What goes around, comes around
TimKon, Mermaid AU, Mermaid Tim, Human Kon, Worldbuilding, Humour, Telepathy, Injured Tim, Confused Kon.
Summary: Kon had always considered mermaids to be ruthless creatures, a mystery the world wouldn’t be able to fully solve, and yet here in this tank in front of him this mermaid is adorably pouting because he’s not getting his own way.
Enjoy! :D
When the door to the office slams open Kon jumps and looks up from the textbook he had been studying, he blinks in surprise as his dad barges in without a word. The man instantly walks over to his desk and starts rummaging through the various bits of paper scattered on the desktop clearly looking for something specific.
Kon goes to ask him what’s the matter but stops himself when he sees that his dad is currently on the phone. His tone is rather stern, his words coming out in a rush with a sense of urgency. Before he could so much listen in to what was being conversed his dad hangs up and turns to him wearing a hard expression.
“I need you to sort a tank out in the next hour.” His dad tells him in lieu of an explanation to his behaviour.
Kon frowns, caught off guard by the instruction. “A tank – was that what the call was about? What’s so urgent that an animal is being brought here without any planning or preparation?”
Here being the animal sanctuary Kon and his dad work at. They specialise in aquatic animals, the building they work in having been designed and built with many different types of tanks all of which have their own specifications to host the various and different kinds of creatures they would come across. Being told to prepare a tank isn’t unusual however normally there’s more planning and preparation beforehand so they can make sure the tank is prepared correctly for the animal they’re about to host.
Being told to prepare one out of the blue is both bizarre and alarming.
His dad shakes his head. “It’s not an animal being brought in,” Kon goes to question him but his dad silences Kon with a look, “I’ve just had a call that one of the fishing vessels by the coast has caught a mermaid. This mermaid is severely injured and they weren’t sure on what to do.”
Kon’s eyes widen at that, the shock of the news making it to register what he’s being told. “A mermaid? A fishing boat caught a mermaid? What the hell was the mermaid doing so close to the shore or even the boat! Why didn’t they just let it go?”
The thing about mermaids is that while everyone knows they exist, they were a rare sight to see. There may be one or two spotting’s a year if someone got lucky. The creatures tend to live in the depths of the oceans out of the way of humans and they tend to live deeper than what the average person can reach, therefore they’re harder to observe. Of course in history humans have tried to hunt these creatures but the mermaids are vicious predators in their own right, hunters are usually fatally wounded or killed upon interaction with them, that’s not saying they aren’t peaceful creatures because they can be. It very much depends.
The fact that one is so close to surface, close enough to be caught, certainly raises several questions.
His dad starts explaining the situation to him. “The mermaid apparently attempted to free a shark they had caught in their net. The shark, obviously agitated, bit the mermaid severely injuring it and while the shark got away the mermaid ended up tangled in the net and the fishermen brought it on board. Seeing it injured they didn’t know what to do so the captain called it in and the call then got directed to me and the course of action we’re taking is to nurse the mermaid back to health before releasing it again.”
Kon swallows and instantly starts thinking about how they’re going to look after a mermaid of all things in the sanctuary. Admittedly it wouldn’t be the first one they’ve hosted in the sanctuary but it would be the first one Kon’s ever had a hand in looking after.
“I’ll see what I can do.” He says after a pause. “It’ll probably be best to put it in one of the back tanks right? Out of the public eye.”
“Yes,” his dad agrees, “prep one of the saltwater ones. I’m going to be meeting the fishermen with the team and we’ll be transporting the creature here as soon as possible. The less people who know about it the better.”
With that his father leaves the office and Kon takes a moment to wrap his head around to what’s going on in his foreseeable future. Packing up his studying, because clearly he’s not going to be doing any revision for the rest of the day, he heads out of the office in order to start doing the important task.
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It’s easy to see that the mermaid isn’t impressed with its temporary housing situation. All the mermaid has done since being in one of their tanks over the last four days is sulk. It’s behaviour has both amused and concerned people who are observing the creature, making sure it’s recovery is going as painlessly and as quickly as possible.
