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coralinnii · 11 months

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Congratulations for 2.7k followers!!! For my request, I would like if you could write some sibling scenarios for the octatrio with a younger sibling who absolutely adores and looks up to them. They manage to visit NRC for some kind of event and the younger sibling just follows them around like a little puppy. Copying some of their mannerisms since they want to be just like their cool older brother. I just want to see some silly and fluffy platonic family moments with them, please. 〔´∇｀〕

❋ Big Brother! ❋

↳ Younger sibling!reader visiting him (+ extra Leech brothers birthday special)

feat: Azul ⭑ Floyd ⭑ Jade

genre: platonic fluff, humour

note: no pronouns used with the reader, younger sibling!reader but age is unspecified, established filial relationships, reader is heavily implied to be merfolk, nicknames are used (little octopus, little one, little eel, kiddo)

2.7K Followers Writing Event 2023

Since Azul’s mother divorced fairly early in Azul’s life, I would imagine that you would be Azul’s half-sibling born from his mother and stepfather. That doesn’t mean that Azul loves you any less.

He worked hard not only for himself, but for his younger sibling. Azul wanted to be someone who you can look up to. Someone strong, smart, successful, and most of all, admirable.

And he did a great job, because you can’t imagine anyone more amazing than your big brother Zuzu.

You managed to convince your parents to let you join their visit to NRC during their VDC festival. Even if Azul wasn’t involved with the competition itself, you always wanted to visit your big brother’s restaurant.

Imagine the merman’s surprise when he felt a pair of small hands pull on the edges of his coat. Your bright smile was brimming with joy seeing your brother get frazzled over your visit.

As much Azul wanted to entertain you, this time of year was an opportune time for business. He offered to let you stay in his big comfy office until he could find time for you.

However you refused, choosing to follow him around. Something you learned from Azul was unrelenting stubbornness, after all. You were content with grabbing hold of Azul's large coat as he walked suspiciously slower than usual. Another thing you learned from your dear brother? An itching desire for a good deal.

Your lovable charm was a hit with the customers who watched as you waddled after Azul, not quite used to feet yet. Nearby customers held in squeals as you wrapped yourself in your brother’s coat, watching Azul and mimicking the smiles and hand gestures that your brother was fond of, even pushing up the glasses you begged your parents to buy you, regardless if you needed them or not.

Enchanted, some of the customers requested a commemorative picture with you, which is where you took Azul’s skills for your practice.

“Hmm…if you buy Zuzu’s yummy drink, then I’ll take a picture. With a contract!”

With a poorly-made contract with messy ink splotches, you wore the biggest smile you could muster as you sent a thumbs-up to your brother, who couldn’t figure out if he should be absolutely flabbergasted or immensely proud.

“Naturally, I knew how adorable my baby octopus is. What kind of blind fool do you take me for?”

Floyd is the kind of brother where he loves you and protective of you but he’s still his mischievous self. Rather than being careful or responsible, Floyd is always happy to bring you to every shenanigan and adventure if you ask him nice enough. This made for some unforgettable memories (for better or for worse)

You learn so much from the spontaneous eel. For example, you learned that sharks can swim really fast when angry, but your big bro Floyd is faster, even when carrying you in his arms.

As teasing as he can be, you admired how strong and cool Floyd was, and was excited to hear stories about his life on land with Jade, especially about the stories of his new friends. You even have a notebook with pictures of specific sea creatures to keep track of the friends he made, because if your brother doesn’t bother with names, why should you? (terrible influence, he is)

Imagine your excitement when you had the chance to visit Floyd during one of his basketball games. You practiced all week walking with feet just so you could run like Floyd does across the court.

Unfortunately, the tall merman was in his less-cheerful moods during this particular game. Boredom quickly struck him mid-way into the game which caused confusion for the opposing team and great distress amongst the NRC Basketball players. Jamil was quick to call for a timeout as soon as he could as the team whispered and panicked over this predicament.

But the timeout gave you a perfect chance get your brother’s attention, waving your hands as you called out to the tall merman as Jade stood by you with a genuine smile. Your other brother was quite aware of the bond his two siblings have so he took the liberty of escorting you as you were sure to get lost on Sage’s Island.

“Floyd! Over here!” You yelled out in joy, wearing a jersey similar to your brother to show off your clear bias. But that wasn’t the only similarity you shared with the teal-haired menace.

Shimmering under the gymnasium’s lights, your earring clipped onto your right ear caught Floyd’s eyes immediately.

The day Floyd and Jade made their earrings from the scales of the sturgeon they fought, you cried when there wasn’t enough to make one for you to wear as well. You pouted and glared every time Floyd flaunted his accessory to you, but when you stopped reacting, he assumed that you'd gotten over it.

But holding onto your ear, the sturgeon scales of your earring was as dazzling as your proud grin.

“Look, Floyd! We all match!” Your smile rejuvenated Floyd’s mood, making the once-moody eel grin back. When did you get that? And how did you get it? Floyd’s mind was flooded with curious questions so he soon turned to his teammates with a sadistic smile.

“I’m gonna crush the competition today. I wanna wrap this up quick, so let’s get serious~”

And Floyd started to have fun again, at the expense of the poor visiting team. How unfortunate for them, but Floyd needed to finish the game so he could hang out with his precious family after all.

“Little eel, come with me. Your big bro is gonna show you something fun!”

As seen with his approach with Floyd, Jade is type to spoil his siblings. No matter how tall you get or how old you are, you are Jade’s precious little one, and Jade loves nothing more than to watch his cherished family have fun, regardless if nobody else is having fun in the process.

Jade is the cool older brother, someone who is calm and dependable. You always admired the way he could charm the masses with his suave words and gestures. In the sea or on land, no one is better than your brother (tied with Floyd)

No matter what anyone says, Jade is the kindest eel in the entire world. To the dismay of others, you started picking up little habits and hobbies of your idol. Your classmates were baffled by the odd terrarium filled with odd marine fungi and rocks you stole from the shores of the beach.

When the NRC’s annual Halloween event opened to the public, you were all too excited to see your brothers, especially Jade, to show off your small terrarium bowl. Once you and your family made it to the last day of the Halloween festival, you rushed to the room that your brothers were managing to greet them.

Unfortunately, you were unaware of the concerning issue of Magicam monsters the students were facing.

These rambunctious visitors, who cared little for anything, accidentally knocked you to the ground with your terrarium along with it. The glass bowl was broken into pieces, your hardwork spilling onto the once clean floor. The Magicam monsters offered nothing more than an insincere apology before immediately walking away, adding it wasn’t their fault they didn’t notice you.

Jade was passing by as he immediately recognized you at first glance. He was quick to scoop you up into his arms, a rare look of distress on his face as he tried to dry your teary face. “Little one, what’s the matter?”

You sniffled as you tried to explain what transpired, how you excitedly rushed to find him to show him your terrarium you worked hard on, which was currently a mess on the alchemy room floor.

Oh my, the merman thought. This won’t do. As an older brother, Jade felt a responsibility to teach you a very important lesson. One’s deeds does not go unrepaid in turn

Floyd and Azul had to shush you as you, a true Leech, giggled watching the looks of fear painted on the poor unfortunate souls as they ran for their lives out from the alchemy room, away from Jade’s especially frightening surprise appearance.

All for the fun of Halloween, of course. Not because they dared to do wrong to Jade’s dear little eel.

“You would like to play with me today? Of course, I cannot think of a better way to spend the day.”

BONUS Floyd and Jade’s Birthday Special

“Happy birthday, big brothers!” You screamed at the top of your lungs, throwing handfuls of confetti as high as you could to cover the pillars you call your siblings. The twins chuckled over your silliness, respectively giving their thanks.

“Thanks, kiddo!”

“Thank you, little one”

Smiling, you brought out another surprise. In your hidden hands, you held two small boxes, wrapped in ribbons matching the colors of your brothers’ dorm.

“Open them, quick!” Handing it over, your brothers obeyed your wishes. Afterall, you were the few in the world that the eels would willingly listen to.

Cradled carefully in cushioned cloth, a small keychain sat comfortably in the box. One for each brother, there was a glass sculpture of a moray eel attached to the keychain, one with a basketball by its side and the other with a cute mushroom.

Floyd and Jade stood in silence as they admired the gift, clearly made with them in mind. For the final surprise, you took out your phone where a matching keychain dangled from its case. However, your moray eel sculpture was decorated with two hearts, representing your brothers, next to it.

“I made it near the lava flows on the sea floors” you smiled brightly, hoping your brothers liked them. It was hard enough to try glass blowing but you had to find glass materials that work well underwater. But it was worth it. “I wanted to give you something to remind you of home. Where I’ll always be waiting for you two”

Needless to say, Floyd and Jade were satisfied with your gift. Even after you went home, Floyd was bragging about how adorable you were as he showed it off to everybody while Jade was suddenly pulling out his phone more than usual throughout the day, just to see your present every single time.

#twisted wonderland #twst #disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #twst imagines #twst scenarios #twisted wonderland imagines #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #twst azul fluff #twst jade fluff #twst Floyd fluff

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jaythes1mp · 2 months

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Hi can you please make a yandere batfam meeting a merfolk reader or what your headcanonns on how that would go especially if reader is willing to stay and maybe even help with the more aquatic stuff of vigilante work

Definitely! This is some general stuff, a link to the chapter once I’ve written it will be added at the end. If everyone could please cast votes for what you’d rather before I start writing it, would be great!

Anon, I know your initial ask wasn’t really a request, but I want to write this. Haha… hope you don’t mind.

Yandere Batfam x Merfolk Reader

In the early stages of your involvement with the BatFamily, when their obsessions with you are just beginning to form, they would seek out your assistance in their crime fighting endeavours. This is under the assumption that you’re already a well known vigilante of sorts. Their obsession growing after they encounter and become acquainted with you. Learning of your skills, and how your kind can help them if any villains were to take their fight to the water surrounding Gotham’s edges.

