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Shen Yuan’s city was quite famous, not for its food nor its views, but rather because of the gigantic marine themed park that it housed. All year-round, tourists would flood the area to try the brand-new rollercoasters, eat the oily fries with dried seaweed sprinkled on them, and watch sea creatures perform tricks for a few pieces of fresh salmon. Almost every teen would work there as their first job like it was some kind of rite of passage and children born in the city would have warm memories of playing in the beach themed playgrounds.
But the real reason why this themed park was so well known was because it was the only one housing a mermaid exhibit.
Small fishes and otters were interesting, but mermaids were the real kicker! People traveled all around the globe to sit and watch them swim around in their aquarium. Great and majestic creatures, what was there not to love?
Of course, when Shen Yuan had received, three years ago, a job offer to work with these very mermaids, he’d jumped in happiness. His degrees in marine biology and tourism hadn’t been a waste of time after all!
At first, it was all good and calm: the mermaid under his guidance, Luo Binghe, hadn’t yet attained his full maturity and, although childish, would listen to Shen Yuan’s guidance. He loved to perform in front of crowds and Shen Yuan had no trouble at all making him jump in circles of fire or perform aquatic aerobics.
However, in the last two months, Luo Binghe had finally shed his white and light green scales for black and crimson ones, had grown double in size, and had developed a particularly well-build upper body.
Now, all of this was normal, and Shen Yuan wouldn’t have been alarmed if his attitude toward him also hadn’t drastically changed. Bye bye the calm and proper student, hello the shameless merman who kept trying to jump out of his tank to join Shen Yuan on his platform made for humans and not mermaids (he’d told Luo Binghe this a few times with no improvement whatsoever). Every time Shen Yuan would leave at the end of the day, Binghe would keep grabbing at his ankles, almost getting him into the water in the process, until Shen Yuan would give him a strong kick in the chest and repeat for the millionth time how this was inappropriate behavior for a merman his age.
But what really made Shen Yuan realized that this mermaid he’d raised all by himself wanted to eat him was the time he’d been sitting at the edge of the platform and Luo Binghe jumped on him, his mouth filled with pointy teeth a mere centimeter away from his. Shen Yuan had obviously ducked away then proceeded to leave without a word. Of course, mermaids were dangerous predators and had a history of eating humans, but he’d thought his and Luo Binghe’s bond was strong enough to inhibit any eating behaviors. Moreover, he was more than well fed with platters of salmon, shrimps, and lobsters every day! Shen Yuan was definitely less delicious than the five-star meals he ate everyday!
After the incident, Shen Yuan took three sick days, all he was allowed to in a year, and stayed in bed wondering how he would survive the next week.
Well, Shen Yuan was about to find out now.
He opened the door leading to his cement platform. He kept a safe distance with the surface of the water and started prepping his material. The water beside him was calm, with not a ripple in sight.
This is your fault, Binghe, you can sulk in a corner all you want I won’t feel bad.
Shen Yuan had the hope his absence would allow the mermaid to understand better the consequences of his behavior and to calm his temperament.
Splash.
The beast Luo Binghe jumped out of the water unto the platform.
“SHIZUN!” he cried (the only word he’d learned how to pronounce although Shen Yuan was certain he had the mental capacity to speak full sentences.)
Shen Yuan jumped back, Luo Binghe full upper body and half of his tail now out of the water.
“Binghe get in the water!”
“Shizuuuun-“
“Dehydration, we’ve talked about this-“
Luo Binghe’s strong arms caught Shen Yuan’s legs and encaged them in an iron grip.
“ShizunShizunShizunShizun”
Shen Yuan had read a lot in these three days in the ways in which mermaids lured their human preys into the water. The most straightforward way was to grab their prey, sink their claws into their flesh and pull them into the water.
Although Luo Binghe had tried this technique, he’d never succeeded, and Shen Yuan wasn’t about to let him now.
“Binghe let me go!”
“Shiz-“
“I’m not hearing anything before you let me go!”
Luo Binghe looked at him with frustration.
“Shizun!”
This again! Couldn’t he understand Shen Yuan needed to go sleep in a human bed as a human. He was acting as if Shen Yuan wasn’t back at the ass crack of dawn seven days a week!
“If you don’t let me go I’ll call Liu Qingge!”
You think you’re the only one with tricks up their sleeve. Take that, ha!
Liu Qingge was Shen Yuan’s favourite security guard in the mermaid exhibit. He wasn’t very talkative and, to put plainly, was kind of a brute, but he always offered to drive Shen Yuan back to his apartment when he learned the other walked forty-five minute in the dark to get there.
Luo Binghe didn’t appreciate Liu Qingge in the slightest. Shen Yuan supposed any creature would feel threatened when a strong brute would enter their territory (Shen Yuan himself wasn’t much of a threat to Luo Binghe’s tank which was why he’d always been collaborative).
