Chapter Text
Waking up to the feeling of a hay needle digging into the side of his cheek, and the raucous of banging that was happening this was a new change to his usual peaceful mornings, having got used to the way a maid would wake him up in their annoyingly, high-pitched, sing-song voice, “Good morning Prince Langa!” This unique routine was a good morning Langa wouldn’t mind having.
Struggling to open his eyes to see who was making all the racket. He was feeling rather sluggish, and his attempt to get out of bed was, to say the least, embarrassing. The whole leg thing was still new to him, so he certainly wasn’t ready for all the feeling in his legs to be gone once they hit the floor. It felt like needlefish stabbing into his legs, or even a jellyfish stinging him.
Collapsing to the ground face-first he felt a strange feeling of déjà vu wash through him, like this scene, had played out before the only difference was the landing was a lot smoother. Groaning as he pulled his face from the floor, he noticed a particular boy looking at him, grinning ear to ear.
“Still not used to those legs, huh?” He began cracking up as he made his way over to Langa, “Here, let me help you up, you wobbling mess.” Letting out a little laugh as he said that, Langa felt his ears go warm as Reki put a hand on his arm and the other on the curve of his back. Was Reki always this strong? He did somehow managed to carry Langa back to the barn, so he must have some muscle.
“Hey, I was wondering since on land it’s called wobbling when you’re off-balance, what would you call it when swimming?” Reki grabbed his chin with his index finger and thumb, tilting his head to the side as he thought of the answer to his own question. Oh, that was cute, very, very cute, why was Reki acting so cute? Was it normal to think- “Swobble? Like a combo of swim and wobble, swobble?” Reki cut Langa’s thoughts off with his ridiculous answer.
“I don’t think that’s a thing in the water, or on land.” Feeling laughter bubbling up in his throat, Langa tried to hold it in as to not make Reki feel embarrassed.
“What no way swobble is totally a word, I know so because I say so. My logic makes perfect sense, man, you wouldn’t even know about land since you’re just a fish.” Reki swatted his hand at Langa as he moved over to his workbench to resume whatever he was working on.
Langa followed quickly behind him, looming over his shoulder as he stared down to look at whatever Reki has been crafting for the past few hours as Langa slept like a baby on Reki’s bed, that thought made Langa’s stomach do a flip. “What are you working on?” Langa decided to ask after watching the way Reki was so zeroed in on his work.
“Ah, this? It’s just some project I got commissioned to work on, I make everything by hand you know!” Reki leaned his head back to look at Langa as he gave him a crooked smile, his head hitting Langa’s abdomen as those big brown eyes shined with passion for his work.
“That’s actually quite impressive, Reki. You’re amazing, very talented.” Langa gave him a soft smile as he looked down into those rich honey-colored, round eyes, the same eyes he saw when he first came on land, the same eyes he wouldn’t forget. “Aw jeez man you flatter me, I’m not that talented though lots of trial and error with this kinda work…” Reki shifted his head back down but was still leaning into Langa.
“Y’know, I was thinkin’ maybe you could come with me? For the delivery, I mean, you haven’t really seen much of the world other than Joe’s stinky ol’ barn, which isn’t all the human world has to offer up.” Shifting to the side, Langa thought about the human world and thought about what he saw in his book he found on the ocean floor, how there were towns filled with people, and goodies, all the different sights, and smells. Langa wanted to experience all of it, and better yet, experience it all with Reki.
“If you aren’t sure, just know I’ll be with you all the way, and I won’t leave you for a second! I’ll be right behind you.” Langa froze, he felt his body tense at those words, his legs buckling beneath him. Reki didn’t know that those words were the same words his dad told him before…before THAT happened. He didn’t want to look back again and see that he was alone.
“My hand… I want you to hold my hand, please. If that’s okay.” Looking down shyly as he fidgeted with his hands, he was scared for the answer he was about to get, would Reki reject him? Was it weird to hold hands on the surface? Would Reki hate him now and find him disgusting? These thoughts scared him. He would never want Reki to ever hate him, he was his first friend, or were they friends?
