Chapter Text
Chan stood at the edge of the ship, eyes fixed on the endless stretch of blue.
The ocean was calm today. Gentle waves rolled beneath the hull, reflecting the golden hues of the sky above. A lone bird soared overhead, cutting through the silence like something out of a story.
For a moment it almost felt like he truly was what people called him.
A protector.
The bird swooped lower, wings stretched behind it, flying right over Chan's head
And then—
plop.
Something warm landed right on his cap.
Chan froze.
Behind him, Minho made a choking sound before bursting into a maniacal laughter, completely ruining whatever moment Chan was supposedly having.
He doubled over, clutching his stomach. “That- that was perfect-”
“Shut up” Seungmin muttered from the Crow's nest, lowering his binoculars with a flat look
“Some of us are trying to keep watch.”
Minho straightened just enough to glare at him, “You wanna catch these fists Seungmin?”
Changbin walked past them with a huge barrel, without even slowing down
“What fists?”
“Exactly” Seungmin said.
Near the mast, Jeongin clicked his tongue looking at the sky
“Hey! Bad bird!” he scolded, pointing upward like the culprit was going to apologize.
From the cabin window, Hyunjin watched the entire scene unfold, unimpressed
“Idiots” he said to absolutely no one.
Jisung popped up behind him- no one knew where he came from
“So are you” He announced grinning wide
Hyunjin didn’t even blink “Never denied it.”
Chan slowly reached up, touching his cap with deep remorse.
“…I hate this job”
Seungmin scoffed “You love this job”
Minho snorted, “He loves the title.”
“He loves the ship” Changbin added
Jeongin nodded very seriously, “I like the fish”
Jisung murmured from behind Hyunjin
“I like that we’re not dead”
Hyunjin leaned against the window frame “Barely”
Chan exhaled loudly, looking exasperated “Guys... we killed a sea monster!”
“Accidentally” Minho pointed at him
“Still counts!”
Seungmin folded his arms “Debatable.”
And right on cue, something crashed loudly below deck.
Everyone stopped. Jisung jumped inside the cabin
“Did we leave the water barrel open again?”
Outside Minho was already walking away
“If it’s flooded, I’m not fixing it.”
Seungmin groaned, as he climbed down “We’re going to sink before we save anyone”
Chan dragged a hand down his face
Yeah. These are the Protectors of the Ocean. A group of highly questionable individuals who had, once upon a time, managed to kill a sea monster. Entirely by accident.
Naturally, they had been declared heroes.
Naturally, they had been given a ship.
And naturally, they accepted it. Because- why not?
🌊
It all started with Chan.
Who, to be completely fair, did not mean to flood his entire village.
It was an accident. A very large accident.
A water bending, slightly emotional, lost control for five seconds and suddenly there was a river where there should not be a river kind of accident.
In his defense- it was not entirely his fault.
In everyone else’s defense- it absolutely was.
So naturally, like any reasonable society, they exiled him.
Because nothing says “problem solved” like removing the problem and hoping it doesn’t come back with worse ideas.
Chan, now homeless, mildly guilty, and significantly more powerful than anyone was comfortable with, took to the sea.
Which, in hindsight, was perhaps not the best decision for someone who controls water.
But what’s done is done.
Then came Jisung- more like appeared out of thin air.
One moment Chan was making a huge water orb by the shore and the next- someone was hanging from his back screaming ”I CAN DO IT TOO” in his ears
Jisung indeed could make shapes... weapons with water. Extremely weird looking, wobbly weapons but he was proud of them.
Upon asking what he was doin near the Ocean in the middle of the night, he had grinned shamelessly and said,
“I spilled tea on the Village Head's Daughter. So they kicked me out of the village.
They really overreacted! It wasn't that bad!”
Chan decided he liked this guy.
Next was Changbin, wo was too strong for his own good. Everything he touched seemingly crumbled.
So he did what any responsible person would do- left his home and wandered off to the ocean
Chan and Jisung followed him like lost puppies when they found him.
The three met Jeongin after a few years. On an empty island making a huge army of crabs.
Jeongin was born in a pirate crew, he got left behind because he spending more time talking to the fish than working. He was not sad... just made more fish friends
He helped Chan and the others built a decent boat, taught them how to catch fish, even though he cried while doing so because the fish were hurt.
