#codn wtsmts

[kpop-stories-21]

A Rainbow Under The Sea

Group: Stray Kids

Pairing: Felix x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1.8k

Rating: 18-21+

Genres, Tropes & AUs: Non-Idol AU, Mermaid/Merman AU, Strangers to Lovers, Love At First Sight

Content & Trigger Warnings: Merman!Felix, Human!Reader, first kiss, strong feelings, a little bit of magic

Summary: Eight best friends fly to Jeju for a summer of fun, maybe romance, and more and while there they each find something, or perhaps someone, spectacular and entirely unexpected.

While out reef snorkeling, you get separated from your group and end up meeting someone... interesting. The second time you see him, you're certain it's not a coincidence.

Tags: @kpop---scenarios @stardragongalaxy @jeonrose @skittlez-area512 @mybiasisexo @biaswreckingfics @anyamaris @trashlord-007 @liliesofdreamsskz @rdiamond2727 @naturalogre SKZ Tags: @lovelyhange

Network pings: @cacaokpop-fics | @kdiarynet

MDNI banner courtesy of @kwanisms , divider courtesy of @cafekitsune

A/N: This is part of Where The Shoreline Meets The Sea, a SKZ Collab between myself and seven other members of @cultofdionysusnet

Collab Masterlist | Main Masterlist

You gazed in awe at the beautiful cabin before you, eyes wide as you paused in the struggle with your stubborn luggage. “Wow!” You murmured, taking in everything around you. “This is gonna be the best summer ever!” Excitement coursing through your body, you moved forward to join your friends, stowing your belongings in the room you would share with Kay before returning to join the discussion about what to do for dinner.

A few days later you stepped onto a tour boat with several strangers, ready to go reef snorkeling for the first time in years. As the boat left the dock, your guide began to go over the rules and protocols for a safe diving experience. You listened intently, not wanting a gap in what you remembered to end up causing harm to yourself or someone else in the group.

Finally, you arrived at a gorgeous reef and the guide went around to help everyone don their suits and gear. Once ready, you jumped into the icy expanse and swam several laps to warm yourself up while you waited for the rest to join.

When at last the guide joined you all in the water, you could hardly contain your excitement. Still, you made sure to pay attention as you followed the group below the surface. You sure as hell did not want to get separated from the group in unfamiliar waters. But as you lifted your waterproof camera to document the beauty of the reef, a thought ran through the back of your head that if you were ever to get lost anywhere, you wouldn’t mind it in such a lovely place as this.

Time flew by as you and the others followed the guide from place to place, seeing one gorgeous sight after another. It didn’t take long at all before your camera was full and you decided to go through them quickly to weed out the bad and blurry ones. Once finished, you looked up to see where the group had gone so you could catch back up. To your dismay, you had done exactly what you were trying not to. Panic began to rise within you as your gaze swept the area, attempting to look for any trace of where they might have gone.

Common sense burst through after a moment and you breathed deeply, forcing yourself to remain calm. Having a panic attack in the ocean was not ideal. Moving forward, you got to the place where you had last seen them and began to look around again. Nothing but aquamarine water met your eyes.

Movement off to your left had you whirling around. A flash of colour disappeared behind a large coral formation and you swam towards it, predicament forgotten as curiosity overtook you. By the time you got there, whatever you saw was gone. Another flash, this time on your right. You swam towards it, this time catching a glimpse of a long tail splashed with many bright colours. Your curiosity doubled and you swam after it.

Whatever this is, it’s damn fast. You thought to yourself. Picking up your speed a little, you continued following the splashes of colour until you found that you were approaching a rather large underwater cave. A seed of doubt wriggled into your mind, but you brushed it off. No dangerous marine wildlife you’d ever heard of behaved this way, so you figured you’d be relatively safe. Upon entering the cave, the creature you’d been following stopped and turned toward you. Amber eyes watched you, strangely human as they seemed to glow in the darkness. The creature swam slowly forward until the light from outside illuminated it.

A gasp left you at the sight of something you never even imagined could be real. From the waist up was the appearance of a human male; with tan skin, longish blonde hair and those gorgeous amber eyes. From the waist down, however, was a long scaly tail with large, delicate fins and the bright splashes of colour that had drawn your attention in the first place.

“You’re a…merman?” You murmured, voice sounding scratchy as it filtered through the apparatus on your mask.

He nodded, coming a little closer with something akin to curiosity in his eyes. Perhaps he was as intrigued by you as you were by him.

“May I ask why you had me follow you?” You inquired, staying perfectly still aside from the kicking of your feet to keep yourself afloat. The last thing you wanted was to scare him off. There was a chance he might be able to help you find your snorkelling group.

“I’ve never seen a human up close before, and I thought you were pretty.”

His voice was far deeper than you expected, and his complement made you blush.

“I-Thank you.” A moment of silence passed, then you spoke again. “I was with a group of humans and got separated from them. Did you happen to see where they went?”

The merman nodded, a small smile rising to his face. “I did. I can help you find them too.”

Relief flooded through you and you returned his smile. “I would greatly appreciate that, thank you.”

The merman swam over to you and held out his hand. You took it, blush deepening. His skin was warm, a surprising but welcome contrast to the harsh chill of the water. You struggled to calm your suddenly racing heart as the two of you swam through the reef, heading back toward where the boat had been. Once the boat was within view, the merman stopped.

“They got back on there, but haven’t moved yet.”

“They’re probably trying to figure out exactly where we got separated.” Turning to the merman, you smiled again. “Thank you for helping me. I hope to see you again before I leave.”

It was the merman’s turn to blush, and he seemed to suddenly find his tail quite interesting. “I’d like that.” He said softly. “If the sea gods find it favourable, that is.”

“Let’s hope they do then.” You said cheekily, giving him a small wave before swimming over to the boat.

The instant your head came above water you heard a mix of shouting and cheering from your guide and the other divers. Grinning, you let them help you aboard and explained what happened. You left the merman out of your story, saying instead that you remembered the general direction the boat was in and decided that returning there was your safest bet.

