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Thunder roared to life in the heavens above; Erwin’s head snapping up at the sound, his hair swaying in a sudden gust of wind. Dark clouds had gathered at the edge of the horizon in the time he had been taking notes; clouds that had had no sign of showing up earlier. It hadn’t felt like it had been that long since he had first set up on the beach. Then again, time always seemed to pass faster when Erwin was working on research.
His papers rippled in the wind seconds before they were sent hurtling across the beach. Cursing under his breath, Erwin scrambled to his feet and chased after the papers before the wind could steal them away permanently.
The wind lulled in the moment he was away, something Erwin was eternally grateful for. The rest of his belongings were left untouched, peacefully sitting on the sand.
Erwin sighed quietly as he stuffed his notes back into one of his bags before grabbing the various screens scattered about. The skies looked angry and he was not willing to let them unleash their rage upon his things.
It felt a bit ironic that the majority of his equipment would break in the rain considering a big chunk of his profession was based around the sea.
The screens were blank at the moment, although they would usually show colorful live camera feed along with any available information about depth and temperature. If the damn things decided to work again, that is. They’d been acting up all day, showing a single still image in the morning before completely shutting down an hour later.
With a grunt, Erwin hoisted the equipment into his arms, his bag now thrown over his shoulder. His truck was parked just at the edge of the beach, thankfully. This shit was heavier than a box of kettle bells. And this wasn’t the only heavy thing he was going to have to carry to the truck before he left.
Balancing a few of the screens between his hip and the edge of the car, he managed to free one hand to open the end of the cargo bed the rest of the way. The window of the hooded bed was already cracked open from earlier. Even with his expensive research equipment still in there, Erwin hadn’t worried; he never did at this beach. It was practically abandoned at this point, the interest in the tiny beach dying out a few years ago.
He leaned into the bed, setting the screens down and wrapping them in one of the blankets he kept in the back. Careful, as to not bump it into anything, Erwin moved the bundle of screens against one of the sides. His bag of notes followed right after, half haphazardly pushed into the corner.
The opposite side was covered in multiple layers of duct tape. Even though it had proved time and time again to not leak, Erwin was still not willing to risk putting anything of value below the crack.
A drop of rain landed on Erwin’s nose just as retreated from the interior of the bed. And then another. Until it was a steady drizzle. Each drop drummed against the roof of his truck, accompanying the low crack of more thunder in the distance. Dark clouds that had once been further on the horizon were now looming over him.
It was getting closer. And fast.
Erwin swiftly walked back to the edge of the water, the sand crunching with every step. The waves quietly lapped at the shore, although with the way they crashed against each other further out, the peace wouldn’t last long. “Where is he?” Erwin murmured to himself, scanning the tumultuous waters further out. Surely he would have been able to hear the thunder even if he was submerged meters below the surface. The currents no doubt would be stronger too, indicating the approaching storm.
Just as Erwin was about to take off his shoes and roll up his pants, a head full of familiar black hair popped out from the waves. A sigh tore from Erwin’s mouth involuntarily as he sank down to a crouch. “Took you long enough!” he said as Levi swam closer, the mer close enough that Erwin could see the gunmetal blue of his eyes, which narrowed into a glare.
“Your damn cameras were a pain in the ass to set up,” Levi remarked as he pulled himself onto land. “Every time I managed to get one strapped on, the last one would fall back off.”
Levi’s tail glistened in the remaining sunlight, the blue scales shimmering like jewels. A circular scar sat on the side of his tail, though it had faded a considerable amount. Hardly noticeable if Erwin didn’t know where to look. The scales blended into the human skin of his bare torso gradually at the hips, water droplets running down to gather at the small of the merman’s back, almost forming a small pool. His gills rested just below his sharp jawline, flaring with every breath Levi made.
Even after all these years, he was still as stunning as the first time Erwin ever saw him.
“Hey, are you even listening to me?” Levi’s question snapped Erwin back to reality, his gaze flicking over to his eyes.
He must have been staring again.
“Hm?” Erwin merely hummed out a response before his mind caught up. “I’ll have to check if they were set up properly when we get back.”
A huff came from Levi as he propped his torso up with his elbows. “They better have worked. It took me hours.” The conversation lulled for a second before Levi picked it back up. “Help me up, will you?”
