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ANONS

Haha, and what are these ‘living creatures,’ you ask? Well, have you seen them? 

Beings who may look like humans, but instead of legs to swim below uncharted waters, have a tail akin to that of a fish. Where their skin meets the scale around their hips, with gills on the side of their throats. Ears that are uniquely shaped, for they are not round, but are mere fins that pick up vibrations, which they use in finding food and detecting threats. 

These lifeforms underwater, with their bewitching beauty and angelic voices, can easily captivate or enrapture, so you must be cautious. Get a little closer, then you’ll see. 

That these sirens will not hesitate to yank you into the sea.

As the smaller, naive children gasp in horror from their seats on the stone platform, the blonde lady, clad in a darker blue robe and crossed legged on top of a bucket, elicits quiet chuckles of amusement behind her fingers. The older ladies nearby, who are witnessing the scene, shake their heads, while setting up their stalls in the harbour. 

“Ay yi yi, Miss Nicole’s scaring the kids again. . .”

“Let her be,” one of them laughs, before displaying fresh fish on silver trays in thick beds of flaked ice. “If this is what it gets to keep the youngins away from the water, then let her be!”

“Well, at least she’s not going around yapping about complicated griffins or out of this world trolls that are secretly kings.” Another older woman sharpens her knives, and the others giggle. “It’s an improvement that she’s sticking to the truth now.”

“Oh, be careful of what you wish for! If Miss Nicole proceeds to talk more about sirens and how they’re actually ‘extraterrestrials’—”

They turn to Nicole again, who begins to sign. “Say, children, have you heard of the tale of a siren falling in love with a sailor?”

Jaws are dropped after that one question. 

“Look at what you’ve done! You’ve jinxed it!”

After unloading the trawler, your boots stomp onto the docks as you approach the soon–to–be bustling wharf and mingle with other fishermen who haul their wares that were brimming with fish. There’s the squawk of seagulls, the squeaking of ropes as ships are moored, and chatter of fishmongers with early wholesalers bargaining prices.

You pay them no mind as you pass through the locals with your wooden cart. There are comments about how the catch today has been blessed by the Moon Goddesses because of the fish being pristine or well-chuffed. You overhear retailers chopping on their boards and scraping on scales. One intently listens to an early bird consumer, before packing their fish for distribution. 

Ratimir, already dressed in an apron while gutting and filleting fish, catches you amidst the liveliness. He calls for your name, waving a hand, and you acknowledge his presence by waving back, before finally taking a stop in Cairuo’s own shed. 

She’s not here yet, so you quietly place your cart on the side of her shed. Then, you adjust your beanie, before grabbing some gloves and an apron nearby to sort out the fish.

It seems like it’s another day for the coastal town of Nod Krai.

“So, so, they’re sure? No takebacksies, Miss Nicole?” asks one child, and based on the voice, you recognize that it belongs to Aino.

You lift your head while still handling the fish. Miss Nicole’s entertaining the kids in their usual spot. Despite being whispered amongst the citizens that Miss Nicole is an odd one because of her convoluted tales and tendency to ramble a lot about unfamiliar topics, she won their hearts by being very good with children, and in voluntarily assisting in sculpting the legends in Piramida.

“As I said—sirens, or even other merfolk, are very sure when it comes to their decisions. If they choose to do such a thing, then they will adhere to it.” Nicole signs. “If they simply want to spend a lifetime with their mate, they will not hesitate.”

Oh. So it’s about sirens today, huh? You decide to listen a little. While separating the axehead fish and crystal-eyes from the other silver buckets, you take note of the children’s reactions and the choppy waves crashing against the riverbank. Anything to drown out the enthusiastic yelling of the others, since more tourists and other regulars are stopping by.

“Aish—someone stop her, now. It’s getting ridiculous!”

“No, no. I’m getting invested, actually. Let her be!”

“Come on.”

Of course, how can you forget about the older ladies who always have something to say with Miss Nicole’s stories? If you’re not in Nod Krai surrounded by seafood right now, you’d think that you’re in Inazuma with self–proclaimed book lovers criticizing an author’s novel during the Your Novel is Amazing! event.

And as always, there’s a hero—or rather, a knight to save the day. You know you’re not exaggerating when you hear the pier quaking due to the thunderous boots approaching the markets, and a loud, masculine voice guffaws. “Time to go, kids! Breakfast’s ready!”

The older ladies sigh in relief upon Varka’s arrival. You suppress a grin from forming when the children whine, and you see Nicole frown. 

“We were about to reach the good part. Must they go so soon, Mr. Varka?”

Varka puts his larger hands on his hips. “Well, Miss Nicole—if you don’t want to face Miss Katya’s wrath today, we should let them back. Pronto. So these youngsters better get going!”

Urgently, the children stand up from their seats to respectfully bow and wave at Nicole, before rushing towards the village to get home as possible. Nicole watches them with a slightly sad smile while giving a slow wave of her own. 

Varka makes himself comfortable by perching on the ground beside her. “Don’t be so sad this morning. You’ll see them again soon. Like tomorrow.” Then, he reveals a bottle. It makes a pop sound as he removes its lid.

She raises a brow. “Must you drink so early?”

