🍊

The docks were quiet for once.

No shouting. No crates. No fire licking at the edges of everything.

Just the low creak of wood and the soft pull of the tide beneath it.

Sevika stood at the edge, hands shoved into her pockets, shoulders tight like she didn’t quite know what to do with herself now that there was no one to order around. No fight to focus on.

Just… this.

And yet she hadn’t left.

She shifted her weight, boots scraping lightly against the planks, eyes scanning the dark surface. It looked the same as always. Empty. Still.

Like it had that night, right before you appeared.

Her jaw tightened slightly.

“You there?” she called, voice rougher than she meant it to be. It carried across the water, then fell flat. No answer. Just the quiet lapping of waves against wood.

She huffed out a breath, running a hand through her hair.

“Yeah. Thought so.”

Still… she didn’t move.

A beat passed.

Then another.

And then-

A ripple.

Small. Subtle. Easy to miss if you weren’t already staring straight at it.

Sevika went completely still.

The water shifted again, a soft disturbance breaking the surface before-

You appeared.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Like you weren’t sure if you were allowed to.

Water slipped from your shoulders as you rose, eyes immediately finding hers, wide and bright in the low light.

Sevika’s breath caught.

“…hi,” she said.

Smooth. Real smooth.

You blinked at her, head tilting just slightly, like you were taking her in all over again.

Up close, without the chaos, without the panic, you looked even more unreal.

Sevika swallowed, suddenly very aware of herself, of the way she was standing there like an idiot with nothing prepared.

“I, uh-” she started, then stopped, dragging a hand down her face. “You… saved me.”

You didn’t respond.

Just kept looking at her.

There was something in your expression. Soft. Open. A little… awed. It made her chest feel tight in a way she wasn’t used to.

“…thanks,” she tried again, a little more firmly this time, tapping a hand lightly against her chest like that might help get the point across. “For-“ she gestured vaguely toward the water. “That.”

Still nothing.

Your gaze didn’t waver.

If anything, you leaned a little closer.

Sevika hesitated.

“…right,” she murmured, glancing away briefly. “You, uh… don’t-”

She made a vague motion with her hand, then frowned at herself.

“Talk?”

That didn’t feel right.

“Understand?” she tried, slower this time, like that would somehow help. Then, because that didn’t feel like enough, she started gesturing. Pointing to herself. To you. To the water. Completely losing whatever thread she thought she had.

It was… not her strong suit.

You watched the whole thing for a second.

Then you laughed.

It was soft. Bright. A little breathy, like you weren’t used to the sound either.

Sevika froze.

The sound hit her square in the chest.

Pretty.

That was the only word that came to mind, simple and immediate. It lingered, echoing slightly in the quiet space between you.

“…you can talk,” she said flatly.

You smiled, just a little, like you found her confusion endearing.

“I can,” you answered, voice gentle, a little uncertain around the edges but clear.

Sevika stared at you for a second longer, then huffed out a quiet, disbelieving laugh, shaking her head.

“Great. Good. That’s… good.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “That would’ve been helpful about ten seconds ago.”

Your smile softened.

“You were trying,” you said, like that alone was worth something.

Sevika blinked at that, then looked away, a little thrown off.

“…yeah. Don’t get used to it.”

There was a pause.

Then your expression shifted, something more careful settling in as your gaze flicked over her, searching.

“Are you okay?” you asked quietly. “From before. The fire.”

Sevika stilled slightly at that.

Then shrugged, like it was nothing.

“I’ve had worse.”

Your brows drew together just a fraction, like you didn’t like that answer, but you didn’t push.

Instead, you moved closer.

Sevika hesitated for a second, then let out a quiet breath and lowered herself down, sitting at the edge of the dock. Her boots hung just above the water, close enough that the tide brushed beneath them.

She glanced at you, like she wasn’t entirely sure why she’d done it.

Though, deep down, she knew. Something about you pulled at her, steady and undeniable.

