Along with hearing Yosuke's voice and it truly registering that this is a person - a mermaid - something else also dawns on him.
This boy is beautiful.
Laced all round with fine strings of pearls, flowing, flowery fins attached to his tail (though they're much more flat and uninspiring here above the water), his whole torso dusted with freckles...
Gender has never mattered to Yu when it's come to attraction. He tends to notice girls more, simply because they also notice him, but it would be impossible not to see this boy's beauty. It's so striking it actually makes his ears heat up, though he otherwise keeps his same calm, impassive demeanor. This boy needs him to be calm right now. He must be terrified. ]
Just stay still, alright? [ He smiles, a faint and kind thing, and inches steadily closer. ] It might sting when I take it out.
[ A few more slow movement, and he's at Yosuke's side. With the same care he's been using this whole time, he reaches over to his hook. It's snarled in Yosuke's fin, and Yu's mouth twists in concern as he sets to work trying to get it loose. It's no easy feat - the texture and solidity of Yosuke's fins reminds him, weirdly, of seaweed. It's thicker and more rubbery than he thought it would feel. His fingers want to slip in something that feels like slime, and at one point his thumb does go sliding right into the point of the hook. His whole body stiffens briefly, but he makes no noise and no other indication of pain. It was more like a pinprick than anything, anyway.
He sits back on his heels once he's got the hook free, carefully curling the thin, fine fishing line around his hand and tracking it back to the rod. This way Yosuke won't be tangled in the line, either.
His thumb is bleeding freely, but he's got some basic medical supplies with his gear. It'll be fine. ]
[ The moment between them is tense, but not threatening. The realization that the person in front of them is an other is keen. Yosuke doesn't feel comfortable, for sure, but the fact that this person, this other boy is making slow, purposeful movements gives him some reassurance. Truthfully, all he has heard of humans hasn't been good. There's a reason that he's supposed to keep away, and why so many of his kind have retreated up to rivers and lakes in the mountains--the estuaries their ancestors came from are no longer safe.
But despite the way his heart pounds, the slow rise and fall of his chest as his the labyrinth organ above his lungs switches the flow of breathing air proper, he doesn't make a jump for it. Honestly, he should--swimming away with a hook stuck in his side is still getting the hell out of dodge.
Yet, he doesn't. He just stares down this other boy. He's not sure how humans age, but if it's anything similar to merpeople, then they don't look that far apart. He definitely wasn't expecting to see a human with those features, though--that hair and those eyes. They remind him a bit of how the surface looks when it's going to rain, gray but placid. Is he sensing calm or something else...control? He's not sure. Something about that look he's getting in return makes him feel self-conscious.
He does as he's told, staying still despite his better judgment. Yosuke watches with a sense of curiosity mixed with trepidation as the other boy works. What he feels is that thing coat of slime that protects his scales from infection in the water, something that tries out easily on land. He hisses as the edge of the hook drags across the opening its already made in his fin, but other than that...
It's over before he realizes it.
Yosuke blinks, surprised, somehow, that this stranger would actually be true to his word. He watches with less fear and more curiosity as the other boy reels the line back in too.
It's hard not to notice the blood, even on land. Normally it's the kind of thing that makes water taste funny. ]
[ He'd gotten a similar sense from Teddie, when he and Chie first met that bear. This imposing sense of otherness that had made it clear they were in a world that didn't belong. Teddie had turned out to be pretty harmless, and pretty sweet, to boot, though it was hard to forget just how alien he was, sometimes. It was only recently that they'd faced Teddie and Rise's Shadows, and Teddie still hadn't turned back up. But the eerie look of his Shadow, the emptiness it had espoused...
... just made it clear there was a lot to learn about their TV World friend.
This boy felt the same way. Though there was something more ethereal about him. Mermaids came from fairy tales and movies; Yu at least had some pop culture knowledge to go on, when it came to, er, what he'd caught.