But once the Bat's obsession has matured into a deep, twisted fascination, they would never allow you near the battlefield. Their possessive nature would take over, and they would be unable to bear the thought of you being hurt or even fighting others. Even if you were incredibly powerful, their protective instincts would render it moot the moment they have their possessive grasp on you, effectively ending your crime fighting days.

However, if you were not affiliated with any vigilante work from the beginning, the BatFamily would never even entertain the idea. Their fixation would target you on a personal level, rather than the dynamic of needing crime fighting assistance.

They might encounter you under various circumstances, such as: (numbered 1,2,3,4.)

By chance along Gotham’s shores, accidentally stumbling upon you.

You were caught in a trap, leading to your capture and confinement at Wayne Enterprises research facility. <- my favourite

One of the Bat’s had suffered an injury that sent them plummeting deep into the waters of Gotham, but just as they’re about to loose consciousness you swim them up to the surface. Saving them.

Or you may take the initiative on your own accord, reeling in one of the batfamily for either help or sustenance. The rest of the family coming to the rescue only to learn that you’re non threatening, and that the chosen member is cuddling into your side.

They would grow unhealthily fixated on you. Attached. Every aspect of your appearance and your mysterious species would fascinate them. The thought alone that you could survive in the harsh dangerous waters of Gotham without Bruce’s high-tech equipment ever detecting your existence baffling them. This would spark a curiosity turned obsession that would drive them to uncover everything about you, no matter the cost. Their intrigue shifting into a deeper, twisted form of love.

Initially, they would design a high-tech enclosure for you at the Wayne Manor, meticulously crafted to provide everything you need to thrive and more. Which you willingly enter, unaware that you’re under their watchful eyes, who monitor your every move, their fascination growing.

Under the vigilante route, where you’ve allied yourself with the family, you would move to the manor to discuss and plan out operations aimed at capturing and stopping a villain who was terrorising the city. Your presence there would foster a bond between you, as they relied on your skills and knowledge to aid them.

Voluntarily travelling there to discuss plans and strategies to combat with the villain and future perpetrators who has target Gotham.

Versus the ‘found’ routes, where you’d go because you trust them.

1 & 4 -> You would go to the Wayne Manor intrigued and fascinated to explore an entirely new place. Having only known of Gotham’s currents before, the thought of learning about human culture piques your interest. Contrary to the ominous warnings from the Elder Mers, these humans have been nothing but kind. They haven’t tried to harm you in any way, neither confining you in cages nor cutting you up to consume you, nor taking your scales. The Elder Mers must have misled you! The BatFamily is proving to be nothing but sweet and welcoming. What’s the harm in staying with them for a little while? You’re sure your clan won’t even realise that you’re gone.

2 -> You would either have no choice in the matter, as you were considered the Wayne’s property under the public’s eyes, Or you would leave under a negotiation with one of them. Desperate to escape from the constant scrutiny of the scientists who eye you as nothing more than a piece of meat. Their tests leaving you feeling exposed and vulnerable, had become unbearable, with the small transparent tank doing nothing to offer you comfort or refuge. A public spectacle being observed daily by prying eyes. You’d do anything to never have to become an experiment for these humans ever again.

3 -> They would invest months, devoting themselves to understanding your life, gradually winning you over with their kindness. Persuading you to reciprocate their efforts by visiting the enclosure they had meticulously designed specifically for you. You were fascinated by their accomplishment, having built a structure that seamlessly connected to every room within their manor. Slowly you visited more often, their efforts touching you deeply. They had created this for you. Maybe humans weren’t all bad…

Whichever route you take, the end result is the same; they become deeply, unhealthily obsessed with you. Having them hold you captive, their obsession transforming into an intense, lasting fixation. They would have no intention of ever letting you go, keeping you confined in their carefully crafted webs, for the rest of your life, never permitting you to escape their grasp. Their desire for you becoming all-consuming, forever entrapping you within their influence.

Please vote for which of them you’d like to see most!

Romantic or platonic? Tell me in the comments or anon asks, please.

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merakiui · 1 year

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while in captivity, floyd encounters a human and unintentionally pair-bonds with you during a moment of biological vulnerability.

(cw: gender neutral reader, nsfw, omegaverse/abo, heats, captivity)

The marine lab has recently acquired a unique specimen—unique in that he is half-human and half-fish, hailing from deep, dark, indescribable depths. An eel merman, to be exact. You’ve only ever glimpsed merfolk in outdated textbooks and fairytales, the latter of which depicted them as whimsical beings capable of feats beyond scientific understanding. Magic. Although in the realm of biology, such folly is never entertained and so what the world calls ‘magic’ other fields built upon the foundations of research refer to it as a ‘miracle’. In your eyes those words are interchangeable, but then the idea of a miracle is far easier to digest than the concept of magic.

Merfolk have always been elusive, covert creatures, hence why there is hardly any conclusive data on them. In fact, they’re so secretive that they were believed to be mostly extinct—a figment of dreams and hallucinations. Most of what humans know stems from the tattered notes of long-gone sailors, their presences nearly lost to time itself, and for a while all anyone ever knew were four key details:

They are spread throughout the sea, living out their lives in frigid fathoms.

They are hypnotic and deceptive.

They are predatory.

They rarely interact with humankind unless absolutely necessary (e.g. to hunt or observe).

But with plenty of promising technological advances, some of the theories and myths surrounding merfolk have been bolstered or disproved, respectively. Merfolk are just as diverse as the rest of the animal kingdom. Some live in solitude. Others thrive in groups. Some make their home out of caves and grottos. Some dwell within the labyrinths of volcanic rock formations. It is every marine biologist’s dream to come face to face with one of these mysterious creatures, if only for just a few minutes to glean more information.

That dream is made reality today.

The eel mer was discovered off the coast of a tiny island, entangled in fishing lines and plastic litter. His large, winding body, snake-like in its sleek build, was littered with scars and scrapes. There was a hook lodged up in the folds of his gills. Despite his thrashing, his tail swishing wildly in the sand and nearly knocking down three researchers like they were bowling pins, he was wheezing and gasping, drained of energy and air. When the first bucket of seawater came down upon his dry gills, he settled briefly, wide, crazed, mismatched eyes flicking from face to face. Likely assessing the situation or counting the amount of bodies, the report claimed.

He fell still after that, and it took two teams of ten people to load him onto the lift so he could be flown to the lab.

After he spent a week in recovery, where he healed surprisingly fast, he was transferred to a much larger and wider tank, its depths far deeper than the average swimming pool. He doesn’t swim to the surface much, and he only ever pokes his head out at night, scanning his surroundings with intelligent, keen eyes. And then he turns and disappears below. It’s a pattern he’s stuck to for weeks now. No one really understands it, and they haven’t had the opportunity to try. He’s uncooperative and unpredictable. It’s much too dangerous to send a diver down there.

So they transfer you to his enclosure, assuming you might have more luck. You’re not sure and you can’t make any promises of potential success, as you’ve only ever interacted with marine mammals. A merman is…different. Not only because he’s half-man and, by that same logic, likely possesses a human brain that is capable of a higher level of thought, albeit one that is wired to suit his mer biology, but because he’s bigger. A lot bigger.

He could kill you.

You saw the documentation. The serrated teeth, the powerful claws, the dangerous jaw, the bulky, muscular build that cuts through water like a bullet. He is a predator in every sense of the word, and you’re supposed to look after him. Coax him to the surface. Get him to trust humans. Interact with him just inches from the edge of his tank and hope that he doesn’t get hungry or violent.

He might kill you.

But there are safety measures put in place for these things. Ethics to be followed and whatnot. It’s a slippery slope because he’s part human and therefore could possibly have the same level of intelligence humans have, in which case it would be wrong to trap him here. There may be ways to skirt around it with other animals, but he’s not like other animals.

For now, he’s kept here under the pretense of recovery and scientific study. The lab treats him like the big fish he is, going so far as to buy a shark suit in your size and instruct you to wear it even though you’re not going to get in the water. “It should prevent him from biting through,” they had said, “but it won’t lessen the force of his bite.”

“What good will that do? I can’t fight him off.” Though you knew it had nothing to do with anything, you added, “I’m an omega. Merfolk might not have the same sub-genders as we do up on the surface—or maybe they do; I don’t know—but if he were human he’d definitely classify as an alpha. Put that into perspective. I can’t. Fight. Him. Off. It’s biologically impossible.”

“So you poke his eyes. Dig your fingers into his gills. He should let go of you then.”

“That’ll hurt him,” you protested, clutching the suit to your chest.

“Not as much as he’ll hurt you.”

You suppose it’s a clinical priority. Survival of the fittest, but it’s the human who has to live. The lab could afford to lose you, but they don't want to. And if they did, they might put the mer down. Shoot him up with enough tranquilizers to keep him comatose. Maybe it only bothered you because, yet again, he’s half-human and no one on the team knows the extent to which he thinks and functions.

To simplify it, they consider him a shark. But like any creature, sharks learn and adapt as they go. Death is instinct.

He will kill you.

But you don’t want to think like that, which is why you put on your best smile and trudge into the enclosure he’s being kept in. The tank looms before you, seawater clear and beamed through with streaks of light from the harsh, glaring LEDs above. The deeper the water gets, the darker the shadows. You press your palm against the glass, observing the murky darkness with a frown. Somewhere in this tank, at a depth you can’t even imagine, is an eel merman. A big, strong, powerful, scary eel merman.

You swallow a steadying breath, curl your fingers into fists, and climb the spiral staircase to get to the attached platform. Your reflection follows you with each step, countenance set in grim confliction. Once you reach the top, you peer out at the surface of the pool, listening to the droning hum of water filters and other hidden machinery. There’s a very shallow part of the tank, a dip in the design that allows for the mer to lounge if he so pleases. You’re reminded of the dolphins in live shows, who slide up onto their stomachs to face an awestruck audience. You doubt that’s what he’ll use this ledge for. If anything, it could allow a researcher to kneel in the shallows while they interact with him at an intimate propinquity.

You don’t plan on being that researcher.

