above the surface - nct, markhyuck

ψ 5 ψ

for the following days, the relationship between mark and his uncle had been strange.

both men were kind of distant. mark didn't know what to think about what yongsu had told him.

mermaids had killed his aunt, and his family was, since decades, a mermaid chaser one.

but did this essentially mean mark would have to become one as well?

mark was surely the first person of their family encountering a mermaid and having a friendly relationship with him. and this certain mermaid was rather friendly and not dangerous. mark was, in fact, fond of him.

for example, right now, donghyuck was laying in his merman form on an inflatable pizza-shaped buoy that was floating around in the pool. he had his eyes closed and mouth opened, drinking the water droplets that fell from the dark clouds above them. mark was looking at him with heart eyes from the window of his room. that's actually all he had been doing for the past 3 days. donghyuck had been here for 6 days only, and mark was already attached to the merman.

could this being ever hurt somebody? mark was sure it was impossible.

mark got out of his room, heading towards the pool, making sure to grab an umbrella before going out. he sat on the edge of the pool, dipping his feet in the cool water, and looking at donghyuck.

the merman noticed he had a visitor, so, he smiled brightly and waved his hand at mark, but the older didn't seem to notice him. with a hand motion, donghyuck made the equivalent of a bucket of water fall on the umbrella, catching mark off-guard and waking him up from his trance.

"mark?" donghyuck asked gently. "are you okay?"

mark nodded, looking at donghyuck.

with another hand gesture, donghyuck made the buoy float towards mark. "are you sure? you look sad." donghyuck pouted.

"i have a lot on my mind." mark answered, looking elsewhere.

"is it because of me?" donghyuck asked worried. "if it is, i'm very sorry. i can leave if you want. there's no prob- "

mark cut him in his words. "no donghyuck. it's not because of you, don't worry."

"oh... then, can i help you in any way?" donghyuck asked with a smile.

"i... do have some questions for you. and i need answers." mark sighed.

donghyuck nodded. "ask me then."

mark thought for a second. "last time, you told me you were supposed to stay here for one month. can you please tell me why you are here?"

donghyuck gulped. "i can, but you need to promise me you won't tell it to anybody."

mark nodded.

"pinkie promise?" donghyuck asked with a smile, making mark smile as well and do as donghyuck had requested.

"so... where should i start...?" donghyuck questioned himself.

mark looked at the boy's golden orbs.

"years ago... well, decades actually... no- centuries ago, people from the surface stole a trident. nobody really knows how, but humans found our world and stole our symbol of royalty. since then, we don't have a king as a leader anymore. we need to find the trident and bring it back underwater. that's why a law had been set in place. every teenage merman has to spend a whole month above the surface to look for this trident. if ever a merman comes back with it, he will be crowned king immediately. that's why i'm here." donghyuck explained.