“Yeah man, of course, I’ll hold your hand! You’ll probably be a tripping falling mess anyway, so this will be good for the both of us!” Getting pulled from his thoughts by Reki who sounded so sure that holding hands was okay, it eased Langa’s overly anxious mind. “Alright…”
“Alright! Then it’s settled, let me just grab my stuff, and we can head out, dude.” Reki didn’t even hesitate when saying sure to holding hands, this made Langa’s heart race a mile a minute. Watching as Reki bent over to haul his large bag over his shoulders, it looked pretty heavy.
“Do you, uh, do you maybe want some help?” Offering a hand out like he was going to take something, Reki immediately put a hand out in front of him, “Nah s’okay man, I’m pretty strong after all I did carry you all the way here.” Reki said this as he flexed one of his arms, and he was right, he did have some nice muscles.
Before he could even respond to that, Reki was reaching for Langa’s hand. Oh, his hand was nice, while Langa had slim long fingers, Reki had bigger thicker fingers, his palm was larger than Langa’s. The way his calloused fingers brushed against Langa’s as he intertwined them together. The small cuts that had bandaids in them were rough on Langa’s skin. This felt nice.
“Alright! Let’s get going before we’re late.” Reki gave a bright, toothy, lovely smile. The way one of his cheeks made a little indent at the corner when he smiled had Langa’s heart surging from his chest. What was it about this redhead boy that made Langa feel so...weird?
Getting dragged out of the barn, they both soon were on a gravel path that led into a thick forest. The tree’s standing tall, reaching out to the sky, the wind making the grass sway looking like a wave of green, birds flying high above their heads as they whistled through the sky. The only birds Langa has seen are seagulls, but these birds were colorful and darted across the sky, the sky that was clear of any clouds, the sun beating down on them leaving a warm fuzzy feeling on their skin. The surface was really wonderful.
Listening to the way the forest bustled around them as they walked hand-in-hand, the world around them was never quiet. It was nothing like being underwater, it wasn’t cold, it was warm, it didn’t sound muffled, everything could be heard loud and clear. The whole place buzzed with different things. The one thing Langa focused the most on was the way Reki was humming, it wasn’t loud but it was there, and god was it amazing. He could listen to him hum all day, or watch the way Reki bobbed his head side to side, the way he swung their hands, and the way each step he took was more akin to a bounce.
Coming to an opening from where the trees parted into a large view, Langa’s eyes went wide. The town was nothing like the book showed, not at all, it was better than Langa could ever imagine. It was alive, the way bright lights shined even if it was mid-day, the way each building was crawling with different people, different sizes and colors of shops scattered everywhere, different paths leading to areas, Langa wanted to explore all of it.
Reki squeezed Langa’s hand a little tighter causing Langa to be broken from whatever spell the town had cast on him, looking into Reki’s amber eyes Langa felt his breathing hitch because nothing was more beautiful than those big, round eyes. “Make sure you stay close to me, okay? This part of town get’s pretty busy and I don’t wanna lose you, man.” He said this while pulling Langa closer to his side so their shoulders brushed together.
Langa could only nod because he didn’t trust his voice to not let out some pathetic squeaking noise. Letting himself get led by Reki as they made their way into the town, the path turned from gravel to a hard concrete which Langa had never felt before. The way it sounded under his feet as he walked was new too just like everything else. The way the air in the town felt stuffy, different smells attacking his noise each time they passed a new building or person.
There were so many different people around them, women in big poofy dresses, men dressed in casual slacks, children running amuck as mothers yelled for them to stop. The palace back underwater never got this hectic, it was always silent or lonely. People would stop to bow at Langa when he swam past them, and he would always be escorted by a guard, but this felt free no one bowing at him saying “Hello you highness.” Or stopping their activities to make sure Langa was the center of attention. Langa felt like he was a normal person.
“Oh...this is rich! I can’t believe Shadow is flirting with Oka right now, and on the clock!” Reki talked over the crowd, his voice being the only one Langa cared about. “Oka? Shadow?” He questioned not knowing these people’s names, they must be friends of Reki.
“Yeah Oka is my boss, and Shadow is...well he is Shadow, but he totally has a thing for my boss, I mean look at em!” Reki pointed to a window where a large man with parted orange hair could be seen leaning over a counter, face-to-face with another man in a jean jumper, and he looked to be blushing at whatever the other was saying. “C’mon man let’s go crash their date!” Reki sprung into a sprint, laughing as his grip on Langa’s hand got tighter.
