Archive of Our Own

    When Poe was forced into a mandatory vacation by his employer, he felt like he might lose his mind.

    Of course he would have loved to have a couple weeks to himself - he could sleep twice as long, maybe catch up with some of his stories in progress, and in general just enjoy the solitude.

    But his boss, ever so saccharine in his displays of kindness, insisted he take advantage of the opportunity and go on a trip to Japan. It was already settled before he could get a word in, he had booked a hotel and flights and everything; it would be such a waste not to go, and he wasn't sure how refusing would damage his chances of keeping his job. Fitzgerald was generous to his employees, but he could be incredibly scary when challenged. He didn't want to risk anything.

    When he instead asked why it had to be this way, he was told it was because he would spend the entire time inside, wouldn't dare see the light of day until it was over. In all honesty, that was completely true, but he thought that was the whole point. Instead of being able to relax in the comfort of his own home, he would be thrust into a foreign environment and stay on edge for days.

    However, the more he thought about it, the more he could get behind it. It wasn't the first time he had been to Japan, after all. His work had him visit a few times before (albeit with everyone else) and, thanks to tutors that had so graciously been hired for all of them, he'd like to think he was moderately fluent in the language by now. He would be able to get by easily. And he had a hotel already covered - surely, in the worst case scenario, he wouldn't have to talk to anyone aside from room service.

    It was still a vacation, and he would still be alone. Ultimately, he decided this was an excellent chance for him. He could spend the whole time writing, drawing upon the unfamiliar surroundings to inspire his work. Yes, he was sure this would be great. Convincing himself as such was the only way to keep him from panicking.

    The day before he left, anxiety got the best of him. He pestered his closest colleague with his worries. By no means were they best friends, but Lovecraft understood his loner tendencies the best out of any of them. They shared a very quiet bond just over that.

    "This might turn out to be a huge mistake," he had said, half trying to explain the situation and half muttering his own thoughts out loud to make sense of them himself. "I don't know what I'll do if something goes wrong. I wish I could just stay home."

    "Don't we all," Lovecraft commented, looking at him with dead, unsympathetic eyes. "You are lucky. I wish I had an excuse to sleep for two weeks."

    "I don't think I'll get the chance to sleep. I'll be freaking out the whole time." Poe fidgeted under the other's cold gaze and thought of the next thing to say. "But mostly, I plan to write. That's the most important thing, it's too great of an opportunity to miss out on. If I fail to write something worthwhile, I won't forgive myself."

    "I see."

    "That would be humiliating… There's a lot of pressure. What if I lose my inspiration? My muse?" He paused for a few seconds, letting the scenario play out in his head. It was a terrifying thought: some magnificent writer he would be if he returned from his travels with nothing to show for it. At this point, however, he realized he had been carrying on a monologue about this for a good ten minutes. Poe took a deep breath and sighed. "What would you do if that happened, Lovecraft?"

    "What?"

    "What brings you inspiration?"

    Silence fell between them for a while. This probably wasn't the best person to ask about feeling inspired, but he was actually curious to hear what he would say. After some careful thought, not a single doubt sounded in that slow, droning voice: "The ocean."

    Poe took Lovecraft's answer to heart. Something about it seemed just poetic enough to be what he was looking for. He found himself often travelling to the beach during this trip, for the town he was staying in was most perfectly placed by the sea.

    He only did this at night. He wasn't much a fan of staying out in the sun, and the possibility of coming across other people was risky. So he would go out at around nine in the evening and stay there until well past three a.m., scribbling down prose in one of several notebooks he had brought with him.

    The sound of the shore was soothing. He didn't usually like having noise around while he wrote, but this was quite different. The slow, rolling tide was like the whisper of a ghoul, and he found himself completely enamored with it. Under the moonlight it provided the perfect atmosphere for another one of his grotesque novels. He couldn't decide on just one - he had begun about five different stories. None of them would stick for too long before moving onto the next, but he didn't even care, he was just so ecstatic to be this productive for once. Why hadn't he done something like this before? For three nights he sat there on the shore, legs crossed, small stack of notebooks by his side, nothing but the moon illuminating the papers in his lap. If the tide became too strong he would move back and sit on a nearby rock, giving him a better view of the scene before him. Everything was picturesque. It felt a bit too good to be true.

    On the fourth night he spent writing by the shore, he was unable to focus. It wasn't quite the same. He couldn't really immerse himself in what he wrote. Sentences he managed to get down on paper were erratic and unclear, so he scribbled most of them out until he realized he should save his ink and give up.

    He spent an hour just watching the sea. Those whispers of the tide weren't as harmonious as before; they felt more disturbed. And the moon, brighter now as it had reached a fuller phase, could have been trying to warn him of something. He wasn't afraid, though, he found it all quite charming. Haunting, if you will. Poe found a certain comfort in these types of unsettling environments. If only he could manage to write something about it.

