Title: The Little Merman

Pairing: 8059

Summary: Upon falling in love with a human, merman Gokudera trades in his tail for legs in order to win Yamamoto's heart.

Notes: I own nothing.

This work was plagiarized by gamecloudsomnia on . At this point in time I have commented on her version of this story and told her to take it down, but I do not know how to properly report her. I feel that all I can do is ensure that people realize she stole my work.

The undersea kingdom of Vongola had reigned in peace for many years now, most recently under the rule of King Tsuna. He was a kind ruler, who only had his subjects' best interests at heart and wanted to keep everyone safe from the horrors that lay beyond their little haven. As such, Tsuna had ordered his people to stay away from the surface and avoid contact with humans. Past events had made the merpeople wary; various fishing expeditions and waste and everything just made Tsuna all the more alarmed, and he had passed the decree within months of his ascension to the throne.

Gokudera served happily under his king, finding no reason why he should not be happy. He enjoyed protecting his ruler from the various enemies of the sea that they would encounter, and for the longest time did not doubt Tsuna's restriction on any kind of interaction with humans. However, after a while, Gokudera grew curious, and had to wonder if the humans they did not live far away from proved any more dangerous than the other mermen they've encountered that have wanted the Vongola kingdom for themselves. With a bit of difficulty, they had managed to defeat the Millifiore kingdom, with some help from the kingdom of Varia, despite the animosity between the ruler, Xanxus, and Tsuna.

But the humans never seemed to be explicitly going after the merpeople, and Gokudera doubted that they even remembered of their existence. Centuries ago they had certainly known all about each other, but after a while the distance just got greater. Now Gokudera knew next to nothing about the human world, and damn it, he was curious.

Gokudera swam out that night, silver tail flashing as moonlight hit it, with no intention of disobeying Tsuna's orders, but soon found his swimming spot shadowed by a strange, large object floating on the surface. The silver-haired boy swam up to the object, swimming alongside it as the object moved through the water, feeling the wood underneath his fingertips. It was odd – all the wood he had ever encountered was at the bottom of the sea, so how could this large thing float? More curious than he had ever been, Gokudera surfaced, careful to stick close to the floating wooden object.

The bright, cheerful sound of music overlapped the growing rumbling of thunder rising from the east, and Gokudera's ears perked up. He always liked music, and soon found himself humming along with the tune, a catchy, sped-up version of a classical song Gokudera had heard some other time.

He glanced around, soon finding a rope he could use to pull himself up, and a small ledge that he could situate himself, just out of obvious view. He climbed up the rope and peered through the gap in the wood, an amazing sight easily beheld.

There were humans onboard, numerous humans that were all laughing and having a jolly old time. Tall ones, fat ones, ones wearing stripes and coats, and boots and sandals that showed off those strange things called toes. But what caught Gokudera's attention was one young man, a dark-haired, tall boy wearing the largest grin. A sailor laughed and called out to him, gracing Gokudera with the man's name: Yamamoto.

He wasn't the most beautiful of people, merman or human, and Gokudera could easily classify him as 'ordinary', but there was just something that sparked within him, a flame inside his heart that fluttered along with the tune they were all dancing to. It was almost enough to distract him from the growing threat of the oncoming storm, but a lightning strike on some nearby rocks grabbed Gokudera's attention and he leaped back into the water with a great splash.

He knew it would be no good to stay on the surface during these times, and began swimming away from the great wooden ship, then hesitated, wondering whether the humans there would be alright. As if on cue, a lightning bolt struck the mast, quickly setting fire to the sails and threatening the entire ship. Gokudera gulped in worry, but swam a little further away, seeing that the humans were all gathering in smaller boats. It would do him no good to be discovered.

Yamamoto hadn't gotten off the ship yet, making sure that everyone else was safely in the lifeboats before he ran towards the edge. Another crack of lightning hit close to his body, and Yamamoto's body instinctively ducked to the other side, tripping and cracking his head against the railing as his body fell over the side, too far away from the boats.

Gokudera watched in horror as the humans rose into a great commotion, and barely wasted a moment before he emerged from his hiding spot, swimming swiftly towards Yamamoto's sinking form. A plume of red blood was slipping out of his head wound, and Gokudera hoped he wasn't inhaling water. He knew humans weren't supposed to do that.

He hooked his arms underneath the man's armpits, grasping his chest tightly, and flicked his tail savagely. The sailors, as unhappy as they had been to leave their prince behind, knew there was no getting him in this weather, and had rowed off in the direction of the shore. Gokudera followed them, parting at a grouping of rocks that would lead them to separate shores, so he could have some cover as he dragged the unconscious body onto the sand. It was difficult, since his own tail was not made for getting a good dragging stance, so Gokudera settled on Yamamoto half-laying in the ocean.

The storm slowly passed, the light of dawn slowly rising into view, and Gokudera found himself by Yamamoto's side throughout the whole thing, softly humming the classical tune he had heard on the boat. Bored hands started playing with Yamamoto's short strands of hair, brushing against his earlobe, until Gokudera felt the man twitch. He froze, the last notes of the song hanging in the air for a moment before he scuttled over to the water, dipping under the waves as Yamamoto groaned and sat up, rubbing at his head and spitting out the last bits of seawater from his mouth. His fingers found a small cut on his scalp, and he looked around for anyone who might have been the one to rescue him, for he was sure he could not have made it to shore without help.

