Chapter Text
At night the wind always carried a song accompanied by the ocean’s waves dancing back and forth on the sandy shore. The stars and moon seem to resonate with the aria, illuminating down brightly like stage lights onto the tide.
You’ve always wondered how you could be the owner of that voice. It’s so soft and hypnotic. It makes you feel safe as you go about your nightly walks. Like you’re being watched by a comforting guardian.
It’s soothing to walk on the soft sand with the waves gently washing each grain away from your feet. Feels like all the stress clinging onto you from the day is pulled by the waves much like the sand.
If you could, you’d allow yourself to be lulled into the sea, submerging yourself into the water, but you never do that no matter how welcoming the sea is to you. No matter how much it beckoned you to respond to its song. Yet despite your resistance, the sea still managed to grab ahold of you.
∼ ☾✦✦☾ ∼
Venturing away from the sandy beach you set your sights on the rocky coastline. With the full moon visible you can mostly traverse safely, letting you avoid falling into the tidal pools and disturbing the aquatic residences. Climbing the rocks for high ground allows you a better view of the ocean accompanied by the full moon.
That should have been enough for you, yet you let your ambition get the better of you, strolling on a mostly flat rocky surface while being cautious not to trip. This is a nice change of pace.
All the sweeter when you hear a familiar voice singing. Expect. Is it closer than usual? Sounds like you are directly near the owner of the voice.
Before you can ponder this revelation the moment you take a step forward you find yourself being plunged into darkness. Your heart freezes as your form is stripped of moonlight guiding you, being consumed by the dark.
Splashing into the water bubbles from your fall rise and tinkle your form. You have to muster all the strength to not involuntarily gasp from the shock of temperature change while in the water.
Opening your eyes it appears as if you had fallen into the abyss with nothing in sight. Even if you bring your hand in front of your eyes it wouldn’t be visible to you.
Panic seeps into you; your heart is thumping against your chest as your mind is screaming at you to get out of the water, not being able to see what is around or under you as the saltwater stings your eyes. Your arms flail about while your hands try to claw their way to the surface. But it feels endless.
How deep did you fall into the water?
Are you even swimming upwards? What if you’re swimming into the depths?
You could exhale out some bubbles, but that wastes oxygen and you still don’t know how deep you are in the water.
Your lungs are already screaming for air. A dizzying sensation buzzes through your head. Your heart is practically roaring in your eardrums. You're certain any sea creature that is lurking can hear it.
Oh god.
You’re going to drown at this rate.
You don’t want to die.
Someone. Please, help me.
Clawing at the emptiness feels fruitless eventually. Even in the darkness, you can sense your vision begins to darken and blur. The sporadic movements you once displayed have slowly ceased as if a part of you has come to terms with your fate. Your lungs still burn, but it feels faint like a distant pain as you fade away.
A sudden sense of immense calm hits you. All you can focus on is water cradling your body gently as if to provide you solace in your final moments. It shouldn’t be this comforting. You still want to fight to the surface, but you’re so tired.
A faint blue light appears in the corner of your eye, and eventually overtakes your vision, blinding you. You freeze momentarily when you feel something brush against you. A small burst of adrenaline rushes through your system, making you partially alert. Just then you are pulled towards something—someone.
Before you with an ethereal glow, gazing down upon you is a person. With the help of the light, you can partially see him. It’s as if his body is made of stardust. Cloaking part of his torso is a blue fabric concealing his arms, swaying in the water hauntingly with every small movement. His eyes gleamed most notably his left eye which resembles a star. In place of legs, a dark blue merfolk tail takes his lower half, its fins swaying to the water’s flow.
You should be scared, but you’re not. There's something serene about what is in front of you.
He’s beautiful.
The merman looks just as surprised seeing you as you are by him. You can see him mouth something through the blurry water, but you cannot understand it.
Unexpectedly, he cups your face, pulling it close to his—your lips colliding. You feel your once-fading form slowly return to life. With his hold on you firm, he coaxes your mouth to open, momentarily breaking the seal.
A mixture of panic and confusion courses through your veins.
What is happening…?
You want to bite this stranger's tongue as it brushes inside your mouth. Kick him away, but your body refuses to heed your orders. It’s fear that clings onto you like a vice, paralyzing you. You’re scared that if you push him away you’ll sink into the ebony depths and drown. You need something— someone to hold onto to provide a sense of security—a semblance of holding onto something solid.
You remain like this for a few seconds, feeling his tongue explore every part of you. The longer you stay like this, the more your body begins to tingle and shiver from every contact.
