From Where the Silence Echoes

-6- A Minuet for the Bold

While Kakyoin was embarking on a journey of recovery, Avdol was having an adventure of his own on the shoreline. Ever since his 'patient' had mentioned his boyfriend that lived near the beach, Avdol had been struck with an insatiable need to find out more. He had dismissed it as nothing but the delusional rantings of someone knocking on death's door at first; but something about how desperate and sad Kakyoin's tone was struck a wrong chord with him. And so, he had set out in the wee hours of the morning to search for this supposed lover. However, as the day had wore on, there had been no trace of this mysterious man anywhere, and Avdol was beginning to believe that he had put all too much faith in a silly fever dream.

The sun had started to set along the seam between the ocean and the sky, discouraging Avdol even further. His search had already been hard enough in the daylight hours, and there was no telling what kind of dangers would be brought with the oncoming night. He had half a mind to jut forget about the whole thing, but as the hazy sun gave way to the chilling moon, something kept him rooted to the spot. It was an ethereal bout of singing; one that sounded just about human, with an unnatural feel that shook Avdol to his core. Every nerve in his body had been dulled, and a fog was clouding his surroundings, save for a pier situated at the very end of the shore. The voice seemed to draw him to this spot, and Avdol felt his body move on its own accord.

As he drew closer to the pier, the singing grew louder and more distinct, and the fog surrounding him grew heavier and heavier. When he had reached the pier, all he could make out was the vague shape of someone near it's edge, their piercing cerulean eyes cutting through the fog like two tiny beacons. It seemed that the source of the singing was them, and Avdol couldn't help but to get closer. With each approaching step that Avdol took, another feature on the mysterious figure's face revealed itself; thick, black eyebrows that were furrowed in deep concentration, two fin-like ears that were flapping in time with the person's song, and plush lips that just barely hid countless rows of razor sharp teeth with every swooping note. Something about them struck Avdol as familiar, and with a jolt he realized that this was Kakyoin's boyfriend. He was propped up by his scale covered elbows on a rock, and what looked to be a mermaid's tail flicked lazily about in the water behind him.

"You... You can't be human." was all he could manage to say, still somewhat paralyzed with fear.

"No kidding," Kakyoin's lover replied in a deep, husky voice that didn't match his singing. "Was it the ears that tipped you off? Or maybe it was the tail. I'm guessing that's what it is, based on how hard you're staring."

"Pardon me," Avdol cleared his throat awkwardly. "It's just... Someone that I've taken under my care seemed quite adamant about finding someone, and you fit their bill perfectly."

The merman's ears wiggled a bit at his statement, but his expression remained stony and intimidating, which chilled Avdol to the bone. Even when he wasn't singing, there was still a slightly hazy air about him; as if he were nothing more than a mirage that would fizzle away in the blink of an eye. 

"Hmph. Tell them I'm not interested. I already have enough trouble with humans as it is." he said dismissively, shifting a bit in what was obviously an attempt to leave.

"Wait, don't go quite yet!" Avdol silently cursed himself as the merman gave him a menacing glare. "Kakyoin-"

He swam closer and hoisted himself onto the pier in a frenzy, leaving Avdol little time to make space for him. His mouth was twisted into a furious snarl, leaving nothing to the imagination about how sharp his teeth were. He grabbed Avdol by the collar, his grip surprisingly strong for an ocean dweller.

"What did you do to him?" the merman asked, his eyes narrowing into thin slits. "If you hurt a single hair on his head, I'll make your life a living hell."

"I-it's not like that at all!" Avdol stuttered nervously, waving his hands in an attempt to calm both himself and the merman down. "I found Kakyoin on the shore a week or so ago on the brink of death, and I've been nursing him back to health this entire time-"

The merman let go of him with an exasperated sigh. He slicked his hair back and continued to glare at Avdol, almost searching him with his gaze. 

"You're lucky that Noriaki trusts you. What's your name?"

"Avdol. Muhammad Avdol. And yourself, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Jotaro. That's all you need to know. So you're the man that practically kidnapped my boyfriend, eh?"

"I wouldn't call it kidnapping, but... I'd assume so, yes."

Jotaro rolled his eyes at this, but said nothing. Avdol couldn't get a read on his personality at all; he was more mysterious than the moon itself, and yet every emotion he had was thinly veiled by a guise of indifference. More than anything, however, he couldn't believe for a second that this was the person that Kakyoin was thinking of so desperately. Their personalities conflicted in almost every single way, yet they both seemed to have an unwavering amount of fondness for each other. 

"Oi," Jotaro interrupted his train of thought with a snap. "I'm not done with you yet. Where is Noriaki now?"

"He's at my house, currently." said Avdol, thinking back to the last time he had laid eyes on Kakyoin. "Resting, I hope."

"When will I get to see him again?"

"I... I can't say for sure. His condition has been steadily improving, but there's no telling how the ocean air will affect him. I'm sorry..."

Jotaro heavily sighed and laid back on the pier, his fin-ears twitching agitatedly every so often. His previously dark gaze was clouded by what could only be worry, and Avdol swore that there was a small bit of guilt trapped behind his sharp blue eyes.

"If it means anything," Avdol saw the merman's ears perk up, causing him to crack a small smile. "Kakyoin cares quite a bit about you. You were the first thing he mentioned when he first woke up. I... don't know what kind of relationship you two share, but it's quite sweet."

Jotaro said nothing in response, which only prompted Avdol to fill in the silence more.

"And... I can let him know that I saw you today. I'm sure it'd make him happy."

"Yeah." Jotaro said, the slightest bit of a waver dotting his voice. "That'd be nice. Thanks."

"No worries. It was very nice to meet you, Jotaro. You're an upstanding lad."

"Mmph. Whatever. Take care of Noriaki for me, alright?"

"I will." Avdol stood with a smile, stretching towards the heavens. "And you take care of yourself, too."

The merman simply grunted and slipped back into the water, giving a small wave before disappearing completely. Avdol then set off for home, praying that his house wasn't turned upside down while he was gone.