Chapter Text
The human child plastered against the glass hasn’t noticed him yet. She’s entirely focused on the starfish attached to it, eyes wide as she traces its outline with her chubby finger. Wooyoung inches steadily closer, careful to keep his gleaming tail hidden behind a large patch of seaweed. A school of minnows swim past and he bats them aside, eyes trained on his quarry.
Almost there, just a little closer…
Thwack!
He slams into the barrier at full force and the tiny human leaps up, mouth wide in a scream he cannot hear through the thick glass. She must be loud though because a pair of older humans are suddenly rushing toward her, pulling her into their arms as she continues to wail.
Wooyoung’s giggles are interrupted by a displeased hum from behind and he turns to see Yonghwan swimming toward him, his powerful tail beating harshly in the water. The look on the older mer's face is a mix of exasperation and resignation, and Wooyoung can already anticipate exactly the lecture he's about to receive before Yonghwan even opens his mouth.
"I know, I know. I'm not supposed to ram into the barrier."
Yonghwan sighs. "If you know you're not supposed to do it, then why do we keep having this discussion? The humans will get angry. Not to mention, what if you hurt yourself?"
"Hyuuung," Wooyoung whines, putting on his best innocent expression, "I'm just having some fun. Did you see how high she jumped?"
He turns to motion at the tiny human only to find her staring back at them once more. It seems her previous terror has been replaced by awe upon seeing the new mer swimming alongside Wooyoung, and judging by the crowd gathering around her she's not the only one.
Wooyoung isn't surprised. Yonghwan is a whalemer and the largest inhabitant of their reef by far- nearly twice the size of the smallest mer in the pod. Even Wooyoung's long body and wide tail seem diminutive in comparison to Yonghwan’s bulky upper half and massive flukes. The humans behind the window are pointing and holding up the strange little boxes they like to carry around, clearly enraptured. Wooyoung fully agrees with their fascination; he finds Yonghwan just as enthralling no matter how many times he sees him too.
The elder seems unaware of his captive audience, too focused on his ongoing chiding. "I know you like to play with the humans, but you shouldn't be scaring the little ones with-what are you doing?"
"Showing you off,'' Wooyoung replies as he swims around the elder, making slow circles and gesturing toward the whalemer's beautiful indigo scales while looking back at the humans as if to say ' admire this! '
"Everyone needs to fully appreciate how magnificent you are."
"Stop that,'' Yonghwan replies, flicking his tail at the youngest with embarrassment. "I can see my lecture is wasted. If you have time to waste being silly, you can go get Seonghwa. It's almost time for the performance."
The performance! Wooyoung lets out a stream of bubbles in excitement. How could he forget that today was a show day-his absolute favorite- and especially one as momentous as he was planning this one to be?
"Okay! See you at the pool, Hyung!" With one last wave at the humans, Wooyoung promptly dives down deep, away from the viewing window.
~~~~~~
Wooyoung was brought to the reef that he and the rest of his pod call home so long ago, barely bigger than a guppy, that anything outside it is only a distant memory. What he knows about the vastness of the ocean and the open sea come mainly from the stories of the older mer. Yonghwan, the only one amongst them who can somewhat understand the humans' strange language, says that they're part of something called a ‘research sanctuary’.
Apparently humans like to watch them and study how they live in order to better understand merpeople. It’s why the members of the pod come from such different species, and why there are spaces all around the upper part of the reef where the humans can watch them. It's all a bit odd to Wooyoung, but since he enjoys watching the humans and their strange behavior, he supposes it must be the same for them. In any event he loves his life here in the reef, and knows every inch of it by heart.
Wooyoung swims swiftly through schools of colorful fish and weaves around the occasional shark as he makes his way toward the deepest part of the sanctuary. It's much colder down here, the sunlight from above gradually dimming until everything is set in a shadowy haze. Crabs scuttle along the rocky sand and he can see the glowing eyes of eels peering at him from amongst the large rocks. His own eyes aren't made for this darkness, and as he continues to sink down he relies mainly on sensing the vibrations in the water to make his way ever deeper.