    Near midnight, a voice jolted him from his thoughts and he nearly threw his notebook in the air from shock. The sound wasn't very clear, but it was most definitely real.

    It was too dark to see anything but the water and his immediate surroundings. He collected himself enough and, shakily, called out.

    "Hello?"

    Then he heard it again. It was so close. Only meters away. What on earth was another person doing out here so late? That was all he could think, even if it was hypocritical. Maybe he had been caught and would get in trouble for trespassing or something. Maybe he was about to be killed. His head became heavy with anticipation as he ran through all the possibilities in an instant.

    Despite his better judgement he stood and approached the source of the noise. "Is someone there?" he tried asking aloud again, weakly.

    There was a groan, and he stopped. His eyes were drawn to the shadow of a person lying there on the beach - he nearly shouted from surprise. He raced to their side. "A-Are you alright? Do you need help?"

    "That'd be nice," the person said groggily. A man.

    "Are you hurt?"

    The man turned his head to look up at Poe, and he caught just a hint of his dark eyes when he noticed something else. A gleam, a dim reflection on some surface, a physical mass shining in the light as though it were slick with seawater. He squinted to make out its blurry shape, slowly following the outline up to where it connected with the man's torso, a seamless transition from skin to…

    Scales.

    Poe jumped up and stumbled back, covering his mouth. Was he just seeing things?

    "No, I'm not hurt. Just uncomfortable."

    "Y-You…" He couldn't stop looking at it. That was undeniably a tail.

    "So are you going to help me or not?"

    "You're a mermaid!"

    He stretched his arms far above his head to feign celebration. "You got me! Well done. Anyways, are you going to stop staring and--"

    "No, no, this is wonderful - I know all about mermaids!" Poe was suddenly overwhelmed with excitement. He had spent countless hours researching mythical and legendary creatures for his stories, and mermaids were some of his favorites. How lucky was it that this had happened to him? He always loved the idea of them. Strikingly beautiful creatures who deceived humans and lured them to their deaths. Morbid as it may be, he found the concept to be quite a glamorous one.

    "Ugh… Look, this is really embarrassing. I'm stuck. I would have preferred that no one saw me like this, but you're here now. So unless you plan to put me out of my misery, I'd appreciate it if you put me back in the water."

    He nodded. It made plenty of sense - the poor guy must have beached himself. But for some reason, Poe hesitated to take action. So many questions were going through his head, and he wanted answers. He crouched down beside him again. "If you knew I was coming, shouldn't you have been able to disguise yourself? As a, um, human?"

    "That's too much wooorrrk. And I don't have clothes. Would you rather have come across some naked guy?"

    "Ah," was all he could say, realizing how stupid he sounded. It's better not to make assumptions.

    "If you really know anything about my kind, you should know you're a bit too excited for your own good."

    "Y-Yes. I'm sorry. I just think you're beautiful." Of course, by 'you', he meant the species as a whole, but it came out a bit more personal than he intended. By the time he had caught his mistake the merman on the ground was already grinning wide.

    "I know. My stunning looks are such a burden, I can't help it."

    "I didn't--"

    "It's hard being beautiful, you know? Human beings fall in love with me left and right. It's a wonder weak people like you are able to function. I don't know how you do it!"

    Thank god it was so dark out. Poe's face was burning.

    "I'd love to continue this love affair of ours, but I'm getting kinda… sticky. I need you to put me back."

    "In the ocean?"

    "In the ocean. Right there. Just drag me over."

    "Okay," he said, but still he couldn't bring himself to do it. Something was stopping him. "…What if I don't?"

    "If you don't," the merman said, tone becoming a bit more dangerous, "then I'll die. You don't want to kill me, right?"

    "No, of course not. But what if I captured you? I might not ever meet another mermaid. This could be my only chance."

    He got quiet for what felt like an eternity. Poe began to worry he had gone too far. He was only curious. But just when he was about to apologize, the silence was broken again. "You already know what will happen if you do that, don't you? That's why you're asking."

    "Yes, you're right," he admitted softly. When captured, mermaids were rumored to grant wishes in exchange for their release. He assumed that's what they were talking about. Or was it that someone who kidnapped a mermaid would be forced to marry her, and bind their souls together forever? Or would he have no choice but to be dragged to the bottom of the sea as punishment? He couldn't remember what the catch was, it varied between tales. There was no way to be absolutely certain, though; whatever legends he had studied were created by humans in the first place. They could be completely wrong.

    "You're not going to capture me anyway, so it doesn't matter."

    "What makes you so sure?"

    "I don't think you're that kind of person."

    Poe became strangely defensive. Why did this creature seem to have so much faith in him, anyway? It seemed naive. But maybe he didn't have a threatening aura. There was something about him that must have said he was 'safe' to interact with.

    "You think too much. Can you pleeease put me in the water now? I think I'll dry up faster if I have to listen to another question of yours."

