Chapter Text
Changbin grabbed Chan by the arm, abruptly dragging him toward the far corner of the deck like they were about to commit treason- which, honestly, they might.
“Listen here carefully Chan!” Changbin muttered under his breath
“What is it?” Chan hissed, stumbling after him
“Why are you sneaking like that? We have a-” he lowered his voice, glancing over his shoulder “-a situation”
“A situation?” Changbin looked at him, eyes wide with disbelief
“Chan that is not a situation. That is profit!”
Chan blinked “…profit?”
“Yes profit!” Changbin leaned closer, voice dropping like he is sharing some deep secret “Do you even understand what that thing is worth? A real, live magical creature! We could sell him and never work again.”
Behind them, there was a very loud and very obvious scuffle
Chan sighed, he called out without even turning “You do realize we can hear you right?”
“I’m not even hiding” Jisung whispered, crouched behind a crate that was too small to hide him. Seungmin stood beside him, arms crossed, making absolutely no effort to pretend he wasn’t listening. Minho leaned casually against the railing, which would’ve been convincing if he wasn’t staring directly at them.
Jeongin, on the other hand, looked offended.
“No” he said stepping forward “Absolutely not! We are not selling him”
Changbin scoffed “And why not?”
“Because” Jeongin gestured dramatically toward the other side of the deck
“Hyunjin likes him!”
All heads turned and surely Hyunjin was still sitting where they had left him, back against the mast, looking like he forgotten the concept of reality entirely. The merman- Felix was curled against his chest, clinging like he had no intention of ever letting go. His damp hair stuck to Hyunjin’s clothes, water dripping steadily onto the deck as he nuzzled closer, making soft, content chirping sounds.
Hyunjin looked… enchanted. Completely gone for this little see creature
Jisung squinted at them, unimpressed “Hyunjin also likes expensive things”
“That’s not the same” Jeongin shot back
“It is exactly the same!” Jisung insisted “Give him a bag of gold and see how fast he forgets the fish”
“It’s not a fish!” Jeongin snapped
“It has a tail!”
Minho, who had been quietly observing, nodded once “He does like money the most”
“Thank you” Jisung pointed at him triumphantly.
Seungmin said nothing, which somehow made it worse.
Chan pressed his fingers to his temples like he is questioning his entire existence for the hundredth time
“Can we- just- slow down? We don’t even know what he is”
“He’s rare” Changbin said instantly “That’s what he is. Rare equals expensive.”
Jeongin looked personally betrayed “He has a name”
“Yes” Changbin said flatly, “we know his name is Felix. That is not the point.”
“The point” Jeongin fumed “is that Felix is not a ‘thing’ and we are not selling him!”
“We’re not just selling a thing!” Jisung argued
“We’re selling a rare, intelligent, possibly magical sea creature with attachment issues!”
“That’s worse” Seungmin muttered
Jeongin crossed his arms “Felix said he likes it here.”
Jisung blinked “Already?”
“Yes”
“He’s been here for what, ten minutes?”
“Hours actually” Minho corrected absently
Jisung turned back to Jeongin
“Yes and? in those ten hours he decided this is his home?”
“Yes”
Jisung visibly deflated, “…and you’re sure?”
Jeongin gave him a look. Enough to ensure that he is completely certain.
Jisung immediately backed off
“Okay, well... That’s… concerning”
Changbin frowned “What else did he say?”
Jeongin tilted his head slightly, trying to remember their earlier conversation
“He thinks the ropes taste bad” he said after a second.
Minho choked. Seungmin tried to hide a smile
“…okay” Jisung said slowly “That one I believe”
“And” Jeongin continued, nodding “he likes Hyunjin”
“You do not have to repeat that!”
All of them turned once again, expecting at least a little change.
But they were greatly disappointed as Hyunjin still hadn’t moved. Felix was still pressed against him, now gnawing at his shoulder with an incredibly pleased look on his face
Hyunjin looked like he would willingly die about it.
“…of course he does” Jisung sighed
“Enough!” Chan snapped, louder than intended trying to gather what little authority he had left over the others
“We are not making any decisions right now. We need to-”
“WHAT ARE THOSE?!”