"VOOOOIIII! YOU STUPID PRINCE!" Squalo's voice cut through his search, and Yamamoto turned around to see Squalo walking along the shoreline, looking for Yamamoto. He smiled and waved.

"Over here." He called out cheerfully, and Squalo's gaze turned sharply onto him and he rushed forth to kick the boy in the stomach. Yamamoto doubled over and spat out more seawater.

"YOU STUPID BRAT!" Squalo yelled, and hoisted the prince over his shoulder. "Get back sooner! Or better yet, don't do those stupid boat rides in those fucking storms anymore!"

Yamamoto gave a weak laugh, and allowed his servant to cart him back to the castle, though he found himself glancing over to the ocean, finding bits of wood floating all over the lapping waves.

And, for some reason, he couldn't get this song out of his head…

The rest of the day passed by Gokudera at an alarmingly slow pace. He couldn't get Yamamoto's face out of his head, no matter how many times he tried to brush it aside so he could do his work. His mind seemed insistent, however, and so he kept seeing the image of the boy's unconscious body, and the smile that graced his features back when he was smiling and dancing.

"It's a stupid smile anyways…" Gokudera growled under his breath after it had gotten particularly hard to focus.

"Eh? Gokudera, did you say something?" Tsuna turned around, his head tipped in question. Gokudera's eyes snapped open and his face flushed in embarrassment.

"No, no, not at all! Sorry to bother you, Your Majesty!" He gave Tsuna a deep bow and turned around in one fluid motion, propelling himself as far away from the other boy as he could manage. The king's voice just reminded him of how forbidden his affections towards Yamamoto were. It was just a reminder that they could never see each other again.

He swam until he reached a small pile of debris, fresh remnants of a ship that littered the ocean floor. Gokudera recognized the figurehead as the one on Yamamoto's ship, and lightly brushed his fingers against it, the only connection to the man he could never have.

"Poor boy." A voice snickered from somewhere behind Gokudera, and he whirled around to see who said that.

"Such a sad predicament." Another voice agreed, monotonous. Gokudera growled, looking all around him for a sign as to whom the voices belonged to. After a moment, two figures came slipping out from the shadows, eel tails sliding effortlessly through the water.

"Can't see his loved one, separated by land and sea. Nothing can be done, though, ain't that right, Kakipi?" Gokudera watched as this one swam all around him, looping around the other, who chose to simply circle Gokudera slowly.

"Not true, Ken." The one called 'Kakipi' said. "I'm sure Mukuro has a way to help him."

Gokudera stiffened at the mention of the name 'Mukuro', knowing full well that no good had ever come of that name. The man was a kind of magician who had lived for longer than anyone knew. But his nefarious ways had him expelled from the Vongola, as well as any other kingdom that knew of his name.

"Ahahaha! He definitely could!" Ken swirled upwards in triumph, mouth next to Gokudera's ear. "Oh, don't be like that. Mukuro has a soft spot for people like you. He likes to help."

"He can certainly find some way for you and your prince to be together, forever."

The two underlings were wheedling him down, and Gokudera felt his resolve to stay as far away from the man as possible weakening. It had been a great number of years since Mukuro was banished. If he were plotting anything horrible, he'd have done it by now, right? Ken and Chikusa circled him, slowly, like he was prey, and continued murmuring about how Mukuro could help him. Finally, Gokudera put his hands on his hips and looked right at them.

"Fine. Take me to Mukuro right now." Ken and Chikusa exchanged smirks and led the way, slipping through the dark waters that led to Mukuro's lair.

The lair was more well lit than Gokudera would have expected, and he slowly made his way in, taking in the sights of all the various potions and things that seemed like they would have a part in the creation of magic. Ken and Chikusa lurked in the shadows of the doorway, as though ready to stop Gokudera should he change his mind.

"Ah, Gokudera." A voice, soft and welcoming, or at least an attempt at it, drifted in through the other room, and Mukuro made his way in, propelling himself to Gokudera's side with his purple tentacles. "I heard about your little problem."

Gokudera crossed his arms, looking cross at Mukuro. "Yeah, yeah, magic whatever. Let's get to the point. How can you get me and Yamamoto together?"

Mukuro smiled, lips thin as a blade, and let loose a small chuckle. "Forward. Very well." He swam away from Gokudera, towards the center of the room, where a large pot was. "The best way to be together would be to become a human, like he is. I happen to have a spell that does just that."

Gokudera paused, the idea sinking in. "A… human?"

"Yep." Mukuro said, still smiling, and swam over to gather up a few bottles. "Two legs, different sexual organs, lungs, the works. What do you say?"

The silver merman paused, deep in thought. He did not want to abandon King Tsuna like this, or ever see his comrades again, but… Then he would be able to be with Yamamoto, and explore the human world for himself.

"Yeah… Yeah, I want to do it."

Mukuro smiled, and slid up next to Gokudera, an arm snaking its way over the boy's shoulders. "Delightful." He said, red eye flashing. "However, I must warn you of a little clause. You get three days with this spell, and if he doesn't love and kiss you by the sunset on the third day, you're back to being a merman. And you'll have to work for me."

"What?! What the hell is with that?" Gokudera yelled.

