omg! i am hapy ppl like this fic so soon! :3 i luv you alll!

ok, so lets get on shall we?

(and btw, 'kanou-a' is pronounced ka-noah, get it?)

warning : this story contains yaoi/ boyxboy explicit content. pls watch ure step!

disclaimer : i do not own any ben ten alien force character!


MEETING KANOU-A

Chapter two : Hello there, pretty human!

Long fingers gently brushed away a few strands of damp brown hair that fell over Ben's eyes, and the fingers of sparkling fair skin stroked Ben's cherubic cheek in feathery touches.

Ben groaned. He was feeling a little heavy headed but the breeze was gently soothing on his wet skin.

Breeze? I must be outta the water... or am I dead?

Ben slowly opened his green eyes. The first thing he saw: two very large orbs. A blink later, Ben realised he was staring right into, or someone was staring right at him with, a pair of blue eyes lighter in hue than the most indigo of skies. So beautiful and real. Bright ice-blue irises with a small black pupil at the perfect center, perfectly staring right at him.

Hey, I am so NOT dead!

For a second, Ben felt ice-cold flesh against underside of his thighs and he could not for the life of him understand what was going on.

"Gyaaargh!" Ben jumped in shock, and fell back with an "Ompf!" right on his butt.

And when he looked up, he realised that he had been sitting on the lap of the very same merman he had his goal on finding, that nearly cost him his life.

"Woah..." Ben gasped as he sat up on his elbows on the sand and observed the merman. Living and breathing, he was no illusion, he was real. Ben could understand it. It was that sort of feeling that one cannot explain but can understand when something was real.

"Hello there, pretty human!" the merman smiled, and it was exactly that Levin trademark that Kevin wore all the time. But this man had enough differences as well. His skin was literally sparkling ivory, the soft pinkish flesh tone made him not look like a porcelain doll. His eyes as mentioned were a light sky blue, he had thin faint eyebrows and the same Kevin nose and lips. The same silky hair that stuck to his head, but this man's was a little longer, licking him around the shoulder blades. The same neck and upper-body, but with the sparkling skin. He wore a string of pearls on his neck it somehow seemed to accentuate his striking abs that moved as he breathed. From his muscular hips onwards, which themselves distracted Ben greatly, started the tail. Ben could not tell which colour it was; blue in moment and green in the next, it kept shifting colours between bluish green and greenish blue like a kaleidoscope, it changed between blue to cyan to variations to greens and back, all at different angles in the setting sun. The end of his tail had two fins, both transparent green and moving as he observed them. Ben looked back up at the blue eyes that gazed at him in a friendly manner, the soft look of his eyes was also one of those features that differentiated him from Kevin.

"Uh, how...how did I end up..?" Ben looked utterly confused.

"You were drowning, and I saved you. I brought you here to the shore to breath. I think you had been chasing me? Humans are rather curious creatures," he observed with a smile.

Ben looked down at the tail and then up at the Kevin-face. "Is this a prank? Some sorta early April Fools or something?"

The merman blinked uncomprehending.

"So you're really a merman?!" Ben stammered in awe.

"Yes, I am."

Ben gazed at him as he sat up properly. It was a bit of shock, afterall, what does one do when rescued by a merman?! And besides, Ben had had his fair share of out-of-this world experiences; and if aliens could be real, why not mermen? And why not that one of them should look exactly like Kevin?

Ben looked at him and the man looked back in as much curiosity.

Before Ben could even think what he was saying, he breathed, "You're all sparkly in the sun! You're really beautiful..."

There came that sincere smile that Ben had seen very rarely on Kevin, "Thank you, and I must say you are quite adorable yourself."

Ok, it just looked like Kevin said that I'm cute! God forbid Gwen heard that! Ben blushed a little. Then he suddenly had a thought that he voiced as a question.

"Hey, if you're a merman, how come you can understand what I'm saying? Like, how is it that you're speaking my language? Don't you guys have like some sort of fish tongue, if you know what I mean?"