    "Alright. I'll do it."

    "Finally. It took you long enough."

    He stood up and reached for his arms. "Like this?"

    "Just like that."

    He felt nervous making contact with such a being. The merman's skin was cold and damp. As much as he would have liked to savor the feeling, he had to get this over with. He dragged his body closer to the edge of the shore, walking backwards with a grip around his arms.

    "You'll have to get a bit wet. Really get me deep in there, alright?"

    "R-Right."

    "Thanks."

    "Why do you trust me?"

    "Huh? I don't get what you mean."

    "You didn't even try to hide what you are. You just… accepted it. You clearly trust me not to tell anyone, and you were pretty certain I wouldn't capture you."

    "Well," he said, grinning again. The sight of it made Poe have to look away, for it seemed too embarrassing. "I'll come clean. I've been watching you these past few nights."

    "What?"

    "Yep! I thought you seemed interesting. You probably know this already, but normal people don't tend to hang out in the middle of the night." Poe wanted to die. He couldn't believe he was being shamed by a mermaid. "What are you, a poet? An author? I figured if you're the romantic literary type, you would know how important it is to keep quiet about chance encounters like this. It makes it feel more magical, doesn't it?"

    He said nothing. When he felt his shoes hit water, he slowed down, and when the tide was lapping at the bottoms of his calves, he stopped moving altogether. He released the weight he was pulling.

    "Are you giving up already? I thought you'd take me a bit further. We were almost there."

    "You can't swim the rest of the way from here?"

    "I can, but I don't want to. It's annoying." Nevertheless, the merman flopped over onto his stomach and let the current rush over him for a bit, propped up by his elbows. "Man, it feels good to be back in the water."

    Poe inhaled to say something, but he couldn't find the words. His body was still buzzing from excitement but the realization that this would soon be over made him sad. He stared at the stark white of his back and the dark shape of what seemed to be a dorsal fin along his spine. A certain melancholy was starting to set in.

    "What's the matter? You're not entranced by my beauty again, are you?"

    "After you go… I won't get to see you again."

    A thoughtful silence passed. "I guess not. Were you hoping to?"

    "It would be nice."

    "Pull me into deeper water so I can swim off easier. I don't like using too much effort."

    "Alright." His clothes were getting soaked, but that didn't matter at this point. He pulled him further into the water until it was up to his thighs. The man had begun to float as the water got deeper, and he was entirely nonresistant to being dragged around. Poe imagined it would feel just the same if he were trying to hide a dead body.

    "You can let go now."

    He did.

    "Woo… That was fun!" The merman became spectacularly graceful as he was free to move his body again. It was impossible to make out every move he made, but the way he writhed about was like a serpent. "But… the waves are going to pick up soon. You should get back to land as quickly as you can."

    "Ah, I see…"

    He grasped onto the sleeves of Poe's shirt so he didn't float away. "Let me tell you something. I owe you for helping me out." He came awfully close, lowering his voice. Poe took a good look at the hair clinging to the other's face and could feel his breath being stolen from him. "There's an old fishing pier no one uses a few kilometers north of here. I'll be there tomorrow evening. You know, if you wanted to come thank me."

    "Thank you?"

    "Yeah. I thought you might want to thank me personally for giving you the chance to meet me."

    He was totally starstruck. This was an invitation to spend more time together. "Am I dreaming?" he whispered.

    To that, the merman smiled from ear to ear. He was sure those teeth looked sharper than normal. "Come see me tomorrow and you'll find out."

    It was pretty difficult for Poe to think about anything else when the next day came. He managed to waste enough time daydreaming and ended up caving in the late afternoon to seek out the location the merman had told him. It was just about four p.m. when he ended up at the fishing pier with the help of a rather confused taxi driver. He hoped it was the right place.

    As it wasn't quite 'evening' yet, he made use of the writing materials he had brought - the same as he usually did when visiting the beach at night. He had no trouble writing this time and got to work on a new story. He wasn't quite sure where he was going with it, but he was quickly submerged in his work and an hour passed without him noticing. He was so immersed that, momentarily, he had lost track of the reason he came here in the first place.

    When the sound of splashing in the water surrounding him picked up, he glanced up and noticed someone swimming towards him. His story was instantly forgotten as he was overtaken by delight.

    "You came," Poe gasped, amazed.

    "I told you I would."

    Able to see him in the full light, he realized the merman was a million times more beautiful than he originally thought. He saw now that his sharp eyes were the loveliest shade of jade. The scales that made up his tail were the deepest, most regal emerald hue he had seen in his life, reminiscent of some expensive velvet fabric only to be used for the pillows of a king. His ears were just a bit longer than a normal person's, and they came to a point at the tips. He hovered in the water below with a content smirk that pulled on the strings of Poe's malleable heart.

    "Oh," he began, mentally scrambling to compose himself. "I never… asked you your name. It's been bothering me ever since last night."