Mukuro shrugged. "Hey, I just work the magic, I don't make the rules." Gokudera growled, but assured Mukuro that he still wanted to do this. Mukuro smiled again, and pulled out some of the items in the jars he had taken out, crushing them together in the pot. A purple tint began to spread through the water around them, and Mukuro looked up at Gokudera. "Now then, for payment…"

"I didn't bring any money with me." Gokudera scowled. "If you want, I can swim back and-"

"No, no, no. What use do I have for money?" Mukuro chuckled. "I'd rather have your voice."

"What."

"Just for the three days. Once he kisses you, I'll give it right back. But you can't talk, sing, hum, nada. And even through writing or anything, you cannot tell him you were the one to save him from drowning."

"Tell me all this before I made the damn deal with you!"

"You still have a chance to back out." Mukuro waved his arm, and a scroll and pen appeared from the waters. It was a contract, with all the details of their arrangement written out clearly. "But if you do that, you have no chance to be with your prince. Sign it if you're sure."

The purple haze that came from whatever Mukuro was concocting floated around him, hovering just inches away from his skin and scales. Gokudera paused for a moment, then gripped the pen tight and signed the contract. Mukuro grinned and began an incantation, and the purple haze immediately latched onto Gokudera, covering him. It invaded his tail, and Gokudera felt like it was being pulled apart. He screamed in pain, and the haze slipped into his mouth, grasping a glowing orb that flew into Mukuro's waiting palm. Gokudera continued his soundless scream as his tail was finally ripped in two, forming a pair of legs.

Suddenly, he couldn't breathe. He panicked, thrashing around, his arms moving his forwards while his legs flailed around uselessly. Mukuro snapped his fingers, and Ken and Chikusa slipped around Gokudera's arms and swam, propelling him up and out of the lair, towards the surface.

His head broke out of the water, and Gokudera gave a loud gasp, the sudden intake of air into his watered down lungs too much to handle at the moment. A coughing fit ensued, and Ken and Chikusa dumped him near the shore, where his feet could touch the sand under the water.

He leaned back against the beach shore, water lapping around his chest, and looked up at the sky. It had been night when he first went to Mukuro's place, but it seemed hours had passed, and he could see the beginnings of a sunrise creeping up on the horizon.

He lay there, catching his breath, until he was confident enough to try standing. It was an odd sensation, having two separate limbs that he had to work with, as well as a need for balance. Once the sun itself could be seen, Gokudera was pretty sure he had gotten the 'walking' thing down well enough. Now there was the issue of clothes.

Mukuro had been right about the new sexual organs thing, and Gokudera wasn't quite sure what the new appendage hanging with his legs was. He did, however, have the feeling that it should be covered up. All the humans on the boat had their bodies covered, so Gokudera decided to follow by example.

He walked down the beach a little, until he came across some torn fabric that he deemed good enough. The bulky canvas wasn't very comfortable, but he was able to use some rope and tie it around his waist, so it worked just fine.

'… Now what am I supposed to do?' Gokudera had no idea where Yamamoto was, and he couldn't very well ask for directions, even if there was somebody around. He scowled, not liking the sudden pessimistic feel the whole mission had achieved, and decided to keep walking until he found some way to finding Yamamoto.

Suddenly there was a barking noise penetrating his ears, the sharp whine of a dog somewhere close by startling the silver-haired boy, and his head whipped around in all directions, trying to find the source. He'd never heard a sound quite like it, and he couldn't be sure if whatever it belonged to was safe or not.

"Jiroh!" A light-hearted voice rang out over the sound of barking, and Gokudera's ears perked up. He recognized that voice. "I didn't throw it all the way over there!" The sounds were getting closer, and Gokudera just had to peer around the side of a cliff to see the owners of both voice. Yamamoto and a dog were jogging closer and closer to Gokudera, laughing and panting and having a good time.

It was good to see that Yamamoto was all well, and hadn't had any damage from his spill in the ocean. Gokudera paused for a moment, a small hesitation, but Yamamoto suddenly looked away from his pet and spotted him, his pace slowly down to a walk. Gokudera bit his lower lip, but emerged from behind the side of the cliff, sudden excitement rushing through his blood. His legs moved on their own, involuntarily speeding up to a slight run. It was only natural that he would end up stepping on the hem of his makeshift outfit, and Gokudera found himself flying headfirst into the sand.

He heard Yamamoto make a startled noise, but was currently distracted by how much he hated these damn legs, that damn piece of clothing, and this stupid piece of land that had the nerve to strike his face. His mouth flapped in a long string of silent curses, his face flushing red from anger and the embarrassment of looking like such a fool in front of the object of his affections.

"Are you okay?" Yamamoto asked, and Gokudera's head snapped up, suddenly noticing that the prince had rushed to his side, kneeling next to him. His face burned even hotter, and he gave a simple nod, remembering he could not speak. Yamamoto smiled, his eyes lighting up.

"That's good," he said, adding on a little laugh. "So you're a boy, huh? I thought you were a girl from that distance. 'Cause of the skirt, I guess." He added in another laugh, not noticing the incredulous stare he got from the silver-haired boy. "But the lack of a chest is pretty telling."

Gokudera stared.

He had fallen in love with an idiot like this. Yamamoto smiled and blinked innocently at Gokudera, who decided to properly convey his feelings by flipping him off. He struggled back to a standing position while Yamamoto hopped right up to it.