Bursting through the doors of whatever store Reki had dragged Langa into, both men startled at the sudden intrusion of the blue and red-haired duo. “Well, well, well if it isn’t my ol’ pal Oka!” Reki let go of Langa’s hand so he could slide over to who Langa assumed was Oka, Reki’s boss. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a slight hint of jealousy at the way Reki’s arm wrapped around Oka’s neck, not because he thought Oka was going to be macking up on Reki. No, it’s because that arm could be around Langa, or better yet those calloused, rough hands could be holding one of Langa’s hands.
“Oh, and what’s this? Shadow is here too? What brings you here Shadow last time we talked you were still a fisherman trying to catch crab.” Reki said smugly, wiggling his eyebrows in place as he narrowed his gaze onto the larger man who now seemed slightly annoyed.
Shoving Reki off of him, Oka took a deep breath through his nose before letting out a loud exaggerated sigh, “Reki, stop teasing Shadow and just drop off what you’ve been working on.” Langa just stood by the doorway, awkwardly as he watched the three interact with each other.
“Yeah Reki, stop teasing us and go tend to your own freak show boyfriend over there. The kid looks like he is about to crumble under the pressure of not knowing us.” Shadow threw a thumb up behind him gesturing to Langa. Reki’s whole face fumed a crimson color as he scurried his way back to Langa. Grabbing his arm.
“He isn’t my boyfriend! And don’t call him weird, old man, he isn’t from here because he is a m- mmmm uh...MAIN- mainlander, he is from the main island, so this is all new to him.” Langa let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in, Reki had almost blown his cover as a mermaid which wouldn’t do any favors for either of this.
“Old man!? I’m twenty freakin’ four you brat!” Apparently, Shadow was insecure about his age because Reki’s comment about it got a rise out of him, a vein pulsating from his forehead as he clenched his hands into fists. Langa absentmindedly stepped in front of Reki shielding him from the larger figure that began walking towards them.
“Okay, that’s enough!” Oka slammed his hand down on the counter which got the attention of everyone rather efficiently, “I’m not going to have you guys fight in my store, Shadow it was nice seeing you. I'm glad you dropped by on your break, but I do need to get back to work.”
Shadow looks dejected but ends up just nodding, heading for the door Langa and Reki were standing in front of. Watching as Shadow left the shop, the little bell above ringing to announce his leave. Reki turned back to Oka with a wide grin, “Man who knew you and Shadow had a thing…you know the last time I flirted with someone on the job you hit me on the back of the head with a paper.” Reki chuckled as he began to rummage through his bag for the project he had to drop off.
Reki? Flirting? Why was he flirting anyway, and why did that make Langa’s blood boil? It’s not even any of Langa’s business, it’s not like he’s known Reki for very long, and barely knows him! He just knows Reki is stunning in his eyes.
“Reki, don't start this now, I’m more curious as to why you’re friends with a mainland kid, and what his business here is. Most of the mainland people dislike us for thinking we are filthy thieves.” Oka eyes Langa as if he’d done something wrong, this only caused Langa to tense up under his gaze. He shuffled slightly to Reki for some cover.
“Well, he is a runaway, duh! That’s why he is here and friends with me! The best runaway there is.” Reki moved over to an empty table, placing the large wooden project on top of the space available for it. “I guess that explains why such a pretty boy is down here in the slums huh.” Oka snickered at his own comment, but it sounded bitter.
Reki didn’t say anything after that, he was so focused on setting up his work that he didn’t even notice the way Langa was staring holes into the back of his head. Moving around the table in circles, Langa watched in amusement as the redhead mumbled to himself before screaming out perfect.
“Alright Oka, the order is in place. I'll be back next week for the money so don’t go spending it on you and Shadow got it?” Reki grabbed Langa by the arm, tugging him towards the door, as Oka waved them off.
“Alright man now we are free to do whatever we want! How about I show you round the city and you can get a feel of life around here?” Langa just nodded because of course, he would do anything Reki wanted, and getting to see the city did excite him a bit.
