👄👅

Before he could react, the hybrid lunged at him. Hands half as big as his torso clamped over his arms. His bag fell. Rowan kicked, squirming in his jacket as the creature lifted him up with a rumbling sound.

“I-I thought-it’s not legal-!” Rowan squeaked. The hybrid snorted.

“Not if I don’t get caught~,” his grin widened, ivory fangs sneering back at Rowan. “Can’t find someone if you don’t leave a trace…”

Fear raked claws in Rowan’s gut. The hybrid paid no mind, casually shifting Rowan into one hand. Even with the new position, being so far off the ground, all Rowan could do was squirm weakly. His jacket was tugged off, as were his shoes, all dropping to join his bag on the forest floor. Tears spilled down Rowan’s face.

“Oh stop,” the hybrid rolled his eyes. “You humans with the tears… I’m not letting you go, no, I don’t care if you have family, no, you can’t pay me, yes, it will hurt, and no, I don’t care.” Golden eyes met Rowan’s as the tears drenched his cheeks. “Cry all you want, though. Really, I feel awful,” he trailed into a snicker. “Gods, the entitlement…”

“E-entitled…?” Rowan echoed. He sniffed, trying to blink tears away from his eyes.

“I mean, yeah,” his captor shrugged, lifting and dropping Rowan with the motion. “You want me, a non-human, to live by your rules. ‘Killin’ is wrong’, for instance,” another shrug, “it’s survival. You don’t see…deer tellin’ me what to do. Why are you-“ a claw reached up, prodding Rowan in the chest, “any different? You’re just as tasty as a deer, just as easy to eat.”

Rowan stared at the hybrid. On one hand, it was an entirely alien thought to him to eat another living creature. On the other, he didn’t want to be eaten. And yet…the perspective was fascinating. His eyes dropped, wishing he had his pen with him.

“Y’know most people cry more when I talk about eating them, the whole killin’ part,” the hybrid’s voice jolted Rowan back to the present.

He stared numbly at the face before him. “I…guess this is the most…interesting conversation I’ve had…in a while,” he mumbled, then shrugged. “Wish I could write it down.”

The hybrid’s face contorted. “…Why?”

If he was going to die, there was no point holding back. “Because maybe it would finally be something worth reading, and I’d be worth something to the world.”

The hybrid blinked.

“You’re a sad little human.”

“I know.”

“…I'm still eating you.”

“…I know.”

There was a pause. For a moment, Rowan thought he saw something in the hybrid’s gaze change. Almost…soften? But as soon as he saw it, it was gone. Replaced instead by lips parting to reveal a maw mottled with gray and blue flesh. The hybrid shifted, gripping Rowan’s torso with both hands. For a moment, Rowan wondered if this was what sandwiches felt.

Just as soon as the thought occurred to him, it vanished as the creature’s jaws consumed his vision. He recoiled as warm, slimy muscles entrapped his face and neck. Something slithered along his shoulders, earning a shudder from him. He couldn’t breathe. The world flexed around him and he felt himself move forward with a horrible squelching sound.

The world began to fade as heat and slime overtook Rowan’s senses. Sounds, too. Gurgles, rumbles, sounds he couldn’t begin to identify drowned out the rest of the world as the hybrid’s body moved around him. Rowan sank into the squishy embrace. It didn’t matter what he did now.

After some time, the crushing pressure increased around his face, and then passed over his neck and shoulders. Rowan gasped as his face was released from the pulsing grip, now shoved into a dimly-lit chamber. He didn’t get a great look before his face squashed into the floor of the space, dragging along it as more of his body was crammed inside. The gurgles overtook all other sounds now, leaving Rowan drowning in the noise.

As he folded himself inside the fleshy room, Rowan’s stomach twisted again. Ironic he’d just met the most interesting creature and he’d never get a chance to write about it. Just his luck. Using his arms, he pulled himself inside, slouching back. It wasn’t quite comfortable…but not entirely uncomfortable either. The walls sagged beneath him, and hugged his sides tightly, like a living, pulsing hammock. Cozy, if not for the impending sense of doom.

“Ah~,” the hybrid’s voice was muffled, rumbling through the walls. Rowan felt something thud against his side. “Now that’s a meal…” The walls gurgled softly, stretching and relaxing for a moment before a gentle rocking motion swayed Rowan’s surroundings. “What were you doin’ out here?”

It took Rowan a moment to register the hybrid’s words.

“I…trying to write,” he shrugged. “But I have nothing interesting to write about…so I gave up.” His voice cracked. The realization stung, and he slumped back. “I…was so tired.”

“Ugh, gods you’re dramatic…” the hybrid’s exasperation earned a sniffle from Rowan. “But…fine, I guess I’ll let you.”