Instead, you pace a healthy distance away from the edge, holding a bucket of his breakfast in one hand and a notebook in the other.

“Um!” You cringe at your voice as it reverberates around you in a nervous echo. Cautiously, you inch towards the water. “I have your food!”

You wait three seconds, expecting him to come bursting up from the darkness like the shark everyone wants to delude themselves into thinking he is. The water remains still and unbroken. You wonder if your voice can even reach such a depth. If not the sound, the vibrations might. Or maybe he’s resting. It’s still relatively early in the morning. Perhaps his sleep schedule is thrown off. Yours would be if you were taken from your home and dumped in a manufactured version of your habitat.

You lurch forwards with the bucket and watch as a collection of shrimp, crab, and small fish soar through the air in a sloppy arc before landing and sinking into the waiting depths below. Nothing happens. The tension in your body ebbs away, and when it becomes clear that he isn’t coming up to greet you and feast on your offering you relax completely, collapsing against the wall with a great sigh.

If they really want to study him, they should just watch him on the security feed, you think, peering up at the camera in one corner of the room, its red eye fixated on you and the surrounding enclosure. He’s not going to come up during the day. Not when there are humans walking around.

Still, you wait your shift out, scribbling nonsense in your notebook and occasionally glancing up to gauge the state of the water.

The mer doesn’t show, so you resolve to try again.

Try you do, and try you have.

It’s been one week of perfunctory routine, arriving and feeding him at the same time in hopes that he might understand what you’re doing and come up to investigate. Or, at the very least, recognize you’re a recurring figure in his chapter of captivity. You don’t intend on befriending him. You only wish to fulfill your duties as a researcher, however skewed they may have become. Even though you know you ought to be grateful the mer hasn’t caused any problems, you want something to happen. Anything! At this rate, you’d sooner tire yourself out playing with rowdy sea lions than sit around in silence while waiting for an appearance from him.

It’s a quiet Tuesday afternoon when the first beat of unrest hits.

The mer’s enclosure is kept at a comfortable temperature for humans; it’s the water that’s freezing below the surface. So when you step up onto the platform and peer into the chum-infested deep, the empty bucket now set aside, you feel warmer than usual. Odd, considering the room is normally so chilly. Not extremely so, but chilly enough to give way to a pleasant cold.

Tugging at the collar of your shark suit, you cover the distance to stand under a large fan situated just near the dip in the pool. Cool air kisses your heated skin, providing you with much-needed relief, and you peer up at the propellers that spin in endless circles. Around and around and around. Your eyes follow the motions until you dizzy yourself, and you step back on wobbly legs. Your foot misses the metal platform and instead slips into the ledge built in the tank. With a startled yelp you fall backwards, landing in the shallows on your rear.

“Of course,” you mumble, bitter with embarrassment. “Leave it to me to fall right into the predator’s tank.”

You scoot further up onto the ledge, staring at the water below. It’s quite calm here, where the shallows lap languidly at your waist. If you were delusional, you might think this was a jacuzzi pool that you could dip your toes in. It’s not. Of course it isn’t. Not when there’s a beast lurking just below. But while you’re here, you run your hands through the saltwater while your own body temperature rises as if it’s a hungry flame in a stone hearth.

You place your hands on either side of the ledge, intending to push yourself up and onto the platform, when something tightens inside of you. Your heart stumbles in your chest and you lose the strength in your arms at once. With a noisy splash, you flop back into the shallows, your compromised body rigid and shaky with a tingling, all-encompassing warmth. Horrified, you raise two fingers to your pulse to feel it stutter wildly beneath your skin.

Swallowing thickly, you lower your head onto your arms and wait for the feeling to pass. The seconds slip by and in that short amount of time your state seems to worsen. Your temperature is volcanic, your every sense restless, and you’re sweating through the shark suit as if you’ve just run a marathon and more.

“Not now,” you hiss, slapping your hands upon your face. “Please not now. Anything but now…”

You intend to haul yourself up and out for good this time, desperate to get as far from the pool before your brain is completely overrun by your encroaching heat and robust omega instincts, when fingers brush against your leg. Something chitters behind you, a low, slow sort of sound that is shot through with curiosity. You turn as if you’re frozen in ice, your heart in your throat and senses on high alert.

The eel mer is right there, clutching your ankle in a firm grip. Not to hurt you, but to keep you there. And you’re not at all in a hurry to leave. Not when those claws are so close to your calf, capable of shredding through to your very bones. Even with the shark suit, you worry. He stares at you with narrowed eyes, his head angled in a cute, childish way. He appears confused and rightfully so, considering you’re a creature he’s likely never interacted with so closely before. You mirror his befuddlement, your brows furrowed, lips creased in a thin line.

For a long while, the two of you watch each other. If you look past his predatory design, he’s quite pretty with his smoky teal coloration and dark stripes. Your gaze pans over to the water, where a long, powerful tail disappears below. The paranoid side of you says he’s going to drown you, but then he doesn’t seem outwardly malicious in his intentions.

“Um…”

He flinches at the sound of your voice, his head snapping up to your throat and then your lips. Your attempt to pull your captive leg back is thwarted when he lurches, rising out of the water to grab hold of your foot. You gasp and shake your head at him, your senses sharp and dull all at once. Your heat-addled mind just barely parses the threat of danger, looming and ever-present.

“Please,” you beg, your tone sticky and breathless. “Don’t…”

The mer tilts his head the other way. The fins where his ears might be if he were human shiver, as if listening to the desperation in your syllables. He chirrups, lips widening in a sharp-toothed smile, and then he’s dragging you towards him. Panic seizes your nerves and you dig your palms into the smooth basin in an effort to get away. His expression falls when he notices your struggle and he lifts himself onto the ledge with you, draping himself over your legs like an oversized rug.

“Wait… H-Hold on; get off!” You grunt and weakly prod at his chest. He doesn’t budge. “You… You’re heavy!”

His webbed hand closes around your waist, steadying you in the shallows, while his other arm cages you beneath him. Instinctively, you arch into his touch, your breath coming in tiny, frenzied huffs. He clicks at you, and words that you can only assume are meant to be gentle and soothing are produced in a sweet melody. It relaxes you more than you’d like to admit, a lyrical balm to your terror.

You squeeze your eyes shut and brace yourself for the worst. For the searing pain and the stinging agony. For the blood that will color the water a dark, foreboding red. For the sight of him merrily tearing into your jugular, his maw spattered with crimson. But none of that ever comes. He cradles your face next, his thumb running along your cheekbone, and slowly you peel your eyes open. His face is inches from yours, looking on with an intensity that’s almost primal.

Warily, you lift your arm out of the water and touch his hand. It’s much bigger in contrast to yours, but he’s handling you with such immaculate tenderness.

“You’re not going to hurt me…” you mutter, amazed. “You’re just curious.”

As if responding, he chitters. You nod even though you have no idea what he said. He doesn’t smell like an alpha or an omega or a beta. You’re not even sure if he’s capable of releasing pheromones, but if he were you’re certain it would have driven you much crazier than you already feel.

You hold his stare and reach up to pat his cheek, and he leans into your careful touch. Your hand soon trails down to trace his lateral lines, which earns you a pleased hum. You watch in awe as the gills on either side of his body flutter.

Led on by your own wonder, you follow the pattern to his waist and press your thumbs into his hip bones beneath smooth, slippery skin. “How fascinating… I wonder if it’s possible to take an X-ray. Would you allow—oh!”

Clumsily, he lifts you into his arms to embrace you, rolling his hips against the chainmail shark suit. Your breath hitches, and you fumble to grasp his broad shoulders.

“Ah, w-wait. I’m not… You can’t…”

He clicks thrice and lowers you into the shallows, his face scrunched in annoyance. You think he might’ve understood you, but then he’s palming between your legs and it occurs to you that he wants the suit off. Carnal delight shivers through you at the prospect of being wanted to such a degree, and though you know it’s the heat muddling your sensibility you can’t help indulging him just a little. You undo the zip at the back and slide it from your body, revealing your shoulders and bare arms for his wandering, mismatched hues. He leans in to nose at your scent glands, chattering happily as he inhales. You can’t understand a word, but he sounds pleased—even more so when he runs his hands along your arms, squeezing and petting in equal measure.

His tongue laves across your neck, and what fragile restraint you have left snaps. You cling to him like he’s your anchor, meeting his searching hips halfway with every awkward thrust that doesn’t quite connect as it should. You chew your lip, tamping down a torrent of filthy moans. Your mind is clouded with lust and instinct, and you dig your fingers into his hair, holding him against your neck while he continues to lick and nip.

It feels right up until the haze parts momentarily, allowing temporary sobriety when you spy the tip of something poking free of its encasing. Dazed and inquisitive, you reach between your bodies to prod at his slit, hoping to coax more of his prehensile cock from out of its folds. But then the door below opens and the mer lifts himself from off of you, his head turning in the direction of the sound at an alarming speed. You blink up at him, lazily following his line of sight. His lip curls up in a silent snarl, the beginnings of razored teeth peeking out, and then he slithers back into the water, his hands lingering on your ankles.

Despite the dizziness you sit up, your arm outstretched. “Wait, don’t go!”

I didn’t get to cum yet. You didn’t even claim me either…

He peers at you, neutral for all of a minute before swimming over to you. He presses his face into your palm, chittering softly. There are footsteps on the stairs, and he grits his teeth, withdrawing completely before turning and diving under in a spray of seawater.

You fall back into the shallows, panting like a starved, feral monster. A researcher comes to your aid, her expression equal parts shocked and disturbed. You don’t catch her questions, each one tacked onto what feels like a ceaseless rant, while she helps you to your feet. Something about danger. About heats. About omega biology. About how the researchers watched the both of you on the cameras, swelling with queries of their own.

“I’m not sure,” you mumble as you’re helped down the stairs, stumbling in a heat-drunken stupor. Thankfully, your fellow researcher is an omega like you and that relaxes the hypersensitive part of you—the part that fears being taken advantage of when you’re vulnerable like this. But the needier, greedier part of you wants the mer—wants his hands and mouth all over you, ripping you free from your suit and indulging in the bare skin beneath. “I think he...wanted to help…”

No one can explain his behavior. But it seems promising.