Reki ran his hand down Langa’s arm, situating it back into his hand. He wrapped his warm fingers around Langa’s, rubbing smooth circles onto Langa’s thumb with his own as he led them through the streets. Langa felt his heart beating rapidly in his chest at the sensation of Reki moving his hand on his, it was the best feeling ever. It was so subtle, warm, he felt cared about like Reki wouldn’t leave him. He felt safe.
Reki led them down a few twisted roads before turning a corner where a bunch of different stalls were lined in rolls, screeching on for what looked like miles, they had different things from foods, books, clothes, bags, anything you could think of. Langa had never seen such a variety of different things.
“Stay close.” Reki had whispered this right into Langa’s ear, his warm breath tickling the tip of his ear, the way his hand cupped around his ear made Langa’s cheek flush red. Being this close to Reki made Langa be able to appreciate all the lovely features on Reki’s face. The way his cheeks were slightly chubby, the way his two front teeth had a small gap, his beautiful sun-kissed skin showing even more of those adorable freckles up close. Langa felt a warm tingle run throughout his body.
Moving through the crowd of people, Langa noticed people staring at him. Why were they looking? Did they know? It was just like back home when he’d go out people would just stare. The way their eyes followed his every movement, everything felt cold, darkness closing in on him, were they pointing now too? He felt his heart racing, his breathing starting to become erratic, the way his body trembled with the fear that they knew his secret.
Feeling something squeeze his hand, he came to an abrupt stop slamming into Reki’s back, “Hey man, you okay? You’re shaking like a leaf.” Reki looked at him, his brows furrowed. Feeling his mouth open and close a few times, “Uh...yeah I just don’t really like crowded places.” His response must’ve upset Reki because soon the frown that was already forming on his face took place even faster.
Before he could apologize and just tell Reki to forget it, Reki let out a deep sigh, “Man I’ve been draggin you around doing things I like. I should’ve asked what you wanted to do.” Rubbing at the back of his neck, Reki flicked his attention back to Langa’s, “Is there anything you’d wanna see? Maybe something you’ve heard about?”
Oh, Reki was asking him what HE wanted to do. Nobody has ever asked him what he wanted in life. Was this really okay? Being able to be selfish for a little bit and do something he wanted? Would Reki be okay even if the request was silly?
“I...I want to see fireworks...If that’s okay with you.” Langa was acutely aware of how embarrassing the request was, Langa felt his whole face go hot. “Fireworks? Alright man, I don’t see why we couldn’t go.” Without another word, Reki had just grabbed Langa’s hand again and took off towards the docks.
Ever since coming to this world, Reki has been the first person there for Langa. He made him feel normal like he wasn’t some mythical creature you only read about in storybooks, Reki made him feel like he belonged. Even if their first encounter had been a bit...interesting, he never tried anything after that.
Making their way down the docks where no boats had been, they sat at the edge letting their legs dangle over the water below them, looking out to the ocean. “Those boats out there should set them off, they always do.” Langa only hummed in response to Reki because of course, he knew those boats, he knew them rather well. Even if those thoughts aren’t pleasant he did enjoy seeing the fireworks that came from them.
They sat in silence for a while, just listening to the waves slosh against the pillars under them, the distant sound of seagulls calling out to each other, taking in the different smells around them from the salty sea to the somewhat fishy scent coming from it. Everything felt right, felt so complete in this moment, nothing could ruin it, everything felt this way with Reki because of course, it did, it was Reki.
Reki cleared his throat, turning his gaze to Langa, “Hey I wanted to ask...do you like, miss the ocean? Your home I mean, wherever that was under the water.”
“Not...not really, I mean I miss my mom she is the only family-” He had to swallow a few times, feeling himself choke up, “She is the only family I have.” He felt his tears begin to sting, but he wasn’t going to cry not in front of Reki.
Reki just waited, didn’t say a word he was patient with Langa, “I left because I felt trapped, everywhere I turned there was either a maid or a guard to ask where I’m going or how I’m doing. I got treated as if I was some helpless baby, I felt trapped even being in my own room. Everyone looked up to me since I was supposed to take the throne...but I was too much of a coward.” Turning away he hung his head, looking down into his lap.