The four started sailing across the ocean. Stopping every now and then day to sell the fish and crabs and other things they collected from the ocean everyday.
One day they decided to stay in a town but at night suddenly saw a strange light floating towards the boat.
Jisung shivered, tucking himself under Changbin's arms
“G-G-Gh-Ghost...”
“Probably a firefly” Jeongin had said
Soon they discovered the mysterious light was actually a young boy named Hyunjin, who got too curious about the boat
“Take me with you!” Hyunjin had begged with twinkling eyes.
They were too weak to deny a pretty face.
On their next stop- a boy built like a bean sprout said their crab is too expensive and judged them hard with his eyes
“Don't sail today. A storm is coming”
They all ignored the bean sprout boy, obviously. Which was mistake because the moment they started floating on the waves a huge wind toppled them.
They almost didn't make it to shore. Jisung didn't know how to swim.
“Looks like y'all don't even know how to check the weather”
Bean sprout boy found them washed up on the shore the next morning, and the first thing he did was mock them
“Well you are in luck. I can sense disasters from miles away. I will keep you alive, let me board- or not. Since you don't have a boat anymore”
His name was Seungmin and he was rich, so now they have a small ship and a new crewmate
The last to join was Minho.
He got exiled because apparently he brought in a large amount of cats and they trashed the village.
He accepts he was feeding those cats. And maybe shielding some more cats from rain with his ability. It was only like- ten, he has no idea how the number increased so much. But how was it his fault? The cats just loved him and followed him home
How can he control that he is a very lovable person?
Chan was making waves for fun when he saw them but Minho thought the ship was drowning so he stretched his hand and bursted the waves
Chan was in awe. That was enough reason for Minho to get pulled on board
The rest was history... or a series of very questionable decisions, and bad luck they somehow ended up right in the mouth of a huge monster, and through whatever luck, panic, or poor teamwork, the monster crashed into a mountain and died…
Just like that.
Things only got worse from there.
They became heroes, stories spreading faster than the truth. They were praised by everyone, even gifted this huge ship by a very kind king who clearly had a generous heart and not nearly enough information.
And honestly? Who were they to say no? A group of seven boys who's only meal in a day was a burnt fish? Yeah...no
They called themselves The Strays, and the ship was named Stay, which- what else were they really supposed to name it?
⛵
The ship drifted silently. Not sailed or steered just floated aimlessly over the dark Ocean waters, like it's not carrying seven people who has no idea where they are going.
Chan stood on the deck, one hand on the wheel, staring ahead, pretending -once again - that this was intentional.
It wasn't.
Behind him, there was the sound of something being dragged, something falling, and Jisung yelling “WAIT WAIT WAIT-” followed immediately by a loud crash and Changbin shouting, “I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH THAT! ”
Chan did not turn around. His eyes were fixed on the ocean
It was too calm.
“...It's cold”
Chan jumped up at the sudden voice- it was Jeongin, standing beside Chan for who knows how long.
But… he was right.
The air had changed. It pricked against their skin like tiny needles
The water also looked darker- Or maybe it had been darker for a while now
Chan tried to focus ahead, but something felt off.
The ship kept moving forward and suddenly, it was like they had sailed straight into a cloud.
Thick white fog swallowed them whole within seconds, curling around the ship, creeping across the deck and blurring everything
Chan tightened his grip on the wheel.
“We stop here! Drop the anchor!”
He announced, voice loud and commanding.
Silence.
“…Guys?”
Chan turned around.
Jeongin was still beside him, staring straight into the fog
Further in, Chan could barely make out two figures through the thick white- was it Jisung and Minho?
They looked like they were… wrestling?
“…Why are they-” Chan stopped himself, shaking his head. Not the time.
He clapped his hands loudly.
“Guys! Drop the anchor!”
The brawl in the middle of the ship seemed to stop.
“…Who’s doing that?” Minho asked asked, still holding Jisung in what looked like an unnecessary headlock
Chan blinked “What do you mean who’s doing that?”
“I thought you were doing that” Jisung said.
“I’m steering the ship!”
“We’re not even steering” Minho pointed out.
“That’s not the point-”
“I can do it” Changbin said, already moving toward the side of the ship.
“No-wait-do you know how to-”
Too late. There was a loud clunk. Then an even louder- SPLASH!
Everyone froze
“…Was it supposed to sound like that?” Hyunjin whispered
The ship jerked violently.
