stinkyturd

The man’s face splits into a wide, sleazy, grin. “Hah. So, you had that asshole lie for you, huh? What a fucking tease.”

Your stomach churns as he steps closer. The smell of bourbon and sweat burns your nostrils. Instinctively, you walk backwards, but don’t get very far before something obstructs your path. The railing, you realize. A quick glance around the vicinity and your face pales from the absence of people.

This will be the last time you ever accept a cruise ticket from a raffle drawing.

“Don’t step any closer,” You warn through clenched teeth. If only you had a weapon on you. Although, the ship’s security wouldn’t permit it. In saying that, you’d think they’d be prepared to handle inebriated losers like this.

“C’mon baby,” The man drawls in a low, hair-raising rumble. “Don’t be like that. I cancelled my plans so I could come see you again. Good thing I caught you before the crowd did.”

You attempt to slink out of the way, but he’s faster. Before you can even blink, the baboon has you pinned against the railing. You attempt to shove him off, but his hands move to your wrists and constrict around them in a death grip.

Your heart hammers in your ears, as your body switches gears into fight or flight mode. With the intent to make a scene, a shout rips from your throat. “Get your hands off me!!!”

“Quiet…!”

Without releasing your wrists, the man smothers your mouth with the meat of his palm. You redistribute your weight against the railing and attempt to use it as leverage to kick him off. Much to your horror, he only pushes his body closer to yours, effectively ceasing your mobility. Your teeth sink into his hand, causing him to yelp in pain, yet he still remains unmoving, like a boulder. You try to scream again, but it hardly projects at all.

Is this it for you…? Will you die trying to fight this psycho off?

He makes a point to push you harder against the steel bars, to where it’s digging into your skin painfully. His next words come out in a belligerent whisper. “Stupid bitch. Make a scene and you’ll regret it.”

Even through the blood pumping thunderously in your ears, you can still hear the roaring ocean waves below. It’s so deafening that you fail to pick up on the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps on deck.

The man’s eyes go wide and he curses under his breath. “Fuck…!”

His gaze looks wild and pervaded with malintent. The next thing you know, you’re being hoisted up and over the railing. Another scream rips from your mouth, but by the time it reaches anyone’s ears, you’re already plummeting towards the dark waters below.

……

The frigid temperature of the water combined with the pain of your body’s impact against the sea had been enough to make you lose consciousness. So, when you hear the sound of a gentle lullaby in your ears, you’re convinced you must have already died. It sounds far too lovely for any being from planet earth to make. You’re not sure you recognize the tune. In fact, it sounds like it’s being sung in a different language.

Soft, echoey, hums. The voice sounds too high-pitched to belong to a man, yet too low to belong to a woman. Almost as if the melody itself were cognizant, it dances all around you. Each and every note carries resonance with it, like they’re echoing against the walls of a chamber.

“Beautiful…” You murmur unthinkingly.

Like a record comically screeching to a halt, the singing abruptly ceases after your comment. You hear the sound of something wading through water.

“Wow, finally awake? And here I thought you may have died on me.”

Huh…?

The voice of a young man. It’s a bit raspy and shrill. He must be talking to you, right?

Your eyes snap open and you hinge upright. The change in position elicits a tickling sensation in your chest before you can even make out your surroundings. And suddenly, you’re coughing up a shit ton of water.

“Uh, gross? Warn me if you’re gonna do that. I don’t want your splashback.”

“Like I’m–cough…! Doing it–cough…! On purpose,” You protest weakly, cringing as water begins to spill unpleasantly from your ears.

“Pffft. For a thing that needs water so bad to survive, you sure can’t handle swimming in it, huh?”

Too preoccupied with expelling the water from your lungs, you don’t even register how abnormal the comment is. After your coughing fit dies down, you look around and absorb your surroundings.

Rocks. Rocks are quite literally encompassing you. You realize that you’re sitting on a grotto floor. Above you, maybe twenty feet in the air, is a cave ceiling illuminated with blue bioluminescence.

“Looking at everything but me, huh? Can I at least get a ‘thank you’?”

Your gaze descends from the ceiling and you find yourself tilting your head a little bit to your left. A pair of lovely golden eyes greet you. They belong to a man with soft features and a mop of short, gray, and fluffy hair. Notably, he’s wearing a pair of dangly gold earrings shaped like sand dollars. If you had to guess, he appears to be in his early twenties.

You continue to stare at him owlishly. And despite his earlier complaints of your silence, his lips curl into an impish smirk. The pretty stranger leans on the ledge of the rocks with both of his elbows and tilts his head playfully.

“What? Cat got your tongue?”

“I… Sorry.” You shake your head and pivot your body to properly face him. “I thought I was a goner. Did you save me?”

He narrows his eyes into a squint. “Mmmhmm. Y’know, I’ve never seen someone try to dive off a watercraft that big. At night, too? You must’ve had a death wish.”

You shake your head again. This time with purpose. “That’s not it. Some gross guy shoved me off.”

The young man’s eyes widen marginally and his smile falters. “Yeah? Did you piss him off?”

“You could say that.”

He blinks again, seemingly waiting for you to continue. So, you speak again.

“Thinking back on it… I think someone was about to find us. He was trying to overpower me and presumably drag me somewhere else. I guess rather than risking arrest, he shoved me off board.” You huff out a disgusted sigh. “What a pig… I hope he got arrested. No, you know what? He tried to kill me. I hope the repercussions are worse.”

“Like… Death?” The man rests his cheek against his forearm, his eyes not leaving yours. “I could make that happen, if that’s what you want.”

You laugh a little at that. “Yeah, right. They’re probably long gone by now anyway.”

“Are you underestimating me? You really shouldn’t do that,” He chides, his monotonous tone giving little away.

You raise an eyebrow. “Am I supposed to believe you’ll swim after the boat? And then what? Climb it to avenge me? That’s impossible.”

“You talk as if you know what I’m capable of. I bet you assumed that man wouldn’t try to throw you in the ocean too, huh?”

“Uh… Point taken, I guess.” You’re not sure that you want to linger on the topic of potentially killing your aggressor with this stranger. Thanking him and finding a way out of here is your priority. Wherever ‘here’ is. “Thank you, by the way. For saving me. What’s your name?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you tell me yours first? I mean, you’re asking, after all.”

You tell him your name and he repeats it back to you.

“Huh. So, that’s what it is.” He hums. It sustains for a few seconds, before tapering into a sound of disapproval. “...Nah. I don’t like it.”

“Um…”

“Come to think of it, when I found you, a barnacle was all caught up in your hair. Probably from the underside of that watercraft.”

You’re not sure where he’s going with this…

The stranger breaks out into a grin. “Yeah… I think I’m gonna call you Barnie.”

“What…?” You snort out a laugh. “Isn’t that a dated western name? And for men at that.”

“Is it?” The man shrugs dismissively. It’s clear he’s not interested in giving the objection much thought. “Well, I like it. So, that’s what I’m calling you.”

It doesn’t bother you enough to debate about it anyway.

“So, I’ve told you my name now. What’s yours?” You press.

“My name? You sure you wanna know that?” He shoots you a dubious look.

He sure is evasive. At the very least, he seems to enjoy messing with you.

“Of course.”

“Haven’t you heard the legend?” Leo asks cryptically. “I was so sure that’s a tale you landlubbers would eat up.”

“...I’m sorry, but you’re not making much sense. What legend is there about exchanging names?”

“If I give a human my name, you might just be stuck with me.” The stranger flashes you a teasing look. “Like a ‘ball and chain’ type deal.”

You stare at him like he just grew a third head. Is this guy larping or something?

“You’re still incomprehensible. Why are you calling me a human as if you aren’t one?”

His jaw goes slack and his expression contorts into one of unmitigated disappointment. “What, you seriously think a normie could have saved your ass? During high tides? In the middle of the ocean? When it’s pitch black? You’re kind of dumb, aren’t you?”

“Hey…! That’s also kind of rude don’t you think–” Your words die in your throat. Just behind the pretty man in the water, you notice a vibrant, golden, fish-like tail breaking the water’s surface. It submerges itself after you’ve had just enough time to get a good look at it.

“You’re… A merman?” You ask in disbelief.

“Looks like it.” The man winks playfully. “Kinda scary, huh?”

More like unbelievable. You didn’t think this kind of thing was grounded in reality. It takes you several prolonged beats to fully process the revelation.

“...Why would I find it scary? You saved my life, didn’t you?” You force a close-lipped smile. “It seems kind of unreal, but you’re here. If I should believe anything, it’s my eyes, right?”

The man scrutinizes you with newfound interest. Without warning, he props his palms up on the rocky ledge and hoists the upper part of his body out of the water. You gasp as his face gets rather close and level with yours. There’s maybe a foot and a half of distance between the two of you.

Unable to look him in the eye with the current proximity, your gaze deviates downward. You notice gold body chains looping around his neck and torso, as well as arm bands cinched around his biceps. The jewelry matches the color of the scales adorning his hips. He’s certainly on the petite side for a man, yet still lithe and toned.

“What are you gawking at, pervert?”

You feel heat crawl up your neck and your eyes snap up to meet his. “S-Sorry…! Look, I didn’t mean any offense–”

“Oh, I’m offended. You’re seriously looking at me like I’m some piece of meat after I just got done playing hero?” The complaint comes out rather blasé considering the severity of the accusation. He tilts his head, giving you a rather judgy looking side eye. “Creeper alert.”

“You expect me not to look? I’ve never seen a mermaid, or merman before! As far as I know, the tail could be fake or something!”

You don’t really believe that, but it came out impulsively in an attempt to defend your innocence. Crossing your arms over your chest, you divert your attention off to the side. The cave goes silent for a brief lapse in time and the only noise echoing off the rock walls is the gentle sound of rippling water.

You slant your head back in the merman’s direction. He flutters his eyes shut, and for reasons unbeknownst to you, his mouth tightens into a tiny ‘o’ shape. Unexpectedly, a gust of air is expelled in your direction. It’s strong enough to make your hair and the clothes on your body flap in the artificial wind. And just like that, your body is bone dry, like you hadn’t been in water at all.

The merman’s lips turn up into a self-assured smirk. “Barnie, you can call me Leo~♡.”

“Leo…” You scoff in quiet disbelief. “That fits you. You’re covered in gold.”

“I know, right?” Leo pushes himself off the ledge and sinks back into the water. “Anyway, I kinda have something to do. So, I’ll leave you to it.”

Panic rises in your chest at the announcement and you impulsively crawl closer to the edge of the platform, ignoring the way your knees dig painfully into the bedrock. “Wait, don’t go!”

Leo arches an eyebrow. “You’re gonna fall. Right after I just used magic to dry you off too. You should really be more grateful.”

“So, what? I’ll jump in the water if you leave,” You threaten, feeling a bit dumb as soon as the words leave your mouth.

Leo practically turns his nose up at you. “Is that supposed to rattle me?”

“What if I drown?” You blurt out.

The man just stares at you blankly as he floats in the water.

“You told me your name,” You start. Heat fizzles on your ears as you prepare to reference the callback that could very well have been fabricated. “If I’m your ball and chain, will you let that happen?”

Leo surprises you by breaking out into a toothy grin. “Well, when you put it that way, I guess not.”

Your increased blood pressure begins to alleviate and you exhale in relief.

“Buuut. I still got shit to do,” Leo adds, before you can get too comfortable with the idea of being back on land anytime soon. “So, I’ll come back when I’m done with that. Kay?”

Well, what are you gonna do in this situation? Pushing your luck seems audacious at best.

“...Okay. Do you have an ETA?”

Leo gives you an exasperated look. “A what?”

“Like… Do you know when you’ll be done?” You ask hopefully.

“Damn, you’re clingy. Should I be worried?” The comment comes off light-hearted, but you get the feeling Leo’s becoming antsy. He must have his own merfolk obligations.

“Just take a nap or something,” He suggests. “You’re tired aren’t you? I’ll be back when you wake up.”

He’s right, you do feel exhausted. And you wonder how he can be so sure that it’ll line up that way, but you don’t want to take his kindness for granted by holding him up any longer. You’re lucky to be alive, after all.

“...Okay,” You agree with a nod.

“Good girl~♡. If you get thirsty, there’s a flask up there with purified water too. See ya!”

With that, Leo dives into the water and disappears out of sight.

“......”

The first thing you check once you’re alone is your phone. The battery is practically dead and there are no bars anyway. Just your luck.

Before you even think about sleeping, you spend some time walking around the cave. The traversable surface is pretty vast. You’re no expert, but you’d guess you have maybe twenty meters of space to freely walk around on. This kind of environment should be scary, especially considering the fact that you’re alone. You’re surrounded by water, yet it looks crystal clear. And the vicinity is illuminated with an ethereal, blue, glow. The water leads down a winding path, so you only have visibility up to a certain point.

Overall, it’s pretty peaceful.

When you’re tired of exploring, you find the most level patch of ground to lay down on, with the flask Leo provided for you in hand. It’s gold and ornately decorated with a hexagonal lid that’s easy to pop off. To make it more convenient to lug around, it even has a chain attached to its shoulders. You take a sip from it, even though you’re not particularly thirsty. Somehow, it’s better than any water you’ve ever tasted. It makes you wonder where he got it from. If he can just blow air to dry you in seconds, is it farfetched to think that he purified this himself?

After screwing the lid back on, you prop your head up on your arm and use it as a pillow. It isn’t long before you begin to doze off.

…..

“Looks like I kept my promise. Wakey wakey, Barnie~♡.”

Leo sits on the rock’s ledge with his tail partially dipped in the water, staring down at your sleeping form. His voice elicited some movement out of you, but it didn’t rouse you from your sleep. Although, he did drop a sizable chest onto the ground beside you, and that didn’t wake you up either.

It’s been some time since he’s been this close to a human. Not one that didn’t end up dead shortly after anyway. There are plenty of avaricious intruders that have tried to invade Shiogakure. Humans aren’t permitted to gather proof of his kind’s existence. If they’re suspected of it, they’re executed without mercy. In your case, it was misfortune that brought you to him.

If Leo were tribalistic he would have turned you in to the capital. Taking your circumstances into account, they likely wouldn’t have killed you, but they would have thrown you in some air pocket cell until you could prove that you’re trustworthy. Not that it matters anymore.

Now, you’re his little pet human.

“Barnie…” Leo tries again.

This time you roll on your back. How you seem so comfortable tossing and turning on the bedrock like that is beyond him.

“...Damn. You sure sleep like the dead.”

Leo smirks as an evil idea surfaces in his mind. He sidles himself even closer to you and rests his palm by your head, before lowering his face towards yours. His bangs tickle the bridge of your nose in warning, and he hesitates for a few seconds longer. When you stubbornly remain fast asleep, Leo closes the distance and slants his mouth against yours.

….

Your eyes flutter open.

It takes you all of three seconds to register what’s happening. When you do, your hands fly to Leo’s chest to shove him off. You sit up and shrink back a few feet, your fingers splayed over your lips in shock.

“Leo! What the hell?!”

“Pffft… Hahaha!” Leo breaks out in laughter at your expense. “You’re so red. Just from that? Weak.”

You clench your fists at your side, as irritation bubbles up in your gut. “You can’t just kiss people like that! Is that normal for you?!”

“Just thought it’d wake you up,” Leo explains as his laughter wanes. “And it worked didn’t it? You were out like a light.”

You did prefer to be awake. But you’re not about to thank him for using a method like that. Considering he’s a merman, you’re open to giving him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’s ignorant of the significance of kissing someone. But then again, why would he be laughing like a hyena if that were true?

“Leo… I don’t know how it is for mermaids, but you should only do that with someone you’re in a romantic relationship with,” You chide in a measured tone.

“Oh?” Leo lays on his side while facing you and props his head in his hand. Now that you get a better look at him, the mischief imbued in both his eyes and smile are kind of reminiscent of a cat. “You should really teach me these things beforehand. I had no idea.”

You’d accept this as some sort of an apology if he sounded even the slightest bit contrite. Actually, you’re pretty sure he’s reveling in this.

“You’re making fun of me,” You accuse.

“I’m having fun with you,” Leo corrects. “That’s not a bad thing, is it?”

You catch a glimpse of his tail in your peripheral. With it out of the water like this, you notice more variety in the coloration of his scales. They shimmer beautifully underneath the blue glow of the cave. “You’ll give people the wrong idea… Ugh. What am I saying? You’re clearly fucking with me.”

The two of you are different species. Even making the suggestion that Leo could be playing at that angle when he looks so pleased with himself feels like a humiliation ritual. You shake your head dismissively. “Whatever, I’ll let it slide. Just this time. My primary focus is on getting home.”

Leo’s lips pull downward, almost imperceptibly.

“Yeah? How are you gonna do that?” He asks, his voice icier than usual. It’s enough to catch you off guard, and the expression you make in response is nothing short of guilty.

“Um… Well.” You cross your legs and sit up straight. “I was actually hoping you’d be able to help me with that?”

Leo’s gaze hardens. “You think I’d just lug you across the ocean like that? Do you have any clue how far we are from land?”

You feel your heart drop. “No… I don’t.”

“Well, it’s a lot and you’re heavy. Besides, I’m not even permitted to go half of that distance. Just because you humans can go wherever and do what you want doesn’t mean I can.”

“...I see.”

So, you’re just gonna stay in this cave forever? Until another boat comes by? Won’t you starve by then? At this point, you think drowning might have been the more merciful alternative.

“Fuck.” Your voice cracks and you feel hot tears involuntarily begin to well up in your eyes. “So, I’m seriously screwed.”

Leo blinks owlishly and he suddenly shoots upright. “Woah, hey. What are you doing? Stop that.”

“S-Stop… Stop what?” You duck your head in embarrassment, refusing to meet his gaze.

Leo clicks his tongue. “Crying, obviously. I said I wouldn’t let you die, didn’t I? So, what is there to cry about?”

“...You don’t get it. What about food? A bed?” You begin to rub the moisture out of your eyes, but the tears won’t stop. “I need to be able to bathe and brush my teeth. I need clothes. And now I’m supposed to live alone in this cave?”

“Well, you’re not alone…” Leo argues sheepishly. “And I can get you all of those things, y’know. You’re not far from my home.”

You choke out a sob, clearly not sated with the vague reassurance he’s given you. “You have your own life and family, don’t you? I don’t actually want to be a burden to you.”

“You’re worried about that?” Leo sighs and smooths a hand over the back of his neck. “Look, I don’t really have a family like that.”

You look up at him again, your face puffy from crying. “For real?”

“Yeah, for real…” Leo stalls, deliberating on how much he should reveal. “Long story short, I’m technically a bastard from an… elite bloodline. Because of my father, I have more abilities than the average merfolk, but I’m basically shunned from noble ranks. When that happens, people like me basically get thrown onto the frontlines. The reason I found you is because I’m stationed nearby as an echo listener.”

“An echo listener…? What’s that?”

“Just a fancy word to say I look out for threats to the city. My hearing is better than most, and I have a knack for steering away noisy ass ships like yours from the area.”

“Are you allowed breaks?” You ask, your voice laced with concern.

Leo scoffs. “Obviously. I’d have dipped forever ago if I was treated like their bitch. Not like I have much going on, but it’s just the principle.”

“I see,” You murmur quietly. “Then… Is it normal for merfolk to save humans?”

“Nooope. You’re literally a threat to our existence. If the wrong ones find us, it would mean war.”

Does that mean…?

“Are you worried that I’d tell someone about you? Is that why–”

“Uh, no,” Leo retorts, immediately shutting down the notion. “No offense? But you don’t seem like someone that has a ton of influence on the surface. Besides, I’m not some nutty sectarian that lets my lineage dictate all my decisions. What I said is what I meant. I won’t lug you across the ocean.”

“...”

And it’s not like you could rightfully demand that of him either.

“Ships roam out here every once and a while. I’ll let you know when the next one does. Until then, you’re stuck with me, Barnie.” Leo sticks his tongue out playfully, exposing a gold piece of jewelry embedded in his tongue.

You sniff and dab at your drying tears. A small smile plays at the corner of your lip. “I didn’t think mermaid’s got tongue piercings.”

“You also didn’t know we existed ‘til yesterday,” Leo quips back.

“...Was I really asleep that long?”

Leo shakes his head. “It’s still early in the morning, so not really.”

You nod slowly, your attention falling on the item you noticed in your peripheral upon waking up. “I meant to ask. What’s in that chest?”

“Wow. Finally, you acknowledge my efforts.”

Leo unlocks the latches on both sides of the storage container, causing it to spring open. It's filled to the brim with various items. You shift over to the box and pull out the first thing you see– A cylindrical, thick, tube that’s vacuum sealed in what appears to be plastic.

“That’s a bed roll. There’s a pillow in there too that needs time to fluff up after you take it out of the wrap,” Leo explains.