That was code for ‘pick me up and carry me.’ Not that Erwin minded. He enjoyed Levi’s companionship and it wasn’t like the mer was going to suddenly gain legs to walk with.
Erwin bent closer to Levi, wrapping his arm around his torso before lifting him up. One arm was under the bend of his tail; the other wrapped around his chest. “That better?” Erwin asked, his tone light with humor as he walked back to the truck.
“Much.” Levi’s own arms came up to his neck, his fingers resting on the base of Erwin’s skull.
He had to agree. Levi’s weight against his chest was comforting in its warmth; even though he was heavier than all his equipment combined.
The rain had started to come down harder, almost pouring at this point. Erwin quickly opened the passenger side door, lowering Levi into the seat. After closing the door, he rushed over to the driver side, yanking the door open before sliding into his seat. The loud roar of the rain and thunder muffled as he slammed the door shut. Levi had already grabbed one of the towels from the back, wrapping it around his torso. His wet hair was stuck to his forehead, smelling exactly like the ocean breeze.
But then again, he always smelled like that.
“It’s really coming down,” Erwin said, leaning his head forward to look out the front windshield. Each drop splattered on the glass, running down until they fell into the cowl.
Levi huffed quietly. “Yeah. Really pissing on that great weather we had.”
Erwin opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a damp towel being thrown to him. “What the hell?” Despite the very sudden introduction of it, he accepted it with grace, running it over his face.
“You’re sopping wet.” Erwin would not say he was sopping wet , just a bit soaked at most. “If I didn’t know any better, I might think you took a dip of your own.”
“Why thank you, Levi, for your astute observation,” Erwin said, his tone coming out more sarcastic than he intended it to be. “And I was about to if you didn’t show up when you did.” Turning the keys rewarded him with the rev of the engine starting up, the floor rumbling under his feet. The windshield wipers were quickly turned on as well, clearing the glass for him to see.
Levi made a small hum of acknowledgement, though it was barely audible over the cacophony of the rain and truck. “I was fine, I’m built for the water if your big brain can’t recall. That’s the whole reason that I even help you with your little projects.”
Putting the truck into drive, he pulled out of his parking spot and circled around until he was back on the road. “Yes, I know that. And little projects are an understatement.” His whole livelihood was relying on his research. “They’re the reason I still have tenure. And before you say it, yes, I am grateful for you.”
Erwin stole a glance over to Levi, seeing him staring out the window. “Are you teaching at all during the summer semester this year?”, he said quietly, changing the topic.
“No. Just more research. My paper is due at the end of August.”
Hopefully he'll be done sooner than later. Though if he hadn’t found Levi, he wouldn’t have been able to get this far in the first place.
At least not without spending a copious amount of money.
“You know, why do you still bother with being a professor?” Levi leaned over to grab one of the green blankets from the backseat; one that was large and was made from thicker fabric. He had claimed it as his the moment he saw it a year after he met Erwin. “Every time you tell me about it, all you do is complain about the students.”
The blinker ticked to life when Erwin hit the switch seconds before he turned onto the major road that ran through the small town. Like usual, it was fairly empty, maybe a dozen or so cars on the road. “Well, someone has to actually work to afford all those snacks you keep on begging me to buy.”
“I don’t beg,” Levi grumbled, tapping his fingers against the window.
Yeah, sure.
Erwin kept the thought to himself, opting to drive silently as he merged onto the highway. Levi could talk as much as he wanted to but it didn’t change the way he behaved.
“In any case, you could still just earn money not being a professor,” Levi continued, a thump coming from his seat. It must have been his tail hitting the floor.
Puddles had already started to form in the familiar dips of the road. Water ran down the sides as if it was just a small creek. “Sure, but not as much. You know how much Hange makes just being a marine biologist. Do you want to live the same lifestyle as them? They work all the time.”
“Ugh, no way in hell. I’d rather go back to the ocean than ever smell like them.” Erwin could hear the disgust in his voice and could only imagine the sneer on his face at the thought of Erwin’s colleague.
A smile crossed his face, his eyes darting over to Levi for a moment.
Just as expected, his eyebrows were drawn together; his nose scrunched up with a deep frown just below. It looked comically out of place with how he was wrapped up in the blanket like it was a cocoon.
Erwin chuckled softly as he brought his gaze back to the road in front of him. “You do know that their income doesn’t affect the amount of showers they take, right?”
