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The midday sky gleams blue, overlooking sea meeting sand. Birds calling and striking through the high air. People are gathered at the small beach. Some resting under colourful parasols, some floating in the shining waters. Some walking, some laying.
But others look to the sky, bewildered by a sudden burst in the clouds. Pointed fingers and confused looks towards it. For they are seeing none other, than a falling star in clear daylight.
Then- a powerful force blasting in the shallow waters. Screams and shocked faces amongst the people.
A young boy groans in pain, his knees and hands sinking on the surface. His fingers slicing through sand, and small amounts of water slowly surrounding him. He glances around, realizing he’s made himself a small crater when he crashed.
That blast didn’t hit any of those humans he saw, did it? He swears- he was falling slower this time!
Tsukasa slaps the last bit of breathing fire on himself away, and looks up to see humans staring at him. They’re a distance away from him, meaning he didn’t actually make contact with any of them. Oh, what a relief!
The boy proceeds forward, stepping out of the sand bowl that he caused. Luckily, it’s not a deep one, nor is it big. That means he’s gotten better at his landings!
“Fear not, good humans!” He shouts, holding his hand confidently on his chest. “I am Tsukasa Tenma! A star blessed by the heavens, and sent down here to show you my gifts! I am the miracle that will put a smile on everyone’s frowning faces!”
Now, he should be met with a grand applause! A smiling and content audience! But it seems to take quite a while with this one…
Tsukasa opens his eyes towards the crowd, they’re quiet. Humans stare at him, some adults holding smaller humans behind them, and others holding a sort of gadget in their hands, sending out rays of lights. Oh, but he knows that last one!
On another planet he’s seen people use objects that make that same flashing light when they want to create an image of something beautiful. These humans must be so stunned by Tsukasa’s natural starlike beauty, that they are speechless and can only think of creating copied images of him! Yes, that must be it!
If that is the case, then he must pose for the occasion. The boy smiles and strikes a perfect pose, only fit for a star such as himself. “I know, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? A miracle such as myself before your eyes?”
Then, he hears laughing. Some young people in the crowd, who appear to be what most planets call ‘teenage boys’, point at him and laugh… mockingly?
Some other humans run away, some yelling at him. The crowd starts rambling on and on, and some common sentences enter his ears.
“Dad, why is he glowing?”
“What even is that?
“He’s so full of himself!”
“Oh, my God! This video will have so many likes on social media, I’m going to be famous!”
Ugh, it’s the same as in any other planet! The same mocking laughter, confused mumbling, angry shouting. Tsukasa sighs in defeat when something suddenly hits his head. A stone?
Someone threw a stone at him. Luckily, it’s not a big one, so it doesn’t-
Something else hits his arm now, a bigger stone?! That hurt! Who are these humans, and why are they throwing dangerous objects at him!
Those same boys that made the crowd louder by laughing at him, managed to find a bunch of stones nearby. “Go back in the sky, weirdo!”
Then they start throwing more stones at him. Tsukasa holds his hands in front of his face. “Okay, you can yell at me. BUT WHY ARE YOU HUMANS ATTACKING ME?!”
How dare they destroy his beautiful image like this?! This is just pure disrespect!
Some other humans seem to have joined this event, since he suddenly not only gets hit by stones, but also other objects he can’t seem to name! Like those rubbery shoes humans wear, and those fabrics they use to lay on and dry themselves with.
It isn’t until he gets hit in the face with what he assumes is a parasol, that he runs away.
Little does he know, another creature is watching him from outside of the audience.
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Rui ducks his head back in the water, as to not be hit with stones or flip-flops. Those humans are indeed silly creatures. When he thinks back to it, this is the same exact way he was treated back when he first saw them on the beach.
The mermaid was just swimming around near the beach, careful not to come in contact with any of those humans. He was searching for lost objects, like he always does. Then, he saw a blast, a crater formed in the underwater sand, and a mysterious, glowing person crouching in the centre. The waves that ran away from that same blast shoved Rui away, but luckily not that far.
He ascends his head from under the water again, staring at this strange creature while spitting out the water that was stuck in his mouth. Someone from the crowd, a hysteric mother, with her small child at her side, somehow has the strength to take her pink parasol and throw it meters away from her. It hits that glowing boy in the face. And Rui can’t help but feel bad for him.