You leaned out of the water, resting your arms on the edge of the dock, bringing yourself within reach. Within touching distance.

Sevika didn’t move away.

Didn’t think to.

She just watched as your attention shifted, drifting downward, curious.

Your hand lifted slowly, hesitating just for a second before your fingers brushed against her leg.

Light.

Careful.

Like you expected it to disappear.

Sevika inhaled sharply, more out of surprise than anything else, but didn’t pull back. Your touch was… warm. Curious in a way that didn’t feel invasive. Just… fascinated.

You traced along the fabric, then over the shape beneath, eyes following the movement like you were studying something entirely new.

“…legs,” you murmured, almost to yourself.

Sevika let out a quiet huff of a laugh.

“Yeah. That’s- generally how that works.”

You glanced up at her, completely unbothered by the dry tone, then back down again, fingers still moving slightly like you couldn’t quite help it.

There was no embarrassment in you. No hesitation.

Just wonder.

It did something strange to her chest.

“…you got a tail, then?” Sevika asked after a moment, voice softer now, almost curious in return.

Your eyes lit up.

Sevika caught the glint of scales beneath the surface before you eased yourself up and onto the dock beside her, water trailing after you as you settled close at her side.

Really close.

You shifted closer without thinking, turning slightly as you reached for her hand again. Your fingers slipped easily between hers with an easy familiarity that made her go still, before gently guiding her touch toward you.

Sevika’s breath hitched as her palm met smooth, cool scales.

You watched her the whole time, eyes bright, searching her face for her reaction.

Sevika swallowed.

“…shit,” she murmured, voice low, fingers pressing just slightly along the curve of your tail, feeling the texture, the strength beneath it. “That’s…”

She didn’t finish the sentence.

Didn’t need to.

Her thumb brushed along one of the scales, slower this time, more deliberate.

You shivered softly at the contact, a quiet sound leaving you before you could stop it.

Sevika froze.

Your eyes met.

And for a second, neither of you moved.

Then you smiled again.

Soft. Warm. A little shy now.

Sevika exhaled, something in her shoulders easing as she let herself lean back slightly on her hands, still close enough that your arm brushed hers.

“Guess I wasn’t imagining you,” she whispered.

You tilted your head, watching her with that same soft focus.

“I was always there.”

Something about the way you said it made her chest tighten again.

“…yeah,” she murmured.

She believed you.

It settled in slowly, like something clicking into place that had been there all along.

All those moments she had brushed off. The feeling of being watched when she was alone at the docks. The flicker of movement just beneath the surface when she looked too quickly to catch it properly. The strange certainty that she was never quite as alone as she thought she was.

It wasn’t nothing.

It had been you.

Sevika let out a quiet breath, staring at the water for a second before looking back at you.

“…you’ve been there a while, haven’t you?” she asked, softer now.

Your expression didn’t change much, but your eyes warmed slightly.

“I liked watching you,” you admitted simply.

That made her pause.

A faint huff left her, something almost like disbelief, almost like amusement.

“…yeah?” she said, glancing away for a second like she didn’t quite know what to do with that. “That so?”

You nodded, completely earnest, your thoughts slipping free without hesitation, without the weight of learned restraint.

“Pretty,” you said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Strong.”

Sevika shook her head a little, but there was no edge to it. Just something quieter. Softer.

The water lapped gently at the dock, the world quiet around you, like it had carved out this small, impossible space just for the two of you.

The first time Sevika saw you standing on two legs, she thought she was hallucinating again.

Honestly, with the way her week had been going, it would not have surprised her.

But hallucinations probably didn’t stumble directly into a table, swear under their breath, then nearly fall flat on their face trying to recover.

So.

Probably real.

But before that, before the chaos and the fighting and the unmistakable sound of a bottle smashing against someone’s skull, there had been panic.

Pure panic.

You had been swimming near the underside of the docks when you heard them.

Voices.

