⚠️ Higgshub ⚠️

NOTES: This was going to be just a one shot, honest to god it was! But it got away from me as usual so it will be a 2fer. As always thank y’all so so much for the love and support. It means so much to me. Anywho! Enjoy!

Don’t go in the water.

You’ve heard that your whole life: how the black tar waters were not safe, how you would be swallowed up by the lost souls swimming there.

You lived in Port Knot, born and raised. You lost your parents when you were very young, leaving you to live with your uncle and cousin. The locals called him The Tarman, branded him a hero. With his knowledge of the tar currents, people were able to fish and supply food. The fear, however, remained.

You never really bought into it; the water was no more dangerous than any other natural phenomenon. But you never dared to push it. You usually spend most of your time on the edge of the dock, staring down at the water. It was peaceful, in a way, the endless wonder of what could be in there. You caught yourself tempted to dip a finger, a toe. But you quickly shake it off; it's best not to invite things where they are not wanted.

That was the funny thing about fate: if it was meant to be…there were ways for it to come to fruition.

“There was another attack today,” your uncle said during dinner. You didn’t need to ask what he was referring to, idly twirling the noodles without looking up.

Recently, there have been reports of people going missing. At first, your uncle thought nothing of it; people ran away or got caught up in something all the time. However, when he arrived at one scene, he discovered it was far worse.

A body was washed ashore, covered in golden crystals and tar. Their face…it was as if someone sucked the soul clean out of them! This was no ordinary attack from the waters, your uncle observed. Once someone got in the water, they were never found again. Whatever did this…this was deliberate. Your uncle spent sleepless nights trying to figure out what was going on, finding his answer while he and your cousin went out fishing.

You remember him bursting through the door, grabbing a book off the shelf, and frantically flipping through its pages. You watch as he stops, staring down at a page, and for the very first time, you see terror on his face.

Cecaelia, they were called; legend has it they were highly intelligent but also extremely dangerous due to their violent nature.

“Bastard took my boy…it took my boy,” you hear your uncle mutter. That was when you noticed that your cousin didn’t come through the door.

“What happened?” You ask, trying to pull him from what spiral he was in.

“Came out of nowhere, yanked him off the boat,” your uncle muttered. “I…I tried to pull him out, but…that fucking bastard!”

He slams his fist on the table, making you jump.

“There was a Timefall storm coming, we were trying to leave when we felt something hitting the boat, trying to turn us over. He thought he saw something under the water. I told him not to get too close, but… it was too late. I just saw tentacles, black tentacles wrap around him and yanking him into the water. God, I can’t get his screams out of my head.”

He was never the same after that, finding your cousin’s body days later in the same state the others were. From then on, you went strictly to work and home only; your days of sitting by the dock were long gone. But that didn’t stop you from sneaking out late at night. He became more determined to hunt down the creature that had been doing this, leaving every day out into the waters only to come back empty-handed.

“Bastard’s taunting me,” your uncle continued, pulling you from your thoughts. “We won’t have any population left if this keeps on.”

You don’t say anything, finishing your dinner and waited until it was late enough to sneak out. You sit on the edge of the dock, letting out a breath as you look up at the night sky. You weren’t sure how much more of this you were going to take. Yes, you hate what happened to your cousin, mourned him. But he wouldn’t want this to happen, for your uncle to live a life filled with hatred.

You had to leave, but where would you even go? There was no other city for miles; the chances of you making it there alive were slim to none. You could feel tears threatening to spill from your eyes as you blinked up at the sky, fighting them back.

“See the sunset, the day is ending,” you softly sing to yourself. A lullaby your mom used to sing to you whenever you had a bad dream or were upset. It used to comfort you, but even the song couldn't ease the dread bubbling inside you.

“Let that yawn out, there’s no pretending. I will hold you and protect you. So let love warm you, till the mor-“

You hear movement in the water, making you jump. You scan the area, even though it was far too dark to see. Nothing, only the moon reflecting against the black waters. You let out another breath as you slowly stand back up. Maybe this was a sign to go back inside; the last thing you needed was something happening to you and your uncle losing more of his sanity.

You walk back to the house, not noticing a head peaking out of the water. Their sharp, blue eyes watching your every move.

~*~

“Fucking bastard!”

You woke to your uncle yelling outside, and you rushed to see what was going on. As soon as you walk out the door, you see a crowd circling something as your uncle pushes past them.

“Let me through!”

Your heart drops at the sight of another body, covered in gold crystals and tar. Their eyes permanently rolled back with their mouth agape. You recognize them instantly: a local porter visiting from another city. They were only staying a few days and planned to head back home by first light.

Your uncle let out a roar, storming toward the docks while grabbing a weapon along the way.

“Where are you going?!” You cry out as you chase after him.

