Chapter Text
"Every day, rocks are thrown into the sea, yet everyday nothing is built. The Vanaras' hard work has been for nought, growing wearier and wearier still. Sita's rescue awaits the building of the causeway, but its as if the sea is a hungry might, eating their souls away with the boulders. Yet Hanuman will prevail." -Story of Hanuman and Suvannamaccha
The light pierced the water, liquid diamonds reflecting colors.
The effect was disturbed as a figure streaked through, breaking the colors apart. Deeper, the figure dove, easily getting lost in the warm waters. One would have missed it, if not looking closely, but keen eyes had seen it.
The waters were warm, cooler where the shadows were. The figure whipped past, scaring an octopus into flight. Onward, the figure swam, finally stopping with a delighted cartwheel turn.
Nattawin swayed in the current. Beautiful golden skin glowed under the sun penetrating through. Muscles strained, holding on to his treasure. The sun glittered off the scales below his waist, where his finned tail continued to sway.
He had almost been caught. Ten years he had gone to that shore, watching the humans, and not once had he been seen. But today must have been his unlucky day. The man had looked straight at him, not making a sound or movement. It hadn't been hard for Nattawin to miss him in his delight at seeing the treasures on shore.
Beautiful yellow material, shiny in the sun. It was soft, and flowed like water, but kept together. It looked like there was string poked through, making designs of flowers. Nattawin loved it. He didn't know what this was, but it looked similar to the material that the humans used to make what they called clothes.
He remained floating, raising the material higher towards the sunlight filtering through. Underwater, the colors changed, and it took almost a greenish sheen. Nattawin wondered at this marvel.
He had often found treasures such as these on that shore. Pretty little things, odd things. Some took well to water, some fell apart. But it was such a wonder to see the things humans had created for their pleasure. Until today, he had never questioned how the things came to be on that shore, assuming they had accidentally been left behind or washed ashore.
But the look of that man today made him rethink this. As if he knew him, as if he had been waiting for Nattawin.
He should be on his guard, he should be defensive. But he had only seen awe in the man's gaze, and something else he couldn't name. The man hadn't uttered a word, hadn't moved, didn't even try to stop him. Yet, Nattawin knew he had been watching his every move as he'd swam away.
Nattawin was intrigued.
Afterward, he would question if what he had done was foolish, but now, curiosity won out.
He made more visits, each time surfacing to see the man already there, awaiting his return. There were items placed on the shore, akin to offerings of peace. Nattawin stayed away the first few times, but finally crept closer.
It was not that he was afraid. He was a warrior among his people, and could easily defeat what was thrown his way. Son of two mighty deities, he was born with power and might. Yet he was still a slave to the characteristics of his people, god or no. And the human had something he didn't have. Legs.
Without legs, he could not fight on land. He could only flop like the half fish he was. And though there was a way for his people to obtain their legs, he had until now refused to act on it. So, he was forced to keep his distance, wary of the consequences. Curiosity overcame this, though, and he continued to return.
The male did nothing but stare. Sometimes he stood, sometimes he sat. But he always stared. Stared so intently as if filing Nattawin's image away for memory. Nattawin found it uncomfortable, yet the curiosity was stronger.
He didn't understand why the male found him so interesting. While merfolk were not very commonly seen, it was not a rarity. Since Hanuman and Suvannamaccha's great love tale, it had become common knowledge that their kind existed.
The presents continued to be set out, and Nattawin continued to return. Every day brought him closer, and every day, the male sat around longer.
Finally, Nattawin's curious nature could not be held back, and he spoke. "You come every day, I believe you want to ask something of me?"
The male's eyes widened a fraction, before answering softly, "I have nothing to ask."
Both men kept eye contact: one trying to gauge the other, the other looking at him with a hunger that the other couldn't understand.
Nattawin looked at the rock where the precious treasures had been laid every time, and saw nothing. His face fell a moment, the male noticing the slight facial expression.
"Wait," he called out softly when he saw Nattawin begin to retreat. "I do have a request." He looked apologetic.
Nattawing waited silently.
"Would you…take this from me?" He pulled out a ring, stretching out his palm to show it to him.
Rings were not an uncommon piece of jewelry. Nattawin had a large collection of these. But this ring was made from something beautiful, the stones most likely mined from a place inland that Nattawin would never fathom reaching with this tail.
Nattawin could not understand why this human male did this. He suspected the ring was not something easy to come by. Why give it to him, to be lost in the depths of the sea?
"Why?" Why the presents? Why him?
The male looked bewildered at the question. "I..I don't know," he stuttered.
He didn't retreat though, hand patiently outstretched, waiting for Nattawin to take it.
Nattawin thought for a moment. If the male had meant him harm, he would have already done so. There had been too many moments where he had lain vulnerable to him, and the male had done nothing.
He swam closer, hand reaching out. The male stepped closer too, crouching down. A shiver ran down his spine the moment their fingertips touched. The human's skin was so warm, like the sunbaked rocks he liked to bask on. He wondered if the rest of the human was this warm too.
The male made no movement, but his face lit up at the closeness. Nattawin took this chance to fully look at him. He was a handsome male, dark hair and eyes. Thick eyebrows that unless one knew, belied a gentle character. For a human, he seemed fit, shoulders broader than Nattawin's own. His hands were large, but softly opened to him.
Nattawin placed his hand over his, fingers wrapping around the proffered ring.
"Thank you," he whispered.
The male hesitated a moment, as if debating to step back. "Can I…?," his question trailed off. He gently placed his hand over Nattawin's, allowing him the chance to slip away if he so chose.
Nattawin was used to others holding his hand thus, to place gifts of jewelry on him as reverence. He thought nothing of it to nod.
The male tenderly held the hand, raising it to slip the ring on a finger. He held the hand a bit longer, gazing at the ring he had placed there.
Finally he let go, standing up and slowly backing away. He stopped a few feet away.
"I hope I have not troubled you. I would like to come back," he said.
Nattawin tilted his head to one side. This human was curious, asking for permission. He had all the advantages, and need not ask, but his face was intense, awaiting Nattawin's response.
Again, Nattawin nodded mutely, unsure of what to say to him. The flash of teeth caught him unaware, the male's eyes tilting with his smile.
It only seemed fair to ask, seeing as Nattawin had taken many a present from him. "What is your name?"
The curve of lips again, before he answered. "Phakphum."
Nattawin savored the name on his tongue, a small smile of his own meeting the one on shore.
Phakphum.