"We possess the ability to understand any form of language spoken to us and to speak that language back as well. Although humans rather tend to bend a few words so it may be hard for me to understand everything," he smiled in a shrug.

Ben nodded stupidly for he was frequently getting lost in those eyes. His eyes then fell on the string around the merman's neck, "Are those real pearls? Why are they sparkling blue every now and then?" he took a closer look, putting his hand out to hold a pearl or two in his fingers, to see small pieces of actual sapphires strung in between the pearls as well. "Woah, that looks real cool!"

The man observed Ben with an amused face, "Have you never seen pearls or sapphires before?"

Ben accidentally pressed his palm into the pectoral muscle as he inspected a pearl and he shrank back ashamed, "Sorry, uh, um no, uh..." Ben scratched the back of his head, "Ï have seen pearls before, but they're real expensive and you know it looks...great on you...ehehe..."

Ben had never been so flustered before his whole life! And thankfully for him, the merman found it rather nice, at least his smile said so.

Then, Ben's green eyes fell on the tail. He stared at it wondering what it felt like to have a tail for a pair of legs. His fingers itched to want to touch it, just to make himself prove to himself that it was real and not some messed-up dream. Somehow, (it could have been Ben's twitching fingers) the merman seemed to understand the strain on Ben's mind.

"Do you wish to touch my tail?" he asked innocently and from the look of it he didn't seem to mind at all. Ben replied with his eyes that he would want to.

"Go ahead," the merman smiled as if inviting him. Ben held his breath as he hesitantly put out his hand, still hesitating just a centimetre above the glossy skin, till he dipped his fingers first. The moment his fingertips felt the cold smooth skin, Ben's mind snapped; it was just like when he had touched a dolphin last year at the zoo.

He spread out his fingers and let his palm land gently on the flesh, and the feeling simply nullified his mind; it was cool, smooth and soft just like a dolphin's skin, without scales or odd protruding things like usual fishes. If compared to a human's legs, the part of the tail where Ben placed his hand would have been the merman's left thigh. Ben was awe-inspired as he ran his palm gently along the skin, enjoying himself.

And as Ben was fascinated by the tail of the merman, the merman himself was fascinated by Ben's awe-struck face. He peered interestedly into the small face, observing the large green eyes wider than usual, the dark damp hair that was starting to show its light hue.

When Ben had his fill of inspection, he realised he must have touched this man in an erotic fashion and he hoped against hope that he hadn't offended him in any way; all Ben wanted was to touch a real merman's tail!

When he looked up, the man had a sort of excited child-like innocence on his otherwise Kevin face, "Shall I have a turn too?" he asked breathlessly.

"Huh?"

It took a while for the air-headed Tennyson to get the message. He had not ever thought that a merman would be fascinated about a human's legs enough to want to touch them! It kind of stumped Ben in surprise, but he shrugged nonetheless.

"Uh, you wanna take a look at my legs?"

The man nodded, and Ben shrugged, "OK, here."

Ben shifted sideways and stretched out his legs. For a moment he felt they were too scrawny, but the look on the man's face said otherwise. The merman was not as hesitant as Ben, but he was just as curious. He too held his breath as he placed his cold hand on Ben's ankle.

Without a warning, he hoisted up the foot and held it up to his face rather than bring his face to the leg. Ben found himself falling back in a jolt, leaning on his elbows again as leg was hoisted and the man was curiously observing them. He peered at the sole of Ben's left foot, his cold fingers running over the tough skin making Ben let out a peal of helpless giggles, "God, NO! You can't touch there! It tickles like Hell! Stop! Please!" he squirmed and squealed and the man immediately stopped, flushing a little pink in the face, "Sorry, I didn't know it was that sensitive although you support the entire weight of your body on it!"

Ben panted in the aftermath of his giggles and hummed in agreement of the man's comment, "Yeah, never thought of that."

