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Today was the small coastal town’s most well known and well loved event: the Waveland Market.
All the townspeople gathered on the shore to check out vendor wares spread across the blankets on the sand.
Beaded and glass jewelry of every color, shape and size. Scales ranging in all colors of the rainbow, molded and fashioned into not just jewelry , but purses, photo frames, mirrors and more. Seashells plucked from the ocean, painted or shined to sparkle like the ocean gems they were.
People of all ages dotted the shore. Children gathered together to build their sandcastles, while others dashed across the sand to show their parents some interesting trinkets. The adults were no different - their clear joy giving them all a youthful glow. Some basked in the sun, while others relaxed under giant umbrellas. Still others were alone, gazing at the waves with music in their ears, or lost in a book reading a story or writing their own. The ones in pairs or more chatted and laughed, sharing stories, food, or just the simple quiet space of their companion.
All this produced an air of unified joy and excitement and still there was more, the thing that drew all to the shore. The secret that everyone in town kept close to their heart except on the day where it could hide in plain sight.
The merfolk.
Most were subtle, finding ways to blend in among the humans hiding their features with carefully placed scarves or makeup. These merfolk usually came just to trade their own treasure before slipping easily away into the waves.
Other merfolk were more bold, and simply lounged alone on the sand or on blankets with their favorite humans. Even better if said humans had made and decorated mer tails of their own. Some townsfolk were so artistically inclined that outsiders were hard pressed to determine which was the mer and which was the flattering imitation.
This delighted the merfolk, easing their fears of discovery and allowing them to share their stories with any who would listen, delighting old and young with their company.
A favorite tradition at the market involved a brilliant white clam resting on the shore. Strands of seaweed, pearls, and glass beads decorated its surface and peaked through its seams.
At the appointed time it would open to reveal a beautiful mer who would entertain the crowd with stories, music or whatever their talent of choice. Over the years both locals and actual merfolk had accepted the task and so part of the fun was guessing if the one before the crowd was someone from town or a visitor from the world beneath the water.
Finally the time arrived and the giant clam opened.
The first thing onlookers noticed was a long, reddish orange mer tail that languidly extended from the pool of seawater inside the clam to rest lazily over the edge of it. The merman pushed himself up and the crowd’s murmuring grew louder.
It went without saying that he was beautiful. His hair, kissed by the night, hung wild and free down his back and well past his waist. A few strands were plaited into a braid, with one red string weaved throughout and held in place by a red coral pearl.
His frame was lean but toned from the natural exertion of swimming in the sea, and his muscles rippled when he leaned down to nuzzle something resting just out of sight inside.
That’s when everyone realized –
“There’s two of them!”
Excited gasps and pointed fingers rippled through the crowd. Sure enough the red- tailed merman very carefully and very gently pulled another merman up. The crowd watched in fascination as the cold expression of the first merman melted into obvious adoration when his gaze alighted on his companion.
The second merman was just as lovely in beauty with his long dark hair pulled into a high ponytail, toned body, and long, luxurious tail with layered fins that appeared a green so light it seemed almost white. It splashed playfully before settling atop the tail of the his companion.
Only once the merman had been settled in such a way to comfortably sit facing forward did the red- tailed one face them fully.
“Hello everyone! My name is Xie Lian. This is Hua Cheng,” the jade tailed merman said, gesturing from himself to his companion.
“Wow!”
“They’re both so beautiful!”
“Are they married?”
“Are you stupid?! Landwalkers don’t marry merfolk!”
“Some do!”
“I meant to each other.”
“Oh.”
Everyone became oddly quiet and turned questioning looks upon the pair.
Xie Lian blushed furiously even as he smiled and responded enthusiastically to their question. He was so flustered though he didn’t realize his words were in merspeak.
Hua Cheng, watching him with clear fondness, seemed to let him know for Xie Lian gasped, glanced at the crowd, and if possible, blushed harder even as he smothered his face against Hua Cheng’s shoulder.
With a small snort of laughter, Hua Cheng very gently cupped the other’s cheek, instinctively drawing Xie Lian's eyes to him. Neither looked away as he leaned in to press a very soft kiss against his lips.
Giggles and loud murmurs rang out when they pulled away, until someone shushed to “let them talk.”
“Well gege?”
“Yes, San Lang is my mate or husband as you would call him,” Xie Lian finally answered, still looking at his San Lang. And everyone instantly knew that name belonged to Xie Lian alone to use.
Cheers and whistles rang out, breaking the ice. The children were the first to run forward, offering flowers and hugs. The time passed quickly, as it always did that day. Xie Lian found himself gifted with many flowers in his hair and trinkets to adorn his neck and wrist.
Only a few sharp eyes noticed he only kept the gifts from the little ones, charmingly accepting the gifts from adults to pass them along to his eager, though much smaller companions.