At last he reaches the mouth of a familiar cave. The outer rock is covered in lichen and barnacles and it's pitch black inside, no movement or light at all. Wooyoung stops to hover at the entrance, treading water. He’s learned his lesson all too well before about going inside without permission.
"Seonghwa-hyung!" he calls out loudly, trills echoing against the stone. "Let’s go! Yonghwan-hyung says it's time!"
He pauses to listen, but there's no response. "Seonghwa-hyuuuung!!" he tries again-even louder this time-beating his tail against the rock for good measure.
Still no movement.
He's just about to forgo etiquette and venture inside the den when a series of loud clicks causes him to jolt. They’re accompanied by a set of glowing white eyes emerging from the shadows, drawing closer and closer until they're inches from his own.
"Some of us are trying to sleep and don't appreciate being screeched at by annoying hatchlings."
Wooyoung only grins at the grumpy mer scowling at him. "Hongjoongie-hyung! You're so sneaky, I didn't even hear you!"
Not that he can really be expected to. Down here in his own territory, the deep-sea mer is almost completely invisible, his pitch black scales and inky hair blending seamlessly with the shadows of the cave.
"What are you shouting about so early?" the older mer grumbles, yawning widely and revealing rows of viciously sharp teeth.
"Early? Hyung, it's the middle of the afternoon. Not everyone is nocturnal like you."
Hongjoong's no doubt snarky response is cut off by an excited trill coming from somewhere further in the den. "I'm coming Wooyoungie, just wait a sec!" It’s followed moments later by a ripple in the water as a second mer emerges, this one very different from the first.
"Is it that time already? It’s so hard to tell without the light!"
Somehow even here in the deep water, Seonghwa's scarlet scales seem to shine brilliantly. He looks completely out of place in the murky darkness next to the smaller mer beside him, his warm tanned skin in contrast to Hongjoong's almost translucent pallor and dark scales.
The pair represent two completely opposing species of mer and in the wild, they might never have even come into contact, let alone been part of the same pod. Although Wooyoung had still been quite young, he remembers how Hongjoong had been introduced to the reef with trepidation- the humans extremely wary that he might not coexist peacefully with the rest of them, especially considering the fact that deep-sea mer were particularly territorial and known to be quite dangerous if disturbed.
That uncertainty had made it all the more surprising when not only did Hongjoong easily become part of the pod, but Seonghwa and Hongjoong actually mated less than a year after being introduced. Though seemingly incompatible in every conceivable way from their diet and habits to the very fact that while Hongjoong's body was physically unable to handle any harsh light, Seonghwa needed the warmth of the sun to stay alive, somehow they made it work.
"Sorry I'm late, I wanted to finish stringing these," Seonghwa explains, motioning to a new collection of etched shells wrapped around his neck.
Wooyoung's eyes widen as he feels the detailed carvings. "Ooh, hyung! I love them!"
Seonghwa touches them gently, his expression proud. "Aren't they beautiful? Hongjoongie made them for me." He smiles at his mate, who clicks in response.
"Don't push yourself too hard today love," Hongjoong says sternly. "You don't owe anything to the humans. That goes for you too, Wooyoung. I still don't understand why you let them parade you around like this."
"Because it's fun!" Wooyoung replies cheerfully. "They’re so amazed by every little thing we do; they scream and cheer so loudly. You should come join us sometime Hyung, I bet you’d look great jumping through a hoop!”
The absolutely disgusted expression on the elder’s face seems to suggest otherwise. “No thanks. I’m not going to risk my fins for a bunch of humans, and you shouldn’t either.”
"We'll be fine. You worry too much," Seonghwa reassures, twining his tail with Hongjoong’s. "Why don't you wish us luck instead?"
Hongjoong rolls his eyes. "Good luck, Wooyoung."
The top-side mer pouts, his lips pursing in exaggerated displeasure. "Just Wooyoungie? What about me?"
"You don't need any. You'll be perfect. As always,” Hongjoong says softly, his usually sharp demeanor always melting to mush around his mate.
