𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙨 || ƒᴇʀᴀʟ x 𝗌𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗒𝖾𝗈𝗇

[ƒeral]

​

---

⦊ ωᴀᴛᴇʀ ⦉​

---

Looking at Hwayoung was difficult. It wasn’t like the other girl had suddenly sprouted a second set of antlers overnight, but rather that every glimpse reclaimed fragments from the night prior. Alcohol had a tendency to jumble her memories, but never to the point where Amaya forgot where she had been, who she had been with, and more importantly, what she had done. The filtered sunlight warmed the mauve of Hwayoung’s hair to a striking shade of orchid, which brought to mind how soft they had been tangled between her fingers. The mattress dimpled beneath Hwayoung’s weight, a weight Amaya could recall with startling accuracy. That thought made her mouth go dry, and she might have groaned at how embarrassingly callow she was behaving, had her jaw not been quite so flexed.

She kept her eyes on Hwayoung, equal parts stubborn and equal parts sincere. Because as easy as it would be to just turn tail and flee this entirely too disconcerting situation, that was not her way. What happened was an overabundance of alcohol and hormones bereft of good sense and communication. There were words that needed to be exchanged, emotions that needed to be untangled; luckily for Amaya, one of them was far more coherent in these situations.

Kicking her shoes off at the door, she approached the bed with tentative steps. Skittish, tail low and uncertain, shoulders bunched with tension and bangs falling into her eyes. She didn’t take the offered seat, but did hover close, keeping quiet while Hwayoung said her piece. Now this, this was familiar, and familiarity was comforting. Whereas Amaya had a tendency to clamp up when uncomfortable, Hwayoung excelled at articulating her honest thoughts to their shared friends. It was one of the many traits she admired of her best friend, because in spite of being able to talk near endlessly about any number of random subjects, Amaya truly was terrible when it came to anything to do with feelings. In a way, it only made sense given her upbringing. Three older brothers and an emotionally unavailable father tended to have that effect.

But, regardless of whether Amaya was good at this feelings thing or not, she also understood that there was no going backwards once it’s all out in the open like this. It reminded her of a team-building exercise they all had to participate in as first-years. Trust fall. Hwayoung had taken the plunge, and the least Amaya could do was not be a scaredy-cat.

And so, sucking in a breath, she did her best to organize her thoughts. “That's just the thing - I do think differently of you.” It helped that those pale golds had closed, because this was difficult enough without eye contact. She reached out and tidied those frosted bangs, so stylistically similar yet dichotomically opposed. And when those lashes fluttered, whether on the verge of opening or not, she flattened her palm over Hwayoung’s eyes. Gentle, but insistent.

“I’ve always known you to be beautiful, inside and out, but,” Amaya swallowed thickly, ears pinning back with distress. It was almost ironic how bad she was at this given her skirt-chasing tendencies. However, she would push through. She owed it to herself, to Hwayoung. “I’m used to seeing the girl I grew up with when I look at you, the girl who retrieved my kickball from the tides and the girl who tried to hide in a swimming pool rather than move back to Korea.” A snort interrupted her words. It was inopportune, but she accepted it, and hoped that Hwayoung would understand too.

With her own hand blocking out that expressive gaze, her own roamed over Hwayoung’s features in search of something to address her words to. She angled down, free hand bracing against the covers, her voice a low murmur but crystal clear in the relative silence of their room. “It’s not that I’ve forgotten all of those things, but when I look at you now, I see more than that, and I’m having a hard time coming to terms with it…” She trailed off, fixating upon those lips that she had come to know so intimately a night prior. Her breathing picked up, nervousness or something else, it was hard to say. “I am perfectly sober today.” It didn’t need to be voiced aloud, but she did it anyway, almost as if to reassure herself. She leaned in closer, the tip of her nose bumping up against the other. “And yet, all I can think about right now is how I want to kiss you again.” Her exhale puffed slow and shaky, a familiar dance. Instincts urged that she simply take what she wanted, but she would ask, because she was more than instincts, because she had to be sure.

“Tell me no.”​

​

 

[sorayeon]

​

---

so i pour another shot,
and i pretend that it's your lips -
chase down another round
until i taste your whiskey kiss -
tomorrow tonight, Loote​

​

---

Opening her eyes against the warm palm felt a little like taking a shower in the dark. A little light seeped between the gaps but it was mostly the sudden comfort plunging its talons into her brain. Call it the primitive fish part of her that found solace in the depths of the ocean, nestled within a large coral reef or taking refuge in a watery crevice. Or maybe it was because of that familiar smell, the pressure like a weighted blanket for the face, or a hot towel. Amaya might have felt Hwayoung's eyelashes brush against her palm when they partially closed, her eyes darting this way and that out of habit.

