Under the Moonlight
Summary: Merekai's chill walk takes an unexpected turn.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Some Mostly Non-Descriptive Nudity, Non-Human Characters
Words: 1,480
Merekai belongs to @farseerdri
Merekai Korveris slowly breathed in the cool night air, enjoying the calm ambience around him. It had been some time since he was able to appreciate something as simple as a late night walk; the sudden loss of his wife and son had been a constant flickering rage in his heart, persistent and stubborn as time passed. The pain left him angry and empty, never able to calm enough to be the human he still was beneath the fur, teeth and claws of his wolven body. However, through a very patient and caring partner and some time with one of the wolven elders, Merekai had finally felt more at peace than he had in years.
He walked through the forest surrounding the small wolven village, the leaves and foliage still wet from a short storm that had passed through a few hours before. The clouds had cleared and bright beams from the full moon fell through the branches about him, making the area sparkle. It was very picturesque and Kai regretted for a moment not asking his partner, Jin-chou, to accompany him. Jin had a knack for taking amazing photos and creating gorgeous landscape paintings; the surrounding forest as it was would make for the perfect wall mural, once they decided to find a place to settle down, of course. Merekai made a mental note to at least tell Jin about that idea.
His musings were interrupted as he neared a pebble-covered path close to the treeline and heard someone walking the more open trail. Kai saw long, dark red hair between the branches and caught a quick glimpse of a pale, freckle-covered face. An adorable face he recognized.
Karaendir Leishyd had only been in the village for a month or two. He was fairly quiet and kept to himself, so no one really knew much about him. That was something Kai wanted to change; now that he had more control over his emotions, maybe he could at last approach the redhead and ask him out without the fear of a rejection throwing him into a furious rage.
The only thing that stopped Merekai from doing so in that moment was the late hour; what was Karaendir doing out here? True, many denizens of the town were more nocturnal than diurnal, but this was a fairly remote area away from the village itself. It just felt a bit odd, especially considering the redhead already lived in a remote location.
Karaendir’s steps were determined as he walked down the path and Kai decided to tail him, his curiosity getting the better of him. Just making sure he’s alright, he told himself as he stuck to the trees and quietly followed the redhead. Nothing wrong with that.
Karaendir didn’t deviate from the stone walkway and soon Merekai realized he was heading toward Lake Celeste, a large, windy body of water that filled an area between the Three Sisters Mountains. The lake was beautifully clear during the day, one could see right through to the deceptively deep floor. On a night like this, with the bright moon in the star-filled sky, the lake practically shimmered in the moonlight, almost appearing to glow with the moon’s reflection gently wavering on its surface.
A short pier reached out over the water; a popular area for fishing and swimming. The earlier storm seemed to ward off the rest of the population tonight and Karaendir stepped onto the wooden walkway.
Merekai remained hidden behind the trees, watching silently as the redhead slowly gazed around him. Karaendir was still and quiet, although Kai, being part wolven, could smell some anxiety on the gentle breeze. He scowled slightly; was Karaendir okay?
After a few moments of looking around him with cautious, dark golden eyes, Karaendir released a heavy sigh and shook his head, a small smile curving his lips. Then, to Kai’s surprise, he began removing his clothing.
Skinny dipping?! was his shocked thought as the redhead carefully folded his oversized sweater upon the pier and slipped off his flip-flops. Didn’t think he was the type….
Merekai tried to be a Good Boy and not ogle the pale man as he pulled off his soft-looking pajama pants, but truly couldn’t help a glance at the perfectly round rump presented to him as Karaendir stood at the end of the pier. The moonlight nearly made the other’s pale complexion glow and Kai watched as the redhead put both arms above his head and jump into the sparkling water with a gentle splash.
He chuckled to himself, wanting even more to get to know the new outsider, and debated if he should chance joining him for a quick swim. Although their interactions had been fairly few, it had quickly become apparent Karaendir had a very low blush factor and when those freckle-covered cheeks and pointy ears turned pink, dark gold eyes turning away, he certainly became irresistibly cute to Merekai. There were a couple times he had to stop himself from scooping the redhead up and taking him away from everyone; some deep, instinctual feeling would overcome the wolven to protect.
The want to keep Karaendir safe had been there the moment Kai had seen the redhead, but he realized it wasn’t nearly as overwhelming as it had been. A very good thing, as he really didn’t want to suddenly grab someone he truly didn’t know and kidnap them to some cave or far away location and keep them hidden away against their will.
I’m in control now, Merekai thought with some pride. I can keep these instincts in-check; no awkward ‘I did this because I felt I had to’-style first date for sure!
But was now really the right time to approach the redhead? Kai hadn’t decided yet, but a cold thread of worry began to weave into his mind.
The water was still. The breeze calm, only carrying the sounds of crickets and frogs over the lake. No splashing, no ripples from movement. Just a tranquil, quiet night.
Where was Karaendir?
Fear blossomed in his heart like an icy rose and Merekai stepped away from his hiding spot behind the trees to get a better look over the water. No sign of anyone was around. What happened? Did Karaendir come out here so late to do something awful?
That instinct to protect flared up with a vengeance and this time Kai let it overtake his thoughts. It shoved away the fear and the part-wolven began stepping onto the pier, determined to find the redhead and bring him to the surface. I have to help him!
Just as Merekai made it halfway across the short pier, there was a splash of water and the part-wolven stared as Karaendir burst from the lake. His pale skin was covered in deep blue-purple scales that wrapped in intricate designs around his torso and arms, the scales thick over the fish-like tail that he now had instead of legs.
Karaendir twisted in the air, his entire merfolk form leaving the water, and Merekai swore time slowed. He stared in awe, moonlight shimmering over the redhead’s body, making him appear ethereal over the water and Kai couldn’t look away. He was enthralled at the beauty he was witnessing, only vaguely noticing the redhead’s eyes were closed as spun around, his usually dark red hair now actually glowing a soft neon red, a color also matched by his freckles. He was gorgeous, a perfect creature Kai had never laid eyes on before.
Another loud splash and the part-wolven blinked rapidly for a moment, the spell broken, Karaendir once again vanishing into the lake.
Merekai stood for several, long moments. His thoughts were scattered, his heart thundered in his chest, and mouth dry. Swallowing thickly, he took a shaky breath as one coherent thought crossed his shell-shocked mind; …maybe now isn’t the right time.
Swiftly, and as quietly as he could manage, the part-wolven backed away from the pier. Deciding against slipping back into the woods, he quickly made his way toward the house he and Jin were staying at. His thoughts were jumbled, the image of the fish-tailed Karaendir burned in his memory and he wanted to keep them there.
His attraction to the redhead only intensified and Merekai knew he had to pursue this, before it drove him to unlearning all he had recently learned about keeping the more instinctual side of himself under control. …after a day or two to calm down. Right now, that want to take Karaendir away was stronger than it should be and Kai definitely did not want that to be a first impression. I told myself no awkward first date, he reminded. Let’s keep that promise.
Merekai took a deep, calming breath as he walked the path, again grateful to finally have his control back.
He would not let it get the better of him again.