"And what do these do?" he pulled at one toe, "So many of them, oh? All ten in total! What do these do?" the man peered at Ben's toes and then looked over to his face.

Ben had never been faced such a question. What are toes supposed to do?! Ben didn't know. If there was something toes really did, Ben didn't for the life of him know. For a moment, he felt like a loser to the merman; he now wished he had read some of those science texts he had to study!

"They're called 'toes'. And they're just...there. They don't do anything!" Ben answered nervously.

"Don't do anything?" he quirked an eyebrow, "All organs have a significance! That's why they are organs!"

"Yeah, but toes don't do nothing; like the appendix, its has no function, it's just there." Ben felt rather proud that he remembered that little fact about the appendix from Gwen's Encyclopedia. Maybe he was not a loser after all!

"The apentecks?!"

Ben now realised there was no point in having talked about the appendix to a merman.

"Never mind", Ben shook his head, "But I can move them toes, look!"

And Ben proceeded to wiggle his toes. Since it had been without warning, the merman almost dropped the foot in surprise, but once he was alright with it, he stared at the wriggling 'organs' and chuckled, "That's rather adorable! And funny!"

Ben almost died; he had never seen such innocent mirth on Kevin's face (actually the merman's) before and it actually brought charm to him. For a moment he wished Kevin would smile like that more often.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard, "So if it is cut off, will it grow back? Like the Hydrae in the sea?" the merman asked. Ben blinked at him and realised they were still in the topic of the toes.

"Uh, no, I don't think it's grow back. It's gone means it's gone! It don't grow back like our nails or hair!" Ben shrugged cheerfully.

"Oh..." the man nodded wisely.

Ben gazed at the man's face who inspected the foot further. He was just like Kevin, at least the smile was, but not as innocent though, Kevin could be rock-solid harsh, but this merman was almost as gentle as his soft skin, which by the way felt so wonderful under the sensitive tips of his fingers...

He snapped out of his thought again when he felt cold fingers, like cold jelly, run rather sensuously up his shin. The merman observed the knee, "Oh? Its bends here just like my tail!" he observed under the knee, "Can it bend the other way?"

Ben panicked, "Woah no it can't!" fearing that like a child, the merman might attempt to fold Ben's leg the opposite way. The merman sensed the doubt, smiling, "It's alright, I shan't hurt you in any way..."

"Sure, its ok, um go on..uh...inspecting."

Awkwurrd, Ben sang in his head. He almost sighed at his stupid attempts of trying to make a good impression as they conversed.

"Amazing... symmetrical..." the man lifted both of Ben's legs observing them from all angles. Putting down the legs, he continued to feel his way on the skin, and Ben felt a ripple of heat dance on his spine when the soothing cold hand slid up the inner thigh of Ben's left leg.

"Uh..okaaay..." he mumbled feeling suddenly hot around the neck, "Uh, that's a no-go zone...eheh..." but it seems that the merman was far too deep in his interested search that he did not notice Ben's red signal.

Next thing Ben knew, his legs were spread wide and he felt immediately vulnerable and kinky, the merman staring exactly at the private area of the beach shorts, "What happens where the legs meet?"

And even before the curious merman's got the answer, his innocent ice-cold palm landed on the cloth which was right above the hero's crotch.

"HAAaah!" Ben gasped, sitting up suddenly without a warning, "You can't touch there!"

The next moment they were staring at each other's eyes. Only a hair's breath away. And the hand was still on the crotch.

The merman looked shocked and frozen. He saw Ben's face turn as red as a cherry and the by the feel of the warmth of a rigidness under his palm, he realised what he had just touched.

"Oh I am... I am so sorry!" he apologized, pulling back his hand from Ben's you-know-where and his face away from Ben's. Ben slammed his thighs together and chuckled in embarrassment, looking away fidgeting, "Eh,...its uh, it's ok, uh you didn't know what was coming... I mean... uh..."