Hua Cheng was quieter, rarely speaking to anyone aside from Xie Lian. However, he allowed the children to come closer, even painting their cheeks and hands with stunningly colorful and detailed sea creatures. At one point a few brave children started to braid random strands of his hair. Xie Lian had laughed, while Hua Cheng had quirked his lips in amusement and left them to it.
The hours passed and in between lulls the two rested and conversed with each other.
Hua Cheng was attentive, making sure they stayed well within the shade of the clam shell. He had little snacks on hand for Xie Lian and himself, and made sure to keep their tails well moistened.
When Xie Lian needed a break, Hua Cheng whispered in his ear and coaxed his mate to turn his back to the crowd for brief moments of rest. No one dared disturb him. Most were perfectly fine to smile and keep walking as the two curled into each other for short naps.
Xie Lian was no different, fussing at Hua Cheng to eat throughout the day. When he noticed the other becoming tense or bored, he would guide his head to his lap and card his fingers through his hair all without breaking conversation with those around him.
Only one incident threatened to ruin the mood. A small group of three young adults had started pointing at Hua Cheng. While their words were unclear, their expressions clearly showed their arrogance and disdain.
What they mocked him over - who could say? Perhaps it was the eye patch. Perhaps it was the scars littering his torso. Or it could have been the flowers and beads lovingly intertwined in his hair, or the obvious fawning over his mate he displayed.
Now anyone could see that Hua Cheng ignored them not from fear, but from indifference. The set of his shoulders spoke of confidence earned, not forced. His scars spoke of one who had weathered and triumphed over the storms of the ocean and life. And his love for Xie Lian so obviously filled his heart to the brim and beyond that there was no room for shame or embarrassment in its display whether in private or publicly.
So no, Hua Cheng paid no attention to them.
The same could not be said for his mate, Xie Lian.
Now the group had at first been whispering and chatting quietly among themselves but feeling emboldened by Hua Cheng’s indifference, their mocking had become more obvious to the crowd around them. Feng Xin and Mu Qing, the lifeguards on duty, had already been informed and were a mere five steps away when Xie Lian himself intervened.
“Hello there! Yes, all of you," he said. He was smiling, eyes creased into crescents. And yet all warmth had receded from him, and those boisterous individuals now dimmed.
“You were saying something about my dear San Lang. Please, I didn’t catch it all. Come closer and say it again.” Xie Lian said, smile still in place.
Hua Cheng had noticed Xie Lian’s agitation, and had been trying to soothe his distress away.
“Gege, ignore them. Let those useless lifeguards actually do something for once. This is nothing,” he said.
“Not to me,” Xie Lian said. Hua Cheng held his gaze and it seemed there was a conversation of many things in that look before Hua Cheng looked away, a small smile on his face, murmuring a soft phrase in merspeak.
Xie Lian squeezed his hand and when he turned back to the crowd, his shoulders straightened, his eyes glinted and he said again.
“Come closer.”
It wasn’t a request.
Visibly uneasy, the three men did so, casting a glance at Hua Cheng who gave them one measured look of disdain before dismissing them to look at Xie Lian. They looked back at Feng Xin and Mu Qing, but they simply crossed their arms and waited.
With no help from any quarter, the young men repeated their words, stumbling where they had once been bold, whispering where they had once been loud.
Xie Lian nodded, and all watched, transfixed, as he leaned forward, gathering the others close to him as if to share a secret with dear friends.
His smile had long disappeared, and worried eyes tracked clawed fingers resting carefully on their shoulders. At that moment, all watching were reminded that both Hua Cheng and Xie Lian were creatures of the sea. Beautiful…
…and dangerous.
Many will speculate and stories will extrapolate but only Hua Cheng, and the three huddled close to Xie Lian will ever know the exact words he said to them.
Whatever the words, they were enough. Their faces paled, their bodies trembled, and they quickly jerked back.
“Are we clear?” Xie Lian asked. His smile was back but it was all teeth and in this light, they looked sharp and pointed like a shark’s.
The others nodded, muttering apologies to Hua Cheng and Xie Lian before scrambling away to hide behind the lifeguards.
Mu Qing glared at them, resisting the urge to scruff them.
“Since you three are so idle, come make yourselves useful. The clean up crew could always use more volunteers.”
Feng Xin was more blunt.
“Don’t pull this shit again. You got off lucky today. Really of all the merfolk, you picked them!”
And so the matter was resolved. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, eager to move on. The more observant townfolk still waited with bated breath, taking note of how every merfolk nearby had sat up to watch the scene play out, their eyes following the young adults with a predatory gleam in their eyes. Others of their kind looked to Hua Cheng and Xie Lian as if waiting.
It wasn’t until Hua Cheng himself smiled and hugged Xie Lian that Xie Lian’s tension completely melted away and like clouds parting to reveal sunshine, his true smile returned again. With that, all the nearby merfolk relaxed and those watching townsfolk released a sigh of relief. As the two laughed and kissed and cuddled, renewed energy and cheer swept through the crowd.
All days when merfolk visited the townsfolk were special, but this day and this pair would come to be the town’s most beloved tale.