That boy that was once shouting, now becomes quiet, and speeds away from the group of people. Some still throwing rocks at him as he tries to disappear from the scene.
And, as if on impulse, Rui follows him. His tail splashing the water as he dives under again.
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Tsukasa sits on a lonely rock that watches the blue water. He sighs as he leans his chin on the palm of his hand. In his other hand is that parasol that got thrown at him. He holds it above him as to protect himself from the sun battling his eyes.
“Stupid sun.” He huffs out in annoyance, pointing his finger towards that awfully bright circle of light as if he’s accusing it of a crime. “I shine way more beautiful than you do, and people still admire you more!”
“Is that true, now?”
Tsukasa jumps off from his seat, shrieking at the sudden voice. He accidentally lets go of his parasol, making it fall into the water. He immediately looks towards where the sound came from, only to find a human resting his arms on the rock. Staring at him with golden eyes and a smug expression on his face. His white ruffle blouse is soaked from water, which makes the star question why he’s in the water fully clothed in the first place.
“How did you sneak up so close to me?!” The blond shouts. “I didn’t even notice you!”
Rui chuckles contently. Now that he can see that confident boy up close, he’s able to tell the clothes he’s wearing. Rich, fancy clothing, coming from a fantasy book almost. A dark blue jacket leaning on his white blouse, with sparkly stars as his buttons, and black pants. The only thing missing is the fact that the boy isn’t casting off light any more, like he was when he was giving that confident speech.
“I’m quite a good swimmer.” Rui tells him. “What has gotten a sparkly being like you to this place? You fell from so high, might you be an angel?”
“An angel- no! Even better, I’m a star!” The boy huffs, his ego returning. “I was sent here to bring smiles to people’s faces!”
“So I heard, your name is Tsukasa Tenma, right?” Rui comes closer to the other, his arms lifting himself up to be eye to eye with the boy in front of him.
“Right! It means ruler of the skies!” Rui feels like the boy is shining just a bit more now. “May I know the name of the person I’m speaking to as well?”
“Rui Kamishiro.” He smiles at him. “Pleasure to meet someone as bright as you.”
Tsukasa smiles back at him. Until he notices a strange splashing sound, and something purple moving behind Rui. “Wait, what’s that behind you?!” He reacts fast, taking the other’s arms and dragging him further on the rock.
Rui simply look behind himself, then towards Tsukasa again, and he giggles. “You mean my tail?”
He rests his tail on the rock as well. Now the two sit next to each other. The purple tail shines in the sunlight, each of its scales radiating with their own special shade of violet. He’s seen this before on other planets. But there, sea creatures had scales, not humans.
The blond stares dumbfounded at it. “But I thought humans had legs like me… Are you a special kind of human?”
“Oh, no.” He laughs at him. Not in the mocking sense like those other people when they were laughing. Rui’s laugh makes something in his stomach flutter. “I’m a mermaid, or merman, however you want to call me. Some even call me a sea monster.”
A monster? With beautiful scales like those? It’s the only thing Tsukasa can think about at the moment.
“Either way, I guess I’m half human. So maybe your definition of it is somewhat correct.” He says. “Aren’t you afraid of those wounds?”
“What wounds?” Tsukasa asks. Until he looks at his arms, seeing the small cuts that were caused by those rocks. “Oh, those. It’s fine, I can’t feel them!”
Abruptly, he feels two hands push him and he falls off the rock, into the water. He hits his back against the sandy surface, his head being trapped under the blue as well for just a second before he sits back up. If it wasn’t for the water being shallow, he’d probably drown.
“What was that for?!” He shouts when he stands up from the water. It only reaches his knees.
“Seawater heals.” Rui tells him, then he joins him by jumping off the rock himself. His tail crashes in, and water splashes on Tsukasa’s face.
“Hey!” The blond shakes the water off his head, and proceeds to splash water on the other’s face himself by kicking with his leg. Rui only laughs at it, probably used to having wet hair.
After his laughter dies down, Rui takes the boy’s hand. He tugs him to sit down, so they can see each other at eye level. “Since you’re new here, why don’t I show you something underwater.”
“I can’t swim.”
“I’ll guide you.” Still holding Tsukasa’s hand, he crawls towards the deeper levels of the sea, where he can finally swim normally. The other boy’s shoulders reaching the water now.