“Thank you…”

A little more digging and you find basically everything you need. Toiletries, an engraved hair brush, and even a few nightgowns.

“Where did you get all this?”

“Uh, the store?” Leo says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Some of it's from human ships, though.”

Your jaw goes slack in disbelief. “I hope you didn’t spend much.”

What kind of currency would mermaids have anyway? Shells? Precious gems?

Leo shrugs. “It wasn’t a shit ton. Guess that means you owe me now, though.”

You laugh in spite of yourself. “Implying I didn’t before.”

…

After you set up the bedroll and unwrap the pillow that came with it, you decide to interrogate Leo a little more. He’s since submerged himself back in the water, hanging off the ledge like the first time you met him.

“So… If you bought them from your world, does that mean you sleep in a bed too?” You ask carefully.

“Where else would I sleep?” Leo asks, genuinely perplexed.

“Well… You float in water, don’t you?”

“Oh, that. Most of the rooms we use to sleep in are affected by a type of magic. Gravity works as it would topside,” Leo explains.

“I see. That’s interesting.”

“Anyway, I’ll get you a blanket. I can control the temperature of the water here, so it shouldn’t get too cold in the meantime.”

“Are you gonna leave again?” You hope your apprehension doesn’t surface in your voice.

“I have to, yeah.” Leo sports a smug, crooked smile. “Think you can handle it?”

You find yourself unconsciously smiling back. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

……

“What is that?”

You watch Leo lay down a slab of meat into the hanging pot he brought up earlier. The pan audibly sizzles as it hits the hot oil.

“Swordfish,” Leo replies. “You can eat that, can’t you?”

“I don’t see why not. Is that seasoning on it?” You ask, leaning close to peer into the pot.

“Uh, yeah? Don’t tell me you’d rather have nothing on it.”

You shake your head, before sitting back on your floor cushion. “It’s not that. I just didn’t really expect you to know how to cook. How does that work in water exactly?”

Leo sets the tongs he was holding on a silver tray. “Air pockets. That or just not using heat to make food.”

“Like salt curing? Or fermentation?”

“Yeah.”

The meat does smell good. And fresh. Leo even set up the fire on his own using driftwood and loose stones.

“Was this pot already at your home?” You ask.

Leo huffs out a sigh. “You ask a lot of questions.”

“Being quiet the whole time would be awkward, don’t you think? Plus, I’m curious.”

“Yeah,” Leo answers belatedly. He continues to keep an eye on the fish as it cooks. “I got it from my place. Never used it though.”

You hum in acknowledgement. “...So. What kinds of food do mermaids eat?”

“Fish, crustaceans, kelp, seagrass.” Leo shrugs. “We also have gardens for produce that grows on the surface. Costs more to get a hold of.”

“And what do you like to eat?”

Leo purses his lips as a thoughtful expression crosses his face. “...Celery.”

“Just celery? That’s more like a snack. Or a component in soups and stews.”

“It’s good.”

You pull your legs to your chest and rest your chin on your knees. “So, will you eat fish? Crustaceans?"

“Sometimes fish. Depends. Crabs are kind of a chore to eat.”

He’s totally a picky eater. You suppress a smirk as the realization dawns on you.

Leo continues. “Enough dissecting me. What about you?”

You share your likes and dislikes with Leo. Notably, the conversation flows more effortlessly when the attention is off him. He really has something to say about everything.

At some point during your chatting, you notice the smell of something burning. Leo flipped the fish once, but it's been on there for quite some time. You peer inside the pot and notice a black crust forming at the bottom.

“Do I take it out or what?” Leo deadpans.

You gape in disbelief. “What? You’re asking me? I assumed you knew what you were doing.”

“Nope. Didn’t I just say I’ve never used this thing?”

“Definitely take it out now, then!” You urge him.

Leo obediently pulls out the chunk of charred meat and sets it on a silver platter. He hands it over to you with a fork already resting next to it. You accept it without complaint and begin breaking into the flesh with the utensil provided for you.

“You don’t want any?” You ask, before taking a bite.

Leo puffs out his cheeks, appearing mildly annoyed. “Trying to pawn it off on me? Don’t tell me you don’t want it?”

“No, I want it,” You assure him. “It just seems kind of rude to eat in front of you when you don’t have anything.”

“Hardly. I’m not hungry. Whether you like it or not, it’s all yours.”

“Suit yourself.”

When you take the first bite, you’re pleasantly surprised to find that it’s still edible. In fact, you’ve tasted worse. A butter sauce would go a long way with this.

“It’s not bad. You know, if you bring up more ingredients I can try making something for both of us next time.”

Leo stares at you with an unreadable expression for several beats. You’re not sure if he’s gauging your sincerity, or considering your suggestion. In the end, he tears his gaze away indifferently.

“Maybe.”

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

It takes time, but you start to get used to living in the cave. Pretty much every day Leo provides you with something new to make the experience more comfortable.

Following your suggestion, Leo brings more spices and ingredients, along with new meats and vegetation to try. You even get him to have meals with you sometimes, but you notice he never eats much. Whether that’s due to the quality of your cooking, or his own bad habits, you’re not sure. But you lean more towards the latter.

For bathing, he brings a basin that’s large enough for you to sit in. You found out that Leo can actually purify water, and even change the temperature in the bin. Apparently, the water in the cave is clean enough to swim in too, but the basin provides you more privacy. Especially knowing that Leo could surface at any time.

Additionally, Leo brings you a sponge, soaps, and exfoliant scrubs. Since mermaids spend most of their time in water, what they use regularly is different from humans. Allegedly, he knows someone that knows how to make shampoos for “topsiders”.

Aside from the essentials, Leo also brings you random books. Some are made by humans and salvaged from a shipwreck. Others are created by mermaids, with a special waterproof parchment. Beside texts, you end up with a few canvases and naturally made paint pigments from the ocean. Leo tells you that they were created using seashells and clay.

With the lack of sunlight coming into the cave, it’s difficult to know the time of day, or even how many pass. The only way you find out is when Leo tells you. From what you gather, he’s stationed in one place for his job for about twelve hours out of the day. It usually starts in the evening, then ends in the morning. He comes to see you for a few hours, then returns home to sleep.

Every day that passes you find yourself looking forward to his company, more and more than the last. You know that you’ll miss him when you return home.

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

“Do you recognize this game?”

Leo uncovers a wooden board in front of you. It has twelve round pits formed in two rows of six and two larger oval pits at both ends of the board. There are various round stones in each of the divots, save for the ends.

“Manacala? Yeah, I haven’t played it since I was a kid,” You say.

Leo leans on the rocky ledge and rests his head against his fist. “So, do you remember the rules?”

“Somewhat,” You answer noncommittally.

Leo’s lips quirk upwards into a mischievous smirk. “Good. Guess that means I’ll have to explain a lot less.”

“You wanna play with me?”

“Duh. Why else would I bring it?”

You smirk as you lay down on your stomach, using a pillow and part of your bedroll to make the position more comfortable. “Fine, but go easy on me.”

Leo briefly covers the basics of the rules. There are four marbles in each of the round pockets. You start the game by picking a pocket on your side and continuing to drop one marble into each pocket you pass, save for your opponent's oval one to his right.

As you drop the last “marble” on your first turn, it dawns on you.

“Oh, these aren’t normal marbles,” You say.

In fact, there are pearls, quartz, obsidian, and pebbles. It all ranges from beautifully vibrant to dull and muted in color.

“Yeah.” Leo takes the stones from a pocket and begins his turn. “I found the board from a shipwreck and later learned the rules. It didn’t come with the stones.”

“So, mermaids don’t usually play this game?”

Leo drops his last stone on your side and catches your gaze. “Nope. This is my first time playing. Thought it might feel familiar to you.”

Your cheeks heat up suddenly. Whether it’s from his intense gaze, or the implication of the statement, you’re unsure.

“...You’ve really been good to me, Leo.” You smile bashfully and turn your attention back to the board as you initiate your next turn. “You’ll make a great husband one day.”

Leo scoffs. “Assuming you’re the only one getting something out of this. I get bored too.”

As if that explained everything else. But you've since learned that Leo responds this way when he feels vulnerable. You’re feeling extra nice today, so you let him puff his chest without teasing.

“Still. Thank you.”

Leo doesn’t say anything to that and the two of you continue to play in silence. You try to focus on the board, but end up sneaking one too many glances at him. If he notices, he doesn’t say anything about it.

“Do you like desserts?” You ask suddenly.

“Depends.” Leo drops a stone in an empty pit across from yours and ends up taking all of the stones across from it. “Why?”

“I want to make something you like. Duh,” You say, mimicking his colloquialism.

“Hitting on me again?” Leo teases flatly. “Did you eat a dreamfish when I wasn’t looking?”

You roll your eyes and pick up more stones. “Nope. Quit being evasive, there must be something you like.”

“I dunno.” Leo shrugs. “I don’t mind chocolate.”

“...Crepes, then? Since I’m not using an oven.” You saw a recipe for them in one of the books Leo brought up too.

“Sure. Sounds good to me.”

“Score! I’ll do that then. Before you leave, I’ll double check if I have everything for it!”

The game resumes. And you can’t help but notice that Leo is collecting stones at a rapid rate. You haven’t been paying attention to it until now, but his hands are moving awfully fast.

Hmm…

So, after finishing your next turn, you pay close attention to him as he picks up five stones from a pit and begins dropping into the adjacent ones. One, two, three, four–

“Hey! You skipped one,” You protest, pointing an accusatory finger.

The corner of Leo’s mouth twitches upward, before smoothing out in nonchalance. “Nuh uh.”

He drops the stone into an empty pocket anyway and takes all of the ones across from it.

Your jaw goes slack from the audacity. “Bullshit, I totally counted! No wonder you’re collecting them so fast!”

Leo cups his face in his hand, flashing you an irritatingly smug look. “Maybe you need to learn to count better.”

“Cheater. Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.”

“Aw, poor you,” Leo puffs out his bottom lip in a mock pout. “Sounds like you’re just a sore loser.”

“I haven’t lost yet!” You protest, even though there’s hardly anything left in the pits. It’s already written in the stars– you’re going to lose.

Leo snorts. “Yeah, yet. Honestly, I can’t believe it took you that long to notice it. Probably because you were too busy making googly eyes at me.”

You squawk indignantly and abruptly sit up on your knees. “--What?!”

Leo’s mouth breaks into a shit-eating grin. “Guess that’ll teach you not to be a pervert.”

“I was not…!”

“Yeah, ‘cause someone innocent would have such a defensive reaction,” Leo retorts sarcastically.

Caught in 4k.

Well, in your defense, it didn’t come from a place of ‘perversion’. More like observation you thought you were getting away with.

“I wasn’t being a pervert!”

“Mmmhmm,” Leo hums sardonically. Suddenly, he’s putting the lid back on the board. “Anyway, I gotta get going. It’s late.”

“Huh? How can you tell?”

“I got a good sense of time,” Leo replies vaguely. “Keep the board up here, will you? We’ll play again later. Next time give yourself a fair shot.”

Your cheeks burn as he sticks his tongue out petulantly.

“Ugh… Fine.”

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

“Blegh…”

A few weeks pass into your stay at the cave and you start to experience the early symptoms of a cold coming on. Your throat gets all scratchy and fatigue weighs you down. It even feels chillier than usual, but you know the temperature hasn’t changed. Leo told you that he keeps it regulated.

After giving up on the painting you were working on, you throw on a thick, long sleeve shirt and sweatpants, before crawling into your bedroll. A few hours of rest should make it subside. Then you can make dinner. Hopefully Leo can’t catch human illness.

Only a few seconds after your head hits the pillow, you drift off into dreamland.

……

By the time you stir again, it’s due to the scent of something slightly sweet and aromatic filling your nostrils.

Your head lolls in the direction it’s coming from, causing something damp to slip off your forehead. Slowly, you crack your eyes open. The fire underneath the hanging pot is going, heating up whatever delicious smelling ingredients that are currently residing inside. Did Leo start making something already…?

You nearly jump out of your skin when you catch a pair of legs walking in your peripheral. An intruder?

Your body hinges upright in a panic and you shimmy backwards until the rock wall behind you stops you in your tracks. A man that is identical to Leo settles cross-legged, about five feet from you. Everything about him is the same from the face, to the hair, to the jewelry… The only difference is he’s wearing a pair of thin, baggy, red harem pants. Notably, he’s also barefoot and shirtless.

“...W-Who are you?” You stutter out dumbly.

Leo shoots you an unimpressed look. “Don’t tell me you caught dementia. Who else?”

The voice and sass are still the same too. You fix your gaze on his legs. “How…?”

“What’s with the theatrics? It’s your fault, y’know.”

“Huh???” Your lips part in disbelief. “How?”

Leo shrugs. “I tried calling out to you a shit ton and you wouldn’t wake up. You’re a heavy sleeper, but I knew something was off. So, I got up here to help you out.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain the legs?!”

“If I stay out of the water too long, it happens.”

“.....”

You reluctantly push yourself off the wall and shift over to Leo. He doesn’t budge an inch as you settle in front of him. You reach out and put a hand on his knee, giving it a light squeeze. It feels like a normal leg.

“Did I say you could touch me?” Leo asks, his tone uninflected.

“S-Sorry…!” You hastily remove your hand from his knee. “I was just surprised!”

In spite of what Leo just said, he reaches out and pushes your hair out of your face. Without preamble, he’s pressing his forehead against yours.

“Hey…!” Your eyes screw shut, but you don’t pull away. His forehead feels nice and cool against yours. The proximity has your pulse raising like crazy despite the innocence of the gesture.

“Hm…” Leo breaks away after a few seconds and clicks his tongue. “Your head is still on fire.”

Your eyes flutter open. “...Didn’t you just make a comment about touching?

Leo smirks. “It’s different.”

“How?!”

“I can touch you, but you can’t touch me. That’s how this works, duh.”

“Says you! If you touch me, I can’t promise that I won’t touch you back!”

“Yeah?” Leo cocks his head to the side and his eyelids droop slightly. His stare almost becomes sultry. “Why don’t you retaliate, then?”

Your pulse expedites. His sudden shift in demeanor is making you feel a bit dizzy. Or maybe that’s just the sickness kicking in.

Leo’s eyes widen and his expression falters into one of concern. “Hey, you should really be lying down. You’re literally wobbling in place.”

“Ugh… Make me,” You joke weakly.

“.....”

It happens so fast, you’re not sure how he even achieved it. Your head is suddenly cushioned onto your pillow and Leo is staring down at you in exasperation. “I’m heating up soup. If you tire yourself out now, my efforts are gonna go to waste.”

Your brows knit together in confusion. “I thought you didn’t cook.”

“Notice how I said ‘heating up’.”

“Oh… Who made it?”

“My slave,” He answers, gold eyes glimmering with amusement.

“...Be serious.”

“Who says I’m not?”

Instead of a verbal reply, you give him a hard stare. It turns into a staring contest for all of five seconds before Leo rolls his eyes and concedes.

“Just a buddy from my city.”

“Someone you like?”

The question leaves your mouth so impulsively, you forget to be embarrassed. Leo’s initial puzzled reaction switches up into haughty derision.

“What’s it to you?”

So, it is…?

For some reason your stomach twists at the idea. You pull your comforter over half of your face. If only you could sink into the ground.

“...Curious,” You say, your voice small.

Leo snorts out a laugh. “What’s with that look? You’re the one asking me for confirmation after I gave you the answer the first time.”

That is true. Why did you ask that…?

…

Developing a crush on a mythical being seems foolhardy at best. It’s probably just because he’s the only person you’ve seen in a while. And he’s so beautiful and takes care of you. Your priority is going home. Not starring in some gooner fanfiction, romancing a hot humanoid creature.

“...Yeah, sorry that was weird of me. Must be the fever talking,” You mutter awkwardly.

“...”

Leo’s expression softens. He exhales through his nose as he prepares to stand. “Be right back.”

…..

Leo returns to your side a few minutes later with a thermos in hand. You sit up and accept it with a quiet ‘thank you’.

“It’s hot, so I’d wait a few minutes to sip on it,” Leo advises you.

You nestle the thermos between your crossed legs. The warmth is nice. “Does it taste good?”

“I dunno, haven’t tried it,” Leo replies with a shrug. “Everyone sings his praises for his cooking, so it’s probably decent.”

Oh, so his friend is a ‘he’. You’re still curious, but if you keep asking questions about him, Leo might really think you’re jealous. That would be mad embarrassing.

“Thank you for the soup.” Your fingers hover over the hot steam coming from the lip of the thermos. “You’re not gonna get sick being around me, are you?”

“Nah. But if I did, you’d have to take care of me.” Leo lays on his side, propping his head against his fist.

You scoot over to make room and pat the spot next to you on the bedroll. It’s about the size of a full size mattress, so there’s plenty of room. “You can lay here. There’s no way that’s comfortable.”

Leo stares at you with an unreadable expression. “...You’re inviting me onto your bed?”

You nod. “Yeah. I don’t mind.”

“.....”

Leo slides onto the cushion, but keeps to the edge. You catch the faint scent of salt water and crushed sea lavender.

“When will your legs go back to normal?” You ask.

“There’s no telling. Might be stuck like this forever,” Leo deadpans.

Your eyes widen like saucers. “You’re joking.”

Leo just smirks in response.

“It’s mean to mess with me when I’m sick, you know,” You pout. Cautiously, you bring the thermos to your lips and take a sip.

A thick, sweet, liquid pools onto your tongue. The flavor is reminiscent of a squash bisque. It’s seasoned tastefully with a variety of herbs and spices. Thankfully, your congestion isn’t so bad that you can’t enjoy this.

“As soon as I go back in the water, I’ll be back to normal. Just figured this would make helping you easier,” Leo replies. He nuzzles his cheek onto one of your pillows and shuts his eyes.

“...Okay, good.”

Is he going to nap? Not that you mind, but you wonder if it’s still okay to talk. You’re a lot less tired now than you were before he laid down.

You take another drink of the soup before speaking again. “I was reading one of the mermaid books you brought me, by the way.”

Leo hums in acknowledgement. “Find anything interesting?”

“Well…” You start, twirling the thermos idly. “Is it true mermaids develop an inseverable bond with their mate?”

Leo cracks an eye open and raises a brow. “That was in one of those books?”

“It was briefly touched on in the book about the trench warden. And it said mermaids only pick one mate for life.”

Leo shuts his eye again and exhales. “Eh… It’s kind of bullshit.”

“Kind of?” You press curiously.

“As far as I know, that kind of bond is possible to initiate, but there’s a process. My generation rarely follows that practice. It’s more of a tradition adopted by older commoners.”

“Why commoners?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Leo rolls on his back and pulls the blanket over him. “Nobility means being forced to fuck people you don’t want to fuck for the sake of procreation. Real talk? Most of the royal lineup probably have side pieces.”

“...But you’re technically not a commoner or nobility, right?”

“Yeah. That about sums it up.”

You unconsciously chew at your lip. “So… How does the bond work? You said there’s a process.”

“You’re asking me?” Leo sighs, but continues to explain away anyway. “I’ve only heard the story once or twice. Basically, if a condition is met, they have until the next lunar cycle begins to either reject the bond, or consummate it.”

“And if neither of those things happen beforehand…?”

Leo shrugs. “The bond stays for good anyway. As far as I know.”

“The book said it creates a connection where you’re able to sense what one another is feeling, or even share dreams. And if you’re apart for a while, it might induce ailments. Like you’re tethered together by a tide pull?”

“Allegedly,” Leo corrects. You catch him stifling a yawn. “Doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“Well, if it is, that’s awfully romantic. Don’t you think so?”

Leo stares up at the cave’s ceiling. “...I guess.”

After drinking maybe half of the soup in the thermos, you lay flat on your back next to Leo, staring up at the glowing bioluminescence. It feels sort of like star gazing.

“So… No sign of any ships?” You ask, sparing him a glance in your peripheral.

“.....” Leo’s expression remains indecipherable, as he hesitates to respond. His eyes eventually flutter to a close. “Nah. Don’t you think I’d tell you if that were the case?”

“Yeah. I know you taking care of me must be a lot of work.”

“...” Leo rolls over on his side, facing away from you. “Not really. Don’t get all pathetic about it.”

You didn’t mean it that way, but you can see how he would arrive at that conclusion. It’s not really a misunderstanding you feel is worth going over anyway.

“So, you’re going to nap with me?” You ask in a playful tone.

“Well, you’re sick. If you’d rather I leave, just say so.”

“I don’t want you to,” You say, perhaps a little too quickly.

…..

It takes you a bit to fall asleep. Mostly because you’re resisting the temptation to cuddle up to Leo’s backside. He’s invitingly warm. Fish are usually supposed to be cold, right?

If you ask him, he will probably answer indirectly and it’d be more awkward. And if you just cuddle against him… Well, the worst that will probably happen is him pushing you off. Leo’s kissed you once before too, without even asking! You haven’t forgotten that. If this gets you in the hot seat you could chalk it up to human ignorance.

