My Merman Named Donghae

Chapter 8

          The next morning, Eunhyuk awoke and stretched in his bed before sighing and looking up at the ceiling. He recalled the night before, of holding Donghae in his arms and kissing the merman lovingly. Eunhyuk wanted nothing more than to keep Donghae safe and loved, but the blonde didn’t know whether or not Donghae would stay with him or return to the ocean when the weather turned warmer. He got up and walked over to the bathroom, gently knocking on the door. “Donghae?” he whispered.

          From inside, the merman opened his eyes and replied quietly “Yes?”

          “Are you alright?” Eunhyuk wondered.

          “Yes I’m fine,” Donghae confirmed. “I’ll be out in a second.”

          “Okay, I’ll go ahead and get some breakfast started,” Eunhyuk said before walking away from the bathroom.

          Donghae heaved himself up onto the side of the bathtub and watched his legs reappear before drying them off and slipping into some boxer shorts and a t-shirt. The brunette unlocked the bathroom door and slowly headed into the living room area. There was a rather awkward tension in the room between him and Eunhyuk because of what happened the night before. After listening to Eunhyuk cook in the kitchen for a few moments, the merman stood up and slumped into the next room. “Hi,” he muttered.

          “Hey,” Eunhyuk responded, looking at Donghae as he set their food onto the table. Eunhyuk approached the brunette slowly and gently placed a hand on his face. “Are you upset with me?”

          “No of course not, I’m just, I don’t know how to feel right now,” Donghae said as he closed his eyes and felt Eunhyuk’s hand on his skin.

          “Well what are you feeling right now?” Eunhyuk asked.

          “Mixed feelings; like happiness and curiosity, but also I also feel worried and scared,” Donghae responded before looking up and meeting Eunhyuk’s eyes.

          The blonde placed his other hand on Donghae’s face and pulled their faces closer together before gently kissing his lips again. “Don’t be scared Donghae,” Eunhyuk whispered as he stroked the merman’s face. “I won’t let anything happen to you, I’ll protect you.”

          Eunhyuk wrapped his arms around Donghae and pulled him closer. The brunette slowly ran his hands up Eunhyuk’s back as he held the human close to him. “I want to believe you,” Donghae muttered into Eunhyuk’s neck.

          “What can I do, that will show you I’m serious?” the blonde asked, running his fingers through Donghae’s hair.

          “Eunhyuk, a merman being with a human isn’t that simple; you humans think falling in love is easy, but it’s not. When merpeople mate, we mate for life. I just need to know if I’m really the one you want to be with for life, if you don’t; then I can’t go any further with this friendship,” Donghae explained as he lowered his head and muttered “I can understand why you wouldn’t want to be with a creature like me.”

          “And why would you think I wouldn’t want to be with you?” Eunhyuk wondered

          “Because that’s what I was always told by my owner, he would always say that no one would ever want to waste their time with me because of my constant need for water. Youngmin said I was nothing more than his performer, born to do what he said, when he said. He would always tell me that no one would ever want or love me,” Donghae muttered.

          Eunhyuk wrapped his arms around Donghae tightly and pulled him close. The blonde placed his hands on the merman’s face and replied “I want to be with you Donghae.” He kissed the brunette before tracing his thumb over Donghae’s lips. “I’m falling in love with a merman, and to be honest, I feel the happiest when I’m with you.”