ATEEZ Imagines

Wooyoung ✦ Aquaphobia | Merman AU

Published: January 27, 2021
Rewritten: May 20, 2023

Word count: 3,000

DO NOT read or interact if you're under 14

You stood on the vacant beach watching the waves roll in and crash against the shore, your bare feet sinking into the sand. You shuddered a bit, practically feeling the cold embrace of the ocean even though you were nowhere near it. To say you were nervous around water was a massive understatement—you were actually terrified of it.
When you were a kid your parents took you out on a boat once during the summer. You were excited to be out on the ocean, hoping to see a dolphin or maybe even some fish. As luck would have it, you spotted a sea turtle swimming leisurely near the surface of the water and being the little seven year old you were, you got excited and leaned over the railing of the boat in hopes to get a better look at it. Long story short, you fell face first into the water and nearly drowned. You knew how to swim decently, but the current was too strong for your feeble child arms. After that, you were too scared to even touch water. Any body of water that went above your thighs was a no-go: swimming pools, lakes, rivers, hot tubs, etc. When you saw any body of water, and I mean any, you were taken right back to the day you fell into the sea.
You did enjoy walking on the beach from time to time, you just didn't like the ocean; it's endless, dark, cold, and you have no idea what lurks underneath the surface. You wouldn't even let the waves lap over your bare feet. Just the idea of it petrified you, as it brought back too many memories.

Your feet dragged along the sand as you watched the fluffy clouds float languidly in the sky above, the sight doing very little to calm your nerves. You took in a deep, shaky breath as you stepped towards the waves. Today you decided to attempt to face your fear, having grown sick and tired of allowing it to have such a hold on you all these years later. You approached the waterside, your whole body freezing when a wave washed up.
"No." You shook your head. "I have to face my fears."
You took a tentative step forward, allowing the water to lap over your feet, it immediately sent you into a panic, but you stayed strong, moving deeper into the water until it was at your knees.
"Okay." You breathed out. "Just a little more."
You never let the water level go past the knees, but today you would. You were determined to make progress wether you wanted to or not. You took a few steps forward, the waves hitting your upper thighs.
"Okay. Okay. Okay." You repeated anxiously as you tried to shallow your breathing. "It's all good. I've gone past my limit."
And that was plenty for you for the day. Maybe you could come back tomorrow and try to go further. Maybe.
Just then, something brushed against your ankle. You let out a shrill scream, hurrying back to the shore, shaking with trepidation as your heart raced. You clutched your chest with a trembling hand as you stared out into the waves with round, frightened eyes. A head of inky hair stuck up from the harsh white caps, a set of equally dark eyes staring at you.
You let out a gasp, scrambling further up the beach to put more distance between you and the stranger.