Archive of Our Own

Ushio has a problem.

For once, it isn’t related to Patibato merchandise or Patibato fans or Patibato discourse. He wishes he could say it’s entirely unrelated to Patibato, but that would be a lie. It manages to touch every aspect of his life, has for the past decade.

No, his problem is his peculiar classmate. Nanamegi Nanaki, or so he says. It’s been six months since they both began attending university in the same marine biology class, and every day with him has been torture. You see, Nanaki perfectly resembles one Chiyoda Reito, AKA Ushio’s oshi-above-all-oshis. From his smooth skin to his kind eyes to his freaking haircut. So, yeah, he is undoubtedly a beautiful specimen. Ushio finds himself staring at him in class more than he would like; it’s not his fault his seat is at a perfect angle for Ushio to look at.

But then there’s his personality. He does Reito a huge disservice. Despite being relatively popular with, well, everyone, he tends to keep to himself, a stark contrast to Reito’s benevolence. When he does open his mouth it’s to spew some childish nonsense that Ushio would expect from someone on one of his online forums, not his classmate. The two of them do not get along, no matter how much a certain idiot insists that their occasional moments of synchrony means they must be close.

And then there’s Nanaki’s suspicious behaviour. Sometimes he shows up late to class, reeking of saltwater, and sometimes he doesn’t show up at all. Despite their line of study, he avoids getting any kind of liquid on his skin, and occasionally, Ushio will catch him whispering to the fish in their professor’s tank. It’s weird as hell. If this were a movie, Ushio would assume he’s a secret merman or something.

Take right now, for example. Their class is visiting the local aquarium as part of a study project. Just up ahead of Ushio is Nanaki, who has separated himself from Akuta and Kiroku and is currently leaning against one of the fish tanks. He’s muttering something to himself… or, perhaps, to the fish. He appears to be completely lost in his own world—that is, until he leans up and turns his head in Ushio’s direction. Their eyes meet, and Ushio’s traitorous heart skips a beat. Seriously, why is he so—

“Uuchan?” Muneuji’s voice cuts through his internal narration. “Uuchan, you’re staring at Nanamegi again.”

“Hah?” Ushio whirls around to face his childhood friend, affronted. “I was not!”

“Yes, you were,” Muneuji says. He scrunches up his face and places a hand on his chin, leaning in close to Ushio. “Like this. Like you always do.”

Ushio scowls. “I do not make that face. And I wasn’t staring!”

“It’s okay, Uuchan. Nanamegi has an attractive face and a very kind demeanor, so it only makes sense that people would be drawn towards him.”

“Are we sure you aren’t the one staring?” Ushio mutters. When he flicks his gaze back over to Nanaki, he’s moved from his position against the tank, instead making his way over to where Ushio and Muneuji are observing the angelfish.

“Ushio,” Nanaki greets with a smile. “So it was you staring holes into my head. I had a feeling.”

“Come again? What do you mean you had a feeling? Were you thinking about me? Pervert,” Ushio replies in one breath. From the corner of his eye, he sees Muneuji raise an eyebrow disapprovingly. Whatever. He can keep his judgments to himself.

“Says the one who stares at me every day,” Nanaki mumbles.

“I literally have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re delusional.”

Nanaki rolls his eyes. “Come on, Ushio. Everyone knows you do it. It was the reason I messed up that experiment the other day, remember?”

Ushio looks away. “...I have no memory of such a thing.”

“You’re seriously impossible, you know. Why do you like my face so much, anyway?”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t?”

A smirk finds its way onto Nanaki’s face. “Is it because you have a crush on me? Don’t be shy, you can tell me the truth.”

“Excuse me?! A crush? On an immature, cringe loser like you? Get over yourself, Panda,” Ushio scoffs, ignoring the burning heat of his ears. “Right, Muuchan?”

But when he looks at the spot next to him, Muneuji is long gone. As are the rest of their classmates, presumably having moved on to the next section already. Nanaki turns to him sheepishly.

“...Wanna look around together?”

“Why would I ever want to do that with you?”

—is what he said, but here they are, admiring the jellyfish together. Well, Nanaki is admiring the jellyfish, and Ushio is admiring Nanaki. He can’t help it, okay?! The ambient lighting in the tanks is supposed to bring out the jellyfishes’ bioluminescence, but instead Ushio finds that it highlights Nanaki’s beauty just as well; the sharp curve of his jaw, his charming snaggletooth that makes an appearance whenever he smiles, the glimmer of the small earring Ushio reluctantly gifted him for his birthday. He’s pleasantly surprised that he wears it so often.

“...Ushio,” Nanaki begins.

“Yes?”

“You’re staring again.”

Ushio chokes. “I-I was not! I was just… looking at the exhibit behind you!”

Nanaki sighs as if he doesn’t believe him, turning to look at what Ushio is pointing at. It seems to have successfully distracted him, because he makes his way over to the exhibit, getting all close to the glass again. His lips move in a way that’s too soft for Ushio to read, then he lets out a small chuckle. He is so weird.

“Hey, Ushio, come over here,” Nanaki calls, beckoning him over with a hand.

“What?”

“Put your face next to this tank.”

“Hah? Why?”

“Can you just do it? Please?”

“Fine, if it’ll shut you up.”

Nanaki grins as Ushio lowers his head so it’s even with the tank. Then he pulls his phone out and Ushio realises his mistake. He hears the camera click before he can move out of the way, clicking his teeth when Nanaki smiles at whatever he just did.

“Why did you take a picture?!”

“Don’t you think you guys look alike?” Nanaki asks amidst a fit of giggles, holding his phone out for Ushio to see. In the tank next to him is a spiky pufferfish blown up to its full size, its grumpy expression perfectly matching Ushio’s. “Man, I have got to show the others.”

“D-Delete that!” Ushio exclaims, making an attempt to snatch Nanaki’s phone out of his hand. He moves it out of the way just in time, holding it above his head. “Seriously, give it here!”

“No way!” Nanaki says with a laugh. They really shouldn’t be running in here, so he speed-walks away from Ushio into the next area, ensuring the phone stays out of Ushio’s reach the whole way.

Ushio chases after him, trying and failing to suppress a smile. “I’m seriously gonna kill you.”

Ushio is minding his business on his way to school when his phone vibrates with a notification.