(Did that mean all the movies and legends were based upon ancient sightings of the real deal? Must be. The similarity was too striking.)
Yu is setting down line and hook when Yosuke speaks up again, and he glances at the other boy, his expression still inscrutable. ]
It's just a scratch.
[ It's a little more than that, but it'll heal quick all the same. He's tugging his gear forward to start looking for his medical supplies when the question catches him by surprise. He doesn't stop what he's doing, but he does give Yosuke a slightly puzzled smile. ]
Eat you... of course not. Why would I do a thing like that? You're a person, just like me.
[ He pauses a beat, looking down as he pulls out some antiseptic ointment and a bandage. ]
... Narukami Yu. [ He looks up again, and his smile is back. ] That's my name.
[ Just a scratch? Is this guy trying to prove something or is he genuinely just...nice? Yosuke's curiosity is piqued. He glances over his shoulder, knowing that he should make a jump for the water and get away as soon as possible, but...
This guy seems keen to chat. Yosuke turns his attention back towards the other boy, uncertain, but not necessarily afraid. He watches Yu's movements with a scrutinizing gaze. What he says is more surprising than what he's doing, though. Yosuke's brows raise and the finds at his ears relax a little. ]
...A person, huh?
[ How strange. He considers them the same when they really couldn't be more different...?
At introductions, Yosuke perks up a little. He knows he shouldn't be too excited about it, but hey, what's better than getting the foot covering of a human or actually getting to talk to one? The real question is, would anyone even believe him?
After a moment, he decides it's only fair... ]
Uwatsu Samegawa no Yozumi. [ A beat, as he raises his chin. ] ...But you can call me Yosuke.
[ Yu finishes up bandaging his thumb with a sort of comfort that suggests practice, like he's done this often. He's putting his supplies away again as he watches the other boy, his smile polite and his curiosity mild. That's all he lets himself express. The mermaid boy is a little easier to read, from the set of his body, from the way his ear fins shift. Though, it's understandable that he'd be nervous, given how they just, ah, met.
He goes still at hearing the other boy's name. Uwatsu Samegawa no Yozumi.
There's a long pause, and he tries: ]
Yosuke... sama? [ That sounded like a really fancy title, anyway. And he doesn't know whoo Yosuke is. Should he be more formal? ]
[ Hearing the honorifics, Yosuke crinkles his nose. Okay, maybe he shouldn't have dropped the full fancy name, even if he did kind of want to impress this human Narukami Yu, but he's never been overly fond with formalities. He'd say hindsight was twenty/twenty but merpeople don't have glasses. ]
...No, really, just "Yosuke". [ He lets out a surprisingly human huff, despite being a creature that spends most of his time under water. ] I think we're past honorifics when you pulled that... [ He motions to where Yu had tucked away the hook. ] ...outta me.
[ A pause. He fidgets a little, sitting as straight as possible. ]
... is the first thing he thinks. Yu finds his smile going a bit soft at the edges before he can stop it, the expression a more genuine now.
Then Yosuke asks for the hook, and Yu tilts his head slightly. ]
... sure.
[ His smile replaced with a look of quiet curiosity, Yu reaches back for the hook, and the rod it's still attached to. Carefully, he places the rod on his lap, tugging lightly at the line to let some slack back into it. Once he's got enough, he cups the hook - and the lure to which it's attached - in a palm and holds that out to Yosuke. ]
[ Yosuke watches just as carefully as Yu moves. When the hook is presented to him, he reaches out, pausing only for a moment, before carefully taking the dangerous object. This thing, this tiny thing has been the sort of thing that parents use to warn their children to stay away from the shore, from certain parts of the river. Up deeper into the mountains is where it's safer. Not here, not in town.
He turns it over in his hand, tapping his finger against the pointy end, but not enough to pierce his skin. ]
[ Yu reaches for his gear, pulling forward his tackle box. He opens it, and sets it on the dock between himself and Yosuke. There's a handful of other lures in there, along with a few spools of fishing line, and the medical supplies he was using. ]
Curious?
