Jeongguk sprinted to the waters as usual, thrilled to meet up with Taehyung again.
Sitting down on the rock, he patiently waited for him to arrive.
Whilst he was waiting, he drew figures in the sand with his toe, his foot stretched down.
He remembered the promise he made Taehyung; one day, he'll show him his room. The only question is how he's going to manage do that.
Sure, he could snap a picture with his phone, but he's sure that even though Taehyung would already appreciate that, the blue haired male wanted to see it for himself. Not from a device that only showed how it was supposed to look like.
No, Jeongguk was sure that albeit it was a bit wierd to say, the merman wanted to stroke the pictures on his walls with his fingertips, feel for himself how soft his bed is.
Because that's another thing he learned about Taehyung; he doesn't only use his eyes to discover things, he also imprints precious things or moments by actually feeling them. That way it's even more special for him, as if he can re-live the moment by remembering what it felt like.
The calm waves of the water made Jeongguk feel at ease. He took a deep breath inhaling the fresh air, remembering how he let go of the very first note weeks ago, not expecting anything in return at all.
Yet, there he is now, waiting for a specific someone to break through the surface with that cute smile.
He's probably the only man on earth to actually know the truth.
That's when his mouth went wide,
"Holy shit, I'm probably the only human on earth who knows!"
He let out a breathy chuckle, processing it. He never really thought of it that way.
"What are you talking about?"
His gaze travelled down, landing on a silver tailed who silently swam closer.
"Oh, Jimin! It's you.."
The merman grinned, nodding. "Yeah, it's just me today. Taehyung didn't feel like coming.."
Hiding his disappointment, Jeongguk smiled. "Oh, alright.. I see. Guess this gives us more time to get to know each other, then!"
Jimin smiled widely, watching as the human jumped off the rock and seated himself on the sand.
"Need help?" The younger asked, eyeing Jimin who pushed himself on the sand but hissed, as it went a little difficult for some reason.
Nodding in response, Jeongguk grabbed the elder's soft, small and chubby, cute hands and gently pulled the other towards himself to get him on the beach. The webbing between the fingers still amazed him.
He didn't even notice Jimin's smirk. Did the human actually think he needed help?
The merman just took every opportunity he could to get Jeongguk to touch him, trying to get closer to him and bond by doing so.
He just wanted to do so to provoke a certain blue tailed.
When Jeongguk pulled a little harder to get Jimin more forward, he used a bit too much power -or maybe Jimin pushed himself- and suddenly the merman was close.
Really close.
The silver tailed's naked upper body was stabilized by the muscled arms that held him up, one arm on each side of Jeongguk's legs.
The human's eyes went wide when Jimin's face was just a few inches away from his. The younger couldn't handle Jimin's stare and plump, slightly tempting lips from this nearby.
The merman smirked, breathlessly whispering, "Don't be shy."
Jeongguk awkwardly shifted his gaze from the sand to Jimin's face, his fist playfully hitting the elder's bare chest while he muttered "S─shut up.." while blushing slightly.
A laugh escaped Jimin's mouth, he flopped himself next to the embarrassed human.
"You should've seen your face, it was hilarious!" The silver tailed said, catching his breath.
Jeongguk rolled his eyes playfully.
Jimin sat up straight, both of the boys enjoyed a comfortable silence for a minute or two.
Jeongguk glanced at Jimin's impressive tail, eyes glancing over his fins and going higher up to where his tail transitioned smoothly into his body, a few individual silver scales on his v-line until there was only skin and muscle.
Eventually, his eyes fell upon his wrist.
Jeongguk's eyebrows furrowed, questions roaming around in his head.
Jimin's wrist, with Taehyung's bracelet securely around it.
When Jimin lifted his eyes to meet his, he noticed the confused look and followed the human's gaze downwards. Jimin's eyes widened when he realised it, he mentally facepalmed himself.
Chuckling uncomfortably, his other hand reached for the bracelet and he fiddled with it, covering it a little.
"O─oh, right! You see, I really liked it, and Taehyung let me wear it for one day. 'M sorry if I seem rude or something like that, I just couldn't keep my eyes off Taehyung's wrist when he wore it. He noticed and since we're best friends, he let me borrow it for a few hours." He smiled, scratching the back of his head.
Jeongguk 'aah'ed', nodding in understanding. "It's alright, I guess. If he said so. As long as you give it back to him, I'm okay with it."
"Of course, silly! I won't keep it for myself! Hell no!" Jimin grimaced internally, now he had to give it back.
Jeongguk wasn't completely convinced yet by Jimin's explanation. Something just seemed a little.. off.
That made him wonder,
"Wait, how did you know that Taehyung and I meet up daily? At this time? Did he tell you?"
Jimin shrugged, "Just a guess. When I saw Taehyung disappear two times, it was at the exact same time, at night. I thought that maybe you'd be here waiting for him, so I came."
"Taehyung didn't tell you about it?" Jimin bit his lip, shaking his head.
"Oh, I see.."
Now a rather awkward silence took over.
"So uh.. Taehyung once told me about you guys having mates! The person you choose to spend the rest of your life with. Have you found your mate yet?" Jeongguk piped, deciding to switch to a fun topic.
Jimin was surprised by the sudden question, but he happily answered.
"No, I haven't. I'd love to, though. It's just that I have a very specific type, you don't find mine in the sea that easily."
Jungkook smiled while turning to look at the other, who smiled back even wider. "Well, don't you worry, there are a lot of fish in the sea." He laughed at his own joke. "I'm sure you'll find your special someone someday!"
"Have you found your mate yet?" Jimin asked curiously.