“Relax, this is mere grape juice!” Varka sighs after taking one swig. “You know I’d prefer to share if I do have Dandelion Wine with me. So! What about the sirens? The mermaids? Gotta catch up since I’m late to the party. Did you tell them about the sea monsters that will imprison them to the depths of the Abyss? Or a mighty traveler from the stars, forming an alliance with the mermaids to defeat the Kraken?”

Nicole looks at him up and down. “Actually, the mighty traveler and the mermaids did not just defeat the Kraken. They also got to engage in a powerful battle with an artificial demigod to claim the authority of the Moon Goddess. The demigod attempted to kidnap the Moon Goddess but to no avail because—hey. I now recognize that tone—you are making fun of me, Mr. Varka. Let me remind you that these stories are all real. I am not making this stuff up!”

“And I believe ya!” Varka gasps. “Who said I was making fun of you?”

“She talked about sirens getting married to humans, Captain!” One older lady hollers in an accusing tone, while boning a veggie mauler shark. 

“Oh. Marrying sirens? Now that’s interesting, it almost sounds like a plot from a storybook Miss Alice tells little Klee for bedtime.”

Eavesdropping, you can’t help but wonder. A plot from a storybook? About sirens getting married to humans? You release a breath. It sounds more like a plot for the horror genre, if you’re being honest.

“Hmph!” Nicole manages to snatch the bottle away from Varka, and you snicker to yourself when he gets suckerpunched. You have no idea how and why Varka let his guard down around Nicole, since he has the reputation for being immensely strong. He’s also even respected as one of the toughest Captains voyaging the sea. Yet for one lady, that all disappears. Even Nicole shouldn’t be messed with, despite being ‘odd.’ “For that, no more drinking for you, Mister!”

“Hey now! I was kidding—“ Varka reaches out, and the lady turns around with a pout. You soon find yourself regretting your decisions in life when Varka notices that you’ve been listening, and whines for your name. “Help! Miss Nicole is being mean!!”

You narrow your eyes at him while holding on an axehead’s belly and jaw. “You’re a grown ass man.” While the older ladies laugh from your response, you proceed with your routine. 

You separate more fish, and count and compare in your mind. You then realize that this is less than what you usually get, and you huff.

It’s not enough, your mind supplies, as you stare at the fish with a calculating gaze. Is it because of the fluctuating climate, or the number of fellow fishermen who can’t help but overfish?

Ajax’s smug grin appears briefly in your thoughts—and you can hear him all being arrogant with his catch. Patting you in the back, before rubbing it all over your face, that he’s always triumphant, no matter where he goes. The competitive spirit burns inside you. You want to hit Ajax’s head with the axehead fish so bad when you see him again.  

“Aish—look at you, friend!! Always interested in those fish, huh?”

You didn’t even sense Varka’s presence. He finally has his bottle, so you assume Nicole’s not sulking anymore. You turn around and nod sheepishly. “Yes, Captain.”

“You don’t have to work so hard—take it a little easy and drink your worries away! You’re already doing your best,” Varka remarks, and coming from him, that makes the organ inside your chest swell a little. “And it’s an understatement. You really are one of the best here in Nasha Town, so ease up, kiddo.”

As much as you’d love the compliment, you refuse to be positioned beside Ajax in Nasha Town’s Best Fishermen of the decade. So, you pout, “Yeah, but I’m still not the ‘best.’ And also, just because you’re 80 years old doesn’t mean you’ll treat me like a child. I’m already—”

You get interrupted when Varka merely barks a laugh, not at all offended, before ruffling your hair through your beanie.  “Hey, now. That’s mean, too!” You yelp from how heavy his palm is, you can feel your whole body wag sideways like a dog’s tail. 

Then, Nicole steps beside you, her robes ruffling with every movement. “I suppose you’re still chasing that high when you caught the Lord of the Lake? 

“Not really,” you admit, before crossing your arms. “I just want to defeat Ajax.”

“Wow, you caught the Lord of the Lake!? That’s amazing! . . .Is what I’ll say if I know what the Lord of the Lake was, but I’m not a Nod Krai native.”

You watch in 4K as Nicole’s eyes sparkle. Oh. Here it comes. Varka comes into an epiphany as he realizes what he has done.

“Well, my dear Captain—”

“Wait, Miss Nicole—” 

You resume to sort out the fish again as Nicole provides details about the Lord of the Lake. It’s a rare type of fish that swims under the seas. It’s several times bigger than the average human. It has thin skeletal legs, with approximately sixteen legs on the left and on the right. 

“And according to resident sightings, the Lord of the Lake is reported to have dark blue fins, bioluminescent scales—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get the picture, but—”

You glance at Varka with a tiny smirk. “Captain, let her continue—”

And Varka gives you the puppy eyes. There’s really nothing he can do in this situation. Not when he respects Nicole too much, or that he’s too easy. Since you still have mercy, you raise a hand anyway. For a really big man, he can be pitiful sometimes. “Ms. Nicole, can we just talk about the most important stuff instead?”

Nicole stops from her ramblings, before scratching her cheek sheepishly. “Oh, my apologies! I am not certain of what you deem as ‘most important’ since in my eyes, the facts about the Lord of the Lake are all important. Do you mean I should skip to the part of what the possibility is in catching one, or its relevance to Nod Krai folklore, or how many fishermen it takes to reel one in. . . ?”