[ Not that he could blame Yosuke. Part of him thinks he should feel guilty, suddenly, for having these things, this hobby; but part of him isn't. Fishing isn't an unnatural thing. He'd just ... never counted on mermaids being real.
Though, he reflects, maybe he should have. Are there dragons, too? Vampires? What else out there is real that he thought was impossible...? ]
[ Yosuke guessed this couldn't be the only one, what with the possibility that someone like him or another fish go swimming off with a hook stuck in them. He's seen it happen before, after all. But it's still strange to see it displayed so easily...like someone showing off their arsenal, of sorts.
Yosuke nods honestly, leaning over slightly to take a look at the other lures, and then the one in his hand. ]
[ Yu's not wrong--it's a little morbid, like keeping the knife an assailant came after you with. But Yosuke has a completely logical and totally valid reason, ]
Because no one's gonna believe I survived a human encounter without proof! Now I've got the battle wound scar and the weapon.
[ Okay, he looks a little proud of himself.
But he's not unfair. Despite the, er, complicated introduction, Yu has given him a much better story than he had before. And even better, he didn't kill and eat Yosuke! ]
I can play fair. Look, I'll trade you.
[ With that, he sets the hook and lure aside to unravel one of the strands of pearls he had artfully strung across himself. What was once a crown of sorts comes off easily and he holds it out to Yu. ]
[ Said a little distantly, with a thoughtful look on his face.
Humans ... must be pretty frightening, to his kind. Yosuke doesn't seem scared of him, though... is that weird? Is it interesting? He can't quite make up his mind.
He's surprised again when Yosuke offers to trade him back, and for the first time, he registers real surprise on his face. The string of pearls... Yu puts his hands up, but in a warding gesture. ]
[ Yu merely nods at that, still thoughtful. He can't deny the practicality of it, even if it makes him think about his own tendency to fish at pretty much that specific time. Well, if they normally avoid the river at that time, maybe it means he won't accidentally hurt someone again like this?
He pulls in a breath at Yosuke's apparent confusion, his brow settling low. ]
It's not... [ By way of explanation, he gestures at Yosuke's fin and murmurs: ] I hurt you.
[ Realization spreads across his face pretty quickly. Yosuke's confusion smoothes out into understanding--he shakes his head as if he's shaking off Yu's apparent apprehension of his offer. ]
You let me go. Like...I've never heard of any stories about that. I mean we don't really talk to humans at all, but we're pretty much told it only ends poorly, so... [ He offers the pearls again with a lopsided grin. ] Unless you're just trying to mess with me...take it.
[ Hearing that...it's not so much that Yosuke disagrees, he's just...never thought of it any other way. They all grew up being told just to stay away from humans. The world is a different place now, and they were lucky enough to be where they were that the threat was low. He hadn't had any reason to think of alternatives, not until now.
There's a pause on his end as Yosuke seems to absorb the soft comment. Despite himself, his smile twitches a bit. ]
I guess not.
[ He does have a bit of pride associated with the pearls, though. Yu doesn't realize how special they are, but Yosuke's not sure if he should risk giving away all his secrets. His mom could get upset. ]
Ah, well...just take good care of 'em and we're even. Okay?
[ Yu is running his fingers over the pearls, apparently somewhat in awe. He glances up again in time to see Yosuke's smile, and he responds in kind without thinking. ]
Of course.
[ His smile warms, and Yu lifts the pearls to affix them on his own head the same way Yosuke did. ]
How do I look?
[ Truly, he's thinking of how to keep them. They won't fit as a necklace... and he won't be able to hide them under his clothes otherwise. And he doesn't want to cut the string they're on to affix a clasp. Wear them on his wrist? People will ask questions... ]
[ Yosuke, of course, doesn't see anything wrong with wearing them, although he's got a feeling that Yu isn't used to it. He raises a brow slightly and lets out a snort. ]
It's a good look for you.