“Well then maybe they should shower more often. It’s obvious they don’t shower enough. I swear I can smell their stench from across the room.”
Typical Levi.
“Good thing you live with me then instead of them,” Erwin teased, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. Not that it was much of anything; Levi had full control of where he lived after all, even rejecting the sea when Erwin asked a little while after they met.
“I’d go insane if I did.”
It fell into a comfortable silence after that, the only sounds being the rain, windshield wipers squeaking against the window, and Levi’s soft breathing. Every once in a while, thunder boomed in the skies above; the lightning lighting the clouds in various shades of blue and purple.
The sky had darkened a considerable amount by the time Erwin exited the highway. Enough to have to turn on the headlights to a brighter setting. His truck squeaked with the effort of breaking, water splashing onto the front of the truck as it dipped forward. A particularly loud crack of thunder shook Erwin from his highway hypnosis. It was easy to fall into without continuing the conversation with Levi, after all.
Speaking of Levi, Erwin glanced over at him once he was stopped at the stop sign. He was leaned against the seat with his eyes closed. The blanket had slipped off of his shoulders, slowly sinking to rest around his waist. His breathing was steady, though not slow enough for him to be sleeping. Light from a nearby lamppost reflected off of his skin, glowing radiantly.
Maybe the tales of sirens were true. Erwin was ensnared in Levi’s haunting beauty, his soul and body yearning for those eyes.
A honk from behind drew him out of his trance. His eyes snapped forward, foot quickly pressing against the gas. Looking in the rear view mirror showed that a small string of headlights had gathered behind him on the off-ramp.
God, he just could not pay attention tonight.
Murmuring came from the passenger seat. “What did you do?” Levi’s speech was slightly slurred. Quiet.
“Nothing bad. Just got… distracted is all.”
Levi yawned and stretched his arms; one conveniently thrown right below Erwin’s eye level. Annoyance rose in his chest but he didn’t get the chance to speak before Levi grabbed his shoulder and pointed to one of the business entrances quickly approaching. “Stop there!” He exclaimed with unusual excitement.
“Demanding much?” Erwin rose an eyebrow but complied with Levi’s wish, pulling into the parking lot.
“Shut up,” was the only response Levi gave, his arm receding to cross against his chest.
Bright neon lights lined the shack looking building in the center of the parking lot, which was filled with many cars of varying sizes and colors. A green neon sign of a cartoon fish jumping out of a pond was mounted on the top of the sloping roof.
“The Slapping Fish? Again? Their food is hardly edible.” Despite his words, his stomach grumbled at the thought of food.
Levi flicked his arm lightly, his tongue sticking out. “You know I like their fish sandwiches.” The mer flashed his sharp teeth in a small smile, his eyes growing bigger as he stared up at Erwin.
Like he was an overgrown puppy.
With a sigh, Erwin pulled into the drive thru. There were a few cars in front of them so he took the chance to grab one of his spare long sleeve shirts and hand it to Levi. Without hesitation, he put it on, leaving the collar high enough to cover his gills. The blanket still hid his tail with only a small portion of his caudal fin sticking out from the bottom. But it was hidden well enough by the dashboard.
The fewer people who knew of his existence, the better.
Rain continued to drum against the roof, just as hard as it had been at the beach miles away. Erwin rolled down the window just enough for him to hear the intercom. It crackled to life, the voice of the employee coming through. He quickly gave his order, a burger and fries for him and Levi’s favorite fish sandwich. As soon as he was directed to continue to the window, he closed the window again. Droplets of water rested on his left side, his drying clothes damper than before.
“I thought their food wasn’t edible,” Levi said before clicking something in merspeak. Something that Erwin had learned meant amusement over the years.
Erwin sighed, turning up the heater a smidge. “I might as well grab something while we’re here. Since somebody made me come here.” His tone was light.
“I didn’t make you do nothing.”
“Mhm. Whatever you say.” The car in front of him pulled away, leaving him at the front of the line.
After opening the window again, he fumbled around in the center console for his wallet. The employee reached their arm out and Erwin handed them one of his credit cards. They retreated, the drive thru window sliding closed.
Erwin turned his head back to Levi only to see that he had leaned closer to him. His eyes seemed to sparkle in the colorful neon lights.
The gap between them was so small.