Rough. Angry.

Familiar.

Silco’s men.

You knew enough by now to understand pieces of their world. Names. Threats. The tone people used when violence sat heavy beneath their words.

And you heard Sevika’s name.

“…too loyal to him.”

“She’s becoming a problem.”

“Tonight.”

Your blood ran cold.

You pressed closer beneath the dock, careful not to make a sound as their boots thudded overhead.

“…Last Drop. Easy when she’s alone.”

A sharp laugh followed.

“She won’t see it coming.”

By the time their voices faded, your heart was pounding so hard it hurt.

Sevika was in danger.

And you were here.

Too far away.

You surfaced quickly, hands gripping the edge of the dock as panic clawed through your chest. You had to warn her. Had to.

But the Last Drop was nowhere near the water.

You couldn’t reach her in time like this.

Then, suddenly, you remembered.

Stories.

Half remembered things passed between merfolk in quiet whispers. Tales of tails becoming legs once dry land claimed them fully. Most thought it was nonsense. Ancient magic. Myths humans made up because they wanted mermaids to become more like them.

You had never tried.

You stared down at your tail.

Then toward the city.

Then back again.

“…please work,” you whispered.

The climb onto the dock was awkward enough already. Your tail dragged uselessly behind you, scales scraping against damp wood as you hauled yourself farther from the water.

Nothing happened at first.

You waited.

And waited.

Endlessly hoping and praying for something.

Anything.

Then came the strange feeling.

Warmth.

A tingling sensation rushed through your tail, sharp enough to make you gasp. The scales shimmered faintly as something shifted beneath your skin.

It hurt.

Not unbearable. Just strange. Tight. Pulling.

You collapsed onto your side with a startled noise as your tail split apart beneath you.

Legs.

You stared.

Toes twitched uncertainly.

“…oh.”

You had legs.

You immediately tried to stand and nearly died.

Your knees buckled the second you pushed upright, sending you crashing into a stack of crates with a loud bang.

“Ow.”

Walking, it turned out, was horrible.

Your legs wobbled unpredictably beneath you as you stumbled through the streets, clutching at walls and crates and once accidentally grabbing a very startled man for balance before quickly apologising and hurrying away.

You needed clothes first.

Humans were giving you very strange looks.

Eventually, behind a building, you found discarded fabric hanging from a broken crate. Rough. Oversized. Smelled questionable.

Perfect.

You wrapped yourself in it as best you could and continued onward.

By the time you finally found the Last Drop, your legs felt like they might fall off.

The building pulsed with noise and light. Music. Shouting. Laughter.

Far too many people.

You hesitated near the entrance before forcing yourself inside.

The smell hit you first.

Smoke. Alcohol. Sweat.

Your nose wrinkled immediately.

Humans lived like this?

You pushed through the crowd awkwardly, ignoring the confused looks sent your way as you searched desperately for one person.

Then you saw her.

Sevika sat near the bar, broad shoulders tense as she listened to something one of Silco’s men was saying.

Relief flooded through you so fast you almost collapsed.

“Sevika!”

Her head snapped up immediately.

Her eyes landed on you.

Then widened.

Completely.

You hurried toward her, nearly tripping again halfway there.

“Hey, hey,” Sevika said quickly, standing to steady you before you could fall face first into the floor. “Easy.”

Her hands caught your arms.

She stared.

You stared back.

“…you have legs,” she said finally.

“Yes,” you said urgently. “Bad ones.”

That nearly made her laugh despite the confusion written all over her face.

Then she noticed your expression.

The panic.

Immediately, her posture sharpened.

“What happened?”

You grabbed onto her arm tightly.

“People are going to hurt you,” you blurted out. “I heard them talking near the docks. They said tonight and that you wouldn’t see it coming and I didn’t know where you were and walking is terrible and humans are very stressful and I think these pants are haunted but that part isn’t important.”

Sevika blinked once.

Twice.