[ He picks up the fish hook that had caused him so much trouble while he speaks, turning it over between his fingers. ]
I should get back before I dry out, but...thanks for, you know, letting me go. I won't forget it.
[ The laugh wins a smile wide enough to show his teeth, if only for just a moment. ]
Thanks. I bet I look pretty dashing.
[ There's a compliment hidden in there, but he won't clarify it. Instead, he'll remove the string of pearls from his head and nod. He'd... like to keep talking to Yosuke, but... he can't keep him, and he'd be surprised if he ever saw him again. He keeps his regrets off his face, but his voice is a little softer. ]
[ This definitely isn't the way he thought his day would go, but he's not exactly complaining. He doesn't want to push his luck too far, yet he can't help but flash a little smile of his own. ]
Yeah...you too.
[ There's a pause before he pulls himself to the edge. He's not particularly graceful on the dock, but as soon as he dives off of it, he's back in his element. Yosuke affords a somewhat flashy wave of his tail before disappearing underneath the current. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Along with hearing Yosuke's voice and it truly registering that this is a person - a mermaid - something else also dawns on him.
This boy is beautiful.
Laced all round with fine strings of pearls, flowing, flowery fins attached to his tail (though they're much more flat and uninspiring here above the water), his whole torso dusted with freckles...
Gender has never mattered to Yu when it's come to attraction. He tends to notice girls more, simply because they also notice him, but it would be impossible not to see this boy's beauty. It's so striking it actually makes his ears heat up, though he otherwise keeps his same calm, impassive demeanor. This boy needs him to be calm right now. He must be terrified. ]
Just stay still, alright? [ He smiles, a faint and kind thing, and inches steadily closer. ] It might sting when I take it out.
[ A few more slow movement, and he's at Yosuke's side. With the same care he's been using this whole time, he reaches over to his hook. It's snarled in Yosuke's fin, and Yu's mouth twists in concern as he sets to work trying to get it loose. It's no easy feat - the texture and solidity of Yosuke's fins reminds him, weirdly, of seaweed. It's thicker and more rubbery than he thought it would feel. His fingers want to slip in something that feels like slime, and at one point his thumb does go sliding right into the point of the hook. His whole body stiffens briefly, but he makes no noise and no other indication of pain. It was more like a pinprick than anything, anyway.
He sits back on his heels once he's got the hook free, carefully curling the thin, fine fishing line around his hand and tracking it back to the rod. This way Yosuke won't be tangled in the line, either.
His thumb is bleeding freely, but he's got some basic medical supplies with his gear. It'll be fine. ]
There.
no subject
But despite the way his heart pounds, the slow rise and fall of his chest as his the labyrinth organ above his lungs switches the flow of breathing air proper, he doesn't make a jump for it. Honestly, he should--swimming away with a hook stuck in his side is still getting the hell out of dodge.
Yet, he doesn't. He just stares down this other boy. He's not sure how humans age, but if it's anything similar to merpeople, then they don't look that far apart. He definitely wasn't expecting to see a human with those features, though--that hair and those eyes. They remind him a bit of how the surface looks when it's going to rain, gray but placid. Is he sensing calm or something else...control? He's not sure. Something about that look he's getting in return makes him feel self-conscious.
He does as he's told, staying still despite his better judgment. Yosuke watches with a sense of curiosity mixed with trepidation as the other boy works. What he feels is that thing coat of slime that protects his scales from infection in the water, something that tries out easily on land. He hisses as the edge of the hook drags across the opening its already made in his fin, but other than that...
It's over before he realizes it.
Yosuke blinks, surprised, somehow, that this stranger would actually be true to his word. He watches with less fear and more curiosity as the other boy reels the line back in too.
It's hard not to notice the blood, even on land. Normally it's the kind of thing that makes water taste funny. ]
...You cut yourself.
[ ...For him.