Jisung’s scream cut through the air like a cannon blast.
“What now?” Chan turned, already irritated, and then immediately forgot what he was about to say next
Because the sea was… staring at them. Well not the sea but there were- eyes. Floating just over the surface of the water.
Dozens of them. Surrounding the ship in a wide, silent circle. Unblinking. Watching.
“…oh” Seungmin said quietly “This is bad”
Jisung grabbed the nearest person- which like always was Minho- and buried his face into his shoulder like a baby
“I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all. Why are they looking at us like that? Why are there so many? Why do they have eyes like that- ”
“Stop talking” Minho hissed, trying to pry him off “You will attract them towards yourself!”
“They’re going to kill us” Jisung whispered “We’re going to die because of the fish”
“He is not a fish-”
“Can we focus?!” Changbin growled
The water shifted, the eyes moving closer. Shapes began to form beneath the surface- figures rising slowly, just enough for silhouettes to appear.
Mermaids. More of them. Surrounding the ship from all directions
“Oh we’re dead” Changbin muttered, already half turning away.
Chan’s mind raced “Should we... prepare to fire...?”
Before he could finish, there was a sudden flash of blue moving right past them
Felix.
He shot upright so fast Hyunjin barely had time to react before the weight disappeared from his chest. And in one smooth motion, Felix darted toward the edge of the ship, perching himself on the railing with impossible balance.
He then started chirping. Rapid, bright, almost musical sounds spilled out of him, layered with clicks and trills. His webbed hands moved wildly as he gestured toward the water, tail flicking behind him, sending droplets everywhere.
The mermaids stilled. All the eyes focused on his like they were listening carefully to whatever he is telling them
“…is he negotiating?” Changbin whispered.
“I think he’s arguing” Seungmin murmured.
“I think we’re about to be sacrificed” Jisung added.
Hyunjin stopped a few feet away from Felix, as finally left his spot against the mast. He didn't say anything, just watched Felix, eyes wide, completely captivated.
The exchange went on longer than anyone expected, long enough for the tension to coil tight in their chests, long enough for Chan to start calculating whether jumping overboard and the mermaids feed on his body would be faster than whatever this was.
Felix chirped one last time, sharp and decisive, arms crossed over his chest. Lips upturned in a proud little smile
The water shifted again. And slowly, one by one, the figures retreated, until there was not a single eye left. The water around them was calm again.
Just like that.
“…they left?” Jisung said faintly after a few seconds, lifting his head towards the ocean
“They left” Minho confirmed.
“They actually left...” Changbin added, sounding mildly offended.
Seungmin turned to Jeongin, silently asking for an explanation or a summary of the chirping that took place between the half fish creatures
Jeongin straightened immediately, like he had been waiting for this moment his entire life.
“Well” he said, lips pursing seriously
“he told them we are good people.”
“…he did?” Chan asked.
“Yes. And that he is going on a voyage with us”
“And?” Seungmin prompted.
Jeongin glanced toward Hyunjin, then back at them.
“And that he found his prince here, so he can't leave”
Hyunjin blinked “…his what?”
Jeongin pointed at him
“You” he said calmly. “Hr called you his prince.”
Silence. Complete, utter silence. The sail made a whipping sound. Somewhere, water dripped (probably from Felix's tail)
Jisung slowly wiped at his eyes, detaching himself from Minho
“…he just saved our lives”
Felix turned around, eyes bright and pleased, and he chirped proudly
“He says he'll stay forever” Jeongin supplied
Chan looked at his crew.
At the empty sea.
At Hyunjin.
At the merman who had just casually declared permanent residence.
“… alright...we are not throwing him overboard... yet” he said finally
Changbin opened his mouth ready to protest but Seungmin pushed his mouth closed with a finger
Chan didn’t even look at them
“We’ll… discuss the selling later” he whispered
Felix chirped again, like he agreed to whatever Chan said
That somehow made it worse.
🌬️
Felix stayed.