“I’m going to find that beast and put an end to this!” Your uncle replies. “If I have to be out there all day and night, I’ll do it.”

“What if that’s what it wants?” You try to reason with him. “You can’t go out there alone, it’s dangerous enough!”

“Go home,” he instructs, but you keep your ground.

“No! I can’t allow you to continue on this-this crusade! This is not what he would want!”

“Don’t you dare talk about him,” your uncle sneers. “You have no right to talk about what he wanted.”

“Yes, I do, he was my family too, you both are! If I lost you, I…I’d have no one left!”

That made him pause for a moment, looking at you before continuing to set up the boat.

“If anything happens to me, you are in charge,” he tells you. “You tell them, tell them all that I died trying to protect this city.”

“Please don’t do this,” you beg. Tears rolling down your face. “At least let me go with you!”

“No! You stay here, and you do as you are told!” He demands, before pausing again, and pulls you into a deep embrace.

“I’ve lived a long life, I’ve made peace with what I’ve done. You still have a long life ahead of you… And I want you to live it without fear. Don’t you worry about me, I’ve fought ocean beasts before. This one will be no different. I love you.”

You couldn’t stop him, knowing it was a losing battle. Once your uncle made up his mind, he was dead set on it. All you could do was stand by the dock as he rides off, shaking from both fear and heartache. By the time nightfall came, and you saw no trace of him coming back, you broke out into a sob.

This was bound to happen, you knew that. But you had hoped your uncle would have given up and made peace. As long as bodies were washing up on the shore, the concept of peace was just as far-reaching as the chances of you getting out.

You sink to your usual spot at the edge of the dock, the realization overwhelming you. He wasn’t coming back, and you were all alone. You had no one left to call your family…no one.

Then you hear something, whistling in the tune of your lullaby, making your blood grow cold in fear.

“Let that yawn out, there’s no pretending…”

The voice was male and eerily calming. Your eyes frantically searched to see where it was coming from.

“I will hold you, and protect you…”

You suddenly see clawed hands reaching toward the edge of the dock, making you gasp and back away.

“So let love warm you, till the morning…”

You lock eyes with a pair of sharp blue eyes outlined with black eyeliner. The golden markings on his browless forehead shine under the moonlight.

As golden as the crystals on the bodies.

You could feel your heart pounding, panic washing over you as you watch him rest his arms along the dock to hold himself up.

“Well now,” he spoke with a dangerous drawl. “Look what we have here.”

That’s when you see it behind him, a black tentacle lazily rising from the water and giving you a “wave”. Your eyes widen, backing up more as he chuckles.

“No need acting like that now. I’m not gonna hurt you,” he gives you a predatory smirk as he speaks.

This man, this…thing. This had to be the creature that had been taking people, who killed your cousin! You turn your head, opening your mouth to cry for help, but he lets out a deep growl of warning.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” his eyes narrow. “‘Sides, by the time someone does show up, it’d be far too late for you. So let’s keep this little visit between us, hm?”

You turn back slowly, watching him give you a pleased look once he knows you have decided to comply.

“Now that’s a good two legs,” he purrs. “I knew you’d see reason. Why don’t you come a little closer?”

“Absolutely not,” you snap.

“Aw, that’s no way to treat a visitor,” he playfully pouts.

“Where the fuck is my uncle?” You ask sharply.

“Oh, he’s fine,” the creature replies, waving his hand dismissively. “Still out there playing Moby Dick. Don’t you worry, nothing will happen to him…not yet anyway.”

You see red and quickly get up.

“You’re the beast who killed my cousin! Killed those innocent people!”

“Innocent? That’s a loaded word,” he replied. “Killing and stealing our resources, our kin…but you’re upset over an innocent few.”

Was this why he was doing this? Out of revenge?

“I’m sure you think your precious uncle is innocent too, The Tarman,” he continued with a mocking tone. “Trust me, sweetheart, what I’ve been doing is child’s play compared to the things he has done. But you wouldn’t know that, would you? I’m sure he’s been keeping very important details on how he got to be where he is.”

“What do you want?” You ask.

“I’ve come with a peace offering! One I know you won’t pass up. I’ll leave this little hole in the wall and your precious uncle alone, in exchange for you.”

You? Why the fuck would he want you for?

“I’ve been watching you for a while,” he goes further. “Found myself taking quite the shine to you, so I figure this would be a fair exchange. You keep your people out of harm’s way, and I get to have you!”

Your knee-jerk reaction was to accept his offer so the killings would stop. But you also knew that if your uncle did come back…If you were taken.

“My uncle is already hunting you down. What makes you think he wouldn’t continue to do so if I’m gone?”

“Clever, I like that,” the creature smirked. “Good thing I’m good at hiding, old man hasn’t caught me yet, has he?”