“I’m curious, can you breath underwater? Since you aren’t exactly human.” Rui asks when they come to a stop.
“If I can breath in space,” the other boy huffs self-assured, “I can also breath underwater!”
“Splendid.” The other beams before abruptly pushing both of them underwater.
Tsukasa feels a gentle arm on his waist as he’s being moved in the water, but it takes a while for him to open his eyes and start breathing properly. When he does so, he gets caught off guard by Rui’s fast swimming. It makes him wrap his arms around his shoulders in fear of losing his grip.
His tail moves elegantly, still shining with the sunlight striking through the water. Never in his exploration of planets has he seen a creature like this. Are there others like him? Are they as beautiful as he is?
Somewhere in the middle of his thoughts, a fish crashes into his face. And Tsukasa almost apologizes to it out loud.
Finally, the mermaid comes to a stop. And Tsukasa doesn’t know how deep they are, but probably very deep.
“Here we are.” Rui says, and he looks towards something that appears to be a city. Colourful tall buildings, streets with marketplaces, mermaids and mermen, that from this distance just look like little stick men, swarming the place like schools of fishes. Tsukasa can only gasp in awe at the sight. And he immediately proceeds forward, until the other grabs his wrist.
“Oh, you’re not entering this city with legs.” The mermaid look down towards the other’s feet. And Tsukasa can’t help but feel embarrassed because of it.
“What? Are we just going to watch this beauty of a city from afar?!”
Rui chuckles and turns away for a couple of seconds. “Don’t worry, I know how to cover it up.” He then goes to the nearest group of kelp, and takes three big strands of it. “Take these, I swear it’s the newest fashion!”
“KELP?!” He shouts dramatically. “You want me to pretend to have a kelp mermaid tail?! Rui, I’m supposed to be a fashionable star!”
The mermaid swims closer to him as he puts his arms on both his shoulders. “I’m sure whatever you put on, you’ll be outshining every other star in the night sky.” He smirks at him. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s not from this planet, and he doesn’t know the proper social cues, but that turns Tsukasa quite speechless.
Rui then lets go of his shoulders, sliding one hand into the other’s rather smoothly. “Come on, didn’t you want to see the city?” He then swims towards those dazzling lights from the buildings. He swims so fast, Tsukasa can’t keep up with him and it nearly makes the him flip over.
He holds onto Rui’s hand as tightly as he can, since he’s swimming way too fast! The water streaming right past them, as the buildings in front of them grow bigger and bigger. Tsukasa is so amazed at everything around him, he doesn’t even realize what’s hanging around his waist.
“Rui,” he tells him strictly, “did you tie kelp on my waist?!”
The mermaid only laughs as he continues to swim. He put it on the star while he wasn’t looking, making de kelp fall down his legs so it looks like a sort of… creative, long dress. “It’s better than legs.” He says when he comes to a stop. They’re floating next to one of the higher levels of a building.
The mermaid slowly descends as he holds onto the other’s waist, down to the streets, where most of the other mermaids swim around. “We’re here.” He smiles at him, and Tsukasa holds back the urge to look away in embarrassment.
The boy gazes a bit too much in the other’s yellow eyes, they look more greener under water. It’s only when Rui lets go of his waist, that he can tear his eyes away. But then he notices all the strange stares from the mermaids and mermen passing by them. Are they… judging his outfit?!
Tsukasa crosses his arms grumpily as he looks at the other again. “You said kelp was the newest fashion.”
“Well, maybe it was fashionable a couple of… decades ago?”
“DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE DEFINITION OF NEW?!”
“Look, it just means you’re wearing vintage!” Rui giggles at him, which makes his face grow red. Red from anger, definitely.
“Whatever, I’m still the bright star Tsukasa Tenma, even with horrible clothes on!” This time, Tsukasa is the one holding onto Rui’s arm as he tries to go forward. But to no avail, since his human-like legs feel like wet spaghetti noodles under water. He swears humans can swim! How do they do it with these legs?!
The mermaid chuckles at the other’s antics. How adorable, is what he thinks to himself. “Allow me.” He then says, as he takes Tsukasa’s hand to guide him again.