For the next week or so, the mysterious merman was nearly all you thought about. Your friends commented on your uncharacteristic absentmindedness, but you brushed it off as being enthralled by the beauty of coral reef you’d been to.

Halfway into the next week, you decided to head into town and see if you could find a coffee shop anywhere. And find one you did: Blue Hour, a quaint little place with a cosy aura that reminded you of home. A tall, handsome man was behind the counter, his nametag reading “Yeonjun”. He was very talkative and friendly, keeping you entertained while you waited for your order.

As you were turning to leave, your eyes landed on a familiar head of blonde hair and you stopped in your tracks. At about the same time those bright amber eyes landed on you and he, too, stopped walking.

He had legs now. That was the first thing you realised after getting over your initial shock. And as he got closer to you, a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks became clear. And here I thought he couldn’t get any more good-looking. You mused, feeling your face heat.

The smile that bloomed on his face was heart-stopping, bringing up a smile of your own unbidden.

“Would you like to sit and talk?” You asked, motioning to one of the sheltered tables outside the coffee shop. He nodded and followed you to one of the more secluded tables.

Once the two of you were seated, he spoke. “My name is Felix. You left before I could tell you.”

“It’s lovely to see you again Felix. My name is Y/N.”

“A pretty name for a pretty human.” Felix stated, gazing deeply into your eyes.

A blush coating your cheeks, you stuttered out your thanks. Then, clearing your throat, you changed the subject.

“Should I be concerned about you following me?” You asked, a teasing lilt to your voice.

The blonde’s smile morphed into a smirk. “Maybe.” He teased back.

You giggled, feeling strangely at ease with Felix despite barely knowing him.

“So, can you stay in this form for as long as you wish, or will you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?”

Felix laughed, a sweet sound that made your stomach fill with butterflies. “As much as I would love for it to be the latter, I am able to stay like this for as long as I want.”

The two of you talked for the better part of an hour, the time flying by so quickly you weren’t even aware until you noticed the sun had begun to set. Before you could even think about leaving, Felix took your hand in his, skin just as warm as the day you first met.

“Before you leave, could I show you something?”

Intrigued, you nodded. “Sure. What is it?”

The merman’s smile was almost blinding. “That is a surprise.”

“Ooooo, now I really want to know!”

“Felix, are you sure I can’t look yet? I’m gonna trip and fall!”

“Don’t worry Y/N-ah. I’m not gonna let you get hurt, I promise.”

“Okay, I think this is good. You can look now.”

Opening your eyes, you let out an awed breath as you took in the sight before you.

Standing knee deep in the chilly ocean, you were surrounded by a coral reef that was completely bioluminescent. Everywhere you looked, things were glowing: fish, coral formations, even the vegetation.

“Felix, I-It’s beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!” You turned to him, eyes reflecting the light around you. “How is this even happening?”

“It’s mer magic.” He explained with a wide grin. “This is where I live.”

Your mouth fell open, heart swelling. Did he really trust you this much, that he was willing to show you his home?

“I brought you here for a reason.” Felix said quietly, taking hold of both hands and pulling you close to him. “Ever since that day we met I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. I came to that coffee shop every day, just hoping to run into you.”

You listened raptly, the bubble of joy inside you growing with each word. Was this going where you thought it was?

“What I’m trying to say is, I really like you Y/N and I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“Oh Felix…” You put your hands on his shoulder and returned his deep gaze. “I feel the same way. I’ve never felt like this towards anyone before, and there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go. Whatever it takes, I promise I’ll do my best to work something out.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that, my sweet human.”

His lips met yours and fireworks exploded behind your eyelids.

[anyamaris]

The Art of Love

Word Count-2854

Summary- A solitary hike while on vacation to Jeju Island leads you to an encounter with a fascinating creature, and possibly a new form of art.

Pairing- Mermaid!Hyunjin x Artist!f!reader

Trope-Strangers to Lovers AU

Warnings-Fantasy elements, Hyunjin is a kumonryu koi merman, I think that's it?

Tags- @cultofdionysusnet @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @yoonguurt @shinestarhwaa @babesindestroyland @lemonhongjoong @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @flowerboykun @millennial-fangirl @ericssmile @kthpurplesyou @changbinslovelylegs @yeosxxx @ssaboala @millennial-fangirl @starillusion13 @duchesskaren

A/N- This is for the event with @cultofdionysusnet Where the Shoreline Meets the Sea, so make sure you check out the other SKZ members by other network members! I hope you enjoy my addition to the collab!

“It’s so beautiful!” you gasp as you make your way into the cottage you’ll be staying in during your trip.  The murmur of voices from your group of friends just drives up your excitement, the small exclamations of oohs and ahhs making you smile.  Watching them claim their rooms, you just go explore other areas and decide that you’ll just take whatever is left.  You were more concerned about getting out to see the beauty of the island and planned on tiring yourself out enough that you’d be happy sleeping on the couch.  

Going to join your friends, you get swept up in the energy and glance out to the beauty that is Jeju island.  Patting the carrying case with your sketchbook and pencils, you smile happily as you discuss the finer details like groceries and such.  Letting your mind drift off as you listen, you gaze dreamily out the window, picturing all of the beautiful things you’ll come across to add to your portfolio; the memories you’ll make this summer in this cottage, or out on the sand of the beach, on the patio as you share your time with your closest friends.  

As the weeks go by, you spend the majority of your time on the beach, doing random activities, occasionally venturing out onto the ocean, or into the little town.  But the strongest pull for you has been the mountain.  Mount Halla, or Hallasan mountain, amongst other names you’ve heard it called in the time you’d been here.  Despite the numerous names, it alone has the singular strongest pull for you.  

The first week, you and a few others had ventured onto the small hiking trails near the base.  It would be a silly thought to want to climb the mountain itself, but you find yourself enchanted by the beautiful greenery, the plants and animals as well as the vast open sky above it all.  It was perfect for a solo hiking trip.  And that’s what you planned on doing today.