Gulp…

Impulsively, you move flush against him, spooning his backside and wrapping an arm around his waist. Even the body chain wrapped around his torso feels warm against your forearm. You notice his body stiffening from the spontaneous contact. Pressing your forehead against his shoulder, you speak up.

“Is this fine? Sorry… You’re warm.”

“Asking me permission after the fact? You’ve got guts, Barnie.”

You can tell by his tone that he’s not upset, at least.

Your hold on his waist tightens a bit. Maybe you’re being too self indulgent. “You kissed me once without warning. We’re even now, as far as I’m concerned.”

Leo goes silent. For a moment, you’re worried that you crossed a line. The apprehension dissolves the second you feel his fingers wrap around yours.

“Whatever. Get some sleep,” Leo retorts belatedly.

You can’t help but notice that the back of his ears have turned red. Cute.

Sleep comes effortlessly that night.

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

After applying a hair mask and scrubbing off in the water basin, you’re tempted to take a dip in the cave water. Leo mentioned before that it’s not only clean, but comfortable in temperature. He shouldn’t be back for a little while, so the likelihood of him catching you in the nude is very low.

…

You decidedly move over to the ledge and carefully lower yourself into the water to avoid any splashing. Your sleeping space is pretty close by, after all. Once you’re submerged, you hang onto the bedrock for a few seconds in mental preparation, before pushing yourself into the open pool.

It feels nice.

With the glow of the cave walls, there’s still visibility in the water. But you’re not confident regarding the depth. For that reason, you doggy paddle around and avoid straying too far from the walls. A small part of you is tempted to explore the tunnel leading into the sea, but since Leo’s not around that’s probably a bad idea. What if you were swept away by the tide?

But then again, what if you didn’t go that far? Just enough to peer outside. The prospect of seeing sunlight again for the first time in, what…? Three weeks, or more? It’s tempting.

As you wade closer towards the tunnel, you catch sight of something swimming in front of you. The exact shape is difficult to distinguish, but it’s large. You get a glimpse of pale skin, mottled in dark spots. Your body goes rigid and you attempt to float with minimal movement.

When the aquatic creature disappears from your vision, only to reappear in the same spot a few seconds later, you feel your heart lurch in your throat. Is it a shark?

Something fleshy brushes against your skin and you let out a sharp, involuntary, yelp that reverberates against the cave walls. You jerk your foot upwards, your chest tightening with panic. What’s the best course of action? Try to swim away? You’ve read that will make it worse!

Before you can make a decision, you feel it graze your other foot. Your composure shatters, as well as your ability to stay properly afloat.

“LEO…!!!” You shriek.

You hear the familiar sound of a body breaking the water’s surface, maybe five seconds later. With your arms prematurely outstretched, your body pivots clumsily towards the source.

“Hey! Are you okay…?!”

Leo meets you half way, his arms looping around your waist. You impulsively cling onto him by his shoulders.

“S-Something touched my foot! It was huge! I think it’s a shark!” Your explanation stumbles out hastily, so much so that your words run together.

“...A shark?” Leo repeats in disbelief.

“Yes! I saw spots on its back!”

“...”

Leo’s chest quivers as laughter begins to bubble up from his chest. Your lips downturn into a frown.

“What? What’s so funny?” You bite out irritably.

His laughter dwindles. The tone he uses to address you afterwards is softer than you'd expect. “I should’ve warned you. But I didn’t really expect you to go in the water without giving me a heads up after all this time.”

“Huh?”

Leo removes a hand from your waist and brings it to his mouth, before pushing out an ear-piercing whistle. Not a second later, you hear something emerge from the water.

“Take a look for yourself,” Leo urges you.

You loosen your hold on him and turn your head towards the source of the noise. A flat, pancake-like, creature that’s at least five feet in diameter floats at the surface a short distance away. Its back is decorated with black splotches, identical to the ones you saw earlier.

“Oh… A stingray?”

“Yup. Her name’s Cookie.” While holding you close with one arm, Leo stretches out his free one. Cookie wades closer and brushes against his hand affectionately. “She was probably just getting a feel for you.”

“Hah… Oh, man. I’m an idiot,” You mutter. “She’s pretty cute.”

Leo retracts his hand and returns it to your waist. “Pet her if you want. Just don’t try to touch her tail, obviously. I told her not to flash it near you anyway.”

“...You can talk to her?” You hold your hand out this time, observing curiously as the stingray swims away and circles back to brush against your palm. Her skin feels smooth and velvety to the touch.

“Eh… It’s more accurate to say that I understand the way she communicates,” Leo explains vaguely. “She sort of keeps guard of this place for me. If something comes up, Cookie lets me know.”

“A little warning would have been nice. I hope I didn’t scare her,” You say guiltily.

“You probably did a little.” Leo shrugs. “I didn’t exactly expect you to go jumping in the water without a heads up. It’s not like you have yet.”

You give Leo a suspicious look. “And how would you know that?”

Leo raises his brows. A smirk plays at the corner of his lip, as his eyes impishly crinkle at the corners. “How else? I’ve been peeping on you every time you take a bath.”

You roll your eyes. “Yeah, right. I think I would have noticed your head poking out of the water. Why would you be interested in seeing that anyway? Unless you have some kind of interspecies kink.”

“Hm… Yeah.” Still fixed on you, Leo’s gaze sharpens imperceptibly. “You’re right, I guess I wouldn’t be.”

You struggle to mask the way the retort miffs you. Your lips press into a thin line and you cast your attention on the puppy-like stingray periodically coming up for pets.

“It’s not like I care,” You reply childishly.

Leo snorts in amusement. “Sure seems like you do, considering I didn’t ask.”

You feel your eye twitch involuntarily as you release your hold on Leo. “You’re the one looking at me like you’re expecting a reaction. Anyway, sorry for scaring you, Cookie.”

Your fingers skim across Cookie one more time, before you head off in the direction of your makeshift base.

“Where’s my apology for giving me a headache over your screeching?” Leo asks as you wade away. “Come back over here, dummy.”

“No, thanks, stupid. I want to rinse my hair. Also, you don’t get one! I wouldn’t have yelled if I thought Cookie was your pet, or even a stingray.”

“She’s not a pet,” Leo argues pointedly. “And you’re kind of being a baby, just saying.”

Your face turns scarlet at that. If he weren’t actually clocking you this wouldn’t be so embarrassing. Why should you care if Leo’s attracted to you or not? You’re the one that prompted him to say it too.

“...Whatever,” You reply lamely, as you reduce the distance between you and the rock’s ledge. At this point you’re just eager to hide your shame. Hopefully Leo stops negging you about it–

“WOAH?!”

Out of nowhere, a wave twice your size emerges from the still water, creating a barricade between you and the bedrock. Mercilessly, it folds in on itself and surges towards you with such ferocity that you’re pushed back the way you came. Just when you think you’re about to go under, Leo deftly grabs your wrists and spins you around to face him. Copying your previous position, he directs your arms around his shoulders and holds onto your midsection again.

You can’t be certain if it was a trick of the light, but his eyes seem to glow with a blue tinge for a short moment.

“Defy the tide and the tide will take its due. Haven’t you ever heard that saying?”

You stare at him, dumbstruck. The tone he uses is distinctly devoid of its usual levity. But then again, he is often pretty deadpan.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” For some reason, you find yourself pushing out a nervous laugh. “And you can control waves now too? What can’t you do?”

“A lot,” Leo replies, this time with a more playful edge. “But I’d learn without issue.”

You let out a one-syllable laugh. “I don’t know, I can’t see you getting into cooking.”

This is the part where Leo would usually throw some snide remark back at you, but instead he stares at you with an intensity that makes your throat tighten with apprehension.

“...Hey. You’re into me, aren’t you? And don’t try to bullshit me either.”

“W-What…?”

“You heard me,” Leo persists.

Considering he just got done implying that he wouldn’t be interested in you… Joke or not, the question feels unfair. You have trouble holding his gaze. His scrutiny feels far too heavy right now. “...Why do you want to know if you’re not interested? Is this some kind of humiliation ritual?”

“Why are you so stubborn about coming clean?”

You sigh tiredly. “...I think anyone with eyes would find you beautiful. You’ve helped me a lot. You’re funny and fun to be around. Developing some sort of crush on you is kind of inevitable under these circumstances.”

Leo lets out a low, amused snicker. He seems entirely too pleased with himself. “Sounds like you’re coping with it. Leave it to a human to develop sappy sentimentalities for a bonafide sea creature.”

You redirect your attention to him, your lips pressing into a hard line. “You’re making fun of me.”

Leo blatantly ignores the accusation in favor of a topic switch. “You asked me about bonds, didn't you?”

“Yeah. So?” Your tone carries a defensive edge.

The merman lowers his face towards you. Impulsively, your eyes flutter shut when you feel the bridge of his nose graze your own. Rather than landing a surprise kiss, you feel him settle his forehead against yours. An unfamiliar, warm sensation blooms from his touch. Goosebumps prick the expanse of your body, starting from your head and traveling down to the tips of your toes. A pleasant, inexplicable, yet dull hum ripples beneath the skin.

“Why don’t we do it?” He murmurs, his breath fanning teasingly over your lips.

“...Do what?” You squeak out dumbly.

“Fuck, obviously.”

Your eyes snap open at that. “What?! That’s not what you just said!”

Leo draws back slightly and a derisive laugh rips from his throat. “Oh, so you do remember?”

“You…!” Your face feels like it’s on fire. “You never told me what ‘bonding’ entails, jerk!”

Leo squints playfully. “So, you want to?”

For some reason, you find it difficult to outright reject the notion. “That seems… Impossible.”

“Not really. I could make it happen,” Leo confesses easily.

Is he serious…?

Your words catch in your throat and you struggle to formulate a response. This is the equivalent of asking to have a romantic relationship, isn’t it? No, it’s much more than that.

“All you gotta do is abandon your mundane life on the surface. Then I’ll serve you ‘til the day you die. Sounds like a fair trade, doesn’t it?”

The suggestion rolls off his tongue like your life up until recently was something inconsequential. Disposable even. Buried underneath the complacency, there’s something vulnerable about the way he looks at you. As if he’s prepared to hang on your every word.

…

“Leo…” You start carefully. “I can’t stay here forever. I have obligations of my own and people waiting for me. If this bonding thing means isolation… I don’t think that would work.”

Leo exhales through his nose, shooting you a disappointed look. “Tch… Boooring.”

“But I still really like y–”

Your sentence is stifled by Leo’s mouth sealing against yours in a bruising kiss. The gold bar embedding his tongue clacks against your teeth as his tongue invasively pushes past your lips without so much as a warning. A surge of warmth unfurls torturously in your abdomen as he brazenly explores your mouth. Unlike last time, you can’t bring yourself to push him away. However irresponsible these feelings might be, the prospect of intimacy is all too inviting.

Much to your dismay, Leo breaks away just as you begin to return the kiss. The bitterness etched into his pretty features is enough to make your stomach lurch. He removes your arms from around him and without warning, water surges forward, sweeping you a few meters away. Your hand grasps the ledge of the bedrock and you gape at him in confusion.

“I need to be somewhere. Don’t wait up for me,” Leo says curtly.

“...You’ll be back tonight, right?”

“Nah. Tomorrow.” Leo tears his gaze away and disappears beneath the water before you can get another word in.

𓆉 ⋆.˚ 𓆝⋆.˚

“Leo, you received another letter from the oracle's daughter. It seems she has taken a liking to you.”

A teenage, bipedal Leo sits across from a beautiful woman who bears an eerily close resemblance to him. She brings a porcelain cup close to her lips as she gauges his reaction to the news. Leo maintains a poker face, while pushing the greens around on his plate. He never did like eating this shit.

“You told me that last week,” Leo replies monotonously. “I’ve hardly spoken with her.”

She takes a modest sip from her cup, humming in contentment. “There’s no time like the present. Her family is highly respected within the kingdom. That’s quite lucky, wouldn’t you say?”

“If she had half a brain she would find someone that’s not surface-touched,” Leo retorts. There’s an edge in his voice that’s misdirected.

“You shouldn’t put so much importance on that,” She chides with a sigh. “Don’t misunderstand. As your mother, above all, I want you to be happy. Her social standing is not nearly as precious as her sincerity.”

“I know what you meant.” Leo drops his fork, deciding he’s spent enough time toying with the idea of finishing it off. He knows he won’t. “If it’ll make you happy, I’ll talk to her next time I see her. But I don’t think she’s my type.”

Leo’s mother covers her mouth and laughs airily. “Since when did you decide that you even have such a thing?”

Leo shrugs. “I’m not really interested in merfolk.”

Her expression flounders into a complicated one. She folds her arms over her chest, fingers idly grasping at the chiffon sleeves of her dress. “You know my being here is a special circumstance. Your father requires you to be here.”

Leo rolls his eyes and abruptly stands from the table. He picks up his unfinished plate in preparation to leave. “I didn’t say I was gonna do anything. If it doesn’t work out with Maris, at least I gave you a reason. I don’t need to court or bond with anyone.”

She appears mildly less perturbed by the revelation. A small smile curls at her lips. “...The sea is brighter with you in it, Leo. By moon and tide, travel safely.”

𓆉 ⋆.˚ 𓆝⋆.˚

You wake up the next morning with a headache that lingers and throbs towards the front of your skull. The most obvious explanation for it would be neglecting to hydrate yourself the night before. You were so caught up on Leo’s behavior that sleep hadn’t come easily. And you can’t recall definitively, but you’re pretty sure you dreamt of him too.

…Why did he kiss you after that?

It seemed less like an affectionate gesture and more akin to a petty act of defiance. The fact that he doesn’t seem to want you to leave should concern you. A part of you wonders if there have been ships that steered out your way and Leo just didn’t tell you about it.

But would he really do that?

…Other than him providing for you, it isn’t as if Leo’s given you a reason to think that’s not out of the realm of possibility. You trust that he doesn’t want to harm you, but does he truly have your best interest in mind?

You know that doubting him won’t do you any good. You need Leo to survive. Moreover, you want to maintain a good relationship with Leo because you’ve come to care for him. As of right now, he’s all you got.

…

The day drags by. You make an attempt to finish reading that book about the trench warden, but your mind continues to wander in the process. After rereading the same paragraph for what felt like the tenth time, you give up and set it aside.

Maybe you could get started making food. Leo said he would be here.

He brought you up a basket of uncut vegetables the other day. Radishes, purple potatoes, carrots, onions, and even garlic. Apparently, they’re from a conservatory in one of those air pockets he mentioned before. You still can’t fathom how it works. If only you were able to go see it with him.

Finding the most level part of the bedrock, you set up a sturdy, white cutting board on top of a crate. The board itself felt unlike any you’ve used before. Smooth, yet if you run your fingers over it thoroughly, you notice micro ridges speckling the surface. And the knife he brought you is sharper than any you’ve handled back home. Made from obsidian, it appears black and reflective enough that you can see your face through the blade.

Nearly everything he’s brought you has been a glimpse into his world. As endearing as it is, it also serves as a reminder that you’re far from home.

Conversing with him, it’s easy to forget that he’s not human. Yet he can purify water for you to clean these vegetables with. Control the tides, adjust the sea’s temperature, dry you with a small gust of air, and communicate with sealife. It’s almost as if he’s closer to some kind of oceanic God than a mermaid.

If you left today, would you be happy…?

The cognitive dissonance you feel is disconcerting. So, you bury the thought and begin cleaning and chopping your vegetables.

…

“What is this?” Leo brings his face close to the bowl in his hand and gives it an experimental sniff.

You can’t help but notice he chose to stay partially submerged in the water. As of late, he would at least sit on the edge of the rocks. He’s keeping his distance, isn’t he? Maybe he secretly hates you now.

“Just a vegetable soup.” You blow on your own bowl in an attempt to cool it down, before taking a tentative sip from the lip. It could use more salt, but otherwise isn’t bad. “You’re kind of picky about vegetables, right? I figured you brought the ones you liked.”

Leo sets the bowl down on the rocks. Far enough that you speculate that he doesn’t plan on reaching for it again. “Nah, it was random.”

You can’t help but pout a bit. “You don’t want it?”

“I’ll try it later,” Leo insists. The assurance doesn’t sound that convincing.

Usually it wouldn’t bother you, but considering you’re still under the impression that he’s mad at you, his pickiness hits differently. You swallow the mild hurt with another gulp of your soup. It tastes worse the second time.

At least your headache seems to have cleared up.

“How was work?” You ask softly.

Leo shrugs as he rests his chin against his forearms. “No different than usual.”

“.....”

A brief silence follows. You’re not sure if it’s awkward or not, but your insecurity tells you it is. You stare into your concoction that contains various things Leo gave you.

…

“...If you could pick one thing to take out of the soup, what would it be?” You ask suddenly.

Leo quirks a brow at you. The answer comes effortlessly anyway. “The wakame.”

“Really? Why?”

He makes a face that elicits a quiet laugh from you. “It’s briny. Kind of slimy. Just gross in general. I’ll still eat it, so don’t sweat it.”

A wave of déjà vu suddenly hits you. Didn’t you see something similar in your dream this morning…? Another question lurks at the tip of your tongue.

“...Leo. Can you tell me about your Mom? You mentioned your Dad being important in your kingdom, but not much about your Mom.”

The merman blinks at you. It’s clear the question took him off guard. “Where did that come from?”

“I just… I don’t know. I had a dream last night and I think I may have seen her in it. Well, obviously I don’t know what she looks like! My brain at least made up an appearance for her.”

You expect Leo to make fun of you, but he just watches you with a curious expression. “What happened in it?”

“Nothing much that I can recall. But you didn’t eat the wakame on your plate. Oh, and you and your mom both had legs?”

Leo smiles, just barely. “Dreams during a new moon reveal hidden truths. All of that sounds about right.”

If not for the bittersweet touch in his expression, you’d probably assume he’s making some kind of a joke. “So, all mermaids sprout legs like that?”

“...Pffft. Of course not.”

“So, then…?”

“My mother was a human, Barnie.”

The bowl in your hands nearly clatters to the ground in your stupor. “WHAT?!”

Leo scowls and covers his ears with his palms. “Could you be any louder? These walls echo, y’know.”

Your voice drops in volume, but only marginally. “You’re half-human?! That explains, like, a lot? And wait, what do you mean ‘was’? You don’t look much older than twenty. How did she…?”

Leo snorts. “Twenty? Yeah, you’re a bit off base. She was getting up there in age, but I’m older than you think.”

“...It wasn’t old age? Sorry, if I’m coming across as rude, or touching a sore spot. You can totally ignore me!”

Leo exhales tiredly. “Don’t get all weird on me about it. That was years ago. Her death was sudden and the coroner ruled it as a heart attack. Living in an air pocket for decades probably ate away a few years on its own.”

“She lived in your kingdom?” Your jaw goes slack in awe. “I didn’t think that something like that would be permitted…”

“Generally, it wouldn’t be. An order from a Triton is law, though. My father wanted to keep her close by.”

“He must have loved her then, right?”

Leo stalls to answer, his gaze breaking off to nowhere in particular. “...She wanted to be around to raise me. There’s no way she could take me to the surface to stay.”

The evasion of the question doesn’t go unnoticed. Daringly, you try a new angle. “Do you dislike your father?”

“I don’t think about him,” Leo replies vaguely. “He has his own thing going.”

“I see…”

You drink more of your soup while Leo pets Cookie. She intermittently resurfaces to the top of the water like some underwater pancake boomerang. It isn’t long before you come up with new things to ask him.

“Are you like… Hundreds of years old then?”

Leo chuffs in amusement. “Nah. Way less than that. I stopped keeping track a while ago, though.”

“When’s your birthday?”

“May.”

“The day?” You press hopefully.

Leo’s eyes stay trained on Cookie as he skims his fingers over her back. “...The twenty-third. Yours?”

You tell him your birthday. He hums in acknowledgement.

“Have you been to the surface as a human?”

“Yeah. Many times.”

“Really?” A grin splits your face. “Where did you go? What did you do?”

“My mother used to go with me to the persimmon festival in the fall. It’s the only time of year my father allowed it.” Leo pauses with a ruminative look on his face. His lips upturn slightly, as if he’s recalling a fond memory. “Yeah. They always taste better that time of year.”

So, Leo likes persimmons. You’ll remember that.

“When’s the last time you went?”

“Not since I was a kid.” Leo retracts his hand from Cookie and leans against the rocks again.

Your fingers tighten their grip around the bowl in your hands. “...Maybe we could go together someday?”

“Nah.” Just like that, the idea is immediately shut down.

“Why not?” The hurt in your voice isn’t masked well.

