Archive of Our Own ^beta

Eiden smiled as he finally found the master bath in this huge place. He had had a long day of helping the others with their essence. And had sat through enough meetings to give him a headache. Closing the door behind him, he started to strip down. He then gets the tube to fill with warm water. As he looked at himself in the mirror, a thought came to him. He looked around to make sure, with magic you can't be too sure. Add the crazy horny men he manages to attract, well you can get the picture. Eiden really needs and rarely gets his alone time. And with the idea he has in mind, he really needs to make sure he’s alone.

Feeling sure of his solitude, he turns off the water and checks the temperature. ’Just right…’ he sighed as he slipped in. He takes one last glance around. He’s sure that most of the group is out and about. Aster or Morvay might be around, but he's sure they won’t bother him right now. So he closes his eyes… And lets go… The feeling is instance, almost like he never forgot how to do it. His legs merge together in a way that he hasn’t let them in so long. He feels his brown hair grow and grow till it reaches ankle length. Once he's sure the changes are all finished, he opens his eyes and looks down.

He’s always been fascinated by his tail, the sky blue and light blue mixing tougher to create a beautiful sight. He had been gifted a beauty never seen before. And probably never will be seen ever. Perhaps this was a curses placed on him by Aphrodite. Or some god that he had angered in the old world. He waves his tail, sighing as he relaxed tense muscles. Without much thought, he started to sing a song he knew. He couldn’t remember how he knew the song, or from where. But it had stayed with him all his life. He could only hope that one day, he could share it with others.

He smiled and closed his eyes, letting his mind drift off. Drift away to places that he dreamed of. Places where he could just be himself for a while. He imagined swimming in a beautiful coral reef. So many colors, and so many pretty fish no one could ever see. Free from expectations, free from all his fears and worries. Free from everything in his dull boring life. Thinking about it now, he was living in a sort of dream. Yet… He didn’t want to go home. This was where he felt, welcomed and maybe even needed. A place that he really could be himself. But would they accept what he was?

A merman that could just change from human back. For all he knew, Merpeople or whatever they are called here could be hunted or hated. Could he really let himself be that vulnerable though? Could he share this with them and make sure they kept it to themselves? Without a doubt they could do it. But, can he have the courage to do that? All his life he hid this part of himself to fit in. But here, he could feel that want just fade away. Wash away like dirt or ugly paint he put on. After all this work and barley any time for himself, can he allow himself this chance of hoping?

Can he do it?...

He drifted off to dreams of endless oceans… And smiling faces that he could feel the warmth from. And be thankful for it.

Kuya was bored, and in his mind nothing was worse than being bored. And he knew that his old friend wouldn’t like him to disturb the quiet he so enjoyed. And he was possibly sleeping at this time before. So what better place to go then to visit the young master unannounced. It was such a wonderful idea, he got to annoy and get some entertainment out of it. As he appeared in the mansion, he heard a sound. A rather nice sound, that was luring him somewhere. Not one to turn down his own curiosity, he followed the siren sound. Before long, he realized the sound was someone singing.

The song wasn’t one he had ever heard before. But the voice was full of so much feeling and long. As if the voice was telling, no, forcing Kuya to do, to think, what it was saying. Never before had he had so much trouble controlling his urges. Kuya needed to find what or who was singing, and make sure they stayed by his side. Using his ears, he was able to place them in the master bathroom. He wasted no time slipping in undetected. Yet, he was impressed by what he saw on the other side of the locked door. For the Young Master Eiden was taking a bath, with some major changes on him.

The noticeable one being the longer hair. It fell over his body like a curtain, and almost wrapped the new appendage. The new appendage being a tail, a beautiful tail that held his gaze. The blue shades and colors he could be sure existed nowhere else. The length of the tail was twice as long as Eidens original legs had been. The end of it sticking out of the tub, flicking lazaly. Eiden appeared to not have noticed that he had an observer. He was too wrapped in the song and his pretty little thoughts. Kuya was curious what he was thinking behind those closed eyes of his. He decided to not peek, just this once.

The last two lines of the song were sung as if the spell he had placed over himself was fading away. Kuya was almost sad to say that he didn’t want the song to end. But he didn’t, after all Eiden would be doing a lot more singing if everything went his way. Finally a silence fell on the room and Eiden sighed before opening his eyes. Only to be eye to eye with heterochromia yellow and blue. He let out a scream as he used his tail to hit the only owner of those eyes he knew. “KUYA!” He screamed when he pulled his tail in to hide from the fox. “My my, it seems I've found a fish in the bathtub…Who would've guessed it could sing too hmmm?”

The old fox purred in delight as Eiden struggled to find something to hide himself. “Kuya look I can explain-!” “Oh? Can you little fish? I’d like to see you try… such a dishonest master…” The smug look Kuya had on told Eiden all he needed to know.