When he sees the SpiNet notification captioned [Goods Information], his heart drops. There’s an image attached, and with shaky hands, he opens the app. He is greeted by a brand-new Patibato illustration, of which the theme appears to be fairy tales: Shouta is dressed as a knight, An looks adorable in a red cape, Ouji is stunningly handsome as a prince and then there’s Reito. Glorious, glorious Reito. Except this Reito is missing his legs, a shimmering turquoise mermaid tail sitting in their place.

Wow. Totally not strange that Reito is given this illustration when Ushio’s classmate that looks like him may or may not be an actual merman.

...Wait, no. Why is he thinking about Nanaki? This isn’t about him. This is about Reito and the acrylic stand, can badge, keyring and clear card Ushio will have to acquire soon. He might have to pick up a few more shifts at the bakery. Reito looks unbelievably good, his flirtatious smile capturing the hearts of many and his open shirt leaving little to the imagination.

Hold on, his open shirt?

Ushio brings his phone closer to his face, squinting furiously at the announcement image. Reito’s shirt is indeed open, revealing a glimpse of his pecs and abs that has Ushio’s face flushing. Thank you, whatever God blessed him with this.

However, he must have needed something to balance out his luck, because after he’s made his way to school, Akuta claims the seat beside him, having arrived earlier than Muneuji for once. “Good morning, sunshine!”

“Sorry, that seat’s taken,” Ushio says, his gaze not leaving his phone.

“No it’s not! I beat Muneuji, so it’s mine, fair and square!”

“Hah? Since when was there a competition? Why do you care so much about sitting next to me?”

“I wanna get closer to you, my bro!” Akuta reaches an arm out, but Ushio hits him away before he can drape himself over him. “Ah, sorry, sorry. No touching, right?”

“That’s right. Now would you please move? Muuchan will be here soon, and you’re in his way.”

“Isotake isn’t in my way.”

“Pyah! M-Muuchan?!” Ushio yelps, then glances around to make sure no one else heard his outburst.

Behind him stands Muneuji, watching him with a playful grin. “Good morning, Uuchan, Isotake.”

“Top of the morning to ya!” Akuta hollers. “Muneuji, my dude, you don’t mind me sitting here, do you?”

Muneuji’s smile only grows wider. “Of course not. I believe it would be good for Uuchan to get closer to people other than myself.”

And this is how Ushio ended up spending the next two hours unable to focus on the lesson, instead forced to listen to Akuta whisper-explain the plot of his next movie alongside a powerpoint with at least one hundred slides. He tuned out the majority of it, but from what he gathered early on it’s basically Jaws meets Jurassic Park meets Titanic. He’s also fairly certain Akuta just mentioned basing a character on Ushio, but before he can tell him to write that character out of existence, something across the room catches his eye.

It’s Nanaki, not-so-secretly making his way to the exit. He glances left, right, then slips out of the doors, and from the way the class’ attention is still directed forward, Ushio is fairly certain he’s the only one who noticed. Which is stupid, because it was almost like he wanted people to notice from the way he was acting.

Ushio shoves his phone and laptop into his bag, waiting for the professor to face the whiteboard before standing up. Akuta looks at him quizzically. “Where are you going?”

“Bathroom,” Ushio says, even though it’s definitely strange for him to take his bag with him to the bathroom. He thinks for a moment, then plucks Akuta’s brightly-coloured cap from his head and places it on his own. Nanaki won’t recognise him in this. “Let me borrow this.”

“Wha— Hey! Give that back! Kiroku gave that to me!” Akuta hisses, but Ushio ignores him and heads for the doors before anyone notices. Muneuji can overlook him reading manga in class, but he certainly won’t approve of this.

Once he’s free from the lecture hall, he spots Nanaki just down the corridor. Ushio tails him until he’s left the building, ensuring he’s left enough space between them before following after him. Anyone he passes by would think he’s some kind of stalker, so he pulls out his phone to give himself something else to look at. Frankly, he can’t believe he’s ended up in this situation. But he’s had his suspicions for quite some time now, and if this is what it takes to confirm them, then so be it.

After about fifteen minutes, Nanaki exits the walkway and makes his way into a thicket. Ushio would prefer to not go anywhere near such a place, but he’s already come this far, so after a couple of minutes he heads inside. Fighting his way through the branches is not a very pleasurable experience, but when he reaches the clearing on the other side, he realises it’s worth it. In front of him lies a hidden cove, a tranquil oasis where the azure waves lap at the sandy shore. The view is absolutely stunning. So much so that he nearly forgets his objective, ducking down when he realises he’s in plain sight.

Nanaki is almost to the sand, taking a rocky pathway that Ushio can’t say looks trustworthy. He follows after him anyway, trying to make as little noise as possible. This proves to be a somewhat difficult task, considering all the rocks, but Nanaki doesn’t seem to notice, taking his shoes and socks off and tucking them away at the foot of a cave that’s off to the side. Ushio waits until he’s moved near the shore to advance forward, finally reaching the sand and hiding behind a large rock.

This is insane. He feels like a stalker. But with each passing second, his theory about Nanaki being a merman is becoming less absurd. Ushio watches as Nanaki undoes one button of his shirt, then two, then three, and he can’t seem to find it in himself to look away. His heart is racing in his chest as if he’s doing something he shouldn’t be, which, well, he supposes he is. But it’s not a crime to want to see someone he’s attracted to shirtless, is it? Ushio digs his fingers into his forearm as Nanaki reaches the last button.

Then, Nanaki turns around, his eyes landing directly on Ushio’s hiding spot. “Are you really going to watch me take my clothes off?”

“Pyaah!” Ushio falls back against the sand. Shit, he didn’t think he’d be caught so soon. “Y-You knew I was here…?”

Nanaki places a hand on his hip. “Well, duh. You aren’t exactly the best at being inconspicuous. Do you think we don’t see you on your phone in class every day?”

“Th-That has nothing to do with this!” Ushio stands up, brushing the sand from his pants before making his way over to Nanaki. “What are you doing here?”

“I… needed a breather,” Nanaki replies, averting his gaze. “I come here when I want to be alone, since it’s my own secret spot that no one else knows about. Well, except for you, I guess.”