Leo’s gaze flicks in your direction, before receding a few seconds later. Notably, his tone softens a smidge. “...I don’t even know where it is anymore. It would be a pain in the ass to get there without my father’s assistance. And I don’t plan on asking him.”

A dull ache begins to swell in your chest.

“...If I make it back home, will I ever see you again?”

“Probably not,” Leo deadpans mercilessly. “Also, what’s with the ‘if’?”

“I don’t know. Anything could or couldn’t happen.” You set the remainder of your soup down. Suddenly, you don’t have much of an appetite.

“That’s a switch up.” Leo clicks his tongue in quiet disbelief. “...And actually, that reminds me. About a week from now, a fishing boat will come by. It’ll be a bit of a swim, but it’s nothing compared to finding a shore.”

“How do you know that?”

“The same group of humans do every month. It’s part of my job to keep track of that stuff. So, stop sweating it. You’ll be back to your old life in no time.”

Leo seems confident in his assertion. Yet, it does nothing to alleviate the discomfort you feel right now.

“...You’re upset with me,” You say.

Leo’s brow furrows marginally. “Huh?”

“Usually you sit closer. And you showed up later than usual, didn’t you?” Not that you can definitively say for sure, but the way he doesn’t flinch at the accusation is telling. Instead, a sardonic laugh spills from his throat.

“What? Do you suggest I cuddle you after being brutally rejected? And since when do I have a curfew?”

Leo has a point. You have no business having those sort of expectations for him. But then again, you wouldn’t bring it up if his behaviors remained consistent. And isn’t ‘brutally rejected’ sort of a stretch?

You stare at your lap wistfully. “...I don’t mean to suggest how you should or shouldn’t behave. I care about you, so I don’t want us to be on bad terms.”

“You’re the only one making that assumption here. Do you think I’m so pathetic that I can’t accept no for an answer?”

“That’s not–”

“Forget I brought it up, seriously,” Leo interjects. “I can’t leave you here by yourself all the time, so the least you can do is not make it awkward.”

It makes sense that he doesn’t want to dwell on it. You both know there isn’t a perfect solution here.

“Fine. I get it,” You concede.

Leo quietly turns his attention to the bowl he left abandoned wayside. Following through on his earlier promise, he picks it up and takes a few quick gulps from the lip.

“...How is it?”

Leo sets it back down and wipes the edge of his mouth, sporting a theatrically pained look. “All I taste is the seaweed. Gross. No offense.”

A blithe laugh escapes you. “I don’t blame you. At least you tried it.”

The two of you bounce back to normal after the minor hiccup and chat about the mundane. Leo doesn’t stay for much longer that night.

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

A week passes without anything out of the ordinary happening. That is, until Leo doesn’t show as expected that evening.

Despite not having a clock for confirmation, you could tell that something was off. Concern plagues your mind when you hear the distinct sound of thunderclaps from just outside the cave. Even more so when the usually still water on the inside is affected as well.

Miraculously, the tunnel leading out into the sea seems to be separated from your immediate vicinity by some kind of magical barrier. As the storm rages, you watch waves crash against the thin veil protecting your cave from harm. You can only pray that Leo is safe.

The headache returns, this time with agonizing persistence. Not only that, but your body begins to exhibit signs of a fever. You shed your regular clothes and replace them with a thin night gown that Leo brought up for you. You’ll have to wash them in the morning. Hopefully, by then you’d be back to normal and would be able to see Leo again.

You set up your bedroll even closer to the ledge of the bedrock and bury yourself underneath the covers. The faint smell of crushed sea lavender wafts into your nose. You’re not sure if it’s from the pillow or leftover soap remnants on your skin. Either way, it reminds you of Leo. Particularly the time you slept together here. You had felt more well-rested that night than any of the others in this cave. Probably more so than you have in years. You wish he was lying with you right now.

Almost as soon as the thought springs into your head, you notice your mottled pancake friend wading towards the water’s surface closeby. You’re pretty sure she even makes eye contact with you. A tired smile curls at your lips in acknowledgement.

Cookie must be checking on you. Unfortunately, your body feels far too fatigued to reach over and pet her. You might actually fall in. If only you knew how to communicate with her like Leo.

Your eyelids sag with every passing second. It isn’t long before exhaustion drags you into a deep slumber.

……

“...Barnie. Hey, talk to me.”

You feel a cool palm touch the side of your face. Unconsciously, you find yourself leaning into it. A pleasant buzzing sensation thrums from the point of contact. When he draws his hand away you expel a pitiful groan.

“At least you’re moving now. You had me worried for a second there.”

Slowly, your eyes crack open to Leo’s blurry form. It takes a few seconds before your eyes are in complete focus. You realize Leo is sitting cross-legged beside you, dressed in those red harem pants again. Initially, you’re confused. But then the memories of the storm come flooding back.

“...Leo. You’re safe. I was worried,” You say softly.

He offers an obscure, but gentle smile. “Yeah. That storm got pretty nasty, huh? I got caught up tying some loose ends, so I couldn’t make it back in time.”

“How late is it…?”

Leo hums with a ruminative look. He hands you the gold water flask that you make a point to keep close by. “Mmm… Maybe, like, five? Six in the morning?”

You accept it with a quiet ‘thanks’ and sit upright to take a drink. The water feels so refreshing going down your throat that you end up draining all of its contents. You sigh in contentment and set the flask off to the side. “So, not much time has passed? That’s strange. I don’t feel feverish anymore.”

“Guess I cured you, huh?” Leo sticks his tongue out at you playfully.

You suspect that may actually be close to the truth. After all, your headache disappeared when he showed up before this too.

“...”

As happy as you are to see him unharmed, his presence so soon after the storm ceased is a cause for concern. One that you’re no longer able to overlook.

You settle your head back onto your pillow. “Hey, Leo?”

Leo tilts his head curiously, as he leans back on his palms. “Yeah?”

“Hypothetically, if humans were to travel here in search of your city, what’s the easiest way to deal with them?”

He stares at you for a prolonged moment, before delivering an answer. “If it’s a decent sized vessel? Probably a tornadic waterspout.”

Your fingers clench around the fabric covering your chest, as you stare up at the luminous ceiling. “That kind of phenomenon is usually accompanied by thunderstorms, isn’t it?”

Leo’s impenetrable gaze lingers on you. “...Yeah, I guess so. Wow, you’re familiar with how meteorology works? Congrats.”

There’s the phantom headaches, the foreign sensations from Leo’s touch, and the clairvoyant dreams… You’ve suspected it, but now you’re almost certain. Somewhere along the line, Leo initiated a contingent bond. You hadn’t taken it seriously at the time, but maybe it really did start with revealing his name. Leo mentioned that the bond solidifies after the next lunar cycle. That began last week.

And the fishing boat that was meant to take you back to shore? Something in your gut tells you that it sank today, by his own volition.

Leo never intended for you to leave. You’re not sure if you’re more disturbed by the conjecture, or the fact that it doesn't affect you nearly as much as it should. That tale about the trench warden mentioned something else about bonds that you’ve been dwelling on.

Leo cannot lie to you.

Your eyes flutter to a close. “Did I die the day I was thrown overboard?”

Leo laughs at that, in genuine amusement. “Did you hit your head while I was gone? You’re alive and breathing. All thanks to me, by the way.”

You’ve felt as if you owe him since the first day you met him. Is isolation really the price for receiving help from a mermaid demigod?

“...Is that fishing boat coming anytime soon?”

“...”

Your eyes flick over to Leo, who’s now avoiding your gaze with visible impatience.

“With these storms? Is that even a question?” He bites out.

The question wasn’t direct enough. But you’re not sure if you’re ready to hear the answer directly from his mouth anyway. If you knew without a shadow of a doubt, would that make you responsible in some way? Maybe you’re making assumptions too hastily.

“Leo. My body aches,” You lie. It hasn’t since you awoke. But that incessant desire to come in contact with him all over again is tenacious.

The change in subject seems to abate Leo, because his sharp eyes are honed in on you again. “And?”

You roll over on your back and hug your pillow. “...Can you rub my shoulders? Please? I’ll love you forever.”

“Huh? Since when am I a massage therapist…? And don’t go making promises you can’t keep.”

Regardless of his complaints, you hear him settle next to you, before feeling his fingers experimentally press against the trapezius muscle on your right side. A soft sigh passes your lips that encourages him to continue. His hand curls around your shoulder in a c-shape and you feel his thumb press in and roll upward. You melt into the pillow, biting your tongue to stifle the embarrassing noises that threaten to spill over as he works at the muscle.

“Your muscles feel knotted. Might need to find you more layers for the bedroll.”

“Can you do both of them? My shoulders,” You clarify.

“Uh… That angle is awkward.”

“You can sit over my back,” You suggest flippantly.

“What?” The unease in his voice is palpable. “You seriously want me to straddle you?”

“Just do it.”

“......”

Several beats pass and you feel him settle over your lower back without applying much weight. Both of his hands begin working on your shoulders and coaxing the tension out. Wherever they press, a soothing current seems to follow in their wake. You feel the sensation of his fingers clumsily snagging on your nightgown’s straps. Not a second later they’re being pushed off your shoulders, before he continues his ministrations.

“How long am I supposed to do this for? My hands are getting tired,” Leo complains. You find it hard to believe considering the rhythm and intensity of his touch remains consistent.

You’re mildly surprised he even followed through with it. He had been avoiding coming close, let alone touching you for the last week. That aside, he doesn’t seem like the type to go around massaging people. All you know is that you don’t want him to stop.

“You don’t have to keep going if you don’t want to.”

Leo doesn’t entertain the idea with a response. Instead, his thumbs continue to knead, until your shoulders loosen up. Once that happens, he’s quick to remove his hands and prepare to maneuver off of you.

“You should be set, Barnie–”

“Wait,” You blurt out.

You can practically hear him rolling his eyes. “...Yeah? I’m waiting.”

“My lower back hurts too.”

“...Are you for real? You’re wearing a loose dress. How the hell am I supposed to do that properly?”

“I can take it off.”

The conversation sinks like a stone. And the silence that follows starts to make you second guess the temerity of your word choice. It isn’t until Leo sighs, for what seems like umpteenth time, that you let go of the breath that you didn’t even realize you were holding. He moves off of you and sits on the bedroll, before tearing his gaze away.

“If you’re serious, then do it.”

…

You end up peeling off the dress and using your blanket to cover up the lower half of your body. Leo straddles your thighs once you’re face down again. His knuckles push against your lower back muscles, moving vertically in an up and down motion. Quiet hums rumble from your throat as your body buzzes with pleasure.

Every time his hands get close enough to brush against the band of your underwear, you feel your core tremble. You should feel embarrassed for getting excited by this, but the last thing you want him to do is stop. Eventually, his hands move to hug the curves of your hips, while his thumbs rub slow circles in an upward motion. Much to your chagrin, something that sounds like a moan escapes you when his fingers brush over a particularly tender spot.

Comically, Leo’s movements cease entirely.

“...Wow. You like it that much, pervert?”

You feel your face warm up, your thighs tensing underneath him. “So what if I do? It feels good.”

Leo’s thumbs experimentally skim over the same spot, eliciting a similar noise from you again. “Your head's not in the gutter, is it, Barnie? Should I feel objectified?”

The derisive taunting is enough to have your abdomen coiling with pressure. “...It might be.”

“Aaw,” Leo coos, as he lowers his body towards you. His lips brush against the side of your neck, before he’s placing a chaste kiss onto your skin. “Have you gone and changed your mind?”

More like, you know that your fate is sealed. But you can’t bring yourself to kill the mood.

“...There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”

Leo clicks his tongue irritably. “‘Right now’, huh…? I’ll let that slide for now.”

Your breath catches in your throat when Leo’s hand skirts down from your lower back and slips in between your thighs. His fingers press against the damp fabric of your underwear and you unconsciously arch your back in response.

“Ah…!”

“I knew it. You’re so wet. What exactly were you thinking about?” Leo’s digits push past the fabric of your crotch and swipe over your folds. A self-assured smirk curls at his lip when you let out a strangled cry. “You weren’t thinking about us getting it on, were you? That’s pretty degenerate, Barnie.”

“S-shut up! Like you aren’t the one saying it.”

“So, you want me to stop?” Leo places another kiss, this time between your shoulder blades. You feel a phantom thrumming sensation when his lips break away from the spot, almost akin to a heartbeat.

You wonder how different this is for him with you– a human. He doesn’t seem shy about it either way. “...No, I don’t.”

The tip of Leo’s nose brushes a little bit lower on your backside, his breath fanning over the skin. He cements his arm on the bedroll beside you, his position shifting to where he’s hovering over you, granting your hips more mobility. “What do you want me to do?”

“K-keep touching me where you were.”

Leo’s fingers loop around the band of your underwear, before he’s tugging them off completely. You hike your hips up marginally and suffocate a whine into your pillow, as his fingers return to your sex to run along your folds again.

“I’ve never touched a human like this. If I don’t hear you, how am I supposed to know what to do?”

In spite of the comment, his fingers deliberately push against your clit, drawing yet another obscene noise from you. This time, it echoes against the walls of the chamber. You feel the tip of one of his digits sink into your heat and shallowly stroke at your walls. Leo’s breath hitches as you clench eagerly around him.

“Leo…” You steady your weight on your elbows and rock your hips, attempting to take more of his finger in. He’s hardly done anything and yet you’re trembling at his touch. “Mm…! Y-you can keep moving.”

Leo pays no mind to your request. Instead his other hand slips beneath your chest and pinches your nipple forcefully. Your core twitches involuntarily and you find yourself slamming your hips into his hand, effectively taking all of his finger in. He nips at the back of your neck, a fiendish giggle escaping his mouth.

“Aw, aren’t you all cute and desperate?” Leo languidly thrusts his finger inside of you a few times. You whimper pitifully when he pulls it out altogether and rolls your nipple between his fingers. “I don’t feel like doing that anymore. Give me something different.”

He’s just toying with you. But you’re so determined for this to continue, that you’re not even sure you care all that much.

You abruptly sit up on your knees, causing Leo to roll on his side. You’re pleasantly surprised to find that his cheeks are dusted with a rosy pink, yet he still regards you with a confident smirk. Bringing a hand to cup his pretty face, your thumb runs along his supple lower lip.

“...Fine. Why don’t you use your mouth?”

Leo’s eyes go half-lidded as he assesses you with a smoky gaze. Satisfaction crosses your features as he appears to burn brighter. “Where? I don’t get it.”

Brat.

“If you don’t want to, why don’t I do it to you?” You move your hand to his chest, your fingertips teasingly brushing downward on the golden chain links that adorn his body. His hand catches your wrist before it can travel past his navel.

In the blink of an eye, you’re being lifted by your waist. Leo lays flat on his back and drops you to where your heat is hovering over his face. You buckle forward, your hands sinking into the pillow as his tongue darts out to lick a stripe along your slit. Leo’s hands smooth along your thighs, before roaming to your butt and giving it an appreciative squeeze.

“You’re so soft,” He murmurs in awe. “I bet you bruise just as easily here as you do on your neck.”

Leo steadies you in place as he continues to lave his tongue over your arousal. The gold bar embedding the appendage intermittently grazes your bundle of nerves with deliberate transience. In spite of the lazy way he’s eating you out, you feel pressure rapidly build in your abdomen. The deprivation of direct and predictable stimulation has you nearly choking out a sob as you quiver above him.

When he moves his mouth away just as you’re about to climax, you feel nothing less than betrayed.

“W-Why’d you stop…?”

Leo’s hands grip your hips again, and before you can even register what's happening, you’re being moved to his lap. The wind is nearly knocked out of you when he sits upright and crashes his lips against yours with bruising force. Your fingers tangle with the chains in an attempt to ground yourself as he kisses you like he intends to steal your very last breath.

Once you manage to separate your mouths, you wedge your fingers against his chin, taking a moment to steady your ragged breathing. “H-hey…! Wait a sec.”

A lackadaisical hum rumbles from his throat. He grabs your wrist and brings your fingertips close to his mouth, before planting a kiss against them. The gesture is so unexpectedly gentle that you feel your heart skip a beat. His gilt eyes lock with yours, imbued with a fervor that feels new.

“You should know that the ocean knows your name now. There’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you.”

There’s a sense of foreboding intertwined with the comment. One that feels out of place to be spoken by a youthful faced, small-framed, man that more often has a tendency to speak in juvenile colloquialisms than anything. You might try to laugh it off if it weren’t for the timing.

“I won’t try to leave you,” You say instead.

Leo sputters out a laugh. “Pffft. Yeah, it’d be kind of pointless. It’s a good thing you’re having fun with me, huh?”

He keeps one arm looped around your waist, as his free hand moves to one of your breasts. Leo’s hips rut against yours as he begins rolling your nipple between his thumb and index finger again. Your mind goes blank when you feel his hardened cock grind against your arousal, with only thin pants acting as a barrier between the two of you.

You suspect it may be the effects of the bond. The way every kiss, touch, and caress is mind-numbingly intoxicating. As far as you’re concerned, you need Leo like lungs need oxygen.

“Leo… Hah! D-do you think…? Can we…”

“Can we, what?” Leo presses an open mouthed kiss to your throat as he kneads your breast. “You want me to fuck you, right?”

You raise your hips and reach for the waistband of his pants, pulling at it with an impatient tug. “Please.”

“Hmm…” Leo slows his movements and lands a quick peck on your cheek. “Kay. But on one condition.”

You peer at his face with a probing look. “Wha–What is it?”

Leo doesn’t pitch the idea first. Instead, he quickly shucks off his pants, with you hovering over his lap. You barely catch a glimpse of him, before he sets you to the side and slinks off into the water. Confusion riddles your expression as he comes back up around twenty seconds later and props himself up on rock’s ledge.

“It’ll be our first time, so it’s gotta be done like this,” Leo announces matter-of-factly. “Consider it, like, tradition or something.”

“Oh… Is that possible?” You hadn’t really put too much thought into how mermaid anatomy works. But you’d be lying if you said it didn’t cross your mind once or twice.

“Wouldn’t suggest it if it wasn’t. How do you think I was made?” Leo sticks his tongue out at you petulantly. “Get in here, or I might change my mind.”

Decidedly, you shimmy over to the ledge and lower yourself into the water. Leo’s quick to sidle himself beside you and take you in his arms. You brace yourself against his shoulders as he blindsides you with another barrage of kisses. Leo grabs your thighs and aligns you until you feel something slick graze your entrance.

You let out a shaky breath as the tip of his cock penetrates you. It initially feels thin, until you’re sinking down to the hilt. He stretches your walls out, almost to the point of pain. A chaste, placating kiss lands on your temple.

“Relax. It’ll feel good,” Leo murmurs softly.

White floods your vision when you feel his cock twitch inside of you and press up against your sweet spot. A breathy moan rips from your throat and you wind your arms tightly around his neck for support. Guiding you by your hips, he begins to rock into you at a slow tempo.

“Leo…” You bury your face against his neck and messily pepper teeth-grazing kisses as he fucks into you. The pressure from before stacks at a much faster rate. Spurred by Leo’s shattered moans, you hook your legs around his torso and attempt to bounce against his thrusts.

“F-Fuck… You feel so good,” Leo rasps. If you’re not mistaken you hear your actual name fall from his lips.

Your abdomen sets fire as his pace hastens and the tip of his cock bullies your cervix. The thrusts become more shallow, as if he’s intent on burying himself in you as much humanly possible. Your walls spasm and contract around him as you approach your climax.

“Leo, I’m going to…!”

Unexpectedly, Leo drops his hands from your thighs. He pivots to face the rock’s ledge and holds onto it, hoisting the both of you out of the water. You hardly register the pain of your back making contact with the gravely surface as you come undone with a blinding thrust. Seconds later, Leo’s hips stutter against you, filling you to the brim with his seed.

He hovers over you, supporting his weight on his arms while his tail remains partially submersed. Your chest heaves tiredly and your unfocused gaze lingers on Leo. He continues to languidly pump inside of you, while nipping at your exposed breasts.

“You think it’ll take?” Leo asks suddenly. He doesn’t even bother looking at you as he asks the question, like it doesn’t concern him in either direction. His mouth encloses on one of your nipples, dragging a whimper out of you.

The high you’re feeling seems to be inhibiting the alarm bells that should be going off right now. He sucks on your breast, before releasing it with a wet pop.

“Never really wanted kids or anything. I’d try it out with you, though.”

The weight of the comment slowly begins to sink in. You sit up on your elbows, your eyes snapping open wide with shock. “What?! W-Wait, we can’t! I’m staying in a literal cave, are you out of your mind?!”

Leo raises an eyebrow at you. “What? You want a spot in my city? I could make that happen.”

“That’s like a small fraction of the problem here! It’s way too soon to be talking about kids!” You protest in exasperation.

Leo heaves out a sigh, his expression twisting in annoyance. It looks like he has more to say, but ultimately refrains. “...Fine. I’ll drop it for now. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

The man’s face splits into a wide, sleazy, grin. “Hah. So, you had that asshole lie for you, huh? What a fucking tease.”