Kon hasn’t had chance to see the creature himself yet, his only contribution so far is setting up the tank to begin with, he couldn’t be there when they brought it in because he got summoned to do something else afterwards and being busy between his job and studying he hasn’t had time to visit the aquatic creature. That’s the case until the fifth day.
Taking a break from his studying, he’s got an exam coming up he’s preparing for, Kon leans back in his chair and lets his mind wonder. He looks around the office he’s in taking in all the little things that surround him, it’s a current space he’s borrowing until he graduates and then able to get his own office. Kon is studying marine biology and is planning to continue doing work at the sanctuary once he’s graduated and then he’ll see how things go from there.
It isn’t until his eyes scan over a stray piece of paper on his desk with written calculations on it that he gets the idea to visit the mermaid they’re looking after.
Decision made he leaves the office and makes his way to the back of the building where they store the tanks which are kept out of the public eye. It’s one of these tanks where they’ve placed the mermaid for its safety, the last thing they need is it becoming public knowledge they’ve currently got one of the mysterious creatures in their tanks.
Upon approaching the tank it’s difficult to see where the mermaid is. Kon stops just short of the glass and peers inside trying to catch sight of creature. The tank is filled with different coral and a wide variety of microalgae, there are large rocks stacked inside and sand at the bottom. There are also several different schools of fish inside the tank but none of which are too big, before putting the mermaid inside they made sure everything gets along so they don’t all end up eating each other.
It takes him a couple minutes but eventually he gets a peek of something shiny between the rocks and further inspection he catches a glimpse of the mermaid’s tail. Wanting to get a better look Kon moves along the tank trying to find a better angle so he could see the mermaid in full of where it’s hidden between the rocks in a type of enclave.
It turns out the best vantage point is at the very end of the tank and once he sees the mermaid he gasps softly. The creature is stunning and through the clear water Kon takes in the half-human appearance, the mermaid – or rather merman now Kon can see it’s a male – has black medium length hair that reaches his neck, his skin is pale and almost seems translucent and he seems to be on the leaner side of the spectrum.
Kon looks further down and is immediately awestruck. Beneath the human looking torso is his tail. What starts out as pale skin quickly blends into smooth and shiny looking scales of an ombre of different colours.
From his knowledge and what humans have learnt about mermaids is that the younger the species is the more colours they have on their tails. Adult mermaids tend to have only one colour and kids appear to have up to about five, as they grow into adult hood the colours all fade into one. What humans haven’t been able to work out however is how mermaid aging works, whether they’re the same in human years or if they age quicker or slower. It’s a question that remains unanswered.
The mermaid – merman – in front of him appears to have two colours, red and black, on his tail which are slowly blending into one. If Kon had to hazard a guess, and by using human years, he would say this mermaid is in his late teens maybe early twenties.
While observing the mermaid Kon is hit with a sense of déjà vu and he has no idea why. He feels like he’s seen this mermaid before but he can’t place where or when, he’s pretty sure he's never been up close and personal with one of them – he’s sure he would remember that – so where the feeling has come from he doesn’t know. Perhaps he’s seen images of this particular one before? Shaking his head Kon dismisses the feeling.
Kon’s not sure how long he stands there staring at the creature but somehow the mermaid must sense he’s not alone because he’s suddenly looking up and staring directly at Kon. Kon blinks and takes a startled step back, unsure on what to do. Piercing blue eyes lock with his and Kon feels like the creature is looking straight into his soul considering how intense he’s looking his way.
Then to his surprise the mermaid moves from its hiding spot and starts making his way over to Kon at the glass. This is the first time Kon gets to see the mermaid’s injuries and he’s then reminded on the reason why this magnificent animal is here in the first place, so he can rest and recover fully to be released back out into the wild.
Wrapped around the mermaid’s right shoulder is some kind of silicone bandage which turns into a sling for his right arm to keep it stationary. Kon gets a glimpse of red and inflamed skin underneath the silicone and winces in sympathy for the mermaid. It’s not nice being injured and he can’t imagine how much pain he must have been in after getting attacked by the shark he had been helping to begin with.
The mermaid swims up to him the best he can considering the circumstances, obviously having one of his arms restrained makes the motion difficult but he seems to manage and he ends up stopping in front of Kon, looking at him as Kon looks back. They stare at one another for a long moment and not knowing how to act under the scrutiny of the creature Kon merely lifts his hand up and waves with a small smile. The mermaid’s eyes instantly track the movement and after a second copies the action with his good hand. Unable to help himself Kon smiles widely, how cute!