Then several things happened at once.

A figure lunged from behind.

Sevika moved instantly.

Her arm shoved you backward just as she spun, metal crashing against metal as she blocked a strike with her mechanical arm. The Last Drop erupted into chaos around you.

You yelped as someone crashed into a table nearby.

“Stay behind me!” Sevika barked.

You absolutely did not.

Mostly because you got grabbed by another attacker and reacted entirely on instinct by smashing a bottle over his head.

The man dropped instantly.

You stared at him in horror.

“…oh fuck.”

Sevika barked out a startled laugh in the middle of the fight.

“Cute and violent. Good to know.”

“You are in danger!” you protested.

“I noticed!”

The fight didn’t last long after that.

Mostly because Sevika was Sevika.

And because betrayal tended to fall apart once she realised it was happening.

By the time you both escaped, your legs were shaking from exhaustion.

“You okay?” Sevika asked as she guided you back toward the docks, her arm wrapped tightly around your waist. It was probably the only thing keeping you upright at this point.

“I hate knees,” you informed her seriously.

That made her snort.

By the time the ocean came into view, relief flooded through you so strongly you could have cried.

You stumbled toward the edge immediately.

“Wait,” Sevika said, catching your wrist gently before you could dive in.

You turned back toward her.

Up close like this, with moonlight catching in her hair and concern softening her features, she looked unfairly beautiful.

Sevika looked at you for a second, something warm and fond settling into her expression.

“…thank you,” she said quietly. “For coming after me. You didn’t have to. You shouldn’t have… but you did. And I will be forever grateful.”

You smiled.

“Of course I did.”

Like there had never been another option.

Something in Sevika’s face softened further at that.

Then she released your wrist.

You dove.

The second the water closed around you, relief swept through your body. Your legs fused back into your tail beneath the surface, familiar and right and yours.

You quickly tugged the scraps of clothing away, letting them drift uselessly in the water. Honestly, you had no idea how humans tolerated wearing such things all the time.

You surfaced again moments later with a bright laugh, clearly more comfortable already.

“There you are,” Sevika murmured.

You rested your arms against the dock beside her, smiling up at her as water dripped from your hair.

For a while, neither of you spoke.

You just stayed there together in the quiet.

Comfortable.

Safe.

You rested your chin against your arms where they lay on the dock, looking up at Sevika with an easy warmth that made something soft settle in her chest.

“You really came all that way for me?” Sevika asked quietly, almost like she still couldn’t fully believe it.

You blinked at her.

“Obviously.”

The answer came so fast, so genuine, that Sevika huffed out a quiet laugh.

“You almost killed yourself learning how to walk.”

“It was awful,” you said immediately. “Why do humans do that all the time?”

That made her laugh properly this time, low and warm and real.

You stared at her for a second afterward, completely distracted by the sound.

Sevika noticed.

“What?”

“You’re pretty when you laugh.”

Sevika nearly choked.

You frowned slightly, still getting the hang of this whole ‘communication’ and ‘social etiquette’ thing. “Was that strange to say?”

“…a little,” she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck while trying and failing to hide the faint flush creeping across her face.

You smiled brightly, clearly pleased with yourself.

The tide rolled gently beneath you, moonlight glimmering across the water as the city finally quieted around the two of you.

The docks were empty when Sevika arrived.

At first, she didn’t think much of it.

You were unpredictable sometimes. Occasionally you surfaced the second you heard her boots against the wood, smiling before she had even reached the edge. Other times you lingered beneath the surface first, watching her with bright curious eyes before finally appearing beside the dock.

So she waited.

The night air was cool, carrying the familiar scent of saltwater and rust through the undercity. Somewhere farther off, machinery groaned loudly enough to shake the pipes overhead.

Sevika leaned against one of the support beams near the edge of the dock, arms crossed loosely.

“…you hiding from me?” she called.

Usually that earned a reaction.

A ripple.