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When the two enter the centre square, Tsukasa can’t help but gasp in awe again at all the colourful lights hanging from each building. The merpeople swim in laughter and smiles, entering and exiting the many different shops. All their tails having a variety of colours and patterns and fins.
Stalls are scattered all around the crowded streets, selling food, soaps, antiques, artworks… One small stall catches Rui’s eyes, though. It’s an old merman standing behind a little table full of different kinds of objects that to the normal eye could be seen as useless junk. The man is shouting words through the crowds of people, but none seem to notice, since no merman or mermaid has stopped by his stand yet.
Tsukasa notices the other stopping in his tracks. He looks at him with furrowed eyebrows, wondering what the other’s gaze is stuck on. Until he notices the stand selling those strange objects. “Rui, you want to go over to that stand?”
“Ah, I do take quite an interest in human objects.” The mermaid tells him, finally leaving his stare behind so he can look at the other properly.
Then the star nudges him to where the stand is, and tries to move forward alongside him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work well because- remember? Human legs!
The mermaid only giggles at him as he takes the blond’s arm and proceeds forward, to the old man shouting desperately.
“Human objects for sale! Anyone?” His words finally come in contact with their ears. The man holds up a couple of, what Rui knows as, metal forks and knives. He waves them around, trying to show them off to anyone passing by. “Buy one, get a human eating utensil for free!” He seems to stutter that last part out, not really sure of himself.
“Eating utensils for free?” Rui wonders out loud. In response, the man greets them kindly. “Are you both fellow human objects lovers?” He then asks.
Rui smiles. “I collect them myself. Those silly humans have no clue what waste they’re making in the ocean.” He sighs as he shakes his head. “All those innocent fish have to live with that.”
Tsukasa looks around on the table. Shattered glasses and plates, he knows those because he’s used them on other planets. Some sort of rectangles, the same ones he saw those humans hold up and take images with when he crashed on their beach. Books, decorations, dolls. And some other objects he can’t name. He takes one of the latter, a small stick that has a sort of brush at the end.
“What is this used for?” He asks the other.
Rui takes it from him as he inspects it. “I myself don’t actually know. But I do have a theory.” He then holds it right above his eye, giving a sort of representation. “Same as both humans and merpeople have brushes for their hair, human may have a smaller one like this for their eyelashes.”
“Aha! I see where you’re coming from…” Tsukasa takes the stick back. “But I believe it’s used to…” to the best abilities he has, he thinks deeply, “to paint!”
“Paint?”
“Yes, humans paint by using colourful liquids and splashing them on a canvas with brushes! I think this is a paint brush!” Tsukasa poses, holding his newly discovered object in the air as if he’s invented it.
“Actually,” the old man behind the stall coughs as he interrupts their conversation, “this is a toothbrush. Humans brush their teeth with this.”
“Humans need to brush their teeth?” The taller boy gasps. He holds his hand to his chin as he furrows his brows. “I’ll need to write that down somewhere…”
“Rui, look at this!” Tsukasa then holds up a shiny, half broken, sword. The tip of the sword has been broken off, and the edges are rusty. Tsukasa still holds it up as if it’s a trophy.
“So, is our star a fighter?” Rui smirks at him. He then holds up a giant stick from the table. An object neither Rui or Tsukasa know about.
The merman says something along the lines of, “That’s a walking stick, not a weapon!”, but it reaches no ears. The mermaid holds his so called ‘walking stick’ proudly towards the star. And the other holds his sword the same way in response.
“Didn’t know you could fight.” Tsukasa chuckles.
“I can’t.” He says. “Can you?”
“I’ve never fought before.” Tsukasa then slashes his sword towards the other. Rui blocks it. “Only pretended to fight in theatre plays!” The blonde laughs.
“You like theatre?” Rui tackles the other, and strikes an attack, only for the blond to block the attack as well.
Tsukasa clears his throat as he steps back from their ‘fight’ a little. “Oh, cursed ruler of evil! I, the greatest knight of all, will eliminate you and free everyone from your grasp!” He holds his free hand on his chest as he confidentially speaks.
The mermaid chuckles at him. He crabs a plastic crown from the stand as well, and puts it on his head. As if portraying his character being a king. “Foolish knight… You think you can defeat me?” He strikes his stick again. “I wouldn’t do this if I were you.”
