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Touya hated parties. They were loud and he had to show his best self to people who he didn’t give a fuck about. That is the main reason when he started sneaking out as soon as he become 14 and his father couldn’t force his will on him anymore.
This is how he ended up sitting on a cliff by the sea instead of being at his 16th birthday party, playing buddy-buddy with total strangers. He ran his fingers through his red hair, letting out a long sight. He knew that his father would give him a peace of his mind tomorrow, but he just couldn’t care.
He flopped onto his back and closed his eyes. He was about to fall asleep, when heard the water splashing under the cliff. At first, he paid it no mind, but his eyes widened as soon as he heard the voice coming from beneath him.
”Are you okay?” Touya sat up as if the surface of the cliff had burned his back. His eyes widened from the sight before him – there was a boy in the water, looking up at him with his head cocked to the side.
”Um…” Touya said, having no better idea what he should say. ”Won’t you catch a cold in there?” He asked eventually and wanted to face palm himself right after. The boy laughed and shook his head.
”Water doesn’t have that kind of effect on me.” He leaned back on his back and a few seconds later a long, golden rose out of the water.
Touya felt his eyes widen comically. He had heard stories about mermaids – of course he did. Everyone said that they were vicious creatures, who killed only for the sheer fun of it. Hell, his father had his own small navy just for hunting them down!
”This is the first time you see a mermaid,” the boy said. It was a declaration, not a question.
”Yeah,” Touya said, having no idea what to say once again. ”You have a nice tail there.” The boy laughed again, then his gaze wondered to Touya’s outfit. His eyes narrowed and the red haired boy felt his heart drop into his stomach.
”You’re from the court.” Another declaration which made Touya gulp. He nodded nonetheless. ”Aren’t they having some kind of party there?”
”How do you know?” Touya intrigued and the smile returned to the boy’s lips.
”Human fishermen love to gossip,” he said as if it were the most common thing in the world. ”Why aren’t you there?”
”Those parties are the most boring things in the world!” Touya started, wondering why he was about to rant about his problems to a mermaid. ”I always have to be kind to total strangers and smile while the thing I want to do is training with my baby brother.”
”Do you have siblings?” The mermaid asked, swimming closer to the cliff.
”Yep, I have three. Two little brothers and one little sister,” Touya said, feeling as his lips quirked into a small smile. Then it came to him that talking about his family with a mermaid might not be a good idea. He pushed the thought in the back of his mind just as fast as it came.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps nearing the cliff. Touya face palmed himself for real. It seemed like he stayed away from the party for too long and his father sent out men to find him. He heard the water splash again and when he turned his eyes back, the mermaid was already turned around.
”Do you really have to go?” Touya asked, knowing it was a stupid question.
”The guards wouldn’t be happy seeing one of my kind interacting with one of the princes,” the mermaid said. He turned his head around, still smiling brightly. ”Meet me here during the next party?”