"Wait, so you're actually a girl?" he asked, obviously misinterpreting Gokudera's choice of actions. Gokudera decided to set him on the right path by glaring intently at the man's right eye, then placing a well-deserved kick to his shins. Which toppled Gokudera off balance. Which sucked, because he found that kicking was a rather satisfying act, and he would like to learn to do it properly.

Luckily he toppled in such a way that Yamamoto was able to easily circle his arms around the smaller boy's frame and hold him steady. Gokudera flushed scarlet and gave Yamamoto's stomach a quick punch, but was in no hurry to remove himself from the prince's grip. Yamamoto just smiled and laughed and mentioned something about Gokudera's exuberance.

"Let's get you back to the castle. We can get you some proper clothes and a good meal and everything, okay?"

Gokudera nodded and allowed Yamamoto to shift so that he was simply slinging one arm around Gokudera's shoulders to keep him steady as the two boys walked down the path to the castle. Jiroh trotted dutifully behind his master, annoyed that his game of fetch had been so rudely interrupted, but interested enough in this new stranger that he supposed the game could wait.

Squalo met them at the castle gates, and gave a quick glare at his prince before focusing his intensity upon the new brat the idiot had brought. "Vooi, who's this supposed to be?" he asked, snarling and glaring at Gokudera as though the boy had killed his mother or something. Gokudera retaliated by glaring back, matching hated looks blow for blow.

Yamamoto, of course, plowed right through without noticing any of this. "I found him by the beach. He can't talk, and he needs clothes and a place to stay."

"And you thought here was best?"

"Yep!"

"What the fuck are you thinking, you stupid prince?" Squalo growled. "You can't just bring random people in here! What if he was some spy or assassin or some shit like that?"

"Well he's not."

"How do you fuckin' know that?! God, why I serve under a moron like you…"

Gokudera frowned, displeased by the lack of proper servitude this man was showing. He was obviously employed by Yamamoto, who Gokudera knew was a prince, to boot. So why was he swearing right at him, showing such disrespect. This man could learn a thing or two from him. Whenever Gokudera was in the company of his own king, he would always show the proper respect and love.

Tsuna was a wonderful king, and Gokudera knew there would be no other he would serve under better. His heart swelled with pride as he thought about this, the continuous exchange between Yamamoto and Squalo forgotten in the grips of nostalgia.

Then, suddenly, it hit him. Like a sudden illness rotating in the pit of his stomach, making him sick and nauseous.

He could never go back to those days.

He would never see King Tsuna again, never serve under him and protect the kingdom of Vongola. If he managed to get Yamamoto to fall in love with him and kiss him before time ran out, then he would live his life as a human, with the prince. And if he failed, he would become Mukuro's slave, confined under the rule of a being other than Tsuna.

Oh God, why hadn't he thought this through more? It had all seemed so simple before, he had been so blinded by his love that he hadn't even thought about how this would affect his entire life. He wouldn't be able to see any of his friends or family ever again. He was even starting to miss his sister at this point.

It hit him so hard, it was a physical pain, and Yamamoto noticed the sudden draining of colour in Gokudera's face. He rushed over, clasping the boy's face, cupping each cheek in each hand, the question of 'are you okay' being asked over and over again. Gokudera just looked into those soft eyes, filled with concern for a boy he didn't even know, and felt himself breaking down. Yamamoto was startled for a moment when he felt liquid on his thumbs, and pulled the crying Gokudera close to his body, wrapping his arms in a tight hug.

Squalo blinked, standing off to the side as he watched this exchange. He averted his eyes, glancing over to the hallway next to them, grumbling something about princes and their poor taste in guests as he made his way down the corridor, intent on finding a maid and informing her that clothes, food, water, and a room would be needed for a visitor.

Gokudera, meanwhile, drew the line when he felt his hair being petted. A comforting gesture, and he didn't exactly hate Yamamoto doing it, but he didn't want to be coddled and comforted like a little girl. So he shoved the prince away, made a quarter turn and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand.

Yamamoto blinked, then smiled and wrapped his arm around Gokudera's shoulder once again. "Let me show you where you'll be staying." He said, starting to walk and guide Gokudera in the direction Squalo had taken off in, and began rambling about the various comforts Gokudera was sure to experience there.

The castle was easy to settle into, what with all the maids and other servants (all of whom had way more manners than Squalo) bustling around to ensure that the prince's special guest was comfortable and happy. It annoyed Gokudera at some points, but he didn't feel quite right beating the poor girls that were just drawing him a bath just because he couldn't yell at them properly, so he settled on a large scowl, made more imposing by his still reddened eyes. They were all quick to get the message and left him relatively alone from that point on.

Gokudera was a servant himself, albeit a high ranking one, and while he was used to barking orders at others and having his command followed, this sense of being coddled and cradled like a child unnerved him. He felt better after he bathed and was clothed in land clothes, although the material felt odd against his skin, and joined Yamamoto for dinner.

The other boy seemed to feel the need to fill Gokudera's silence up with chatter of his own, or perhaps he was always like this, regardless of his companion's vocal capabilities. At one point Gokudera was able to just tune him out and focus on scarfing down the meal placed before him, a delightfully warm set of strange land plants and meat and fish, a familiar species that Gokudera couldn't identify in their sliced and sautéed state.

But damn, who cares, they were delicious.