But Hwayoung listened too. She was very good at it. While her fins did not follow the blueprint of human or animal ears, they worked just as well. Amaya's voice was amplified through her lack of sight, the low vibrato humming like a favourite melody. And of course, she had to bring up the swimming pool. The chlorine had stuck to her scales for days after and left them temporarily discolored. It had been such an event too. The cleaners actually came and sucked all the water away, leaving the brightly colored floaties limp on the unsurprisingly dirty tiles. Hwayoung remembered the smell of the filters burping hot air into nothing.

The mattress dipped against a light weight, Amaya's knee or a hand, perhaps. Hwayoung's own hands were light fists in her lap, clenching and unclenching to keep them busy. It was such an unexpected monologue filled with an honesty so raw Hwayoung was almost embarrassed to be privy to it. Her cheeks were hot with it. She wondered if she should interrupt or say something, maybe offer a compliment back or reject Amaya's words of affirmation. Maybe, and this was a startling realization, she had bitten off more than she could chew. Hwayoung could not dissect the emotion and intent on Amaya's face without, well, seeing said face. So it was entirely up to her gut which was trying very hard not to make a break for it.

Her best friend's face floated in front of her closed eyes. Sharp, sweet and kind. A little rough around the edges but Hwayoung would rather die than take a polish to it. A smooth talker, yes, yet somehow still bumbled her way through feelings and all the other ugly stuff. Then again, it would be uglier still to deny it. Emboldened by this sudden spark of philosophical thought, Hwayoung gently pried Amaya's fingers away from her eyes which remained firmly shut. It was a gasp of air. Amaya was leading her toward unfamiliar territory, one she had only really seen in postcards and letters to pals countries away.

Hwayoung shook her head and bridged the distance, her lips curved and soft. No, it did not matter that Amaya had said all those things and Hwayoung only believed half of it. She would need five to seven business days to process and run every single word through the ringer, but right now, this was what she wanted. It was all Hwayoung thought about, if thoughts could be boiled down to a single event. She was still, didn't dare to move. Her fidgeting hands found their place on Amaya's hips, on her waist.

She was breathless for no reason. "I would never tell you no." And kissed her best friend again.​

---

daf7a6 x 8ff4d9​

 

[ƒeral]

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⦊ ωᴀᴛᴇʀ ⦉​

---

There was a moment of hesitation, that is this really happening are we really doing this what does this mean for our friendship stretched ad infinitum. An infinity that only lasted about two heartbeats, because before Amaya could complete that thought, her eyelids had already fluttered close. Both of her hands found themselves gripping the covers, heart at her throat. For a few breathless seconds, she was content with the simple press of lips against lips. It was the sentiment behind the kiss that was dizzying. But it was hard to puzzle out the implications when her brain stuttered and her chest swelled with a confusing mixture of happiness and relief.

Before she knew it, it was her pressing insistently into Hwayoung, a hand slipping away from the sheet to lock into the back of the cranium, tangling into the soft threads there. That she was still standing had her towering over Hwayoung, a height advantage she took full advantage of as she angled down, deepening their liplock. What started as a languid kiss soon evolved into something far more frenzied; her desire for her best friend, with or without the spur of alcohol, was painfully obvious. Tongue mapped against the rim of the bottom lip, a tentative caress that grew bolder and bolder with each shared breath. Her fingers gripped into hair tighter, her exhales coming harsher as she steered the once innocent kiss into something decidedly more.

Teeth proved no obstacle before her exploratory intent, and, with little preamble, Amaya re-mapped the shape of a fang, before pressing forward emphatically enough that her own indented against Hwayoung’s lip. A soft rumble burbled at the back of her throat, tail curling around Hwayoung’s forearm, her heritage on full display. That she had been very excited a night prior with no ultimate gratification of any sort came to bear in the same way as a cattle prod upon the herd. She’d withdraw, tease with a lick or a nip, only to assail forth again. The kiss was hungry, and her mind was devoid of higher level thoughts. Her focus fixated solely on Hwayoung, as though she was the only real thing.