Hyunjin screamed. Jisung grabbed onto the nearest thing, which unfortunately was Minho.
“GET OFF!”
“I’M TRYING NOT TO DIE—”
The rope snapped tight with a sharp creak, the entire ship lurching to one side before settling with an unsettling groan.
Silence. Again
“…Okay” Seungmin’s voice drawled from the crow's nest, calm as ever
“We’re either anchored… or we just lost it completely.”
Chan stared at the deck
“…Please tell me you tied it properly.”
Changbin looked down at the rope in his hands.
Then back up.
“…Define properly?”
Jisung made a distressed noise
“WE’RE DRIFTING INTO FOG AND NOW WE’RE DETACHED FROM THE OCEAN???”
“That’s not how anchoring works” Chan said.
“That sounds exactly like how it works right now!”
Minho kicked the side lightly, testing. The ship didn’t move.
“…Oh…I think it worked.”
Everyone sighed in relief. At least they are not drowning.
Chan made a mental note to check first thing in the morning, after the fog cleared
Then Jeongin, still peering into the fog, suddenly spoke up in a quiet murmur
“…It got quieter”
All of them- even Seungmin- snapped their heads toward him so fast it probably took a year off their lives.
“Wh- what got quieter?” Hyunjin asked, voice trembling.
Jeongin didn’t look at them
“The creatures.”
“…What creatures?” Jisung tried this time.
Jeongin tilted his head slightly, eyes still fixed on the white nothing ahead.
“I don’t know…” he murmured
“…but they don’t like us.”
That made every single one of them gulp
Seungmin immediately climbed down from wherever he had been lurking.
“If we die, I’m blaming Minho”
Minho let out an offended scoff “Why me?!”
“Don’t need a reason”
Chan cleared his throat loudly, cutting through them before Minho could start a full argument.
“It’s fine” he said, “We stay quiet, leave at first light. If we don’t disturb them, they won’t disturb us.”
That sounded oddly reassuring.
“We don’t know where we are,” Chan continued,
“So we stay together. No wandering off. We sleep on the deck tonight.”
He received a collective look of horror.
“Jeongin” he added, softer now “come back.”
Jeongin didn’t argue he stepped away from the edge slowly.
“What-no-hold on, sleep?” Jisung snapped, immediately latching onto the worst part “Out here?? It’s freezing!”
As if on cue, a cold gust swept across the deck.
Jisung shivered violently “See?! This is how people die-”
“You’ll live,” Seungmin said flatly.
“I won’t, actually”
“What if you are alone in your cabin and a creature creeps up and eats yo?” Changbin asked, very seriously
Jisung froze.
“…Right”
From somewhere behind him, Hyunjin spoke, almost absentminded-
“…at least it’s pretty.”
“WHAT PART OF THIS IS PRETTY?” Jisung snapped
Hyunjin tilted his head slightly, eyes on the fog.
“…the part where we don’t know what’s in it. It dangerous, mysterious and beautiful all at once. It can be anything out there- a curse, a blessing. But we don't know.
This is the beauty of life”
“... I think we should really go to sleep... ”
🌬️
They were a mess.
Seven grown men, supposedly “protectors of the ocean” huddled together on the deck like a pile of discarded laundry. Someone’s leg was over someone else’s face. Someone was halfway off a blanket. Someone -Jisung- was very questionably chewing on what might have been Hyunjin’s hair.
No one had the energy to care. They were all fast asleep.
A sudden knocking sound came from the other end of the ship, making Hyunjin stir in his sleep.
He pushed Jisung off him, trying to get comfortable.
thud
thud… thud
Hyunjin squinted toward the sound, his vision heavy with sleep. A strange blue light caught his eyes, faintly twinkling behind the thick fog.
At first, Hyunjin thought he was dreaming.
But then the blue light moved.
A wet sound followed like something heavy being dragged across the wood.
The fog shifted just enough around it, revealing more of the figure.
Hyunjin’s breath caught in his throat, his heart drumming in his chest.
Someone-or something- was on their ship.
The figure moved again, dragging its body across the deck before bumping into a barrel with a dull knock.
It stilled. Just for a few seconds.
It tapped against the barrel, almost curiously, as if trying to understand what it was. Then, deciding it wasn’t interesting, it moved on and reached for the thick rope beside it, lifting it with both hands and waving it lightly in the air
and then-
chomp
A loud clear sound of sharp teeth sinking straight into the rope.