Your stomach churns as he steps closer. The smell of bourbon and sweat burns your nostrils. Instinctively, you walk backwards, but don’t get very far before something obstructs your path. The railing, you realize. A quick glance around the vicinity and your face pales from the absence of people.

This will be the last time you ever accept a cruise ticket from a raffle drawing.

“Don’t step any closer,” You warn through clenched teeth. If only you had a weapon on you. Although, the ship’s security wouldn’t permit it. In saying that, you’d think they’d be prepared to handle inebriated losers like this.

“C’mon baby,” The man drawls in a low, hair-raising rumble. “Don’t be like that. I cancelled my plans so I could come see you again. Good thing I caught you before the crowd did.”

You attempt to slink out of the way, but he’s faster. Before you can even blink, the baboon has you pinned against the railing. You attempt to shove him off, but his hands move to your wrists and constrict around them in a death grip.

Your heart hammers in your ears, as your body switches gears into fight or flight mode. With the intent to make a scene, a shout rips from your throat. “Get your hands off me!!!”

“Quiet…!”

Without releasing your wrists, the man smothers your mouth with the meat of his palm. You redistribute your weight against the railing and attempt to use it as leverage to kick him off. Much to your horror, he only pushes his body closer to yours, effectively ceasing your mobility. Your teeth sink into his hand, causing him to yelp in pain, yet he still remains unmoving, like a boulder. You try to scream again, but it hardly projects at all.

Is this it for you…? Will you die trying to fight this psycho off?

He makes a point to push you harder against the steel bars, to where it’s digging into your skin painfully. His next words come out in a belligerent whisper. “Stupid bitch. Make a scene and you’ll regret it.”

Even through the blood pumping thunderously in your ears, you can still hear the roaring ocean waves below. It’s so deafening that you fail to pick up on the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps on deck.

The man’s eyes go wide and he curses under his breath. “Fuck…!”

His gaze looks wild and pervaded with malintent. The next thing you know, you’re being hoisted up and over the railing. Another scream rips from your mouth, but by the time it reaches anyone’s ears, you’re already plummeting towards the dark waters below.

……

The frigid temperature of the water combined with the pain of your body’s impact against the sea had been enough to make you lose consciousness. So, when you hear the sound of a gentle lullaby in your ears, you’re convinced you must have already died. It sounds far too lovely for any being from planet earth to make. You’re not sure you recognize the tune. In fact, it sounds like it’s being sung in a different language.

Soft, echoey, hums. The voice sounds too high-pitched to belong to a man, yet too low to belong to a woman. Almost as if the melody itself were cognizant, it dances all around you. Each and every note carries resonance with it, like they’re echoing against the walls of a chamber.

“Beautiful…” You murmur unthinkingly.

Like a record comically screeching to a halt, the singing abruptly ceases after your comment. You hear the sound of something wading through water.

“Wow, finally awake? And here I thought you may have died on me.”

Huh…?

The voice of a young man. It’s a bit raspy and shrill. He must be talking to you, right?

Your eyes snap open and you hinge upright. The change in position elicits a tickling sensation in your chest before you can even make out your surroundings. And suddenly, you’re coughing up a shit ton of water.

“Uh, gross? Warn me if you’re gonna do that. I don’t want your splashback.”

“Like I’m–cough…! Doing it–cough…! On purpose,” You protest weakly, cringing as water begins to spill unpleasantly from your ears.

“Pffft. For a thing that needs water so bad to survive, you sure can’t handle swimming in it, huh?”

Too preoccupied with expelling the water from your lungs, you don’t even register how abnormal the comment is. After your coughing fit dies down, you look around and absorb your surroundings.

Rocks. Rocks are quite literally encompassing you. You realize that you’re sitting on a grotto floor. Above you, maybe twenty feet in the air, is a cave ceiling illuminated with blue bioluminescence.

“Looking at everything but me, huh? Can I at least get a ‘thank you’?”

Your gaze descends from the ceiling and you find yourself tilting your head a little bit to your left. A pair of lovely golden eyes greet you. They belong to a man with soft features and a mop of short, gray, and fluffy hair. Notably, he’s wearing a pair of dangly gold earrings shaped like sand dollars. If you had to guess, he appears to be in his early twenties.

You continue to stare at him owlishly. And despite his earlier complaints of your silence, his lips curl into an impish smirk. The pretty stranger leans on the ledge of the rocks with both of his elbows and tilts his head playfully.

“What? Cat got your tongue?”

“I… Sorry.” You shake your head and pivot your body to properly face him. “I thought I was a goner. Did you save me?”

He narrows his eyes into a squint. “Mmmhmm. Y’know, I’ve never seen someone try to dive off a watercraft that big. At night, too? You must’ve had a death wish.”

You shake your head again. This time with purpose. “That’s not it. Some gross guy shoved me off.”

The young man’s eyes widen marginally and his smile falters. “Yeah? Did you piss him off?”

“You could say that.”

He blinks again, seemingly waiting for you to continue. So, you speak again.

“Thinking back on it… I think someone was about to find us. He was trying to overpower me and presumably drag me somewhere else. I guess rather than risking arrest, he shoved me off board.” You huff out a disgusted sigh. “What a pig… I hope he got arrested. No, you know what? He tried to kill me. I hope the repercussions are worse.”

“Like… Death?” The man rests his cheek against his forearm, his eyes not leaving yours. “I could make that happen, if that’s what you want.”

You laugh a little at that. “Yeah, right. They’re probably long gone by now anyway.”

“Are you underestimating me? You really shouldn’t do that,” He chides, his monotonous tone giving little away.

You raise an eyebrow. “Am I supposed to believe you’ll swim after the boat? And then what? Climb it to avenge me? That’s impossible.”

“You talk as if you know what I’m capable of. I bet you assumed that man wouldn’t try to throw you in the ocean too, huh?”

“Uh… Point taken, I guess.” You’re not sure that you want to linger on the topic of potentially killing your aggressor with this stranger. Thanking him and finding a way out of here is your priority. Wherever ‘here’ is. “Thank you, by the way. For saving me. What’s your name?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you tell me yours first? I mean, you’re asking, after all.”

You tell him your name and he repeats it back to you.

“Huh. So, that’s what it is.” He hums. It sustains for a few seconds, before tapering into a sound of disapproval. “...Nah. I don’t like it.”

“Um…”

“Come to think of it, when I found you, a barnacle was all caught up in your hair. Probably from the underside of that watercraft.”

You’re not sure where he’s going with this…

The stranger breaks out into a grin. “Yeah… I think I’m gonna call you Barnie.”

“What…?” You snort out a laugh. “Isn’t that a dated western name? And for men at that.”

“Is it?” The man shrugs dismissively. It’s clear he’s not interested in giving the objection much thought. “Well, I like it. So, that’s what I’m calling you.”

It doesn’t bother you enough to debate about it anyway.

“So, I’ve told you my name now. What’s yours?” You press.

“My name? You sure you wanna know that?” He shoots you a dubious look.

He sure is evasive. At the very least, he seems to enjoy messing with you.

“Of course.”

“Haven’t you heard the legend?” Leo asks cryptically. “I was so sure that’s a tale you landlubbers would eat up.”

“...I’m sorry, but you’re not making much sense. What legend is there about exchanging names?”

“If I give a human my name, you might just be stuck with me.” The stranger flashes you a teasing look. “Like a ‘ball and chain’ type deal.”

You stare at him like he just grew a third head. Is this guy larping or something?

“You’re still incomprehensible. Why are you calling me a human as if you aren’t one?”

His jaw goes slack and his expression contorts into one of unmitigated disappointment. “What, you seriously think a normie could have saved your ass? During high tides? In the middle of the ocean? When it’s pitch black? You’re kind of dumb, aren’t you?”

“Hey…! That’s also kind of rude don’t you think–” Your words die in your throat. Just behind the pretty man in the water, you notice a vibrant, golden, fish-like tail breaking the water’s surface. It submerges itself after you’ve had just enough time to get a good look at it.

“You’re… A merman?” You ask in disbelief.

“Looks like it.” The man winks playfully. “Kinda scary, huh?”

More like unbelievable. You didn’t think this kind of thing was grounded in reality. It takes you several prolonged beats to fully process the revelation.

“...Why would I find it scary? You saved my life, didn’t you?” You force a close-lipped smile. “It seems kind of unreal, but you’re here. If I should believe anything, it’s my eyes, right?”

The man scrutinizes you with newfound interest. Without warning, he props his palms up on the rocky ledge and hoists the upper part of his body out of the water. You gasp as his face gets rather close and level with yours. There’s maybe a foot and a half of distance between the two of you.

Unable to look him in the eye with the current proximity, your gaze deviates downward. You notice gold body chains looping around his neck and torso, as well as arm bands cinched around his biceps. The jewelry matches the color of the scales adorning his hips. He’s certainly on the petite side for a man, yet still lithe and toned.

“What are you gawking at, pervert?”

You feel heat crawl up your neck and your eyes snap up to meet his. “S-Sorry…! Look, I didn’t mean any offense–”

“Oh, I’m offended. You’re seriously looking at me like I’m some piece of meat after I just got done playing hero?” The complaint comes out rather blasé considering the severity of the accusation. He tilts his head, giving you a rather judgy looking side eye. “Creeper alert.”

“You expect me not to look? I’ve never seen a mermaid, or merman before! As far as I know, the tail could be fake or something!”

You don’t really believe that, but it came out impulsively in an attempt to defend your innocence. Crossing your arms over your chest, you divert your attention off to the side. The cave goes silent for a brief lapse in time and the only noise echoing off the rock walls is the gentle sound of rippling water.

You slant your head back in the merman’s direction. He flutters his eyes shut, and for reasons unbeknownst to you, his mouth tightens into a tiny ‘o’ shape. Unexpectedly, a gust of air is expelled in your direction. It’s strong enough to make your hair and the clothes on your body flap in the artificial wind. And just like that, your body is bone dry, like you hadn’t been in water at all.

The merman’s lips turn up into a self-assured smirk. “Barnie, you can call me Leo~♡.”

“Leo…” You scoff in quiet disbelief. “That fits you. You’re covered in gold.”

“I know, right?” Leo pushes himself off the ledge and sinks back into the water. “Anyway, I kinda have something to do. So, I’ll leave you to it.”

Panic rises in your chest at the announcement and you impulsively crawl closer to the edge of the platform, ignoring the way your knees dig painfully into the bedrock. “Wait, don’t go!”

Leo arches an eyebrow. “You’re gonna fall. Right after I just used magic to dry you off too. You should really be more grateful.”

“So, what? I’ll jump in the water if you leave,” You threaten, feeling a bit dumb as soon as the words leave your mouth.

Leo practically turns his nose up at you. “Is that supposed to rattle me?”

“What if I drown?” You blurt out.

The man just stares at you blankly as he floats in the water.

“You told me your name,” You start. Heat fizzles on your ears as you prepare to reference the callback that could very well have been fabricated. “If I’m your ball and chain, will you let that happen?”

Leo surprises you by breaking out into a toothy grin. “Well, when you put it that way, I guess not.”

Your increased blood pressure begins to alleviate and you exhale in relief.

“Buuut. I still got shit to do,” Leo adds, before you can get too comfortable with the idea of being back on land anytime soon. “So, I’ll come back when I’m done with that. Kay?”

Well, what are you gonna do in this situation? Pushing your luck seems audacious at best.

“...Okay. Do you have an ETA?”

Leo gives you an exasperated look. “A what?”

“Like… Do you know when you’ll be done?” You ask hopefully.

“Damn, you’re clingy. Should I be worried?” The comment comes off light-hearted, but you get the feeling Leo’s becoming antsy. He must have his own merfolk obligations.

“Just take a nap or something,” He suggests. “You’re tired aren’t you? I’ll be back when you wake up.”

He’s right, you do feel exhausted. And you wonder how he can be so sure that it’ll line up that way, but you don’t want to take his kindness for granted by holding him up any longer. You’re lucky to be alive, after all.

“...Okay,” You agree with a nod.

“Good girl~♡. If you get thirsty, there’s a flask up there with purified water too. See ya!”

With that, Leo dives into the water and disappears out of sight.

“......”

The first thing you check once you’re alone is your phone. The battery is practically dead and there are no bars anyway. Just your luck.

Before you even think about sleeping, you spend some time walking around the cave. The traversable surface is pretty vast. You’re no expert, but you’d guess you have maybe twenty meters of space to freely walk around on. This kind of environment should be scary, especially considering the fact that you’re alone. You’re surrounded by water, yet it looks crystal clear. And the vicinity is illuminated with an ethereal, blue, glow. The water leads down a winding path, so you only have visibility up to a certain point.

Overall, it’s pretty peaceful.

When you’re tired of exploring, you find the most level patch of ground to lay down on, with the flask Leo provided for you in hand. It’s gold and ornately decorated with a hexagonal lid that’s easy to pop off. To make it more convenient to lug around, it even has a chain attached to its shoulders. You take a sip from it, even though you’re not particularly thirsty. Somehow, it’s better than any water you’ve ever tasted. It makes you wonder where he got it from. If he can just blow air to dry you in seconds, is it farfetched to think that he purified this himself?

After screwing the lid back on, you prop your head up on your arm and use it as a pillow. It isn’t long before you begin to doze off.

…..

“Looks like I kept my promise. Wakey wakey, Barnie~♡.”

Leo sits on the rock’s ledge with his tail partially dipped in the water, staring down at your sleeping form. His voice elicited some movement out of you, but it didn’t rouse you from your sleep. Although, he did drop a sizable chest onto the ground beside you, and that didn’t wake you up either.

It’s been some time since he’s been this close to a human. Not one that didn’t end up dead shortly after anyway. There are plenty of avaricious intruders that have tried to invade Shiogakure. Humans aren’t permitted to gather proof of his kind’s existence. If they’re suspected of it, they’re executed without mercy. In your case, it was misfortune that brought you to him.

If Leo were tribalistic he would have turned you in to the capital. Taking your circumstances into account, they likely wouldn’t have killed you, but they would have thrown you in some air pocket cell until you could prove that you’re trustworthy. Not that it matters anymore.

Now, you’re his little pet human.

“Barnie…” Leo tries again.

This time you roll on your back. How you seem so comfortable tossing and turning on the bedrock like that is beyond him.

“...Damn. You sure sleep like the dead.”

Leo smirks as an evil idea surfaces in his mind. He sidles himself even closer to you and rests his palm by your head, before lowering his face towards yours. His bangs tickle the bridge of your nose in warning, and he hesitates for a few seconds longer. When you stubbornly remain fast asleep, Leo closes the distance and slants his mouth against yours.

….

Your eyes flutter open.

It takes you all of three seconds to register what’s happening. When you do, your hands fly to Leo’s chest to shove him off. You sit up and shrink back a few feet, your fingers splayed over your lips in shock.

“Leo! What the hell?!”

“Pffft… Hahaha!” Leo breaks out in laughter at your expense. “You’re so red. Just from that? Weak.”

You clench your fists at your side, as irritation bubbles up in your gut. “You can’t just kiss people like that! Is that normal for you?!”

“Just thought it’d wake you up,” Leo explains as his laughter wanes. “And it worked didn’t it? You were out like a light.”

You did prefer to be awake. But you’re not about to thank him for using a method like that. Considering he’s a merman, you’re open to giving him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’s ignorant of the significance of kissing someone. But then again, why would he be laughing like a hyena if that were true?

“Leo… I don’t know how it is for mermaids, but you should only do that with someone you’re in a romantic relationship with,” You chide in a measured tone.

“Oh?” Leo lays on his side while facing you and props his head in his hand. Now that you get a better look at him, the mischief imbued in both his eyes and smile are kind of reminiscent of a cat. “You should really teach me these things beforehand. I had no idea.”

You’d accept this as some sort of an apology if he sounded even the slightest bit contrite. Actually, you’re pretty sure he’s reveling in this.

“You’re making fun of me,” You accuse.

“I’m having fun with you,” Leo corrects. “That’s not a bad thing, is it?”

You catch a glimpse of his tail in your peripheral. With it out of the water like this, you notice more variety in the coloration of his scales. They shimmer beautifully underneath the blue glow of the cave. “You’ll give people the wrong idea… Ugh. What am I saying? You’re clearly fucking with me.”

The two of you are different species. Even making the suggestion that Leo could be playing at that angle when he looks so pleased with himself feels like a humiliation ritual. You shake your head dismissively. “Whatever, I’ll let it slide. Just this time. My primary focus is on getting home.”

Leo’s lips pull downward, almost imperceptibly.

“Yeah? How are you gonna do that?” He asks, his voice icier than usual. It’s enough to catch you off guard, and the expression you make in response is nothing short of guilty.

“Um… Well.” You cross your legs and sit up straight. “I was actually hoping you’d be able to help me with that?”

Leo’s gaze hardens. “You think I’d just lug you across the ocean like that? Do you have any clue how far we are from land?”

You feel your heart drop. “No… I don’t.”

“Well, it’s a lot and you’re heavy. Besides, I’m not even permitted to go half of that distance. Just because you humans can go wherever and do what you want doesn’t mean I can.”

“...I see.”

So, you’re just gonna stay in this cave forever? Until another boat comes by? Won’t you starve by then? At this point, you think drowning might have been the more merciful alternative.

“Fuck.” Your voice cracks and you feel hot tears involuntarily begin to well up in your eyes. “So, I’m seriously screwed.”

Leo blinks owlishly and he suddenly shoots upright. “Woah, hey. What are you doing? Stop that.”

“S-Stop… Stop what?” You duck your head in embarrassment, refusing to meet his gaze.

Leo clicks his tongue. “Crying, obviously. I said I wouldn’t let you die, didn’t I? So, what is there to cry about?”

“...You don’t get it. What about food? A bed?” You begin to rub the moisture out of your eyes, but the tears won’t stop. “I need to be able to bathe and brush my teeth. I need clothes. And now I’m supposed to live alone in this cave?”

“Well, you’re not alone…” Leo argues sheepishly. “And I can get you all of those things, y’know. You’re not far from my home.”

You choke out a sob, clearly not sated with the vague reassurance he’s given you. “You have your own life and family, don’t you? I don’t actually want to be a burden to you.”

“You’re worried about that?” Leo sighs and smooths a hand over the back of his neck. “Look, I don’t really have a family like that.”

You look up at him again, your face puffy from crying. “For real?”

“Yeah, for real…” Leo stalls, deliberating on how much he should reveal. “Long story short, I’m technically a bastard from an… elite bloodline. Because of my father, I have more abilities than the average merfolk, but I’m basically shunned from noble ranks. When that happens, people like me basically get thrown onto the frontlines. The reason I found you is because I’m stationed nearby as an echo listener.”

“An echo listener…? What’s that?”

“Just a fancy word to say I look out for threats to the city. My hearing is better than most, and I have a knack for steering away noisy ass ships like yours from the area.”

“Are you allowed breaks?” You ask, your voice laced with concern.

Leo scoffs. “Obviously. I’d have dipped forever ago if I was treated like their bitch. Not like I have much going on, but it’s just the principle.”

“I see,” You murmur quietly. “Then… Is it normal for merfolk to save humans?”

“Nooope. You’re literally a threat to our existence. If the wrong ones find us, it would mean war.”

Does that mean…?

“Are you worried that I’d tell someone about you? Is that why–”

“Uh, no,” Leo retorts, immediately shutting down the notion. “No offense? But you don’t seem like someone that has a ton of influence on the surface. Besides, I’m not some nutty sectarian that lets my lineage dictate all my decisions. What I said is what I meant. I won’t lug you across the ocean.”

“...”

And it’s not like you could rightfully demand that of him either.

“Ships roam out here every once and a while. I’ll let you know when the next one does. Until then, you’re stuck with me, Barnie.” Leo sticks his tongue out playfully, exposing a gold piece of jewelry embedded in his tongue.

You sniff and dab at your drying tears. A small smile plays at the corner of your lip. “I didn’t think mermaid’s got tongue piercings.”

“You also didn’t know we existed ‘til yesterday,” Leo quips back.

“...Was I really asleep that long?”

Leo shakes his head. “It’s still early in the morning, so not really.”

You nod slowly, your attention falling on the item you noticed in your peripheral upon waking up. “I meant to ask. What’s in that chest?”

“Wow. Finally, you acknowledge my efforts.”

Leo unlocks the latches on both sides of the storage container, causing it to spring open. It's filled to the brim with various items. You shift over to the box and pull out the first thing you see– A cylindrical, thick, tube that’s vacuum sealed in what appears to be plastic.

“That’s a bed roll. There’s a pillow in there too that needs time to fluff up after you take it out of the wrap,” Leo explains.

“Thank you…”

A little more digging and you find basically everything you need. Toiletries, an engraved hair brush, and even a few nightgowns.