Why? ]
...Does this mean you're not gonna eat me?
no subject
... just made it clear there was a lot to learn about their TV World friend.
This boy felt the same way. Though there was something more ethereal about him. Mermaids came from fairy tales and movies; Yu at least had some pop culture knowledge to go on, when it came to, er, what he'd caught.
(Did that mean all the movies and legends were based upon ancient sightings of the real deal? Must be. The similarity was too striking.)
Yu is setting down line and hook when Yosuke speaks up again, and he glances at the other boy, his expression still inscrutable. ]
It's just a scratch.
[ It's a little more than that, but it'll heal quick all the same. He's tugging his gear forward to start looking for his medical supplies when the question catches him by surprise. He doesn't stop what he's doing, but he does give Yosuke a slightly puzzled smile. ]
Eat you... of course not. Why would I do a thing like that? You're a person, just like me.
[ He pauses a beat, looking down as he pulls out some antiseptic ointment and a bandage. ]
... Narukami Yu. [ He looks up again, and his smile is back. ] That's my name.
no subject
This guy seems keen to chat. Yosuke turns his attention back towards the other boy, uncertain, but not necessarily afraid. He watches Yu's movements with a scrutinizing gaze. What he says is more surprising than what he's doing, though. Yosuke's brows raise and the finds at his ears relax a little. ]
...A person, huh?
[ How strange. He considers them the same when they really couldn't be more different...?
At introductions, Yosuke perks up a little. He knows he shouldn't be too excited about it, but hey, what's better than getting the foot covering of a human or actually getting to talk to one? The real question is, would anyone even believe him?
After a moment, he decides it's only fair... ]
Uwatsu Samegawa no Yozumi. [ A beat, as he raises his chin. ] ...But you can call me Yosuke.
no subject
He goes still at hearing the other boy's name. Uwatsu Samegawa no Yozumi.
There's a long pause, and he tries: ]
Yosuke... sama? [ That sounded like a really fancy title, anyway. And he doesn't know whoo Yosuke is. Should he be more formal? ]
no subject
...No, really, just "Yosuke". [ He lets out a surprisingly human huff, despite being a creature that spends most of his time under water. ] I think we're past honorifics when you pulled that... [ He motions to where Yu had tucked away the hook. ] ...outta me.
[ A pause. He fidgets a little, sitting as straight as possible. ]
Can I see it?
no subject
... is the first thing he thinks. Yu finds his smile going a bit soft at the edges before he can stop it, the expression a more genuine now.
Then Yosuke asks for the hook, and Yu tilts his head slightly. ]
... sure.
[ His smile replaced with a look of quiet curiosity, Yu reaches back for the hook, and the rod it's still attached to. Carefully, he places the rod on his lap, tugging lightly at the line to let some slack back into it. Once he's got enough, he cups the hook - and the lure to which it's attached - in a palm and holds that out to Yosuke. ]
Careful.
no subject
He turns it over in his hand, tapping his finger against the pointy end, but not enough to pierce his skin. ]
Is this the only one you have?
WHY DIDN'T I GET THIS NOTIF??
[ Yu reaches for his gear, pulling forward his tackle box. He opens it, and sets it on the dock between himself and Yosuke. There's a handful of other lures in there, along with a few spools of fishing line, and the medical supplies he was using. ]
Curious?
[ Not that he could blame Yosuke. Part of him thinks he should feel guilty, suddenly, for having these things, this hobby; but part of him isn't. Fishing isn't an unnatural thing. He'd just ... never counted on mermaids being real.
Though, he reflects, maybe he should have. Are there dragons, too? Vampires? What else out there is real that he thought was impossible...? ]
I DON'T KNOW I WAS LONELY
Yosuke nods honestly, leaning over slightly to take a look at the other lures, and then the one in his hand. ]
Can I keep it?
NOOOOO I STILL LOVE YOU I PROMISE
Yeah. But ... can I ask why? I thought...