In her haste, Amaya must’ve braced too much of her weight forward, because the next thing she knew, she was toppling forward, bringing Hwayoung down with her. Sable poured down as though a veil, pooling over the lilac she disturbed with her tight grip. She was acutely aware of the proximity of their bodies, and took solace in the fact that her heart rate wasn’t the only one spiraling out of control. This was familiar. A natural conclusion even, in other instances when she might find herself alone with a girl and a bed. That familiarity urged her to misbehave, but this was fast and, though she couldn’t claim to be particularly knowledgeable about all of her bestie’s amorous habits, did not seem in line with what Hwayoung usually got up to.

And so, settling her weight upon a forearm, she ended the kiss in favor of hovering a few inches above. Her eyes were lidded, but open, pupils blown in testament of how much this affected her. But, despite the rapid rise and fall of her breasts, her tone was the sort that brooked no argument. “We should stop.” That pained her to say, but Amaya was, rough edges notwithstanding, a considerate person at heart. She continued before there was time for any possible misinterpretations. “I mean, you probably wouldn’t want to miss all your classes today.” Then, in a quieter voice, she added. “And I want to take you out. This weekend, maybe?”​

 

[sorayeon]

​

---

so i pour another shot,
and i pretend that it's your lips -
chase down another round
until i taste your whiskey kiss -
tomorrow tonight, Loote​

​

---

A massive chisel had been driven into the admittedly fragile dam that kept all her feelings at bay. The party was a transformative experience, an innocent outing that, statistically speaking, should not have been any different from the countless other parties they went to. Hwayoung wouldn't bother with statistics. It was the years and years of friendship that was the issue. Amaya's presence always did nothing but make her feel almost home. That despite the persistent chlorine and cold tiles sticking to her skin, despite the skirt-chasing and midnight gossip about which girl and that girl, Amaya was the one she could rely on. That was not so easy to sweep aside.

Hwayoung had other friends, of course. She had acquaintances with similar hobbies, and had even met some of these off Bubble. There was no point in comparing that one merman whose tongue was barbed and skilled to Amaya's lips, which were warm and familiar. Not many others besides. None she could recall now. Hwayoung chalked it up to the dusty sunshine and the lazy heat that warmed the room to a comfortable temperature.

It was, like how it began, daring. Chasing the spark to the warmth, the press of her siren mouth was hot and desperate; Hwayoung wasn't sure what the next step was, and her uncertainty ballooned when Amaya, frozen like a popsicle stick, remained largely unreactive. For a nano-second, the chain reaction was about to ignite some very embarrassing core memories for Hwayoung, who was on the verge of a loud apology.

The apology turned into a whimper against the chaste kiss, Amaya's hand firm against the back of her head. There was the roughness that Hwayoung had clocked so long ago, the dull pain made bearable by the soft pleasure, the sudden onslaught of varying sensations overloading her poor brain as it made the heroic effort to parse each feeling individually. Tooth for tooth, Hwayoung had no chance. Amaya had the fangs of a decorated predator. She could only get away with brief nibbles of her own, her tongue rolling gently over questing canines.

The teasing proved to be too much. She misplaced her ability to think; she felt like a switch that had been violently pushed too many times. There was that telling heat boiling below, deep in her gut like shifting tectonic plates. There was the dangerous twitch and tremble of her thighs as Amaya's furry tail. The tips of her ears were boiling too, and if scales could somehow shimmer shyly, that's what they did. The sun gleamed off the rigid patterns, their coloration similar to how water looked when the sun reflected off the ocean. Where blue looked grey and green looked blue.

"We should," Hwayoung said, not quite sure whether she actually agreed or disagreed which was a testament to how much Amaya had affected her with a simple kiss. Her breaths were also coming heavy as she caught as many sharp huffs of air as she could. "I do have classes today." Warring between her illicit desire for her best friend and her desire to be the best in her class, Hwayoung merely followed Amaya's lead. Except Amaya's lead turned out to be so unlike Amaya, Hwayoung almost expired on the spot.

Rarely did Amaya take you out, and she could not quite recall the last time that had happened.

What they were. What they were doing. Why?
It didn't matter.​

So, Hwayoung did it. She cupped Amaya's cheek and kissed her chastely on the side of her mouth. "Please. I really would like that."