A laugh.

A teasing little splash because apparently you found it funny when she got annoyed.

Tonight, there was nothing.

Only dark water shifting quietly below.

Her brow furrowed.

“C’mon,” she called again, voice carrying farther this time. “I know you’re here.”

Still nothing.

A strange unease started creeping beneath her ribs.

You had never failed to show up before.

Not once.

Sevika pushed herself upright and walked closer to the edge, scanning the water carefully.

No flicker of scales beneath the surface.

No movement.

No you.

Her stomach tightened.

Maybe you forgot.

Maybe you got distracted.

Maybe you were somewhere else entirely and she was standing here like an idiot waiting for someone who was not coming.

She was just about to turn away when something caught her eye near the edge of the dock.

A dark smear against the wood.

Sevika frowned and crouched slightly, brushing her fingers against it.

Wet.

Sticky.

Her chest went cold.

Blood.

There was more farther ahead. A dragged streak leading away from the docks toward the city streets.

For one horrible second, Sevika could not breathe.

“No,” she whispered immediately, already standing again. “No, no, no!”

Panic hit hard and fast.

You hated leaving the water.

You barely knew how to navigate the city.

If someone had taken you-

Sevika broke into a run.

People shouted as she shoved through crowded streets, but she barely registered any of it. Her eyes stayed fixed ahead, scanning desperately for another sign. Another streak of blood. Anything.

Her thoughts spiralled violently.

How long ago had this happened?

Were you hurt badly?

Were you scared?

A sudden swell of noise echoed from somewhere deeper in the undercity.

Excited shouting.

Cheering.

Sevika’s stomach dropped.

She rounded the corner hard enough that her shoulder slammed into someone, sending them cursing after her as she pushed through the crowd gathering ahead.

Then she saw it.

And everything inside her seemed to stop.

You were trapped inside a massive, sealed glass tank strapped to the back of a rolling cart.

Water sloshed violently around you with every bump in the road. The tank itself was filthy, the glass clouded and scratched, but Sevika could still see you clearly enough.

Your frightened eyes.

Your hands pressed desperately against the glass.

The blood drifting in soft red ribbons through the water from the wound at your temple.

And worst of all-

You were struggling to breathe.

Your mouth opened in panicked gasps, chest heaving harder every second as the oxygen in the water thinned. You looked exhausted already, movements sluggish and frightened.

The sight hit Sevika so hard it physically hurt.

“HEY!”

The roar tore from her throat.

The cart lurched to a stop.

Several men turned toward her, eyes glowing from the shimmer pumping through their bodies, their expressions immediately shifting into smug satisfaction.

“Well, look what showed up,” one sneered.

Another grinned. “Told you she’d come running.”

Inside the tank, your gaze snapped toward her instantly.

Relief flooded your face so quickly it made Sevika’s chest ache.

Your hand hit the glass weakly, tears slipping into the water that had become your prison.

Sevika stepped forward slowly, shoulders tense.

“Let her go.”

The men laughed.

“Oh, we plan to.”

One tapped against the tank with his knuckles, making you flinch.

“For the right price.”

Sevika’s expression darkened instantly.

“She’s worth a lot,” another added greedily. “People are already offering money just to look at her.”

Thing.

Specimen.

Prize.

The way they looked at you made Sevika sick.

“We want shimmer,” one of them continued. “Money too. Then maybe we hand her over.”

Inside the tank, your breathing hitched sharply again.

Your eyes squeezed shut briefly, panic starting to set in harder.

You began clawing at the tank, desperate to escape. To breathe.

Sevika noticed immediately.

There was no time for this.

No time to negotiate.

No time to play along.

Her jaw clenched tightly.

“Your mistake,” she snarled quietly.

Then she attacked.

The first punch landed hard enough to send one man crashing across the street. Before the others could react, Sevika grabbed another by the collar and slammed his face directly into the side of the cart.

The glass rattled violently.