Before Erwin could do anything, the window slid open once again. Levi’s head snapped over to it, his eyes practically trained on the bag. Erwin murmured a ‘thank you’ as he grabbed the bag and his credit card, driving forward and closing the window once it was in the car. It was torn out of his hands before the truck even left the parking lot, Levi tearing into the paper bag with fervor.
“You act as if you’re starving.”
The rest of the contents of the bag were placed back into his lap. “I was the one doing all the hard work to set up your cameras. Unlike someone who got to sit around.” Levi’s voice was slightly muffled as he spoke, his teeth clacking together. “I need my energy back.”
They hadn’t eaten an actual meal since this morning, right before they left for the beach. At least Erwin had snacks throughout the day.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve left some of the snacks for you,” Erwin sighed while his fingers tapped against the steering wheel. It was dumb of him not to.
Silence filled the car for a few seconds before Levi spoke again, the sound of him swallowing audible. “It’s fine. I caught one of those small sea bass that are around the area.” Another pause. “It wasn’t as good as I remembered them being before I met you.”
Erwin hummed in acknowledgement as he turned back onto the main road. His free hand reached into the paper bag, which was somehow not shredded, and grabbed his burger. Unwrapping it, he took a bite only to grimace. There was way too much sauce on it and the flavor of the onions overwhelmed the flavor of the rest of the ingredients. Starving would be more preferable than this. “How so?”
“Just bland. There’s not very much to use as seasoning in the ocean. Nor can you really cook anything.”
“I see,” Erwin said as he placed the burger back in the bag. Perhaps the fries would be better. “And your reasoning for raiding my fridge and cabinets everyday?”
“Our fridge. And let’s just say that it’s the way you’re repaying me for helping you with all your research.”
Erwin chuckled, crunching down on one of the fries. It was alright, just as bland as it was every other time he’s been there. Ah, The Slapping Fish never seemed to change. “I would’ve thought the expensive pool I had installed was good enough for now,” he teased before giving the bag back to Levi. “You can have the rest if you want. I’m not all that hungry.”
That was a lie. But if he had to take another bite, he might just throw up. And it was probably better for him to not eat while driving anyways.
A loud chittering noise came from the passenger side followed by the sound of paper tearing. Levi didn’t utter a word before ripping into his burger, His fish sandwich had probably already been finished by now knowing how he was while hungry. “Wow,” Erwin said sarcastically. “Not even a thank you? I’m wounded.”
The next second, Levi’s lips pecked at his cheek softly; withdrawing after a few moments. “Thank you.” His voice was soft, softer than the kiss of a setting sun on one’s skin.
Erwin was sure his cheeks were as red as a tomato at this point. The fluttering in his chest never seemed to go away even with how many times Levi has kissed him before. “You’re welcome,” he stammered, having to force his eyes to stay on the road.
Levi withdrew with a quiet whistle and click, going back to his food.
Thank god the rest of the drive home was fairly short.
Each streetlight passed in a blur, his wet windshield smearing the bright lights. The last stoplight before the turn to his house drew closer, mercifully staying a bright green to let him pass through. He turned right on the next side street; familiarity washed over him at the cluster of trees that lined the empty road. Not one car was parked on the street; as it always was. There weren’t many houses either. The ones that were there had massive back yards, no doubt manicured often.
If only he could afford a yard like that. But it had been a struggle just to save enough money for a small pool.
His quaint little house came into view at the end of the road. It was noticeably older than the rest of the buildings, the wood making up the porch had already started to warp and the bricks were softened around the edges, but it was good enough for him. After all, it was only him and Levi that occupied it.
The garage squeaked open as he pulled into the driveway. Erwin raised an eyebrow, looking over to Levi. In his hand was the small garage opener he kept clipped to the overhead visor. “You beat me to it today.”
“I always do.” Levi slid the opener back into its usual place before munching on a few more fries. Both the wrappers for the burger and the fish sandwich had been folded up neatly on Levi’s lap. “Are you sure you don’t want any more? There’s a few left.”
“I’m fine. I’ll just make some ramen if I get hungry,” Erwin responded as he parked in the garage. The rumbling of the engine died with a turn of the key before he slid it out. He unbuckled his seatbelt before opening the door and stepped out of the truck. Equipment laid around precariously in the garage. He would get to it eventually… hopefully.
Levi’s door was already thrown open when he approached the passenger side from behind. He glanced over to him, shifting his body to the side. “You must really need to take a shit if you’re taking me inside first.”