“Uh, you really expect me to believe that?” Ushio scoffs. “You sneak off all the time and come back smelling like the sea, and you’re always whispering to the fish. You think I’m obvious? Take a look in the mirror, Panda.”

“So what?”

“So, are you sure you aren’t, like, a merman or something?”

Nanaki sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Seriously, Ushio, do you not hear how ridiculous you’re be—”

He’s cut off by a large wave washing over the two of them, leaving Ushio drenched and unimpressed. Thankfully, when he reaches up, he finds Akuta’s hat still sitting on his head. He blinks a few times in an attempt to restore his vision, and finds that when he can see again, Nanaki is gone. Alarm bells ring in his head as the taste of saltwater in his mouth is replaced by dread. He casts his gaze over to the ocean; did he get pulled in by the tide? When he can’t spot him anywhere, he dumps his things a little further back before wading out into the water, heart pounding in his chest. “Nanaki! Nanaki!”

“I’m okay,” a voice says—it’s Nanaki, and Ushio almost sinks to his knees in relief. “I didn’t realise you cared that much about me.”

Ushio ignores his quip, choosing to prioritise Nanaki’s well-being over a snarky comeback. “Where are you?”

“...Over here.”

“Where exactly is ‘over here’?”

He hears a sigh, then the water behind a particularly large rock that juts out just beyond the shore ripples, as if something were moving beneath it. Seconds later, Nanaki’s head pops out in front of Ushio, shaking the water from his hair in a way that is so unfairly attractive. But it doesn’t distract Ushio from the fact that his ears have been replaced by gossamer-like fins, turquoise blue and translucent. He rubs his eyes, immediately regretting it when all he does is push more salt into them. But the pain and the fact that the sight before him remains the same must mean that this is real life and not some weird dream.

“Nanaki?”

“...Yeah?”

“Could you come a little closer to the shore?”

Nanaki’s fins—his fins—seem to fold against his head in a display of reluctance as he averts his gaze. “Do I have to?”

“It would be very much appreciated,” Ushio says, topping it off with the fakest smile he can muster.

“...Fine,” Nanaki mumbles. Ushio watches in awe as he slowly beaches himself on the sand, the rest of his body becoming visible, confirming Ushio’s suspicions. Nanaki is a bona fide merman. The tail is unmistakable. Turquoise scales glisten in the sunlight, sharp-edged and gleaming. His skin shimmers faintly where it catches the sun, a pearlescent sheen like a seashell’s interior. Scales flicker at his hips, smaller and finer than the larger ones on his tail.

“S-So I was right!” Ushio exclaims when he remembers how to use his vocal chords. “All that big talk only for me to have been right this whole time!”

“Shut up,” Nanaki says, his voice lacking its usual bite. “You absolutely cannot tell anyone.”

“Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning on it.” Ushio sits beside him on the sand with a grin. “It does feel good being right, though.”

Nanaki rolls his eyes. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”

“Right back at you. So, like…” Ushio gestures awkwardly with his hand. “What’s the story behind this?

“Um, well,” Nanaki begins. “Merfolk are real.”

Ushio scoffs. “I can see that.”

“...Can I continue?” Nanaki’s eye twitches. Ushio gestures for him to go on. “Thank you. Some of us live in the sea, and some of us live on land, like my family. We’re descended from sirens, which might be why most of us have such musical talent. We transform when we come into contact with sea water, which is why I sat out that beach trip a few weeks ago.”

That’s right. Akuta had planned for the five of them to visit the beach, but Nanaki had declined upon invitation. He’d claimed he was feeling under the weather, so none of them pushed the subject. But looking back, it could have definitely been added to Ushio’s list of evidence. “Why did you decide to study marine biology if you’re, like, part of it?”

“I’m not actually as well-versed as you might think,” Nanaki says, his expression becoming somewhat wistful. “I’ve spent the majority of my life on the surface, after all. But I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean and the creatures living in it. That’s why I come out here sometimes. Even my family doesn’t know about this place; if my brother knew, he’d have my head.”

“I see,” Ushio says, looking up at the sky. “If I were you’d, I’d much rather live in the ocean. I have to imagine it’s better than up here.”

“…You know, you’re taking this a lot better than I thought you would,” Nanaki muses. “It isn’t every day you find out someone is a being from a fairytale.”

“I’ve had my suspicions for a while now. It is crazy to me, though. If merfolk are real, then what else is out there? Are aliens living among us too?” Ushio replies. “If you were looking for a big, over-the-top reaction, you should tell Idiotake. Although that guy might not be able to keep his mouth shut about it.”

Nanaki laughs, a sound that has Ushio’s heart doing somersaults in his chest. “Personally, I think he would. If I threatened him, that is.”

Ushio hums in acknowledgement, his gaze wandering back down to Nanaki’s tail. That’s gonna take some getting used to. Sure, it’s something he’s theorised, but mostly as a joke. He never anticipated Nanaki’s murmuring to the fish would actually lead somewhere. The more realistic outcome was that he’s just a bit of a freak. As stunned as he is, a part of him feels somewhat proud. There can’t be many humans that know of the merfolk’s existence. If they did, they’d probably have them in aquariums by now. He shakes that thought away. That won’t ever happen. Not under his watch, at least.

Nanaki’s iridescent scales catch the sunlight beautifully. Ushio thinks for a moment, then asks, “Hey, can I touch you?”

“H-Huh?! Touch me?” Nanaki stammers, his eyes widening.

“Your tail, you pervert,” Ushio laughs, enjoying the way Nanaki’s cheeks flush red. “It’s not the same as skin-to-skin contact, so I should be fine. It is my first time, y’know, seeing a real-life merman.”

Still thoroughly embarrassed, Nanaki nods. “Go ahead.”

Gently, Ushio reaches out and traces his fingers along Nanaki’s scales. As expected, they’re smooth and slippery, not unlike a fish, but with a more pronounced, defined edge where they overlap. They’re surprisingly firm, a slick mosaic that feels like touching wet river stones, leaving a trail of briny cold on his fingertips. Strangely, they seem to flicker between their regular aquamarine and a deeper blue beneath his touch.

“Do they always do that?”

“Do what?”

“Change colour.”

“U-Um,” Nanaki says, averting his gaze. “Yeah! It’s totally normal. They always do that. Don’t worry about it.”