Hyunjin’s eyes widened fully now, sleep gone in an instant. His hands trembled as the creature turned, slowly moving toward the huddled group.
The blue light swished behind it.
This is not normal.
This is not human.
It’s on our ship.
It took him a second to truly understand what he was seeing.
And the moment it clicked-
He screamed... Right into Jisung's ears.
Who jumped up with a scream of his own.
The reaction was immediate. A complete chain reaction.
Changbin swung at absolutely nothing. Minho reached for his dagger. Seungmin cursed loudly, already sitting up with a glare.
Voices overlapped, crashing into each other
“WHAT HAPPENED? WHO DIED??”
“IS IT A MOUSE AGAIN?”
“LET ME SLEEP—”
A pause.
“WHAT IS THAT?!”
“LIGHT! HYUNJIN, LIGHT!”
“WHY ME?!”
“YOU HAVE POWERS, USE IT!”
“I FORGOT HOW!”
A sharp scratch sounded and then the ship lit up.
Jeongin had the lightning stones and the torch beside him. Bless his soul, really
The light spread over the fog. No one moved
In front of them stood a man.
A beautiful man. With long blonde hair. It clung to his skin, wet and dripping, strands sticking to his face and shoulders. His eyes were large and round almost glowing in the firelight, reflecting it like crystals
His upper body was slender, bare except for the faint blue scales scattered across his skin, catching the light every time he moved.
The half chewed rope still hung from his mouth.
His hands- human at first glance- but the fingers were webbed, the thin membrane stretching slightly as he shifted his grip.
Water dripped from him steadily, pooling against the wood beneath.
Slowly. Their eyes traveled lower.
Past the sharp line where skin gave way to something else.
Toward the source of that strange, shimmering blue.
A tail.
Long. Sleek. Covered in iridescent scales that glowed faintly even in the dim light, shifting with every subtle movement.
It flicked once behind him once. Heavy. Real.
“…A tail?” someone whispered.
Jisung closed his eyes
“…Yeah” he muttered faintly “…we’re dying today”
The thing chirped. Its eyes shining brighter like it's getting excited.
The sound brought immediate chaos.
“It’s cursing us!” Jisung blurted.
The creature chirped again- softer this time- clicking its tongue as it waved its webbed hands around, movements oddly expressive.
Chan wiped his sweaty palms against his clothes, eyes never leaving the creature “Should we-uh-attack it?”
“Byt it’s not attacking us” Minho whispered back, though his grip on the dagger didn’t loosen.
“I don’t feel any danger” Seungmin added, brows furrowed
Hyunjin didn’t say a word. He just stared at the creature, like he is hypnotised
“It’s saying hello” Jeongin spoke quietly.
“...And that you’re all loud.”
Silence.
“A fish is judging us” Changbin crossed his arms.
Ther creature frowned, slashed it's tail against the wood and let out some more excited chirps.
Jeongin translated, “It's asking if we are it's new friends...”
For a moment, no one moved.
The creature blinked at them, tilting it's head slightly, as if confused by the sudden silence.
Then, it shuffled forward. A wet drag across the wood.
Minho tensed immediately, dagger lifting just a fraction. Chan’s arm moved instinctively in a fighting stance.
The creature didn't stop, it drew closer.
Water trailed behind it, tail shifting with slow, heavy flicks. The faint blue glow pulsed once, reflecting along the deck.
Hyunjin swallowed. It was coming closer.
He could see the way its gills fluttered faintly along its neck. The way its lips parted slightly, like it was trying to form something more than just sound.
He was mesmerized
“Don’t-” Seungmin started quietly. But it was already too late.
Hyunjin moved like he was being controlled. He lifted his fingers near the creature's face once he was close enough.
“What are you doing??” Jisung whisper yelled
Hyunjin swallowed, voice bare there, “I think... It's curious”
The creature looked at the finger eagerly, leaning forward. Soft clinking sounds left it's mouth as it reached out and wrapped one webbed hand around Hyunjin's finger.
Hyunjin flinched, but didn’t pull back.
The creature stilled. Its eyes widened.
It chirped again. Louder and excited.
Its tail slapping against the deck once again
Water splashed everywhere.