It still fascinates you how Nicole has all that data. Well. She’s not the odd lady in Nod Krai for nothing. You put your hands on the shed’s steel table. “The people who caught the Lord of the Lake recently?”

Nicole smiles. “Ah, I see. If we are talking about who these people were in the timeframe with the two of you alive–” Just us? You quietly lift a brow at that, but let her continue anyway. “It’s just Ajax, and you. The last one who caught a Lord of the Lake was Avrelian and Solovei.”

At the mention of familiar names, Varka gapes, impressed. “So, like. 500 years ago, it was those men—and now Ajax, and you.”

“Exactly,” you huff. “As much as I’d love to share the glory with him, he’s such a brag about it. Right now we’re competing on how many fish we can catch in a year. Hence, me working as hard as I can.”

“And even if we told them off that they need to take a break now and then, this stubborn child won’t listen!” one of the older ladies exclaim, and you squawk at their way, embarrassed.

“I’m not a child anymore!! Quit calling me that!” You don’t know why they still insist on it, despite you already growing significantly. 

Varka just laughs again, while Nicole sends you a small, amused smile. You also don’t know if they agree or not, so you just sigh heavily. “Anywho. I need to catch more before he gets back. You guys know how he can be.”

“Yeah, that man is definitely something alright. But my friend,” he puts a hand on top of your shoulder and you flinch. It’s really heavy. You wonder how much it weighs. “You caught a legend! It’s something to be proud of!! And out of all the fishermen here in Nasha Town, you’re the one who always delivers. Cairuo’s not here yet but I’m pretty sure she’ll agree.”

Perhaps that may be true. Cairuo’s always so flustered when you do end up in front of her shed with more wares and buckets. 

Varka continues, “And you’re still young, you cannot just work and work forever. This is not only the life your family wished for you. You should go find someone. Date! You did say you’re not a child anymore, yeah?”

You feel your cheeks steam a bit. Now, dating is mentioned? Where did that even come from? Mondstadters just can’t shut up about romance. “But fishing is in my blood. It’s a way of life, Captain.”

He grips your shoulder. You wonder if he’s going to break it. Why are his hands so large? “Still. There’s more to life other than catching fish!! People at your age tend to look around and have a little fun!”

You look away. “I’m not interested.”

“But it still won’t hurt to try!”

“Right!”

“Tell her, Captain!”

You feel your face getting warmer. How did it end up here exactly? You just wanted more fish.

“Look, I’ll be drinking out with the others tonight. We’ll be sailing off somewhere—and and and if you want, you can join us! I’m suuure you’ll have a great time!” Varka grins. “Maybe you can even get love advice from my folks!”

You blink at him as you envision it clearly: you, getting doted on by other Mondstadters for drinks and dance. You have no doubt that you’ll enjoy a night drinking out with Varka and his mates.

But you already plan to set off to do more fishing again. And love advice? Really? You can’t just see yourself mingling with others about this. At least, for now. “But—“

“Shh. No buts! Just consider it. We’ll be waiting for you at the shore, okay?” Varka’s grin widens, and you sigh. “Wouldn’t this be good for them, Miss Nicole?”

The quiet Miss Nicole finally gets to voice her thoughts. “Hmm. I could see why not. Tonight, the Coral Moon will actually take place. In line with Mr. Varka’s sudden voyage into the seas just to drink their hearts out, it’ll be the perfect time.”

Now that’s something you’re not aware of. Coral Moon? You’re a resident, a native here in Nod Krai, and you’re familiar how moons here are regarded as divine symbols—but you never have once heard about the Coral Moon.

“Wait. Wait. Coral Moon? What are we talking about now?” Varka repeats.

And you also ask, “What’s the Coral Moon?” 

Nicole’s smile deepens. “Now wouldn’t you like to know?” She lifts a pointer finger in excitement. “Well, to put it simply, the Coral Moon is a special phenomenon where the moon grows closer to our world. So in our eyes, the moon will seem bigger than before. And if the time comes, it is said that merfolk will rise from the surface just to bask in the moonlight, and to celebrate the blessings that the Moon Goddess will bestow upon them. Keep in mind that this only happens every 500 years.”

Now it’s no wonder. The citizens of Nasha Town may still believe in sirens or mermaids, but sadly, their in–depth folklore has dwindled, or forgotten through time. Even beliefs have changed—locals think that there are still three Moon Goddesses. Others are certain that there’s only just one that remains.

The Coral Moon may have gotten lost in history, if this turns out to be true.

“So what are these blessings?”

“Kuuvahki.”

The good thing is that if you do join Varka, you will be able to enjoy the sightseeing with good company. However, you don’t see how this benefits you.

And as always—Miss Nicole’s odd. Because she turns to you. “And the thing is, seeing merfolk is considered good omen. Who knows, maybe this will increase your chances in defeating the little competition you have with Mr. Ajax?”

You stare at her. Now you really can’t back out on this one. You’ll do anything actually. “Miss Nicole. . .”

“It will be good for you.”

You sigh again. “Fine.”

Nicole claps. Varka whoops. You wish you won’t regret this decision.

“And it’s settled! Time to meet up with the others so we can prepare!”

“Can I bring my nets, at least? Or some of my harpoons. . . ?”