Ushio chooses not to question it, continuing to trace patterns onto Nanaki’s scales. Despite the chil, it’s somewhat soothing. Being able to touch another person is nice. Even if he isn’t exactly a person, per se.

“...Hey,” Ushio begins. Nanaki looks over at him curiously. “Next week, there’s somewhere I want to go. Do you want to come with me?”

Nanaki’s lips curl into a smirk. “Oh, what’s this? Are you asking me out?”

“I-I am not!” Ushio exclaims. “If you don’t want to, then don’t worry about—”

“I never said I don’t want to!” Nanaki interjects, his tail twitching beneath Ushio’s hand. “I’ll go.”

Ushio turns his head with a huff. “Good. I’ll send you the details later.”

Nobody speaks for a while, then. Ushio breathes in the salty air, finding the sound of the waves very relaxing. God knows he needs to relax after uncovering a merman. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get over the shock, to be frank.

“Ushio,” Nanaki calls softly. Ushio glances back at him. “I’m glad it was you who found out my secret.”

“What? Why?”

Nanaki smiles shyly. It’s awfully endearing. “To tell the truth, I’ve been wanting to get closer to you for a while now. This wasn’t exactly how I imagined it going, but it’s better than nothing.”

Ushio ducks his head, covering his mouth behind his hand. His skin is hot to the touch. “Weirdo.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” Ushio hesitates, then adds, “...I’m glad too.”

Nanaki raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

“You aren’t… as bad as I thought.”

“I see. That’s good to know.”

“...By the way, when do you get your legs back?”

“Ah, I almost forgot. I’ve been keeping the end of my tail where the tide comes in so I don’t suddenly turn back.” He flicks his tail, a few stray droplets of water landing on Ushio’s cheek. “I’ll, uh, probably be naked. I keep spare clothes in that cave over there, if you wouldn’t mind fetching some for me. Usually there’s no one else here, so…”

Ushio pinches the bridge of his nose. What is his life?

“So this is what you’re into, huh?”

Ushio looks up to glare at Nanaki, who is holding up a princess-themed Kazari acrylic stand. The two of them have finally been let into the Patibato pop-up shop after an hour of waiting, and Ushio immediately made a beeline for the acrylic stands. He had given Nanaki a basic summary of Patibato in the queue, since somehow he knew nothing at all about this century’s greatest literary masterpiece. Frankly, Ushio is still surprised that Nanaki’s even here at all. He had never imagined he’d share this part of his world with anyone, especially Nanaki.

Nanaki holds his hands up defensively. “I didn’t mean that in a negative way! Honestly, I can’t say I’m surprised. I’ve seen you in the manga section a few times in the bookstore.”

“What, have you been stalking me?” Ushio scoffs.

“You’re one to talk,” Nanaki says. Ushio turns away when he realises Nanaki is right. “By the way, remind me again why I have to wear a hat and a mask?”

Ushio clicks his teeth. “Because you look too similar to Reito. If the crazy fans see you, they won’t leave you alone.”

“Which one is Reito again?”

“This one.” Ushio holds up the four acrylic stands in his hands, gesturing to the two in his right. In his left hand is Ouji, as adorable as ever. It takes a considerable amount of self-control to not launch into a spiel about all of Reito’s charm points, but he figures he’s already embarrassed himself enough.

“I still don’t see it…” Nanaki frowns. “And why do you need two of each?”

“None of your business.”

Next, Ushio makes his way over to the can badges. Unfortunately, they’re random, which means the chances of getting Reito are one in six. Which is where Nanaki comes in. Ushio would say he has about average luck when it comes to pulling his kamioshi, which, let’s be honest, just isn’t good enough. So he brought Nanaki along, because what is a better good luck charm than the real-life replica of said kamioshi? He’s already splurging with the four acrylic stands, so he picks out the three that call to him the most.

Once he’s also grabbed a Reito keyring and a pack of clear cards, he joins the queue to pay. Nanaki has been lost in the bustle of the store, but considering he’s significantly taller than most customers here, he shouldn’t be hard to find. He tries not to focus too much on the price of everything, but the feeling of being handed the ReiOu bonus cards makes it all worth it.

Now that he’s set with everything he needs, he begins his search for Nanaki. However, it takes about three seconds to realise that it might be even easier than he initially imagined. There’s a crowd forming in the back of the store, a familiar black cap sticking out in the middle. Ushio’s stomach crawls at the idea of fighting through them, so he stops when he reaches the edge of the crowd.

“Excuse me, what’s all the commotion?” Ushio asks a nearby girl with an undeniably cute Reito itabag.

“They’re saying a super handsome Reito-kun cosplayer is here!” She replies, standing on her tiptoes to peer over the crowd.

“Yeah, I thought so,” Ushio mutters. “Sorry, could I get through? He’s with me.”

But his request goes unheard. He sighs, then raises his voice. “Could I get through, please? That guy over there is mine.”

That seems to catch people’s attention, turning to him with hushed ‘Eh?’s and ‘Really?’s. In retrospect, the way he phrased that might have been a little strange, but what’s done is done. The Reito fans part for Ushio like the red sea, ensuring him a clear path to a flustered Nanaki. He takes it, grabbing onto his sleeve and pulling him away and out of the store, ignoring the forlorn cries of the fans.

“Thank you, Ushio,” Nanaki says once they’re sitting on a bench a considerable distance away from the shop. He’s fully removed his disguise, fanning himself gently with his cap. “I didn’t know how to get out of there.”

“This is why I told you not to take off your mask under any circumstances.” Ushio scowls. “You have no idea the effect your face has on people like that…”

Nanaki doesn’t seem to catch the second part. “I was hot! What else was I supposed to do?”

“Whatever.” Ushio fishes around in his bag for one of his badges, staring down at the plastic packaging with great determination. It will be Reito, it will be Reito, it will be Reito…

“You’re gonna open them now?” Nanaki asks, rudely interrupting his mental mantra.

“Yes,” Ushio replies, his gaze remaining fixed on the badge in his hands. “That’s why you’re here. As my good luck charm.”

“Huh?”

Ushio ignores Nanaki’s confusion, sending out one final prayer to the universe before opening the first badge. Slowly, he reaches in with trembling fingers, pulling it up, up, up… “No way. No way no way no way.”

Nanaki peers over his shouler. “What? Did you get the one you wanted?”