Luo Binghe hissed then set Shen Yuan’s legs free. He dove back into the water and came up to the surface with a bunch of shiny round rocks which he brought to Shen Yuan’s feet.
He watched intently as Shen Yuan looked closer, realizing the shiny rocks were actually scales, old and new. There must’ve been at least thirty of them all pilled up. He took one of the newer, shinier scale, between his fingers.
Mermaid anthology chapter sixteen: one must proceed with caution when handling mermaid scales which can be poisonous if in contact with open skin. Symptoms can vary from a mild hitch to suffocation.
Shen Yuan let the scale fall to the ground. He’d almost been tricked! How could he have been so careless!
Without further notice, he turned around and walked (ran) out of the stage.
I know I said I wouldn’t leave, but its really too scary!
***
Luo Binghe was in love.
It was obvious how enamored he was with Shen Yuan. He’d been waiting so long to finally feel worthy of courting Shen Yuan. He’d waited until all of his child scales fell off before even trying to make closer contacts with the man. He’d shown him his appreciation by always sticking to his side. He’d shown his strength by getting out of the water and holding him. Then, he’d tried kissing, something he’d seen many humans do as a gesture of love.
And then Shen Yuan had disappeared!
Luo Binghe was truly at a loss.
Was Shen Yuan rejecting him? But how could that be possible? In the animal kingdom, it was counter intuitive to reject a strong partner, which was much closer to Luo Binghe’s way of thinking. He was a strong creature who would protect Shen Yuan and, if it came to this, his and Shen Yuan’s offspring (“adoption” was a practice done regularly in his specie and posed no problem to him as long as he had Shen Yuan). There was simply no better match than him!
But then again…there was this Liu Qingge.
Liu Qingge was nothing compared to him; Luo Binghe was stronger, prettier, and (surprisingly) more eloquent! That was three points already! If Shen Yuan preferred him because he was a human, Luo Binghe still had 3 and a half points versus Liu Qingge’s meager 1 point!
An idea struck Luo Binghe. Perhaps Shen Yuan was doing it on purpose! He wanted to test Luo Binghe; to see if he would be able to become a human for him. What was stronger than a mermaid, but a mermaid who could transform into a human? Who cared if it hadn’t been done before, Luo Binghe would find a way.
For Shen Yuan, he was ready to swim from hell to heaven!
***
Liu Qingge observed Shen Yuan pace in the staff’s lunchroom, munching calmly on his cold ham and cheese sandwich. Liu Qingge didn’t ask simple questions like “How are you doing?” or “what’s the matter with you?” He wasn’t one to appreciate idle chatting and, in the case of Shen Yuan, the information would come to him without even asking.
“My mermaid is trying to kill me!” he exclaimed, dramatically leaning on the table like all his energy had been sucked out with these very words. “Three years raising him and now he’s out for blood! What did I do wrong?”
Liu Qingge’s brows knit into a thin line, and he put down his sandwich.
“If he’s dangerous it’s better to tranquilize him before he kills anyone.”
Shen Yuan’s heart skipped a beat.
“You know how bad mermaids react to tranquilizer. Their immune system basically starts attacking their own organs. And he isn’t a threat to the visitors; he only tries to kill me personally. Tranquilizer is definitely too extreme.”
Liu Qingge got up from his chair, dark expression written on his face.
“I’ll deal with it.”
Shen Yuan scrambled after Liu Qingge, knowing exactly what these words meant. He kept calling to Liu Qingge, but not only did he not answer, he seemed to walk with even more determination. Luo Binghe was done for!
They passed in front of the other aquarium tanks as they walked, Mobei Jun and Sha Hualing seeming to sense Liu Qingge’s murderous aura. They both swam away when he walked past the glass, yet their eyes remained fixed on him.
“Liu Qingge please stop!” he begged as the other opened the door to Shen Yuan’s platform. Liu Qingge walked to the edge of the platform and crouched down, eyes narrowing as he searched the water.
Silence.
“Maybe we should leave now, don’t you think?” suggested (pleaded) Shen Yuan.
He was extremely pleased with his student for hiding so well. Even he himself couldn’t find Luo Binghe in the water. It really was a next level camouflage!
They both waited and waited, but when ten minutes had passed and still no movement to be had, Liu Qingge finally got up.
“He’s not in there,” he said decisively.
Liu-ge it’s a mermaid we’re talking about, he can’t just walk out of the tank!
Liu Qingge left the platform in a hurry, the door clanging loudly behind him. Shen Yuan waited a few minutes before calling to the mermaid.
“Binghe, he’s gone, you can come out now.”
The water didn’t move an inch.
“Shizun?” it came as a barely audible breath right next to his ear.
Shen Yuan startled, his feet sliding underneath him and plunging him into the water tank. He barely had time to realized he was submerged that two strong arms caught him and brought him back to sore. Shen Yuan’s eyes must’ve burst out of their sockets as he took in the sight of Luo Binghe standing in front of him on two muscular and long legs. Then, his eyes definitely jumped out of his skull and ran away because Luo Binghe was wholly naked and his full, ahem, anatomy was on display.