“Working is prohibited!” Varka puts an arm around your shoulders, and you almost choke. Why is he so heavy?! “Didn’t you hear Miss Nicole!? It’s going to be the Coral Moon! You ought to relax! And you’re going to listen to their love advice, whether you like it or not!?”

“On second thought, I’m not going to join you guys—“

“Nuh-uh! You already said your yes!”

_

That following evening, as the ship sets sail, fireworks imported from the Land of the Shogun light up the night sky. 

On said ship, sea shanties are performed joyously by the sailors, with some of them even playing a violin. Others stomp onto their boots, and a few clap their hands. The already intoxicated Varka, and a few of his men, raise their pints of beer as they sing their hearts out.

You, while leaning your back on the railings, watch the whole debacle with an amused smile. You take a few sips of the Dandelion Wine every now and then—you’re not really the type of person to drink, but Varka insisted. Since this was ‘special.’

Tonight, you opted for something simple, actually. You’re clad in a loose white shirt and dark pants. Boots still intact, but no beanie in sight.

You joked with the Captain that you would want to throw a few lines, but he fed you to the sharks. And these sharks are the ones beside you right now.

“And listen here—kisses! They solve everything. It’s what I do whenever my wife gets mad, so if yer future partner gets mad, you know what to do,” the Mondstadter bumps your shoulder with a toothy smile, and you merely give him a light laugh. “Kisses are the key. I swear.”

“I get it. Kisses are the key.” You repeat, and the Mondstadter sighs in approval. They’re really such romantics, you can’t keep up. “But what—what if it, um, it doesn’t work.”

“Tongue.”

“What?”

“Kiss ‘em. With tongue.”

Now that’s highly inappropriate. “But—“

“With tongue!” the other sailor yells beside you, surprising you. “Kiss ‘em with tongue!”

“Yeah!”

What happened to courting and dating? Not only are Mondstadters such romantics, but freaks too, you take another sip of the wine with glowed cheeks. You can’t even call for Varka right now, the man is way too invested with a bard’s ballad. 

“Fellas, don’t overwhelm ‘em. It’s their first time,” another Mondstadter makes their appearance, and refills your cup. “Sorry, friend—some of us can get really into it. Trust me, though we are rowdy and passionate, we always mean well.”

“Don’t worry,” You reassure her. You remember her—Margaret. One of Varka’s friends. “I know how crazy you all can be.”

She just giggles, “Well. Do you need any more ‘romantic advice’? You look as if you’re about to explode.”

The other sailors guffaw at you. You just put a hand on your forehead. “Please save me.”

The Mondstadters just laugh again, yet they fulfill your wishes anyway. This time, they happily shifted to other topics. They talked about their archon. Their winery. The knights. And even flowers. Since Mondstadters are friendly, they still engage with you—asking if you’ve even seen a Windwheel Aster before, or have tried venting your troubles to the wind.

“If you’ve ever wanted a Windwheel Aster, I may procure that for you,” a familiar voice speaks, and you glance at your left. It’s Tarno.

“Tarno, I didn’t know you’d be here,” you say to him. He’s holding a beer cup as well. 

“Sir Varka invited. And of course, I wouldn’t refuse a wonderful offer when free drinks are involved.” He winks. “And as for the Windwheel Aster, I really can procure one for you. Do you want one?”

You frown at him. “Tarno, I swear—you really don’t have to keep giving me gifts, you know.” You have so many of them you even have them stocked in your trawler out for display. “Just because I saved your ass one time from those Snezhnayan soldiers—“

“And without you, I wouldn’t still have my shop today!” Tarno places his hands on his hips. “So. Windwheel Asters?”

“No.”

“Our friend could be quite stubborn, don’t they?” Margaret laughs again, and you watch Tarno agree with her. While taking another sip of your drink again, even if it’s making you slightly tipsy, you’re able to comprehend the conversations exchanged around you anyway.

It is Margaret who answers for you when Tarno expresses his own surprise that you even managed to join this excursion despite rejecting all invitations from other social gatherings. Well, they wanted some luck from the mermaids, so here they are.

Tarno did not even have to take a minute to put two and two together because he instantly understood that you were still competing with Ajax.

“Mermaids, huh? Haven’t you tried following a few rituals for a larger catch?” Tarno inquires. “Do you also pray to the Hydro Archon for a safe journey out to the sea?”

Well, it’s the older ladies who always pray for you. You’re not exactly spiritual but you do not want the wrath of the divine, so you do pray every time you venture out to the sea for protection.

It’s always a gamble on water, after all.

“But when tides turn in your favor, it doesn't hurt to savor the moment.” 

“Ahh, what a sad tale, isn’t it? Our friend here keeps on heading out to the lonely sea in the sky in pursuit of the perfect catch,” Margaret claims, and you huff at her. 

Ah, Mondstadters, and their tendency to overdramatize everything. 

“Not the perfect catch,” you correct. “In pursuit of catching a lot.”

“Potato po-ta-to, but still. You should have another life! You’re mostly surrounded by older people, and you, at your age—should definitely go out more. Find people your age, and then date them.”

“Do you even have a life, friend?”

You’re about to respond, a bit offended, because of course you do, you have an adorable seal who you feed fish sometimes. And you deliver fish to a restaurant because you’re good friends with the head chef—

“A life that doesn’t involve fish.”

