Your name is Karkat Vantas and you're an albino at the beach, just wait it gets even weirder. You're also waiting on a mermaid, or merman, however the hell that goes you don't know. It might be the same thing as ladybugs, their just ladybugs regardless of the gender, at least that's how you think it works. You aren't an expert on the insect kingdom nor are you planning on becoming one, you grumble and huddle closer to yourself under the umbrella because today was not the fucking day for you to get skin cancer.

The knapsack on your back dug into you uncomfortably and you shifted once more to try and get a feel for the weight you were carrying, you'd think that after almost an hour of holding it you'd be used to its weight but no, you're not. In fact, the weight has only grown more uncomfortable as the time progressed. You promised yourself that you'd murder that asshole if he took any longer; your eyes are starting to hurt from the sun bouncing off your pale-white skin that slipped under the shield the sunglasses have provided for you. The white hair that was (usually) dyed brown is concealed by a hat which is now getting hot as fuck and you're pretty positive that you're sweating under it. You're also pretty sure that if this shitty piece of paradise wasn't your yard in the southern parts of Hawaii then you'd be booted for loitering. You start walking so not to look like some kind of fucking awe stricken tourist, in fact, you're going to beat him to the meeting place so he can sit here in the hot sun and bake.

There was an edge where the sand ended and sharp rocks began with an impressive distance between the vertical edges and the waves of the water.

"Hey Kar." A deep voice sang, you looked down and furrowed your eyebrows hard so he'd know you were sending him a glare, just a tanned face with wild dark brown hair clinging to his face and almost covering his eyes.

"About fucking time, hurry up and get to the cove I'm baking out here while I was waiting for a certain someone." You kept walking and he drifted along.

"Well it's getting pretty hard to give my old man the slip nowada-"

"I don't want any excuses from tardy-ass, just get to swimming." You're tone was angry and annoyed but he chuckled and splashed water up at you then disappeared as you spouted curses at him for doing so.

The cove was a secret place that you'd actually met him in, you often wandered to this place as a child. On top of being an albino Hawaiian you can't swim at all so in the dimness of this little area you fell down a hole that led to the water. Long story short he saved you from drowning, being a romance-enthusiast and analyzer you are very much aware of how cliché that this is.
The opening is pretty low but inside it's tall enough for you to stoop just a bit, the bright sun spills in from that opening and a light shines from the underground route. The water casts dancing waves on the ceiling and some of the walls close to it, it's all rock, some of it smooth and some rough to the touch, which is why you brought a blanket to sit on. You sit next to the mouth of the passage way and wait for Gamzee to emerge, you almost jump out of your skin when he does though because he does it quickly getting water on you once again.

"God dammit Makara! Do that again I think I might go home without contracting hypothermia!" You complained, the tanned boy just hoisted himself out of the water with a chuckle. Indigo scales seemed to retreat under his skin as his large fin was traded for legs, you huffed at his amusement but watched him. He was of a select few of his kind that could trade in his tail for legs on a mere mental whim, and vise-versa. You loved that something so rare and precious has chosen to stay by you and you find that a blessing (or miracle) in itself. You also loved his tall lanky body, it had developed a nice amount of muscle since he used them all when swimming; although you'd never admit it your favorite part was his stomach, so very taut from constantly working his tail to propel through the water.

"Can't a motherfucker have a little fun? I missed my miracle and he looks good wet." He cooed, making your cheeks tingle in a blush.

"Whatever! Don't you start with the shitty innuendoes fuckass." The command and tone must have contradicted your face because he leaned in for a kiss anyway and dammit he got one. You missed him too, you wished you could swim with him but you didn't want to risk the over exposure to sun. Well, that and you still can't swim. He just laced your fingers together and looked at them, you looked too. The contrast was sinful, stark white against a beautiful tan. You hated your disease, your mutation. You pulled away and busied your hand with the backpack once more. He laid in your lap, moving aside the bag and getting your pants wet.

"You're so beautiful best friend."

You grumble. "Don't call me that."

He frowned. "But you are my best friend."

"I didn't mean that dumbass."

"I know, I just think it's all kinds of weird that you don't agree with me." He reached up and removed your hat and sunglasses. "You hide it with polluting dyes and shaded eyes-"

You frowned. "Don't start rapping."

"Can't help it you're my inspiration motherfucker."

"I'm sickly white with weird red eyes! I can't stay in the sun because nature itself will try to get rid of me with cancer. I'm a mutant!" You spat the word at him as if he were yourself in a mirror. He frowned up at you and pulled you close.

"Stop trying to ruin my miracles Karkles. You're perfect. Beautiful and rare. Then you stuck around with me like a motherfucker did something so right to up and deserve you." You squeezed your eyes shut, burying yourself in his shoulder with no more cares about getting your clothes wet. He was so good to you. You don't even deserve it.

"Shut up." Your voice broke and he chuckled, both of you becoming aware of your sobbing. He smiled and pulled back to kiss your cheek.

"Come on." You questioned what he was doing before you felt the water that was steadily rising out of the cove cover your legs. Panic struck, when did it get so high? You can't swim, your stomach clenched with nerves all of them screaming at you to get out.

You moved, he held you. "Gamzee, I can't swim what the fuck!"

"Just relax, trust me." You chewed the inside of your cheek and stared at him with a panicked expression. Was he trying to kill you? You must have made that thought very visible because a pained expression shot across his features. The water was already to your chin so you closed your eyes and held onto him.

"Okay! Okay." You felt the water cover your face quickly as though you might change your mind otherwise. He still had his legs because you felt them kick to pull you both under more. Since you've never been used to swimming your lung capacity is painfully short, he tapped your cheek and made you open your eyes. The salt water didn't sting, your lung lungs didn't hurt, you just floated. He smiled at your relaxed state and spoke, well he couldn't speak, bubbles just flowed from his mouth and he made muffled noises. You found yourself repeating the smile, you didn't know exactly what he said but you have a good idea.

"I love you too." Distorted itself from you as your bubbles moved to join his.

Two beings, two freaks of their kind. Drifted in a painless kind of existence that was apart from your world as his. It was a world of your own. He kissed you gently and you didn't care what you thought of yourself at the moment, you smiled against him because every time you beached yourself upon a shore of sorrow. He'd be right there—

To pull you under.