While you’re led from the room, the eel mer stalks you from the gloomy confines of his tank.

In the days following your heat, you return to the marine lab with your head on your shoulders and are immediately barraged with requests. Amongst all of them, one common demand stands out: You have to get him up to the surface again. Part of you doesn’t want to face the mer again. When you truly mulled over that day, tossed the memory of it around in your mind like it was a tennis ball, you were hit with shame.

It’s not…normal. Researchers do not tangle themselves in sexual situations with their subjects, especially when said subject was an eel mer from the Coral Sea. It’s unheard of. Luckily, the team of researchers you work with swears to secrecy. You were out of it and your judgment wasn’t in the best state. That’s the excuse they’re using. It works enough to push the humiliation from your thoughts.

You wonder if you should feel disgusted by the events. Rather, you didn’t mind it. For all of his rough, scarred, monstrous edges, he was gentle.

You press your fingers to your scent glands, recalling the feel of his tongue.

Today you’ve donned your usual work attire, foregoing the shark suit and any other protective gear the lab expects you to wear. Something tells you you won’t need it anymore. Not after everything that happened the day you went into heat.

Feeling rejuvenated and refreshed after your mini break, you trudge up the staircase with a food bucket, determined to finally fill your notebook with data. You’ve only made it up four steps when color flashes in your peripheral. You turn and find the mer is at your eye level, following you up the spiral staircase adjacent to his tank.

You pause and wave experimentally. He watches your hand move to and fro and then he mirrors your actions. He swims the rest of the distance to the surface, breaching it just as you make it onto the platform.

“Good morning, Mister,” you greet, bending down to empty the contents of the bucket into the water.

Disinterested, he watches bits of shrimp sink deeper. And then he looks back to you, his mouth opening and shutting. “Fu… Fu…” he forces out, his face scrunched in concentration.

“Fu…? Food?”

He nods and then shakes his head, hissing at himself in what you think might be admonishment.

“Fu…ro…”

“Furo?” You set the bucket aside and scoot closer to the edge. “What’s that?”

He tries once more before the syllables fizzle out on his tongue and, with a few frustrated clicks, he swipes a fish from the surface and stuffs it in his mouth. You giggle, and the sound has him tilting his head. Without a shred of apprehension, he meets you at the ledge. You watch him munch on the fish between his lips, content to observe in silence. He polishes it off rather quickly before procuring a handful, which he dumps onto the ground beside you. You shake your head at him, smiling weakly.

“Thanks, but no. It’s all yours.”

The mer shrugs and indulges without you.

“I should thank you for not hurting me back then,” you add. He pays close attention to your lips; you think he might be attempting to read them while listening. “Um… But don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not sure if merfolk are like humans, but we have this system… Or not a system… It’s more like…groupings? Secondary classifications?” You frown. How can you explain the complexities of sub-genders to a mer who doesn’t even speak your language? “Basically, I was in trouble and you helped me out. Kind of. In any case, thank you.”

He stares at you for a while, chewing and swallowing. You think he might swim back under once he’s finished, but instead he places his hands on the ledge and hoists himself up on his arms. He’s in your face next, all eager smiles and chitters.

“Fu… Furo. Furo…ido. Furoido,” he sounds out.

You read his lips in the best way you can before it finally clicks. “Ah! Floyd, right? Is that…your name?”

Floyd points to himself, makes a few upbeat clicks, and then nods. He’s pointing at you next.

“And me? Oh, my name is (Name).” You take your time sounding it out for him, and he repeats it with an awkward tongue. You smile and nod encouragingly. “That’s it. That’s me.”

He flops back into the water with a celebratory trill, a wild smile tugging at his lips. You watch him swim laps from you to the opposite end of the pool and back. Ditching the shark suit was the right call. You’re no longer uncertain. This time, you know for a fact that you’re going to be getting along very well with him.

And you look forward to fostering this flowering friendship.

#meraki mumbles #fluffy floyd hours #n/sfw #tw: abo #tw: omegaverse #he's so cute >w< i love floyb orz #okay now it's back to tmdg!!!#jade is going to kill me for writing about his twin when i should be writing him ;;;;

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miabebe · 6 months

Text

The Legend of The Sea: Epilogue

"You're crying? You must be turning human, the MerFolk don't cry."

"Of course we do. Why do you think the Sea is nothing but salt?"

Pairing: Choi Seungcheol × reader Genre: Heavy Angst, Romance, Implied smut Word Count: 4K A/n: It's finally here! I felt the angst level in the original fic was too high I wanted to give some closure but also maintain the bittersweet nature of their story so I tried my best, I hope its a satisfactory to you guys! Read the fic here first!

3 months later.

Seungcheol stared at his reflection in the water.

Dark hair toussled messily in the wind, dark circles stark under his eyes. He hadn't slept in days....he couldn't.

Every time he closed his eyes he would go back to that night in his room.

You taking a step back and then another.

Your hair fluttering in the wind of the sea.

Your eyes, when you looked at him for the last time.

He just couldn't get it out of his head. The scene would play over and over and over in his head, as nightfall would turn to daybreak, forcing him out of the confines of his room, forcing him into court, forcing him into his role as King.

That was the unfortunate thing about being one - Seungcheol didn't have the time or the luxury to wallow in his own sorrows. He had a kingdom to look after and people to protect. That meant everyday, he had to be a leader, he had to be the bravest man in the nation. It was only in the darkness of his room, standing before the window, taking in your lingering scent and the echoes of your words that he was his true self - a broken, broken man.

If there was any place that could offer him even a sliver of solitude, it was here, at the seacave. Seungcheol didn't know why he found himself here so often. Even though it was the waters that so cruelly took you from him, perhaps being close to the ocean made him feel close to you. Or perhaps because sometimes, the sea would take pity and wash up little somethings from your life onto the shore - your favourite sea weed, or the rare sea flowers you loved to talk about or those pretty pearls in the oysters.

Over the days, Seungcheol had been collecting those little tidbits, filling the cave with signs and memories of you. He had moved your favourite dresses, your favourite books, everything precious to you that was left in his possession out here. This was his haven, his sanctuary - his last reminder of you. His castle and the men in his court were unfortunately not gracious enough to entertain Seungcheol's misery - they needed him to leave you behind, needed him to find a queen, a political alliance that could strengthen the kingdom. Yet another reason Seungcheol often found himself in the presence of the ocean - even though it was taunting, it was where you belonged and where he freely belonged to you.

Today too the ocean is mocking him not so subtly, as Seungcheol's eyes fell on a little something that washed up on the shore, something he was actually quite familiar with - your seashell necklace.

Many months ago, right here, around the time day blended into night, you met him, speaking urgently. You rambled about some mission, something you had to do, something he had to help you with. Handing him this very necklace, you told him one day you'll come to Land like a blank slate and asked him to return it to you when you felt most lost - you said that it would remind you of what you needed to do when the time came. Seungcheol did not understand at all. It didn't matter though, all he had to do was just help you however he could. Your mission was his mission.

Bending down, he picked up the necklace, wondering how exactly it aided you. He had been noticing changes in you for a while by the time he returned it to you. You were asking more questions about the ocean, you were more quiet, lost in thoughts, lost in a battle with yourself. Seungcheol knew he had to let you figure things out, that's what you told him and that's what he did. By the time he came from war, the way you held onto him when he finally recovered told him something had drastically changed. Before he could even attempt to fathom what it was things had escalated - his father died, you were jailed for an assassination attempt and Seungcheol was forced to become king to free you.

Maybe if he hadn't let you go, you'd still be there, not beside him but at least he'd have the knowledge and the surety that you were okay. But Seungcheol couldn't bind you like that, he couldn't strip you of the one thing you valued the most about being in the ocean - your freedom. He had to let you go, but he didn't think you'd have gone this far away from him.

"She always manages to find a way doesn't she?"

Seungcheol stumbled back at the sound of a voice, completely taken aback. Before him was a woman who was definitely old but didn't seem it - she had a staff in one hand, and had donned clothes that made her look like she was in the waters though she was clearly floating above it. It was an apparition......this was magic - that meant she was a woman of the sea.

"The Sea Witch." She corrected his thought, pointing. "And the owner of that."

Seungcheol glanced at the necklace in his hand. "This is Y/n's."

The old lady let out a laugh, shaking her head. "I told you, she's a smart one that one. Always a step ahead, even of me." As she floated closer to him, Seungcheol did not take a worried step back. "Your lovely Y/n, she was an apprentice in my practice, all members of the Royal family are bound to work under me to understand sea magic-"

"Royal family?" Seungcheol blinked hard and fast. "Y/n.... she's....royalty?"

"Strange isn't it? Neither did you know you were in love with the youngest princess of the Sea, neither did she know she was in love with the only Prince of the land. Things would have been so different had you both known....."

"I don't understand." Seungcheol rubbed his head. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know why Y/n came to land King Choi?"

"I figured it was to kill my father-"

"The king." She corrected. "Y/n's mission was to kill the king. Did you ever wonder why?"

"I pondered about it day and night. The only explanation I could think of was...." Seungcheol recalled that fateful day. "It has something to do with my father setting sail."

"Indeed." She confirmed, making Seungcheol's heart sink in his chest. He knew that was a bad idea, he had voted against it. And with each word of the story that the Sea witch proceeded to tell him, it only made it worse.

"So...." He tried to process everything that had happened. It all made sense and also didn't at the same time. "Y/n had to kill my father or me to get back her kingdom. How did you or anyone think she could have done that without her memories? How could you expect that-"

"Was she not nearly successful King Choi?" The Sea Witch smiled knowingly. "Did you think the Hwangs would set her up to a mission that she could easily fulfill? Their plan was to tie her ancient sea magic, to ensure that she would fail in all ways possible, but your woman..... she's a warrior. She's one of the finest battle strategist the sea has ever seen and she had cleverly planned everything in her favour. That necklace...." She chuckled looking at his hands. "That is one of my most prized possessions, something she knew I would help her in exchange for and so she planted it with you and used it when the time came. She always finds a way King Choi, you see how its reached you again? How she sent me to you?"