Jeongguk chuckled. "We don't call them 'mates' in our world, we call them boyfriends or girlfriends. In my case, no, I haven't found a boyfriend yet. I haven't really been interested in dating since I'm busy with my job and stuff. Guess it also hasn't really crossed my mind. Also, our world works a bit different. You don't have a life-long relationship, there is a possibility that you break up."
Jimin listened intently, taking notes mentally.
"Are you looking for a girl-mate or a boy-mate?" It was Jeongguk who answered this time around.
Jimin stared at him, frozen in place.
Everyone in the mer-world knows that he likes girls. Everyone. It was the standard, after all. No one has ever even questioned it. But perhaps he just kept it hidden very well.
Now, he could choose to spill one of his biggest secrets to Jeongguk, or he could choose to lie. But what's the point in lying when he's trying to get closer to him? So, he decides to confide in him. One secret won't hurt now, would it?
"I like b─both, but I have a preference for m─males.. so, I'm looking for a sweet boy.."
Jeongguk was surprised at the soft tone that Jimin changed into. All suddenly he looked so breakable, like he was made from porcelain. So vulnerable.
"Hey, are you alright?" He asked to make sure, hand reaching out but faltering in the air since he didn't want to make him uncomfortable.
Jimin looked back up at him.
"Yes.. But uh.. You see, in our world, it's forbidden to be with someone of the same gender. Everyone thinks I like girls and I've kept it a secret successfully until today. Can you please keep it that way? I trust you."
Jeongguk smiled reassuringly, nodding. "Of course, Minnie! I promise! Also, remember that you are perfect just the way you are. I only like boys, and there's nothing wrong with that!"
Jimin couldn't help it, the urge to hug him was too strong. Luckily, the human gladly returned it just as fiercely.
"Thank you.." Jimin's eyes turned into little crescents.
They spent the next two hours telling each other stories and laughing away. They clicked well, enjoying one another's company to the fullest.
Jeongguk's eyes kept falling on his tail and fins, which Jimin noticed every time. A prideful feeling bloomed in his chest whenever he did, wanting to impress him.
At some point, the human couldn't stop staring at Jimin's gaping gills. There was just something about it that intrigued him to the fullest.
"Whatcha staring at?" Jimin asked curiously, noticing how the younger got distracted.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. It's just that.. Your gills are just—"
"You want to touch them." Jimin concluded, reading Jeongguk's mind.
The merman couldn't help getting all giddy on the inside, but he had to keep a poker face.
The younger just hopelessly stared at the elder, not knowing how to respond.
"But I know that it's the most sensitive part of you and we just met for the second time. It's wierd." Jungkook stuttered, fighting his burning urge.
"Depends if you make it wierd.. Maybe you should just stroke my tail first." Jimin knew he had to hold back a little, not wanting to throw himself on Jeongguk because that would be odd.
Didn't take away the fact he wanted to, but still.
Yeah, he was touch starved─ actually just really, really curious─ and he was full-on fanboying over the human on the inside. He couldn't help himself.
"May I?" Jeongguk's eyes sparked.
Jimin nodded, watching as the younger's hand inched closer and closer, then finally made contact with his scales.
Shivering at the contact, Jimin watched the hand go down all the way, making him feel things because of the way the human so delicately traced him so gently.
"It's so special to see how your tail and upper body are connected, how they fade into each other. It's unbelievable to know you really don't have legs hidden in it." He chuckled.
Jimin just nodded, his pupils dilated slightly.
Not even thinking, he turns this way, his head is laying on Jeongguk's lap comfortably.
The human stiffened for a second, this action being a little too bold for his liking but he just shrugged it off, dealing with it.
After all, Jimin is now his friend, this should be fine.
"Can you maybe cup your hands together and collect some water from your side to pour it over my tail?" Jeongguk followed his instructions, doing as asked.
"Thank you.. That feels a lot better."
Jimin eyed Jeongguk's hand, now knowing how it feels to have it on his tail. That's all it took for his mind to wander off to what it would feel like if he were to be stroking his gills caringly.
"You can— You can stroke my gills if you want to. I'm comfortable with you. It's fine."
Jeongguk lifts one hand and Jimin turned his head the other way, exposing his gills that opened and closed on repeat.
His eyes fluttered close when Jeongguk used one finger to gently trace them down, a hum out of content following.
Jeongguk did it again, adding a little more pressure.
"Ngh─ Ggukkie, sensitive.."
The human's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, not expecting to hear a moan coming from the elder.
Retracting his hand, he got stopped when Jimin grabbed his wrist, preventing him from pulling back entirely. A little too tight, for his liking.
Looking into Jimin's eyes, he saw that his pupils were blown wide. Unbeknownst to him, the male was going into some sort of headspace, his eyes screaming lust.
"Don't stop.. Do it again, one more time. Please.."
Gulping, Jeongguk did so to please the other, not sure why he didn't dare to pull away. He wasn't going to lie, Jimin spooked the hell out of him there.
"You see the edge of one of the gills? Use your fingertip to gently caress the utter edge of it on the inside.."
Jeongguk again followed the instructions, not even noticing Jimin's side fin that was dangerously close to reaching him, since it was spread wide, spines sticking out.
A loud, blissful moan escaped Jimin's throat this time, only now Jeongguk saw the fin -which was impossible not to notice, since it now almost reached his face- and a gasp exited his mouth.
His hand retracted immediately. He shoved Jimin's head off his lap and stood up, with wide eyes staring at what he caused.
A whine escaped Jimin, "Why did you—"
"I don't think you told me about what happens exactly when I stroke your gills. Left a little detail behind?" Jeongguk spat, feeling angry and betrayed. It was like Jimin got into a whole scary self-defense position, his spines looked ready to pierce right through him.
Jimin widened his eyes, pupils going back to normal and he saw his fin.
"F─fuck, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you do that. I can explain.."
At this point, Jeongguk just really missed his innocent, sweet Taehyung.