“Where did you get all this?”

“Uh, the store?” Leo says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Some of it's from human ships, though.”

Your jaw goes slack in disbelief. “I hope you didn’t spend much.”

What kind of currency would mermaids have anyway? Shells? Precious gems?

Leo shrugs. “It wasn’t a shit ton. Guess that means you owe me now, though.”

You laugh in spite of yourself. “Implying I didn’t before.”

…

After you set up the bedroll and unwrap the pillow that came with it, you decide to interrogate Leo a little more. He’s since submerged himself back in the water, hanging off the ledge like the first time you met him.

“So… If you bought them from your world, does that mean you sleep in a bed too?” You ask carefully.

“Where else would I sleep?” Leo asks, genuinely perplexed.

“Well… You float in water, don’t you?”

“Oh, that. Most of the rooms we use to sleep in are affected by a type of magic. Gravity works as it would topside,” Leo explains.

“I see. That’s interesting.”

“Anyway, I’ll get you a blanket. I can control the temperature of the water here, so it shouldn’t get too cold in the meantime.”

“Are you gonna leave again?” You hope your apprehension doesn’t surface in your voice.

“I have to, yeah.” Leo sports a smug, crooked smile. “Think you can handle it?”

You find yourself unconsciously smiling back. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

……

“What is that?”

You watch Leo lay down a slab of meat into the hanging pot he brought up earlier. The pan audibly sizzles as it hits the hot oil.

“Swordfish,” Leo replies. “You can eat that, can’t you?”

“I don’t see why not. Is that seasoning on it?” You ask, leaning close to peer into the pot.

“Uh, yeah? Don’t tell me you’d rather have nothing on it.”

You shake your head, before sitting back on your floor cushion. “It’s not that. I just didn’t really expect you to know how to cook. How does that work in water exactly?”

Leo sets the tongs he was holding on a silver tray. “Air pockets. That or just not using heat to make food.”

“Like salt curing? Or fermentation?”

“Yeah.”

The meat does smell good. And fresh. Leo even set up the fire on his own using driftwood and loose stones.

“Was this pot already at your home?” You ask.

Leo huffs out a sigh. “You ask a lot of questions.”

“Being quiet the whole time would be awkward, don’t you think? Plus, I’m curious.”

“Yeah,” Leo answers belatedly. He continues to keep an eye on the fish as it cooks. “I got it from my place. Never used it though.”

You hum in acknowledgement. “...So. What kinds of food do mermaids eat?”

“Fish, crustaceans, kelp, seagrass.” Leo shrugs. “We also have gardens for produce that grows on the surface. Costs more to get a hold of.”

“And what do you like to eat?”

Leo purses his lips as a thoughtful expression crosses his face. “...Celery.”

“Just celery? That’s more like a snack. Or a component in soups and stews.”

“It’s good.”

You pull your legs to your chest and rest your chin on your knees. “So, will you eat fish? Crustaceans?"

“Sometimes fish. Depends. Crabs are kind of a chore to eat.”

He’s totally a picky eater. You suppress a smirk as the realization dawns on you.

Leo continues. “Enough dissecting me. What about you?”

You share your likes and dislikes with Leo. Notably, the conversation flows more effortlessly when the attention is off him. He really has something to say about everything.

At some point during your chatting, you notice the smell of something burning. Leo flipped the fish once, but it's been on there for quite some time. You peer inside the pot and notice a black crust forming at the bottom.

“Do I take it out or what?” Leo deadpans.

You gape in disbelief. “What? You’re asking me? I assumed you knew what you were doing.”

“Nope. Didn’t I just say I’ve never used this thing?”

“Definitely take it out now, then!” You urge him.

Leo obediently pulls out the chunk of charred meat and sets it on a silver platter. He hands it over to you with a fork already resting next to it. You accept it without complaint and begin breaking into the flesh with the utensil provided for you.

“You don’t want any?” You ask, before taking a bite.

Leo puffs out his cheeks, appearing mildly annoyed. “Trying to pawn it off on me? Don’t tell me you don’t want it?”

“No, I want it,” You assure him. “It just seems kind of rude to eat in front of you when you don’t have anything.”

“Hardly. I’m not hungry. Whether you like it or not, it’s all yours.”

“Suit yourself.”

When you take the first bite, you’re pleasantly surprised to find that it’s still edible. In fact, you’ve tasted worse. A butter sauce would go a long way with this.

“It’s not bad. You know, if you bring up more ingredients I can try making something for both of us next time.”

Leo stares at you with an unreadable expression for several beats. You’re not sure if he’s gauging your sincerity, or considering your suggestion. In the end, he tears his gaze away indifferently.

“Maybe.”

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

It takes time, but you start to get used to living in the cave. Pretty much every day Leo provides you with something new to make the experience more comfortable.

Following your suggestion, Leo brings more spices and ingredients, along with new meats and vegetation to try. You even get him to have meals with you sometimes, but you notice he never eats much. Whether that’s due to the quality of your cooking, or his own bad habits, you’re not sure. But you lean more towards the latter.

For bathing, he brings a basin that’s large enough for you to sit in. You found out that Leo can actually purify water, and even change the temperature in the bin. Apparently, the water in the cave is clean enough to swim in too, but the basin provides you more privacy. Especially knowing that Leo could surface at any time.

Additionally, Leo brings you a sponge, soaps, and exfoliant scrubs. Since mermaids spend most of their time in water, what they use regularly is different from humans. Allegedly, he knows someone that knows how to make shampoos for “topsiders”.

Aside from the essentials, Leo also brings you random books. Some are made by humans and salvaged from a shipwreck. Others are created by mermaids, with a special waterproof parchment. Beside texts, you end up with a few canvases and naturally made paint pigments from the ocean. Leo tells you that they were created using seashells and clay.

With the lack of sunlight coming into the cave, it’s difficult to know the time of day, or even how many pass. The only way you find out is when Leo tells you. From what you gather, he’s stationed in one place for his job for about twelve hours out of the day. It usually starts in the evening, then ends in the morning. He comes to see you for a few hours, then returns home to sleep.

Every day that passes you find yourself looking forward to his company, more and more than the last. You know that you’ll miss him when you return home.

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

“Do you recognize this game?”

Leo uncovers a wooden board in front of you. It has twelve round pits formed in two rows of six and two larger oval pits at both ends of the board. There are various round stones in each of the divots, save for the ends.

“Manacala? Yeah, I haven’t played it since I was a kid,” You say.

Leo leans on the rocky ledge and rests his head against his fist. “So, do you remember the rules?”

“Somewhat,” You answer noncommittally.

Leo’s lips quirk upwards into a mischievous smirk. “Good. Guess that means I’ll have to explain a lot less.”

“You wanna play with me?”

“Duh. Why else would I bring it?”

You smirk as you lay down on your stomach, using a pillow and part of your bedroll to make the position more comfortable. “Fine, but go easy on me.”

Leo briefly covers the basics of the rules. There are four marbles in each of the round pockets. You start the game by picking a pocket on your side and continuing to drop one marble into each pocket you pass, save for your opponent's oval one to his right.

As you drop the last “marble” on your first turn, it dawns on you.

“Oh, these aren’t normal marbles,” You say.

In fact, there are pearls, quartz, obsidian, and pebbles. It all ranges from beautifully vibrant to dull and muted in color.

“Yeah.” Leo takes the stones from a pocket and begins his turn. “I found the board from a shipwreck and later learned the rules. It didn’t come with the stones.”

“So, mermaids don’t usually play this game?”

Leo drops his last stone on your side and catches your gaze. “Nope. This is my first time playing. Thought it might feel familiar to you.”

Your cheeks heat up suddenly. Whether it’s from his intense gaze, or the implication of the statement, you’re unsure.

“...You’ve really been good to me, Leo.” You smile bashfully and turn your attention back to the board as you initiate your next turn. “You’ll make a great husband one day.”

Leo scoffs. “Assuming you’re the only one getting something out of this. I get bored too.”

As if that explained everything else. But you've since learned that Leo responds this way when he feels vulnerable. You’re feeling extra nice today, so you let him puff his chest without teasing.

“Still. Thank you.”

Leo doesn’t say anything to that and the two of you continue to play in silence. You try to focus on the board, but end up sneaking one too many glances at him. If he notices, he doesn’t say anything about it.

“Do you like desserts?” You ask suddenly.

“Depends.” Leo drops a stone in an empty pit across from yours and ends up taking all of the stones across from it. “Why?”

“I want to make something you like. Duh,” You say, mimicking his colloquialism.

“Hitting on me again?” Leo teases flatly. “Did you eat a dreamfish when I wasn’t looking?”

You roll your eyes and pick up more stones. “Nope. Quit being evasive, there must be something you like.”

“I dunno.” Leo shrugs. “I don’t mind chocolate.”

“...Crepes, then? Since I’m not using an oven.” You saw a recipe for them in one of the books Leo brought up too.

“Sure. Sounds good to me.”

“Score! I’ll do that then. Before you leave, I’ll double check if I have everything for it!”

The game resumes. And you can’t help but notice that Leo is collecting stones at a rapid rate. You haven’t been paying attention to it until now, but his hands are moving awfully fast.

Hmm…

So, after finishing your next turn, you pay close attention to him as he picks up five stones from a pit and begins dropping into the adjacent ones. One, two, three, four–

“Hey! You skipped one,” You protest, pointing an accusatory finger.

The corner of Leo’s mouth twitches upward, before smoothing out in nonchalance. “Nuh uh.”

He drops the stone into an empty pocket anyway and takes all of the ones across from it.

Your jaw goes slack from the audacity. “Bullshit, I totally counted! No wonder you’re collecting them so fast!”

Leo cups his face in his hand, flashing you an irritatingly smug look. “Maybe you need to learn to count better.”

“Cheater. Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.”

“Aw, poor you,” Leo puffs out his bottom lip in a mock pout. “Sounds like you’re just a sore loser.”

“I haven’t lost yet!” You protest, even though there’s hardly anything left in the pits. It’s already written in the stars– you’re going to lose.

Leo snorts. “Yeah, yet. Honestly, I can’t believe it took you that long to notice it. Probably because you were too busy making googly eyes at me.”

You squawk indignantly and abruptly sit up on your knees. “--What?!”

Leo’s mouth breaks into a shit-eating grin. “Guess that’ll teach you not to be a pervert.”

“I was not…!”

“Yeah, ‘cause someone innocent would have such a defensive reaction,” Leo retorts sarcastically.

Caught in 4k.

Well, in your defense, it didn’t come from a place of ‘perversion’. More like observation you thought you were getting away with.

“I wasn’t being a pervert!”

“Mmmhmm,” Leo hums sardonically. Suddenly, he’s putting the lid back on the board. “Anyway, I gotta get going. It’s late.”

“Huh? How can you tell?”

“I got a good sense of time,” Leo replies vaguely. “Keep the board up here, will you? We’ll play again later. Next time give yourself a fair shot.”

Your cheeks burn as he sticks his tongue out petulantly.

“Ugh… Fine.”

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

“Blegh…”

A few weeks pass into your stay at the cave and you start to experience the early symptoms of a cold coming on. Your throat gets all scratchy and fatigue weighs you down. It even feels chillier than usual, but you know the temperature hasn’t changed. Leo told you that he keeps it regulated.

After giving up on the painting you were working on, you throw on a thick, long sleeve shirt and sweatpants, before crawling into your bedroll. A few hours of rest should make it subside. Then you can make dinner. Hopefully Leo can’t catch human illness.

Only a few seconds after your head hits the pillow, you drift off into dreamland.

……

By the time you stir again, it’s due to the scent of something slightly sweet and aromatic filling your nostrils.

Your head lolls in the direction it’s coming from, causing something damp to slip off your forehead. Slowly, you crack your eyes open. The fire underneath the hanging pot is going, heating up whatever delicious smelling ingredients that are currently residing inside. Did Leo start making something already…?

You nearly jump out of your skin when you catch a pair of legs walking in your peripheral. An intruder?

Your body hinges upright in a panic and you shimmy backwards until the rock wall behind you stops you in your tracks. A man that is identical to Leo settles cross-legged, about five feet from you. Everything about him is the same from the face, to the hair, to the jewelry… The only difference is he’s wearing a pair of thin, baggy, red harem pants. Notably, he’s also barefoot and shirtless.

“...W-Who are you?” You stutter out dumbly.

Leo shoots you an unimpressed look. “Don’t tell me you caught dementia. Who else?”

The voice and sass are still the same too. You fix your gaze on his legs. “How…?”

“What’s with the theatrics? It’s your fault, y’know.”

“Huh???” Your lips part in disbelief. “How?”

Leo shrugs. “I tried calling out to you a shit ton and you wouldn’t wake up. You’re a heavy sleeper, but I knew something was off. So, I got up here to help you out.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain the legs?!”

“If I stay out of the water too long, it happens.”

“.....”

You reluctantly push yourself off the wall and shift over to Leo. He doesn’t budge an inch as you settle in front of him. You reach out and put a hand on his knee, giving it a light squeeze. It feels like a normal leg.

“Did I say you could touch me?” Leo asks, his tone uninflected.

“S-Sorry…!” You hastily remove your hand from his knee. “I was just surprised!”

In spite of what Leo just said, he reaches out and pushes your hair out of your face. Without preamble, he’s pressing his forehead against yours.

“Hey…!” Your eyes screw shut, but you don’t pull away. His forehead feels nice and cool against yours. The proximity has your pulse raising like crazy despite the innocence of the gesture.

“Hm…” Leo breaks away after a few seconds and clicks his tongue. “Your head is still on fire.”

Your eyes flutter open. “...Didn’t you just make a comment about touching?

Leo smirks. “It’s different.”

“How?!”

“I can touch you, but you can’t touch me. That’s how this works, duh.”

“Says you! If you touch me, I can’t promise that I won’t touch you back!”

“Yeah?” Leo cocks his head to the side and his eyelids droop slightly. His stare almost becomes sultry. “Why don’t you retaliate, then?”

Your pulse expedites. His sudden shift in demeanor is making you feel a bit dizzy. Or maybe that’s just the sickness kicking in.

Leo’s eyes widen and his expression falters into one of concern. “Hey, you should really be lying down. You’re literally wobbling in place.”

“Ugh… Make me,” You joke weakly.

“.....”

It happens so fast, you’re not sure how he even achieved it. Your head is suddenly cushioned onto your pillow and Leo is staring down at you in exasperation. “I’m heating up soup. If you tire yourself out now, my efforts are gonna go to waste.”

Your brows knit together in confusion. “I thought you didn’t cook.”

“Notice how I said ‘heating up’.”

“Oh… Who made it?”

“My slave,” He answers, gold eyes glimmering with amusement.

“...Be serious.”

“Who says I’m not?”

Instead of a verbal reply, you give him a hard stare. It turns into a staring contest for all of five seconds before Leo rolls his eyes and concedes.

“Just a buddy from my city.”

“Someone you like?”

The question leaves your mouth so impulsively, you forget to be embarrassed. Leo’s initial puzzled reaction switches up into haughty derision.

“What’s it to you?”

So, it is…?

For some reason your stomach twists at the idea. You pull your comforter over half of your face. If only you could sink into the ground.

“...Curious,” You say, your voice small.

Leo snorts out a laugh. “What’s with that look? You’re the one asking me for confirmation after I gave you the answer the first time.”

That is true. Why did you ask that…?

…

Developing a crush on a mythical being seems foolhardy at best. It’s probably just because he’s the only person you’ve seen in a while. And he’s so beautiful and takes care of you. Your priority is going home. Not starring in some gooner fanfiction, romancing a hot humanoid creature.

“...Yeah, sorry that was weird of me. Must be the fever talking,” You mutter awkwardly.

“...”

Leo’s expression softens. He exhales through his nose as he prepares to stand. “Be right back.”

…..

Leo returns to your side a few minutes later with a thermos in hand. You sit up and accept it with a quiet ‘thank you’.

“It’s hot, so I’d wait a few minutes to sip on it,” Leo advises you.

You nestle the thermos between your crossed legs. The warmth is nice. “Does it taste good?”

“I dunno, haven’t tried it,” Leo replies with a shrug. “Everyone sings his praises for his cooking, so it’s probably decent.”

Oh, so his friend is a ‘he’. You’re still curious, but if you keep asking questions about him, Leo might really think you’re jealous. That would be mad embarrassing.

“Thank you for the soup.” Your fingers hover over the hot steam coming from the lip of the thermos. “You’re not gonna get sick being around me, are you?”

“Nah. But if I did, you’d have to take care of me.” Leo lays on his side, propping his head against his fist.

You scoot over to make room and pat the spot next to you on the bedroll. It’s about the size of a full size mattress, so there’s plenty of room. “You can lay here. There’s no way that’s comfortable.”

Leo stares at you with an unreadable expression. “...You’re inviting me onto your bed?”

You nod. “Yeah. I don’t mind.”

“.....”

Leo slides onto the cushion, but keeps to the edge. You catch the faint scent of salt water and crushed sea lavender.

“When will your legs go back to normal?” You ask.

“There’s no telling. Might be stuck like this forever,” Leo deadpans.

Your eyes widen like saucers. “You’re joking.”

Leo just smirks in response.

“It’s mean to mess with me when I’m sick, you know,” You pout. Cautiously, you bring the thermos to your lips and take a sip.

A thick, sweet, liquid pools onto your tongue. The flavor is reminiscent of a squash bisque. It’s seasoned tastefully with a variety of herbs and spices. Thankfully, your congestion isn’t so bad that you can’t enjoy this.

“As soon as I go back in the water, I’ll be back to normal. Just figured this would make helping you easier,” Leo replies. He nuzzles his cheek onto one of your pillows and shuts his eyes.

“...Okay, good.”

Is he going to nap? Not that you mind, but you wonder if it’s still okay to talk. You’re a lot less tired now than you were before he laid down.

You take another drink of the soup before speaking again. “I was reading one of the mermaid books you brought me, by the way.”

Leo hums in acknowledgement. “Find anything interesting?”

“Well…” You start, twirling the thermos idly. “Is it true mermaids develop an inseverable bond with their mate?”

Leo cracks an eye open and raises a brow. “That was in one of those books?”

“It was briefly touched on in the book about the trench warden. And it said mermaids only pick one mate for life.”

Leo shuts his eye again and exhales. “Eh… It’s kind of bullshit.”

“Kind of?” You press curiously.

“As far as I know, that kind of bond is possible to initiate, but there’s a process. My generation rarely follows that practice. It’s more of a tradition adopted by older commoners.”

“Why commoners?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Leo rolls on his back and pulls the blanket over him. “Nobility means being forced to fuck people you don’t want to fuck for the sake of procreation. Real talk? Most of the royal lineup probably have side pieces.”

“...But you’re technically not a commoner or nobility, right?”

“Yeah. That about sums it up.”

You unconsciously chew at your lip. “So… How does the bond work? You said there’s a process.”

“You’re asking me?” Leo sighs, but continues to explain away anyway. “I’ve only heard the story once or twice. Basically, if a condition is met, they have until the next lunar cycle begins to either reject the bond, or consummate it.”

“And if neither of those things happen beforehand…?”

Leo shrugs. “The bond stays for good anyway. As far as I know.”

“The book said it creates a connection where you’re able to sense what one another is feeling, or even share dreams. And if you’re apart for a while, it might induce ailments. Like you’re tethered together by a tide pull?”

“Allegedly,” Leo corrects. You catch him stifling a yawn. “Doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“Well, if it is, that’s awfully romantic. Don’t you think so?”

Leo stares up at the cave’s ceiling. “...I guess.”

After drinking maybe half of the soup in the thermos, you lay flat on your back next to Leo, staring up at the glowing bioluminescence. It feels sort of like star gazing.

“So… No sign of any ships?” You ask, sparing him a glance in your peripheral.

“.....” Leo’s expression remains indecipherable, as he hesitates to respond. His eyes eventually flutter to a close. “Nah. Don’t you think I’d tell you if that were the case?”

“Yeah. I know you taking care of me must be a lot of work.”

“...” Leo rolls over on his side, facing away from you. “Not really. Don’t get all pathetic about it.”

You didn’t mean it that way, but you can see how he would arrive at that conclusion. It’s not really a misunderstanding you feel is worth going over anyway.

“So, you’re going to nap with me?” You ask in a playful tone.

“Well, you’re sick. If you’d rather I leave, just say so.”

“I don’t want you to,” You say, perhaps a little too quickly.

…..

It takes you a bit to fall asleep. Mostly because you’re resisting the temptation to cuddle up to Leo’s backside. He’s invitingly warm. Fish are usually supposed to be cold, right?

If you ask him, he will probably answer indirectly and it’d be more awkward. And if you just cuddle against him… Well, the worst that will probably happen is him pushing you off. Leo’s kissed you once before too, without even asking! You haven’t forgotten that. If this gets you in the hot seat you could chalk it up to human ignorance.