Seungcheol stared at the seashell pendant. He had just thought of it as a pretty reminder of where you were from. He didn't know it was your secret weapon. That there was so much to this.

"And what do you want in exchange for it?" The Sea Witch stepped ahead, mistaking his wandering into the past as hesitance. "What is it that you want?"

Seungcheol let out a sad chuckle. There was only one thing he ever wanted.

"You can't give it to me." He held out his hand, returning the necklace to its rightful owner. "You can't bring her back."

"But I can."

The crashing waves were not louder than the racing of Seungcheol's heart against his chest.

"Only the dead can't be brought back King Choi. The living just need to be moved around."

The living.

"That's not possible." Seungcheol shook his head. "I know how Sea magic works, she's told me before, you just told me! I saw the sea foam myself....." He wrapped his hand around shell, its sharp edge bleeding him over a wound that never healed. "How is it possible?"

"Because of that." She pointed at the crimson of his hand dripping into the golden sand. "The Sea works in mysterious ways King Choi; magic works in mysterious ways too. When Y/n fell into the Sea that day, so did the dagger, with your blood on it. Blood for blood. I believe the sea magic was satisfied."

Seungcheol felt a ragged breath leave him. "She's.... alive?"

"Barely."

The Sea Witch waved her staff in the air, making the waters rise like a screen, the evening light behind it projecting an image. It was you, sitting down somewhere on the floor, hugging your legs, softly rocking back and forth. Your arms looked a lot thinner than usual, cheeks sunken in, eyes tired and fluttered shut.

"The Sea might have spared her but the Hwangs didn't. The mission was to kill the king. Your father died a natural death and if it had ended at that, there was nothing to argue but unfatefully, before the completion of 100 days, there was another king." Seungcheol felt his insides turn. "She failed to kill you and so she wasn't deemed worthy of the crown. When Hwangs took over, their first order was to imprison her to avoid any rebellion from her side against the new kingdom."

The Sea Witch tilted her head at him, smiling sadly. "Strange isn't it? What you did to save her was what ended up being her downfall. Fate too works in mysterious ways."

Seungcheol swore if fate appeared before him right now, he would crush it with his bare hands.

"I'll get her back." Never before did he feel the kind of determination coursing through his veins. The image of you slowly disappeared as the sea witch lowered her staff looking amused. "I'll save her no matter what it takes."

"Y/n doesn't need your saving King Choi. She went to prison willingly." Seungcheol’s lips parted in shock. "Taking into consideration that you became King only the night before a 100 days completed, the Council of the Sea offered her one more chance to go to Land and kill you. She refused. She said she would prove her worth for the throne in the Sea itself. Sure she's benevolent, loves her people and is loyal to her kingdom, but the fact is that she was simply not trained for administration - she was no match for the Hwangs and so the Council declined her claim to the throne."

You refused to kill him. Again. Even if meant saving yourself and everything you cared about. Seungcheol was determined to do whatever it took to get you back. Unite heaven and earth if it came to it. Bring hell from underground, whatever it took.

"Then I'll get her throne back. If that's what it takes to free, I'll do it. Even if it means war. I have been working on science that would allow us to breath in water - we'll set sail, we'll fight, we'll free her, I can do it."

The Sea Witch stared at him, at his pacing agitated self, his mind going mad with just one goal.

"Do you know how magic really came to the sea King Choi?"

Seungcheol blinked, taken aback by the irrelevant question but didn't show it. "The Kangs escaped into it with the spectre of magic....." His eyes focused on the staff in her hand, words faltering as he recognised it from the faint drawings in his old books.

"Escaped?" She laughed without humour. "That's hardly the word King Choi - it was an act of love." Seungcheol frowned in confusion as she continued. "Though both families were neck deep in war, of all the people in the world, the Prince of the Choi kingdom was deeply in love with the Kang Princess. It was his love that brought the spectre of magic to the Kangs, allowing them to hide from battle. It was his love that stopped the war, separated both worlds and ensured peace and it was her love that ensured her people survived. Its her love that still keeps them alive even after so many years."

Seungcheol felt like something stabbed him in his chest as he looked at the Sea witch, grip tight over her staff, looking older than time and in her eyes he recognised the look he always saw in his own - a pining, a fruitless longing for the ones they loved. It was her, she was the Kang Princess. "Their love saved the world, you cannot allow yours to end it King Choi. You cannot declare war between two worlds over a mere desire."

Every bit of hope that had risen in Seungcheol crumbled miserably. "Is there nothing I can do? How am I supposed to just sit still knowing she's not alright?"

"Forget her Seungcheol."

" I can't-"

"Listen to me," She urged urgently. "If you don't bring war to Sea, the Hwangs will eventually bring it to Land. There's a reason the people of the Sea do not want them on the throne - they don't care for anything before power. The only strength the Sea had over Land was magic, but now with people here slowly discovering it, with people like you letting your inquisitiveness take over, the Hwangs feel threatened. So I have a solution if you're willing to listen."

Seungcheol nodded.

"Relinquish your knowledge of the Sea and as King, give me permission to take the same away from your people. I will make a deal with the Hwangs - your memories in exchange for Y/n's freedom."

Seungcheol looked at her with hope. "Do you think that would work?"

"Do you think you can do it? Forgetting about the sea would mean, forgetting about her too. You won't remember anything about her, it will be like she never even existed." She looked af him sadly. "But she will be free and she will be home."

Not having even a memory of you? All Seungcheol ever knew was his love for you, if he forgot that, what would he be but a shell of a man? But if it meant you'd be free, that you'd be safe, what else could possibly matter to him?

Seungcheol didn't remember much of what happened after he nodded. He rememebered thick black smoke rising above the forest right from the castle, prompting him to immediately get on his horse and ride towards the fire. It was his library. He watched the guards pour buckets of water to douse the flames but unfortunately it only stopped after every single inch was reduced to ashes. As Seungcheol walked in the aftermath, he racked his brains to remember what exactly was in here and if it truly was valuable or not. Considering he could barely recollect what was here, he figured it must not have been too important and sent orders for the place to be cleaned and the room to be redone. After all, the new queen would need a space of her own.

8 years later

It all began again the day you woke up on the beach.

The air was cool, the sand was hot; the seagulls were flying across the blue sky, the sound of the waves was like a beautiful melody – it was like a perfectly painted picture. It felt serene and pleasant and like home, like nothing could make this moment feel better.

Then you heard the laughter. A familiar, beautiful laughter and so this time, you didn’t hide.

Adjusting your red dress, you pulled yourself up to your feet, leaning against the big boulder and there you saw them, Seungcheol laughing at Kkuma as the little ball of fluff rolled about in the sand. The tightness that did not leave your chest the last eight years slowly began to unravel. There was so much happiness in his laughter, so much life in the way he chased his dog in the sand. It was like he had none of the pain that you were carrying for almost a decade.

Of course, he didn’t. The Sea Witch told you what happened, that he had given up all his memories of the Sea to save you. That he had given up all his memories of you. You knew that meant he didn’t pine for you the way you did for him all these years, but you didn’t think you’d see him so carefree. Something about the way your existence didn’t seem to even affect him sent a strange sadness rippling through you. Maybe coming here was a mistake. What if he had moved on? What if he got married and had a family? What if you returning made no difference to him? You could understand Seungcheol not remembering you but the thought of you not mattering to him anymore? You don’t think you could handle that; you should have never come here.

You took a step back and then another, pulling yourself away from there, pulling yourself away from him when you felt yourself knock into something that let out a small cry. You turned around to see a small boy rubbing his head vigorously, looking at you full of accusation. He looked young, like he was five or six, dressed in the finest of clothes, his hair windswept to the side. You got on your knees, meeting him at eye level to apologise when you felt yourself being knocked over into the sand by a familiar ball of white. Kkuma barked excitedly, covering your in wet licks, making you laugh, the pain in your heart slightly ebbing. Maybe not everyone had forgotten you.

“Kkuma never plays with strangers.” The young boy narrowed his eyes at you. “Who are you?”

You looked at him at a loss of words, when a shadow fell over you making you look up to see a silhouette against the sun. It's only when he crouched beside you that you could see all his features clearly - he's gotten a little old over the years but he still looks like Seungcheol. Your Seungcheol.

“You’re not supposed to be here. The beach is off limits.” He stated and you looked at him pointedly. Somehow, he understood the question in your eyes. “I’m not supposed to be here either but…. Something about the Sea keeps pulling me to it and I am the King so…”

You politely bowed, as one would to a King.

“I’ve not seen you around. Are you from out of town?”

You nodded. You didn't know what else to say to him. How could you explain the events of the last 8 years? Before you were taken away to prison the one thing you managed to do was get a hold of the Sea Witch's shell necklace and guided it to reach him with the little magic you knew. You knew it would bring her to him like it did to you, that it would offer him and explanation and a closure but the result of that ended up so much different than you had expected - you'd lost him in ways you didn't imagine.

After you were released from prison there was only one thing to do - get the Hwangs out of power. So you spent years assembling an army, figuring out the best way to crumble this empire when you received news that your sister was not in fact missing but hidden away by the Hwangs in an attempt to take over the throne. After you had successfully plotted and managed to break her free, even though the Sea Council deemed she was the best fit for the throne, the Hwangs did not surrender. Days and nights you battled, the sea was plagued with storms and horrifying events until finally one day, the hwangs fell from power, returning peace to the waters. It was only after you put your sister on the throne, made sure that the Sea was in safe hands that the Sea witch confided in you - once you gained the ability to breath on Land, you'd always have it - you could go back to Seungcheol.

And here you were, with him right before you, with nothing stopping the two of you from being together yet in his eyes, you were nothing but a mere stranger. You wondered if this was how he felt when he found you so many years ago, when you didn't look at him with an ounce of recognition. It must've hurt, like the way it was hurting now but it did not stop him from looking after you, guiding you, making you fall in love with him all over again.