“Yeees!” Ushio holds it up to eye level. Reito’s gorgeous face stares back at him, the glittery turquoise background shimmering in the light. “I can’t believe I got him on my first try! This never happens!”

“Good for you,” Nanaki says. “This is the guy that looks like me, right?”

“His name is Reito,” Ushio says matter-of-factly, whipping his head around to face Nanaki with a smile. Strangely, Nanaki seems a little startled, backing away ever so slightly. “You really were a good luck charm after all. As thanks, I’ll treat you to whatever you want.”

“R-Really?” Nanaki averts his eyes, his voice comes out higher than usual. “That’s nice of you. Thanks. A-Aren’t you gonna open the other ones first, though?”

“Ah, yeah. Let me just put this one away.” Ushio tucks Reito safely back into his packaging to avoid any scratches. Just as he reaches for another, someone calls out to him from above.

“Ushio-kun? Is that you?”

Standing in front of him is Shiramitsu Toi, peering down at him with curious eyes. The two of them met a few months ago at a large-scale convention that Ushio nearly regretted attending. He’d been on the verge of a panic attack when Toi swooped in and helped him move somewhere quieter, talking him through some breathing exercises and staying until he felt better even though they were strangers at the time. They’ve stayed in contact ever since, although it’s rare that they meet up in real life, mostly swapping otome game and manga recommendations online.

“Toi-san,” Ushio greets. “Hello. It’s been a while.”

“It has! I’ve been meaning to contact you. How are you? Are you here for the Patibato pop-up?” Toi suddenly gasps, and Ushio realises he’s finally locked onto Nanaki. “Who’s this? Your boyfriend?! Wow, he looks just like Reito-kun…”

“H-He’s not my boyfriend!” Ushio exclaims, wishing he could smack Nanaki over the head for the way he laughs. “He’s just a classmate of mine.”

“Just a classmate? After you dragged me all the way out here?” Nanaki says, then puts his nice-guy smile on and extends a hand towards Toi. “Hi, I’m Nanamegi Nanaki. Ushio’s friend. It’s nice to meet you, um…?”

“Shiramitsu Toi! It’s very nice to meet you too, Nanaki-kun!” Toi grabs Nanaki’s hand with both of his, shaking it with great enthusiasm. “I’m glad to see that Ushio-kun has another friend he can bring to these places!”

“It was actually my first time in a shop like that. I had no idea Ushio was into this stuff until today,” Nanaki says. “I’ve never really been into shonen, but I can see why Ushio likes it.”

Toi’s eyes do that thing where they basically sparkle. “Right?! I started reading it after I befriended Ushio-kun, and it totally captivated me!”

“Speaking of, how did you two meet? You don’t attend our uni, right?” Nanaki asks.

“I wasn’t having the best time at a convention, and Toi-san stepped in to help me out,” Ushio answers. “We’ve stayed in contact since.”

Nanaki gives Toi an award-winning smile. “I’m glad you were there for him. You seem like a really good person.”

“I only did what anyone would do,” Toi says bashfully, linking his fingers together. “So what do you two have planned after this?”

“We were about to go grab lunch somewhere.” For a moment, Ushio considers inviting Toi. But judging from all the bags he’s holding on his arms, he probably isn’t here alone. “What about you? Are you here with someone?”

“Mhm! Ani-sama—my twin brother, Ryui,” Toi says. “I’m holding our things while he’s grabbing us some drinks. Ah, there he is now!”

Approaching them is a man of similar stature to Toi, only with darker hair and a strange-looking eyepatch. Ushio has heard tales of him from Toi but never seen him in person—judging from his edgy, chuunibyou get-up, he’s definitely not the kind of person Ushio would associate with out of his own free will. But he can’t be all that bad if he’s related to Toi.

“Thanks for waiting,” Ryui says with a sickly sweet smile, handing Toi his drink before taking an armful of his bags. It is then that he notices that there are other people present. “Who are they?”

“Ushio-kun and his friend Nanaki-kun. I was just saying hi,” Toi replies, happily taking a sip of his bubble tea. “This is delicious! Thank you, ani-sama.”

“You’re welcome.” Ryui’s demeanor switches from soft to cold when he glances over Ushio and Nanaki with blatent disinterest. His gaze lingers on Nanaki for a moment, an inquisitive look in his eye, then he seemingly dismisses whatever thought he had and looks back at Toi. “We should go if you still want to catch that movie.”

“Ah! That’s right! I completely forgot!” Toi exclaims, clasping a hand over his mouth. “Sorry, Ushio-kun. We should meet up again some time soon. You’re free to bring Nanaki-kun as well!

Ushio chooses to ignore the wink thrown his way. “It’s all right. We should probably get going too. It was nice seeing you.”

“You too!” And with a bright smile and a wave, Toi is gone, his brother in tow.

“They were nice,” Nanaki says. “Well, Toi-san was, at least.”

“He is,” Ushio agrees. “So, you got any idea where you wanna go?”

Nanaki grins. “Somewhere that serves donuts.”

A couple of months pass, and the two of them only continue to grow closer. They sit together in class, close enough to share notes but not so close that their knees brush. Nanaki drags Ushio down to the cove so that he can watch him swim, and in turn Ushio drags Nanaki to a fair amount of Patibato events. They still bicker, of course; Akuta once commented that they’re like an old married couple, something they both vehemently denied. Ushio had never expected to enjoy such closeness with someone other than Muneuji, but he also never expected for merfolk to be real. The world hides many surprises, indeed.

This morning, Ushio awoke with a sinking feeling. He isn’t exactly sure why, but something nags at him as he dresses himself, as he eats breakfast, as he makes his way to university. Hoping that the sight of Nanaki’s face will somewhat soothe him, he enters the classroom only to find that he is not there yet. He sits beside Kiroku instead, finding his presence just as comforting. However, an hour passes, then two, and Nanaki still has not shown up. Ushio texts him a few times, only to hear nothing in response. Perhaps his worry from earlier was not unfounded.

When the bell for lunch rings, Kiroku excuses himself to find Muneuji, who had a different class this morning. Usually, Ushio would have joined him, but he goes searching for another member of their little friendship group instead.

“...Oi, Idiotake,” Ushio calls, having finally found his target in the cafeteria.