“You’ve grown since I last saw you.”
Kon’s pulled out of his amusement by an unexpected voice talking to him. Twisting on the spot he tries to find the owner of the voice, he comes up short however when he sees that he’s alone by the tank. Feeling a little on edge, wondering if he had just made up the voice himself, he turns back to the tank to find the mermaid with his head cocked to the side studying him.
“You humans are incredibly naive.”
Kon jumps again but this time keeps his eyes on the creature in front of him who is now giving what Kon would say is a judgemental look. Stepping closer to the glass Kon narrows his eyes suspiciously. “Are you talking to me?” He asks sceptically, he wonders which one of his co-workers is playing a prank on him. This can’t be real right?
“Yes you stupid shrimp, I’m talking to you.” Through the glass the mermaid scowls at him and appears unimpressed.
Kon blinks. He looks around the room once again just to double check he is alone before turning back to the tank. He blinks again feeling completely baffled by unexpected the turn of events.
“How?” There are tons of questions flooding Kon’s mind but that one word seems to be the only he can ask.
The mermaid gazes at him for a moment longer before he’s shifting in the water. He floats further down to the bottom and seems to rest there on the sand, perhaps he’s preparing himself for a long conversation. Not having a clue to what is going on, Kon follows suit, settling down on the floor cross-legged in front of the mermaid waiting for… something.
“We’ve met once before.” The mermaid starts off, his voice seeming to sound like a muffled echo inside his head. “You were a boy and fell into the water from the vessel on a stormy night. I happened to be nearby, I saw what happened and rescued you.”
This is getting weirder by the minute. Kon has no idea what part of that to even begin focussing on. He knows, yet doesn’t, what the mermaid is talking about however before he starts getting a headache from it all Kon shakes his head and stops the barrage of thoughts and questions developing in his mind.
“I’m pretty sure I would remember meeting a mermaid.” Kon grits out. “And you haven’t answered how you’re communicating with me.”
“It’s very unlikely you would remember, you were rather delirious that night. As for talking to you, that would because of the connection between us that developed after I breathed life back into you on that night.”
Unable to sit any longer Kon gets up and starts pacing the length of the tank, working off the restless energy that's suddenly built up. The creature’s words both makes sense and doesn’t at the same time, like there’s a double meaning behind them that Kon isn’t understanding.
The night the mermaid is referring too, if Kon’s got it right, is the night he almost drowned at sea about eight years ago. The memories are rather foggy in his mind but he can vaguely recall that night. He had been on a fishing trip out to sea with his dad, his dad’s best friend and a couple others. It was supposed to be a chance for him and his dad to bond for a few days away from home out on the open water. The trip took a turn for the worst when a horrific storm took them by surprise. He doesn’t remember much of it, though he remembers how terrified he had been, and he knows he ended up overboard into the dark depths of the ocean. After that all he can really remember is waking up in hospital days later with no recollection on how he ended up there.
After speaking to his dad about it, his father told him it was a miracle they even found him. His body had been washed up on some rocks on the coast far west side to where they had been on the boat. It had been astonishing that he hadn’t been injured and they found him breathing. They don’t know what happened and because Kon couldn’t remember they just thanked God and moved on. He and his dad both hadn’t been out on a boat fishing since.
“You saved me?” Kon questions with a frown. “Why? And what do you mean by breathe life back into me?”
The mermaid shrugged his good shoulder looking rather passive about the whole thing. “You were a child lost at sea. You didn’t deserve to drown. I collected your body and kept you safe while the storm raged on, once it passed I took you to shore but you weren’t breathing. I gave you your life back. Once you were safe, boats were in that area so I anonymously guided them to you.”
Kon takes a deep breath. That’s a lot to unpack. A mermaid saved his life. This sea creature had recovered his body, resuscitated him, then took him to safety which he then signalled a rescue team to find him. All of that just for him and to get nothing in return. Kon’s beginning to think that everything humans know about mermaids is mostly wrong, or yet there’s still so much they don’t know.