You cried out softly inside the tank.

Sevika’s head snapped toward you immediately.

“Almost there, hang on!” she shouted.

Someone lunged at her with a metal pipe.

She caught it mid swing and drove her mechanical arm straight into his ribs hard enough to crack something loudly.

The fight descended into chaos almost instantly.

People screamed and scattered out of the way as Sevika tore through the group with terrifying force. One attacker smashed a bottle toward her head. She ducked, grabbed him by the throat, and threw him into another hard enough that both hit the ground together.

Still, there were too many.

And every second that passed, you looked worse.

Your movements inside the tank slowed further.

You slipped lower in the tank for one terrifying moment, your body sagging weakly as consciousness began to slip from your grasp, before forcing yourself back up again with a weak gasp.

Sevika’s chest seized.

“Stay with me!” she shouted.

Then someone crashed into the side of the cart.

The wooden supports cracked loudly.

Sevika’s eyes widened.

The tank tipped sideways.

Everything seemed to happen at once.

Glass shattered with an explosive crack.

Water burst outward across the street in a violent flood as the tank slammed into the ground and smashed apart completely.

You came spilling out with it.

Your body hit the stone hard, rolling through shattered glass with a sharp cry before finally collapsing in the middle of the flooding water.

For one awful second, you did not move.

Then you coughed violently.

Air rushed back into your lungs in desperate spluttering breaths.

Sevika felt relief hit so hard it nearly knocked the strength from her legs.

The remaining attackers did not last long after that.

Sevika fought like something feral now, rage burning hot beneath her skin. By the time the last man hit the ground unconscious, the entire street had gone silent.

Everyone was staring.

At you.

At your tail.

At the shattered tank.

Whispers spread rapidly through the crowd.

“A mermaid…”

“Holy shit…”

“Did you see-”

Sevika ignored all of them.

She crossed the street immediately and dropped beside you, one hand carefully cupping the side of your face.

“Hey, doll,” she said softly, completely different from moments before. “Look at me.”

Your eyes fluttered open slowly.

You looked terrified.

And exhausted.

Small cuts lined your skin where the broken glass had scraped against you. Blood still trickled slowly from the wound near your head.

“Hurts,” you whispered weakly.

Something twisted painfully in Sevika’s chest.

“I know,” she murmured.

Carefully, she slid one arm beneath your back and the other beneath your tail before lifting you against her chest.

You immediately curled toward her instinctively.

The crowd continued staring.

Sevika glared at them hard enough that several immediately looked away.

“Move,” she snapped.

People scattered instantly.

You clung weakly to the front of her shirt as she carried you through the streets.

“…Sevika?” you murmured quietly after a moment.

“Yeah?”

“I really hate being kidnapped.”

Despite everything, a startled laugh escaped her.

“Yeah,” she muttered. “Me too.”

By the time they reached her apartment, you were barely keeping your eyes open.

Sevika set you carefully onto her couch before immediately searching through cabinets for medical supplies.

Her apartment was small but warm. Low lighting softened the harsh industrial walls, and the steady hum of pipes in the distance filled the quiet.

Safe.

You watched her move around the room, still shaken from everything that had happened.

“They saw me,” you whispered suddenly.

Sevika paused.

Your gaze dropped toward your tail.

“Everyone saw.”

For the first time since the attack, uncertainty crossed your face. Fear. Vulnerability.

Sevika crouched in front of you immediately.

“Hey.”

You looked back up at her.

“I don’t care about them,” she said firmly. “Right now I care that you’re hurt.”

Something in your expression softened slightly.

Sevika cleaned your injuries carefully after that.

Gentler than anyone would ever expect from her.

Every time you winced, her jaw tightened.

Every scrape across your skin made her visibly angrier all over again.

Eventually, once the cuts were cleaned and wrapped as best she could manage, Sevika leaned back with a quiet sigh.

“You need water,” she said. “I’ll grab some.”