Your lips shut at that. The sailors around you just laugh again. They’re mocking you now, aren’t they?

“All is not lost, friend. Perhaps there’s still something out there that’s waiting for you!” the same Mondstadter beside you pats you on the back. “They might change your current life!”

And if that happens, it’ll be a miracle, to be honest. You really don’t go out much, in the context of dating. Not when you’ve been fishing all your life. You don’t even know how to romance someone. Maybe that’s why Varka really was insistent in letting you tag along.

“And speaking of luck, look up, friend! The moon is closer to us!”

_

The moon seems to be really big at this hour—to the point that you had to blink a lot of times, making sure you’re not seeing things at all. The moon from the horizon is touching the waves, and you, with the other sailors watch in awe.

However, even there are no merfolk in sight. Which bums you a little. Because you really need that luck.

“I’ve heard that capturing a mermaid merits a high price,” one Mondstadter claims beside you, his eyes still fixated on the moon’s beauty. “A live mermaid could buy a man a ship as the Captain’s.”

“Appeasing a mermaid could also bring good fortune, too.” And that catches your attention. With your arms resting on the railings, you listen attentively to the sailors. “If ye actually manage well, they’d even give you blessings themselves. And give you whatever you want.”

“Really?” You hum. “How’ll you do that?”

The Mondstadters just chuckle. 

“Of course you’ll be asking that, friend.” 

“I’m serious.”

“Well—for one thing, you should offer them things. Beautiful things. Beautiful interesting things,” one tells you.

“Too vague.”

“Shiny things can be one.”

“Still, too vague.”

“Things that’re pleasing to the eye!”

You groan, “Friends, please. That’s just beautiful, again—“

Your nostrils are immediately flooded by an earthy and metallic smell. Eyes widening, you turn to the sky—the sky that was once clear, but now covered in thick, ominous clouds. The winds start to pick up, and the seasoned sailors beside you, also seem to take notice.

The moon has hidden from eyes, and a shiver runs down your spine.

Thunder rumbles.

And everyone gets moving once Varka yells from the top of his lungs. There’s a thunderstorm incoming.

All hands are on deck. The hatches and crates are batten. The main sail is pulled.

In a few seconds, the crew is drenched by the downpour. You, with the other Mondstadters, try your best in hoisting the sail. 

The waves crash ferociously on the sides of the ship as Varka steers the wheel. You hold on for dear life while still clutching onto the sail with the others, while the lightning continuously flashes from above.

“Hold on tight!”

And yet the worst is about to come.

You watch with bated breath and horrified eyes as a ginormous wave—thrice the size of the ship—swallows you all.

It’s always a gamble on water, after all.

_

The thing is, you can swim. You live by the ocean. 

But nothing can ever prepare you for mother nature. Or was this by the gods? Were the Moon Goddesses angry that you and the sailors ventured out during the Coral Moon?

That can’t possibly be it.

As you sink deeper into the ocean depths, you can’t help but wonder if Varka and the others are okay. Because for some reason, you can’t move. And your head feels numb. Really numb.

This sucks. Because at that moment, it just came to you: your life is about to end like this.

And you’re not satisfied at all. 

You haven’t seen Ajax again to brag in front of him. Regardless of the results, you were planning to call him a ‘cheat’ as a joke. And knowing him, he’d even humor you by calling you one, too.

And not to mention, there was a small part of you that was actually taking the Mondstadters’ advice seriously. Because after your ludicrous competition with Ajax, you were considering doing that thing—dating. Perhaps you’d explore other nations to find your future partner. Like Sumeru, Inazuma, heck, even Mondstadt.

But. . .

But. . .

“In line with Mr. Varka’s sudden voyage into the seas just to drink their hearts out, it’ll be the perfect time.”

“And the thing is, seeing merfolk is considered good omen.”

Not everything goes as planned.

You feel your vision dim. 

This really sucks.

And before you succumb to darkness, a flash of bright blue surges. 

butter/belle's notes [background for the au]

okay, pardon me but this may be a mess or a info dump for this au so i hope it all makes sense!

while in production for this fic, i was supposed to like, write it in a manual book style !! however, i decided not to because it would walk towards a "funny/humorous" route which was not my initial plan for this, and the plot was heading toward something more serious, though still lighthearted. i retained the title however because it was still going toward the direction. oh miss, you must know how many days i've mulled over how i was gonna write this KSDFHDJS not until i gave up

here's the crumb, which is basically a wip, and also i'll never finish. i lost the drive to write this, but hopefully what i'll share in the next few bullets would suffice! i really loved this au, i shared it with my dearest friends and even asked for their opinion. i even JUMPED for joy whenever i saw a mermaid/siren flins fanart because OOOOUGH my brain. . . it was doing very beautiful things = inspired to write for darling flins

the little mermaid is a very big inspiration for this. like the little mermaid disney version BOTH animation and live action. i actually watched the live action for this.

i ALSO UHH actually did a lotta research w/ this one. i seriously binged fishermen's lives for this AAAA. so some of the things mentioned here are in reference to those informative yt videos i watched. kudos to amazing fishermen who share their lives btw !! i learned so much !! :DDD

this piece's notes [additional info!]

