Yoongi's back again.

He doesn't understand why.

Or maybe he does and he's just denying his feelings again. It doesn't help that Seokjin is breathing down his neck about taking the throne, but Yoongi considers this kind of therapeutic.

The little town by the sea is run by pirates and the Captain of these pirates is the reason Yoongi bothers coming out this way.

Kim Taehyung, possibly one of the most handsome beings Yoongi has ever seenーand Yoongi has seen a lot of handsome merfolk. His honey skin and chocolate eyes leave Yoongi watering after him every time he manages to get a glimpse of him.

And tonight is no different really. Taehyung is sitting on the sand, water tickling his toes as he gazes at the scenery. There's a lazy smile strewn across his face and the stars twinkle in his eyes.

Yoongi is so infatuated with this man but he isn't sure if it's because of his appearance or the fact that he owes Taehyung his life.

It happened a few months ago when Yoongi was more reckless and daring and less careful.

He was caught in a net, being pulled out of the sea and onto a pirate's ship. He gasped for water, not being able to breathe in the air that surrounded him. His tiny body was thrown onto the deck and pirates quickly converged on him, greedy for a slice of him.

Mermaid scales were widely exploited in the human world, Yoongi knew this, and yet he'd been reckless enough to be caught by humans and slain by them as well. He closed his eyes and waited for the blow that was sure to come.

But instead, there was only yelling and suddenly the net he was caught up in was ripped apart by the captain of the ship. He was beautiful, all varying shades of brown that made him glisten in the sunlight. He picked Yoongi up and unceremoniously threw him back into the sea before turning, sword already in hand, to fight off his crew.

Yoongi sank into the waves with appreciation fluttering in his chest and a newfound perspective on life.

Yoongi's back again.

It's almost pitiful how often he comes to see his savior, his favorite human. But it isn't like Yoongi is planning on talking to him so it's all okay.

His coronation is tomorrow.

Yoongi doesn't want to be king.

So he's here now watching Taehyung again, the man doing the same thing he always does: watching the scenery as he sits on the sand and lets the tide wash over his feet. His smile is gone though. He looks troubled.

Yoongi shifts behind the rock he's hiding, trying to find a better handhold and slips, cursing himself to Davie Jone's locker and back when pebbles from the top of the rock slide down with a clatter before plopping into the sea. Yoongi is one hundred percent sure Taehyung heard that.

"Who's there?" Taehyung's voice rings out.

Now, Yoongi has studied the humans good and long and he knows they don't speak the same language, but he knows a few words here and there from observing Taehyung and his crew. But he doesn't know how to form those words himself and instead dives under the rock once Taehyung stands. His tail furls out behind him and moves him forward with the tide and before he can backtrack, a wave is pushing his head out of the water and right into Taehyung's crotch.

Taehyung falls back, sputtering and face ablaze. Yoongi feels his face grow cold and before he can slip back into the water and make his escape, Taehyung is grabbing him by the shoulders and hefting him up out of the water. But not all the way. He leaves Yoongi's tail submerged so that only Yoongi's torso is exposed to the cold, night air.

Yoongi blinks up at him, feeling helpless and he gasps, trying to breathe. Taehyung's eyes grow ridiculously wide as he drops Yoongi back into the water, splashing himself with a large, cold wave of the sea, but not minding at all that his billowy white shirt is now sticking to his chest. Yoongi pushes himself to stay aloft, not wanting to leave before he's gotten his fill of Taehyung's drenched shirt plastered to his honey skin.

"It's you," Taehyung murmurs, taking the mint blue of Yoongi's hair and cat-like eyes. "It's always been you, hasn't it?"

Yoongi doesn't understand what Taehyung's saying, but he doesn't look surprised to see Yoongi so he's going to assume that Taehyung already knew he was here. Taehyung smiles at him, his teeth gleaming in the moonlight and Yoongi balks, throwing himself back under the waves and swimming away as fast as he can.

Taehyung watches him go, still smiling as Yoongi's scales reflect the moonlight underwater. He really is the prettiest thing Taehyung's ever seen.