He was delighted his wish came true also curious and eager to learn about the humans on the ship
Changbin is still planning to sell him but he don't need to know that
Evrything on the ship was new to him. So interesting, fascinating and apparently- edible
“Felix- no- don't eat that-” Hyunjin's urgent voice rung through the dining chamber as Felix bit into a wooden chair
“We have fish!” Minho yelled running from the kitchen holding a steaming pot of some stew he made
“Fresh fish we caught this morning! These r edible!”
He pushed the pot in front of the merman's face like it will solve all his problems. He somehow has developed a soft spot for the merman. He refuses to explain further on that
Felix took one look at the stew and turned his face, lips pouting
Hyunjin felt like his heart just got pierced.
He cupped the merman's little face in his hands, voice melting into something unbearably soft
“It's okay. You can eat the chair”
“No he can't!” Minho protested
“Yes, he can” Hyunjin shot back immediately, still cradling Felix’s face like he was something fragile and divine
“Look at him. He’s hungry.”
“He’s eating furniture!”
“He is exploring ”
“He’s chewing a chair, Hyunjin. He will get a stomach ache!”
Felix, completely unbothered by the debate over his diet, bit down again. A small, satisfied crack echoed.
Minho made a strangled noise.
“I made food! I cooked real food and he's- ”
The door burst open, two figures stepping in
“What died in here- .”
Jisung stopped midstep. His face going from pleased to surprised to terrified to relief within a a few seconds
“Oh! It's just Felix!”
He still couldn't get used to the fact that a whole real, alive and breathing merman is living with them
Seungmin leaned in from behind him, letting out a long, heavy, deeply judgmental sigh.
“…is he eating the ship?”
“He is not eating the ship” Hyunjin snapped defensively
“He id eating a chair”
“And that makes it better how?”
“It’s replaceable!”
“It’s not” Minho cut him off, clutching the pot tighter like it was the last stable thing in his life
“That chair was bolted to the floor.”
“...”
“Why the hell...?”
Felix chirped, biting off a huge chunk of wood
Jisung inhaled sharply. “HE TOOK A PIECE”
“He’s strong” Hyunjin said almost proudly
Minho looked seconds away from collapse
“I cooked” he said, voice hollow. “I cooked for him.”
Felix, chewed on the piece, holding it in both hands and trying to taste every corner. After a moment he decided it didn't taste good enough and spat it out on the floor, disappointed
His round eyes roamed around, stomach gurgling in hunger- until they stopped on the pot in Minho's hand.
He slowly crawled forward and sniffed it with interest
“Yes! Yes it's food! It's tasty!” Minho was delighted
Hyunjin didn't really like someone else is getting attention from his merman so he pulled Felix up in his arms and sat him down on a different chair
Minho was about to plate him the fish but Felix stretched his neck and - crunch. Took a big bite out of the pot
Everyone's jaws were on the floor as Felix chewed on the metal.
He did pick up the fish and didn't spit it out, even did a small happy wiggle. So... he probably liked it
“…what happens if he eats too much junk?” Seungmin muttered
“No one is finding that out!” Minho snapped
Felix looked between them then made a very delighted chirp, sauce running down his chin. He held out a fish bone to Hyunjin.
Like a gift.
Hyunjin froze.
“You’ve been chosen” Jisung snickered
Hyunjin took it with both hands, his eyes glossy
“…thank you” he whispered
Minho made a noise of betrayal
“I was the one who caught and cooked it!”
Felix chirped proudly.
“Guys... I don't think that's normal to accept it...” Seungmin said, tired of his friends' antics
At the door, Chan was about to enter- but he took one look at the broken chair, Felix chewing on a pot, Hyunjin holding a fish bone like it is some expensive jewel and Minho looking like he wants to punch someone
Jisung and Seungmin also looked ready to lose it
So, he turned around and walked away
Not even looking back.
They had been sailing for weeks, maybe months. Here in the vast ocean, time blurred, measured less in days and more in tides, storms, and how often Jisung complained about the food.
They hadn’t seen a proper human settlement in a long while. Not that it worried anyone. They stopped at scattered islands often enough- small, green pieces of land, where they refilled water, stretched their legs, and argued loudly enough to scare off any wildlife within a mile radius.
Somewhere along the way, Felix became part of their routine.