He finally pulls away, releasing you. He stares at you momentarily like he’s observing you, acting as if he didn’t just kiss you before he takes you by the wrist, guiding you toward the surface.
Oddly enough, as you swam up you noticed your lungs weren’t burning for air, and your head was no longer spinning. Did he have something to do with that?
Finally surfacing, you never thought the air could taste so sweet as you gasped out for it. The cold sensation of the open air against your face is a refreshing indicator you’ve emerged from the water.
Suddenly, you feel yourself being pulled out of the water, blue sparkles surrounding your body as it happens. Once you’re put down you’re sat on a solid rock.
Trying to get your bearings, the merman that helped you is staring at you, his upper torso being the only visible thing as he stays in the water. He still emanates the gentle blue glow which does allow you to see the place you’ve fallen in.
Appears you’ve fallen into a cave of some sort. The moonlight peeks through the opening you fell in, hovering just above the water. Is that the only way to enter the cave? It’s high up there. How are you going to leave? Is there even another exit—
“...A-are you okay?” the merman asks. “I’m sorry about, well, that… ” he sinks a bit deeper into the water in shame. “I could have used my magic but it would take a bit to take effect. Y-you would have drowned if I didn’t act fast.”
“So kissing me was your best solution?” You unintentionally mention that rather bluntly, resulting in the merman sinking even deeper until his eyes are the only thing you can see. “I-I’m sorry!” you quickly say. “I’m glad you saved me! It’s just… a lot to take in…”
Your brain sure is taking its sweet time processing the sudden events from you almost drowning, discovering merfolk are real then getting kissed by one.
You’ve heard rumors from passersby about merfolk living nearby, but you simply took it as that. Rumors.
“…Imbuing you with my essence is more effective,” he elaborates.
“Your… essence?”
“Our fluids like saliva or blood have certain benefits: short-term water-breathing, healing, maintaining youth, and a—“ He pauses, shaking his head. “I’m getting distracted from the matter at hand… Humans are not allowed here,” he firmly asserts. “...This is a nursery for our young.”
He swims a bit closer to the rock you’re resting on, almost dangerously. You two stare at each other for a long time. You never thought you’d wind up having a staring contest with a merman.
“I can escort you out of the cave through the water, but… I’m forbidden to allow humans to leave with the knowledge of this location. So, please forgive me…”
Blue stars flutter around your vision. The merman appears somewhat distressed by this, furrowing his brows slightly.
The stars around you dissipate and he sighs in defeat. “You’re supposed to fall asleep and forget…” he remarks. “Why isn’t it working?”
“You were going to drag my unconscious body in the water?!”
“You can still breathe underwater for now,” he remarks. “It’s just easier this way… but since my magic fails to influence you…” He goes quiet, “I can’t let you leave.”
“What!?”
He presses a finger to his lips, shushing you. “I’m forbidden to allow humans who learned of this location to leave,” he repeats his earlier statement.
“There’s gotta be other ways, right?”
“No. I’m sorry…” He sullenly shakes his head. “I cannot let you leave. Given the current circumstances due to your ability to resist my magic…”
“And the other way for me to “leave” is if I die, right..?”
He nods in confirmation, “...Please, believe me; I don’t take joy in this, but I need to keep my people safe from your kind. The only way for you to keep your life is if you remain here.” He backs away from the rock you're on as he appears he’s struck with something, “However…”
He swims into the depths of the water. The only way you could know he’s still there is the faint glow underwater. The glow moves around before completely disappearing, leaving you alone in the cave.
Did he seriously leave you alone in this cave?!
He’s coming back, right?
You could use this chance to escape, but he didn’t exactly give you a proper estimation of how long you’d be able to breathe underwater.
You could try to dive into the dark water and lose your sense of direction in hopes of stumbling upon the exit, but there is a good chance of your water-breathing ability to then wear off, thus resulting in you drowning.
As you wait there for what feels like ten minutes, your drenched clothes cling onto you to an uncomfortable degree. You shiver slightly. You never thought going in the water would be so tempting. You’ll never understand that weird effect of the water’s temperature being more comfortable whenever you leave it.
“Screw it,” you mutter to yourself, dipping a foot.
The water is oddly warm which coaxes you to slip back into it. A sigh of relief escapes you as the chills afflicting you are washed away. You can’t believe the thing you fell in and nearly drowned in is your makeshift blanket. At least it’s not winter or deathly cold outside.
You’re curious if you can still breathe underwater, so you decide to dip your face in the water for a bit. The moment you inhale is when you regret your decision, coughing and hacking out a lung full of water. Note to self: the water-breathing effect only lasts for about ten minutes. You’re suddenly glad you didn’t try to escape.