Erwin groaned, rolling his eyes. “Sure, Levi. That’s the exact reason why.” He was sure that the mer was bullshitting but that didn’t stop him from playing along.
The cameras could wait. Truthfully, it would probably be better to wait to check to make sure they survived the storm.
Levi trilled lowly when Erwin picked him up, an arm coming up to wrap around his neck. One hand still held the fast food bag close to his chest. His sharp eyes wandered around the garage. “You need to clean this place up. One day you’re going to trip and fall on your ass.”
“Don’t remind me. If only you could do it for me, you little clean freak,” Erwin said as he closed the truck door before walking over to the entrance of the house, carefully stepping over some fallen shovels.
Levi was more right than he’d like to admit. He probably would trip over something sooner than later.
Sighing, Levi buried his head into Erwin’s chest. “I would if I could walk. I can hardly stand the mess.” He pressed the switch for the garage as Erwin walked by.
The garage door started to rumble, closing slowly until it settled against the concrete ground. Satisfied with the closure, Erwin shouldered his way inside. The door swung open easily, hitting the wall with a muffled thunk. Immediately the familiar smell of vanilla invaded his nose, the air fresheners still strong. Light filled the small hallway; he must’ve forgotten to turn it off in the rush before he left.
Usually the routine would be to let Levi swim in the pool for an hour. Unless he wanted to stay, then he would just sleep in there.
A sharp crack of thunder quickly doused the idea.
“Will the couch be good for now?” Erwin flicked on the light switch as he stepped into the living room.
“I suppose.”
His, more like theirs at this point, couch was pressed against the far wall. When Erwin first got it, the brown leather had been pristine. Untouched. That had been years ago. Time had not been merciful on the poor thing, though a good portion of the scratches could probably be attributed to Levi’s small claws.
Carefully, Erwin lowered Levi on the couch, as if he was a fragile piece of sea glass that could break at any moment. Though if you were to ask either of them, Erwin would be the one more likely to get injured.
“Let me take that. I’ll throw it out,” Erwin said, gesturing to the bag still held tightly in Levi’s grasp. He nodded, handing it off to him with an eager look in his eyes.
As Erwin walked, his attention diverted to the clothes that clung onto his body. They were still damp. Hardly comfortable to be wearing at all. He would have to change soon. Crumbling up the bag, he tossed it into the trash a few feet away. It landed without much of a sound.
Levi had stretched out completely by the time Erwin turned back around. His tail hung over the arm of the couch. His shirt had been taken off as well, neatly folded and placed on the back. “You look comfy.”
“Sure. I would hope to say the same about you but you’re standing like a cat who just got rained on,” Levi said, his head lazily drifting over to him. Those piercing eyes stared at him with a softness that only Erwin was granted. Everyone else that knew of his existence was met with an icy cold stare.
Nevertheless, that really only included four other people. At most.
“Touche.” Erwin continued forward to his room, intent on grabbing dry clothes.
A hand wrapped around his wrist suddenly, stopping him in his tracks. “Where are you going?”
“Just to our room.”
Levi sat up slightly, the back of his elbows pressing into the arm of the sofa. “You could stay.” As he spoke, he pulled Erwin in closer to him until they were almost nose to nose.
Breath catching, Erwin looked into his eyes for a moment before flickering away. “I need to get out of these clothes. I do, in fact, feel like a cat who just got rained on.”
“I don’t mind if you take them off out here,” Levi affirmed softly as he leaned his forehead against Erwin’s. “It’s just us.”
“Or I could just take you with me.” Erwin glanced over to the clock at the wall. 7:05 was displayed in the red lettering. “We could just turn in early tonight.”
Levi tsked, backing away a few inches. “You really are an old man, aren’t you?”
A quiet chortle came from Erwin at his expression. His lips were downturned and eyebrows furrowed. “It’s Monday tomorrow. I know you get to relax all day and all, but I actually have to be responsible and get up early for classes.”
“Can’t you just skip a day?”, was all Levi said, his frown deepening.
“No, Levi, unfortunately I cannot. Look at the bright side, there’s only a few more weeks before the semester ends. And then I’m all yours.” He closed the gap Levi made between them, pulling him up into a bridal style carry.
A faint hum came from the mer before his body relaxed in Erwin’s arms. “Couldn’t come soon enough.”