"So you don't have a place to stay?"

You shook your head.

"Can you not speak?" The little boy quipped, earning a glare from the older man. It made you smile as you nodded. Things had not changed on Land.

Seungcheol eyes though wandered over you like he was trying to see through you, figure you out. They stopped at the shell necklace resting on your neck, one last gift from the sea witch before you left the ocean for good. On it engraved were the words,

"Till death do us part." Seungcheol read and you nodded, echoing his words. "Till death do us part."

He met your eyes and you wondered if be could see how much you longed for him, how much you missed him. His lips parted like he wanted to say something but was interrupted by the little boy standing in between, holding the pendant in his hand.

"Is this from the sea?" You nodded, making his eyes shine in excitement. "My father loves the sea, he thinks there's life under it! He keeps researching and studying about it everyday. Do you know? Have you seen life under the sea-"

Seungcheol pulled the child away from you, mumbling, asking him to play with kkuma who just refused to leave your side. You nearly smiled thinking about how Seungcheol somehow gravitated back to the waters but couldn't bring yourself to when the boy's words ring in your head.

"Father?" You looked at Seungcheol hoping he couldn't see how broken your heart was. Of course he'd moved on.

"I adopted him when he was really young. He was found abandoned at the steps of a church. He needed a parent and the kingdom needed an heir, so....." Seungcheol wasn't quite sure why he was explaining so much to you, a stranger. Something about the questions in your eyes just compelled him to.

"And the Queen?" Your fingers played with the sand, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"I don't have one." Seungcheol confessed. "I could just not bring myself to have one, I don't know why....."

His words trailed odd as he looked at you and that little smile dancing on your lips. God you were so beautiful, why did you make his heart clench like that? He cleared his throat, shaking his head.

"If you don't have a place to stay, you may stay in the Palace till you can arrange for you accommodation. I shall personally look after the necessities, is that okay?"

You nodded slowly as Seungcheol stood up, but this time when he held his hand to help you, you took it, with an unsaid promise to yourself and him, never to let go again.

You were going to make this man fall in love with you all over again. Just like he did.

#seungcheol oneshot #seungcheol angst #seungcheol fluff #seungcheol romance #Seungcheol smut #seungcheol × reader #choi seungcheol #seungcheol scenarios #seventeen seungcheol #seventeen one shot #seventeen series #s.coups angst #s.coups smut #s.coups fluff #s.coups

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pastelskyesblog · 11 months

Text

Are you trying to set us up? that was so random

Had a little headcanon moment from this dialogue hehe

there was a point where the farmer did not visit the merfolk kingdom for a long period of time (too busy preparing to kick bobby's ass in the harvest festival and trying to catch the insects/fishes not caught yet for the museum).

Semeru, who's known to be highly reserved and cold, got caught asking Denali where does she think the farmer could be by the Queen when she was swimming by.

this perked the Queen's interest since she's known Semeru since he was a little shark pup and he's never asked about anyone the way he did that way before- and his ears were slightly red that time too

then one day, the land-dweller popped by again as if they didn't just disappear for 2 weeks (it was weird because they used to visit everyday). Semeru looked relieved to see her again, and slightly eager for his turn to be approached by the land-dweller.

Queen Nanda lowkey ships the two after that and is now dropping hints and chances for the two to interact more. At first she just wanted to show off her seahorses, but now the sight of the Lead Guard losing his composure is her new source of entertainment

Wow that was a lot AHAHAH there was one point where I visited everyday just to see if there's any new dialogues and when this popped up I was SHOOKETH.

#coral island queen nanda devi #coral island semeru #coral island #coral island game #coral island farmer #stairway games

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absolutebl · 9 months

Note

Because your opinion means a lot: Any chance you feel like sharing 5 upcoming BLs you're most excited about and why? And maybe as a bonus, something you think many BL watchers will love but that you will hate?

Ooooo, how exciting what a fun one. You sure you want this from me? I have very odd taste.

The 5 Upcoming BLs I'm Most Excited About

(this forced me to put together the 2024 Announced BLs list which is coming soon)

1 Spare Me Your Mercy

Increased rates of deaths in terminal patients has a police captain investigating the palliative care doctor with whom he's fallen in love. Their relationship deepens but the mystery persists, driven by mistrust.

Why? It's adapted from the novel Euthanasia by Sammon (Triage, Manner of Death) but more important, it stars some old guard BL actors: Tor Thanapob from Hormones as the doctor and (fuck me YES) Jaylerr from Great Men Academy and goddamn Grean Fictions as the captain!

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2 Wandee Godday

GMMTV and AllThis Entertainment producing a very pulp offering with new pair, GreatInn doing high heat, boxer meets surgeon. It features a one night stand, fake relationship, and all the cheesiest of tropes. Also features Drake, Podd, and Thor+ pretty boy (be still my heart).

Why? This is totally my kind of BL even if it isn't GMMTV's style of BL, and it's GREAT, so I'm in.

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3 The Next Prince (ZeeNew)

Domundi brings us more ZeeNew in a fantasy/historical set in a palace where Zee plays a knight and Nu a prince - YES PLEASE.

Why? I did not expect this pair to stick so I really hope this happens. Give us the Little Pink Riding Milk BL we deserve!

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4 Lover Merman

Fantasy BL about a man who falls in love with a merman.

Why? I don't think it will be good but I LOVE merfolk.

5 Me and Who

Domundi for WeTV brings this adaptation of Wickedwish’s novel of the same name. It depicts a young man who dies and is reborn into the body of a billionaire heir. The heir happens to be engaged to a handsome man.

Why? I flipping LOVE this trope but I never expected to see it drive a BL.

10 I am cautious of but VERY intrigued

JAPAN'S Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka

From YTV releasing 1/11 about Soga, who, after a divorce and relocation to Osaka, seeks solace in dining at 26-year-old Sakae's restaurant. Unbeknownst to Soga, Sakae sees him as more than just a regular customer.

TAIWAN's Love For Love's Sake

Based on the Manhwa Love Supremacy Zone by Hwacha, this will star actors Lee Tae Vin, Cha Jun Wan, Oh Min Su and Cha Woon Ki. The plot of the drama is based on Tae Myung Ha, a young man who is dropped into a game based off of a novel that he knows. His mission is to make another player, Cha Yeo Woon happy. Cha Yeo Woon is Myung-Has favourite character in the novel. But then the game starts going completely different from the novel.

City of Stars AKA Fueangnakorn

Star Hunter started filming this 12/23 about an actor falls in love with a programmer and the narrative intends to “explore the ramifications of being public figure in the social network era who must endure critics, bullying, and defamation.” Looks like another Lovely Writer, Call It What You Want sort of thing.

My Stand-In AKA My Stand In

Chinese IP ALERT! Adapted from the novel Professional Body Double (职业替身) by Shui Qiang Cheng (水千丞) stars Up (Lovely Writer) and Poom (Bake Me Please).

OMG Vampire AKA OMG! Vampire (LeeFrank)

Frank and Lee Long Shi are back only vampires now. So many vampires.

The Rebound (MeenPing)

VIU Basketball based romance staring Meen (a national basketball player, so yay for that).

We Are (PondPhuwin)

GMMTV's university friendship Bl featuring PondPhuwin, WinnySatang, AouBoom, MarcPawin - basically ALL in the good kind of messy friendship group (so more My Engineer and less Only Friends). Looks a bit like the Kiss series but everyone is gay. I'm IN! Trailer here.

Love Upon a Time (NetJames)

Domundi announced for 6/7/2023 then delayed to 2024. NetJames in a historical BL! Also feat Tonnam (Dr Sing from Triage).

Jack & Joker (YinWar)

DeHup brings us be gay, do crimes. Yin, War, Mark and a few other familiar faces doing Leverage but gayer. Yes, thank you, I will have that.

My Love Mix-Up Thai Remake (GemniForth)

GMMTV. Hum, well I do love this pair and I did like the original and maybe this time these characters will actually kiss? I'm actually fine with this pick-up. I kind of enjoy seeing different countries remake the same IP. Especially if it's IP I'm mostly unfazed by.

#asked and answered #2023 BL #most anticipated BL #my top picks for 2024 #thai bl #Spare Me Your Mercy #Wandee Godday #GMMTV #The Next Prince #zeenunew #Lover Merman #Me and Who #domundi #Although I Love You and You #Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka #Love For Love's Sake #City of Stars #My Stand-In #OMG Vampire

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ivi-ivisek · 4 months

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Here are the boys together

So here are some ideas for this little au of mine. I think I shall call it "Tank Mates au"

Before I start, I'm giving a little heads up. there are some sensitive stuff mentioned like abuse and mistreating and consequences of such actions...

Now about the au

Sun and Moon were captured by humans but in different timeline. Sun and Moon actually didn't know each other back then. Sun was captured when he was very little. Whoever caught him however took a good care of him for years but Sun was slowly outrgrowing his living space and simply becoming too much to take care of so the authorities were called and Sun was taken to an organization that rescues and takes care of marine creature that if it's possible are then released back to the wild. Unfortunately since Sun was captured in young age and was living in captivity for his entire life. He depends on humans. Even if he learned how to hunt, he sees humans as his own and seeks human company and suffers a separation anxiety if he's left alone and another problem of releasing him is him seeking the human company. This could lead to capturing him again but this time he could end up in wrong hands. The organization is trying anything to help Sun to be less depended on humans. The best would be if Sun would have a tank mate but not just any mate. Someone like him. An Another merfolk...

Moon was capture later than Sun. However he wasn't as lucky as Sun. His captors were cruel. For years he was mistreated, abused, kept in a small tank, experimented on. All of this plus the lack of positive stimulation lead to an aggressive behavior and trying to find a new way how to either escape or just kill some people for entertainment...