Leaving a note for your friends, you double check your supplies, making sure you have some snacks and water, as well as your sketchbook and pencils.  You’d informed everyone of your plans the day prior, so the note was just a courtesy to remind them.  Checking the charge on your phone, you let yourself out the door to walk out into the predawn morning.  

Walking the trail as the sun rises is an added bonus to the already gorgeous surroundings, and you happily climb out of the transport as they drop you off to walk towards the trail you’ve been down with the others a few times now.  Humming to yourself, you just take in the environment, eager to reach the small area you’d noticed on the last visit. 

The sun is climbing the sky when you finally spot the barely noticeable little opening, and once you are able to venture a little closer to it, you smile.  It’s definitely a trail and your excitement skyrockets as you push aside the vegetation and walk through for a little bit and it opens up completely.  “Found you!” you whisper to yourself and there’s a little extra bounce in your step as you follow the trail into the forest beyond.  

You spend half of the day walking, admiring the beauty of the area, taking the trail that winds up the side of the mountain.  Occasionally, you stop to sketch something, a flower or a tree, maybe a bird if you can manage.  But when you come upon the pond at the edge of a clearing, you can’t help but hunker down, unpacking all of your art supplies to set up camp and pour your heart into the drawing.  The trees ringing the beautiful water give it the perfect frame, and the pretty water lilies with the gorgeous blooms have you losing yourself in your art.  

Occasionally you hear a small splash, or the chirp of a bird…sometimes the bark of frogs.  It’s not until you feel a tickle on the back of your neck do you notice that you’re no longer alone. You had been concentrating on the vegetation near the farther side of the pond, but when you happened to glance away from your sketchpad to take in the whole area, you fall backwards with a yelp.  

“Hello there.” the soothing voice says, and you stare with your mouth hanging open, blinking like an idiot.  Before you is a shirtless (naked?) man, just his torso above the water.  He is resting his head on his hands near a rock and watching you, his big brown eyes taking you in calmly.  His long dark hair was streaked with patches of white, and his rich, chocolate eyes were studying you like he was fascinated.  

“Who-” you manage to get out, your hand on your chest as you stare.  “I am Hyunjin.  My name…my name is Hyunjin.  It’s been awhile since I spoke to a human.” he murmurs and you frown at him.  “Excuse me?” He just sighs, and motions over his shoulder, and you catch your breath as you watch a large black and white tail emerge from the water.  The sheer beauty of the almost transparent end of the tail looks like silk, and unlike most fish you’d seen, the skin of the tail itself appeared smooth, not scaly.  

You barely notice that you’re creeping forward, your hand outstretched as you reach for him.  You snap out of it and snatch your hand back, your eyes flicking back to the man the tail seems to be attached to.  His bored, almost sad expression has you closing your mouth as you study him.  “Hyunjin?” you ask him softly and he nods, blinking slowly up at you.  “Are you..a mer..maid? Merman?”  His soft smile has a hint of a smirk as he tosses his hair off his shoulder. 

“It’s all the same in your language, much different in mine.  It all means the same, of course.” he responds and you just nod, drawing your knees up to get comfortable.  You take in his bare torso, his slender arms, his handsome yet almost painfully beautiful face.  “Why are you here instead of…” you gesture to the distance.  “ …the ocean?” His eyes grow pained and a frown tugs at his full lips, making you immediately regret your question.  “Forget what I asked!” you say quickly and a small light touches his eyes at your panic.  

“It’s fine.  I cannot go into the salt water, sadly.  My friends all are able, but I am confined to the waters inside of the island.” You feel a small weight on your heart as he says it, still processing even finding a creature like him but the idea of being stuck here was heartbreaking.  “Can you leave the water?” you ask him softly and he smiles at you.  “Yes, I can, for a time.” he nods, then pulls himself out onto the rock.  You gasp as you take in his beautiful black and white tail before a shimmer forms the tail into two legs.  

Then he’s pulling himself up to stand in front of you and you choke on a strangled scream, covering your mouth as your cheeks turn red.  “Oh yes…I had forgotten…humans are not used to naked bodies.” he says, turning to walk away towards a small path you hadn’t noticed before.  Stopping, he looks over his shoulder at you and smiles.  

“If you give me a moment I’ll dress, and you can have a meal here as well as a place to rest for the evening.”  With that he turns and disappears, leaving you with the mental image of his long, lean naked body and his…prominent … endowment.  Slapping your cheeks, you breathe out heavily, for the first time noticing the sun dipping down below the mountain.  “Oh my god!” you yell, realizing you had lost track of time and now it was going to be night soon.

Making your way along the path you watched Hyunjin walk down, your mouth hangs open at the sight of a small cottage under the canopy of trees.  The flora is overgrown and creeping along the sides of the small building, onto the roof and you can’t help but be reminded of fairy tales from your childhood.  Imagine, meeting a mermaid on a foreign island who lives in a cottage, you think, overjoyed at your discovery.  

You finally close your mouth as you take in the beauty of the area, your eyes settling on the gorgeous creature named Hyunjin.  He’d put on a pair of loose fitted pants to cover himself and was now settled on the small rock wall beside the little house.  Leaning back on his arms, he was just studying you with a slightly wary expression, and you can’t help but capture the seeming underlying sadness again.  

“Hyunjin.” you say his name, turning it over and his eyes flicker a bit as you watch him.  Clutching your bag to your chest, you look around, taking in the darkening sky.  “May I…would I be able to camp here for the evening?” you ask him, mildly embarrassed.  He just tilts his head at you as you shuffle your feet and stammer.  “Camp? Are you asking if it’s alright to sleep here?” he responds and you just bite your lip and nod.  

“I lost track of time, with my drawing and well…I don’t want to-” “Of course you may.  I would not want you to risk injury to yourself, or for you to get yourself lost in these woods.  There are many creatures on the island, much more of a risk to a human than I.  You’ll be perfectly safe here, little one.”  “Y/n.” you say shyly, enchanted with his form in the setting sunlight.  

