drown for you | jjk

08

Figuring that the siren's time is about to be up, you realize that you have to see him—just one last time. There's no way you'll let him die without at least apologizing for not being able to save him. You promised him you'd get him out, but in the end, you didn't.

You'd be lying if you say you're not absolutely terrified as you click the door open, Hoseok's stolen keycard in your hand. The thought of Namjoon's expression when he inevitably sees the tapes tomorrow almost makes you chuckle. Imagine being crazy enough to return to the monster that tried to kill you.

To help with the nerves and to pass the time until the lab would be empty, you actually did leave as soon as your shift ended. You went to the closest bar, despite its grimy appearance and weird bartender, and ordered a couple of shots before taking a cab back about two hours later.

And so there you are, not drunk drunk, but tipsy enough to calm your nerves. Or maybe it was your heart that needed the extra numbness that alcohol gladly provides.

You just hope you're not too late.

An audible gasp leaves you when you discover the siren. You've walked up the stairs, only to find him lying on the platform. He's on his stomach with his arms at his sides, and his head turned away from you, and technically, he's only partially out of the water, seeing as his lower half is hanging off the edge and disappearing into the depths.

It's the first time you're seeing more of him than just his head and a glimpse of his hand, and you... can't take your eyes off him. You hadn't bothered turning the lights on, so your eyes rely on the moon's steady glow through that little rectangle-shaped window. It bathes the siren in it; his pale skin tinted the lightest of marine blue. It's been two weeks since he stopped eating, and sure, he's thin, but not the pile of skin and bones you imagined him to be.

What initially caught your eyes were the scales. A sliver of his tail is visible where it starts at his hips, and what you can see of it is covered in them, but they also seem to be present on other parts. It's like someone's dabbed them sparsely onto his wrists, spanning up the insides of his arms and sides. And they're dark, nearly black. It's the color that surprises you the most, you think; you'd imagined them to be silvery or even a little blue like, well, fish, even though they do reflect light in those very colors.

Pushing aside the awe you feel, your thoroughly broken heart shatters even further when you come to the realization that he's stranded himself again. He's entirely still, except for the way his chest moves weakly now and again, accompanied by a low wheezing noise that tells you that he's struggling to breathe. Hoseok has explained to you that the siren has gills on his sides, so you guess that's where it's coming from, but with his arms against his sides, you can't really tell.

Believing you'd somehow made peace with the fact that he's going to die, you realize that you hadn't. But what are you going to do? Is there anything you can do? You don't even know if you dare go near him after last time. The mere idea of approaching him makes your feet freeze to the floor, and even if you gather all your courage and step out on that platform, could you even push him down yourself?

You're not very strong, to begin with, and with your dominant arm in a sling? Not a chance. He also got up there himself, which means that If he wants to lie there, then there's no way you can hinder him from doing it again.

"Hey..." you call softly, hoping to get his attention without having to step out on the platform.

No response. It's like you're not even there.

You repeat the action, calling out to him multiple times, each call spaced out and louder than the previous. But he doesn't acknowledge you in any way, and you fear that time is running out, so eventually, you make the decision to stop being such a wimp.