Their room was the first door to the left, right across from the bathroom. It was also the only bedroom in the house. The door was still opened wide, making it very easy to get into with a heavy merman in his arms. Light from the street lamps filtered in through the blinds, illuminating the sparse furniture. A few clothes were strewn about the floor, which didn’t go unnoticed by Levi.
“I guess I’ll have my work cut out for me while you’re gone tomorrow.” Erwin could just barely see his nose scrunch up. “Seriously, how hard is it to put your clothes away?”
“Maybe I just wanted someone to take care of it for me,” Erwin retorted as he booped Levi’s nose.
Before he let Levi respond, Erwin dropped him down on the bed. Shedding his damp shirt and pants, he dressed into thin sweatpants and a tank top from the dresser next to the bed. He slid into the covers right next to Levi, ignoring his faux grumble.
“How did you ever live before you met me?”
“I don’t think I did,” Erwin said, turning on his side to face Levi.
“Well obviously you were at least semi-successful if you’re still alive,” Levi scoffed as he flicked Erwin’s arm.
Faking a wince, Erwin swatted his hand away playfully. “Sure, I guess I was surviving. But I don’t think I actually started living until you stumbled into my life.” A smile crossed his face as he cupped Levi’s cheek. His skin was warm against Erwin’s palm.
“God, you’re such a sap.” Although Levi’s words were spoken with a twinge of sharpness, his hand drifted up to rest against Erwin’s.
Erwin’s smile grew. “Only for you.”
Scales brushed up against his legs as Levi’s tail curled around them; the smooth texture was cool and familiar against the areas his sweatpants didn’t cover. Levi’s nose brushed up against the crook of his neck. Small breaths puffed across his skin like a soft feather, spreading its warmth with every exhale.
Levi made a few quiet clicking sounds. Quiet enough that Erwin almost missed them.
“Which combination is that?” Erwin asked softly, his fingers tracing circles on Levi’s cheek. Even after all these years together, merspeak was still a mystery to him.
“It means ‘I love you.’ I thought you remembered the meaning,” Levi said, his other arm curling around Erwin’s back.
His heart stuttered. When it picked up again, it felt like it was racing a thousand miles an hour.
“Oh, my apologies,” Erwin’s deep voice rumbled gently, trying to hide how flustered he was. He nudged Levi’s chin up and stared into his eyes. “I should’ve made note of it the last time.”
Curse his forgetful memory.
“I like explaining it to you. No matter how many times it takes.” Levi paused for a few seconds though it stretched for hours. “Makes what we have feel more real.” He clicked the same pattern as before; louder this time.
His stomach fluttered again. “I love you too. I love you more than any language could put into words.” A booming thunderclap bellowed above but he paid no mind to it.
The faint light flickered off. They were plunged into darkness.
Levi’s eyes glistened in a flash of lightning. “Then show me how much you do.”
There was no need to tell him twice. Erwin dove in with an eagerness he himself was surprised by. His lips clashed against Levi’s, heat spreading from his cheeks to his stomach. A hand pawed at his hair and he felt it press his nose further against Levi’s. His legs wrapped around the length of Levi’s tail in return. All of his focus was on the man in front of him; the way their noses touched, his hands against his cheeks, even the rise and fall of Levi’s chest against his.
Every part of him burned with the love Levi had festered within him.
It was over much too soon. Levi pulled away slowly as if Erwin would startle if he pulled away too quickly. He was panting ever so slightly, only noticeable by the subdued brushes of air against his face. “Erwin,” he gasped as he leaned his forehead against Erwin’s.
“Levi.” Erwin moved his hands from Levi’s face to the small of his back. Without speaking, he rested his chin on the top of Levi’s head. The short strands of his hair tickled his jaw.
A low croon came from Levi, his arms coming around to embrace Erwin. As they laid there intertwined limb for limb, a surge of fondness rose in his chest. This man in front of him chose him; trusted him enough to live with him out of the ocean. Somewhere he had lived his whole life and he left it; just to be with him.
And Erwin trusted him as well. He’d jump into the depths without hesitation if it meant Levi was there to catch him.
He let out a deep sigh, sinking into Levi’s hug. It was the solace he craved—no, the solace he needed. Time was meaningless in each other’s arms. The only thing of importance were their breaths intermingling in a dance.
There was nowhere else he’d rather be than home. And in this case, home was none other than a merman named Levi.