    "I don't give out my name to just anyone. That's too risky." He reached up for the edge of the dock so he could lift himself and, finally, rest his head atop both his arms there, the rest of his body hanging into the water beneath him.

    Poe got a clear view of his dorsal fin now that they were closer; the spines looked lethally sharp and seemed to flex themselves at will. The see-through green film connecting them had an iridescent shimmer. He swallowed. It felt like he was in the presence of something divine - breathtaking, at the price of inescapable judgement weighing down on him at all times.

    "So what's your name?"

    "Edgar Allan Poe."

    "Poe, then?"

    "Yes, that's right."

    "In that case, you can call me Ranpo!"

    What a cute, innocent sounding name, Poe thought, though he couldn't shake the feeling it was mocking him somehow. Either way, he was too thrilled to care.

    "You must really like to write," Ranpo said, shooting a glance at the books by Poe's flank. "I might have spent a few minutes watching you do your thing before I came up."

    "A-Again? Do you usually watch people like that?"

    "Hmm… Nope, not really! Just you." A teasing grin spread over his features. There was no doubt about it this time, those teeth were like razors.

    "I… I see…" He would have to get used to these 'jokes' and the way they made something in his stomach stir. "I write novels in my spare time. I've been coming to the ocean to inspire me."

    "But you're not from here." Not really a question, more of a statement.

    "No, I'm from America. I'm technically on vacation right now."

    "Wooow, I see. A real American."

    "But," Poe said, before he could continue, "if we keep talking about me, we're going to run out of things to say very fast. To be honest, I would rather talk about you."

    "That's why you wanted to spend more time with me. You probably have a lot of questions to ask."

    "Yes, exactly."

    "I guess that makes sense. I am pretty amazing."

    "You are," he agreed.

    Ranpo let out a rough laugh.

    "What's so funny?"

    "You're really easy to impress."

    "I don't mean to be rude, but I've spent most of my life reading and writing about creatures like you. Finding out you exist might be the best thing that's ever happened to me."

    "If this is the best, you must live a very boring life."

    "I do." This was exactly why he didn't want to talk about himself.

    "Hmm."

    Ranpo gazed at him in silence for a few uncomfortable moments. There was something unfamiliar in his narrowed eyes, and the more time passed, the more jittery Poe became.

    "What is it?"

    "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking." He didn't stop, though. He hardly even blinked. Poe's mouth went dry. "Anyway. If you wanted me to answer questions for your stories, that's fine."

    "Is it that obvious what I wanted?"

    "It wasn't that hard to figure it out. I just thought it was funny - you said you went to the ocean for inspiration, and out I came. Just like that. A perfectly inspiring specimen all for you."

    It really was just like that. He had referenced a metaphorical 'muse' when fretting about how he would become inspired, and seemingly in response, the universe had granted him a real, actual muse of sorts. One so willing to be admired and questioned, too. One with a perfectly beautiful form, and such a captivating voice, and…

    Poe quickly realized that his mind had wandered a bit.

    This was all so… unreal. He couldn't believe he was forgetting how special this was, and what a great chance he had right then. He was so mesmerized by the appeal of this gorgeous, enticing man that he lost his grip on his personal objective: to learn about this creature, to obtain knowledge of its species to satisfy his own curiosity. Silly him. He didn't think he was the type to be charmed away from his most logical self that easily, but such must have been a display of the merman's wondrous abilities.

    In the meantime, Ranpo had been watching him closely. Poe looked at him again, a new determination inside him.

    "How many are there?"

    "What?"

    "Mermaids. Um, sorry, it was a sudden question. But I was wondering how many creatures like you there are on the planet."

    "Oh." He had to think about it. "I don't know. We don't really keep track or anything. There's colonies of them everywhere, and they can get pretty big, but I don't know how rare they are. I don't care about things like that."

    "Do you… belong to one of these colonies?"

    "Yeah. I guess it depends what you define as a 'colony'. If you stray too far from the general group, you'll get lost or killed. You're sort of limited to a designated area. Like a really big city."

    "Is it really that dangerous to leave the others?"

    "Sure. We're not exactly apex predators. Establishing a safe space for our kind to live in and defend is how we survive. … But it's not like everyone gets along all the time or prefers to live together. Most of the time, unless you have your own partner and children, you stick with your family and that's it."

    "I'm guessing you don't have children."

    Ranpo scoffed. "Of course not."

    "Then tell me about your family."

    Even though he had practically set up the conversation to go this way, Ranpo was caught off guard. "I… don't have a family."

    "Oh… Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

    "Well, it's not your fault. You told me from the beginning you wanted me to answer your questions, so. My parents died when I was young," he explained, looking away. Poe was struck with an uneasy feeling.

    "Are you alone?"

    "No," Ranpo snapped, and Poe flinched. This was a sensitive topic - he would have to be more careful. "Someone… took me in back then. We stay with a bunch of others in the same situation. And they're my friends. I'm not alone. Not like you."