“That doesn’t explain the communication between us.” Kon points out again.
At this point the mermaid looks bored from where he’s floating on the sandy floor of the tank. He gives Kon an unimpressed stare. “This is possible because a connection was formed between us when I saved you. I picked up your language and here we are.”
Once again Kon is completely side blinded by the facts he’s learning that afternoon. He doesn’t know how it’s possible but at this point it’s something he's willing to go along with just because.
“Now, human,” the mermaid speaks to him looking more invested in their conversation, “I answered your questions, now you answer some of mine.”
Kon shrugs, “sure. I’ll answer to the best of my abilities.” It’s the least Kon could do, after all the mermaid saved his life when he was a kid. What’s the harm in answering some of his questions.
“Why am I here?”
Kon takes a deep breath, okay then, going straight in with the heavy questions. “Well, you’re here because you’re hurt. We want to make sure you’re healed before letting you back out into the ocean.”
“I’m fine. You have no reason to keep me caged.”
Inside his mind the mermaid sounds pissed off which is fair enough, Kon too would be angry with being trapped in an unknown environment.
“You were extremely injured when you freed that shark. I know this isn’t ideal but we just want what is best for you and once you are fully recovered you’ll be released back into the ocean.”
“Why do you care? What are you humans playing at and what is this contraption you’ve locked me in?” The mermaid has narrowed his eyes at Kon and Kon has a feeling if there wasn’t glass between them the creature would be threateningly up close and personal.
“Why did you care about a little boy who went overboard?” Kon shoots back. “We care because we want you to be safe. Unlike some people, here, we care about animals and all sea life, including you merfolk.” The mermaid’s expressions softens just slightly at his words. “The thing on you is called a sling, it’s made of some kind of latex and silicone so it doesn’t come off and can’t be pulled off by you. It’s to keep your arm in place while it heals.”
“It’s annoying and unnecessary. My arm is fine.”
Kon is finding it adorable on how insistent this creature is being on its wellbeing. “You’re lucky you still have an arm, while you may heal differently to us humans, you still lost a chunk of muscle and that takes time to regenerate. Once it’s back and healed, you’ll be free to go.”
The mermaid, at least what Kon could only describe as, pouts. He settles at the bottom of the tank, his good arm crossed over his torso and he’s sticking out his bottom lip with furrowed eyebrows. Once again Kon can’t help but find how adorable this mermaid is. He’s always thought of them to be rather ruthless creatures, a mystery the world wouldn’t even be able to fully solve, and yet here in this tank right in front of him is a mermaid pouting because he’s got a sling on to help heal his injured arm.
Kon’s about to say something when a loud noise abruptly echoes through the room, sounding like it originated from one of the other back rooms. Suddenly Kon’s reminded of where he is and what the current circumstances are, he’s got no idea how long he had been talking to the creature but he knows he’ll need to get going soon in order to not get caught.
Letting out a long breath Kon glances back at the mermaid who is watching him through the glass. Kon offers him a small smile. “I have to go now,” he hastily says, wishing it weren’t true, “but I can always stop by another time?”
“If you wish human. It’s not like I’m going anywhere any time soon.”
The mermaid’s dry response makes him laugh and he starts heading towards the room’s exit however just before he gets to the door he spins back around and heads back to the tank, a thought having crossed his mind as he was leaving.
“What’s your name?” Kon asks, hoping he doesn’t sound too eager. If he’s going to be visiting him he wants to at least be able to address him properly.
The mermaid give him an apprehensive look but after a moment seems to decide to answer. “My real name you would not be able to pronounce, when translated to human language it is Tim.”
Kon blinks at the unexpected answer. He knows he just said that’s not his real name but it’s still a surprise to hear what he would say is an average name to be the mermaid’s name.
“And what is yours? Unless you’re happy with me calling you human all the time?”
Kon grins and shakes his head. “I’m Conner, but everyone calls me Kon.”
“Very well human Kon,” in his mind the mermaid, Tim, sounds both pleased and amused, “until we meet again.”
Nodding once Kon waves and this time makes it out of the exit and into a different part of the building. Before he’s even left the room he’s already thinking of when he’d next be able to go and visit Tim again. He’s intriguing in more ways than one and Kon wants to know more about him.
