drown for you | jjk

17

When you find yourself standing on the platform, seeing the dark-haired siren look a bit puzzled in the water, a silent tear falls down your cheek. He hasn't said anything, he just watches you where you stand. You don't move for a few moments either, too caught up in your emotions.

You're so unbelievably glad that he's at the lab and that he's almost entirely healed. With every passing day, he seems happier, and it warms your heart from the inside. Bu at the same time, those lingering pictures absolutely shatter that warm heart into thousands of tiny, little pieces.

Deep down, you long to tell him exactly how you feel, even if you're not a hundred percent certain yourself yet, but you fear it wouldn't cause anything but pain in the end. Still, you want him to know how incredible he is, and how unbelievably sorry you are.

That's the reasoning that leads you to climb down into the water with a small splash and swim towards him, mindful of your shoulder. He's not far away, remaining in place ever since you arrived. He's confused, maybe even still feeling a little uncomfortable from the examination, you think.

When you reach him, you waste no time. Your arms wrap around his neck, and you pull yourself closer to him. Maybe you're in more need of comfort than he is?

In turn, his arms find your waist, much gentler than yours. You can tell he's wondering what's happened, most likely assuming it has something to do with your mother considering the phone call.

"Hoseok showed me the pictures of you when you first got here," you whisper, explaining your somberness. "I'm so sorry, Jeongguk, so, so sorry."

Sure, you know it's not your fault. You didn't capture him, hadn't wielded that butcher's knife. But guilt eats at you anyways. If it weren't for your kind, he'd be happy, swimming around in the sea with his friends and family where he truly belongs.

He doesn't reply, so you continue to mumble things in his ear, lightly nosing at his neck.

"You mean a lot to me, you know that? I can't even imagine what humans have put you through, how you must've suffered because of us." Your words evolve into a humorless chuckle, "You must really want to rip apart every human you see."

"Some, I do. But that wouldn't really help," he speaks, voice sounding distant even though you've practically glued yourself to him.

You feel bad for throwing yourself onto him and forcing him to keep you afloat as you cling to his neck and shoulders, but it's easy to push aside in favor of the calming effect he has on you.

It's everything, from Jeongguk himself and the way you're bobbing up in down in slow movements that correlate to how his tail is working underneath you, to the low sound of the tv. It makes you want to close your eyes.

You don't notice him moving until your back hits the platform and you're hoisted up on it by your thighs. As your eyelids flutter open, and you peer down at him, you notice how uncertain he looks. Although he's no longer close enough for you to touch, he remains by the platform.

"Are you okay? Did it go alright with Hoseok?" you ask, realizing that he's a bit too off. Maybe something happened that Hoseok simply didn't notice.

"I'm okay. It went okay," he answers quietly, eyes focused on the screen behind and above you. Okay, well if it's not that...

"I'm sorry for throwing myself onto you like that, both physically and mentally... Seeing those pictures and what humans have done to you just made me very sad. You didn't deserve that."

"It's okay," he mumbles once more.

It's an understatement to say that Jeongguk's language skills have improved since his first words to you, but you've noticed that if he's sad, or otherwise just not happy, he'll easily revert back to level one, using very simple words and phrases.