    "What is that supposed to mean?"

    "Whatever." And that was the end of that conversation. His green eyes flicked back to Poe, making his breath catch a bit. "So, tell me about the stories you've been writing."

    He wanted to protest the abrupt subject change, he really did, but considering the touchy topic at hand, it was probably for the better they talked about something else. And with the way Ranpo was looking at him, he had already forgotten any possible retort he had thought of.

    He shook his head as if that would clear it of these pesky feelings. "It's… The things I write can be sort of…"

    "Dark?"

    "Yes, that."

    "I don't mind. I don't get scared easily."

    "Oh, I see. A lot of people think it's weird, so…"

    "Not me! Go on."

    "A-Alright. Well, the one I've been working on today - it was kind of inspired by our meeting yesterday, I suppose."

    "Oh?"

    "It's about a man who killed someone and is trying to dispose of the body in the sea. Or just a lake. The details aren't too clear yet," he explained. "It's mostly just description for now, but it should have something more complex. I want him to feel conflicted about what he's doing. Maybe he wasn't even the person who killed the victim."

    "You got that from what happened last night?"

    "You were, um, awfully limp, when I was pulling you into the water. My imagination may have gone a bit wild."

    "I thought I was just receiving a fun little ride. I had no idea I was giving off dead body vibes."

    "Sorry."

    "Is that all you have?"

    "You mean the story? Yes, that's about it, as of right now. There are other stories I've been working on since I got here, but I haven't gotten as far with any of them as I have with this one."

    Ranpo watched him thoughtfully. "You really do care about writing a lot, huh?"

    Poe smiled a little. "Yes, I do. It… makes me happy. It's the easiest way for me to make art, so it's important to me. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't write."

    "Art… I've never been interested in that, so it's interesting that you act like you have to create it."

    "Well, you don't need to," he said, like it was the most obvious thing. "You're already a work of art yourself."

    "Is that so?"

    By the time he noticed the grin slinking its way back across Ranpo's face, it was far too late. He had to stop accidentally saying such suggestive things. "W-What I meant to say was--"

    "I know exactly what you meant to say." That deadly smile was certainly going to burn a hole through Poe's heart. "If you were trying to hide that you're falling in love with me, you're not very good at it. At least be a little more discreet about it."

    "That isn't what… I… You…"

    "Me?"

    "You," he repeated with distress, far too flustered to manage any more than that.

    "Even if it's true, I'm just messing with you."

    Maybe he was just messing around, but that didn't seem to make any difference. Ranpo gazed endlessly at him and he felt he was being sucked into some sort of abyss. 'Abyss' might not be quite the right term - more like an infinite sea of intrigue and adoration. Poe was losing his breath by the second as they watched each other, waiting for the other to make the next move.

    Blinking, he managed to snap out of it for a brief enough moment to speak up again. "I don't know what I'll do if you keep looking at me like that," he mumbled.

    "You haven't stopped staring either, you know." This time Ranpo's smile was a softer, mischievous one.

    He supposed it was obvious why he couldn't take his eyes off him - they both had said it multiple times before, he was beautiful. Poe was admiring the warm, sunkissed color of his skin, mentally comparing it to how white it looked reflecting the moon the night before. Though he wouldn't dare ask out loud, he wondered how much of this was the natural beauty of merfolk in comparison to humans versus how much was uniquely him, how much he stood out among his own kind. He couldn't imagine a living being more beautiful than this.

    "Forgive me, Ranpo," Poe had to apologize before asking his next question, trying to ignore the heat continuing to rush to his cheeks, "but, could I… touch you?"

    "Can't resist, huh?"

    "I need to know what it's like."

    Ranpo tossed him a cheeky look and slowly unfolded his arms. Visible now were small, disorganized clusters of scales around his elbows and the tops of his shoulders. He raised a hand and loosely presented it before Poe as though he were a princess waiting to be taken for a dance. Thin, translucent webbing stretched between his fingers, which were long and slender, and tapered to a point at the ends. Poe very delicately took his hand in his own, brushing his fingertips against the webs. His heart raced as the membranes left a slimy residue. This was fantastic.

    When he tried to let go, Ranpo gripped his hand tight and wouldn't release him. Paying no mind, Poe reached out with his other hand, readjusting himself so he could get closer. He touched the green scales on his shoulder. They weren't quite as wet, but they were delightfully smooth, even soft.

    "That tickles. Watch what you're doing."

    "Sorry," he murmured, eyes wide with wonder. "I'm getting kind of carried away."

    "You sure are."

    Neither of them stopped, though. Poe touched Ranpo's face for a brief moment, trying to move some of the hair away from his eyes, and Ranpo squeezed his hand tight enough that he could feel the ends of claws burrowing into his skin.

    "Should I--"

    "No," Ranpo interrupted. "I don't want you to have all the fun. Can I touch you too?"

