A/N: this was completely and totally inspired by Kurayuu's wonderful Mermay (2020) art on Tumblr! Please go check them out. They are a Kurameshi oasis. They're art is also incomprehensibly beautiful in my opinion. They are by far one of my top favorite artists in the community! I adore them.
The acrid blue smoke of his cigarette wasn't strong enough to prevent the strong scent of saltwater from filling Yusuke's nostrils. As he crushed the last smoldering remains of his vice against the railing of the pier he stood on the taste of the air coated his tongue. Standing under a grey sky, hair and face dampened by the spray off the waves which grew bolder each passing minute. A storm was coming, he could feel it.
The ocean could feel it too and it's riotous excitement sent white froth through the air as another crash of water slammed against the rocks below. In the distance the looming presence of fishing vessels grew larger as they inched closer to the dock, ready to tie down.
He peeled himself away, pulling back from the weathered wood railing to stretch his arms above his head. With nothing better to do than watch the clouds darken and the water celebrate, he decided to treat himself to a walk along the shoreline. No one else crowded the space today, the threat of the storm too much to tempt any sane person. It was meant to be a bad one. Houses already had their shutters closed. It didn't bother him though. He wasn't afraid of a little wind and rain.
His feet sank into the damp sand as he stalked the beach creeping further and further from the dock. An outcropping of large, rough stones bled into the water and he aimed himself for it. Just beyond, he knew, was a sliver of sand and shore that few people bothered with. It wasn't good for fishing nor swimming or sunbathing. The perfect place for him to be alone.
Yusuke pulled another cigarette from the pack with his lips as the wind whipped his hair while he crested the stones. Cupping a palm around the end of the smoke he flicked his lighter open to set things into motion when everything stopped. Brown eyes fixed to a figure half-in the water. Red hair splayed around a bare torso on the sand. Rust colored water stained the grains of sand under the man's body. No, rust was too light a color to describe the rising surf he realized.
The cigarette fell from his mouth as he shoved the closed lighter back into his pocket, carefully picking his hurried path toward the figure.
"Don't be dead." He demanded as he approached, not just out of concern but because that was the last damn thing he wanted to deal with.
A strained groan answered him, the sound pulled from deep in a chest like the rumble of the water around the rocks. Relieved that at least he wasn't dealing with a dead body, Yusuke dropped to his knees to examine the wounded man. Grabbing his lightly scarred shoulder he rolled the redhead to his back and promptly went still. A fin, the same deep red as the man's thick long hair, peeked between strands where an ear should've been, ending in a fringe of white. Scars decorated the torso, arms. An X had been carved into one cheek though it looked long healed.
"The fuck?" Yusuke stared and then finally turned his eyes toward the encroaching waves searching for the man's lower half. A wound, deep and raw, marred his side under his ribs but that wasn't what demanded Yusuke's attention.
No, it was the scales that started just below the wound, the fins that flared out delicately in the water. He quickly came to understand it wasn't just the blood that had tained the color of the water but the rich crimson of the merman's scales. Similar to the one on his head, the creature's caudal, dorsal and ventral fins ended in a frothy white reminiscent of the foam of the sea water.
If he'd been all fish, he'd have been the most goddamn fish Yusuke had ever seen in his entire life.
Upon inspection of his face, focusing on the features and not the scars, on the heavy lidded eyes, it was deniable that if he'd been all man he'd still have been one of the most beautiful that Yusuke had ever seen.
No wonder so many sailors sought out mermaids, he thought to himself. The appeal was no longer lost on him.
"This might hurt." He warned, not even sure if the creature could hear him without ears. It just felt like the right thing to do before he slipped his hands under the merman's arms so he could haul him further into shore to better inspect the wound on his side.
A shocked cry followed by some thrashing ensued. Those eyes opened to reveal emerald irises that suddenly flashed a brazen gold, lips pulling back over rather sharp looking teeth. The scales, the fins, it all pulsed between the crimson and an iridescent silver that threatened to put the moon to shame. Strong hands and arms of corded muscle shoved against Yusuke, teeth bared in an effort to intimidate.
"I'm not going to hurt you. Well. Not on purpose." Yusuke grumped, annoyed that his act of altruism was being so harshly rejected.
The fussing didn't stop him from continuing though. Once he had the man out of the water, he tentatively pressed around the wound. Another flash of silver rocked through the tail, this time tainting those wonderfully crimson strands of hair.
Strippping off his jacket, Yusuke clicked his tongue a few times. He didn't have much else to work with and it was an old tattered thing anyway. Might as well ruin it saving someone than just tossing it out. Ignoring the hands pushing at his shoulders he pulled the surprisingly heavy body into his lap so he could press the fabric of his jacket to the wound. The man in his hold flashed completely silver for a moment before he softened, and the red returned once more pain didn't follow.
When Yusuke moved to study the other's expression a wet hand cupped his jaw, those emerald eyes shuttering as soft, damp lips pressed to the other side of his jaw. Flustered, heat rose into his face as the mouth continued to kiss over his face. Those scary looking teeth were nowhere in sight but that didn't stop Yusuke from tensing up as the merman's mouth found a sweet spot under his jaw before working down his neck. The entire time a soft thrumming vibrated through the creature's body and if he thought fish could purr that's exactly what Yusuke would've called it.
"Yeah, okay, I get it." He mumbled doing his best to be annoyed instead of embarrassed. His words had no effect as soft kisses continued to be peppered over his neck and face. A brush of lips over his own made him suck in a breath before he huffed. "Alright, alright! You're welcome. Sheesh."
The jacket wasn't doing the best job as a tourniquet and that sent Yusuke's mind to work. He had plenty of supplies at his home, given his proclivity towards picking fights whether he won them or not. The only hitch was figuring out how to take his new charge with him and whether or not his tub would be big enough to keep the damn guy from drying out.