“Wait...King? Are you some Prince? No wonder you felt so trapped man that’s a hell of a lotta pressure, I don’t blame you for running away.” Reki scooted closer so their legs bumped together, he placed his hand on Langa’s back running it up and down in a soothing motion, and if Langa was being honest it worked.
“I came here in hopes to find my dad...I promised my mom I’d bring him back, but I also promised myself.” He tensed at those words, never fully registering them till now. He promised he would find his dad, but hadn’t even known where to look, his dad might not even be here.
“That seems like even more pressure…” Reki stopped his circular motion and replaced it by snaking his arm around Langa’s shoulder to pull him closer. “I’m sorry man I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or anything.” He sounded so sincere and maybe he was.
“I do have another question though, and boy, heh, it’s kinda embarrassing.” Reki chuckled out as he moved away from Langa to rub at the side of his cheek with his finger, a slight hint of pink tinting his cheeks. “So why’d you kiss me? When we were back in the barn, Not that I was grossed out or, wait no I didn’t mean that I just...agh! You get the point…”
Langa smiled a bit at Reki’s embarrassment, “Well I’m able to understand any language through lip contact, and I had no idea what you were saying when we first met...sorry I kinda did it without asking.” Langa shifted his attention back up to Reki searching for even the slightest hint of anger, but Reki just looked up to the sky before letting out a deep, loud, laugh.
“Oh, man! That is just too good, and here I thought it was some weird fish tradition!” Reki leaned back, almost falling backward as he kept laughing. His eyes formed little creases at the corners as he squeezed them tight, the indent on his left cheek could be seen, even more, the way he did little snorts as he inhaled. Reki was gorgeous.
Far-off out on the water the sound of a loud pop could be heard. Langa turned his attention to where the bright light of a firework could be seen. Watching is amazement as they burst into different colors, spiraling out in the night sky, the buzz he heard in his ears as they popped one by one.
One particular light caught his attention, the fiery red one that shot through the sky, glowing brighter than all the others. It reminded him of a certain one, the certain someone sitting right next to him. Glancing to the side to catch a glimpse of the redhead he was left just gawking at the sight he saw.
Reki was looking up to the sky, his eyes open wide, the way the light shimmered in his honey-colored eyes, how his face lit up with each glimmer from the fireworks, his hair sticking out in every direction looked just like how the fireworks would explode into different angles of the sky. The way he had the softest smile spread across his face, his cheeks would look so soft when he smiled.
“They’re pretty huh.” Reki sighed out as he kept watching the fireworks. Langa was no longer even facing the fireworks, long forgetting them, his gaze was dead set on Reki, “Yeah...they are pretty.” He whispered out, memorized by the way Reki looked in the lighting.
Langa hadn’t even noticed how the fireworks had already ended, he was too focused on Reki. “Hey, Langa now that- Uh what’re you looking at.” Reki turned his head back to see whatever Langa was looking so intensely at.
“Oh uh, Nothing! sorry, Reki, what were you saying?” Langa felt his face burn up in embarrassment. Reki just gave him a puzzled look, “Yeah...as I was saying, want to get some dinner? I know a reallllllly good place.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down as he smirked.
Langa just nodded, getting up as Reki skipped up to the path. “Oh man, you’re gonna meet Joe, and Miya! Oh and Cherry might even be there too, they’re really cool!” Reki rambled on about his friends, anyone could tell he was being honest about the way he spoke of them. If Reki thought they were nice, then Langa already liked them.
Coming up over a hill and a small building could be seen, it was surrounded by trees and made of mostly old bricks, and some logs. The sign out front read close, but that didn’t seem to stop Reki from going up to the door. Before either of them got close a loud smash could be heard from inside, both of them just stopped and stared at each other before Reki took off running, Langa following close behind. Throwing open the door a large man with a big bulk was standing between a smaller man who wore his light pink hair in a tight ponytail, on the other end was a taller man with spiky blue hair. The tension could be cut with a knife, everyone just staring at each other not moving an inch.
Langa looked past the three men to see a small boy in the corner of the room, he was frozen, paralyzed as he looked down at his feet. There was a plate by him, shattered into pieces. Reki must’ve noticed too because he shoved his way into the building immediately going over to the boy with jet black hair and grabbing him into a tight hug.
“What the hell is going on?!” If looks could kill, Reki would definitely be wanted for murder.