Seonghwa lets out a happy trill. "So silly." He leans forward, brushing his gills together with Hongjoong's. Wooyoung blushes slightly at such an intimate gesture- touching such a vulnerable spot is a practice reserved for mates, and usually only done in private.
Hongjoong seems to sense the youngest's embarrassment because he turns away. "Hey, not in front of the hatchling." He's still smiling though.
"Later then." Seonghwa hums lowly. With one final nuzzle he detaches himself from the deep-sea mer and without warning shoots upward toward the surface, leaving a trail of bubbles in his wake.
"Hyung, wait for me!" Wooyoung squeaks, swimming quickly to follow the other mer. "Bye Hongjoongie-hyung!" he calls behind him, hearing Hongjoong's farewell clicks before the elder no doubt returns to his den to resume his rest.
~~~~~~
Wooyoung rockets upward, propelling himself as fast as he can through the water. It’s a long way from the bottom of the reef up to the viewing pool, but with his powerful tail it doesn’t take much time at all before he’s reached the top. As he breaches the surface he flips backward, purposely splaying his fins out as far as they can go. The resulting splash when he slams back into the water is so large that it sprays the rocky outcrop surrounding the pool.
“ Ya! Watch where you’re flopping, guppy!”
Wooyoung spins to face the mer lounging on one of the rocks, now dripping with water from his miniature tidal wave.
“I apologise, mister no-fun,” he replies cheekily. “Didn’t mean to interrupt your sunbathing.”
“Newbies these days,” San grouses, tail waving in annoyance. “No respect for their seniors.”
“Stop with that already! I may have been small and a little lost when I first arrived here but it’s been years and you’re not even that much older than me anyway! You’re just jealous because you can’t make a splash that big,” Wooyoung retorts, sliding out of the water to squeeze next to the other mer on his rock.
“Are you blind? Can’t you see all the open space around here?” San says, motioning to all the other empty rocks besides his own. Wooyoung shakes his head stubbornly.
“Don’t want those. Wanna be with you, Sannie.”
The other rolls his eyes but nonetheless shifts slightly, allowing the newcomer to curl up beside him like always. Wooyoung smiles, enjoying the contrast of the warm air on his skin and the coolness of the other’s scales against his own. As shore-side mers, they’re the only two in the pod who can spend extended periods outside the water, and both love to lay on the rocks and enjoy the aboveground.
San, although only a few months older than him, had been living in the reef for longer than any of the others with the exception of Yonghwan.
With their similar tails, silver scales, and the way that they’d spent most of their youth attached to each other's fins, it wasn't uncommon for humans to mistake them for hatchmates- much to San’s annoyance. As the only other mer of his own species in the pod Wooyoung had naturally gravitated toward San when he first arrived, trailing him with wide eyes and sticking to him like a barnacle. The other mer had always fascinated him, and he’d always wanted to be the center of his attention, drawn in.
When they were both still young and growing Wooyoung hadn’t questioned his devotion to San, always assuming his feelings toward him were just a more magnified version of his feelings for the rest of the pod. But in the last few years he’d started to notice that those feelings were changing. Or maybe it was better to say he was finally understanding what they truly were all along. At first the changes were small. Noticing that their usual roughhousing now left him feeling distinctly flushed in a way that wasn’t from exertion. That he found himself more often than not admiring the sharp lines and plush lips on the other mer’s face, his toned muscles and strong fins. That when he watched the other mated pairs in the pod swimming together or twined together in their dens he couldn’t help but imagine him and San doing the same.
But it hadn’t been until he’d overheard Yonghwan telling San about the possibility of the humans bringing in other mers to mate with, having him sulking and unease churning in his stomach the entire day, that Wooyoung had fully realized that his feelings toward San were absolutely not platonic.
Since that day, Wooyoung had been a mer with purpose. He knew what he wanted, and he was nothing if not known for his stubborn nature. He was going to be San’s mate and make him the happiest mer in the reef. They’d make the perfect den together, swim together, and spend long summer days lounging together on the shore. It was perfect.