Chan would look for for him before raising the sail, Minho would make sure he is eating actual food and not biting into junk all the time, Jeongin made sure he never he always had someone who understood him- though Felix talked way too much some time- Jeongin never left.
Jisung and Seungmin approached him slowly, the unease taking longer to fade but they still made sure to keep an eye on him whenever they stopped somewhere new- making sure he gets back on the ship safe.
Changbin however kept his distance.
And Hyunjin? Hyunjin was a different story. He walked and talked like a man possessed. His eyes were always fixed on the merman, his demeanor always overly soft and gentle whenever Felix is in front of him.
He looked like he would bring the moon of Felix pointed at it twice.
Felix too settled really well. He would linger on the deck, trailing after the crew members, squeezing himself into spaces clearly not built for someone with a tail. Always watching them, curious and endlessly fascinated.
And sometimes when the sea was calm and the sky stretched wide and blue- he would slip over the side of the ship without hesitation.
Hyunjin had nearly died the first time he disappeared under the water
Now, though, they were… used to it. Sort of.
Felix would reappear minutes later, gliding alongside the ship like he belonged to the water more than anything else- which, to be fair, he did. Sometimes he raced the current. Sometimes he’d disappear beneath the surface and pop up somewhere completely different, grinning like he had pulled off something impressive.
Jeongin always waved at him from the railings. Hyunjin always leaned over too far.
Minho threatened to tie a rope around him.
But then Felix will climb up with a seaweed on his head and the ship will burst out in bright laughter
Felix also won't leave Hyunjin alone.
Not for a second.
It started subtly- well if clinging to his arm like a lifeline from the moment he appeared could be considered subtle. Then it escalated into full attachment. Wherever Hyunjin went, Felix followed. If Hyunjin sat, Felix was already there. If Hyunjin stood, Felix was halfway up his body before anyone could react.
At one point, Hyunjin tried to walk across the deck and Felix simply… wrapped himself around him. Like a very determined, slightly damp accessory.
“I can’t feel my legs” Hyunjin murmured
“You’re not supposed to carry him all the time...” Chan trailed from across the deck.
“I’m not” Hyunjin said dreamily, adjusting Felix higher on his side “he’s holding on.”
Felix chirped proudly.
That was another problem. He never stopped talking.
A constant stream of clicks, chirps, trills- rapid and excited, like his brain was running faster than his body could keep up. His webbed hands moved just as much, gesturing wildly at everything around him.
Jeongin stood in the middle of it all like a very stressed interpreter.
“He wants to know why the rope is hairy.”
“It’s not hairy, it’s- wait, don’t eat that!”
“He’s asking if the sail is a cloud. He wants to touch it”
“Felix-no- ”
“And he wants to know why Hyunjin’s hair shines”
Hyunjin froze midstep. A smug smile taking over immediately
“…tell him it’s natural” he said
“Dont lie to him Jeongin” Seungmin interrupted
Felix chirped again, louder this time, tugging at Hyunjin’s sleeve.
Jeongin blinked “…he says you look like sunlight”
Hyunjin stopped functioning.
Jisung gagged.
“Oh this is disgusting.”
Meanwhile, Felix had moved on, already distracted, leaning over Hyunjin's shoulder, then immediately spinning back to bite into something new.
“WHY IS HE EATING ROPE AGAIN?” Minho yelled.
“He said its disappointing” Jeongin supplied helpfully.
Time passed.
Not peacefully. But it did anyways.
And slowly... somehow... Felix started picking things up.
At first it was just sounds. Mimicking. Broken syllables stitched together between chirps and clicks. It was clumsy, it didn't make any sense but it was endearing
“Hyun…jin”
It was the first fully understandable word Felix ever uttered.
Felix blinked, like he surprised himself. Then he smiled and repeated
“Hyun...ji...n.”
Everything stopped. Evryone stopped breathing. Even the water seemed to still. Not because Felix spoke for the first time but because he voice that came out of him- was wrong.
Not wrong, but- Deep. Too deep and rich.
Low in a way that did not match anything about him. Not the wide eyes, not the soft expressions, not the way he still tilted his head like a confused child.