Tsukasa blocks it, but nearly falls back. “To defend the people, I will do anything!”
“Of course, because you truly don’t see how useless people can be.” He walks backwards as the other constantly tries to strike him with his sword. This evil king’s speed greatly overcomes the other. Then, Rui takes his sword from him, and pushes him down. He moves elegantly, as if he’s dancing. In contrast to Tsukasa, who’s fallen to the ground rather embarrassingly.
The mermaid traps him to the ground by holding pinning his hands on the sand, their weapons lying abandoned. In this position… they both can’t help but grow red at the sight of each other.
Did Rui really have to do that? The question is taking over the star’s entire mind.
The mermaid above him looks at him with a surprised, yet soft expression on his face. His hair, the colour of violets, flows through the blue waters beautifully. He feels Rui’s grip on his hands lessen as it becomes harder to focus on the play.
Tsukasa on the other hand, his skin glows just a bit more brighter than before. That same star like energy that the mermaid saw when he crashed onto the beach. He casts enough light, even the sand underneath him shines around him, as if Tsukasa himself is blessed with a halo of light.
But then, his head suddenly gets hit by a small stone, luckily landing on him gently due to them being underwater.
“Get away from that knight!” A child standing next to them says. A mermaid next to her holds her back, telling her to not interrupt the play, probably her mother. But she keeps throwing stones from her bucket at Rui. “Knight, get up! You have to fight!”
It’s only hits them both that there’s an entire group of people circling around them and watching them. Mainly children with bright faces stare at them.
Tsukasa doesn’t know whether to smile or feel guilty at the fact that they have an audience now. Happy, because they’re getting attention, and making children smile. Guilty, because now Rui’s getting hit with stones!
Rui completely lets go of the other’s hands, sitting upward and rubbing his hand on his cheek. “Someone threw a stone at me?! That really hurt!” He fake cries, obviously the stones hit him way too softly for him to even feel it.
Tsukasa, now free from the other’s grasp, grabs his sword from the ground, and pretends to stab the him in the heart by striking his sword behind his torso. “Now, there’s an end to your evil doings!”
“I-” Rui blurts out. He holds his hand to his chest, and acts as if he’s coughing out blood. “This isn’t over! I will-” And he falls to the ground.
Tsukasa stands up. He receives a loud clapping from the audience as he bows down proudly. But just as he returns from his bowing, a loud explosion is heard. And he looks behind him to see- confetti?!
The taller boy giggles, even in death, as he holds a small gadget in his hand. He has loads of confetti cannons hidden in the city just for a situation like this. And it looks like this explosion is a success.
The star is blessed with a background of confetti. Something the little merpeople gasp in wonder at. To be honest, he’s a bit impressed with the way there was a confetti explosion right after he finished the show. Was that a coincidence?
It isn’t until he hears the words, “Kamishiro! That was you, wasn’t it?!” that he realizes it wasn’t a coincidence at all.
Rui stands up, gives back the objects to the now startled, old man, and takes Tsukasa’s wrist. “Rui?! That was you?!”
The other giggles at his reaction, as he makes them leave the bewildered group of merpeople behind. At least he gave that man some customers, right?
“Rui, where are we going!”
“I’m sorry Tsukasa,” Rui shouts as he speeds his way through the streets. “but I’m afraid we will have to avoid the city for now! I’m kind of wanted by the police.”
“YOU’RE KIND OF WHAT NOW?!”
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“Where are you taking me?” Tsukasa asks for the twentieth time or so. It’s gotten darker, the only light coming from Tsukasa. But even that light isn’t so bright at the moment.
Rui holds his waist, and pulls the star closer to himself. As if afraid he might drown without him. The mermaid glances at the other with apologetic eyes, and Tsukasa, even with the little amount of light, picks up on that sight.
“Don’t you live in the city?” The blond asks as they descend into unknown depths. He has his arms around Rui’s shoulder as he swims. His kelp that had been hanging around his waist, has been disposed of when they were running from the police.
Rui takes a while to answer. He stops swimming, then holds Tsukasa in front of him by placing his hands on both his shoulders. “I live here”
The star’s eyes widen at that. Then he looks around him, only to see utter darkness surrounding them. A black void, similar to how it felt floating in space.
He looks back towards Rui. “You live all alone?”