The meal was finished and they were expected to part ways for bed, but Gokudera glanced over at Yamamoto, who noticed the look and flashed the mute boy a blinding smile. They got out of their chairs, but Gokudera stepped closer to Yamamoto, hand reaching out to grip the sleeve of the prince's loose shirt.

"Hm?" Yamamoto tipped his head and looked down at Gokudera, still smiling. "Was there something you wanted?"

Gokudera's breath hitched, a voiceless sound, and he moved his lips, trying to form words through sheer force of will. He wanted to hear Yamamoto saying his name. His lips pursed forwards as he slowly tried to pronounce his own name, parting at his last syllable.

Yamamoto stared down at him, the smile fading as he focused on the boy's lips, the soft pink skin moving so slowly, tantalizing…

"VOOOOIII! You stupid prince! Are you going to get a move on or what?" Squalo burst into the room and raised an eyebrow at the two in front of him. Gokudera's face darkened and he spun to glare daggers at Squalo, his hand letting go of Yamamoto's sleeve.

The prince laughed, the moment broken, and calmed Squalo down. He said good night to Gokudera and left for his room, leaving Gokudera to glare at the two retreating figures until he decided to return to his own room. He collapsed on the bed (so soft, so fluffy, so like air and nothing like floating in the waters below as he let the ocean currents rock him to sleep) and curled around the sheets and pillows, scowling and gripping one particularly frilly pillow so hard his knuckles turned white. He threw the thing across the room and slid further under the covers, choosing to let his frustrations melt away in a soothing sleep.

Tomorrow would surely be better.

"Hey, you wanna go see the town?" was how it started.

Gokudera decided that it was actually Squalo's idea to get Gokudera out of the castle, since the poor maids were too afraid to go too close to him. And because of that, Gokudera found himself dragged around the town that was attached to the castle with Yamamoto as his guide, who seemed more than happy to point out every single landmark or shop or person they came across and regale Gokudera with a tale of a personal memory that came with said location, item, or person. It was all rather aggravating.

So when one burly man had decided to shoulder Gokudera and tell the boy to watch where he was going, well, Gokudera could not be blamed for the actions he took. He was just a ticking time bomb ready to explode… with a fist to the man's burly face.

Yamamoto had laughed that encounter off, and the next one, and the next one, and the one after that, but then decided it would be best to take Gokudera somewhere with less people. And Gokudera, slightly out of breath and face already pink from exertion, could not find anything wrong with that idea, and so Yamamoto had produced a boat at a small lake that was still within the city walls and the two set out across the water.

It was already having a calming effect on Gokudera, who was perfectly happy to sit back and graze his hand against the water while Yamamoto rowed them further from shore. He watched the ripples stream out from behind his hand when he got an idea, and sat up straight. Yamamoto noticed this and stopped his rowing, drawing the oars in.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, and Gokudera shook his head and motioned for Yamamoto to give him his hand. Yamamoto did so, and Gokudera shifted in the boat, slowly, so as to not disturb it, until he was as close to facing the same direction as Yamamoto as was possible. He then proceeded to take his hand, still damp, and wrote out his name for Yamamoto on the boy's arm, ending on his palm.

"Go… ku… de… ra…" Yamamoto followed along, watching the motions of Gokudera's fingers and the lingering glisten of water on his wrist that spelled out the other boy's name. "Gokudera… Is that your name?" The silver haired mute gave him a smile, so beautiful in its rarity, and an emphatic nod. Yamamoto grinned widely, happy to finally have a name to go with his companion's face.

"Gokudera…" he whispered, trying the name out on his tongue. Gokudera's smile turned shy, and his eyes flickered downwards, to where he still had his fingers in Yamamoto's palm. The prince noticed this too, and slowly reached up and held the other's wrist. Nothing demanding, nothing restricting, just a gentle grip of warm skin on warm skin.

"Gokudera…" Yamamoto said it again, leaning forwards just a bit, his voice rising with a heat Gokudera had not known he had. The silver haired boy looked up from their conjoined hands, locking eyes with the prince, and he found his lips moving gently in a silent whisper of 'Yamamoto'.

The dark haired boy took this as an invitation to move even closer, and Gokudera found himself mimicking those actions until he could feel hot breath tickling his nose, ghosting over his skin and lips in a way that felt like pinpricks of electricity. Their hands burned with warmth where they touched, and Gokudera could feel a second hand snaking its way around his side of his head, slipping in between silver locks to cradle his head in a soft gesture.

And then he felt a jolt, not the electrical feeling he had been expecting, but a sudden rocking of the boat, and he found his forehead mashed up against Yamamoto's teeth in the second before the small capsule tipped over, spilling its cargo into the lake. Gokudera was used to the water, but he found his legs refusing to flick and glide like his tail before, and his arms flailed uselessly until he found a different pair wrapped around his torso and a soft voice laughing in his ear, "It's okay, I got you, you're alright."

He let Yamamoto guide him back to shore, and was comforted by the feeling of sand beneath his feet. The water was scary when he had legs. He hadn't expected swimming with them to be so difficult. He shivered, partially from the realization that he could have easily drowned back there, and partially from the sudden chill that came from the wind pressing against his soaking clothes.

"You alright?" Yamamoto's voice came from behind him, and Gokudera turned to see the prince wringing out his sleeves. His voice was still light hearted; he had been confident after being capsized. Gokudera scowled and shivered again, which brought Yamamoto to come closer and inspect him. He felt the taller boy's hands on the side of his head and looked up to see the boy staring at his forehead with a bittersweet amusement.