    His face was searing at this point. "I-It won't be as interesting. I'm just a regular person."

    "Don't be ridiculous." He pulled him even closer and, finally letting go, reached for Poe's face with both hands.

    He expected some poking and prodding, but Ranpo was surprisingly gentle. He brushed aside his thick bangs so he could take a peek at his eyes, too.

    "You look tired."

    "I don't usually get much sleep…"

    Needlelike fingers grazed his cheeks, leaving a cold trail. He couldn't bear to look directly at him anymore.

    "You know, you're the first human I've gotten this close to."

    "Really?"

    "Well… At least, I think this counts." Poe didn't know what that meant. "And you're definitely the first one I've talked this much with."

    "Why me, of all people?"

    He started exploring the areas of his neck below his jaw. It tickled, but he didn't say anything, unlike the other had before. "Because I feel bad for you."

    "What? Why?"

    "You're a human. Don't you get it? I get to have fun all day. The entire ocean is my home. You're stuck up here having to deal with other humans. It sounds horrible."

    "Sometimes it is." Though he knew he should find it insulting, Poe found himself agreeing. He didn't enjoy talking to people or getting caught up in general relations. He preferred to keep to himself.

    "It must be dreadful. People are selfish. To be human is to carry the burden of the rest of humanity on your shoulders. But you're not the kind of person to conform to those expectations. That's why you write, isn't it? To get away. I don't blame you."

    "Yes… Yes, you're right."

    "Tell me, Poe. How lonely are you?"

    The mild scratching sensation at his throat was coming to be too much, so Poe grabbed both of Ranpo's hands and softly held them. He once again looked into the merman's eyes, trying to figure out where the sudden change in tone had come from.

    "Don't think too hard about it. I can just tell. I've always had an eye for these things," he told him. The usual playful look he wore was now gone and replaced with an expression mysterious and wistful. "You must not have many friends. Do you like being alone?"

    "I do."

    "You say that, but as long as you have a beating heart, something inside you will long for companionship. You're just so used to being alone that it became comfortable for you. There's not a lot of people like that. I'll bet you don't have anyone who understands."

    His lips parted. He didn't say anything.

    "I understand, though. I can see exactly what kind of life you're living. Like you said, it's boring. That's why I pity you. Do you understand now? I feel sorry for you."

    Poe was at a loss for words.

    "You're far too different from other humans. We both know that. And it just so happened that you were the one to come across a magical creature in the dead of night. Don't you think it means something?"

    "Yes," he was finally able to make himself say, nodding dumbly. "Yes."

    Ranpo slipped his hands free and, with utmost tenderness, placed his palms over Poe's cheeks and held his face firmly. "I can show you something wonderful. Let me bring you into the ocean and we'll stay there together. A new life is what you need, and no one understands that better than I do."

    Poe began to tremble.

    "I know it's what you want, deep down. You were hoping for this to happen from the moment we met. You reek of desire - for a change, or maybe just for me. I can't tell. But, either way," Ranpo's voice lowered very deliberately, and Poe was certain it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard, "you smell delicious."

    Had he not been lured into this trap so smoothly, he might blink twice at the comment. But he was far too deep in a loving trance over this merman to doubt anything he said. This was the work of his hypnotic powers, he was sure, though in his conscious mind he still found a strong admiration towards the creature for getting him to this state. The creature - Ranpo, that is - ran his hands through Poe's hair and let them settle behind his neck, where he clasped them and began to tug on his head, pulling him closer and closer. He wouldn't stop. Their faces were barely inches away now, and he couldn't stop quivering.

    "Come with me, Edgar Allan Poe. I'm doing you a favor."

    He could feel the vibrations of those words against his own lips. Claws were sinking into the nape of his neck by now, but he was so filled with euphoria that the pain only amplified his high. "You want me to come with you," he whispered, dazed, "so that you can eat me?"

    Ranpo pressed their lips together and stole a short kiss from him. Quick but absolutely intoxicating. Poe was beginning to see stars. It wasn't clear to him whether or not he was still alive anymore.

    "Maybe," he admitted. "It depends on if the rest of you tastes this sweet. I can't help it."

    "I-I want to," Poe breathed. Though, this time when Ranpo tried to pull him into the water, he resisted.

    "Then come."

    "Y-Yes, I want to..." He had to grab onto the edge of the dock to prevent himself from falling in. "But I can't."

    "Please."

    They were playing some kind of tug-of-war with his own body. His grip held steady, though. Ranpo didn't seem to be very physically strong - he was safe.

    "I can't… I wish I could see the ocean with you, but I really can't. Please let go." With his free hand and a bit of struggle he finally pried Ranpo's hands off of him. The puncture wounds left behind, now exposed to the air, began to sting. Poe recoiled back to recover.