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daf7a6 x 8ff4d9​

 

[ƒeral]

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⦊ ωᴀᴛᴇʀ ⦉​

---

Given that said ‘taking out’ was a rarity, a local trip to the theater or a lunch outing at a cafe simply wouldn’t do. Besides, they already did stuff like that on a regular basis. No, although Amaya was admittedly still trying to figure out the correct nomenclature for what the hell they were doing, she was also very insistent upon this being an occasion. And so, she rented a car, a modest coupe that had definitely seen better days, and stocked it with colorful towels, a mini cooler packed with coldcut sandwiches, a whole watermelon, and bubbly sodas. Sunglasses, check. White sand beneath a clear sky and sunny rays awaits!

The drive was long enough to be boring, but not long enough to be exhausting. It was supposed to be about three hours, but it ended up being about two and a quarter. She would not be taking questions about speed limits at this time. From the visitor parking area, it was about a thirty minute walk to the actual beach, and she gamely strapped the waterproof backpack to her back, hefted the cooler over a shoulder, and hauled a foldable sunshade in her other arm. Given that it was the beginning of fall semester, the tourism wasn’t quite at its peak, but there was certainly a large number of beach goers here to make the best of the remaining sunny days.

Summer was Amaya’s favorite season, and it showed in her excitable gait, all but speed-demoning towards the general direction of the ocean despite the overabundance of objects she ferried. Given the notoriety of beach changing rooms, she came prepared. A white, open stitch cardigan offered some level of sun protection on their trek, and beneath that, she was already in full beach gear. The white, semi-elastic bikini top did an excellent job at emphasizing her boobs - but that was a given, right? - though the relative sturdiness of the shoulder straps indicated that she planned on doing some actual swimming. And beneath those absolutely chiseled abs were her hipbones disappearing into a pair of board shorts, patterned in approximation to an USA flag. Not out of any particular patriotism, but just because sporting the USA flag in Seoul appealed to the rebel in her.

Forgoing a hat, she instead wore her hair in a high ponytail, allowing her ears to radar to and fro in rapt attention to the overabundance of sound. The salt wafting from the ocean was so strong that she could practically taste it. In a way, she could hardly be blamed for her excitement. Because summer was slipping away right between the gaps of their fingers! This was the last chance to catch its tail, and she fully intended on making the most of it. Besides, she had her best friend slash…(?) with her, and good company always made for good adventures.

“I heard they have banana boats.” She offered, offhandedly, peering over the rims of her rose-hued aviators. “Have you been on one of those before? I still can’t believe I’ve been here four months now and haven’t been to the beach yet, why does school have to be so time consuming?” A pause, before she suddenly looked suspicious. “You are not going to be doing any school assignments on this trip, right?”​

 

[sorayeon]

​

---

so i pour another shot,
and i pretend that it's your lips -
chase down another round
until i taste your whiskey kiss -
tomorrow tonight, Loote​

​

---

It was impossible for Hwayoung to be more excited. Maybe the kissing might have eked its way to the top spot for reasons, but when she was told that they would be going to the sea of all places, well! Hwayoung could have just kissed Amaya all over again. For the rest of the day, she was an overly enthused sprite, absolutely unleashed and ready for the salty sea spray to hit her skin. Busy with classes and forced social situations, she very rarely had the opportunity to go to the ocean, which really was just a different sort of home than an four walls could provide.

Hwayoung 'helped' with packing. She fussed over the weather and potential swimwear, shamelessly reverting to her old self while putting on a light fashion show and asking Amaya for her well-informed opinion on a light blue two-piece or a frilly yellow number that had no functional purpose in the water but looked extremely flattering when the wearer's intent was to soak up as much sun as physically possible. Hwayoung very obviously favored the former: she was definitely going into the water, no ifs or buts about. She had the long, lithe fom of a swimmer without the prominent muscle and zero-fat diet.

She could not tell you what they talked about during the car trip there, only that it had the same dreamy nostalgic feel only the beginning of summer vacation could impart, except it wasn't summer and they weren't about to go skinny dipping in the dark. Windows down, sunnies perched on the nose and the wind in your hair with the smell of the sea coming ever closer. Like Amaya, Hwayoung declined the use of a hat as well, stating there was no reason for it as merfolk skin did not tan or burn in any capacity. In fact, it took on an almost transparent quality when underwater as if someone had peeled away the plastic film from a brand new television: a quality they were well known for, of course.

