#bf!oli

Tw: Cannibalism-esque themes (as in fantasy aquatic person talks about eating a human), detailed description of almost throwing up (skip the paragraph after the first line about Cannibalism)

It was the crown that first caught Avid's attention. A gold glimmer drew them near, hoping they'd find something to help pay off their debt. In a burst of speed they swim upwards, snatching up the sinking treasure.

It was a pretty thing, elegantly molded, well-crafted. It almost felt a shame to hand it over to The Don, who would add it to the pile of all his other treasures, making it one of many items that lose individual value, becoming part of his hoard.

Avid sets it down gently in his bag. 

He looks up to see if anything else has fallen overboard. If this crown had been lost, maybe some coins or jewels were lost too.

Instead of gold though, their vision catches on sinking red. Red fabric, red hair, red blood all flowing out around a figure sinking below the waves. They're struggling, trying to swim back to the surface, but the layers of their dress impede their flailing legs from creating the movement necessary. 

Avid freezes, unsure what to do. That's a surface folk, probably human, and they're sinking. He should save them but… humans scare him. But it's not like this one's a threat, drowning as they are. ‘Oh my oceans they're drowning and I've been sitting here doing nothing’ He realizes. 

He swims closer to get a better look, catching sight of their last air bubbles escaping them and their eyes fluttering shut. He darts forward, panicking. 

“Please don't die please don't die please don't die.” They ramble, taking in the person in front of them. Definitely human. Their blue eyes meet Avid's, but they're hazy. After a moment they fall shut and don't open again. 

Avid can really only do one thing to save them, and fearful of humans as they are they don't want people to die. They steady the sinking form, holding the human’s shoulders in his webbed hands. Their gills flutter as they breathe deeply. Gathering their resolve, they lean in, press their lips against the humans, and breathe air into their lungs. 

As the air pushes in, the water filling that space is forced out through the individual's nose. Avid grimaces, as that does not look pleasant, but after a few staggered, struggling breaths, their breathing evens out, and their expression settles into something peaceful. 

Avid hums a note of relief. He's never actually had to use The Ocean's Blessing before, he was glad he was able to save them in time. Before realizing that he now has to figure out what happens next. 

… He has no idea what happens next. 

“Now what have you got there, son?” A shiver goes down Avid's spine as the voice of The Don speaks up from behind them. His voice scratchy and grating on the siren’s ears. 

They twirl around hastily. “Mr. Oli! What are you doing out- out here? Y- you don't normally bother visiting the edges of the night market.” They ramble nervously, holding the red clad form a little tighter as they tense up defensively. 

“Caught the scent of blood in the water. Human blood.” Replies the Don in a laxidaisical tone. “Made me curious.”

Avid startles into action at those words, now remembering that their human is injured. Scanning them over, he notes the deep crimson staining the softer strands of burgundy. Hurriedly, he pulls out some fabric weed from his bag, tearing a strip of it off and using that to bandage the wound. He'd been planning to use that to sew a skirt but when someone is bleeding out in your arms, fashion can wait. 

Mr. Oli had drawn near as they'd worked. “You seem awfully invested in keeping this young maiden alive.” The shark notes, a sinister glint in his eyes. 

Avid tilts his head in confusion. “Why wouldn't I be?” 

The Don chuckles, expression smug in a way Avid sometimes pretends is fond when they're feeling particularly lonely. 

“Just hope you're not getting too attached, son,” he drawls, “Seems like a lot of work to waste on a morsel I'm planning on having for dinner.”

…

Avid feels like he's gonna throw up. Their stomach flips over itself, they feel their lunch trying to crawl up their throat, taste bile in the back of their mouth. He gags, but manages to choke it back down. 

“...W-what?” They finally manage to stutter out, the word barely more than a whisper. 

The Don smiles, bearing his knife-sharp teeth in a way Avid knows is a threat. “Human blood is a delicacy I don't often get to partake in, son. I'd be a fool to pass up on this opportunity.”

The shark's smile drops as he meets the siren's eyes. “And I'm no fool.”

“Of- of course not, Mr. Oli!” Avid hurries to say. He feels himself curling around his human protectively, tail wrapped around them and arms clinging tightly. The effort is futile. They wouldn't last a minute against The Don. They've been forced to surrender in less just trying to defend themself.

“Avid,” the shark scolds, the rare use of their name making them want to cower or hide. “You aren't trying to get in-between me and a meal, are you?” He asks, narrowing his eyes at the purple mer.

Avid trills nervously, a soothing sound sirens make instinctually. They cut off the sound the second they realize they're making it. The Don dislikes being manipulated by it. They're already in enough trouble. 

If there's two things Mr. Oli cares about, it's gold and food. Avid already owes him a hundred thousand gold, he really shouldn't mess with the- the food side of things. 

But they look down at the human in their arms, red hair flowing, face in unconscious peace, and they realize they can't just let them die. His mind races, trying to come up with an argument, an out, an idea as the shark swims closer. And it hits him. 

“W-wait!” Avid pleads, shifting their human so one of their arms is free to reach into their pack. They ramble their case to The Don as they rummage through it.

“The human, the-they had something valuable on them,” Avid explains. His hand runs over smooth gold and they gently pull out the crown, offering it up to Mr. Oli. 

Mr. Oli takes it from him, inspecting it with his bulbous, beady eyes. He doesn't say anything, but his eyes gleam with greed.

“I, uh, I was thinking… there might be more on their vessel! Or people might come looking for them, people willing to trade, or- or make deals!” Avid is a stuttering, rambling, desperate mess. They're tripping over their words, practically begging for this stranger's life. 

…They don't want anyone to die. 

The Don holds his hand up and Avid falls silent, waiting for the verdict in baited breath.

“A ransom situation ain't too bad of an idea, son.” The shark finally decides, 

“Really!?” Avid exclaims, relief and disbelief warring in his mind. 

Mr. Oli nods, his eyes not leaving the crown in his hand. He grins widely. “Seems you've caught yourself a princess! Why don't you keep her in one of the cells under your shop?”

“O-okay.” Avid agrees, wide-eyed and nodding along.

“Take good care of her now.” The Don says, waving his hand in dismissal. 

Avid hurries the human into their shop's basement, a bunch of cells they mainly use as storage. He sets his “guest” down in one of the emptier ones, before dashing away to collect some herbs he can use to treat their head wound. The sooner they stop that bloodflow, the less likely they are to attract sharks. Well, more sharks.

They spread a poultice over the injury, rewrapping the wound carefully in seaweed fabric before tying it off. Once they've been sufficiently treated and stabilized, he begins moving out the few things he stores in here and moving in some stuff to make his guest more comfortable. They rest them on a whale skin blanket with a spare pillow, leaving a little bioluminescent light so they can see, before exiting the tank.