Well fuck me, he really did walk out of the tank!
“Binghe!?”
In no records was it ever said that mermaids could shapeshift into humans. Shen Yuan had written a whole thesis on them, and not once had he encountered information that even suggested it to be possible.
Luo Binghe gripped Shen Yuan’s arms, his smile so full it actually made Shen Yuan melt a little bit.
“Shizun Shizun!” he said excitedly.
He started pulling Shen Yuan to the exit door, which made the man panic trying to hold him back.
“No no no, you cant go out like that, it’s a family friendly themed park-“
“Shiiizun-“
“Let me at least find you clothes first!”
Luo Binghe finally stopped pulling him which was one hundred percent not because Shen Yuan had enough brute force to make him do so. He walked to a bin where some swimsuits were stored. The only one that seemed like it was large enough to fit Luo Binghe was a full body black swimsuit that covered the neck down to the ankles.
Shen Yuan threw the swimsuit at his stupid mermaid.
“Put it on. Now.” He said, his back to Luo Binghe. He didn’t want to accidentally gaze at that thing again.
He shuddered at the thought. He ignored Luo Binghe’s definite struggle to put it on and patiently waited until he heard the sound of the zip being put up.
“Now we can go-“
Shen Yuan stopped in his track, not because the swimsuit wasn’t on, but because did it really have to fit him so tightly!!??? He looked like those supermodels in swimsuit adds!!
As expected, when they left the platform, every guests’ eyes were glued on the “hot new employee” who was inadvertently showing off to giggling teenage girls and their mothers. At least, no one saw Shen Yuan’s expression of distress as he pushed Luo Binghe forward as fast as he could. Better run before Liu Qingge could catch them!
He brought Luo Binghe to the side door and just as the salty winds hit their face, Luo Binghe suddenly grabbed Shen Yuan’s wrists.
“Shizun.”
Shen Yuan looked up the Luo Binghe, only to realize his gaze wasn’t on him at all. He turned his head toward in the right direction, and his heart squeezed painfully in his chest.
Of course. The ocean.
Luo Binghe had been fished out of the ocean when he was still a child. There was no way he’d gone to the aquarium willingly; no mermaids would. Shen Yuan had worked hard to personalize the water tank to Binghe’s taste, but it would never compare to the endless expanse of water before them. Hell, he probably had a family somewhere down there!
Shen Yuan suddenly felt terrible.
“Binghe…how about I take you home.”
Luo Binghe’s gaze shifted to the other’s face, an expression of serenity and sorrow interwoven on it.
“Shizun?”
Shen Yuan smiled and grabbed his hand.
“I’ll lead you to it.”
Shen Yuan knew a few calm spots on the beach (the main parts could get extremely crowded on warm weekends). He led Luo Binghe to one of them, feeling like it was the only right decision. Yes, he would probably loose his job, but he couldn’t live in good conscience if he didn’t give this to Luo Binghe. He led him to a place with enough water dept that Luo Binghe could dive into without slamming his head on the ground
“I don’t know how long your transformation thing lasts, but when it‘s done you can just jump there and go. And please try to take the swimsuit off first, these things are expensive.”
Luo Binghe happily threw himself in the water.
Well, here goes a 300$ swimsuit on the company’s card.
Shen Yuan sat down on a rock and didn’t have to wait long before Luo Binghe’s head sprung out of the surface.
“Shizun!!”
Shen Yuan patted his hair.
“I know, I know. You’ll be much happier now, won’t you?”
Shen Yuan swallowed down the bittersweetness coming up his throat.
“Be sure to come visit if you can, alright?”
Shen Yuan was deep in thoughts and didn’t anticipate the mermaid’s next attack. Before he could stop him, Luo Binghe kissed his forehead, cheeks and nose in a succession so precise he probably had plotted it some time ago.
…
…
…
…
WHAT??????
It suddenly occurred to Shen Yuan that Luo Binghe might not want to kill him.
Has he been trying to hit on me all this time??!!
Truly, now that he recounted all the previous events, it was more than plausible.
A sigh escaped his lips, followed by a murmured laugher.
Well, what would he do now?
***
Shen Yuan jumped into the water, swimming to Luo Binghe. He’d taken a well-deserved vacation week (surprisingly Liu Qingge had spoken for him when the manager tried to fire Shen Yuan, and he somehow still had a job) and spent each day of it in his swimsuit either in the water or laying somewhere near the water. During the week, he only came before or after work, Luo Binghe always patiently waiting for him at their spot. The mermaid, on the other hand, spent his day hunting fishes to gain enough excess energy to transform back into a human for a few hours (which he spent annoying Shen Yuan by clinging to him like his own personal leech). Maybe one day he would be able to transform totally, if Luo Binghe wished to.
In the presence of each other, they were both exactly where they wished to be: home.