Hwayoung almost protested the patriotic pair of shorts. She had almost hid them away or stuffed them down the back of the wardrobe but relented because it was a little funny. And anyway, they might distract from Amaya's stomach or boobs, a thought which she was determined not to dissect and by then, she was already in the car and near wiggling in her seat with poorly disguised glee. Hwayoung practically hopped, skipped and jumped from the vehicle before they came to a stop and gathered all their effects and off they were!

The sand was soft under her sandals and they quickly claimed a spot close enough to some trees that would take some of the heat off them once the sun was high enough. Their mat was weighed down on each corner and their cooler was popped open for some easy refreshment. There was that familiar pungent, briny smell that settled comfortably around her. Hwayoung saw Amaya's ears roving around as delighted shrieks and screams of laughter rose to the occasion. Grinning, she twisted her snowy hair up into a messy bun and contemplated shedding her jacket.

"I've heard of them," Hwayoung said, scratching at her cheek thoughtfully. "To be honest, I'm not a fan of boats." She was sitting with her legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. Her scales were intricate, overlapping patterns slinking up her thigh and disappearing beneath the cut of her shorts. She could see other merfolk splashing about in the water as well - the beach was packed with people regardless. It was one of the only ones near enough to campus that didn't make it a slog to travel to.

"You wound me," she couldn't even feign offense because yeah, she thought about it, but wasn't about to risk an ocean date for a few piddly papers. Which surprised even her. "Do you want to go on a banana boat? We can always go to Jeju Island when we're done with classes for the year. This isn't even the best beach in the country." Hwayoung took a sip of her soda, the cool condensation pleasant on her warm palms and rather embarrassed for no reason. "I mean, I don't want to jump the gun or anything."

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daf7a6 x 8ff4d9​

 

[ƒeral]

​

---

⦊ ωᴀᴛᴇʀ ⦉​

---

“We can skip the boat if you are not a fan,” Amaya offered, good-naturedly, before adding, “I’m mostly just looking forward to swimming anyway.” Unlike Hwayoung, Amaya was still up and about, fussing over the angle of the sunshade whilst cooling down with a bottle of fizzy water. “I feel like I’ve heard about this Jeju Island before. Did you send me a postcard from there, maybe?” She paused long enough in her fidgeting to scratch her chin, brow dipping contemplatively. A particular recollection pushed to the surface, and her laughter rang out suddenly and boisterously, befitting the cheerful ambience. “It’s the island shaped like a turtle, isn’t it. The one that looks like a hunchback? Remember how I drew googly eyes on it and sent you a picture?”

In a way, that helped ground her, because whatever else might be true, Hwayoung was her best friend. That fact was immutable and would remain immutable. She smiled warmly at the seated girl, before offering her palm. “That is so like you to plan an entire semester ahead.” A roll of the eyes accompanied the playful ribbing. “We’ll chalk that up to a maybe.” Playing coy, she could do that, but never without purpose. “By which I mean, I could be bribed.” And there it was, right on cue. “But first, we are at a lovely beach, so stop planning for later and come swim with me.”

She half-helped, half-dragged Hwayoung up from the towel, before chucking her own plastic bottle back into the cooler with a clean swish. Her purpose accomplished, she should have let go of Hwayoung’s hand, but felt disinclined to do so. Because, best-friendship aside, it was also true that she was noticing things in a brand new light. Take that smattering of scales, for example. Did she know Hwayoung had those? Absolutely, could even tell you that the hue was slightly different by day vs. night, based on how light refracted. But what was new was the different way she appreciated that fact, that not entirely innocent desire to run her fingers along the same and follow them beneath the hem. Slow and restrained really wasn’t her style, but she also didn’t want to treat Hwayoung the same way as one of her usual romps. Whether out of fear that she might spook her friend, or due to something more nuanced, it was hard to say.

And so, Amaya buried that particular urge down and reached up instead to smooth a strand of frosty hair behind a earfin. Not because it needed any straightening, but entirely to indulge her wish for more contact. She licked her lips, and considered offering a compliment. Ninety-nine percent of the time, she was very adept at pretty-girl slaying, and, if she wanted to, could easily steal a kiss here and then. However, when it came to Hwayoung, it was like she misplaced her playbook or something, and instead just stared at those lips a second too long before averting her gaze. “I’ll race ya,” she cleared her throat, changing course to a safer topic. “You used to swim laps around me back in Washington, think you still got it in you?”​