"Damn, I scraped you up a little." He said, his thumb lightly pressing at the skin next to where Yamamoto's teeth had made contact with Gokudera's forehead. "Pretty bad luck, huh?" He went and laughed it off again, which just made Gokudera roll his eyes and scowl, then realize that scowling just made his forehead hurt more. Great.

"Come on," Yamamoto slipped an arm over Gokudera's shoulder, holding the wet boy close to his equally wet body. "Lets get back to the castle and find ourselves some dry clothes." Gokudera gave him a small nod and the two walked along the path that led to the castle, unaware of watchful eyes.

Mukuro growled and flung the pearly orb across the room, only growling further as the water slowed its descent enough that it merely pinged against the wall and rolled to the floor, still showing the image of Gokudera and Yamamoto walking away. They were getting too close, so close, and Mukuro could only thank his lucky stars that he had sent Ken and Chikusa to watch over the two.

"If that had happened on land…" Mukuro growled, eyes narrowing with the thought. Ken and Chikusa could only survive underwater, and could do nothing if the two got all cozy in the safe confines of their little palace. And if that actually happened, Mukuro would be out one slave! Having Gokudera would be a perfect addition in his plans to eradicate the whole Vongola kingdom.

He couldn't let his plans go to waste. Thinking quickly, Mukuro grabbed a few choice items from his shelves, tossing them into his pot, glass and all. The last item he grabbed was a vial containing a glowing orb: Gokudera's voice. He only needed the soft, soothing tones of the boy's singing voice for his plan to work. Smirking, Mukuro tossed it in with the rest of the concoction and began chanting a spell that brought forth a purple and black haze that drifted through the water, enveloping Mukuro's whole body.

Yamamoto sat out on his balcony watching the last rays of the sun fall behind the horizon, Jiroh faithfully panting at his side. He was completely dry now, his afternoon swim nothing more than a memory. But he found himself glancing over to the balcony across from his, where Gokudera's room was. The drapes were almost completely closed, letting only a small sliver of light stream out from the room, showing that the other boy was still awake.

Yamamoto smiled as the light was blocked and he could see Gokudera's figure walking across the room, and soon the sliver of light was extinguished. The other boy was going to bed. The prince sighed and scratched behind Jiroh's ears, slipping away from the railing. He supposed he should do the same. Jiroh licked the boy's wrists, then stopped, trained ear perked up as he picked up a new sound. Yamamoto saw this and knelt down, still petting the dog.

"What is it, boy?" he asked, until his ears picked up the sound as well. The song he had heard when he was being rescued all those days ago, the slow, soft version of their sea-faring party song, was being sung. The voice was unmistakable, even though Yamamoto knew he had hardly been completely coherent when he had first heard it.

He rushed back to the railing, eyes searching the darkness until they came across a small figure, a girl sitting on a bed of rocks in the sea, her black dress spilling into the water. She sang the song, slowly getting louder and louder, and Yamamoto found himself rooted to the spot, mesmerized. Then she turned around, revealing a covered right eye, and a left one that seemed to pierce Yamamoto down to his core.

She smiled, and Yamamoto found himself sinking, slipping, but standing completely still.

When Gokudera woke up the next morning (the third day, he realized, his last chance) he just knew something was wrong. There were maids bustling around in the hallways outside his door, saying something about a wedding and how it was so great that the prince was finally settling down. A part of his heart rose and fluttered at the thought that Yamamoto was planning on marrying him, while a part of his head told him that it was completely illogical to propose to someone after knowing them for two days, and that even though Yamamoto was stupid, he wouldn't do something like that. And why would one plan a wedding before the question had even been popped? They hadn't even kissed yet.

Gokudera quickly got dressed and practically flew down the stairs, hand skimming over the banister as though gripping it would slow him down. His hand had to clamp down, however, as his legs suddenly found themselves deciding not to work, and he supported himself as the shock wore off.

Yamamoto was standing there, arm and arm, with some girl. A girl that looked suspiciously like Mukuro, now that he looked at her. It was the same damn hairstyle, and she had the same shade of blue for her eye that was visible. He was sure that if he took of the bandages covering her right eye, he would see a bright crimson, a telltale symbol of Mukuro's magical prowess.

"We want to be married today." Yamamoto was saying, and Squalo gripped his forehead in frustration.

"These things take time, you stupid brat! I can't pull a wedding out of my ass!"

"We will be married today. Get the whole castle working on it." Yamamoto replied, not even bothering to listen to Squalo

Squalo growled at the prince, then stomped off, muttering under his breath. "Damn princes and their damn fiancées and their damn demands. Fuck this, I'm just shoving this all on Lussoria, he'll enjoy doing all this shit, I don't fuckin' care anymore…"

Gokudera stepped away from the stairs, now sure that his legs would be able to hold him, and walked up to Yamamoto. He tugged on the other boy's sleeve, hoping he could somehow warn the prince of Mukuro's obvious ploy. Yamamoto looked down at him and gave Gokudera a vacant smile.

"Good morning, Gokudera. This is Chrome. We're going to be married." A crestfallen look passed over Gokudera's face, a look Yamamoto obviously interpreted wrong. "Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure you get a seat there."