“Is this your name?” he asks and you nod, giving him a small smile.  “Why are you so wary? You may sit, relax.”  He gestures to the small area with some flat rocks and a few logs.  “Apologies for my lack of seating and comforts…I don’t have much need for them.” You smile broadly at him, settling yourself on a flat rock, leaning against a log.  “I’m fairly simple to please, actually.  This is wonderful.”  You motion around you, taking it in again.  “I think it’s lovely here.” 

He gives you a bright smile and looks around at the cottage.  “I suppose.  What is it you were doing earlier?” he asks, noticing as you pull out your sketchbook again.  “Oh…I am…well I want to be an artist. I was drawing the beautiful lake you..where-” “Ah! Might I see what you drew?” he asks, pushing himself up to come crouch beside you, curiosity lighting up his face.  

“Oh…sure..it’s not great but…” you open the book to the page you’d been working on and he slips down to sit beside you as he looks at the sketch you’d done.  You can’t help but study his profile as he tucks his hair behind his ear, admiring his almost otherworldly beauty.  He glances at you and blinks as he notices your face only inches from his.  “It is quite beautiful. You drew my home…” he tilts his head at you as your cheeks heat up, leaning even closer to you.  

“May I see more?” he asks and you blink rapidly as you tear your gaze from him.  “Yes, yes of course.” you stutter and he smiles as you flip through the book, explaining the different things you’d found as you wandered that day, then going back to other days.  You don’t miss the wistful sigh as he takes in the ocean and the view from your rental cottage where you were staying.  

“Is it quite lonely here?” it just slips out but his eyes meet yours and you can see the pain behind them at your words.  “Ah…I’m so sorry, I don’t know why-” “It is quite lonely, yes.  Occasionally I will travel to the ocean to meet my friends, but I cannot join them in the waters there.  I like it here, but it is very solitary.”  He frowns at you and wipes a tear you hadn’t noticed running down your cheek.

“Why are you sad?” he asks, tilting his head to study your face yet again.  “Oh, I just can’t imagine not being able to go see the people I care about…I…I actually quite like being alone at times, but to be unable to …” you try to recover, smiling a bit as you close your sketchbook, but he is cupping your face, startling you.  

“Thank you,” he whispers, brushing your lips with his and you gasp, but don’t pull away.  He settles back, a small smile on his face as he puts his arms behind his head, looking up at the quickly fading sun.  Too stunned to speak for a moment, you can only bring your fingers to your lips in shock.  Finally finding your voice, you watch him stare off into the sky.  

“Why are you thanking me?” you manage, your voice barely a whisper.  “Hm…for giving me the gift of your company. For sharing your heart with me.” he gestures to the drawings.  “For making my home into art.” Then he gasps, drawing his long legs up to fold them as he puts his hand to his mouth.  “Oh…I made a mistake, didn’t I? Was I wrong to touch you?  I know I’ve been told humans don’t touch like…” he gestures, and you shake your head, trying to suppress a smile.  

“No..well…yes normally it would be strange to be kissed by someone I don’t know.” His eyes go soft as he smiles at you, making your heart flutter in your chest.  “Are you saying that it’s fine that I did it?” his eyes take on a mischievous glint and you start to sputter, forming noises but no words.  He throws his head back to let out a laugh and you can’t help but feel your cheeks flush.  

But then you’re laughing along with him, his infectious giggling has you snorting.  “Ah…I haven’t laughed in a long while…” he beams at you and you can see the sadness has retreated a bit as he stares at you.  “Would you keep me company tonight then? Tell me about yourself?”  he asks and you nod, setting your things to the side to get more comfortable.  

“I would love that.  Would you tell me about yourself as well? I…am curious…” he just smiles at you and agrees without hesitating.  “I would love nothing more.”  

By the time you finally drift off to sleep, the sun is making another appearance and your voice is harsh from how much you’d shared with Hyunjin.  You only remember laying your head on the log as you watched his gorgeous face, wanting the night to last forever.  You vaguely remember his musical voice soothing you, murmuring sweet nothings as dreams wash over you.

Waking up, you take in the unfamiliar surroundings of a small room, and notice that you’re on a soft bed.  Sitting up, you realize that Hyunjin must have carried you in and placed you here.  When you finally emerge from the small house, you smile as you glimpse the lean man turn towards you in the light of the morning sun.  

“Good morning, Hyunjin.”  “Good morning, my Rose.” he says back and you blush.  “Rose?” you can only ask, and he nods.  “Red roses are my favorite flower.” You walk up to him and look at him curiously.  “Then why am I-?” “I’ve decided that you’re my favorite as well, so I shall call you my Rose.” You can’t help but giggle, but when his arms wrap around you and his lips descend on yours, you shiver in delight.  

“Are you claiming me, Hyunjin?” you ask semi playfully, feeling as if you’re in a dream.  “Perhaps I am.  Only if you’re willing to be, of course.  For the duration of your time here, might I?” You only nod at him as he tips your chin up to brush his plush lips against yours once more. “I’d like that…on one condition…” you whisper and he draws back with a questioning look.  

“Anything you’d like.”  he professes and you smile up at him.  “I’d like to draw you…in the lake..in your home.  In your true form…may I?” he just blinks at you, happiness washing over his features.  “I’d love nothing more.  So you’ll return?” he asks you, his eyes pleading. 

“Will you spend the summer with me here, my beautiful Rose?” he whispers.  

“Yes, Hyunjin…every moment that I can, I will be here with you.”  

You know your friends will call you crazy, and you just might be. But just one night spent with this amazing being has you feeling things you’d never felt before.  Whatever it was, you were going to explore it with Hyunjin.  

Who knows what would come of it, love or heartbreak, passion or agony.  Perhaps all of the above.  But that’s what art was, and you were definitely dedicated to your art.

Maybe this was just the art of love.

[cultofdionysusnet]

Check out this submission for the Where the Shoreline Meets the Sea collab by Sar!