It hit the deck like a drop into still water.
Jisung grabbed Minho. “WHAT WAS THAT?”
Minho looked equally disturbed “That came out of him?”
Felix, completely unaware of the chaos he just caused, turned back to Hyunjin.
“Hyu...hyun...jin” he repeated, softer like he was testing the sounds coming out of his mouth
Hyunjin looked like he had just discovered God
“Oh” he breathed.
And that was it.
That was the end of whatever sanity he had left.
From that moment on, Hyunjin made it his mission-
“Say it again”
Felix blinked “Hyun…jin?”
“Again.”
“Hyunjin! ”
A lone tear dropped down Hyunjin's eye. There was not enough words that can describe fondness on his face
Chan looked at the way Hyunjin crouched in front of Felix, hands gently holding the webbed fingers, eyes wide and shining
“Say it again”
Felix, delighted, complied immediately.
Hyunjin almost collapsed on the floor, before raising his hands to hold the small face between them
“You are so talented”
“…we’re going to regret this” Chan muttered.
No one disagreed.
✨
They finally found a proper locality after months.
And not just any stop- it was a place sprawling with people. A chaotic market stretched along the shore. Ships, boats, and narrow gondolas lined the sand in uneven rows, their masts cutting into the sky like a forest of wood. Loud voices carried over the waves- hawkers shouting, merchants arguing, deals being struck left and right
The Strays were also prepared. Their haul this time is quite impressive.
Chan looked out toward the shore, a small, satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
“If we sell everything today” he said, “we won’t have to worry for at least half a year”
“Mm” Minho nodded, arms loosely behind him
“Our merman is quite the collector.”
“I still say we sell him” Changbin muttered from behind them, arms crossed tightly across his chest
“Look at the number of merchants here. They’d pay a hefty amount for something like that”
“We’re not doing that, Changbin”
“Why?” Changbin shot back “Because of Hyunjin? Don’t be so soft, Chan. He’ll forget in no time”
Minho turned and smacked him on the back of the head.
“Hey-”
“Jeongin, Jisung, Seungmin- they’re all attached to him” Minho cut in “Besides, he’s not doing us any harm. He doesn’t even eat that much. Just let him stay”
Changbin huffed
“Say you’re attached too.”
Minho didn’t hesitate “And?”
Changbin clicked his tongue
“Alright, that’s enough” Chan interrupted, voice firm now.
He turned, looking between them.
“We are not selling Felix. The faster you accept that, the better”
A brief silence settled. Then Chan clapped his hands once, sharp and decisive.
“Now move. Let’s get everything ready! We’ve got a market to rob legally.”
Under the deck, the others had already gathered evrything in one place.
They had caught an absurd amount of fish just the night before, so they were still fresh, and glistening, the kind that would sell fast if they played it right.
And then there were the gems. The pearls, the stones, pieces that caught the light just enough to make people look twice.
All Felix’s contributions. Collected during his deep sea disappearances, those quiet effortless dives where he vanished beneath the surface and returned with things no human should have been able to reach.
“All right, this is a lot” Jisung commented, popping each word out dramatically
“All thanks to Felix” Jeongin added, polite as ever.
Felix, currently perched on Hyunjin’s shoulder let out a small, pleased “hehe” at the mention of his name.
“Yes of course!” Jisung sang as he skipped over to him “Aren’t you an amazing, amazing little merman?” he said, poking Felix’s cheeks with two fingers.
Hyunjin huffed “Move away.”
“Why?? You always have him- always-”
“You’re in my face.”
“Not to see your face!”
“Oh my god, shut up” Seungmin cut in flatly.
Felix only giggled harder.
The latch above them creaked open, the three older ones stepping down.
Changbin’s gaze immediately slid toward Felix- who has climbed down from Hyunjin’s shoulder and now sitting crouched on the floor, completely absorbed in a large stone.
“Is everything ready?” Chan asked
“Yes!” Jisung snapped a salute
“Why are you answering? You didn’t even do anything” Seungmin protested
Minho snickered, “Me and Jisung will take the fish. Chan- you take Changbin and Seungmin with you. You’re heading into the city, right?”