Gulp…

Impulsively, you move flush against him, spooning his backside and wrapping an arm around his waist. Even the body chain wrapped around his torso feels warm against your forearm. You notice his body stiffening from the spontaneous contact. Pressing your forehead against his shoulder, you speak up.

“Is this fine? Sorry… You’re warm.”

“Asking me permission after the fact? You’ve got guts, Barnie.”

You can tell by his tone that he’s not upset, at least.

Your hold on his waist tightens a bit. Maybe you’re being too self indulgent. “You kissed me once without warning. We’re even now, as far as I’m concerned.”

Leo goes silent. For a moment, you’re worried that you crossed a line. The apprehension dissolves the second you feel his fingers wrap around yours.

“Whatever. Get some sleep,” Leo retorts belatedly.

You can’t help but notice that the back of his ears have turned red. Cute.

Sleep comes effortlessly that night.

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

After applying a hair mask and scrubbing off in the water basin, you’re tempted to take a dip in the cave water. Leo mentioned before that it’s not only clean, but comfortable in temperature. He shouldn’t be back for a little while, so the likelihood of him catching you in the nude is very low.

…

You decidedly move over to the ledge and carefully lower yourself into the water to avoid any splashing. Your sleeping space is pretty close by, after all. Once you’re submerged, you hang onto the bedrock for a few seconds in mental preparation, before pushing yourself into the open pool.

It feels nice.

With the glow of the cave walls, there’s still visibility in the water. But you’re not confident regarding the depth. For that reason, you doggy paddle around and avoid straying too far from the walls. A small part of you is tempted to explore the tunnel leading into the sea, but since Leo’s not around that’s probably a bad idea. What if you were swept away by the tide?

But then again, what if you didn’t go that far? Just enough to peer outside. The prospect of seeing sunlight again for the first time in, what…? Three weeks, or more? It’s tempting.

As you wade closer towards the tunnel, you catch sight of something swimming in front of you. The exact shape is difficult to distinguish, but it’s large. You get a glimpse of pale skin, mottled in dark spots. Your body goes rigid and you attempt to float with minimal movement.

When the aquatic creature disappears from your vision, only to reappear in the same spot a few seconds later, you feel your heart lurch in your throat. Is it a shark?

Something fleshy brushes against your skin and you let out a sharp, involuntary, yelp that reverberates against the cave walls. You jerk your foot upwards, your chest tightening with panic. What’s the best course of action? Try to swim away? You’ve read that will make it worse!

Before you can make a decision, you feel it graze your other foot. Your composure shatters, as well as your ability to stay properly afloat.

“LEO…!!!” You shriek.

You hear the familiar sound of a body breaking the water’s surface, maybe five seconds later. With your arms prematurely outstretched, your body pivots clumsily towards the source.

“Hey! Are you okay…?!”

Leo meets you half way, his arms looping around your waist. You impulsively cling onto him by his shoulders.

“S-Something touched my foot! It was huge! I think it’s a shark!” Your explanation stumbles out hastily, so much so that your words run together.

“...A shark?” Leo repeats in disbelief.

“Yes! I saw spots on its back!”

“...”

Leo’s chest quivers as laughter begins to bubble up from his chest. Your lips downturn into a frown.

“What? What’s so funny?” You bite out irritably.

His laughter dwindles. The tone he uses to address you afterwards is softer than you'd expect. “I should’ve warned you. But I didn’t really expect you to go in the water without giving me a heads up after all this time.”

“Huh?”

Leo removes a hand from your waist and brings it to his mouth, before pushing out an ear-piercing whistle. Not a second later, you hear something emerge from the water.

“Take a look for yourself,” Leo urges you.

You loosen your hold on him and turn your head towards the source of the noise. A flat, pancake-like, creature that’s at least five feet in diameter floats at the surface a short distance away. Its back is decorated with black splotches, identical to the ones you saw earlier.

“Oh… A stingray?”

“Yup. Her name’s Cookie.” While holding you close with one arm, Leo stretches out his free one. Cookie wades closer and brushes against his hand affectionately. “She was probably just getting a feel for you.”

“Hah… Oh, man. I’m an idiot,” You mutter. “She’s pretty cute.”

Leo retracts his hand and returns it to your waist. “Pet her if you want. Just don’t try to touch her tail, obviously. I told her not to flash it near you anyway.”

“...You can talk to her?” You hold your hand out this time, observing curiously as the stingray swims away and circles back to brush against your palm. Her skin feels smooth and velvety to the touch.

“Eh… It’s more accurate to say that I understand the way she communicates,” Leo explains vaguely. “She sort of keeps guard of this place for me. If something comes up, Cookie lets me know.”

“A little warning would have been nice. I hope I didn’t scare her,” You say guiltily.

“You probably did a little.” Leo shrugs. “I didn’t exactly expect you to go jumping in the water without a heads up. It’s not like you have yet.”

You give Leo a suspicious look. “And how would you know that?”

Leo raises his brows. A smirk plays at the corner of his lip, as his eyes impishly crinkle at the corners. “How else? I’ve been peeping on you every time you take a bath.”

You roll your eyes. “Yeah, right. I think I would have noticed your head poking out of the water. Why would you be interested in seeing that anyway? Unless you have some kind of interspecies kink.”

“Hm… Yeah.” Still fixed on you, Leo’s gaze sharpens imperceptibly. “You’re right, I guess I wouldn’t be.”

You struggle to mask the way the retort miffs you. Your lips press into a thin line and you cast your attention on the puppy-like stingray periodically coming up for pets.

“It’s not like I care,” You reply childishly.

Leo snorts in amusement. “Sure seems like you do, considering I didn’t ask.”

You feel your eye twitch involuntarily as you release your hold on Leo. “You’re the one looking at me like you’re expecting a reaction. Anyway, sorry for scaring you, Cookie.”

Your fingers skim across Cookie one more time, before you head off in the direction of your makeshift base.

“Where’s my apology for giving me a headache over your screeching?” Leo asks as you wade away. “Come back over here, dummy.”

“No, thanks, stupid. I want to rinse my hair. Also, you don’t get one! I wouldn’t have yelled if I thought Cookie was your pet, or even a stingray.”

“She’s not a pet,” Leo argues pointedly. “And you’re kind of being a baby, just saying.”

Your face turns scarlet at that. If he weren’t actually clocking you this wouldn’t be so embarrassing. Why should you care if Leo’s attracted to you or not? You’re the one that prompted him to say it too.

“...Whatever,” You reply lamely, as you reduce the distance between you and the rock’s ledge. At this point you’re just eager to hide your shame. Hopefully Leo stops negging you about it–

“WOAH?!”

Out of nowhere, a wave twice your size emerges from the still water, creating a barricade between you and the bedrock. Mercilessly, it folds in on itself and surges towards you with such ferocity that you’re pushed back the way you came. Just when you think you’re about to go under, Leo deftly grabs your wrists and spins you around to face him. Copying your previous position, he directs your arms around his shoulders and holds onto your midsection again.

You can’t be certain if it was a trick of the light, but his eyes seem to glow with a blue tinge for a short moment.

“Defy the tide and the tide will take its due. Haven’t you ever heard that saying?”

You stare at him, dumbstruck. The tone he uses is distinctly devoid of its usual levity. But then again, he is often pretty deadpan.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” For some reason, you find yourself pushing out a nervous laugh. “And you can control waves now too? What can’t you do?”

“A lot,” Leo replies, this time with a more playful edge. “But I’d learn without issue.”

You let out a one-syllable laugh. “I don’t know, I can’t see you getting into cooking.”

This is the part where Leo would usually throw some snide remark back at you, but instead he stares at you with an intensity that makes your throat tighten with apprehension.

“...Hey. You’re into me, aren’t you? And don’t try to bullshit me either.”

“W-What…?”

“You heard me,” Leo persists.

Considering he just got done implying that he wouldn’t be interested in you… Joke or not, the question feels unfair. You have trouble holding his gaze. His scrutiny feels far too heavy right now. “...Why do you want to know if you’re not interested? Is this some kind of humiliation ritual?”

“Why are you so stubborn about coming clean?”

You sigh tiredly. “...I think anyone with eyes would find you beautiful. You’ve helped me a lot. You’re funny and fun to be around. Developing some sort of crush on you is kind of inevitable under these circumstances.”

Leo lets out a low, amused snicker. He seems entirely too pleased with himself. “Sounds like you’re coping with it. Leave it to a human to develop sappy sentimentalities for a bonafide sea creature.”

You redirect your attention to him, your lips pressing into a hard line. “You’re making fun of me.”

Leo blatantly ignores the accusation in favor of a topic switch. “You asked me about bonds, didn't you?”

“Yeah. So?” Your tone carries a defensive edge.

The merman lowers his face towards you. Impulsively, your eyes flutter shut when you feel the bridge of his nose graze your own. Rather than landing a surprise kiss, you feel him settle his forehead against yours. An unfamiliar, warm sensation blooms from his touch. Goosebumps prick the expanse of your body, starting from your head and traveling down to the tips of your toes. A pleasant, inexplicable, yet dull hum ripples beneath the skin.

“Why don’t we do it?” He murmurs, his breath fanning teasingly over your lips.

“...Do what?” You squeak out dumbly.

“Fuck, obviously.”

Your eyes snap open at that. “What?! That’s not what you just said!”

Leo draws back slightly and a derisive laugh rips from his throat. “Oh, so you do remember?”

“You…!” Your face feels like it’s on fire. “You never told me what ‘bonding’ entails, jerk!”

Leo squints playfully. “So, you want to?”

For some reason, you find it difficult to outright reject the notion. “That seems… Impossible.”

“Not really. I could make it happen,” Leo confesses easily.

Is he serious…?

Your words catch in your throat and you struggle to formulate a response. This is the equivalent of asking to have a romantic relationship, isn’t it? No, it’s much more than that.

“All you gotta do is abandon your mundane life on the surface. Then I’ll serve you ‘til the day you die. Sounds like a fair trade, doesn’t it?”

The suggestion rolls off his tongue like your life up until recently was something inconsequential. Disposable even. Buried underneath the complacency, there’s something vulnerable about the way he looks at you. As if he’s prepared to hang on your every word.

…

“Leo…” You start carefully. “I can’t stay here forever. I have obligations of my own and people waiting for me. If this bonding thing means isolation… I don’t think that would work.”

Leo exhales through his nose, shooting you a disappointed look. “Tch… Boooring.”

“But I still really like y–”

Your sentence is stifled by Leo’s mouth sealing against yours in a bruising kiss. The gold bar embedding his tongue clacks against your teeth as his tongue invasively pushes past your lips without so much as a warning. A surge of warmth unfurls torturously in your abdomen as he brazenly explores your mouth. Unlike last time, you can’t bring yourself to push him away. However irresponsible these feelings might be, the prospect of intimacy is all too inviting.

Much to your dismay, Leo breaks away just as you begin to return the kiss. The bitterness etched into his pretty features is enough to make your stomach lurch. He removes your arms from around him and without warning, water surges forward, sweeping you a few meters away. Your hand grasps the ledge of the bedrock and you gape at him in confusion.

“I need to be somewhere. Don’t wait up for me,” Leo says curtly.

“...You’ll be back tonight, right?”

“Nah. Tomorrow.” Leo tears his gaze away and disappears beneath the water before you can get another word in.

𓆉 ⋆.˚ 𓆝⋆.˚

“Leo, you received another letter from the oracle's daughter. It seems she has taken a liking to you.”

A teenage, bipedal Leo sits across from a beautiful woman who bears an eerily close resemblance to him. She brings a porcelain cup close to her lips as she gauges his reaction to the news. Leo maintains a poker face, while pushing the greens around on his plate. He never did like eating this shit.

“You told me that last week,” Leo replies monotonously. “I’ve hardly spoken with her.”

She takes a modest sip from her cup, humming in contentment. “There’s no time like the present. Her family is highly respected within the kingdom. That’s quite lucky, wouldn’t you say?”

“If she had half a brain she would find someone that’s not surface-touched,” Leo retorts. There’s an edge in his voice that’s misdirected.

“You shouldn’t put so much importance on that,” She chides with a sigh. “Don’t misunderstand. As your mother, above all, I want you to be happy. Her social standing is not nearly as precious as her sincerity.”

“I know what you meant.” Leo drops his fork, deciding he’s spent enough time toying with the idea of finishing it off. He knows he won’t. “If it’ll make you happy, I’ll talk to her next time I see her. But I don’t think she’s my type.”

Leo’s mother covers her mouth and laughs airily. “Since when did you decide that you even have such a thing?”

Leo shrugs. “I’m not really interested in merfolk.”

Her expression flounders into a complicated one. She folds her arms over her chest, fingers idly grasping at the chiffon sleeves of her dress. “You know my being here is a special circumstance. Your father requires you to be here.”

Leo rolls his eyes and abruptly stands from the table. He picks up his unfinished plate in preparation to leave. “I didn’t say I was gonna do anything. If it doesn’t work out with Maris, at least I gave you a reason. I don’t need to court or bond with anyone.”

She appears mildly less perturbed by the revelation. A small smile curls at her lips. “...The sea is brighter with you in it, Leo. By moon and tide, travel safely.”

𓆉 ⋆.˚ 𓆝⋆.˚

You wake up the next morning with a headache that lingers and throbs towards the front of your skull. The most obvious explanation for it would be neglecting to hydrate yourself the night before. You were so caught up on Leo’s behavior that sleep hadn’t come easily. And you can’t recall definitively, but you’re pretty sure you dreamt of him too.

…Why did he kiss you after that?

It seemed less like an affectionate gesture and more akin to a petty act of defiance. The fact that he doesn’t seem to want you to leave should concern you. A part of you wonders if there have been ships that steered out your way and Leo just didn’t tell you about it.

But would he really do that?

…Other than him providing for you, it isn’t as if Leo’s given you a reason to think that’s not out of the realm of possibility. You trust that he doesn’t want to harm you, but does he truly have your best interest in mind?

You know that doubting him won’t do you any good. You need Leo to survive. Moreover, you want to maintain a good relationship with Leo because you’ve come to care for him. As of right now, he’s all you got.

…

The day drags by. You make an attempt to finish reading that book about the trench warden, but your mind continues to wander in the process. After rereading the same paragraph for what felt like the tenth time, you give up and set it aside.

Maybe you could get started making food. Leo said he would be here.

He brought you up a basket of uncut vegetables the other day. Radishes, purple potatoes, carrots, onions, and even garlic. Apparently, they’re from a conservatory in one of those air pockets he mentioned before. You still can’t fathom how it works. If only you were able to go see it with him.

Finding the most level part of the bedrock, you set up a sturdy, white cutting board on top of a crate. The board itself felt unlike any you’ve used before. Smooth, yet if you run your fingers over it thoroughly, you notice micro ridges speckling the surface. And the knife he brought you is sharper than any you’ve handled back home. Made from obsidian, it appears black and reflective enough that you can see your face through the blade.

Nearly everything he’s brought you has been a glimpse into his world. As endearing as it is, it also serves as a reminder that you’re far from home.

Conversing with him, it’s easy to forget that he’s not human. Yet he can purify water for you to clean these vegetables with. Control the tides, adjust the sea’s temperature, dry you with a small gust of air, and communicate with sealife. It’s almost as if he’s closer to some kind of oceanic God than a mermaid.

If you left today, would you be happy…?

The cognitive dissonance you feel is disconcerting. So, you bury the thought and begin cleaning and chopping your vegetables.

…

“What is this?” Leo brings his face close to the bowl in his hand and gives it an experimental sniff.

You can’t help but notice he chose to stay partially submerged in the water. As of late, he would at least sit on the edge of the rocks. He’s keeping his distance, isn’t he? Maybe he secretly hates you now.

“Just a vegetable soup.” You blow on your own bowl in an attempt to cool it down, before taking a tentative sip from the lip. It could use more salt, but otherwise isn’t bad. “You’re kind of picky about vegetables, right? I figured you brought the ones you liked.”

Leo sets the bowl down on the rocks. Far enough that you speculate that he doesn’t plan on reaching for it again. “Nah, it was random.”

You can’t help but pout a bit. “You don’t want it?”

“I’ll try it later,” Leo insists. The assurance doesn’t sound that convincing.

Usually it wouldn’t bother you, but considering you’re still under the impression that he’s mad at you, his pickiness hits differently. You swallow the mild hurt with another gulp of your soup. It tastes worse the second time.

At least your headache seems to have cleared up.

“How was work?” You ask softly.

Leo shrugs as he rests his chin against his forearms. “No different than usual.”

“.....”

A brief silence follows. You’re not sure if it’s awkward or not, but your insecurity tells you it is. You stare into your concoction that contains various things Leo gave you.

…

“...If you could pick one thing to take out of the soup, what would it be?” You ask suddenly.

Leo quirks a brow at you. The answer comes effortlessly anyway. “The wakame.”

“Really? Why?”

He makes a face that elicits a quiet laugh from you. “It’s briny. Kind of slimy. Just gross in general. I’ll still eat it, so don’t sweat it.”

A wave of déjà vu suddenly hits you. Didn’t you see something similar in your dream this morning…? Another question lurks at the tip of your tongue.

“...Leo. Can you tell me about your Mom? You mentioned your Dad being important in your kingdom, but not much about your Mom.”

The merman blinks at you. It’s clear the question took him off guard. “Where did that come from?”

“I just… I don’t know. I had a dream last night and I think I may have seen her in it. Well, obviously I don’t know what she looks like! My brain at least made up an appearance for her.”

You expect Leo to make fun of you, but he just watches you with a curious expression. “What happened in it?”

“Nothing much that I can recall. But you didn’t eat the wakame on your plate. Oh, and you and your mom both had legs?”

Leo smiles, just barely. “Dreams during a new moon reveal hidden truths. All of that sounds about right.”

If not for the bittersweet touch in his expression, you’d probably assume he’s making some kind of a joke. “So, all mermaids sprout legs like that?”

“...Pffft. Of course not.”

“So, then…?”

“My mother was a human, Barnie.”

The bowl in your hands nearly clatters to the ground in your stupor. “WHAT?!”

Leo scowls and covers his ears with his palms. “Could you be any louder? These walls echo, y’know.”

Your voice drops in volume, but only marginally. “You’re half-human?! That explains, like, a lot? And wait, what do you mean ‘was’? You don’t look much older than twenty. How did she…?”

Leo snorts. “Twenty? Yeah, you’re a bit off base. She was getting up there in age, but I’m older than you think.”

“...It wasn’t old age? Sorry, if I’m coming across as rude, or touching a sore spot. You can totally ignore me!”

Leo exhales tiredly. “Don’t get all weird on me about it. That was years ago. Her death was sudden and the coroner ruled it as a heart attack. Living in an air pocket for decades probably ate away a few years on its own.”

“She lived in your kingdom?” Your jaw goes slack in awe. “I didn’t think that something like that would be permitted…”

“Generally, it wouldn’t be. An order from a Triton is law, though. My father wanted to keep her close by.”

“He must have loved her then, right?”

Leo stalls to answer, his gaze breaking off to nowhere in particular. “...She wanted to be around to raise me. There’s no way she could take me to the surface to stay.”

The evasion of the question doesn’t go unnoticed. Daringly, you try a new angle. “Do you dislike your father?”

“I don’t think about him,” Leo replies vaguely. “He has his own thing going.”

“I see…”

You drink more of your soup while Leo pets Cookie. She intermittently resurfaces to the top of the water like some underwater pancake boomerang. It isn’t long before you come up with new things to ask him.

“Are you like… Hundreds of years old then?”

Leo chuffs in amusement. “Nah. Way less than that. I stopped keeping track a while ago, though.”

“When’s your birthday?”

“May.”

“The day?” You press hopefully.

Leo’s eyes stay trained on Cookie as he skims his fingers over her back. “...The twenty-third. Yours?”

You tell him your birthday. He hums in acknowledgement.

“Have you been to the surface as a human?”

“Yeah. Many times.”

“Really?” A grin splits your face. “Where did you go? What did you do?”

“My mother used to go with me to the persimmon festival in the fall. It’s the only time of year my father allowed it.” Leo pauses with a ruminative look on his face. His lips upturn slightly, as if he’s recalling a fond memory. “Yeah. They always taste better that time of year.”

So, Leo likes persimmons. You’ll remember that.

“When’s the last time you went?”

“Not since I was a kid.” Leo retracts his hand from Cookie and leans against the rocks again.

Your fingers tighten their grip around the bowl in your hands. “...Maybe we could go together someday?”

“Nah.” Just like that, the idea is immediately shut down.

“Why not?” The hurt in your voice isn’t masked well.

Leo’s gaze flicks in your direction, before receding a few seconds later. Notably, his tone softens a smidge. “...I don’t even know where it is anymore. It would be a pain in the ass to get there without my father’s assistance. And I don’t plan on asking him.”