Akuta’s head flies up immediately. “Ushio! What’s up? It’s rare for you to talk to me of your own free will… Wait, don’t tell me you’ve been possessed by aliens and I’m their next victim?!”

Ushio scrunches up his face. “What? No. Do you know where Panda is?”

“Aww, are you worried about your boyfriend?” Akuta asks, leaning back on his chair with a grin.

“He is not my boyfriend,” Ushio replies starkly.

Akuta pulls his phone out of his pocket, fiddling around with it for a minute. “Sure, but everyone knows something’s going on. Even Teach asked me about you guys the other day.”

This throws Ushio for a loop. “What? What are you–”

“I dunno where he is.” Akuta shoves his phone in Ushio’s face. There’s what looks to be a location sharing app open, showing Akuta and Kiroku as at the university whilst Nanaki’s location is shown as off. “I bet he’s not answering your texts either. He does this sometimes, but not usually for this long.”

“...That idiot,” Ushio mutters. “Don’t worry, I know where he is. I’ll go get him.”

Just yesterday, Nanaki had been lamenting about how it’s been a while since he’s gone for a swim. He usually only goes for a couple of hours; since it’s past twelve and still he hasn’t shown up, Ushio assumes he went for a morning swim that’s run late. Realistically, the chances of something going wrong are low. But Ushio’s had this bad feeling in his gut all day, so he doesn’t want to risk it. He’d rather waste his time going down there only for Nanaki to be perfectly fine than not go and find out later that something went wrong.

After Akuta is done begging to come along, Ushio asks him to watch his belongings and sends a quick text to Muneuji to let him know what he’s doing, before he makes his way out of the classroom. He sends a few more text messages to Nanaki on his way, but still hears nothing back. Worry is starting to officially settle in his chest, so he brings up the most recent photo he has of Reito saved to his phone. It’s all right. Everything will be okay. Reito is God.

The area surrounding the hidden pathway is as empty as it always is. As he makes his way through the thicket, he finds himself regretting his decision to wear his nicer sneakers today. Once he emerges on the other side, the glittering ocean comes into view as a strong gust of wind nearly knocks him off of his feet.

He spots a tangled mess of nets washed up at the shore. Scraps of seaweed along with bits of broken driftwood are caught up in it, and Ushio dismisses it as nothing important. But then it moves. Ushio’s heart catches in his throat as he squints to get a better look.

A body twisted in the net. Skin pale and slick with seawater, and an undeniable mop of brown hair.

“Nanaki!” Ushio yells, nearly taking a nasty fall as he hurries down the remainder of the path. Any other day, he would hate the feeling of the sand sneaking its way into his shoes as he sprints across the beach. But he has much more important things to worry about at the moment. “Nanaki!”

The nets shift, and a face pokes out from behind a clump of seaweed. There are a few open cuts across Nanaki’s beautiful, beautiful face, blood mixing in with the sand sticking to his skin. His eyes widen as Ushio drops down onto his knees in front of him. “Ushio…! H-How did you know I was here?”

“Forget that, awe you okay?! What happened?” Ushio’s voice comes out a lot shakier than intended. His hands hover nervously above the nets, unsure where to begin. When he gets a closer look, he realises Nanaki’s tail is nowhere to be seen, instead finding his bare legs trapped amongst the heap. If someone happens to overhear all this, at least all they’ll find is two normal humans.

“There’s a trawler that’s stopped over there. I didn’t notice it when I was on my way back here, and I got caught in some of their nets. Luckily it was close enough to the shore that I was able to drag myself up here,” Nanaki explains, wincing in pain as he tries to sit up. “It wasn’t easy, though.”

“I can see that,” Ushio says, tugging his sleeve down to wipe at a particularly bad cut beneath Nanaki’s eye. “I want to help you, but I don’t—I don’t know how. I don’t have anything to cut this with…”

Nanaki gestures to the cave he’d shown Ushio the first day he came here. “There should be a glass bottle in there. If you smash that, it might be sharp enough.”

Ushio hesitates. He doesn’t want to take his eyes off of Nanaki in this condition, but he needs to find that bottle. “...I’ll be right back.”

He runs over to the cave, fumbling over the slippery rocks at the entrance. As Nanaki said, there’s a green bottle tucked away with all the other tidbits he’s collected over his time here. Ushio wastes no time in grabbing it and carefully smashing it against a rock, pleased when he sees how the glass has formed a perfect dagger shape. He makes his way back to Nanaki, who smiles gratefully up at him when he crouches down beside him.

Ushio slides the jagged bottle under a thick coil of netting, careful not to touch skin. The glass cuts through the salt-rotted rope with a satisfying snap, loosening the tangle around Nanaki’s waist. He works quietly. Another rope snaps. Another coil loosens. His fingers occasionally brush against Nanaki’s skin, but if anything Nanaki seems to be the one more affected by it, his limbs twitching each time.

Eventually, the net falls away. Now free, Nanaki crawls forward and collapses on the sand, chest rising and falling. It’s then that it finally comes to Ushio’s attention that Nanaki is in fact not wearing any clothes. Nanaki is naked. Right in front of him.

Ushio coughs and removes his shirt without a second thought, averting his eyes as he tosses it onto Nanaki’s lower half. He is going to pretend he saw nothing.

“Ah, thanks,” Nanaki breathes. “For the shirt and for getting me out of there. I seriously thought I was done for…”

“N-No problem,” Ushio mumbles, scratching his cheek. When he glances back over at Nanaki, he finds him staring at his chest—for a second, he’s flustered, then he remembers the scarring across his stomach from his surgery years ago.

Nanaki moves his gaze up, meeting Ushio’s eyes. Quietly, he asks, “Did it hurt?”

“…Yeah,” Ushio whispers. “It did.”

Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like Nanaki is going to pry any more than that, so Ushio switches the subject. “...What would you have done if I didn’t show up?”

“I don’t know. Call for help and hope someone heard me?” Nanaki sits up, hugging his knees against his chest. His shoulders are dusted with freckles that could be mistaken for grains of sand, and Ushio wonders what it would be like to kiss each one. “You never answered my question. How did you know I was here?”

“You didn’t show up to class and your location was off. I figured if you didn’t want to be found, you must have come here.”

Nanaki raises an eyebrow with a grin. “My location? What, are you stalking me now?”