A Rainbow Under The Sea

Group: Stray Kids

Pairing: Felix x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1.8k

Rating: 18-21+

Genres, Tropes & AUs: Non-Idol AU, Mermaid/Merman AU, Strangers to Lovers, Love At First Sight

Content & Trigger Warnings: Merman!Felix, Human!Reader, first kiss, strong feelings, a little bit of magic

Summary: Eight best friends fly to Jeju for a summer of fun, maybe romance, and more and while there they each find something, or perhaps someone, spectacular and entirely unexpected.

While out reef snorkeling, you get separated from your group and end up meeting someone... interesting. The second time you see him, you're certain it's not a coincidence.

Tags: @kpop---scenarios @stardragongalaxy @jeonrose @skittlez-area512 @mybiasisexo @biaswreckingfics @anyamaris @trashlord-007 @liliesofdreamsskz @rdiamond2727 @naturalogre SKZ Tags: @lovelyhange

Network pings: @cacaokpop-fics | @kdiarynet

MDNI banner courtesy of @kwanisms , divider courtesy of @cafekitsune

A/N: This is part of Where The Shoreline Meets The Sea, a SKZ Collab between myself and seven other members of @cultofdionysusnet

Collab Masterlist | Main Masterlist

You gazed in awe at the beautiful cabin before you, eyes wide as you paused in the struggle with your stubborn luggage. “Wow!” You murmured, taking in everything around you. “This is gonna be the best summer ever!” Excitement coursing through your body, you moved forward to join your friends, stowing your belongings in the room you would share with Kay before returning to join the discussion about what to do for dinner.

A few days later you stepped onto a tour boat with several strangers, ready to go reef snorkeling for the first time in years. As the boat left the dock, your guide began to go over the rules and protocols for a safe diving experience. You listened intently, not wanting a gap in what you remembered to end up causing harm to yourself or someone else in the group.

Finally, you arrived at a gorgeous reef and the guide went around to help everyone don their suits and gear. Once ready, you jumped into the icy expanse and swam several laps to warm yourself up while you waited for the rest to join.

When at last the guide joined you all in the water, you could hardly contain your excitement. Still, you made sure to pay attention as you followed the group below the surface. You sure as hell did not want to get separated from the group in unfamiliar waters. But as you lifted your waterproof camera to document the beauty of the reef, a thought ran through the back of your head that if you were ever to get lost anywhere, you wouldn’t mind it in such a lovely place as this.

Time flew by as you and the others followed the guide from place to place, seeing one gorgeous sight after another. It didn’t take long at all before your camera was full and you decided to go through them quickly to weed out the bad and blurry ones. Once finished, you looked up to see where the group had gone so you could catch back up. To your dismay, you had done exactly what you were trying not to. Panic began to rise within you as your gaze swept the area, attempting to look for any trace of where they might have gone.

Common sense burst through after a moment and you breathed deeply, forcing yourself to remain calm. Having a panic attack in the ocean was not ideal. Moving forward, you got to the place where you had last seen them and began to look around again. Nothing but aquamarine water met your eyes.

Movement off to your left had you whirling around. A flash of colour disappeared behind a large coral formation and you swam towards it, predicament forgotten as curiosity overtook you. By the time you got there, whatever you saw was gone. Another flash, this time on your right. You swam towards it, this time catching a glimpse of a long tail splashed with many bright colours. Your curiosity doubled and you swam after it.

Whatever this is, it’s damn fast. You thought to yourself. Picking up your speed a little, you continued following the splashes of colour until you found that you were approaching a rather large underwater cave. A seed of doubt wriggled into your mind, but you brushed it off. No dangerous marine wildlife you’d ever heard of behaved this way, so you figured you’d be relatively safe. Upon entering the cave, the creature you’d been following stopped and turned toward you. Amber eyes watched you, strangely human as they seemed to glow in the darkness. The creature swam slowly forward until the light from outside illuminated it.

A gasp left you at the sight of something you never even imagined could be real. From the waist up was the appearance of a human male; with tan skin, longish blonde hair and those gorgeous amber eyes. From the waist down, however, was a long scaly tail with large, delicate fins and the bright splashes of colour that had drawn your attention in the first place.

“You’re a…merman?” You murmured, voice sounding scratchy as it filtered through the apparatus on your mask.

He nodded, coming a little closer with something akin to curiosity in his eyes. Perhaps he was as intrigued by you as you were by him.

“May I ask why you had me follow you?” You inquired, staying perfectly still aside from the kicking of your feet to keep yourself afloat. The last thing you wanted was to scare him off. There was a chance he might be able to help you find your snorkelling group.

“I’ve never seen a human up close before, and I thought you were pretty.”

His voice was far deeper than you expected, and his complement made you blush.

“I-Thank you.” A moment of silence passed, then you spoke again. “I was with a group of humans and got separated from them. Did you happen to see where they went?”

The merman nodded, a small smile rising to his face. “I did. I can help you find them too.”

Relief flooded through you and you returned his smile. “I would greatly appreciate that, thank you.”

The merman swam over to you and held out his hand. You took it, blush deepening. His skin was warm, a surprising but welcome contrast to the harsh chill of the water. You struggled to calm your suddenly racing heart as the two of you swam through the reef, heading back toward where the boat had been. Once the boat was within view, the merman stopped.

“They got back on there, but haven’t moved yet.”

“They’re probably trying to figure out exactly where we got separated.” Turning to the merman, you smiled again. “Thank you for helping me. I hope to see you again before I leave.”

It was the merman’s turn to blush, and he seemed to suddenly find his tail quite interesting. “I’d like that.” He said softly. “If the sea gods find it favourable, that is.”

“Let’s hope they do then.” You said cheekily, giving him a small wave before swimming over to the boat.

The instant your head came above water you heard a mix of shouting and cheering from your guide and the other divers. Grinning, you let them help you aboard and explained what happened. You left the merman out of your story, saying instead that you remembered the general direction the boat was in and decided that returning there was your safest bet.