And he smiled that vacant smile again, and Gokudera knew for certain that there had been something done to Yamamoto. He wouldn't look like that, he wouldn't talk like that, he wouldn't do that to Gokudera. Seething, Gokudera glared at this so-called 'Chrome', who smiled sweetly and timidly at him, and Gokudera just glared even further at the obvious act. He wanted to tear her apart, but it seemed that both she and Yamamoto noticed this, as the taller male subtly shifted between the two.

He huffed angrily and turned away on his heels, walking away from the two, not noticing the smirk Chrome gave his retreating back, a twist of her sweet face that revealed something more sinister beneath.

The maids, so excited at the idea of the wedding that Lussoria had somehow managed to pull off, had seemed to forget their fear of the silver haired guest, and Gokudera soon found himself surrounded by a gaggle of girls that wanted to get him all dressed up for the wedding. They managed to get him into a suit before his snarling scared them off.

As much as Gokudera would have loved to curl up in his room and cry and break things in a very violent manner, he knew he had to save Yamamoto somehow. Mukuro wasn't playing fair, so that meant that Gokudera didn't need to either. And as much as he would have liked to just blow up the whole damn ship that had the wedding on it, Yamamoto was already there and waiting, so there was no possibility of executing that plan without harming the prince.

So he went to the wedding, and his eyes fell upon the grand piano that rested in a corner, the pianist for the wedding sitting on its bench and playing soft music. He stopped, an idea hitting him suddenly, and he flipped off the person who had bumped into his back during his sudden stop.

Yamamoto stood at the end of the pathway, already standing there with a priest, ready to get married, and the pianist soon pressed down the keys for the opening to the wedding march. Gokudera took three more long strides, already so used to these legs, and gripped the back of the man's collar, yanking him back and off the seat. A number of people looked up from the crowd as the piano made a mash of key sounds, and Chrome entered from the cabin, decked out in a glittering white gown and made Gokudera want to gag.

The silver haired boy slid onto the piano bench with ease, his fingers slipping onto the keys he knew. He had found an old piano undersea once, and while it only made whooshing and thumping noises, Gokudera had thought it beautiful. Tsuna, dear, thoughtful king of his, noticed this and had an undersea version made. Gokudera spent so much time with that particular musical item, and he knew the version on land would hardly be any different.

As his fingers pressed down on the keys and a familiar melody began playing, Gokudera smiled and knew that he would have guessed right. The murmurs from the crowd about the different melody were drowned in the classical music that Gokudera created with his fingers. The song he sang to Yamamoto before took form, drifting into everyone's ears.

Yamamoto found himself blinking, rising, standing, though he had been standing perfectly still before. He took a deep breath in and looked around, his eyes falling upon Gokudera at the piano, eyes shut and a serene look upon his beautiful face. His fingers danced along the ivory keys, so at home in his musical paradise.

"Gokudera…" he whispered, just loud enough for his voice to carry over the music. Gokudera stopped, the music falling to silence, and Yamamoto almost wished he would keep playing. The song had so much feeling behind it.

He walked forwards, standing next to Gokudera, who scooted out from the piano bench to gaze up at Yamamoto. The prince smiled softly, hand reaching out to grasp Gokudera's fingers, running his thumb over the other boy's knuckles. "You were the one to save me from drowning, weren't you?" he asked, and Gokudera smiled and tried to nod, but found his head locked. The contract still stood, and Gokudera could not reveal that he was the one to save Yamamoto. He bit his lip, his eyes now cast down at the floor.

Then he felt Yamamoto's other hand caressing his cheek, and his head shot up. "Whatever…" Yamamoto murmured, his smile still soft, his hand still warm, and his breath starting to tickle Gokudera's nose. "I love you either way. These last few days have been the best times of my life." And Gokudera felt his breath hitch, a quick intake and breath before his felt soft skin against his lips.

Yamamoto moved his lips against Gokudera's, the hand that had been caressing the other boy's cheek slowly slipping behind his head, running his fingers through silky silver hairs. Tingles spread throughout his body and his mouth felt as if it was on fire. Gokudera could feel this from Yamamoto as the boy tightened his hold and pressed his mouth even closer to Gokudera. The silver haired boy felt breathless, and his symptoms mirrored Yamamoto's.

His closed eyes could not see the twisted face of Chrome, who had started growling and finally screamed as the final rays of sunlight slipped beneath the horizon, a scream that was certainly not female or soft or befitting her delicate features.

The sound startled the two boys away from each other, but the silent decision was made between them to ignore her. Yamamoto just grinned and pressed his forehead lightly against Gokudera's, still rubbing his thumb over the boy's knuckles. "Gokudera…" he murmured, still a little breathless.

"Yamamoto…" Gokudera whispered, his voice small and cracking just slightly, so unused to being back in Gokudera's throat. Yamamoto's eyebrows rose in surprise, but grinned anyways and hugged Gokudera close, breathing in his scent.

"Fuck this!" Chrome screamed, directing attention back onto the woman. But she didn't stay female for long, as the disguise of 'Chrome' soon fell away in purple and black smoke as she walked closer and closer to the two. Soon, her dainty feet were replaced by inky tentacles, and Mukuro half walked, half crawled towards them.

