A Heart Made of Coral Pearls (Hualian Mermaid AU)

Chapter 3: Connection

A/N: sorry for the wait! this chapter turned out a little longer than i expected. thanks for reading!!

Just as Xie Lian packed all of his most important belongings into a bag to carry with him, he remembered something extremely important.

"San Lang?"

"Mm?"

He scratched his head, embarrassed. "This cave is...pretty deep down. I don't think you'll be able to swim up with your human...appendages."

Hua Cheng frowned, pausing his current packing.

"But...there is something I can do, though San Lang may not be willing."

The red dressed pirate smiled, his eyes firm and dark. "What is it, gege? I'm willing to do anything."

Xie Lian looked down and fidgeted with his hands. He was currently sitting on the edge of the pool, tail submerged underwater.

"It's a bit of magic, and it will allow you to breathe underwater for enough time. With this, I can swim us both out."

"Then, if gege is ready, should we do it?" Hua Cheng grinned.

Xie Lian on the other head, was contemplating dying right there. It was fine while he was unconscious, but now he had to do something like that...Not that he had much of a choice, though.

He gestured to Hua Cheng to come over to the pool, and slowly led the man into the water, where he held onto the rocks to stay afloat.

"...Pardon me, San Lang."

Xie Lian whispered before leaning in, pressing his lips against the human's. At that moment, Hua Cheng's eyes shot open in shock.

His mouth and throat felt cool, as if energy was being poured into his body through their lips. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.

Xie Lian pulled back, slightly flushed. "You'll be able to breathe underwater now. Sorry...about that."

Hua Cheng just grinned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "No need to apologize, gege."

The mermaid prince gripped his partner's hand, leading him under the water and out of their little home.

He paused immediately. When did Xie Lian start thinking of the grotto as THEIR home? It had just seemed so natural to him after the last few months with this man.

He definitely wasn't thinking about the way San Lang brought him food when he was still groggy with sleep, or the way he kindly lifted him out of the water whenever it was time for them to sleep.

He wasn't thinking about the warm presence that lay next to him at night, warm breath sometimes hitting his back, sometimes slightly feeling a tug on his hair as the man played with a strand between his pale fingers.

Clearing his mind, Xie Lian swam up sharply, pulling Hua Cheng behind him. He gripped his hand, feeling the rough calluses that covered his palm. At the speed they were moving, it wouldn't be long until they caught up to the boat.

Xie Lian didn't want to brag, but in his days, he was a prince renowned for being handsome, and talented in the five arts. Of course he was a good swimmer!

When they reached the ship, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng popped their heads above the water, and the pirate gasped for air before pushing his wet hair out of his face. A few men who were leaning against the rails on the deck looked down and yelled out.

"Captain! The captain is in the water!

Hua Cheng was pulled out of the water immediately, and he had to take a few minutes to explain to his crew that the fish man in the water was not in fact a threat, and was instead the creature that saved his life. They were much more accepting when Xie Lian smiled softly, calming their fears.