For the next week or so, the mysterious merman was nearly all you thought about. Your friends commented on your uncharacteristic absentmindedness, but you brushed it off as being enthralled by the beauty of coral reef you’d been to.

Halfway into the next week, you decided to head into town and see if you could find a coffee shop anywhere. And find one you did: Blue Hour, a quaint little place with a cosy aura that reminded you of home. A tall, handsome man was behind the counter, his nametag reading “Yeonjun”. He was very talkative and friendly, keeping you entertained while you waited for your order.

As you were turning to leave, your eyes landed on a familiar head of blonde hair and you stopped in your tracks. At about the same time those bright amber eyes landed on you and he, too, stopped walking.

He had legs now. That was the first thing you realised after getting over your initial shock. And as he got closer to you, a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks became clear. And here I thought he couldn’t get any more good-looking. You mused, feeling your face heat.

The smile that bloomed on his face was heart-stopping, bringing up a smile of your own unbidden.

“Would you like to sit and talk?” You asked, motioning to one of the sheltered tables outside the coffee shop. He nodded and followed you to one of the more secluded tables.

Once the two of you were seated, he spoke. “My name is Felix. You left before I could tell you.”

“It’s lovely to see you again Felix. My name is Y/N.”

“A pretty name for a pretty human.” Felix stated, gazing deeply into your eyes.

A blush coating your cheeks, you stuttered out your thanks. Then, clearing your throat, you changed the subject.

“Should I be concerned about you following me?” You asked, a teasing lilt to your voice.

The blonde’s smile morphed into a smirk. “Maybe.” He teased back.

You giggled, feeling strangely at ease with Felix despite barely knowing him.

“So, can you stay in this form for as long as you wish, or will you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?”

Felix laughed, a sweet sound that made your stomach fill with butterflies. “As much as I would love for it to be the latter, I am able to stay like this for as long as I want.”

The two of you talked for the better part of an hour, the time flying by so quickly you weren’t even aware until you noticed the sun had begun to set. Before you could even think about leaving, Felix took your hand in his, skin just as warm as the day you first met.

“Before you leave, could I show you something?”

Intrigued, you nodded. “Sure. What is it?”

The merman’s smile was almost blinding. “That is a surprise.”

“Ooooo, now I really want to know!”

“Felix, are you sure I can’t look yet? I’m gonna trip and fall!”

“Don’t worry Y/N-ah. I’m not gonna let you get hurt, I promise.”

“Okay, I think this is good. You can look now.”

Opening your eyes, you let out an awed breath as you took in the sight before you.

Standing knee deep in the chilly ocean, you were surrounded by a coral reef that was completely bioluminescent. Everywhere you looked, things were glowing: fish, coral formations, even the vegetation.

“Felix, I-It’s beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!” You turned to him, eyes reflecting the light around you. “How is this even happening?”

“It’s mer magic.” He explained with a wide grin. “This is where I live.”

Your mouth fell open, heart swelling. Did he really trust you this much, that he was willing to show you his home?

“I brought you here for a reason.” Felix said quietly, taking hold of both hands and pulling you close to him. “Ever since that day we met I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. I came to that coffee shop every day, just hoping to run into you.”

You listened raptly, the bubble of joy inside you growing with each word. Was this going where you thought it was?

“What I’m trying to say is, I really like you Y/N and I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“Oh Felix…” You put your hands on his shoulder and returned his deep gaze. “I feel the same way. I’ve never felt like this towards anyone before, and there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go. Whatever it takes, I promise I’ll do my best to work something out.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that, my sweet human.”

His lips met yours and fireworks exploded behind your eyelids.

[cultofdionysusnet]

Check out this submission for the Where the Shoreline Meets the Sea collab by Anya!

The Art of Love

Word Count-2854

Summary- A solitary hike while on vacation to Jeju Island leads you to an encounter with a fascinating creature, and possibly a new form of art.

Pairing- Mermaid!Hyunjin x Artist!f!reader

Trope-Strangers to Lovers AU

Warnings-Fantasy elements, Hyunjin is a kumonryu koi merman, I think that's it?

Tags- @cultofdionysusnet @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @yoonguurt @shinestarhwaa @babesindestroyland @lemonhongjoong @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @flowerboykun @millennial-fangirl @ericssmile @kthpurplesyou @changbinslovelylegs @yeosxxx @ssaboala @millennial-fangirl @starillusion13 @duchesskaren

A/N- This is for the event with @cultofdionysusnet Where the Shoreline Meets the Sea, so make sure you check out the other SKZ members by other network members! I hope you enjoy my addition to the collab!

“It’s so beautiful!” you gasp as you make your way into the cottage you’ll be staying in during your trip.  The murmur of voices from your group of friends just drives up your excitement, the small exclamations of oohs and ahhs making you smile.  Watching them claim their rooms, you just go explore other areas and decide that you’ll just take whatever is left.  You were more concerned about getting out to see the beauty of the island and planned on tiring yourself out enough that you’d be happy sleeping on the couch.  

Going to join your friends, you get swept up in the energy and glance out to the beauty that is Jeju island.  Patting the carrying case with your sketchbook and pencils, you smile happily as you discuss the finer details like groceries and such.  Letting your mind drift off as you listen, you gaze dreamily out the window, picturing all of the beautiful things you’ll come across to add to your portfolio; the memories you’ll make this summer in this cottage, or out on the sand of the beach, on the patio as you share your time with your closest friends.  

As the weeks go by, you spend the majority of your time on the beach, doing random activities, occasionally venturing out onto the ocean, or into the little town.  But the strongest pull for you has been the mountain.  Mount Halla, or Hallasan mountain, amongst other names you’ve heard it called in the time you’d been here.  Despite the numerous names, it alone has the singular strongest pull for you.  

The first week, you and a few others had ventured onto the small hiking trails near the base.  It would be a silly thought to want to climb the mountain itself, but you find yourself enchanted by the beautiful greenery, the plants and animals as well as the vast open sky above it all.  It was perfect for a solo hiking trip.  And that’s what you planned on doing today.