"If I made the damn contract, I can break it!" he screamed, and grabbed a hold of Gokudera's wrist, wrenching the boy away and Yamamoto. At the contact, Gokudera screamed, his pants ripping away as his legs reverted back into a glimmering tail. Mukuro paid this no attention, and dragged the boy to and over the edge of the boat, diving into the ocean below.

"Gokudera!" Yamamoto yelled, rushing to the edge and looking below at the ripples in the water. He turned back to his wedding party, ignoring the panicked guests and general sense of fear and confusion, his eyes quickly finding Squalo. "Bring me my sword!" he yelled, and within seconds Squalo had produced a blade, tossing it towards the prince. Yamamoto caught the hilt and spared no time in diving off the boat, quickly breaking the water's surface and finding Mukuro still clinging onto a struggling Gokudera.

The water impeded his swings and general fighting prowess, but Yamamoto did his best to thrust his sword towards at least one of Mukuro's tentacles. The man was in his own element, however, and was able to easily skirt around the prince's attacks, swirling through the water with a laugh and a smirk.

Then Ken and Chikusa swam up with a trident, which Mukuro gripped with a rather pleased laugh. He shoved Gokudera behind him and took the weapon in both hands, swinging it at Yamamoto for a moment before using it to channel his magical power into a bright blast that cut through the water. Gokudera cried out and flicked his tail, propelling himself through the water to push Yamamoto aside, catching the blast in his tail.

He cried out in pain, a plume of red rising from his wound, and Yamamoto kicked himself forwards, sword outstretched and target within a foot of his blade. Mukuro gasped in shock as the weapon pierced his navel, slicing through his body to protrude from his back. The sword was extracted, and dark blood stained the sea around them.

The need for oxygen cried out, and so Yamamoto left his blade behind to cradle Gokudera's groggy form and kick his feet, propelling the both of them above water. His head broke the surface and Yamamoto greedily sucked in air, gasping for breath and slowly making his way to the shore. There he placed Gokudera down, the water lapping around his tail, and Yamamoto knelt next to him.

"How are you? Are you okay?" Worried statements spewed from Yamamoto's lips with ease, and only stopped when Gokudera gave a shaky laugh and a groan.

"I'll be fine. Just nicked me, really. The bleeding's already slowed down." Reassurances that were meant as much for himself as they were for Yamamoto slipped easily out of Gokudera's mouth, and soon he gave another shaky laugh. "Damn, though…" he said, still laughing a little even as his eyes were sad. "This means I can't stay with you. Back to being a merman… Different worlds and all that…"

He laughed until he cried, and Yamamoto could do nothing but stroke his arm and pepper his face with reassuring kisses. Gokudera flung one arm over his eyes, hiding the tears that leaked out, and Yamamoto closed his own eyes and bowed his head over his love.

And neither noticed a small head breaking the surface, spiky brown hair dripping with the salty water. King Tsuna watched his most beloved subject, his right hand man, break down at the thought of being separated from this prince he had fallen in love with, and he sighed.

"I'm going to miss you, Gokudera." He said to himself, dipping back underneath the surface to retrieve a pair of items. In one hand he gripped the sword Yamamoto had left underwater, and in the other he gripped Mukuro's trident.

He surfaced again, a little closer to the pair this time, and pressed the sword towards the shore. His gloves glowed and he flicked his fingers, directing the ocean currents to bend to his will, keeping the sword afloat and gently drifting towards the sandy shore. Then he gripped the trident and let the glow of his gloves spread over the weapon, gently enveloping it in a fiery glow. He pressed the tip onto the surface of the ocean, and the currents dragged the glow from the trident, floating over the surface of the water until it reached the still immersed tail of Gokudera's.

The silver haired boy felt a sudden and strange warmth growing in his fins and spreading up his scales, and slowly he took his arm away from his eyes and looked down upon his tail. A gentle glow was covering his bottom half, and he felt a gentle nudging down the middle, a softer version of Mukuro's transformation. Gokudera saw his scales turn to skin and his tail separate into two legs, his fins becoming feet with toes. The cut on his tail had even been healed, and Gokudera was looking at himself as a human again.

He smiled at Yamamoto, who had watched his transformation in awe, and looked past him at Tsuna, who gave him a soft smile and a silent wish for a happy life. Gokudera grinned at him, mouthing his thanks, and Tsuna dipped back underwater.

"So you're human again?" Yamamoto asked, and Gokudera returned his full attention to the boy. "For good this time? No crazy psychos that are gonna try and marry me because of some weird contract thing again?"

Gokudera rolled his eyes and grinned. "No, stupid." He said, and wrapped his arms around Yamamoto's neck, dragging the other boy down for another kiss, full of passion and love and happiness. Gokudera's head sunk into the sand beneath him, and slowly Yamamoto pulled back just enough to speak.

"Well, you know, I've already got the wedding all planned…" He trailed off and Gokudera snorted, pulling the boy in for another kiss. It was an effective way of shutting the other boy up, and Gokudera was sure he would have plenty of chances to use that knowledge.

You know,

When they all live happily ever after.

Author's Notes

I was originally going to make Squalo the shark that appears in the movie. And Lambo was going to be Flounder. Then I realized that was silly (and Squalo as a shark was just a little too clichéd for me here).

Also, if Gokudera had made friends with fish, he would have to feel guilty eating them. And I believe that mermaids have to eat fish underwater. Otherwise they'd all be, like, vegans. And sometimes variety is nice.