[ it might bother you, he doesn't say. ]
I DON'T KNOW IF I BELIEVE YOU ANYMORE
Because no one's gonna believe I survived a human encounter without proof! Now I've got the battle wound scar and the weapon.
[ Okay, he looks a little proud of himself.
But he's not unfair. Despite the, er, complicated introduction, Yu has given him a much better story than he had before. And even better, he didn't kill and eat Yosuke! ]
I can play fair. Look, I'll trade you.
[ With that, he sets the hook and lure aside to unravel one of the strands of pearls he had artfully strung across himself. What was once a crown of sorts comes off easily and he holds it out to Yu. ]
RUDE?! MY LOVE IS PURE & REAL
[ Said a little distantly, with a thoughtful look on his face.
Humans ... must be pretty frightening, to his kind. Yosuke doesn't seem scared of him, though... is that weird? Is it interesting? He can't quite make up his mind.
He's surprised again when Yosuke offers to trade him back, and for the first time, he registers real surprise on his face. The string of pearls... Yu puts his hands up, but in a warding gesture. ]
I ... can't accept that.
[ It's too much, isn't it? ]
I CAN'T FEEL IT YET
Well, yeah. I mean, there's a reason we don't usually hit up this part of the river in the middle of the day.
[ Duh!
He's a little confused by his offer being refused, though. His brows furrow just a little, head cocked slightly to the side. ]
I don't have much else on me...
grasps your face in both hands & smooches you. IS THAT ENOUGH FOR YOU?!
He pulls in a breath at Yosuke's apparent confusion, his brow settling low. ]
It's not... [ By way of explanation, he gestures at Yosuke's fin and murmurs: ] I hurt you.
[ That's not worthy of repayment, he thinks. ]
getting better, yes
You let me go. Like...I've never heard of any stories about that. I mean we don't really talk to humans at all, but we're pretty much told it only ends poorly, so... [ He offers the pearls again with a lopsided grin. ] Unless you're just trying to mess with me...take it.
what more must i do
[ He says that not for himself, but for humans in general.
After a moment of hesitation, though, he reaches out to take the pearls. Very carefully, like they're something incredibly precious. ]
They're amazing, [ he murmurs, with his chin down, still staring at the gift. ] Thank you.
once more plz
There's a pause on his end as Yosuke seems to absorb the soft comment. Despite himself, his smile twitches a bit. ]
I guess not.
[ He does have a bit of pride associated with the pearls, though. Yu doesn't realize how special they are, but Yosuke's not sure if he should risk giving away all his secrets. His mom could get upset. ]
Ah, well...just take good care of 'em and we're even. Okay?
ah, i see... smooches several more times
Of course.
[ His smile warms, and Yu lifts the pearls to affix them on his own head the same way Yosuke did. ]
How do I look?
[ Truly, he's thinking of how to keep them. They won't fit as a necklace... and he won't be able to hide them under his clothes otherwise. And he doesn't want to cut the string they're on to affix a clasp. Wear them on his wrist? People will ask questions... ]
much better
It's a good look for you.
[ He picks up the fish hook that had caused him so much trouble while he speaks, turning it over between his fingers. ]
I should get back before I dry out, but...thanks for, you know, letting me go. I won't forget it.
you hardly have to ask for smooches ;*
Thanks. I bet I look pretty dashing.
[ There's a compliment hidden in there, but he won't clarify it. Instead, he'll remove the string of pearls from his head and nod. He'd... like to keep talking to Yosuke, but... he can't keep him, and he'd be surprised if he ever saw him again. He keeps his regrets off his face, but his voice is a little softer. ]
Yeah. Take care of yourself, Yosuke.
⃛ヾ(๑❛ ▿ ◠๑ )
Yeah...you too.
[ There's a pause before he pulls himself to the edge. He's not particularly graceful on the dock, but as soon as he dives off of it, he's back in his element. Yosuke affords a somewhat flashy wave of his tail before disappearing underneath the current. ]