Leaving a note for your friends, you double check your supplies, making sure you have some snacks and water, as well as your sketchbook and pencils.  You’d informed everyone of your plans the day prior, so the note was just a courtesy to remind them.  Checking the charge on your phone, you let yourself out the door to walk out into the predawn morning.  

Walking the trail as the sun rises is an added bonus to the already gorgeous surroundings, and you happily climb out of the transport as they drop you off to walk towards the trail you’ve been down with the others a few times now.  Humming to yourself, you just take in the environment, eager to reach the small area you’d noticed on the last visit. 

The sun is climbing the sky when you finally spot the barely noticeable little opening, and once you are able to venture a little closer to it, you smile.  It’s definitely a trail and your excitement skyrockets as you push aside the vegetation and walk through for a little bit and it opens up completely.  “Found you!” you whisper to yourself and there’s a little extra bounce in your step as you follow the trail into the forest beyond.  

You spend half of the day walking, admiring the beauty of the area, taking the trail that winds up the side of the mountain.  Occasionally, you stop to sketch something, a flower or a tree, maybe a bird if you can manage.  But when you come upon the pond at the edge of a clearing, you can’t help but hunker down, unpacking all of your art supplies to set up camp and pour your heart into the drawing.  The trees ringing the beautiful water give it the perfect frame, and the pretty water lilies with the gorgeous blooms have you losing yourself in your art.  

Occasionally you hear a small splash, or the chirp of a bird…sometimes the bark of frogs.  It’s not until you feel a tickle on the back of your neck do you notice that you’re no longer alone. You had been concentrating on the vegetation near the farther side of the pond, but when you happened to glance away from your sketchpad to take in the whole area, you fall backwards with a yelp.  

“Hello there.” the soothing voice says, and you stare with your mouth hanging open, blinking like an idiot.  Before you is a shirtless (naked?) man, just his torso above the water.  He is resting his head on his hands near a rock and watching you, his big brown eyes taking you in calmly.  His long dark hair was streaked with patches of white, and his rich, chocolate eyes were studying you like he was fascinated.  

“Who-” you manage to get out, your hand on your chest as you stare.  “I am Hyunjin.  My name…my name is Hyunjin.  It’s been awhile since I spoke to a human.” he murmurs and you frown at him.  “Excuse me?” He just sighs, and motions over his shoulder, and you catch your breath as you watch a large black and white tail emerge from the water.  The sheer beauty of the almost transparent end of the tail looks like silk, and unlike most fish you’d seen, the skin of the tail itself appeared smooth, not scaly.  

You barely notice that you’re creeping forward, your hand outstretched as you reach for him.  You snap out of it and snatch your hand back, your eyes flicking back to the man the tail seems to be attached to.  His bored, almost sad expression has you closing your mouth as you study him.  “Hyunjin?” you ask him softly and he nods, blinking slowly up at you.  “Are you..a mer..maid? Merman?”  His soft smile has a hint of a smirk as he tosses his hair off his shoulder. 

“It’s all the same in your language, much different in mine.  It all means the same, of course.” he responds and you just nod, drawing your knees up to get comfortable.  You take in his bare torso, his slender arms, his handsome yet almost painfully beautiful face.  “Why are you here instead of…” you gesture to the distance.  “ …the ocean?” His eyes grow pained and a frown tugs at his full lips, making you immediately regret your question.  “Forget what I asked!” you say quickly and a small light touches his eyes at your panic.  

“It’s fine.  I cannot go into the salt water, sadly.  My friends all are able, but I am confined to the waters inside of the island.” You feel a small weight on your heart as he says it, still processing even finding a creature like him but the idea of being stuck here was heartbreaking.  “Can you leave the water?” you ask him softly and he smiles at you.  “Yes, I can, for a time.” he nods, then pulls himself out onto the rock.  You gasp as you take in his beautiful black and white tail before a shimmer forms the tail into two legs.  

Then he’s pulling himself up to stand in front of you and you choke on a strangled scream, covering your mouth as your cheeks turn red.  “Oh yes…I had forgotten…humans are not used to naked bodies.” he says, turning to walk away towards a small path you hadn’t noticed before.  Stopping, he looks over his shoulder at you and smiles.  

“If you give me a moment I’ll dress, and you can have a meal here as well as a place to rest for the evening.”  With that he turns and disappears, leaving you with the mental image of his long, lean naked body and his…prominent … endowment.  Slapping your cheeks, you breathe out heavily, for the first time noticing the sun dipping down below the mountain.  “Oh my god!” you yell, realizing you had lost track of time and now it was going to be night soon.

Making your way along the path you watched Hyunjin walk down, your mouth hangs open at the sight of a small cottage under the canopy of trees.  The flora is overgrown and creeping along the sides of the small building, onto the roof and you can’t help but be reminded of fairy tales from your childhood.  Imagine, meeting a mermaid on a foreign island who lives in a cottage, you think, overjoyed at your discovery.  

You finally close your mouth as you take in the beauty of the area, your eyes settling on the gorgeous creature named Hyunjin.  He’d put on a pair of loose fitted pants to cover himself and was now settled on the small rock wall beside the little house.  Leaning back on his arms, he was just studying you with a slightly wary expression, and you can’t help but capture the seeming underlying sadness again.  

“Hyunjin.” you say his name, turning it over and his eyes flicker a bit as you watch him.  Clutching your bag to your chest, you look around, taking in the darkening sky.  “May I…would I be able to camp here for the evening?” you ask him, mildly embarrassed.  He just tilts his head at you as you shuffle your feet and stammer.  “Camp? Are you asking if it’s alright to sleep here?” he responds and you just bite your lip and nod.  

“I lost track of time, with my drawing and well…I don’t want to-” “Of course you may.  I would not want you to risk injury to yourself, or for you to get yourself lost in these woods.  There are many creatures on the island, much more of a risk to a human than I.  You’ll be perfectly safe here, little one.”  “Y/n.” you say shyly, enchanted with his form in the setting sunlight.  

