Otabek had an imaginary friend– as a child he talked of the golden hair fish boy that came to the rocks and played with him. Otabek would tell you this boy also taught him how to swim. His family worried as Otabek never went off to play with other children in the town– no he would run to the ocean at every chance– regardless the season or weather.

When Otabek became a man, he never sought out a wife, he built a cottage by the ocean, so he could be closer to his friend. He financially struggled as he never had a real trade to fall on, and his family's farm didn't make them rich.

Otabek would tell you he did not need money to be happy, but he also couldn't deny it would make things easier.

That was where his imaginary friend came in.

"Beka!" Yuri had called out, sitting up on the rock, waving over to him.

Otabek grinned and took off in a jog to meet up with him. It was his birthday and he had gone to his mother's for cake with the family– it also made him run late meeting Yuri.

"Sorry I'm late," Otabek said, but put out a wrapped package, "But I was able to get you some cake!"

"Happy birthday, Beka!" Yuri squealed out, holding his arms up since he didn't have any mobility on land.

Laughing, Otabek sat next to Yuri and wrapped his arms around his friend.

"You hair is drying," Otabek said, running his fingers through the long strands.

"It's ok, it is windy today, plus my fin is still wet, so we are good."

"Aren't you cold?" Otabek asked, starting to remove his jacket.

"I don't feel cold like you do," Yuri said, eyeing the package Otabek had.

"Oh right! Cake!"

Sitting against the rock, the cold water from the ocean sprayed up on them. It never bothered Yuri, but Otabek could only take so much this time of year. He would have to remember to wear a thicker coat next time.

"So um… I had to start a new job," Otabek said, a blush coming across his face.

"What did you do this time?" Yuri asked, shoving more cake in his mouth, icing cover his cheek.

Otabek laughed, swiping the icing off his cheek with his thumb then sucking on his thumb. "Nothing important… hated that job anyway."

"I wish you didn't have to work," Yuri pouted. "We could play in the ocean all day!"

"Not this time of year!" Otabek said.

"I'll take you where the waters are warm!"

"And how am I supposed to get there?"

"Duh! You swim, dumb ass."

"I'm human."

"So?"

Otabek sighed, if only he could take off into the ocean with Yuri– he would have years ago. He was cursed with legs and lungs that only breathed air.

"So I got you something," Yuri said, smiling.

Otabek raised an eyebrow. Yuri was always bringing him treasures he found in the ocean. He had his shelves in his cottage covered in shells. He loved them all.

"Hold your hand out!" Yuri said.

Holding his hand out, Yuri dropped something in it. It was small and smooth. Otabek gasped when he saw it. It was a perfect pearl.

"Yuri… I… I can't accept this.. It is… too much," Otabek stammered, knowing the worth of this perfect pearl in his hand.

"Yes you can! There are a ton of them laying around not that far from here," Yuri said.

"What?"

"Yeah… the oysters get tired of them taking up so much room in their mouths, so they spit them out the other week… quite a hassle really… we don't know what to do with them all," Yuri said with a shrug.

"Do you have any idea what these are worth?" Otabek asked.

"They are worthless!" Yuri cried out. "Now this cake… this is a worth a million coral!"

"Yuri," Otabek said, running his fingers through is hair, "They are worth a lot on land."

"No shit."

"Yeah, no shit."

Yuri sat back, flipping his fin in the water as he thought. "Give me your bag."

"What?"

"Just do it!"

Otabek grabbed his saddle bag and handed it to Yuri, who only took the bag, emptying the contents of it all over the rocks.

"Now go get me more cake, and I'll be back before the sun sets!"

Otabek watched his friend dive off the rock into the ocean and take off. Pocketing the pearl, Otabek made the walk back to his mother's house to get more cake.

Yuri was not back yet. Otabek sat at the rock, another package of cake and a thicker coat, watching the sun start to set. The colors off the horizon beautiful as the cold air whipped around him.

A large splash and Otabek smiled, knowing Yuri was back.

"Fucking help me!" Yuri cried out, "This shit is heavy!"

Otabek scrambled, worried for a moment as Yuri clutched to the rock. Leaning over, he took the strap to his bag from Yuri's hand, understanding what he meant. It was heavy.

"Yuri… what is this?" Otabek asked.

"Did you bring my cake?" Yuri asked, lifting himself up on the rock and wiggling his body over to rest back next to Otabek.

Otabek held up the package and Yuri smiled. "Perfect! Now look in the bag!"

When Otabek opened the bag, pearls of every size and color started to spill out.

"Yuri…"

"They are worthless to us… do whatever you need too."

"Do you have any idea what this means?" Otabek asked.

"Not one bit."

"These are worth a lot," Otabek said.

"Good! I'll bring you more tomorrow! Then you can quit that thing you call a job and spend more time with me!" Yuri said smiling with icing all over his lips.

Otabek gasped– he would have all the time in the world with Yuri now. Taking Yuri's face in his hands, he kissed him– not even thinking this was their first kiss. Yuri tasted of salt from the ocean and icing from cake. When he pulled back, Yuri was blushing– and smiling.

"I'll sell these… give my family enough money to be happy the rest of their lives… then I'll buy a small boat and we can go where the waters are warm!" Otabek said.

A tear formed in Yuri's eye, "Do you mean it?"

He leaned in, kissing him again, "Yes, absolutely."

It was only a short month later that Yuri had brought so many pearls to Otabek that his family and their children would never have to work again. Otabek purchased a small boat, filled it with all the shells Yuri had ever brought him over the years.

The sun was starting to rise as Otabek untied the boat from the docks.

"You ready?" Yuri asked, taking Otabek's hand as he lifted him onto his small boat.

"Ready when you are!" Otabek said, running his fingers through Yuri's hair, kissing him. His life was out beckoning him off the horizon, and Yuri was there by his side. He couldn't have asked for anything more.