Thank you everyone for the lovely reviews =) I hope this chapter is okay.
Don't own Glee.
"Good morning!" Blaine sang as he skipped into the kitchen, grabbing a piece of toast and sitting down at the breakfast table at which his grandparents and father were sitting.
"You're very chipper this morning," commented his grandfather, looking up from his newspaper.
"I slept well," said Blaine, smearing jam on his toast. "Where are the others?"
"Well mum's gone shopping and Leo's still in bed," explained his father who was sipping coffee.
"I was thinking I might go down to the beach..." Blaine said, taking a bite of his toast. His grandmother shot him a knowing look.
"Sure, be back for lunch though," added his father.
"Of course," Blaine grinned, leaping up from his chair and grabbing another piece of toast before walking out the house, shouting goodbyes over his shoulder and ignoring the ones back telling him to put shoes on. The beach was just round the corner, what was the point of putting shoes on?
As he approached the beach he could not deny the main reason behind his excitement was the prospect of seeing Kurt again. He tried to tell himself that it was pretty unlikely but he couldn't help getting his hopes up as he walked through the doorway in the cliff to the small cove.
His heart sank when he saw no one, mermaid or otherwise, sitting on the rock. He sighed and made his way over anyway, rolling his jeans up and dangling his feet in the cold water, making sure to keep an eye on the tide and the small archway to make sure he didn't get stranded. He swished his feet through the water and looked out to see, thinking.
Suddenly he froze, squinting his eyes. He thought he saw something. But it had disappeared. Then it was closer, a few meters away. It was Kurt, sticking his head above the water with a wary look on his face.
"Kurt!" called Blaine with excitement. Kurt seemed to hesitate before plunging back into the water. Blaine's smile faded but then he saw a shadow under the water as Kurt surfed under a wave before appearing again and hauling himself up onto the rock.
He was still as stunning as ever. The only difference this time was he was glistening with sea water. The water seemed to make the markings on his skin shimmer and shine. Blaine also noticed that Kurt had something red tied around his waist. This was what he now took off, handing the dripping thing to Blaine.
"I believe this is yours," he said, his voice quiet yet more sure than the day before. "Thank you for helping me."
"You're welcome," breathed Blaine. "You can keep it if you want, it looks good on you." He gestured to the scarf in Kurt's hand. Kurt looked surprised at this, withdrawing his hand slightly. Kurt smiled slightly then went to wrap it back round his waist and Blaine laughed. "You're meant to wear it round your neck. Look, I'll show you." He held his hand out for the soggy scarf which Kurt gave him curiously.
"My neck?"
"Yeah, here," said Blaine, shifting closer to the boy. He raised his hands up to tie it round his neck but Kurt froze, panic in his eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you," whispered Blaine, not retreating. "Trust me." Kurt didn't move away, which Blaine took as a good sign and gently hung the red scarf around the boy's shoulders, before winding it round again so the two ends hung either side.
"Do you like it?" asked Blaine.
Kurt toyed with the ends of the scarf and nodded, half a smile on his face. He then reached his hand up to sweep his fringe from his eyes and Blaine watched his every movement. He seemed so human, but then again, so obviously not.
"You came back," stated Blaine happily.
"Yes...I was...curious," Kurt replied, ducking his head and looking up at Blaine through his eyelashes.
"About me?"
"Yes," whispered Kurt, a pink blush colouring his cheeks. This was such a human thing to do that Blaine laughed, making Kurt look affronted.
"Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you," assured Blaine, but Kurt didn't look convinced. "It's just...you looked so cute when you blushed." Of course, this just made Kurt blush even more. He looked away, trying to regain control over the colour of his cheeks.
"Can I ask you a question?" asked Blaine.
"I may not answer," warned Kurt with a smile.
"Can I ask you anyway?"
"Okay."
"Why were you here yesterday? You were injured, what happened?"
"I...was being stupid," sighed Kurt, looking away from Blaine. "It was high tide and I got too close to the rocks. It was windy and stormy above the water and the waves threw me into a rock. The next thing I see is your face." It was the most Blaine had ever heard him say and he was entranced by the boy's beautiful voice. "It was incredibly stupid. Anyone could have found me." At this he looked back up to Blaine. They stared at each other for a moment.
"You came back too," said Kurt, referring to Blaine's earlier comment.
"I was...curious," replied Blaine with a chuckle.
"About me?"
Blaine nodded. "I've never seen a mermaid before," he whispered.
"Nor I a human," said Kurt, leaning in slightly.
"Were you scared? When you saw me?" asked Blaine, remembered Kurt's panicked expression.
"A little," admitted Kurt. "You have not got a good reputation where I come from."
"No," sighed Blaine. "I dare say we don't." He thought of the tons of waste humans pumped daily into the sea, of oil spillages and various sports including the hunting of underwater creatures.
"All my life I've been told you're evil. That I should not approach you on fear of death," explained Kurt.
"All my life I've been told you don't exist," murmured Blaine, looking into Kurt's eyes.
"Really?" asked Kurt, seeming surprised.
"Yeah," Blaine nodded. "If I told anyone I'd seen you they'd think I was bonkers." Kurt chuckled at this and Blaine nearly swooned at the sound. It was like the tinkling of a melodic bell.
"Then how did you know what I was?" asked Kurt with confusing, his eyebrows furrowing.
"We have books and films about you. They're mainly for children though," explained Blaine.
"Books? Films?"
"Yeah, like...stories. Stories that are written down or..." Blaine hesitated, trying to figure out the best way to explain it. "Or told through pictures."
"Oh...like paintings?"
"Yeah. Although none of them have you quite right."
"What do you mean?"
"Like...well they got the tail right," he winked and Kurt looked down at his shiny tail. "But all the pictures I've seen you have skin like ours. No markings." Kurt traced a pattern on his skin. "What are they for? Do they mean something?"
"Yes, each marking means something different. Do you not have anything like this in the human world?"
"Similar," nodded Blaine. "But not everyone has one. They're made using ink and needles and they're no where near as beautiful as yours."
"Needles? That sounds painful," Kurt frowned, slightly horrified.
"Yeah, they are. At least, I think so. I don't have one," clarified Blaine. "What do yours mean?"
"This one," Kurt traced one on his arm, "means 'Family'." Blaine stared at the blue swirly symbol. "From my father. And this one is 'Friendship', from one of my friends." This time he traced one on his upper chest.
"Do they come off?" asked Blaine, watching droplets of water run down his skin, across the markings.
"Not really, it can be done but it is considered...rude," shrugged Kurt. "It is a gift, given to you by someone who cares about you."
"They're beautiful," said Blaine quietly.
"Thank you," replied Kurt, just as quietly. Suddenly he closed his eyes and sighed. "I need to go, my dad is calling me home and I shouldn't really be here."
"You can hear him from here?"
"Not so much hear, more...feel. It is not as strong as when I am in the water. Do you not have this?"
"No...but we have...other ways of communicating. Will you come back?" asked Blaine, almost desperately.
"Do you wish to see me again?" Kurt asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
"Yes," replied Blaine, a little too eagerly.
"Then I shall come back," said Kurt, and after adjusting the red scarf, slipped off the rock into the water. Blaine caught one last glance of his silvery fin before he disappeared into the turquoise waves.
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