The moon didn't seem to shine as brightly as the admiral ran across the dock making his way to a secluded patch of rocks where the water would be easy to access. The boy he towed in his arms breathed as weak as he breathed heavily. He felt death licking at his heal, reaching for the dying boy in his arms. He hoped if he ran fast enough that he would be able to out run death, but with every glance at his new found friend his hope faded.

The water beat against the breast of the island gently and passionately. It was the perfect spot to save a dying mermaid. The foam formed at the mouth of the rock. It looked like a blanket made especially for Watanuki, made just for this occasion, to keep him alive. Doumeki knelt down and placed his friend in the limpid water. It was cold on his hands, but Watanuki's body was colder, and this would help warm him up…hopefully.

The water covered his body, but even amerced he could still be seen. The admiral climbed in the water and held onto the merboy so he didn't drift away with the waves. The time passed but those cobalt eyes didn't open. He felt as though he had lost him, even though he still breathed a shallow breath, he seemed gone. The water seemed to get warmer as his skin cooled and adjusted to its temperature. It lulled him, made him tired. He closed his eyes intent on only resting them, but something aside from the pulsing water moved. His eyes shot open and he looked down. Watanuki had moved around in his lap so his head could lie on his shoulder. His tail was held out of the water and glimmered in the light of the waning gibbous. A small delicate smile was plastered on his face and he sighed.

"Thank you Doumeki…I feel so much better now…" he whispered. His eyes stayed closed as he moved his fingers playfully across the glass like top of the water. Doumeki felt his strength come back into his body with every delicate movement of that perfect boys hand. He wanted to take hold of it, to hold such perfection in his own hand. Maybe the simple gesture would take away all his worries, all his sin. No more hunting down pirates for the greedy king of his land. Never having to worry about the family he may never have. Taking hold of that hand would make him happier than anything in the world, which frankly he loved and hated.

"Doumeki…" he whispered, "you saved my life, and I didn't even ask you to do it…I owe you a wish now."

"A wish? What kind of wish?" the admiral asked. Watanuki opened his eyes.

"The kind you would ask a djinn, your deepest desire. That's equal worth of a life." He said solemnly.

"You only get one?"

"yeah…that's the rules. One for one. If you let me go back home I can give you another wish.

"Another wish…" he repeated, unintentionally out load. What did he desire most? A life without pirates? His cozy home at the seaside? Or…this merboy. He shook his head. He took Watanuki out of the list of what he wanted. This was the prize for the king, nothing more, but he couldn't help thinking about how close the two were getting.

"You don't have to tell me now, but it would be nice if I could grant your wish in the sea." He said, completely interrupting Doumeki's train of thought. He looked down to find Watanuki staring up at him hopefully. Doumeki looked away.

"What if I…what if my wish was you?" he said and looked back down. Watanuki's face was stemmed with surprise and terror. His heart twisted sharply at the unspoken reply. Watanuki didn't want him like he did. Watanuki turned away face singed with red, tears welled in his eyes.

"Please, don't mess with me. You might have saved me, but I'm not a toy. I'm a fish, I'm not human. I would die on land and you would die in the water."

"What if I wanted to make you human? It would work then. You wouldn't die and we could be together." Doumeki said while entwining their fingers. He pulled the hand up to his face and gently kissed it. Watanuki flinched and pulled his hand from the admirals and pushed himself away a little farther into the - water with the hand Doumeki had kissed pressed gently to his chest. His face was the definition of horrified confusion. His slender brows were pressed upward to the crown of his head, his eyes were wide and shining an emerald blue from the light reflected on the water, and his mouth was held slightly agape as his lips quivered.

"Why did you do that?" he stammered. He seemed scared. Doumeki waded forward to him. Watanuki swam back a bit trying to move away but Doumeki gripped his arms, holding him in place.

"Don't run away." He stated. Their eyes connected, soft cobalt eyes met stern gold ones. "I don't have a family. I have very few friends. You are really the only person I have ever had an enjoyable conversation with. You're also the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I think I may…love you." Those last two words fell into Watanuki's chest softly, chilling his heart, making his eyes well with the ocean. He cried.

"You…you can't love me! It's not right! I…I'm an ocean creature your not! I have fins you have feet! "He screamed, "and how would you know any way? We've only been together for two days! TWO! How can you be sure it's not just infatuation? "His voice softened as he began to shake.

"How can you love me…"he whispered before his body gave in and he began to bawl. Doumeki pulled him close, wrapping his arms around him as he did so. He cried hard into the white navy shirt that was plastered to the admiral's skin from the cold dark water. He knelt his head into the crook of the sad boy's neck and breathed, "I'm sorry for hurting you, but I do love you." The boy just cried harder. Doumeki moved his hands up and down his back, hoping to soothe him some.

The moon had moved across the sky when Watanuki finally stopped crying. He lifted his head and pushed Doumeki away. He turned around and looked longingly out at the sea. The moonlight was gently gracing his skin. Doumeki silently wished that he was the moon right now, wish he could touch that skin the way the moon was.

A snap sounded behind them and both turned to face the opposing noise. A man and his lady friend stood, staring out at the admiral and his friend. Doumeki took notice to the man. His eyes lingered on Watanuki far longer than he liked. The man smiled and lust filled his eyes. He didn't know that Watanuki was a mermaid, for now at least. He moved forward down the hill to the rocks and into the water. Doumeki began to push Watanuki out further, but the man was faster. He gripped Watanuki's arm then turned to face Doumeki. Doumeki moved protectively in front of Watanuki as best he could.

"Where did you buy this one?" he asked the admiral, motioning to Watanuki. Doumeki glared down the man saying, "I didn't buy him any where, and he's not for sale."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I was willing to pay a hefty price, I could throw in her too," he stated nonchalantly and pointed to the drunken girl on shore. "She's a good girl. Real strong and good looking too. Whatcha say?" Doumeki lowered his head to look back at Watanuki, who was trembling and crying. This was all just too much for him. He had to get him back on the ship to rest some more.

"No. you aren't getting him. That's that. Now go away." The admiral ordered. He grabbed the man's arm and pulled him away from Watanuki before pushing him aside. He pulled Watanuki close and began to walk to shore but was stopped when the man said, "that's really too bad. Your life is on line now," he stated and suddenly, a sharp hiss of pain enveloped Doumeki's body. He fell forward, head plunging into the now ice cold water, which now held a black luster to it from the life that now poured out of his back, staining his white shirt red.

"Oh my god! Doumeki!" Watanuki screamed as he reached forward, but the moment his fingers gripped his shirt a strong arm wrapped around his waist and drug him away. Doumeki stood as tall as he could and watched as the man ran up the rocks with his Watanuki. For the first time in a very long time he felt the tears fall from his eyes, and it wasn't caused by the gaping wound that shown prominently on his back.