear into the water.

A moment of silence filled the air. Everyone was confused and sore. The hunters needed a moment to get a grip which was sped up by the sound of sirens getting closer. Sent into panic, the poachers threw the dolphin back into the water and the veterinarian together with it.

Chanyeol knew he had a lot of luck that night. The rescuers fished him out and transported him to the coast where paramedics took care of his wounds and wrapped him in towels and blankets. The police officers let him home but ordered him to come to the police station to give testimony.

But there was one more thing that worried the doctor. He noticed a red stain on the sand behind the rocks and followed it, unable to ignore the thought that it could be blood. The traces were getting bigger and bigger towards the other part of the beach, on the other side of the cliff where it was getting wilder and steeply. The rocks were slippery, but Chanyeol didn't stop until he noticed a pair of fins behind a huge stone.

His steps were careful, afraid of scaring off the creature.

And it was a good choice that he went here alone.

A pair of fins, a long, blue tail, blue scales, blue... hair. It was dark, but Chanyeol wasn't blind. There was a human lying on his chest and the human had a tail.

He jumped off and knelt on the sand, hesitating for a moment. Chanyeol's heart missed a beat when he heard a quiet whine and the voice so familiar.

He touched the wet, porcelain skin and gently turned the weak body around. And then, Chanyeol didn't know if he should focus on the pool of blood or on the fact that he was looking at his boyfriend. His boyfriend who looked as if he was half on the other side of the rainbow with his ghost-white skin and purple lips covered in blood.

"Baekhyun... Ah, bloody hell," the vet cursed, the wound on Baekhyun's tummy winning the fight for his attention.

It was a very deep cut from the right hip to the left rib, bleeding every time the boy tried to breathe. It sounded more like weak wheezing anyway, like his lungs were too tired to take in any amount of oxygen.

"I got you, Baekhyun. Just don't fall asleep and I will get you to the hospital—"

"N-no!" the boy tried to yell, but it came out as a barking cough. "—u crazy... no l-labs."

"Oh, yeah. Right, you are right," the vet stuttered nervously. "Don't worry, we will figure something out. Let me just..." he paused and put one arm under Baekhyun's back and the other he wanted to put under his tail, but it was barely possible to move it. "Damn, baby, when did you get so heavy?" he cried. Of course, he should be calm. His job taught him not to panic even in the most stressful and heartbreaking situations.

But he was looking at his bleeding-out boyfriend, for fuck's sake. How the hell was he supposed to remain calm when Baekhyun was at death's door?

The merman let out a wheezy snort and raised his hand weakly, pulling the towel wrapped around Chanyeol. He began drying himself, but any movement caused so much pain in his muscles that he was on the edge of crying. Luckily, the vet quickly got the hint and used all the layers on him to wipe off every droplet.

A moment later, a very intense blue light flashed, almost blinding Chanyeol because of the surrounding them darkness. When his eyes stopped aching, the vet took a look again, seeing the tail gone. Baekhyun had legs again.

Chanyeol quickly snapped, knowing that it wasn't the right moment to be stunned by the fact that his boyfriend was a merman. It was time to take him to the marine hospital and hope that his skills were enough to save a dying human. Maybe Baekhyun was ready to sacrifice himself for the animals, but Chanyeol wasn’t letting him go anytime soon.