i feel like a very sneaky author but if you'll look closely, there are already a number of of foreshadows !! like nicole telling the children abt the siren falling in love with a sailor, the mention of "kisses are the key," ( more on this later, wink wonk ) and the "perhaps there’s still something out there that’s waiting for you!" from a mondstadter ( very funny, because they were in the sea. yes. something out in the sea is waiting for you, reader !! )

also nicole just knowing everything LOL. like the prophet slash odd person in town slash sculpter slash CUPID she is: "Tonight, the Coral Moon will actually take place. In line with Mr. Varka’s sudden voyage into the seas just to drink their hearts out, it’ll be the perfect time." YEP. SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING. IT'S THE PERFECT TIME FOR FLINS AND THE READER TO FINALLY MEET!! yahoo!!! and and "And the thing is, seeing merfolk is considered good omen." siren flins is reader's lucky charm lowkey !! more fish for reader indeed c:

EVERYTHING FLINS RELATED

sadly, siren flins only made an appearance in the end. this was the time i never got to write this au anymore. i have no recollection why but i think it was because i lowk didn't know what to do or i was starting to fall in love with pha*non

anyway siren flins was supposedly a loveable character here i'm not even kidding. like seriously. though strange, he's a cute charming half fish half human who ABSOLUTELY adores you. . . in his own, siren way. flins can't speak here by the way so big EMPHASIS on the 'actions speak louder than words'

he's a pretty, gorgeous fish. with a big, big beautiful tail. his scales are shimmering and imagine the MOST GORGEOUS AND BRILLIANT shades of blue!!

which begs the question, how did you guys fall in love? or how did the romance start? it all started during the coral moon, when it thundered. the explanation for as to why it stormed was because flins was protecting the sea during the coral moon ( there was a plot here that dottore was invading the sea because he wanted to kidnap the moon goddess columbina yeah and nicole was gonna lore drop that moon goddess columbina had an alliance with powerful mermaids and flins was one of them ) but it turns out it was just you and the mondstadters.

flins recognized you in your first meeting & thought that you're one of the "kinder humans" because he had seen you briefly whenever you fished out all alone, and very early in the morning too. he was v apologetic that your head got injured from the thunderstorm he conjured that night. but he made sure to repent by saving you!! <3

so yeah, the plot was gonna revolve around you "appeasing" the mermaid because the bring good luck. you meet him one early morning because he came to check on you, but you were actually really terrified, not until you offered him a shiny gem you got from tarno, and if you can envision toothless suddenly staring at hiccup with dilated eyes when hiccup removed the dagger from his person, that's flins. flins was crawling at the you on your boat who was scared shitless from encountering a MERMAID, not until you offered the shiny rock!! he stared at it, allured.

tarno was absolutely the real hero since he gave you a lot of shiny and cool stuff. since flins and you kept seeing each other from that moment on ( def intentional by flins himself, because he was very much intrigued by you ), as an ACT OF PEACE, and to appease him, you offer the cool and shiny stuff you get from tarno. however at some point during the story flins misinterprets this -- he thinks you're courting him.

he only got his confirmation when you offer him a shell, and for their folk -- that's you asking for his hand in marriage. he took it because he likes you. and he wants you, even though you're human (++ as i previously mentioned, nicole was gonna act as a cupid here too because she actually knows what she's going on. you don't know shit abt this species and whenever you ask nicole abt it you always begin with "hypothetically. . ." but nicole knows the truth. LOL. thank god she's there, though. because you're gonna lose your mind since you can't tell this to anybody, not even varka, and the mondstadters!! )

insert image of flins swimming over to you with fish in his mouth.

ANYWAY. since reader has NO EXPERIENCE AT ALL ( obvious from how hardworking they are LOLs like they did mention FISHING is the way of life for them ), and when it comes to romance. . . yeah their first experience would be with a half fish species. . . it's funny because it will involve so much kissing. cause like hello we love kissy freak flins here IT HAS BEEN A BRANDING EVER SINCE

and like. siren flins is more feral. though gentle, he won't hesitate with his actions. //taps on the sign. this human literally proposed to him & accepted his courtship. ofc as his mate, he's gonna love them, in his own way.

flins found a hidden cove for them to see each other btw ;) so. . . imagine what things they'll do there ehe

like the reader touching flins the siren for the first time. all innocently. it'll be awesome because flins would be staring and would want you to do it for a long time. he likes it. and when it's his turn, don't be so surprised if he also takes his time, too. and VOICE out your thoughts if you're uncomfy because he will touch you in some places that will make you squirm. and he adores how you sound, how you act, how you feel. you're special. you're a very, very special human to him.

( some planned scenes for that )

“W–Wait, hold on, F–Flins—mmph! Y–you sure like kissing me, huh?!” You push your hands all over his mouth, to prevent him from kissing you more. He blinks momentarily, before closing his eyes and pushing through your hands stubbornly. “F–Flins— wait!”

You examining Flins, and Flins who happily lets you. He lets you touch his tail, his fins, his hair. Then, he holds your hand—and you ascertain what he’s trying to say.

Caressing your cheek, he smiles at you sweetly and lovingly. 

“Um. What is it? Oh. You want to touch me too… okay.”

“W-Wait, whe-where are you touching!”