“Mm” Chan nodded “We’ll help you after we return. Then we can get our essentials too.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Except Felix.
He frowned slightly, then moved toward Chan, tail dragging along the floor.
“Me?” he asked tilting his little to the side
“You stay here with Jeongin and Hyunjin”
Felix shook his head immediately, stubborn.
“No. Me too”
“Felix” Hyunjin started gently, crouching in front of him
“You can’t go out there. It’s dangerous. We’ll stay here together, okay? I’ll stay with you. I’ll tell you stories- about everything.”
Felix pouted, “Me too.”
“No baby” Hyunjin murmured softly “We’ll wait. We can prepare something special for the others. We can surprise them.”
Felix didn’t look convinced. But it was clear he wasn’t going.
Slowly, he wrapped his arms around Hyunjin’s neck and buried his face into him.
The room quieted just a little with disappointment.
But it was for the best. If anyone outside saw even a single strand of Felix's hair- it will be disaster
They stayed there for two days.
Both days, the ones who went out returned to Felix holding a big pot of strange looking soup he had made with Hyunjin and Jeongin.
They couldn’t eat it.
Only Felix seemed to enjoy it but of course, they hid that. Felix would get sad otherwise.
They weren’t wrong about the money either.
The fresh catch sold out in no time.
In the city, Chan, Changbin, and Seungmin got recognized as the protectors of the sea, and maybe for that reason, the merchants bought more than they should- paying more than necessary.
But who were they to refuse extra money?
Jisung also bought an expensive outfit he absolutely could not wear while sailing. But whatever.
They sailed before sunrise of the third day, only letting Felix come out after they were far from the shore.
Felix sat on the raised foredeck, tail folded neatly beneath him. Hyunjin sat beside him, one arm loosely thrown over his shoulders as he wrapped a silk shawl Chan had bought from the city around the the merman's slick body
Felix stared up at the sky with wide, shining eyes.
“That’s Capricorn” Hyunjin said, pointing toward a cluster of stars
“Cap… con” Felix repeated carefully.
“Mm” Hyunjin rested his head lightly against the merman’s
“And that one right there is Orion.”
“Onion!”
“No- Orion” Hyunjin laughed.
“Onion!”
“…Alright. Onion.”
Felix beamed. Then he bumped his forehead gently against Hyunjin’s.
Giggled.
Did it again. Even rubbed their foreheads together
It was so peaceful.
The ocean was calm. The sky stretched clear and endless above them.
Chan stood at the wheel, the new cap Minho bought him sitting snug on his head.
Across the deck, Jeongin and Jisung laughed about something, their hair whipping wildly in the wind.
It was… nice.
Until- Seungmin climbed down from the crow’s nest.
His face ashen.
“Something’s not right” Seungmin said.
Chan stilled “What do you mean?”
Seungmin’s gaze was fixed somewhere beyond the horizon, like he was trying to listen to something no one else could hear.
“I can feel… something,” he murmured “I don’t know what it is yet. But it’s not a natural disaster... I’m afraid, Chan.”
Chan’s grip tightened around the wheel.
Seungmin don't say he is afraid so easily.
“Gather everyone” Chan said, voice low “How much time do you think we have?”
Seungmin hesitated “…Till midnight”
Chan exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
“Alright... that's enough time”
His voice was calm yet firm in a way that didn’t allow panic to take root.
“We can’t turn around the tide now. Whatever’s coming… we face it.”
🌪️
It was easier said than done
The cannons hadn't been used in ages, were stiff and rusting
Jisung’s water weapons were weak and sputtering looking less like weapons and more like sad, shapeless noodles.
Jeongin was young. The mere mention of violence made his hands tremble.
Hyunjin clutched Felix tightly, arms wrapped around him like he could shield him from something he didn’t even understand yet.
Felix only looked confused. But… happy. Happy that Hyunjin was holding him.
And that made something more twist uncomfortably in the others’ chests.
Because it meant he didn’t understand what a not natural disaster might mean for him
Which left- only the three
Chan
Minho
Changbin
The only ones with enough control to lead. Not because they were ready or better than the others. Just… older.