“I sometimes visit the city, but I can’t stay for long.” He says sheepishly. He lowers his hands to lay on the other’s hips. “I mean- I also talk to the fish sometimes.”
“I’m guessing the fish don’t speak your language?” Tsukasa says quietly as he, in response to Rui’s hand placement, puts his own hands on the mermaid’s shoulders.
Rui shakes his head simply. “It’s fine. I don’t always need creatures to know my language for me to like them.”
“There aren’t any fish in here, though.”
“Of course not, there aren’t any food sources here.” Rui says as his tail finally hits the sandy ground. “There is my collection of human objects, though! Normally I have a flash light around here to give me light… Ah, I must’ve dropped it somewhere here.”
Tsukasa chuckles at him giddily, staring at the boy while he’s busy looking around for this so called ‘flash light’. Never has he ever met someone that’s obsessed with human objects and speaks to fish, yet is extremely charismatic and fun be with.
Then Rui looks at him again, and smiles back. “Looks like I won’t need my flash light, since I have my light right in front of me.” Tsukasa hasn’t even realized he’s started to glow more until he points it out.
“Right, I get brighter the more happy I become.” The star can’t stop smiling, it starts to hurt his muscles. Why is he reacting like this!
“I make you happy?” He smirks. “Well, I’m glad for that.”
The boy stutters as he forms his next sentence. Rui’s touch feels too warm for him. “Make sure to keep a better light around. I won’t be here when I leave.”
“You have to go to a different planet already?” He says it as if he’s expecting it. And Tsukasa can’t help but be bothered by that.
He looks apologetically, tearing his eyes away to look at the ground as he glows far less. “There are many planets. And besides- I’m afraid I can’t make any strong attachments to a planet. Otherwise I won’t be able to leave.”
“That makes sense.” Rui closes his eyes. His hands leave Tsukasa’s hips.
“I’ll leave at midnight, when all the other stars appear.” He tells him, his hands still staying on Rui’s shoulders. “Can I ask you a favour?”
The mermaid opens his eyes again. “Of course.”
He then lowers his hands from his shoulders, and takes Rui’s hands in his own. Ignoring the increasing blush on his face, he stares at the other’s addictive eyes. “There’s a way humans show affection for each other, they uh- they press their lips together. And I’ve never done it before, but-”
“You want us to kiss?” The mermaid is quite shocked at this request. Yet he still keeps holding the boy’s hands, and locking his eyes on his red coloured face and lips.
The star nods awkwardly. “I just thought, I’ve never felt this great of a connection with anyone before, so…” He glances away again, only to feel a warmth on his cheek. Rui holds his face as he makes him turn his head to look at him again.
And now their heads are inches away from each other. Rui’s touch to his cheek being as gentle and warm as possible. Tsukasa’s mind is racing all over the place, he lets his free hand tuck at the other’s blouse. Is this real? They just met today! Isn’t Tsukasa asking for too much?
But Rui doesn’t care. “Push me if you want to stop.” He says softly before pulling him into a kiss.
Tsukasa holds his hand tightly in his own as he feels the other’s lips gently pushing against his own. He feels himself being pushed backwards, and his heart beating like crazy. He doesn’t know what to do in this moment, his lips moving in inexperienced ways.
Same goes for his mermaid. He hasn’t kissed anyone before as well. Is it crazy to waste their first kiss on a person they’ve only just met? But something in their minds tells them that it truly doesn’t matter. All that matters is this moment of peace.
Rui holds his hand with the same pressure given to him as he leaves, and places another quick kiss on the corner of his mouth. And he wants to do it again. Again, and again, and again. But he holds himself back. His hand leaving Tsukasa’s face, to grab both each other’s hands again. Both their hearts still beating as fast as ever.
Rui giggles at him again as he holds his star close. “You’re an entire sun now.”
He laughs back at him. Still flustered, and his face as red as a tomato. He’s managed to light up the entire cave they’re in. The small sketches and notes written down on the rocks and cave walls, as well as all the junk of human objects now visible.
His mermaid holds him even closer, turning their embrace into a hug.
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Tsukasa sits on that same rock as he looks at the sky. Rui sitting next to him. The night sky right above them.
He holds that same parasol, that he found laying abandoned on the sand, above them. As if to repeat their first meeting.