There was only one problem: it seemed that San was completely and utterly oblivious to his attempts at courting.
Wooyoung had tried everything he could think of. He’d shown off his skills as a provider, bringing the biggest fish he could find to San every afternoon and making sure to take the lead whenever they were in a hunting party together. He’d woken early to tend the seaweed garden and trim the coral bushes outside San’s den. He’d even tried to lie enticingly on the shore when the other was nearby, making sure the light of the setting sun made his scales glimmer in the most tempting way.
But it had all been for nothing. At best San had teased him for “suddenly being useful around here” and at worst it seemed as if he’d started avoiding him, choosing to hunt with Seonghwa or Yonghwan instead of Wooyoung, frequenting their usual sunning rocks less and less. It seemed like no matter what Wooyoung did, San saw nothing but the newbie he used to be or the best friend he had become. And that’s why he had decided it was time for some desperate measures.
“Someone’s excited today, hm?” San’s voice breaks Wooyoung from his thoughts, watching his tail as it whips from side to side.
“Today is a big day,” Wooyoung replies, distracted. Though he can’t see them due to the large rock barrier that separates the main performance pool from the holding pool, he can hear the murmur of voices from the other side of the arena where the human visitors are filling into their seats. Soon it will be time to begin.
“Why’s that?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“What kind of surprise?” San questions, eyes narrowed, no doubt remembering the many instances of Wooyoung’s tendency to cause mischief at others’ expense, especially his.
“A good one, you’ll see. It’s gonna make your heart stop.” He glances above them at the various rings hanging from the ceiling. They’re part of the most difficult part of their performances, the highlight of the show when Wooyoung flips perfectly through them to the amazement of human and mer alike.
They range in size and height, the smallest one nearly thirty feet above and so narrow that it would take just the perfect jump to clear. Despite months of attempts during practice he’s only been able to get through it at half height, and usually chooses to go through the middle one instead. But today he feels lucky. Today he’s on a mission to impress, to make San really see him, and there’s no room for failure.
“I don’t like the sound of that.” San replies, but Wooyoung ignores his skeptical gaze. Instead he glances around the pool, searching for the rest of the pod. He sees Seonghwa with Yonghwan on the far side, the top-side mer excitedly showing off his new jewelry. Hongjoong wouldn’t be joining them, of course, which only left-
At that very moment the remaining two members rise to the surface, arms interlocked as they float gently together. It’s a common sight: like Hongjoong and Seonghwa, Yunho and Mingi spent most of their time attached at the fin. Unlike the older pair however it was nowhere near love at first sight. In fact when the two had been introduced into the pod they bickered so much, fighting over prey and den space and everything in-between, that it had seemed they would spend their entire lives as bitter rivals.
Wooyoung still isn’t quite sure if all that initial tension was just an outlet for the mutual desire swimming underneath or if somehow all the squabbling made them fonder toward each other, but he definitely wasn’t the only one unsurprised when the pair had announced their mating to the pod.
“Wooyoung, are you ready to lose again today?” Yunho sings as the two come toward the rocks where the shoreside mer are lounging.
Though Yunho may be their newest member, his stunning mix of vermillion and golden scales and translucent tail fins so delicate they seem as though they’ll dissolve with a touch means he’s one of the most popular mer in the reef. It’s not uncommon to see humans stacked on top of each other to watch him glide through the water, especially at sunset when the fading light makes him even more ethereal. His long slim build also belies his speed- much to Wooyoung’s chagrin he has yet to best the older mer when they race, though during the last performance he came achingly close.
He flicks his tongue out at the smaller mer. “Nope. Actually I think I’m ready for you to eat those words today, Yunho.”
“You’re a brat. Has someone forgotten his three-hundred and sixty-six previous defeats?” Yunho retorts haughtily, nudging the mer beside him. “Remind him of my glorious victories, Mingi-yah.”