    Ranpo's face twisted into something sour as he fell back into the water. His cheeks looked a bit more flushed with green than they did before. "Well… Well, why not?" His irritation came flooding out in his angry syllables. Poe actually felt guilty.

    "I don't want to die yet."

    "Why? Why would you want to stay alive if it means you're living the same way as always? It wouldn't make a difference to you if you died! I was giving you an opportunity!"

    He was starting to sober up from whatever affection Ranpo had gotten him drunk with. With his mind coming down, he was left with the physical side effects. His hands were shaking more furiously than ever. His legs were numb. His lips remained throbbing, and when he licked them, they tasted faintly of salt.

    "I don't want to die while on vacation."

    Ranpo's eyes widened with surprise and he stared at him for quite a long time, dumbfounded, perhaps even becoming more enraged by the second. Poe was beginning to fear he would end up killing him anyway when he suddenly… relaxed. He dropped his shoulders and let it go as if nothing had happened to begin with.

    "You're the strangest human I've ever known," he sighed, unimpressed but still chuckling a little to himself. Was he only pretending to be angry in the first place? This guy was unpredictable.

    "So… y-you're not going to kill me?"

    "Not today."

    Relief overcame Poe, but it didn't seem to do much to slow his rapid pulse.

    "I know what I said, but I might have to rethink my stance on humanity now."

    "That was amazing."

    "What?"

    "Everything you just did. It was… amazing," he said. Fascination was gushing from his every word, and Ranpo's impish grin returned as he absorbed all the praise.

    "You're such a weird guy."

    "I'm serious…! That was so exciting! I must be the luckiest man on Earth."

    "Maybe you are." Ranpo reached up so that he could prop himself up on the edge of the pier again. "And I must be the unluckiest merman on Earth."

    "I'm sure you're not," he said, and paused.

    Bits of his more reasonable self returned to him in waves, shoved back into the right places in his brain by the pounding of his heart. As he tried to put all the pieces together, a question came up from within him. "How many other people have you done this to?"

    "You mean what I just did?"

    "Yes."

    "I've killed more people than I can count." Ranpo stared, ever unblinking. "That isn't what you were really asking, though."

    "I… I suppose not."

    "You'll have to be more specific, then."

    "Right. … If you've killed so many before, how many of them did you say those things to?"

    His eyes lit up as though he was accepting a challenge. "I didn't lie to you, if that's what you're trying to say. I don't know if you noticed, but I'm incredibly smart. Just one look at you and I could tell what your life was like. So I wasn't just using some recycled pickup lines - I was telling you the facts. Isn't that right?"

    "Maybe." Poe furrowed his brow, trying to work out the logistics of it. He had noticed Ranpo caught on quickly to certain things; could he really be as intelligent as he claimed? He reasoned with himself aloud, which proved to be a mistake. "But you might have--"

    "I've never been wrong about anything in my life, so save your breath! Don't get mad at me just because I said you're lonely. It's not my fault!"

    "You don't have to put it that way…" He was right, even if it was a bit humiliating. "Fine, a different question. How many of your targets have you… analyzed like this?"

    "All of them."

    "And you use that to persuade them?"

    "If I have to."

    "Does it work?"

    "Every single time." Except for you, his piercing gaze said.

    Poe wondered if he was really significant enough to be the single exception. Suddenly anxious, he asked, "How many of them have you let touch you?"

    "None."

    His heart skipped. "How… How many of them have you kissed?"

    "… None."

    "Wow," was all he could manage to say, suddenly breathless.

    "I never… I never saw the appeal," Ranpo shrugged, breaking eye contact. "I don't need to flirt or anything to do my job right."

    "So I'm the one who changed your mind?" he asked just a bit too eagerly, oblivious to the shades of green spreading over Ranpo's cheeks.

    "Don't… make this weird. You're not that special, got it?"

    "I don't think it's weird, I--"

    "Good grief. Do you ever stop mumbling? If you have something else to say, then speak up, or else I might get bored and leave…" His voice lilted at the last few words, indicating he was trying to get a reaction out of him. Well, it worked.

    "Ah, p-please don't go, I'm sorry." Poe shook his hands frantically in front of him, as if doing so would stop the merman from leaving of his own free will. He hesitated before he went on. "But you can't leave yet, because… With that information, I've figured it out."

    "You figured what out?"

    "You did all this on purpose, didn't you?"

    "What?"

    "You surely could have just drowned me if you wanted to. But you didn't."

    "Hmm."

    "And you kissed me…! Just for fun, I suppose?"

    "Ugh."

    "You agreed to meet with me here, too. Even though it's dangerous for both of us."

    "I get it, I get it. That's enough. … You're smarter than I thought. Nowhere near as smart as me, but it's enough to surprise me. Congratulations."

    "Oh! So, I was right?"

    "It doesn't matter. I wasn't trying that hard to hide it from you, after all," Ranpo said. Poe got the feeling he was just saying that so he wouldn't have to admit it. "But you're still missing one piece of evidence."