Ben corrected himself mentally. THIS was the most flustered moment of his life: A merman who looked like his best friend's twin had just touched him innocently in the manhood. And he was secretly gay. Superb!

The merman looked bothered too as he apologized sincerely, "I REALLY am sorry, I didn't know that it was..." he straightened up. "Is it not retractable?"

Ben's eyes went as large as a saucer.

"Re-retractable?" Ben stammered.

"Yes, you don't see the sexual organ visibly on me, do you?" he gestured to himself. Ben's eyes flashed to the man's flat neat torso and back to the face, his own cheeks going redder, "No."

"Ours only come out when we are extremely aroused."

"Oh, gee that's...cool," Ben didn't actually know how to respond to that piece of information.

Smiling to relieve the tension in the air, the merman shrugged, "I suppose this is why humans wear clothes? Because their sexual organs are not retractable and they wish to cover themselves for modesty and dignity?"

Ben rubbed his wrist with the Omnitrix, "Y-yeah. That, and to protect ourselves from the surroundings and environment, as per our adaptive living."

Wow! That was a good one Ben! Ben congratulated himself happily.

"And this?" he pointed at the Omnitrix. Ben looked at the gadget and wondered how to answer to a meran that aliens lived in other planets around Space, "Its a watch. Its also a kind of accessory, like your pearl chain?" Ben hence decided to shun talking about that.

"I see."

Silence.

The merman seemed a little guilty, "I hope I have not offended you; you are the first human with whom I have been acquainted and I do not wish to scare you away..."

"It's ok, I'm not offended, eheh..." Ben stammered with a shy smile.

A few moments of silence followed again, where they gazed at each other. Ben looked at the face, again mystified by the blue eyes and the familiar smile.

"Is something wrong?" the merman whispered, in a way that was rather sensuous, making Ben's cheek slowly seep with red and pink blotches.

"Uh, no, uh..." he looked at him again before answering honestly, "You look identical to a close friend..."

"Do I?" he smiled in reply, optimistically,"That's nice; that way you will not be uncomfortable around me!"

Ben sighed to himself, Yeah, but if I see it from a twisted angle, Kevin just groped my crotch!

"What is his name?" the merman asked curiously. Ben blinked at him, again getting lost in his eyes, "Uh, you mean, oh... it's Kevin."

"Kevin?"

"Yeah, Kevin Ethan Levin," Ben hissed, looking away, diabolically grinning making sure the word 'Ethan' was emphasised; Kevin had always made fun of his middle name Kirby, so Ben might as well draw some fun outta letting a fantasy creature know of his!

"Oh? And what is your name? How pathetic of me to not have asked earlier!" the merman shook his head wisely.

"Me?" Ben blushed a little, "Benjamin Tennyson, you can call me Ben for short of Benjamin."

"But you only have two names? Kevin has three?" the merman asked cocking his head.

'Doink!' went Ben's head. Ben had NOT expected the merman to be that observative of a name.

"Uh, yeah... uh..." Ben had just dug his own grave; using Kevin's shovel!

Ben lied, "Yeah well I only have two names Ben and Tennyson!" he spoke a little too fast. And the merman was curiously watching Ben's left eye twitch helplessly. Altogether, the man smiled a particular smile, one that Kevin was known to wear when he guesses that Ben was lying.

Damn my eye!

Together with the smile, the man's eyes had a particular shine to it as if to say "I know you're lying!"

Ben looked back at the blue eyes and the blue eyes looked back. After a few more seconds, Ben couldn't stand it anymore. Ben sighed in defeat, "Ok, fine! I do have three names as you guessed; its... Ben Kirby Tennyson."

Ben pouted. He tried as much as he could to make 'Kirby' inaudible, but the merman caught it.

"Kirby?" his face actually lit up. Ben looked away folding his hands, "Go on, make funno me!"