You nodded sleepily.

The second she disappeared into the kitchen, exhaustion hit you fully.

Your skin tingled.

Warmth spread through your body rapidly.

Then suddenly-

Legs.

You yelped quietly and grabbed the nearest blanket immediately, wrapping it tightly around yourself just as Sevika walked back in holding a glass of water.

She stopped dead.

The two of you stared at each other.

“…oh,” Sevika said after a long moment.

Your face burned hot.

“…this keeps happening unexpectedly.”

Sevika snorted before she could stop herself.

Then immediately looked away, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.

“Right. Okay.”

You clutched the blanket tighter.

“I’m sorry.”

That made her glance back immediately.

“For what?”

“I do not know the rules for this situation.”

Something painfully fond crossed Sevika’s face.

“You’re fine,” she promised softly, swiftly grabbing one of her shirts and handing it over.

It hung ridiculously large on you once you pulled it on, the sleeves swallowing your hands completely.

Sevika stared a second too long.

You looked unfairly cute.

“…what?” you asked shyly.

“Nothin’.”

Absolutely something.

You shifted slightly on the bed, tucking your new legs up and hugging them close, resting your head on your unfamiliar knees.

“Should I go back to the water?”

The question sounded hesitant. Uncertain.

Like you did not really want the answer.

Sevika leaned against the doorway quietly for a moment before shaking her head.

“Do you want to?”

You thought about it.

Then slowly shook your head.

“I just want to sleep.”

Something warm settled deep in Sevika’s chest.

“…okay,” she said quietly.

She helped settle you into her bed properly, pulling blankets carefully around you.

The second she started stepping away, your hand caught her wrist.

Sevika paused instantly.

“…stay?”

The word came out small and tired.

Sevika looked down at you for a long moment.

Then she sighed softly through her nose and climbed carefully into the bed beside you.

The mattress dipped beneath her weight.

You immediately moved closer, curling instinctively against her side until your head rested against her chest.

Sevika went completely still.

Then, slowly, one arm settled around your shoulders.

“…thank you,” you whispered sleepily.

Sevika looked down at you quietly.

“You already saved me once,” she murmured. “Guess we’re even now.”

You smiled faintly against her shirt.

Within minutes, your breathing evened out completely.

Asleep.

Sevika stayed awake longer, listening to the steady sound of your breathing while her hand rested lightly against your back.

The docks always smelled like rust and salt and something a little more dangerous underneath. It clung to the air, to the wood, to the people who worked there.

Sevika only showed up when there was work worth her time. Shipments. Important ones.

Her boots hit the wood with steady, deliberate weight as she moved through the chaos, voices rising around her, crates shifting, the whole place alive with tension. Men straightened when she passed. Conversations cut short. Orders came easier when she was the one giving them.

She didn’t linger.

She never did.

But while she was here, everything bent around her like it had no other choice.

And beneath it all, just out of sight-

you watched.

The water curled around you, cool and familiar, a gentle contrast to the harsh world above. You hovered just beneath the surface, where the light fractured into shifting gold, eyes fixed on her like she was something sacred.

You had been watching her for months now.

Maybe longer.

At first it was curiosity. Humans came and went along the docks all the time, loud and careless, dropping things into the water that you’d collect later. But her… she was different. You noticed it immediately. The way she stood, grounded and unafraid. The way others circled around her without even realising they were doing it.

The way she looked like she could break the world in half if she wanted to.

You had surfaced once, just barely, enough to catch a clearer look.

And she’d turned.

Right toward you.

Your heart had lurched as you slipped back under, the water swallowing you whole. But when you peeked again, she was still staring at the spot you’d been, brow furrowed, jaw tight.

Since then, it became a game.

You’d watch. She’d feel it.

Sometimes she’d glance over her shoulder, eyes narrowing at nothing. Sometimes she’d pause mid-step, like she’d heard something just out of reach. Once, she’d even walked to the edge of the dock, crouching low, scanning the water.