    "What's that?"

    "I washed up on the beach on purpose. I wanted you to find me. Honestly, how couldn't you have figured that out?"

    He considered it for one very quiet moment. Of course, just when he thought he had outsmarted the merman, he was hit with another shocking discovery that threw him off his tracks.

    "Why would you do that?" he asked him, and Ranpo smiled once more a knowing smile.

    But Ranpo's answer never came. It didn't need to. They exchanged one very telling glance and Poe had no reason to question further. Unspoken, the reason seemed clear enough, even if neither could put it into words. It felt like a secret shared between just the two of them.

    They talked until the sun had set almost fully beyond the horizon, painting the world with hues of cold blue. Poe never ran out of questions to ask. He was enraptured with the culture of merpeople, the way they went about their daily lives, the way Ranpo in particular went about his own daily life, what his friends were like, the things he was passionate about, how beautiful he was…

    And Ranpo entertained him to a point, always stopping just short of satisfaction, keeping him on the edge of his seat. He was happy to brag about his life and be showered with attention, but he seemed… uncomfortable, somehow, as if he was hiding things he didn't want to share, only allowing Poe to see an idealized image of himself.

    Reading between the lines Poe could see just a bit of insecurity peeking through his persona, not unlike when he had suddenly faltered at the mention of his family. Maybe he was just projecting, but everything Ranpo told him about how wondrous his life was resounded with an echo of loneliness. He didn't bring it up, though. He was only all the more intrigued. And it made him wonder - he kept asking what made him so special, why would he of all people be the odd one out, but the answer to that, too, seemed to formulate after a while. Perhaps Ranpo was so easily able to see his loneliness because, despite what he wanted him to think, he was alone as well, in a way. In what way that could possibly be, Poe wasn't very sure yet. It didn't concern him so much. He just continued to listen eagerly to stories and explanations of the life of an average mermaid. Even if he felt inferior to this creature in every possible way, he was happy at least to provide him with a sense of admiration. He was positive it was what he deserved.

    A twilight breeze sent chills down Poe's spine as though to remind him what time it was. Of course, all good things must come to an end. This wasn't going to last forever, no matter how much he wished it would.

    "It's getting pretty late," he commented at that point, trying to push down the mix of sweet and sad feelings rising in his chest.

    "Oh," Ranpo said, the realization suddenly hitting him. "It is. My friends will probably come looking for me soon. I get lost pretty easily, so when I'm not back after too long it turns into a whole ordeal."

    "Right… I suppose we should part ways, then."

    "Don't sound so sad about it," he told him.

    "It… sounds really stupid. But I'm going to miss you."

    "We can always meet again."

    "I-I can't ask you to do that. I've troubled you enough already, haven't I? Really, I should be thanking you--"

    "Hey," Ranpo cut him off. "I told you, you think too much. That was an offer. Take it or leave it!"

    Poe was partially frozen as he tried to process it.

    "We get along nicely, don't we? I've never met a human who could put up a fight before." His grin twisted a bit. "A challenge is always exciting."

    "Ah," Poe said, rapidly losing his ability to keep it cool. "I-I would love to see you again. I just…"

    "Tomorrow at the same time is fine - or any other day. If you show up here and call for me, I'll come."

    "… Okay."

    At just about the same time as the last sliver of sun had set, finally plunging the world into night, Ranpo's face became solemn. He reached up, holding his hands out expectantly; Poe extended one of his own in return and Ranpo held it with utmost care, like he was inspecting something fragile. His voice carried the same haunting tone as the whispers of the tide dragging into shore.

    "I will have you someday, Poe."

    His heart slammed to a stop before furiously picking up again, a strange lukewarm feeling leaking into the tips of his fingers within Ranpo's hands. The certainty with which he said it - promised to someday successfully escort him to his death under the sea - was terrifying and thrilling all at once.

    "I'll only be here for nine more days," Poe blurted out. He felt it was important for him to know. It only made things fair.

    Ranpo glanced up at him. Holding eye contact for just a few seconds, he pressed his lips into the back of Poe's hand. Not a particularly romantic gesture compared to the kiss they had shared before; it was more like he was trying to calculate some scientific formula and this was the only way he could find the answer.

    "So I have until then," he murmured against his skin, gaze distant and unfocused. "Nine days."

    "Yes."

    Those eyes, nearly black in the nighttime, came to land on him one final time. His vaguely victorious expression was burned into Poe's memory. If either of them had bid their farewell before Ranpo departed, Poe had completely missed it. One moment they were there together, and the next, he was abruptly without the feeling of cold hands around his, completely alone with the sound of the ocean. He was already lost in what felt like a dream. He fantasized about tomorrow, their next meeting, yearning to savor what he had just experienced.

    Poe wasn't completely sure he would live to make it home nine days later. Somehow, he didn't feel very upset about it.