His smile widens, before kissing you as an apology.

also another cute idea i wanted to say was whenever you'd give flins shiny rocks you would be SUCKERPUNCHED in the au because the children with nicole would tell you that giving pebbles or rocks was like penguins' way of courtship. fun!!

anywayyy, this is probably obvious already but flins is such a blessing to you because at LEASTTT even tho he is a weirdo siren who really seems to be obsessed with you, he'll get you to take the chill pill because ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !! enough working. and the next thing you'll have to do is to love him, okay? if the others like varka and the old ladies can't get through to the you AT LEASSST this sexy siren gets to!!

and yeah, reader's gonna use flins as advantage to get more fish & flins doesn't mind at all actually. but then again, buncha misunderstandings because flins understands this as a "confirmation" that this human is accepting his courtship LOL. yeah go take so many lord of the lakes. flins is already planning the number of children you'll conceive.

siren flins was supposed to claim you with a mark in the hidden cove because he got lowkey jealous when he witnessed you mingling with some ppl in the fish market, or maybe when you got too close with a mondstadter. you would then have a pretty shiny mark. def inspired by the fae marks & mentioned that i was gonna talk more abt this in this post, AUGHH

what was really the direction it was supposed to take?

in all actuality this was one of the BIGGEST reasons why i never got to pursue this anymore, other than the facts that i lost the drive, not having the flins anymore during this time, and doing a lot of research. i was indecisive over the ending and how it was supposed to be

i thought how this au made no sense in a while ( which ACKKK sad times !! ) and even though i really wanted to share it, i wanted a decent plot. there were romantic scenes like you and flins would date under the starry sky, with you just sitting on your boat and siren flins staring at you with besotted eyes from the water while resting his arms on your boat, and flins giving you the ability to breathe underwater ( through a kiss ofc wink wonk ) so you can swim with him and explore his home together. it was gonna be a sweet fairytale where human and siren slowly fall in love & learn from one another !!

in one of the concepts i wanted to explore flins' fear of losing you, he tried to show you how the waters were very dangerous as of the moment and he didn't want you working at a given time ( since you were still hellbent on competing with ajax ) but you didn't listen. he was very angry of course, even if you apologized. but flins the siren was a sweetheart, and he forgave you anyway, because he gripped your hand, before pecking it gently. he kissed your arm, your shoulder, then your cheek, before your lips. he immediately pulled you to gentle embrace and breathed.

he couldn't say it but his expression says it all: he can't bear to lose another.

i also want to add that since i was inspired by the little mermaid i wanted some scenes where flins was collecting trinkets and all because they're all from you. and him being so fascinated by humanity when you secretly bring him in land with a LOOONG wheelbarrow. and and a kiss the girl scene during one of the dates. and some mermaids warning him "not to mingle with humans because they'll play with your heart" and he might turn into seafoam. that kind of thing. concept concept concepts.

all in all this was still a big WIP that i will never get to finish, 'cause i didn't know what to do at the time !! i also wanted to add a scene where the reader and flins got into a big argument that the skies cried stormed for days and reader wanted to make it up to him by sailing through the rain. flins got very upset again because you were putting your life in danger but you didn't care and kissed him hard anyway

Phainon already changed into his baggy clothes, and had his glasses resting on his nose bridge. Gone were the smart casual fits and contacts he usually wore, but then again, he was still super hot. When he saw you from the couch, Phainon paused some movie he was watching. In real time, his mouth widened into a huge grin and he immediately ran towards you with arms opened.

“Honey, you’re here!”

You allowed yourself to be shadowed and crushed into a tight embrace by the enthusiastic man, who for sure was aware of how strong his grip was. You also allowed Phainon to yap your ears off, despite wishing all day for a semblance of peace. Though to be quite frank, Phainon’s voice was hella soothing to the ears and you were hella in love with him you really couldn’t quite bring yourself to zip his lips. 

Though, you did have a plan on how to do that, just not the rude way.

Pulling away from the hug, Phainon was still smiling—overjoyed to see you. He still had one arm curled around your waist, and then, oh, his large, warm hand cupping your cheek. You didn’t know why, but at that one touch, your eyes stung. Phainon did not seem to notice yet how you blinked once, then twice, and you weren’t sure of what he was saying next.

Your ears only picked up the: “I made some soup that you liked so much. Of course, I needed some assistance from Mydei, because well, you know. He’s a better cook than all of us, but, but, rest assured that I did all the work!” Yeah, you still weren’t sure why your eyes stung and your vision seemed to blur, but you blinked it again. Once. And twice. “After eating dinner, what would you like to do next, honey? It’s Friday, so that means we can stay up all night, if that’s what you wish. We could get started on watching that series you’ve been eyeing for a while—”

“H–hey, Phainon?” Oh. Fuck. Your voice cracked. Great.

And the thing was, Phainon was perceptive. This was one aspect that some folks missed. The elation in his face disappeared—and it was replaced by furrowed brows and lips curving downwards. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. “Is there something wrong, hon—”

And also, if there was one thing to distract him with, you could always use yourself. 

“Do you wanna make out?”

5 minutes later there are two lips smacking passionately on the couch. 

Right, so that’s what happened. Yes, you’re stressed. Super stressed. And very very tired, and you do not want to burden your boyfriend who’ll also get stressed over you once he learns that you haven’t been feeling so good. You don’t want to add ‘Reassure Phainon That There’s Nothing to Worry About’ on your list, so you pull Phainon closer to yourself. Letting yourself enveloped by none other than Phainon of Aedes Elysiae. 