You’d been right beneath her.

Close enough to reach out.

Close enough to touch.

You didn’t.

Not yet.

—

The night everything changed began in chaos.

You felt it before you understood it, the vibrations cutting through the water, sharp and wrong. You surfaced just enough to see the frenzy unfolding. Crates. Weapons. Smoke already beginning to curl into the air.

And her.

Always her.

Sevika stood at the center of it, barking orders, trying to regain control as figures moved in from the shadows. Firelights. You didn’t know their name, but you knew danger when you saw it.

Then the explosion hit.

It split the night open.

The force of it slammed into the water, a violent shockwave that sent you reeling back, ears ringing even beneath the surface. Above, wood splintered, flames roared to life, and bodies scattered like broken pieces.

You saw her go over.

It happened too fast. One second she was standing, the next she was thrown back, body hitting the water hard enough to make your chest tighten.

She didn’t resurface.

You didn’t think.

You moved.

The water parted for you as you surged forward, faster than anything human could track. You found her just below the surface, sinking, limbs slack, eyes closed. Still.

Too still.

Your hands found her instantly, one bracing her back, the other lifting her chin. She was heavy, solid in a way that made your muscles strain, but you didn’t let go. You kicked upward, tail driving you through the water until you broke the surface.

No one was looking.

All eyes were on the fire.

On the fight.

On everything but her.

You dragged her toward the edge of the dock, fingers slipping slightly against soaked fabric before finding purchase. With effort, you hauled her up, following just enough to lean over her, your hands trembling as they hovered over her face.

“Please…” you whispered, voice soft and unused.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then she coughed.

It was rough, violent, her body jerking as water spilled from her lungs. You let out a breath you didn’t realise you’d been holding, relief hitting you so hard it almost hurt.

Your hand moved without thinking, brushing damp hair back from her face. Your fingers lingered, tracing the sharp line of her cheek, the strength in her jaw now softened by exhaustion.

Up close… she was even more beautiful.

Her eyes opened.

Sharp. Piercing. Locked onto yours immediately.

For a moment, neither of you moved.

She stared like she’d forgotten how to breathe, like the world had narrowed down to just you. You felt it, that intensity, heavy and grounding all at once. It made your chest flutter, something warm and unfamiliar curling through you.

You smiled before you could stop yourself.

Soft. Relieved. A little shy.

You wanted her to know you meant no harm. She was safe.

Her lips parted, like she was about to speak, but no sound came out.

Shouting cut through the moment.

Close.

Too close.

Your head snapped toward the noise, instincts screaming. You couldn’t stay. Not here. Not where others might see.

You looked back at her, something aching in your chest at the thought of leaving.

Her hand twitched, like she was trying to reach for you.

That decided it.

You slipped back, fingers trailing from her face, your body already lowering toward the water.

“Wait-” her voice came out rough, strained, but unmistakably directed at you.

You paused just long enough to meet her eyes one more time.

Then you smiled again. A departing gesture. Soft and sincere.

And let yourself fall back into the sea.

The water closed over you, familiar and safe, pulling you away as you dove deeper, disappearing into the dark.

-

Sevika pushed herself up, coughing again, chest heaving as she stared at the empty water.

Gone.

Gone.

But not imagined.

Not this time.

Her hand came up to her face, brushing over the spot where your fingers had been, like she could still feel the ghost of your touch.

A shaky breath left her as she fell back against the dock, staring up at the sky, the chaos around her fading into something distant and unimportant.

All she could see was you.

The curve of your smile.

The softness in your eyes.

The unmistakable gleam of scales where legs should have been.

The impossible, undeniable truth of what she’d just witnessed.

“…fuck,” she breathed, almost disbelieving.

Then, quieter.

“…beautiful.”

And for the first time in a long time, Sevika wasn’t thinking about the fight.

Or the fire.

Or the damage.

She was thinking about the water.