“N-No! Idiotake’s the one doing that! I asked if he knew where you were and he showed me that weird-ass app you guys have. But now I’m thinking I should invest in it as well…” Ushio muses. Nanaki laughs, the sound so alluring that it makes Ushio’s heart skip a beat. “Anyway! Aren’t you cold? Where are your clothes?”

“I was wearing my shorts when I went out to swim, but I lost them in all the chaos,” Nanaki answers. “I brought spares with me, though. They’re in my bag.”

“Get dressed, bring me a shirt, then you’re coming with me.”

“Huh? Where?”

“...My apartment.”

“I didn’t realise you lived so close,” Nanaki says. “It must be nice being right by the beach.”

The walk home took approximately fifteen minutes after climbing back to civilization. Ushio had made sure Nanaki was wearing his jacket, pulling up the hood so no passersby could have seen the state his face was in. Nanaki is the first person other than Muneuji that Ushio has brought over, and it hits him as he’s opening the door that he most certainly has not tidied away his oshikatsu things. Nanaki is aware that he is an otaku, yes, but not of the extent of his activities. Hopefully he’ll be too distracted to notice anything.

“It is,” Ushio says, kicking his shoes off. “It’s much nicer than living in the city.”

Directly ahead of him is his ita-apron, left out on the sofa after he’d worn it last night. He was not planning on inviting anybody over today–or ever, to be honest–so hiding it away hadn’t been one of his concerns. He turns back to face Nanaki before he can see anything, giving him a quick one-over.

“Go take a shower, then I’ll patch up your injuries,” Ushio instructs. “It’s just that room there. I’ll leave a change of clothes by the door.”

For some reason, Nanaki’s cheeks go pink. “Your clothes?”

“Yes, my clothes. You got a problem with that?” Ushio asks, folding his arms over his chest.

“N-No!” Nanaki averts his gaze. “I don’t mind…”

“...We’re basically the same height, so it should be fine. Now go.” Ushio waves his hand in the direction of the bathroom, and Nanaki scurries off like an obedient puppy.

Finally alone, Ushio heaves a tremendous sigh. Of all the ways he’d expected his day to go, this was not in the cards whatsoever. He trudges into the kitchen area and washes his hands, then gathers a few first-aid supplies for when Nanaki is out of the shower. None of his wounds seemed too deep, mostly just surface-level scratches, but he can’t be too careful. Once everything is sitting nicely on the table, he grabs his ita-apron and places it carefully in its cupboard, taking a moment to admire it before closing the door.

Ushio had offered Nanaki his clothes without a second thought, but now that he thinks about it, seeing Nanaki in his clothes may do more damage to his heart than good. Nevertheless, he grabs an oversized grey hoodie and some sweatpants, leaving them neatly folded outside the bathroom door. From out here, he can hear the shower running, and the faint sounds of someone humming a tune Ushio doesn’t recognise. He smiles to himself. Of course Nanaki is the type of person to sing in the shower.

He changes into some clean loungewear before collapsing on the sofa and fishing his phone out of his bag. His homescreen flashes with twenty-one texts from Akuta, seven texts from Kiroku and five missed calls from Muneuji. Honestly, after all that, he doesn’t really have the energy to deal with everyone. So he simply sends a message to their group chat saying that he found Nanaki, they’re both alive and well, and he’ll update them later. Neither Akuta nor Muneuji seem to be a fan of this, immediately responding with demands that he explain himself, but Ushio turns his phone off and tosses it to the other end of the couch.

With a click of his tongue, Ushio leans his head back. He can no longer hear the faint noise of the shower, meaning Nanaki should be rejoining him any minute now. He thinks back to the state he had found Nanaki in back at the cove, helpless and alone. Ushio hates to think what might have happened had he not shown up. A few months ago, he never could have imagined his life being so heavily involved with Nanaki. But now, the mere concept of a life without him sends shivers down Ushio’s spine. Since when did he become so clingy?

“Thanks for the clothes,” Nanaki’s voice cuts through Ushio’s thoughts. Ushio sits up, his eyes landing on Nanaki standing in the doorway wearing Ushio’s clothes. Despite being so simple, they suit him well, and Ushio finds his mouth has gone rather dry. This is the kind of thing that happens in fan fiction, not real life. “I really appreciate it. You really saved me today.”

“I-It’s no problem.” Ushio prays his face is not as flushed as it feels. To distract himself as quickly as possible, he stands up and directs Nanaki to his small table. “Sit here. I’m gonna take a look at those cuts.”

“They really aren’t that bad,” Nanaki says, taking a seat. “Honestly, I’m fine.”

Ushio ignores him. He grabs the precision tweezers, using them to pick up a cotton ball. He pulls the sleeve of his free hand down until it covers his hand, using it to take a hold of Nanaki’s chin and tilt it up towards the light. The proximity makes his heart race in his chest–not to mention the way Nanaki looks up at him, his cheeks a soft red and eyes wide. Focus.

There’s a cut on his left cheek, across the bridge of his nose, near his hairline, and then one beneath his right eye that’s worse than the others. It appears to be ever-so-slowly oozing blood, so he starts there, gently dabbing it with the cotton bud. Nanaki flinches, but Ushio holds him in place. “I thought you were fine, Nanaki-san?”

Nanaki doesn’t respond, instead directing his gaze towards the floor like a scolded dog. Ushio continues to dab at the cut, the room silent save for Nanaki’s occasional sharp intakes of breath. Once the bleeding has stopped, he takes a new cotton bud and tips a careful amount of disinfectant solution onto it.

“This might sting a bit,” Ushio warns. Nanaki still doesn’t say anything, so Ushio resumes his cleaning of the wound, feeling a little sorry for Nanaki as he continues to make pained noises. When he is satisfied, Ushio disposes of the cotton buds and picks out a cutesy pink band-aid decorated with cakes to cover the wound with. He manages to avoid direct contact with his skin whilst doing so, gently smoothing it down with his thumb. He repeats the process for each other cut, until Nanaki’s face is decorated with colourful band-aids that Ushio is glad to have finally found a use for.

“How’s that feel?” He asks as he makes his way across the room to grab his phone from the sofa.

“Better,” Nanaki replies. “Thank you. What’s up with the design of these band-aids, though?”

“Muuchan’s little sister gave them to me. Cute, aren’t they?” Ushio asks, snapping a photo.