Moon was then discovered by the company and rescued. Now the company is trying the best to rehabilitate Moon but he's not easy to work with. Even the people that don't treat him badly and bring him food are not safe but they have the highest chance of living another day. Security and scientists along with doctors are on the very top of his hate list. Despite all the troubles he might be the solution for Sun's depending on humans problem. Not to mention this could be beneficial for Moon too, to help him with his social skills and having a positive stimulation. But it's easy to say than done. All of this would need a hard work and some time and patience.. a lot of patience and the right people to work on this project

That's all I'm saring for now c:

#tank mates au #fnaf mer moon #fnaf mer sun #fnaf mer #mer moon #tank mates sun #tank mates moon #mer sun #mer!moon #mer!sun #mer!au #merfolk #my art #digital art

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rainbowsillz · 1 year

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Azul Ashengrotto. | Character interaction | Genre: Dark?

⤷ Summary: He realized that everything was unreal. This world, his life, a mere playground for others in sake for entertainment.

He has always liked your expressions, it's a shame he can't touch or feel your warmth, although the first time that he defied his code, he has learned to pretend, reading his scripts, sometimes he can't help himself, he craves to see and hear you... more clearly.

“Shall we have a discussion together?”

Had you known, if only.. if only, you could reverse your time. You would not download this game as your friends suggested you.

Your future self lamented about your fate.

As you pondered what type of event was this about.

“Free of charge, let's say, it won't be harmful to you.”

It was a blatant lie, to cross a bridge, one must pay the toll.

The white haired merfolk addressed with a wide smile, there were options of words to choose. Yes or no, it depends with you.

....But then you can't move anything nor press on them.

You were albeit— curious about it, who wouldn't be? You were creeped out that there weren't the usual monologues.

“What the heck....? Did the system crash...?”

How could he had forgotten? You seemed spooked by this.

“Not Yuu's answer, I want your answers.”

You must be delusional, no, how... can a freaking 2D character verbalize with you, right—? Right? Have you lose it yet-?! And in perfect English too? He seems quite fluent in this... somehow?

“I'm going to 'delete' you out of this, I swear.”

That earned a fit of laughter from Azul as he gazed at you, with a hand on his chest and back with his feigned sorrows at you.

Despite the fact that he was in a sprite and on the screen.

His utterances to you will haunt you days and nights.

Your terrified face reflected in his narrowed turquoise pupils.

“I'm afraid you don't have the privilege, my dear player. Not when I already found a way to take you to Twisted Wonderland.”

#twisted wonderland #twst scenarios #twst x you #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland x you #yandere twisted wonderland #yandere azul ashengrotto #cw: yandere #twst azul x reader #twst interaction #twst self aware au #yandere twst #disney twisted wonderland #gender neutral reader #etihw.writes

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dreamsicle262 · 7 days

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My personal merfolk lore

Not a fan of the tagging system, so I'm just gonna say some things here. There's not really much violence graphically described in this post, but there are mentions of humans eating merfolk or otherwise preparing and using them as a food source, as well as putting them into aquariums for entertainment or keeping them as pets and likely not treating them well. I'm pretty sure that would be the only part of this that might make some readers uncomfortable, so stay safe, and enjoy.

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Merfolk originated from humans many decades ago when coastal societies began to gradually develop features for aquatic living. This occurred faster on island countries⎯especially those that were small⎯and also societies living near the ocean. To some extent, this also occurred in people living near other bodies of water, like lakes or rivers, but it took more time for merfolk to evolve for living in freshwater. Over the passage of time, merfolk became their own genetically diverse and entirely separate species, and therefore lost the ability to be able to successfully procreate with humans, not that any of them wanted to anyways. More on the relationship between humans and merfolk later.

As for physical descriptions of these creatures, it largely depends on what fish they are based off of. Size wise, they are on average slightly larger than the average human, and that also applies to weight, since their tails are considerably heavy and can be used to swat things away or even sink ships if necessary. They do grow hair, are endotherms (or, in simpler terms, warm-blooded), and actually do produce milk for their young, so they are mammals. Generally, they have fins on the sides of their head they can move to express themselves, inner ears like most aquatic life, and sharper teeth than humans. Their skin is composed much like human skin, and gradually becomes more scaly the closer you get to their lower half where their tail is, which normally starts at the waist. Merfolk tails cannot move the exact way that human legs can, as their bones are different, so they can’t bend them at a ninety degree angle; if this is the case, then their tail is most likely just broken and they are in considerable pain. They have gills on the sides of their neck, and fins along their spine, sides, and tail. They also have fins on their forearms, starting from their elbow and almost reaching their wrist, and webbed hands for swimming. Notably, instead of having normal fingernails, they have claws on the ends of their fingers.

Biologically male merfolk tend to have a sheath where their reproductive organs are, and have all of it situated internally. It is covered by a patch of loose scales that can be moved to reveal an opening. They have retractor muscles. This is all I'm saying on this matter. Think dog anatomy, sort of. Biologically female merfolk just have something similar, just without the exact parts biologically male merfolk have, obviously. Merfolk can also spontaneously transition if they wish to. Nature does it all the time, so why not have them do it under the right conditions? It requires some effort though, and this is put in place to prevent unwanted transitions (although they could easily transition back with those same conditions, so it's not that big of a deal).

Internally, they do have lungs, although those are hardly ever used in favor of breathing through gills. However, if a merperson breaches the water to look above it, then they can switch to using their lungs briefly. They usually avoid going above the waves or out of water at all, due to the dangers associated with it. If a merperson is out of water and on land for too long, their skin and scales dry out and it becomes painful to try and drag themselves around since it starts peeling away with their movements. It also becomes painful to breathe, as even though they don’t necessarily use their gills above water, they still flex from time to time, and dry gills hurt when they move. Most beached merfolk can, with some difficulty, drag themselves back into the ocean, but not all of them are lucky. Many common deaths on land include blood loss due to their skin/scales peeling off, starvation, or dehydration, but in the case that they are found by humans, a much worse fate awaits them.

Merfolk have specialized vocal cords that allow them to be able to produce sounds that serve as echolocation for them, and can allow them to travel through dimly lit areas, as well as communicate with each other. Since other sounds don’t pass through water as fast and voices are muffled, merfolk tend to not speak any known human dialect, and instead have their own tongue. It is possible for them to speak this out of water as well, although any human bystanders will likely not be able to understand what they are saying. It also may sound unpleasant, since it largely sounds like gurgling (ex: oOoOOoo). Their eyes are also special in the sense that they have slit pupils, allowing more light to enter them. Another fun fact about merfolk is that their skeletal structure in their hips has vestigial ball socket joints left over from when they evolved from humans, and their coccyx (aka their tailbone) is actually what evolved into a fish tail over time.

There are two distinct types of merfolk: those who give live birth to their offspring, and those that lay eggs and protect their young contained within those membranes. The former is made up of the more older breeds of merfolk that evolved long before their more modern counterparts did, whereas the latter consists of the newer breeds of merfolk. These two types are not separate species, and can reproduce together, but the method that the offspring are brought into the world is dependent on the individual merperson who is bearing the offspring. For example, if they were a dolphin merperson, they would give live birth, but if they were a salmon merperson, they would lay eggs.

Merfolk reproduction is strikingly similar to humans in the sense that a pregnancy lasts roughly nine months and commonly involves one embryo, but it is different in the sense that the produced offspring is immediately able to swim upon being born. The child is generally more capable of reacting to danger and much more independent than a human child is, but still does require some support from their parents in order to survive. The average lifespan of a merperson is only about in their mid to late fifties or so, making it about twenty years shorter than the average lifespan of a human. Still, merfolk reach sexual maturity in their adolescent years, and are not generally expected to find a partner to procreate with too quickly. Merfolk that lay eggs differ in the child bearing process based on method alone, but otherwise end up with offspring that are just as capable as those that were given birth to. The eggs get fertilized before being laid though, as opposed to being laid first and then getting fertilized later. (<- I’m sure that everyone who makes an oc off of all this lore will definitely be responsible when incorporating this little tidbit. /sarc)

The kind of society that the merfolk live in depends heavily on their method of child bearing, considering how dangerous the ocean is. An average merfolk clutch can be anywhere from one to five eggs, and these eggs look similar to normal fish spawn, but much larger. A good size estimate would be volleyball at its earliest stage of growth, and a basketball near the time of hatching. Egg laying merfolk commonly travel in pods/schools (the term can be used interchangeably) and are generally distrustful of outsiders, preferring to keep moving instead of stopping for long periods of time. However, they will occasionally stop in estuaries or shallow waters to rest, if only for a little while. Estuaries are popular as places for species of aquatic life to rear their young, and merfolk in general are no different in this sense, since most do make trips to these places at some point in their lifetime.

Mothers with eggs or young children (referred to affectionately as guppies), injured merfolk, as well as the pod’s elderly, will remain in the innermost portion of the pod, whereas any able-bodied merfolk will remain on the outside. Most roles can be filled by both sexes; there’s very little, if any, discrimination on who is suited for what role. These pods can be composed of members from the same family group, or stragglers who have lost their previous pod. Generally, only egg-laying merfolk travel in the schools, and it is uncommon to see a merperson who is capable of giving live birth among their ranks.

Merfolk who give live birth are usually capable of settling down and forming underwater cities, and therefore have more structured societies than the nomadic lifestyle of egg-laying merfolk. Cities are composed of a fine mix of egg-laying merfolk, and merfolk who give live birth, since oftentimes egg-laying merfolk see these cities as safe havens for them. Most merfolk do prefer shallow to semi-deep waters, as the open ocean is largely inhospitable to them and most sea life. Despite being called a city, these societies are usually not very large, and few and far inbetween. They are usually situated nearby coral reefs, although cities in the Abyss are not unheard of. Abyssal merfolk have largely been cast away from contemporary merfolk society due to the civil war between them and ‘Surface’ merfolk, or those who are closer to the surface of the water. Once again, more on that later.