"Make fun of you?! Of course not! It's quite a pretty name! In fact I like it better than 'Ben' or 'Benjamin'!"

Ben looked back at him in surprise. Yes, it was there, that sincere honesty on the handsome face, ben could not help exclaim, "Y-you do?! You're not just saying that to please me?..."

"No, I am truthful; shall it matter to you if I call you 'Kirby' from now on?" the merman took one of Ben's hands and pressed it lovingly. Ben's face immediately lit up in a blush.

Well, I may have dug my own grave; so I might as well get a comfy quilt in it!

"Sure, ok. I kinda hate the name, but if you like it, it's ok."

"Of course!" the man smiled.

Ben looked at him, suddenly remembering,"Hey what's YOUR name?! I kinda didn't even have the thought to ask, sorry!" he smiled, trying to ignore the fuzzy feeling because of his hand that the merman still held in both of his own.

"My name is Kanou-a."

"Kanou-ah?" Ben repeated slowly, and to his surprise, the merman gasped and dropped Ben's hand, his cheeks as red as a rose.

"I'm sorry did I do something wrong?" Ben seemed confused.

"No, uh," Kanou-a stammered, running a hand through his hair nervously, "It was just that... my name sounded so beautiful tumbling from your lips!"

Ben looked quite stupefied. They gazed at each other, and then blushed together, and then chuckled together and then laughed as well.

When they stopped laughing after a bit, Kanou-a took Ben's hand again, "I am indeed glad I met you, Kirby!"

Ben gave out a sudden grin.

"Is something wrong?" Knaou-a asked again, this time he was confused.

"Nah, its ...my middle name doesn't sound so bad when it came from your lips," Ben whispered, blushing further.

Kanou-a smiled too, and Ben smiled further. As they gazed at each other, the distance between their faces was decreasing without their knowledge... until –

"TENNYSON! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" came a growling shout. Ben jumped in startlement and so did Kanou-a.

"Uh oh!" Ben panicked at the sound of Kevin calling out from the shore. Kevin was not yet at the spot where the hero and the merman sat, but he could come in any moment. There was a great sand dune and bunch of rocks isolating this spot from the inhabited place so Ben had just enough time to let Kanou-a out of sight.

"Kanou-a! You must go! Now!" Ben spoke alarmed, gripping the smooth ivory arm.

"Is that you're enemy? What did he mean?" Kanou-a frowned at the direction of source of the voice.

"No, that was Kevin! My best friend! And you should really go!" Ben got up to his feet. Kanou-a nodded understanding, and he only needed a single swing and he was in the water as a wave swept in to lick Ben's feet.

Kanou-a's head appeared from the water, whipping back his hair in a upward flip of his head. He spoke, "Kirby, shall I see you again?"

Ben looked at him, his stomach churning in almost a longing he could not describe, "Yes, I'll meet you here same time, you ok with that?"

Kanou-a nodded, and waved off as he dived underwater and reappeared in a graceful dolphin flip in the air to dive back in again.

Ben found himself gazing dreamily at the sight that seemed so beautiful against the setting sun.

Kevin stomped angrily after having to climb all those rocks to get to Ben. "What the hell is your problem, man?! Didn't I tell you to get over there in a few minutes?!"

Ben turned to Kevin, blinking and reminding himself that this was Kevin, not Kanou-a.

"Yeah, sorry, I uh..."

"Cut the apologies and get your ass moving before Gwen decides to have us for snacks!" he grabbed Ben's arm and tugged him. Ben let himself be pulled away, his eyes on the horizon, happily thinking that somewhere under the water swam a new friend he had made, who would soon be here for him tomorrow.

- End of Chapter -


for those of you who r getting the wrong idea here; im NOT trashing kevin in any way! this is my first fic with ben as the main character u knw? i tend to bend towards kevin more often in the other fics but in this fic, weill have a lil kanou-a and then kevin too i cant help it!:3

i hope u all like this! :3

stick arnd for more, mwah!