Under you the water begins to glow again, signaling the merman’s return. As he surfaces, he’s surprised to see you back in the water, and he immediately asks, “Were you trying to escape just now…?”
“N-no!” You did think about it, but maybe it’s best not to mention that to him unless you want him to be more suspicious. “I just got…cold being out of the water.”
He narrows eyes momentarily before deciding not to press further. “...Here.” He reveals to you a necklace with a blue pearl, it emanates a faint glow. “Every time you traverse in these waters, wear it. It should keep you safe from the others.” As you’re about to grab it, he pulls it away, “I’ll only allow you to have it if you accept my conditions.”
“And if I say no?”
He looks away from you, sinking into the water as if to avoid answering that question. You’re gonna assume that means you’d be trapped in the cave for the rest of your life, or that he might have to kill you.
“…All I ask is that you help me watch over the nursery at night.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what it means,” he simply says without elaboration. “So… will you accept my offer?”
Despite sounding like he’s giving you an option, you know very well that if you don’t accept it you’ll be trapped in the cave for the rest of your life, or he might opt to kill you.
With a nod, he carefully puts it on you. The faint glow of the pearl flutters with light more prominently almost in celebration as it rests against your chest. It feels strange.
You look at the merman, seeing him gaze into your eyes as if to ingrain the sight of you into his memory. He leans in close as he closes his eyes, gently pressing his forehead against yours almost in a tender manner.
“You’ve become my responsibility just as the nursery has become yours,” he murmurs to you before pulling away. “Now then… I should introduce you to it.”
Before you know it he’s grabbing your wrist and dragging into the depths of the water. It’s too late to try and tell him to stop once the water envelopes you completely.
Your mind races with panic. The memory of nearly drowning playing back in your head. Is this an accident or is he actually trying to kill you?!
Trying to pull away so you can swiftly swim to the surface the merman pulls you back, grabbing your wrists almost as if to stop you from further struggling.
The scared expression on his face stops you from fighting, and once you relax he releases you. His hand reaches out but does not grab you, instead, points to the blue pearl on your necklace that glows before pressing his hand onto your chest.
As he removes his hand from you he makes another gesture almost like he’s telling you to—
‘Breath.’
The voice is crystal clear in your head. Is that the merman?
‘It’s okay.’
As he speaks again it reaffirms your thought. He’s talking to you in your head?!
How is that even possible?!
The merman winces, ‘….I didn’t want to scare you earlier when I found you. I’m sorry—I should’ve told you….’
And he can hear your thoughts. Noted.
You hadn’t noticed you’re no longer holding your breath. You never put much thought into the sensation of breathing underwater. It doesn’t burn your lungs taking in the water compared to your first attempt when the water-breathing effect from the kiss wore off.
Every breath feels like you're taking in a breeze of air into your lungs that swirls around, leaving in the same manner as it enters. Oddly invigorating? Like tasting air after a long jog where you get your second-wind.
The water also doesn’t look dark anymore. Still dark, but an improvement from the pitch-black abyss you first fell into. You can almost see everything crystal clear.
Once you’ve settled you take the merman’s hand, letting him guide you. Well, since you can talk underwater you might as well make use of it.
Do you hear my thoughts like…all the time?
‘No…? Only when I want to communicate, and when your mind is open to me, but when you’re experiencing strong emotions it does cause me to hear you involuntarily.’
What exactly counts as “strong emotions”?
He ponders for a moment, pausing from swimming before resuming, ‘I suppose… immense rage, grief, pleasure and calmness?’
How does calmness count as a strong emotion?
Before you can further ask, the merman brings you to what appears to be an underwater cave. There are a couple of them from what you can see. Yikes. If you did try to escape you would have gotten lost and died.
‘ Here they are…’
Turning a corner and parting a curtain of seaweed, tucked away safely and clinging onto the cave walls are small orbs pulsing with light, varying different shades of green and blue. Eggs?
He pulls you closer to them, allowing you to have a better view of them. There behind the gentle glow, you can faintly see a shape wiggling inside protected by the translucent casing.
The merman inches closer to the spawn, and in response to his presence they glow even brighter. His expression is soft as he watches over them, a smile forming.
Are these your…?
‘No. I’m merely their caretaker.’ He glances at you, ‘…You can get closer to them if you want. It’s best that they get familiar with you since they'll be seeing you often.’
Are you sure?
‘ As long as you don’t touch them. It should be fine. Here.’ Taking your hand into his he brings it carefully near the clutch.
