Every evening, a desperate man tries to drown himself. He has tried a number of methods, he has gone as far as the sea goes, he has placed ropes and rocks on him, and he has done everything to earn the death he craves and yet he always lives to see the next morning. Truth is, he must be some sort of a coward; a madman with no courage. For he only wishes to end his life by drowning.

“Drowning must be painful.”

“A family friend had told me it’s relaxing, provided there is no fear,” Aguero says, a tired smile gracing his lips. Then his features soften, “once the moment is over you’ll feel a fire in your skin, in your throat, in your lungs. You’ll want to skin yourself alive to get the water out of your airway.”

Bam’s tail sways in confusion as he ponders. “Isn’t there another way to rest?”

“So you don’t mind if I die? You just don’t want me to do it at your home.”

“No!” Bam told him, letting his tail splash the man. He swims just a bit closer to the rock Aguero is sitting on and pouts. It makes Aguero’s heart soar. “I don’t want you to die at all!”

Aguero hums softly. The sunset is beautiful, the light illuminates Bam’s tail, and the sound of the waves quietens the voices inside his head. It’s truly a wonderful moment worthy of being his last. “One day,” he tells the merman, “you’ll be too tired to swim and get me out.”

“Then we’ll both die,” the other argues, “because as long as I’m alive, I will not let you go.”

Aguero laughs loudly. He knows Bam is genuine when he promises to save him, after all, it has been too many times since he first started trying to drown himself only to be stopped by the sea itself. How ironic, for others to have guardian angels while the man who wishes to be embraced by the sea is being protected by a merman.

“Say Bam, do you want to feel how it is to drown?”

“Not really,” he thinks about it for a few seconds, “would it make me understand you better?”

“It would open my entire heart to you.”

Bam stays silent again. “The water won’t drown me.”

“I know,” he whispers softly as he unties his shoes. Bam quietly studies him, mesmerized by the sight of the human. Aguero hadn’t gotten in the water that day and so his hair was still straight save for a small braid. As the blue-haired man began to approach the water, Bam swam a little further away. Aguero chuckled and swam after him.

Bam made a quick dip in the water and emerged from behind him. “You can’t stay away from the water, can you?”

“It has something important of mine,” Aguero explains and leans closer, “Bam, won’t you let me drown you?”

Bam can only give a small nod in agreement. Suddenly, warm lips embrace his own. There is an unexpected saltiness in the kiss but they’re both too busy to care. Drowning, Bam finds, is exactly like Aguero was told; peaceful and then burning him. Even if the sensation is foreign, Bam craves so much more. He deepens the kiss as if his life depends on it as if the only form of oxygen can be found in Aguero’s body.

Aguero pulls away, letting the air of his breath warm Bam’s face. “Won’t you claim me?” he whispers and presses light kisses on the corner of his mouth, “Won’t you return my bliss to me?”

Bam leans to kiss him again ferociously. His tail wraps protectively around his chest, bringing the two as close as possible, connecting their lungs. Bam had never envied humans until that moment. Until he realized the thrill they could experience if only the gave away the air inside of them. With that in mind, he let Aguero cup his face as he dived deep underwater.

.

“Have you heard?”

“About what?”

“The madman!”

“What madman?”

“The suicidal fr–”

“Mr Khun? Oh, that poor gentleman.”

“Is he depressed or simply wrong in the brain?”

“He’s a man in love,” –a soft chuckle– “poor man’s fiance drowned some months ago. He has been trying to reunite with him ever since.”

A soft sigh, “May he find peace now".