Mingi, like Yonghwan, is a whalemer. Though nowhere near as large as the older he still dwarfs his mate with his large build, especially when the two of them are wrapped together in their den or swimming along like a shark and its remora. He taps his chin, contemplating. “Actually, I think you might have a chance today Wooyoungie. I really tired him out last night.”
Yunho turns to face him with a scandalized expression, gills flaring. “Exactly whose side are you on here?”
“I can’t help it if you’re cute when you’re competitive,” Mingi responds, flashing a wide smile that causes Yunho to growl. The mer dives away from them toward Yonghwan and Seonghwa, making sure to smack his mate with his tail as he does so.
The whalemer sighs fondly as he watches him go. Turning back to the two on the rocks, he holds his hands together in mock supplication. “Please win today Wooyoung. I love when Yunho gets feisty.”
“Will do,” Wooyoung replies, grinning.
Just then the sound of a whistle echoes around the arena and the mer turn towards the human keepers standing on the far edge of the pool. Attention received, they whistle again, motioning toward them. Finally, It’s time to get the show started.
“Don’t do anything reckless-” San starts, but Wooyoung is already sliding off the rocks back into the water.
~~~~~~
Though he can’t clearly hear the humans’ noises from underneath the water where he waits, Wooyoung knows that they’re now introducing the audience to merpeople, explaining their background and giving a hint of the display they’re about to see. The other members of the pod wait above him until their scheduled time to appear at the human’s call. When it finally comes they spring into action, gliding to the surface- the two whalemers first, followed by the top-side mer, and finally San and Wooyoung bringing up the rear. The other shore-side mer sends a strange glance Wooyoung’s way before giving a final encouraging trill and swimming up.
And now Wooyoung is alone, moments from his own appearance. He waits eagerly just beneath the surface, ready to move as soon as he hears the sound of his whistle. This is it.
At the shrill sound he springs out of the water, mimicking his earlier leap but with even greater exaggeration, flaring out his fins and thrashing his tail to cause an even bigger splash. The resulting wave of water cascades out of the pool and into the seats, soaking anyone foolish enough to sit in the front rows. However, unlike San the humans seated on the beaches beside the pool scream with delight and excitement as they’re drenched, watching Wooyoung with fascinated curiosity. Beside him in the pool he sees San watching him with a grin, shaking his head. He preens happily at the attention, swimming along the edge of the pool and splashing the children as they wave and point at him.
The rest of the show goes just as well as he could have hoped. The humans clap and cheer with delight as the mer perform a series of amazing feats and displays, leaping and flipping and showing their skills to the enraptured crowd. Wooyoung is in top form, feeling stronger and faster than ever before. He even manages to slide just ahead of Yunho in their race, laughing victoriously as the taller mer’s shocked expression turns to one of fury, restrained only by a soothing Mingi who flashes Wooyoung a smile when Yunho’s back is turned.
Everything is perfect, and even better Wooyoung hasn’t failed to notice that a certain shore-side mer’s attention seems to be strictly focused on him today. It’s like San can’t take his eyes off him, and the Wooyoung is euphoric.
And then it’s time for the climax, the grand finale. Wooyoung draws a deep inhale of water as the keepers point the crowd's attention to the hoops lowering from overhead. He springs up through the lowest one first with practiced ease. The cheers grow louder as he circles the pool, gearing for the second jump.
Again, it’s almost too easy. He sails through, not even the tip of his tail touching the ring as he lands back in the water. The noise of the crowd is deafening now as Wooyoung moves into position for the final jump.
As he begins to beat his tail through the water he looks over at the rest of his pod, watching from the side of the pool. For a brief moment he locks his gaze with San, sees something there again that he can’t quite understand. Is it worry? Fear? Longing?
But then he’s jumping, soaring toward the tiny hoop, passing through, he’s actually going to make it-
Suddenly there’s a piercing flash from somewhere in the stands. It startles him and he jerks wildly, momentarily blinded. And then comes pain, a horrific ripping that slices through him and causes him to thrash, to scream.
He’s falling, the deep blue ripples rushing closer and closer.
Wooyoung hits the water, and everything goes black.