The glow that they originally emanated dims almost to the point of darkness. You’re about to retract your hand out of fear and worry that you’ve disturbed them, but the merman keeps your hand where it is.
‘Give it a moment,’ he reassures you.
They remain this way for a couple of minutes until one of them closest to your hand steadily lights up. It’s not as bright as earlier but at least they’re not dimmed. This coaxes the others to follow suit as well.
Once they’ve all lit up the merman releases your hand, but you keep where it’s positioned. There’s an odd sensation washes over you almost as if you’ve connected to the clutch in some way. You can sense the ease they all hold now for you. Even though they haven’t emerged from their shell you can tell that they’re immensely intelligent, understanding you’ll help take care of them.
Feeling their slowly forming trust in you is oddly soothing. You don’t know why, but you feel this need—an urge to protect them.
They’re beautiful—precious.
As if they could hear your thoughts they suddenly light up brightly which makes you laugh in response, air bubbles leaving you and tickling your face as they brush against it. You wouldn’t be surprised if they could hear your thoughts like how the merman can.
‘ Astro.’ His voice takes you out of your trance.
Huh?
You turn to him in confusion.
‘That’s my name…’ he clarifies. ‘I-I didn’t realise I hadn’t told you it until now.’
O-oh! You’re right!
You didn’t realise as well. Everything has been happening so fast that your mind barely has time to process it. Your fall, drowning, and meeting Astro. This is certainly an eventful night. Now that you think about it you hadn’t given him your name too.
Nice to meet you, Astro! I’m (Y/n)!
‘(Y/n)…’ he says your name as if testing it out. ‘If I may… What brought you here?’
I never told you about it, did I?
‘No.’
Would you believe me that I was walking on the beach?
‘….And how does walking on the beach entail reaching a secluded area?’
He’s right. No one ever ventures into the rocky terrain due to the waves and the jagged rocks being too dangerous.
It’s stupid… I kinda didn’t pay attention when I heard singing.
‘Singing…?’
I hear it every night on my walks.
Dear god, you must sound like a madman.
There’s an unreadable expression on Astro's face as he stares at you before shaking his head. ‘I should show you the way back. I can teach you how to care for the nursery tomorrow night.’
Astro grabbing your hand once more brings you out of the nursery, swimming into the other cave. Unlike the nursery this cave’s walls close together, requiring you to squeeze through and have Astro guide you. You suppose the twisted walls do provide the nursery with an extra shell of protection from any predators.
Even though you can breathe underwater, the nearly closed-in walls make your stomach churn. You’re relieved that Astro is navigating you through them, alleviating you from the discomfort; more so when you’re finally out of the cave.
There’s something comforting about having him by your side through the open water. You feel safeguarded from the potential dangers.
The water steadily becomes shallow and you can eventually stand up, finding yourself by the tidal pool. You hoist yourself onto the rocks while Astro remains in the water.
“…You should be able to find your way home,” he states. “O-oh and.” Lifting his hand up little stars appear, floating towards and encircling your form.
Any drop of water that clung to you is pulled away. The water collects and forms an orb, floating in the air with the aid of Astro’s magic as he guides it back into the ocean.
Patting yourself down your clothes are no longer drenched. Perfectly dry.
“Thanks.”
“Of course.” he nods, then glances at the pearl necklace he gave you. “Please keep it safe—and keep it on,” that’s all he says before swimming away.
You watch the faint glow he emits fade as the waves consume him. Returning home you quickly get ready for bed. You take a shower to rinse off and relax. Only once you’re lying on the soft mattress and staring at the ceiling does your mind process the earlier events. Every single event plays in detail in your head.
You went on your nightly walk, deciding to go to the secluded part for a change of pace. Then, due to your negligence, you fell into a cave which nearly killed you.
You winded up meeting a merman who kissed you, but then almost decided to hold you captive or kill you because the place you stumbled on was forbidden. Just so he doesn’t have to do any of those options he has you become a caretaker for the nursery.
Dear god. If you told that to anyone you doubt they’d believe you. Merpeople were rumored to be lurking around the area, but you always thought it was some ploy to reel in the tourists.
Messing with the blue pearl attached to your necklace you roll it between your fingers. You haven’t taken it off. Of course, it’s mostly due to Astro requesting that you keep it on at all times, but it feels odd to take it off. The notion for some reason has a part of you in the back of your head, telling you not to follow through with removing it.
As you stop fidgeting with the pearl you shift around on your mattress, trying to get comfortable. A single thought lingers in your mind before sleep can finally claim you after a long night.
What the hell did you just get yourself into?