The kiss deepens, and your tongue meets his. Phainon releases a groan, before melting right into you. Yes. This is it. At least distracting Phainon is going according to plan—

“—Hah, honey, you’re doing this again, mmph—” You yank him to prevent him from talking, and you wonder if he’s talking about you taking the lead in kissing, not until he pries himself from you again ( though he looks so pained from doing that ). “The-there’s something wrong, isn’t it? Hey—”

You tug him by the choker, and he elicits a sound that’s only reserved for your ears. You smooch him once more, and there’s no doubt that Phainon is delighted by this, with him kissing you back with a content moan, not until he whimpers, and shakily grabs your wrist. Again, he detaches himself—though it looked like he didn’t want to—so his face is still inches closer to yours. 

Breaths are intermingled, and you do everything in your power to seduce him by pecking him, but he whines, “Honey. . .”

You open your eyes, and there it is. The expression of concern plastered on his face. He’s still so hot, despite it all.

Yeah, this is not the time to admire your boyfriend.

A heavy sigh escapes you, “Can’t you just shove your tongue down my throat or vice versa until dawn?”  

Phainon suppresses a snort. He caresses your face. “Tempting, but no. Not now. Honey, you clearly have something on your mind.” 

You pout, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“But you’re not feeling like yourself, and that breaks my heart,” he admits. His thumb slowly rubs your skin. “For the past few days or so, you haven’t acting like you usually do. I apologize that I only took action now in spite of me already realizing what was happening that early, but you were always gone and I assumed that these were just mere inconveniences that would easily go away, but clearly it did not. Now that we’re free, I can—”

Already aware of where he is heading to, you sigh again, “Don’t feel guilty. These are my issues, Phainon.”

He dips his head down. “I know.” He refuses to meet your gaze, and the organ in your chest sinks at the sight. “But I can’t really help it.”

Your boyfriend is wonderful. Yes, this is now the time to admire your boyfriend, because he’s just so kind, so wonderful, so thoughtful—and this may be an exaggeration, but he honestly deserves the world. He deserves all the good things from all the shit he has gone through. You’ve seen how he shattered and how he picked himself back up, and a part of you doesn’t really want him to bear the challenges you face, especially when he had been through so much that was perhaps a hundred times worse.

But he’s stubborn. Very much so. Huffing, he lifts his head and grumbles, “We’re not kissing again, not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

You stare at him, with wide eyes and parted lips. Did he just—oh. He’s dead serious. Determination emanates from him, and by the way, it’s still so hot, yet you can’t believe what you’ve just heard. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not,” Phainon pules, and a bit of anguish reveals itself. “And this pains me more as much as it pains you because you look so beautiful underneath me I really want to ravish you until dawn. But taking care of you comes first, and I want to remind you that I’m your boyfriend, and you can tell me everything.”

“Phainon, you ravishing me until dawn is already taking care of me, to be honest.”

He gasps, “Not today, you deceiver! That won’t work on me! Now, open up!”

Your mouth quirks upward. Okay. You should have a little fun with this, then. “My mouth so I can suc—”

“No!! Honey, come on! Don’t do this!!”

As Phainon continues to whine from above you, you can’t help but snicker. Oh. Your stupid tears are welling up again, and sooner or later, you would break your own rule of not wanting to burden Phainon.

But is it really so bad?

He is your boyfriend, after all. And if he had problems of his own, you'd want to know, too.

His arms cage on both sides of your head, and man, he really is so hot. You definitely did not zoom in on his biceps.

Going back, what is happening now? Ah, yes. Phainon’s currently admonishing you about your strategy of sweeping him off by the feet ( metaphorically, because you physically cannot carry him or else you’d get squashed — though that seems like a fortunate way to ascend to the heavens honestly ), before claiming that it will be futile starting this second since he has caught on.

“Do you really not want to share it with me?” He asks, with his lips pursed. And with a small voice, he asks again, “Do. . . do you not trust me?”

You pinch the side of his eye glasses, before taking it off. “That’s not it.” He makes no sound, and merely waits for your next move. “That’s not it at all, Phainon.”

Phainon shortens the distance between the two of you—his chest pressing onto yours. “Then, help me understand?” His hold on you tightens, and you sense his anxiety. And this is really what you wanted to avoid all along. “Please?”

“Phainon.”

“. . .”

He does not say anything anymore, and you just know that he really is serious. Wanting to calm his nerves, you give him a soft smile. “Okay. Though you have to promise me that once I let it out, you’ll have to commit to what you just said earlier.”

Phainon tilts his head. “Which is?” “You ravishing me until dawn.”

He explodes in a darker red. The white-haired man on top of you sputters, “You’re still onto that!? Honey!”

“Are you not?” “Well, yes, I am–but—mmph!”

You just kiss him again.

Maybe it really is not so bad to share your troubles with Phainon. This is just how it works, doesn’t it? It’s better to be honest now instead of keeping it all in.

When you pull away, Phainon’s a bit dazed, and you chuckle.

“We have a deal, then.”

( You do make a mental note to not overshare everything though. You just hope Phainon won't delve too much into the inconsistencies and holes in your story.