Rowan wiped his face, only to smear it with slime. “Do…what?”

“Write about me.”

He blinked. “I…what?”

“Since you’re so stuck, I mean. You can write about me. Make it interesting…as a repayment for letting you go.”

Rowan faltered. “I…you ate me…”

“Yep.”

“And…you’re-“

“I can still kill you-“

“No, no I-um…I’m grateful, I…guess I’m a little…confused?”

The walls tightened, then relaxed with a rushing sound of wind. A…sigh?

“Gods…I will let you go. Not kill you. If you write about me. And make it…good.”

Rowan frowned. At this point, he didn’t have many other options. The world rocked as his host shifted, squashing Rowan into a near fetal position. He grimaced, pushing against the walls, which seemed to amuse the hybrid, by the rumbling muffled chuckle.

“I…I can try,” Rowan grimaced. “But, um…I don’t know…your name? Or anything about you…”

“We can handle the details-“ the walls squeezed in again, relaxing after a few moments, “after I get a nap. For now, call me Fio.”

“Fio,” Rowan repeated. “I’ll…okay.” He tried to settle, only to find the pliable walls provided little true freedom of movement before returning to their original state. “Are…are you doing to let me go?”

“Mm…later,” Fio replied simply. “Food’s scarce, and you’re filling…you could squirm a little, though.”

“I…I’m good.” Rowan’s nose wrinkled at the request. The implications were enough to make him uneasy again. “Um…thanks. For not…really eating me.”

“Mh-hmm,” Fio’s voice became more slurred. “Better make th’story good…’re I might…”

~~

Chris frowned. She looked between the shark and her coral. There’d be no way to evade him. Even with speed on her size, he was *huge*. With one grab he’d have her, and she had no desire to be a snack today. Making him mad by fleeing didn’t seem wise. And he’d cut off her best way to swim to safety. Meaning…the only way around him was to help. Sighing, she placed the weeds she’d collected into her satchel. Either way, she’d have to try.

“Sure, I can help…but…” she frowned. “How…do I know you won’t eat me…?”

The shark grinned, flashing a face full of fangs half her size. She shrank back, stomach writhing like a pack of starving eels.

“Ya don’t~. But, if ya’ dun help me…I’ll be lots more inclined t’do that instead~.” He opened his mouth, then chomped down. His face twinged for a moment before it fell back to a smug smirk. “Don’t gotsa bite somethin’ small as ya’, y’know~.”

Chris wrung her hands. Now he’d really trapped her. Though most of her body screamed to flee, there was a part of her mind that found the opportunity enticing. A shark as a regular client… She could have more exploring space with a shark as an escort. Slowly, she shuffled in her bag. There was enough to make a decent salve…it wouldn’t be her best, but it would be something.

She nodded to herself. “Okay…let me see what I can do.” She swam upwards, hesitating in front of the shark’s face. His red hair swayed idly, almost enticing to hide in had it not been attached to the face grinning back at her.

“Good choice~.” The shark hummed. His jaws parted again, and Chris peered inside. The water around her warmed almost instantly. Pale flesh and yellowed teeth greeted her, with the shark’s tongue flexing slightly. Grimacing, Chris scanned the rows of teeth until she found her prize. Towards the back something was glinting.

There was a rumble that vibrated the living cavern before it fell still again. Chris rolled her shoulders and slowly swam inside. The shark’s mouth was warm, warmer than the waters outside, and there was a thickness to it as her gills flexed anxiously. Just get the piece and get out…

It wasn’t long before Chris found herself beside the tooth in question. Lodged between a pair was something small and shiny. It looked almost like a shell by the way it glittered, but it had a different shape. The size was large, around Chris’ head. It looked…human. Frowning, the wrasse placed her hands on it. She blinked, pulled her hands back. Probably should give a warning if she didn’t want bitten in two. “I’m gonna try and pull this out! Keep holding still!”

Another, louder hum resonated around her. Chris twisted her body to get a good grip on the strange thing. While she was partially laying on the shark’s tongue, she had a better reach. Chris winced as the shark’s tongue flicked beneath her. Once it settled, she reached forwards to grasp the object. Her hands slid for a moment until she found a good grip. Though large, gripping the foreign object was no easy task.

After a few moments of searching, she found her grasp and pulled. There was a moment of stillness. It wasn’t budging. Chris stopped, taking a moment to stretch her arms. It had been some time since she’d had to use this much force on a foreign object. After a moment, she placed her hands on the object again.

She pulled, tail throashing back and forth as she grunted with the effort. Then, all at once, POP! The piece flew out from between the shark’s teeth, and Chris was flung backwards. She bumped into something squishy and soft. The wrasse grinned, turning the object over. “Can I keep this? It’s really-!”