A dull ache begins to swell in your chest.

“...If I make it back home, will I ever see you again?”

“Probably not,” Leo deadpans mercilessly. “Also, what’s with the ‘if’?”

“I don’t know. Anything could or couldn’t happen.” You set the remainder of your soup down. Suddenly, you don’t have much of an appetite.

“That’s a switch up.” Leo clicks his tongue in quiet disbelief. “...And actually, that reminds me. About a week from now, a fishing boat will come by. It’ll be a bit of a swim, but it’s nothing compared to finding a shore.”

“How do you know that?”

“The same group of humans do every month. It’s part of my job to keep track of that stuff. So, stop sweating it. You’ll be back to your old life in no time.”

Leo seems confident in his assertion. Yet, it does nothing to alleviate the discomfort you feel right now.

“...You’re upset with me,” You say.

Leo’s brow furrows marginally. “Huh?”

“Usually you sit closer. And you showed up later than usual, didn’t you?” Not that you can definitively say for sure, but the way he doesn’t flinch at the accusation is telling. Instead, a sardonic laugh spills from his throat.

“What? Do you suggest I cuddle you after being brutally rejected? And since when do I have a curfew?”

Leo has a point. You have no business having those sort of expectations for him. But then again, you wouldn’t bring it up if his behaviors remained consistent. And isn’t ‘brutally rejected’ sort of a stretch?

You stare at your lap wistfully. “...I don’t mean to suggest how you should or shouldn’t behave. I care about you, so I don’t want us to be on bad terms.”

“You’re the only one making that assumption here. Do you think I’m so pathetic that I can’t accept no for an answer?”

“That’s not–”

“Forget I brought it up, seriously,” Leo interjects. “I can’t leave you here by yourself all the time, so the least you can do is not make it awkward.”

It makes sense that he doesn’t want to dwell on it. You both know there isn’t a perfect solution here.

“Fine. I get it,” You concede.

Leo quietly turns his attention to the bowl he left abandoned wayside. Following through on his earlier promise, he picks it up and takes a few quick gulps from the lip.

“...How is it?”

Leo sets it back down and wipes the edge of his mouth, sporting a theatrically pained look. “All I taste is the seaweed. Gross. No offense.”

A blithe laugh escapes you. “I don’t blame you. At least you tried it.”

The two of you bounce back to normal after the minor hiccup and chat about the mundane. Leo doesn’t stay for much longer that night.

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

A week passes without anything out of the ordinary happening. That is, until Leo doesn’t show as expected that evening.

Despite not having a clock for confirmation, you could tell that something was off. Concern plagues your mind when you hear the distinct sound of thunderclaps from just outside the cave. Even more so when the usually still water on the inside is affected as well.

Miraculously, the tunnel leading out into the sea seems to be separated from your immediate vicinity by some kind of magical barrier. As the storm rages, you watch waves crash against the thin veil protecting your cave from harm. You can only pray that Leo is safe.

The headache returns, this time with agonizing persistence. Not only that, but your body begins to exhibit signs of a fever. You shed your regular clothes and replace them with a thin night gown that Leo brought up for you. You’ll have to wash them in the morning. Hopefully, by then you’d be back to normal and would be able to see Leo again.

You set up your bedroll even closer to the ledge of the bedrock and bury yourself underneath the covers. The faint smell of crushed sea lavender wafts into your nose. You’re not sure if it’s from the pillow or leftover soap remnants on your skin. Either way, it reminds you of Leo. Particularly the time you slept together here. You had felt more well-rested that night than any of the others in this cave. Probably more so than you have in years. You wish he was lying with you right now.

Almost as soon as the thought springs into your head, you notice your mottled pancake friend wading towards the water’s surface closeby. You’re pretty sure she even makes eye contact with you. A tired smile curls at your lips in acknowledgement.

Cookie must be checking on you. Unfortunately, your body feels far too fatigued to reach over and pet her. You might actually fall in. If only you knew how to communicate with her like Leo.

Your eyelids sag with every passing second. It isn’t long before exhaustion drags you into a deep slumber.

……

“...Barnie. Hey, talk to me.”

You feel a cool palm touch the side of your face. Unconsciously, you find yourself leaning into it. A pleasant buzzing sensation thrums from the point of contact. When he draws his hand away you expel a pitiful groan.

“At least you’re moving now. You had me worried for a second there.”

Slowly, your eyes crack open to Leo’s blurry form. It takes a few seconds before your eyes are in complete focus. You realize Leo is sitting cross-legged beside you, dressed in those red harem pants again. Initially, you’re confused. But then the memories of the storm come flooding back.

“...Leo. You’re safe. I was worried,” You say softly.

He offers an obscure, but gentle smile. “Yeah. That storm got pretty nasty, huh? I got caught up tying some loose ends, so I couldn’t make it back in time.”

“How late is it…?”

Leo hums with a ruminative look. He hands you the gold water flask that you make a point to keep close by. “Mmm… Maybe, like, five? Six in the morning?”

You accept it with a quiet ‘thanks’ and sit upright to take a drink. The water feels so refreshing going down your throat that you end up draining all of its contents. You sigh in contentment and set the flask off to the side. “So, not much time has passed? That’s strange. I don’t feel feverish anymore.”

“Guess I cured you, huh?” Leo sticks his tongue out at you playfully.

You suspect that may actually be close to the truth. After all, your headache disappeared when he showed up before this too.

“...”

As happy as you are to see him unharmed, his presence so soon after the storm ceased is a cause for concern. One that you’re no longer able to overlook.

You settle your head back onto your pillow. “Hey, Leo?”

Leo tilts his head curiously, as he leans back on his palms. “Yeah?”

“Hypothetically, if humans were to travel here in search of your city, what’s the easiest way to deal with them?”

He stares at you for a prolonged moment, before delivering an answer. “If it’s a decent sized vessel? Probably a tornadic waterspout.”

Your fingers clench around the fabric covering your chest, as you stare up at the luminous ceiling. “That kind of phenomenon is usually accompanied by thunderstorms, isn’t it?”

Leo’s impenetrable gaze lingers on you. “...Yeah, I guess so. Wow, you’re familiar with how meteorology works? Congrats.”

There’s the phantom headaches, the foreign sensations from Leo’s touch, and the clairvoyant dreams… You’ve suspected it, but now you’re almost certain. Somewhere along the line, Leo initiated a contingent bond. You hadn’t taken it seriously at the time, but maybe it really did start with revealing his name. Leo mentioned that the bond solidifies after the next lunar cycle. That began last week.

And the fishing boat that was meant to take you back to shore? Something in your gut tells you that it sank today, by his own volition.

Leo never intended for you to leave. You’re not sure if you’re more disturbed by the conjecture, or the fact that it doesn't affect you nearly as much as it should. That tale about the trench warden mentioned something else about bonds that you’ve been dwelling on.

Leo cannot lie to you.

Your eyes flutter to a close. “Did I die the day I was thrown overboard?”

Leo laughs at that, in genuine amusement. “Did you hit your head while I was gone? You’re alive and breathing. All thanks to me, by the way.”

You’ve felt as if you owe him since the first day you met him. Is isolation really the price for receiving help from a mermaid demigod?

“...Is that fishing boat coming anytime soon?”

“...”

Your eyes flick over to Leo, who’s now avoiding your gaze with visible impatience.

“With these storms? Is that even a question?” He bites out.

The question wasn’t direct enough. But you’re not sure if you’re ready to hear the answer directly from his mouth anyway. If you knew without a shadow of a doubt, would that make you responsible in some way? Maybe you’re making assumptions too hastily.

“Leo. My body aches,” You lie. It hasn’t since you awoke. But that incessant desire to come in contact with him all over again is tenacious.

The change in subject seems to abate Leo, because his sharp eyes are honed in on you again. “And?”

You roll over on your back and hug your pillow. “...Can you rub my shoulders? Please? I’ll love you forever.”

“Huh? Since when am I a massage therapist…? And don’t go making promises you can’t keep.”

Regardless of his complaints, you hear him settle next to you, before feeling his fingers experimentally press against the trapezius muscle on your right side. A soft sigh passes your lips that encourages him to continue. His hand curls around your shoulder in a c-shape and you feel his thumb press in and roll upward. You melt into the pillow, biting your tongue to stifle the embarrassing noises that threaten to spill over as he works at the muscle.

“Your muscles feel knotted. Might need to find you more layers for the bedroll.”

“Can you do both of them? My shoulders,” You clarify.

“Uh… That angle is awkward.”

“You can sit over my back,” You suggest flippantly.

“What?” The unease in his voice is palpable. “You seriously want me to straddle you?”

“Just do it.”

“......”

Several beats pass and you feel him settle over your lower back without applying much weight. Both of his hands begin working on your shoulders and coaxing the tension out. Wherever they press, a soothing current seems to follow in their wake. You feel the sensation of his fingers clumsily snagging on your nightgown’s straps. Not a second later they’re being pushed off your shoulders, before he continues his ministrations.

“How long am I supposed to do this for? My hands are getting tired,” Leo complains. You find it hard to believe considering the rhythm and intensity of his touch remains consistent.

You’re mildly surprised he even followed through with it. He had been avoiding coming close, let alone touching you for the last week. That aside, he doesn’t seem like the type to go around massaging people. All you know is that you don’t want him to stop.

“You don’t have to keep going if you don’t want to.”

Leo doesn’t entertain the idea with a response. Instead, his thumbs continue to knead, until your shoulders loosen up. Once that happens, he’s quick to remove his hands and prepare to maneuver off of you.

“You should be set, Barnie–”

“Wait,” You blurt out.

You can practically hear him rolling his eyes. “...Yeah? I’m waiting.”

“My lower back hurts too.”

“...Are you for real? You’re wearing a loose dress. How the hell am I supposed to do that properly?”

“I can take it off.”

The conversation sinks like a stone. And the silence that follows starts to make you second guess the temerity of your word choice. It isn’t until Leo sighs, for what seems like umpteenth time, that you let go of the breath that you didn’t even realize you were holding. He moves off of you and sits on the bedroll, before tearing his gaze away.

“If you’re serious, then do it.”

…

You end up peeling off the dress and using your blanket to cover up the lower half of your body. Leo straddles your thighs once you’re face down again. His knuckles push against your lower back muscles, moving vertically in an up and down motion. Quiet hums rumble from your throat as your body buzzes with pleasure.

Every time his hands get close enough to brush against the band of your underwear, you feel your core tremble. You should feel embarrassed for getting excited by this, but the last thing you want him to do is stop. Eventually, his hands move to hug the curves of your hips, while his thumbs rub slow circles in an upward motion. Much to your chagrin, something that sounds like a moan escapes you when his fingers brush over a particularly tender spot.

Comically, Leo’s movements cease entirely.

“...Wow. You like it that much, pervert?”

You feel your face warm up, your thighs tensing underneath him. “So what if I do? It feels good.”

Leo’s thumbs experimentally skim over the same spot, eliciting a similar noise from you again. “Your head's not in the gutter, is it, Barnie? Should I feel objectified?”

The derisive taunting is enough to have your abdomen coiling with pressure. “...It might be.”

“Aaw,” Leo coos, as he lowers his body towards you. His lips brush against the side of your neck, before he’s placing a chaste kiss onto your skin. “Have you gone and changed your mind?”

More like, you know that your fate is sealed. But you can’t bring yourself to kill the mood.

“...There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”

Leo clicks his tongue irritably. “‘Right now’, huh…? I’ll let that slide for now.”

Your breath catches in your throat when Leo’s hand skirts down from your lower back and slips in between your thighs. His fingers press against the damp fabric of your underwear and you unconsciously arch your back in response.

“Ah…!”

“I knew it. You’re so wet. What exactly were you thinking about?” Leo’s digits push past the fabric of your crotch and swipe over your folds. A self-assured smirk curls at his lip when you let out a strangled cry. “You weren’t thinking about us getting it on, were you? That’s pretty degenerate, Barnie.”

“S-shut up! Like you aren’t the one saying it.”

“So, you want me to stop?” Leo places another kiss, this time between your shoulder blades. You feel a phantom thrumming sensation when his lips break away from the spot, almost akin to a heartbeat.

You wonder how different this is for him with you– a human. He doesn’t seem shy about it either way. “...No, I don’t.”

The tip of Leo’s nose brushes a little bit lower on your backside, his breath fanning over the skin. He cements his arm on the bedroll beside you, his position shifting to where he’s hovering over you, granting your hips more mobility. “What do you want me to do?”

“K-keep touching me where you were.”

Leo’s fingers loop around the band of your underwear, before he’s tugging them off completely. You hike your hips up marginally and suffocate a whine into your pillow, as his fingers return to your sex to run along your folds again.

“I’ve never touched a human like this. If I don’t hear you, how am I supposed to know what to do?”

In spite of the comment, his fingers deliberately push against your clit, drawing yet another obscene noise from you. This time, it echoes against the walls of the chamber. You feel the tip of one of his digits sink into your heat and shallowly stroke at your walls. Leo’s breath hitches as you clench eagerly around him.

“Leo…” You steady your weight on your elbows and rock your hips, attempting to take more of his finger in. He’s hardly done anything and yet you’re trembling at his touch. “Mm…! Y-you can keep moving.”

Leo pays no mind to your request. Instead his other hand slips beneath your chest and pinches your nipple forcefully. Your core twitches involuntarily and you find yourself slamming your hips into his hand, effectively taking all of his finger in. He nips at the back of your neck, a fiendish giggle escaping his mouth.

“Aw, aren’t you all cute and desperate?” Leo languidly thrusts his finger inside of you a few times. You whimper pitifully when he pulls it out altogether and rolls your nipple between his fingers. “I don’t feel like doing that anymore. Give me something different.”

He’s just toying with you. But you’re so determined for this to continue, that you’re not even sure you care all that much.

You abruptly sit up on your knees, causing Leo to roll on his side. You’re pleasantly surprised to find that his cheeks are dusted with a rosy pink, yet he still regards you with a confident smirk. Bringing a hand to cup his pretty face, your thumb runs along his supple lower lip.

“...Fine. Why don’t you use your mouth?”

Leo’s eyes go half-lidded as he assesses you with a smoky gaze. Satisfaction crosses your features as he appears to burn brighter. “Where? I don’t get it.”

Brat.

“If you don’t want to, why don’t I do it to you?” You move your hand to his chest, your fingertips teasingly brushing downward on the golden chain links that adorn his body. His hand catches your wrist before it can travel past his navel.

In the blink of an eye, you’re being lifted by your waist. Leo lays flat on his back and drops you to where your heat is hovering over his face. You buckle forward, your hands sinking into the pillow as his tongue darts out to lick a stripe along your slit. Leo’s hands smooth along your thighs, before roaming to your butt and giving it an appreciative squeeze.

“You’re so soft,” He murmurs in awe. “I bet you bruise just as easily here as you do on your neck.”

Leo steadies you in place as he continues to lave his tongue over your arousal. The gold bar embedding the appendage intermittently grazes your bundle of nerves with deliberate transience. In spite of the lazy way he’s eating you out, you feel pressure rapidly build in your abdomen. The deprivation of direct and predictable stimulation has you nearly choking out a sob as you quiver above him.

When he moves his mouth away just as you’re about to climax, you feel nothing less than betrayed.

“W-Why’d you stop…?”

Leo’s hands grip your hips again, and before you can even register what's happening, you’re being moved to his lap. The wind is nearly knocked out of you when he sits upright and crashes his lips against yours with bruising force. Your fingers tangle with the chains in an attempt to ground yourself as he kisses you like he intends to steal your very last breath.

Once you manage to separate your mouths, you wedge your fingers against his chin, taking a moment to steady your ragged breathing. “H-hey…! Wait a sec.”

A lackadaisical hum rumbles from his throat. He grabs your wrist and brings your fingertips close to his mouth, before planting a kiss against them. The gesture is so unexpectedly gentle that you feel your heart skip a beat. His gilt eyes lock with yours, imbued with a fervor that feels new.

“You should know that the ocean knows your name now. There’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you.”

There’s a sense of foreboding intertwined with the comment. One that feels out of place to be spoken by a youthful faced, small-framed, man that more often has a tendency to speak in juvenile colloquialisms than anything. You might try to laugh it off if it weren’t for the timing.

“I won’t try to leave you,” You say instead.

Leo sputters out a laugh. “Pffft. Yeah, it’d be kind of pointless. It’s a good thing you’re having fun with me, huh?”

He keeps one arm looped around your waist, as his free hand moves to one of your breasts. Leo’s hips rut against yours as he begins rolling your nipple between his thumb and index finger again. Your mind goes blank when you feel his hardened cock grind against your arousal, with only thin pants acting as a barrier between the two of you.

You suspect it may be the effects of the bond. The way every kiss, touch, and caress is mind-numbingly intoxicating. As far as you’re concerned, you need Leo like lungs need oxygen.

“Leo… Hah! D-do you think…? Can we…”

“Can we, what?” Leo presses an open mouthed kiss to your throat as he kneads your breast. “You want me to fuck you, right?”

You raise your hips and reach for the waistband of his pants, pulling at it with an impatient tug. “Please.”

“Hmm…” Leo slows his movements and lands a quick peck on your cheek. “Kay. But on one condition.”

You peer at his face with a probing look. “Wha–What is it?”

Leo doesn’t pitch the idea first. Instead, he quickly shucks off his pants, with you hovering over his lap. You barely catch a glimpse of him, before he sets you to the side and slinks off into the water. Confusion riddles your expression as he comes back up around twenty seconds later and props himself up on rock’s ledge.

“It’ll be our first time, so it’s gotta be done like this,” Leo announces matter-of-factly. “Consider it, like, tradition or something.”

“Oh… Is that possible?” You hadn’t really put too much thought into how mermaid anatomy works. But you’d be lying if you said it didn’t cross your mind once or twice.

“Wouldn’t suggest it if it wasn’t. How do you think I was made?” Leo sticks his tongue out at you petulantly. “Get in here, or I might change my mind.”

Decidedly, you shimmy over to the ledge and lower yourself into the water. Leo’s quick to sidle himself beside you and take you in his arms. You brace yourself against his shoulders as he blindsides you with another barrage of kisses. Leo grabs your thighs and aligns you until you feel something slick graze your entrance.

You let out a shaky breath as the tip of his cock penetrates you. It initially feels thin, until you’re sinking down to the hilt. He stretches your walls out, almost to the point of pain. A chaste, placating kiss lands on your temple.

“Relax. It’ll feel good,” Leo murmurs softly.

White floods your vision when you feel his cock twitch inside of you and press up against your sweet spot. A breathy moan rips from your throat and you wind your arms tightly around his neck for support. Guiding you by your hips, he begins to rock into you at a slow tempo.

“Leo…” You bury your face against his neck and messily pepper teeth-grazing kisses as he fucks into you. The pressure from before stacks at a much faster rate. Spurred by Leo’s shattered moans, you hook your legs around his torso and attempt to bounce against his thrusts.

“F-Fuck… You feel so good,” Leo rasps. If you’re not mistaken you hear your actual name fall from his lips.

Your abdomen sets fire as his pace hastens and the tip of his cock bullies your cervix. The thrusts become more shallow, as if he’s intent on burying himself in you as much humanly possible. Your walls spasm and contract around him as you approach your climax.

“Leo, I’m going to…!”

Unexpectedly, Leo drops his hands from your thighs. He pivots to face the rock’s ledge and holds onto it, hoisting the both of you out of the water. You hardly register the pain of your back making contact with the gravely surface as you come undone with a blinding thrust. Seconds later, Leo’s hips stutter against you, filling you to the brim with his seed.

He hovers over you, supporting his weight on his arms while his tail remains partially submersed. Your chest heaves tiredly and your unfocused gaze lingers on Leo. He continues to languidly pump inside of you, while nipping at your exposed breasts.

“You think it’ll take?” Leo asks suddenly. He doesn’t even bother looking at you as he asks the question, like it doesn’t concern him in either direction. His mouth encloses on one of your nipples, dragging a whimper out of you.

The high you’re feeling seems to be inhibiting the alarm bells that should be going off right now. He sucks on your breast, before releasing it with a wet pop.

“Never really wanted kids or anything. I’d try it out with you, though.”

The weight of the comment slowly begins to sink in. You sit up on your elbows, your eyes snapping open wide with shock. “What?! W-Wait, we can’t! I’m staying in a literal cave, are you out of your mind?!”

Leo raises an eyebrow at you. “What? You want a spot in my city? I could make that happen.”

“That’s like a small fraction of the problem here! It’s way too soon to be talking about kids!” You protest in exasperation.

Leo heaves out a sigh, his expression twisting in annoyance. It looks like he has more to say, but ultimately refrains. “...Fine. I’ll drop it for now. Let’s get you cleaned up.”