“I’m not going with you,” you shake your head. “You expect me to believe you’re just going to stop killing if I do? No, I don’t buy that for one second. I hope he gets you and rips you apart.”

You can see the creature’s skin start to change, growing whiter as golden tear-like markings formed around his eyes.

“I would tread very carefully if I were you,” he spoke with a calm voice, but there was an underlying threat. “He’s still out there for open season, you know. I can easily find him and make sure there is not a hint of him left. Are you sure you want to live with yourself knowing you sealed his fate like that?”

He then looks up at the moon hanging in the sky.

“I’ll give you two moons to decide correctly. If you’re not here on this dock by the second moon, then it’s bye-bye Port Knot, bye-bye uncle. You’ll make the smart play, I know you will.”

And with that, he sank back down in the water, tentacles waving around as he swam away. You couldn’t sleep, staring at the ceiling as the sun rose over the horizon. You even called in sick, claiming you weren’t feeling so hot.

Your uncle was still not back from the waters, and your grief was now quickly replaced with worry. If you didn’t accept the creature’s offer, he was going to kill him. If you did, who knows what would happen to him. But there was another feeling: curiosity about what the creature said.

“What I’ve been doing is child’s play compared to the things he has done.”

You then realize you had really no idea what your uncle did before you were born. He helped this city find food resources and build it into what it is today. But how exactly did he do it?

“Killing and stealing our resources, our kin,” the creature’s words echoed in your mind. With newfound determination, you go into your uncle’s office. Whatever he was hiding from you, it was sure to be there. You don’t see anything right away, looking at old documents and photos from his research about tar currents. But it was one particular file buried deep in his records that made you pause.

A photo of your uncle when he was younger, standing proud next to something hanging from a hook. Your eyes widen, recognizing the form instantly.

It was a Cecaelia, a female one. Dead, by the look of her…the hook they were holding her with was cutting right through her back. You click to see another photo, hundreds of young Cecaelia children lying along the very dock you sat on countless times. All of them dead… mutilated. You gasp, covering your mouth in horror as another article pops up.

“Tar Monster infestation cleared by local fisherman and scientist: Beached abominations not welcomed at Port Knot.”

Then more photos, more of these creatures being killed and displayed. Notes on each one regarding origin and findings on them. Their bodies… used to make supplies. Supplies you use every day!

Your uncle wasn’t a hero; he was a poacher!

You turned off the computer, taking a shaky breath to steady your nerves. It all made sense, why the creature was on this spree. Your uncle massacred his people, had them on display…fucking experimented on them! Then it hit you, that was why your uncle looked so afraid after losing your cousin. He knew… he knew what he had done, and now something was taking its revenge.

But the question remained: why did the creature want you? Was this the tipping point of his plan? He already took your cousin; he had every opportunity to give you the same fate if what he said about watching you was true. So why were you only given the option to go with him willingly?

There was only one way to find out, you thought as you walked to the edge of the dock by the second moon. There was no sign of the creature anywhere as you sat down. Looking down at the peaceful black waters, but not daring to lean in.

Where was he? You kept your end of the deal by being here. You thought, for a brief, hopeful moment, that your uncle had destroyed him, and he would be coming back to shore. You even looked out for any sign, only to find none.

Just then, you catch something moving in the water, and your chest tightens from nerves. You stay perfectly still, watching the waters as the creature finally makes himself known.

“I knew you’d choose wisely,” he says, looking up at you with a pleased smirk.

“I know what he did to your people,” you finally speak up. You watch his jaw tighten in anger, his skin turning white for only a second before returning color. “I-I’m sorry.”

“We’re way past that, darlin’,” the creature replied. “It ain’t gonna bring them back, but…at least with this little exchange I’ll be satisfied.”

“Are you planning to kill me too?” You ask. “Is this…just some trick to do what you’ve done to the others?”

“No, this is for my own personal goal,” he explained. “But I’ll explain all that later, just dip your pretty leg in the water, and I’ll take us home.”

Home, you could only imagine what or where his home could be.

You look at the water nervously, the warning echoing in your mind. Don’t go in the water.

“You’re scared, I get it,” he pulls you from your thoughts. “And I don’t expect you to just welcome me with open arms, but…I promise I won’t do anything to you.”

He meant it; his words held no danger like before. But you couldn’t move; everything in your body was screaming at you not to do it.

“I can’t swim,” you admit, causing him to give you a small chuckle.

“Yeah, I figured that much,” he shrugged. “Don’t worry…I got plenty of limbs to hold you tight.”

You could feel your body shake as you carefully stretched your leg and dipped it into the water. The sharp coldness causes you to gasp, quickly followed by a squeak as you feel something slick wrap around your leg. It’s suckers latch onto your flesh, a very weird sensation. But it did distract you as you were pulled from the dock to the creature's embrace.