Before she could finish the request, the world went dark. Chris yelped. Something warm brushed against her, and pushed her upwards into something harder. The shark hummed again, the droning sound like a whale’s song. Chris curled into herself as much as she could until the room stilled. For a moment, she hoped the shark would let her out. But, instead, everything tightened. Chris whined, tail thrashing, but the only way to move was forwards. Downwards. And downwards she went as everything flexed, and with a horrible squelch, she was pushed back and into the shark’s throat.

She desperately clung to the strange object as she passed through the shark’s chest. The walls tugged her along, almost like swimming through a pitch black corral passage, if the passage was moving for her. The noises were overwhelming. A steady, deep pounding noise, and the noise of water gurgling and swishing around. Just as soon as it started, the tightness ended as she was squeezed out and into a much more open space. Chris hugged the object as she took in some water and wrinkled her nose.

The water was thicker now, thicker than it had been in his mouth. Chris swam downwards, still holding onto the trinket. Her tail flopped in behind her, and the mermaid tried to peer into the gurgling darkness. She’d just been eaten. Alive. Her stomach coiled.

“There. Won’t lose it in there~.”

Chris flinched as the walls trembled with the shake’s voice. It was deeper now, louder too. Chris shrank back, ears pinned.

“You ate me!”

A low, rumbling sound. A laugh?

“Yeah, I’m a shark. ‘S kinda what we do. Anyway, yer the wrasse out here unarmed. Ain’t never met a wrasse that didn’t carry no means of defendin’ themself…”

Chris frowned. “I don’t like using weapons against sharks…” she swam forwards slightly, only to bump into something solid and hard. She grimaced, rubbing her head. “You’re just…being a shark at the end of the day…that’s like someone getting mad at me for cleaning a mouth.”

For a moment, the shark was quiet.

“Well…still. Ya gotsa be ready fer someone t'come after you. ‘S dumb not t’carry somethin’ to keep safe.”

“I guess…” holding the trinket with one arm, she stuck her other arm out to feel around. Eventually, she touched something soft, and eased herself down atop it. The stomach wall churned slowly, rolling against her side as she curled around her bag. “Y’know, you’re the first shark I’ve cleaned in a while…”

Another, drawn out silence.

“…Surprisin’ considerin’ how willing ya’ were t’help me. Ya’ didn’ even try t’bolt..”

“I mean, there was no point. You’re bigger, stronger, faster than me. I wouldn’t be able to squirm inside my coral before you’d have me…not to mention, you could tear my place down, and where does that leave me?”

~~

Jake frowned. She had a point, he could. Yet she’d been so willing to help him, a shark, no questions asked. She wasn’t even mad that he’d eaten her. Just…sad. He frowned and poked his middle. The little wrasse was so small, she didn’t even made an outline. “Well…either way, yer weird fer not bein more upset. Should…I dunno, squirm, fight, somethin-“

“Not much point,” the mermaid answered. Jakes ears flicked as the muffled voice continued. “What good would all that do me, other than wear me out? You’re a shark. I can’t compete against you.”

Once again, she was right. And she was complimenting his strength. Jake tilted his head. Weirdest little snack he’d ever seen…but it didn’t matter now. He ate her. And now…he had her. “Yeah, ya’ cant’s,” Jake agreed as he settled himself on the ocean floor. “If it makes ya’ feel better, yer doin’ a great job keepn’ th’hunger aways.”

It was quiet for a bit. Jake almost worried she’d ip and died. Not that he cared, but after a moment, he felt a flit of movement.

“That’s…good for something, I bet. Hunting this time of year must be hard…”

Jake frowned. And now she cared about his eating habits…? What was with this cleaner?! He poked his middle again. “Y’know yer barely even a snack t’me…I’ll be hungry again in a bit.”

“Yeah, but I’m easy picking,” came the simple reply.

He balked. What kind of tiny mer didn’t react more when someone ate them?! Indignant, he pushed down against his stomach. “An’ yanno things don’t usually come back outta stomachs, right?”

There was a pause. A longer silence than before, followed by a quiet: “…Yes. And I know you’re a shark. You’re just…doing what sharks do. So I can’t really be…mad at you, like I said before.”

Jake rubbed his face. Why the hell was she being so…nice?! He glared down at his stomach, wishing he could will himself to get it over with…but he couldn’t. Only because if he ended it now, he’d be hungry again soon after. It wasn’t because he felt…strange. No, it wasn’t that.

“Well…settle in. Yer not goin’ anywhere fer a while.” He mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. A nap sounded like a perfect way to pass the time…and definitely not avoid the decision he had to make.

“…Okay.”