Nanaki scowls, but he doesn’t look intimidating whatsoever. “Hey! Delete that!”

“Consider this payback.” Ushio pockets his phone with a smug grin. He turns to walk away, only to be stopped by Nanaki tugging on the back of his hoodie. Ushio looks back questioningly. “...What? I was only gonna go make a drink.”

“Um, I…” Nanaki trails off, Ushio’s hoodie slipping from his grasp. “...When you first found out my secret, you asked me why my scales changed colour.”

“Yeah,” Ushio replies. “Didn’t you say that was normal?”

Nanaki bites his lip before continuing. “I-I lied. The truth is, our scales do that when we’re embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed…?”

“It’s basically like blushing,” Nanaki mumbles, his face the perfect example of what he just mentioned.

“I see,” Ushio says. His heart pounds like a drum in his chest, fast and hot in anticipation of something, anything. “Wh-Why were you blushing, then?”

“Because…” Nanaki takes a breath, his gaze brimming with determination, then says, “I haven’t been able to get you out of my head for months. All I can bring myself to write is love songs, because my thoughts are so full of you. Your laugh, your eyes, your lips—it all drives me crazy. You drive me crazy. You’re like a drug, and I’m addicted to you.”

Ushio can’t help it. He tries not to, he really does, but he just can’t help it. He snorts, then breaks into a full laugh.

“Wh-Why are you laughing?!” Nanaki asks, his face resembling a decorated tomato. “I was being sincere…!”

“Sorry, sorry, I know,” Ushio says, wiping a tear from his eye. “It’s not you, it’s just–You’re like a drug, and I’m addicted to you. Where did you get that from?!”

Nanaki buries his face in his hands. “I-I thought it was romantic…!”

“Nanaki–Nanaki, look at me.” Ushio kneels in front of him, then grabs Nanaki’s sleeves and pulls his hands away from his face. Which honestly might have been a mistake, because seeing it knocks the breath from Ushio’s lungs. He’s fallen victim to many lethal Reito illustrations, but nothing quite compares to Nanaki’s flushed face, covered in these adorable stickers, peering up at Ushio with teary violet eyes. He feels dizzy. “I’m sorry for laughing. It just took me by surprise. I, um, don’t have a way with words like you do, but… me too. I feel the same.”

Nanaki blinks once, twice, then grows impossibly more red. Ushio assumes he looks the same. “Y-You do?”

“Yeah,” Ushio mumbles. “I like you, idiot panda.”

“You…” A beat passes, then a gorgeous smile breaks out on Nanaki’s face, a stray tear escaping his eye. “You like me too? Really?”

Ushio ducks his head. “Don’t make me say it again.”

“Sorry, it’s just–” Nanaki sniffles with a laugh, and Ushio reaches up to wipe his eyes with his sleeve. “I’m not used to, you know, being liked back.”

“I know,” Ushio murmurs. “...Close your eyes for a minute.”

Nanaki obliges, eyelids fluttering shut without a word of protest. Ushio takes a deep breath, then leans up and presses his lips against Nanaki’s for all of two seconds. It tastes salty from the tears, but Ushio doesn’t really care. What matters is that it’s Nanaki.

“D-Did you just—” Nanaki reaches a hand up to his mouth, eyes suddenly wide open. Watching his blush spread down to his neck is highly endearing and definitely worth the embarrassment. “Holy shit.”

“Calm down, it’s not like I stuck my tongue down your throat,” Ushio says, but his face is just as hot.

“I know, but I’ve been thinking about kissing you for, like, months,” Nanaki says. “Hey, can we do it again? Please?”

“F-Fine…”

Nanaki bites his lip. “Is it okay if I hold your face? It’s fine if it isn’t, of course. I was just wondering…”

Ushio thinks about it for a moment, then nods. “...It’s fine if it’s you.”

Nanaki beams, then pulls his sleeves down to cover his hands and cups Ushio’s face between them. It’s a small gesture, but it is so thoughtful that Ushio feels as though his heart may burst. His hold is gentle, as if Ushio may shatter beneath his touch.

Nanaki nudges his nose against Ushio’s, then kisses him again. He smells like the bergamot-scented shampoo Ushio uses and his lips still faintly carry the taste of saltwater. Ushio kisses back with a little more fervor than intended, their teeth knocking together uncomfortably. Nanaki doesn’t seem to mind, though. If anything, it spurs him on, holding Ushio so close he fears he might forget how to breathe.

Ushio pulls away when he begins to feel lightheaded, chest rising and falling as he attempts to catch his breath. Nanaki is in a similar state, staring at Ushio with a dazed smile.

“Wow,” Nanaki whispers. “That was… wow.”

Ushio would have made a comment about that being all he has to say if he didn’t feel the same way. He stands with shaky legs, Nanaki’s hands dropping back into his lap. His lips are on fire, but the tingling sensation isn’t all that bad. It isn’t something he thinks he can deal with too often, unfortunately, but knowing how accommodating Nanaki is, he shouldn’t mind.

“Hey, can I hug you?” Nanaki asks, looking up at Ushio with puppy-dog eyes that he will surely be seeing more of from now on.

“...No.” When he’s ready for it, his first hug in over a decade belongs to Muneuji. “That was more than enough contact for now.”

“That’s okay,” Nanaki says, his joy remaining intact. “We’ll take this at your pace.”

“Thank you,” Ushio mumbles. He opens his mouth to say something about how much he appreciates that, but he’s cut off by a loud rumble from Nanaki’s stomach. “...Are you hungry, by any chance?”

“A little,” Nanaki replies sheepishly. “I didn’t have breakfast. Or lunch.”

Ushio sighs, but it’s more affectionate than annoyed. “I’ll make us something.”

Nanaki brightens up. “Then, can I stay the night?”

“What? No. You can go home after you’ve eaten. Don’t push it.”

Here come the puppy-dog eyes again. “But I want to spend more time with my boyfriend…”

The word boyfriend nearly has Ushio swooning. “Don’t look at me like that. You’ll see me tomorrow. Stop–Stop making that face!”

(Nanaki ends up staying the night. On a futon on the floor, but he’s happy nonetheless. His whispered ‘goodnight’ is so sickly sweet it has Ushio’s stomach fluttering. He likes him so much.)