“OKAY-NO-” Changbin took a step back. “IT’S GETTING COMFORTABLE!”
“It just touched me,” Hyunjin whispered in awe, staring at his hand like he’d been marked by the the heavens
The creature leaned in even closer. Stretched it's other hand and- poked his cheek.
Everyone froze. Hyunjin blinked.
“…It just-”
“It just booped you” Jisung said.
The creature looked pleased, and excited as it's tail started swinging left right, and glowing even brighter
“It likes you” Jeongin says
Hyunjin used his unoccupied hand to cup the creature's face
“So beautiful... I like you too”
“OH HEAVENS HE IS FLIRTING WITH A FISH!”
But the fish seemed to like Hyunjin so much, it moved forward and attached itself to Hyunjin. Wrapping his arms around the boy's neck and pressing closer.
Hyunjin looked delighted.
Everyone else were just too stunned to speak
🧜🏻♀️
The fog had thinned by the the time morning came
Soft gold spilled over the horizon, bleeding into the endless stretch of ocean. Leaving behind a quiet, almost surreal calm- as if the night had never happened.
Almost.
Because it absolutely happened.
The merman still on their ship is a proof.
They hadn't moved much since last night, minds still trying to catch up to the fact that there's a literal sea creature on board.
Hyunjin sat leaning against the mast, hair a mess, clothes damp and clinging uncomfortably to his skin.
The creature- the merman, was still wrapped around him.
Completely.
Arms looped loosely around Hyunjin’s neck, face pressed into his shoulder as it rubbed against him every few seconds, almost like it was… nuzzling.
Hyunjin didn’t look bothered. Didn’t push it away. Didn’t even seem aware of anything else.
He just stared down at it, expression soft. Awed like he’d discovered the most precious thing in the world
“…We should maybe… do something” Changbin said, voice low
No one agreed. No one disagreed either
Chan exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face
“Jeongin. Ask it what it is. And what it wants.”
Jeongin nodded
Then carefully crawled up to where the creature had wrapped itself around his crewmate
The creature paused mid-nuzzle.
Eyes brightening the moment they landed on Jeongin
A soft chirp left it, curious and light.
Hyunjin's reaction was however different. His arm came up, pulling Felix closer against him, protective without even thinking.
Jeongin scoffed quietly but controlled himself
“Who are you?” he started, calm as ever, “and why are you here?”
The creature perked up.
And then- It started chirping. Fast and excited. A string of sounds, clicks, trills, like it had been waiting its entire life to talk.
Jeongin nodded along to each sound very seriously.
Behind him, the others leaned in, barely breathing.
“What did it say?” Hyunjin asked softly, eyes never leaving the creature.
“He” Jeongin corrected “Not it.”
“His name is Felix. And this-” Jeongin gestured vaguely to the ocean around them, “is mermaid clove”
A collective horrified gasp left evryone.
“THIS is mermaid clove? How are we still alive?” Jisung whispered.
Jeongin continued, “He lives here. Likes ships. Got curious so...climbed on board.”
Felix chirped proudly at that.
Jeongin nodded again “And now- And now he likes Hyunjin.”
Hyunjin’s fingers tightened slightly in Felix’s hair.
Felix beamed.
Jeongin continued, “He says he’s marked Hyunjin”
The world stopped.
“And he’s not leaving him.”
“…I’m sorry-WHAT?” Chan snapped
Felix chirped again, louder this time, as if confirming it.
Hyunjin blinked.
“…Marked?” he echoed faintly.
Jeongin hummed “Yeah. Apparently that’s a mermaid thing”
“That’s not a thing” Seungmin murmured
“That is absolutely not a thing.” Minho nodded
Felix suddenly turned and pointed firectly at the rest of them.
Everyone froze. Then collectively took about ten steps back.
But Jeongin smiled, “He says he likes all of you too.
And he’d love to mark you all.”
Horror. That sentence was pure horror to all of them.
“NO!”
“Nope”
“Nuh-uh”
“I rebuke that”
“No thank you”
Felix flinched, at the united refusal. Then pouted, his grip around Hyunjin tightening
Hyunjin slowly lifted a hand, resting it against Felix’s head.
“You don't need all of them” he said quietly.
Chan stared at them.
At the creature. At his crew. Then out at the endless ocean.
“…We are not keeping it”
Felix chirped. Defiant.