“So, how do you return to the stars?” Rui asks him.
“I float.” Tsukasa says, a bit sheepishly. “No, literally. If I stand directly under night sky, I float towards the stars. That’s why I’m under a parasol right now. So I don’t float away.”
“How long will you be sitting under the parasol?”
Tsukasa huffs in annoyance. “I’ll leave once I feel like it!” The way his mermaid is clinging onto his waist isn’t helping one bit with wanting to leave.
They take a moment of silence until Rui retreats his touch, the cold air immediately hitting the blond’s sides. They look at each other, then the taller speaks. It’s too obvious to him how his star feels. “I’m holding you back. Am I correct?”
“What, I-” It’s quite scary how easily Rui reads him like an open book. “Maybe? Look, it’s not important! I still have to go to the next planet to make people smile.” He crosses his arms as he looks away annoyed.
Rui only giggles quietly, and he descends back into the water.
“Rui, you’re leaving?” The blond hovers over his rock, looking at the other laying in the shallow, dark water.
“It’ll make it easier for you to leave. Won’t it?”
Tsukasa lets out a loud sigh as he lets go of his parasol and throws it into the water. Since when have his travels become so hard?
Rui only looks at him as his star slowly floats into the air, only hovering slightly above the surface. He shines far less now, maybe even lesser than when he first saw him sitting on this rock.
Tsukasa looks back at him, then towards the sky, then back at him again. Is this a good idea? He shouldn’t be failing his true mission over some mermaid he just met, right? He’s making a good decision, right? Right?!
Only when he’s around one meter in the air now, he starts to question going down again. But he can’t, can he?
He sighs. To hell with this mission!
“RUI!” He shouts, turning his floating body to face towards the sea. “THROW ME THAT PARASOL!”
Just for half a second, the other looks at him with surprise, until he swiftly takes the parasol, and throws it at his star. It misses at first, but at his second try, Tsukasa finally catches it.
The blond opens the parasol above himself, shadow covering himself entirely, and he-
He falls.
“AAAAAAAAAH!” He immediately splashes into the water, now it’s his stomach that hits the sandy surface. His mermaid picks him up and stops him from floating towards the sky again. “Oh, that was only one meter above surface.” Tsukasa says awkwardly. “It wasn’t even that bad of a fall.”
His mermaid chuckles at him. “Missed me too much?”
“A lot.” Tsukasa is now the one to hold the other’s face in his hands as he kisses him.
Rui kisses him back, and they do so for only a couple of seconds, until he breaks their kiss and looks at his star in curiosity. “Are you not supposed to go back?”
“Rui…” Is this what those silly humans call romance? Tsukasa’s never felt it before. And definitely not as strong as this kind of feeling. “Can I stay here? At least for a little longer. With you?”
“Are you sure?” He says it slowly while his eyes widen.
“Yes!”
His mermaid’s gaze turns away, as he awkwardly rubs his hand on his neck. “People don’t tend to stay with me long. I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”
His star’s eyes shine with determination as he comes closer to the other. “I want to stay with you, and make my own decision.”
“I’m sure you’d find someone better.”
“I’ve travelled hundreds of planets, never have I ever met someone like you.”
“It’s not that I’ll force you to leave, but I’ll always leave the door open for you if you want to leave me.”
“Rui, please.” It’s as if breaking through a brick wall. Sure, Tsukasa can light up like a star, but he can’t do this. Humans have always been so simple, yet this mermaid is a completely different case. A case he wants to investigate with every detail. “I’ve never felt like this before.”
Tsukasa lets his head fall on the other’s shoulder. “Don’t tell me I’ll regret feeling like this. I don’t want to waste this opportunity.”
Rui lets out a sigh as he holds his star closer. “Alright.” He says simply. His mouth cracking into a smile that he covers up because of how adorable Tsukasa looks to him at the moment. “I do see a future for us, like a small spark too bright to be ignored.” He then says after a moment of silence. “Tsukasa, will you live with me? Even if it’s just temporary?”
Tsukasa looks up at him with a grand smile on his face as he nods determined. Then he hugs his mermaid again, a bit too aggressively this time, since they both fall underwater.
Further on the beach, some people taking midnight walks take note of the bright dot of light striking their poor eyes from in the distant waters. It feels like a fallen star has found its way home.