“Is this your name?” he asks and you nod, giving him a small smile.  “Why are you so wary? You may sit, relax.”  He gestures to the small area with some flat rocks and a few logs.  “Apologies for my lack of seating and comforts…I don’t have much need for them.” You smile broadly at him, settling yourself on a flat rock, leaning against a log.  “I’m fairly simple to please, actually.  This is wonderful.”  You motion around you, taking it in again.  “I think it’s lovely here.” 

He gives you a bright smile and looks around at the cottage.  “I suppose.  What is it you were doing earlier?” he asks, noticing as you pull out your sketchbook again.  “Oh…I am…well I want to be an artist. I was drawing the beautiful lake you..where-” “Ah! Might I see what you drew?” he asks, pushing himself up to come crouch beside you, curiosity lighting up his face.  

“Oh…sure..it’s not great but…” you open the book to the page you’d been working on and he slips down to sit beside you as he looks at the sketch you’d done.  You can’t help but study his profile as he tucks his hair behind his ear, admiring his almost otherworldly beauty.  He glances at you and blinks as he notices your face only inches from his.  “It is quite beautiful. You drew my home…” he tilts his head at you as your cheeks heat up, leaning even closer to you.  

“May I see more?” he asks and you blink rapidly as you tear your gaze from him.  “Yes, yes of course.” you stutter and he smiles as you flip through the book, explaining the different things you’d found as you wandered that day, then going back to other days.  You don’t miss the wistful sigh as he takes in the ocean and the view from your rental cottage where you were staying.  

“Is it quite lonely here?” it just slips out but his eyes meet yours and you can see the pain behind them at your words.  “Ah…I’m so sorry, I don’t know why-” “It is quite lonely, yes.  Occasionally I will travel to the ocean to meet my friends, but I cannot join them in the waters there.  I like it here, but it is very solitary.”  He frowns at you and wipes a tear you hadn’t noticed running down your cheek.

“Why are you sad?” he asks, tilting his head to study your face yet again.  “Oh, I just can’t imagine not being able to go see the people I care about…I…I actually quite like being alone at times, but to be unable to …” you try to recover, smiling a bit as you close your sketchbook, but he is cupping your face, startling you.  

“Thank you,” he whispers, brushing your lips with his and you gasp, but don’t pull away.  He settles back, a small smile on his face as he puts his arms behind his head, looking up at the quickly fading sun.  Too stunned to speak for a moment, you can only bring your fingers to your lips in shock.  Finally finding your voice, you watch him stare off into the sky.  

“Why are you thanking me?” you manage, your voice barely a whisper.  “Hm…for giving me the gift of your company. For sharing your heart with me.” he gestures to the drawings.  “For making my home into art.” Then he gasps, drawing his long legs up to fold them as he puts his hand to his mouth.  “Oh…I made a mistake, didn’t I? Was I wrong to touch you?  I know I’ve been told humans don’t touch like…” he gestures, and you shake your head, trying to suppress a smile.  

“No..well…yes normally it would be strange to be kissed by someone I don’t know.” His eyes go soft as he smiles at you, making your heart flutter in your chest.  “Are you saying that it’s fine that I did it?” his eyes take on a mischievous glint and you start to sputter, forming noises but no words.  He throws his head back to let out a laugh and you can’t help but feel your cheeks flush.  

But then you’re laughing along with him, his infectious giggling has you snorting.  “Ah…I haven’t laughed in a long while…” he beams at you and you can see the sadness has retreated a bit as he stares at you.  “Would you keep me company tonight then? Tell me about yourself?”  he asks and you nod, setting your things to the side to get more comfortable.  

“I would love that.  Would you tell me about yourself as well? I…am curious…” he just smiles at you and agrees without hesitating.  “I would love nothing more.”  

By the time you finally drift off to sleep, the sun is making another appearance and your voice is harsh from how much you’d shared with Hyunjin.  You only remember laying your head on the log as you watched his gorgeous face, wanting the night to last forever.  You vaguely remember his musical voice soothing you, murmuring sweet nothings as dreams wash over you.

Waking up, you take in the unfamiliar surroundings of a small room, and notice that you’re on a soft bed.  Sitting up, you realize that Hyunjin must have carried you in and placed you here.  When you finally emerge from the small house, you smile as you glimpse the lean man turn towards you in the light of the morning sun.  

“Good morning, Hyunjin.”  “Good morning, my Rose.” he says back and you blush.  “Rose?” you can only ask, and he nods.  “Red roses are my favorite flower.” You walk up to him and look at him curiously.  “Then why am I-?” “I’ve decided that you’re my favorite as well, so I shall call you my Rose.” You can’t help but giggle, but when his arms wrap around you and his lips descend on yours, you shiver in delight.  

“Are you claiming me, Hyunjin?” you ask semi playfully, feeling as if you’re in a dream.  “Perhaps I am.  Only if you’re willing to be, of course.  For the duration of your time here, might I?” You only nod at him as he tips your chin up to brush his plush lips against yours once more. “I’d like that…on one condition…” you whisper and he draws back with a questioning look.  

“Anything you’d like.”  he professes and you smile up at him.  “I’d like to draw you…in the lake..in your home.  In your true form…may I?” he just blinks at you, happiness washing over his features.  “I’d love nothing more.  So you’ll return?” he asks you, his eyes pleading. 

“Will you spend the summer with me here, my beautiful Rose?” he whispers.  

“Yes, Hyunjin…every moment that I can, I will be here with you.”  

You know your friends will call you crazy, and you just might be. But just one night spent with this amazing being has you feeling things you’d never felt before.  Whatever it was, you were going to explore it with Hyunjin.  

Who knows what would come of it, love or heartbreak, passion or agony.  Perhaps all of the above.  But that’s what art was, and you were definitely dedicated to your art.

Maybe this was just the art of love.