Merfolk will live in underwater caves that are either natural or made by themselves via burrowing. They will also scavenge resources from shipwrecks for many things for a variety of uses, and even live in shipwrecks themselves at times. Coral reefs are teeming with life and are magnificent hunting grounds, as well as optimal for egg laying or giving birth, depending on the type of merperson. Merfolk also live in every kind of water: from saltwater, to brackish, to freshwater. Very few live in frigid waters, but the species has seen some migration towards those areas, along with suitable evolutionary traits for them to survive in such conditions. Orca merpeople are among the different merfolk breeds that can be found in arctic regions. Similarly, there are very few merfolk residing in the deep sea due to the high water pressure and oppressive darkness that can be found there, but some have made survival down in the depths work out.

Merfolk diets can range anywhere from typical seafood (fish, crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic mammals, etc.) to aquatic plant life (seaweed, kelp, seagrass, etc.). Some merfolk, like leech merfolk, latch onto other creatures by biting them and drinking their blood, and these merfolk do act like vampires, so they may bite other merpeople as well. Due to the nature of their lifestyles, merfolk populations would likely not be able to support filter feeders, so they unfortunately do not exist. Merfolk based on filter feeders in their body structures usually eat fish and plants much like other merfolk do. Similarly to humans, merfolk are omnivores, and benefit from a well balanced diet, although some have more carnivorous dietary needs than others. Merfolk are also opportunistic, and will feed on dead whales and other corpses when available. Humans are not exempt from this, whereas other merfolk are. Cannibalism is exceedingly rare except for in the most dire situations, and is usually a desperate last resort. Typically, merfolk bury their dead as best as they can, and leave a marker there, similar to how humans do so.

Despite living in the ocean, merfolk do have a well defined culture. Elders are greatly respected in merfolk society for living so long, and most traditions and tales are passed down generations orally or through writing (or carving things in this case since they can’t have paper). Stories are either etched into their cave walls in the merfolk written language that consists of runes, stone tablets, bits of driftwood or debris from sunken ships, or bones. Some even use clay tablets if they are fortunate enough to be in an area to leave those out to bake in the sun. Oftentimes, it takes many rounds of baking and packing more clay onto the tablet to make them layered, and therefore sturdy enough to withstand being underwater. Written words that have started to erode away will be carved into what they were on again to ensure that it is still legible.

Merfolk use sand dollars as currency, and merfolk businesses will frequently have small enclosures where they keep these sand dollars. They will occasionally let customers stick a webbed hand in to gently pet them, although sometimes these small animals need reasonable breaks from affection. Sand dollars also have the added benefit of being cute, thereby attracting more business. During feeding time, they will let these small creatures free roam and eat things off the floor, or move on their sides to filter the water around them out. Other times, they feed them by sprinkling tiny bits of fish or plant life into the enclosure. The larger a sand dollar is, the more it’s worth. Differently colored sand dollars also have different values as well. Sand dollar skeletons are the least valued form of a sand dollar in terms of it being used as currency to pay for something. Sand dollars are also useful to prepare for danger, since if they happen to detect something off in the water, they will burrow under the sand and serve as a visual cue that the merfolk in the area need to be on high alert. Outside of using sand dollars as currency, merfolk also frequently barter or trade for goods, meaning that their society isn’t totally based on the economy. Sand dollar populations also benefit from having merfolk protection, so this lessens their chances to become endangered or extinct. When one dies, it receives a proper burial just like a beloved pet might.

Merfolk are capable of making weapons like spears or daggers by taking shed shark teeth, sharpened bones, sharp seashells, or stone carved into spearheads or blades and tying it securely to a stick. Sometimes, this stick is also carved with markings to differentiate it as a weapon instead of a mere blade on a stick. Abyss merfolk have access to deep sea hydrothermal vents, and can actually become blacksmiths involved in metallurgy. How they use raw metal ores in their weaponry is simple. They have coverings or gloves for their hands and arms from the fat of other animals, and they hold the metal over the hot vent until it becomes malleable for them to shape themselves. Due to their unconventional method of running a smithy despite having no access to fire, Abyss merfolk are also capable of making armor, as well as other metal things, whereas Surface merfolk primarily rely on the bones or scales of other creatures being shaped, carved, and put together in a way that serves as armor. Scale armor is set up similarly to chainmail, in a sense. Bones are used in it to give it shape and form, so it’s a framework for the armor to allow it to be worn.

Merfolk are not strictly religious, but have a sense of religious reverence for the ocean, as well as the moon due to its association with the changing of the tides. Some merfolk also take up human religions sometimes. Nature is a heavily respected subject in merfolk society, since they depend on it to survive so much, making it worthy of praise in their eyes. Merfolk sometimes breach the surface of the water at night to sing due to its cultural importance of talking to the moon, not to attract humans to eat (although if any of them do come along, the merperson would be a fool not to kill and eat what is basically a free meal).

Much like humans, merfolk enjoy gifts. Different gifts have different meanings to them, however. Sand dollars, and pretty rocks and seashells are great gifts. Gifts of half-eaten fish or outright fish bones are a sign of either anger, hatred, distrust, or an implied death threat. Dead fish gifts themselves aren’t seen as bad, as long as they haven’t been tampered with in any way (being prepared and put together in a dish is an exception; merfolk would absolutely love to be given a full course meal) Any other gifts would probably be neutral.

Pearls as gifts are especially precious, but are only used in a few contexts, and the meaning varies based on how they are presented to the merperson receiving the gift. Naturally occurring pearls not formed inside a mollusk are the most valued pearls, whereas pearls that are produced by mollusks are still exceedingly rare, but only a little less valuable. Various colors are appreciated as well (yes they can kinda have different colors). The bigger the pearl, the more valuable it is, as well as the feelings that it’s supposed to convey.

Pearls are gifted to merfolk by others of their kind, and are usually shared to show romantic attraction with the recipient, but can also be gifted platonically as well. Usually, smaller pearls are for more platonic matters, but a big pearl can be gifted as well, alongside a clarification that it is intended as nothing romantic in nature. In courtship, when a merperson finds a pearl, they present it to whoever they wish to impress, and then the other person is presented with a decision. If they keep it, it means that they didn’t reject their gifter’s feelings, but if it is discarded or destroyed, then they have most certainly rejected them. This first pearl is like asking someone to date in human terms. A second pearl will be given at a later date to ask for engagement, and if their partner reciprocates it with a pearl of their own at some point, then the couple will be considered engaged.

The third pearl is considered the most important, as it requires two components: the pearl, and a mollusk. Once the pearl has been acquired, it is placed inside a clam or oyster. The merperson then approaches their engagement partner, and opens it in a fashion that is not unlike proposing in humans, but without the ‘bending the knee and getting on the ground’ fiasco.

Abyss merfolk and Surface merfolk had a major falling out a long time ago over which part of the ocean was safer: the deep sea, or everywhere else. This argument grew into a war that led to a substantial loss of life on both sides, and lasted five whole years. Eventually, after human activity ramped up in areas where merfolk lived, the two groups were forced to reach a compromise and form a treaty, lest their numbers dwindle even more. Merfolk were already probably endangered by that point, anyways. The two groups still have tensions towards each other, but respect the treaty and don’t attack. Abyss merfolk are perfectly able to swim up if they wish, but mostly keep to themselves in the deep sea cities and rarely contact the Surface merfolk. They sort of have an isolationist policy, but will still regulate trade between Surface merfolk groups.

Merfolk relations with humans are terrible. Humans will regularly fish in waters with large nets that capture both merfolk and the fish they eat, leading to population issues. Furthermore, they do not release these merfolk, and are perfectly fine with taking them to the mainland in order to cut them up in fish markets and such. Merfolk meat is considered a fine delicacy, and is extremely pricey since they’re rare catches usually. Merfolk are priced by age, with younger merfolk being less expensive, and older merfolk costing more. Younger merfolk are more commonly caught, while older merfolk are not. Merfolk eggs have also been in danger when it concerns humans, as they can be collected and used as caviar in dishes. Similarly, this can also be pricey. Beached merfolk found by humans will usually be either slaughtered for food purposes or research, or be forcibly put into aquariums for visitors to gawk at.

Merfolk in aquariums are often forced to perform, and aren’t treated well by the human staff members. Merfolk that become visibly depressed or try to kill themselves by ramming into the side of their glass enclosure are usually harshly punished for not being eye catching to the visitors. Other times, they are put into lab settings where they are forced to produce more merfolk for study, or as a cruel way of humans attempting to effectively farm merfolk meat. To prevent themselves from self harming or willingly clawing themselves to death, merfolk are commonly declawed. Their teeth may be sanded down in some way to make them less sharp and less dangerous as well. Some people also opt to keep merfolk as exotic pets.

In the case they are caught and killed, merfolk are subject to being prepared by humans. This involves slicing them in half at where their tail begins, decapitating them, and then proceeding to debone them and take out any non edible bits (like some organs) Essentially, they are field dressed. Both halves of the merperson are prepared separately, and will be used. It is not uncommon to see these brutal displays in fish markets.

Merfolk take great care to avoid humans at all costs, but are capable of defending themselves if need be. They will also swarm any form of boat if it gets too close to a merfolk city or hunting grounds, drowning the crew and making holes in the hull of the vessel. Once again, being opportunistic, they will not waste any dead humans that they manage to kill.

There are many misconceptions of merfolk being able to draw humans in with their voices. This is not fully true. The combination of human curiosity and stupidity is what draws them in after they’ve heard beautiful singing and see gleaming scales off in the distance, but there’s no especially strong urge that causes them to seek out merfolk. Merfolk do not generally have magic, but they do have unique skills that vary based on the kind of merperson. Merfolk are capable of screeching loud enough to damage a human's eardrums, however. This is likely where the siren misconception originates from as well.

Merfolk can also be subject to some human diseases, as well as some diseases that affect fish. This can also apply to some parasites. Furthermore, the Great Pacific trash pile is like the slums to their kind.

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That should be all. If there are any questions, feel free to ask.

#dream's textposts🖋️#merfolk #merpeople #mermaid #merman #long post #lore #worldbuilding #lore dump #character lore #merperson

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