He was…surprisingly warm, chuckling again as you clung to him for dear life.

“Settle now, it’s okay,” he spoke gently in your ear. “It’s gonna be okay.”

You weren’t sure whether it was from the shock of the cold or from your anxiety, but you don’t remember anything that happened after that. You only remember waking up soaking wet, lying on a rough, cold surface. You blink, taking in your new surroundings as you slowly sit up. You were in a cave, your only light coming from an opening right above your head that hit a pool of water. It was pretty clammy to say the least, your body shivering from your wet clothes.

“There’s my sleeping beauty,” the creature’s voice echoed in the cave as he came out of the shadows. His black tentacles guiding him toward you. “I’m sorry for leaving you in such a state. I forgot that two legs have different body heat.”

You watch as a tentacle hands you a delivery box.

“Been collecting lost deliveries,” he explained. “Don’t know if they’re gonna fit, but it’s worth a shot.”

You take the box from him, giving him a soft thank you before looking around.

“Um…is there a spot for me to change?” You ask shyly. The creature looks at you, confused, only to let out a laugh.

“Two legs and their modesty,” he comments. “But fine, I’ll play along.”

You watch him move into the pool of water, disappearing from view. You take your time, turning away from the pool as you remove the wet clothes. You do find a pair of pants and a top that were loose, but it worked nevertheless. You jump at the sound of water splashing, causing you to turn quickly and see the creature’s eyes peaking from the edge of the pool. It seemed he had been watching with a sly look on his face.

“Couldn’t help myself,” he confirmed your suspicions. “I wasn’t gonna pass up seeing you in your more…natural form.”

You could only huff, trying to ignore the sudden heat in your face.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding?” You ask, quickly changing the subject. “Where are we anyway?”

“This is all I have left to call home,” he replied as he moved from the pool. Sitting on the edge, as he pats a spot for you to sit. “Been living here since my daddy died.”

You pause, feeling your heart drop.

“Was he…was he killed by my uncle?” You asked. The creature lets out a harsh laugh.

“Oh, I wish,” he shook his head. “But no, he wasn’t. I had the satisfaction of killing him my own damn self. He wasn’t my real daddy, though; he took me in after my parents croaked. Guess we got that in common, don’t we?”

You took your time as you got closer to him.

“What happened to them?” You ask, watching the creature look up at you, before you were suddenly picked up by one of his tentacles and placed right beside him.

“Your uncle didn’t kill them himself, in case you were wondering, but his reign of terror certainly played a part. Daddy used to tell me stories all the time about the two legs who hunted us. Before he came along, we used to rule these waters. We never bothered anyone unless they crossed into our territory. Because of him, we were pushed out of our homes. Had to reside in parts that were darker, more dangerous. But that wasn’t enough; those fishermen…those people you claim are innocent. They still went after us. I was only a hatchling when they killed my parents, left them to die…only taking what they needed.”

You could see him look down at his tentacles, feeling almost sick at imagining what he was referring to.

“I grew up thinking he and I were all that was left. That this big, wide ocean was a dangerous place as long as the two legs were still out there. If I ever asked questions about it, well… he’d sure make me regret it. Guess he thought me a runt, weak. He found out the hard way that I was anything but once I got big enough. After that, I’ve been on my own, found this cave. I did find some others, but I was never welcomed.”

You notice that as he was telling his story, he had more of the golden markings, much like the ones on his forehead, along with healed scars in various places.

“The stories about your uncle were what fueled me, gave me my strength. I wanted nothing more than to make him suffer for what he had done to me and mine. So I surveyed the area, followed some fishermen from a safe distance until I knew I found what I was looking for.”

He then looks at you once more.

“The first time I saw you, I had every intention of yanking you into the water from the dock.” He said it so casually, as if commenting on the weather. “You made it so easy to do it. But then I got a good look at you, heard you singing that pretty tune you like so much. It didn’t really dawn on me until that moment when I realized that while I was perfectly okay with being alone…I was still lonely.”

You shivered as you felt a tentacle gently brush across the side of your thigh.

“Daddy always told me I had a weakness for pretty things, used to get so mad at me for hiding items I found floating near our home. Course that never stopped me before, sure as hell wasn’t gonna stop me now.”

“So that’s it? I’m just something to collect?” You asked, watching him shift until he was intimately close, facing you fully.

“What do they call you?” He asked with a head tilt. “I’ve watched you so many times and yet I never got to hear your name.”

Your eyes widen slightly at how close you both were, taking in his features. You didn’t want to admit it, but he was rather attractive. You finally let out your name, seeing a smile stretch across his face.