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daycarefriendpickup · 3 days ago

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🐟🐟Midnight's DCA MerMay Day 3🐟🐟

guhhh sorry for the incredible delay, i had finals, my monthly, and then got sick back to back weeks. I am well now (and have many writings to share) will be releasing two a day as I get caught up. For now, please enjoy ^^

Prompt: It's almost fish month!!! For this lovely month of mermay: yn finds canon eclipse (strange fish with two personalities? Just one guy?) washed up on the beach near their house. Poor clip is injured, so they nurse him back to health and get closer in the process. I request a fish kiss. And snuggling (tempest can't survive without fish snuggles)

DCFPU prompt used: Pair

Word Count: 2387

Story will be posted to ao3 soon!

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The wind blows harshly right as you open the door to your car. You squint against it, having to fight to get it shut and locked. Staring up at the grey sky, you see the clouds are rolling through quickly, another storm must be on its way.

You look out to the sea, watching the waves crash angrily into the shore, the sound louder than usual and reaching you easily from hundreds of yards away. Bits of sand blow past and graze the skin of your ankles, reminding you the best place for you now would be inside your home. Cozy and content while the weather outside takes a turn for the worse. If that was even possible.

You're taking one last scanning look out to the sea when you spy it, or rather him, as you'd come to quickly find out. A large, dull-colored mass lying on the shore, waves rippling around it. At first you think it’s just a large clump of seaweed but looking closer you can see the fish tail which floats in the water behind the rest of the mass.

It's... some sort of sea creature but certainly not one you're familiar with. You start to walk down the beach, pulled towards it by something within you. From here you can see jagged fins are across its back, a splattering of reds and oranges and deep blues cover the body.

The human-like proportions of the head and neck are just as shocking as the arms which are sprawled out beneath it. It seems to be dead, completely motionless. Until, right when you're but a few mere yards away, you see its chest rise and fall into the wet sand.

It's face down, the smattering of fins around half its head covering any features that may lie beneath. You're afraid to get closer, but upon seeing the large gashes in its side, and the rips in its tail, the physician in you kicks in. Especially given how slow the creature's breathing truly is.

A boom of thunder erupts above you and you look to the ever-blackening sky. Back down the sand. You'll need to be quick. Both for the sake of getting out of the storm, and saving this thing's life.

You hurry back up to your home, to the garage you'd long ago converted into a cluttered mess of an emergency clinic. To your credit, sometimes it was just safer to treat anything that washed up here before attempting to move them to the sanctuary. Though you'll admit it could be a lot more organized than it was in that moment.

You scan and find the stretcher you use for larger mammals like seals or dolphins, hoping it'll be big enough for what was lying on the shore. As you hurry back you find it harder and harder to deny how the fishy being looks strikingly like the mermaids you'd heard about in stories as a kid. And given you have no other reference for what it could be, calling it a mer was the best you could manage from the time being.

It's still breathing as you make it back, sprinklings of rain beginning to fall lightly onto your hands and hair. You roll up your sleeves, cursing yourself for not grabbing a pair of gloves to get a better grip but deciding there's no time for it. You take a deep breath and reach a hand out to touch the mer's head. No response. Not good.

You need to pick up the pace. So, hoping that the spines along its forearms aren't poisonous, you take hold of its wrist and start to tug it onto the stretcher. It's not easy work, and neither will be trying to drag it up the beach to your garage. But if you can haul a juvenile walrus up that expanse of sand, surely you could drag this guy.

By the time you make it to your garage it's pouring down rain in sheets. You struggle, but heave a few more faithful steps, stopping just before the in-ground pool that takes up a full corner of the space. Your arms relax, feeling strained, but you turn around, finally able to get a better look at the sea creature's injuries—

Only to come face to clawed hand with it. You choke as said hand snatches hold of your throat, gripping tightly. You feel something begin to drip down your neck and chest. Your own blood, you quickly realize.

You grab at the hand with your own, unable to get a hold on it due to your panic. Failing about a bit in your efforts to escape. In doing so, you look down to the mer that's now sitting up, seeing the glare on his features. You plead with your own eyes for him to stop, and it must do something as he suddenly snaps out of it, releasing you.

You gasp, nearly falling to the floor as you cough, holding your bleeding throat.

"Sorry, sorry, friend." You hear, looking up shocked to find that he's speaking. "But too close. Far too close. Should stay back. Unless you want to be hurt, hurt, hurt."

You put your free hand up, backing away. "Okay okay, loud and c-clear." You cough and look around for a cloth to put to your neck.

You don't want to turn your back to him, considering what just happened, but you don't think he can move beyond the stretcher. You took note of the pain in his eyes while he held you. He likely doesn't have much more strength beyond that. Unless you give him a reason to.

As you're searching, he continues. Strained. Cautious. But you can tell he is still trying to be intimidating. "I won't be going down without a fight, you know. Really you should consider saving yourself the trouble, Star."

"Well considering I have no– no intention of hurting you,"—You snatch up a towel lying on your workbench and press it to your wounds—"Then we shouldn't have any trouble at all."

A scoff, you turn around to see that despite being essentially trapped, he's in a defensive position. Hackles raised, so to say. You take note that fins now surround his entire head, and realize that before half of them had been flattened down.

You keep your distance, you don't want to make things worse after all. You lean back against the workbench, hand still pressed to your neck. It didn't feel too deep, though you'll likely be a bit sore you're guessing.

"Why should I believe you? No reason to trust, trust, trust."

You shrug. "Maybe not, but you're kind of stuck with me for the time being. So, if you give me a chance, I'll prove it to you that I'm only trying to help." You lift the towel from your neck, seeing it's covered in small splotches of blood, you'll live. "You've already shown you can... dispose of me if you want to. Therefore if I'm lying you'd be able to do something about it."

The mer stares at you, you stare back. You turn around and start collecting up supplies.

"Fine. One chance, friend."

You face him again, bundles of medical supplies in your arms. "One is all I need."

You approach slowly, relaxed, you don't want to escalate things. Soon enough, you're kneeling beside him, examining each jagged mark with care. You'd ask what happened, but something tells you you're unlikely to get an answer.

Each injury you come across sends another knot of concern into your stomach, but you keep outwardly calm. He's still lucid, still watching you closely, meaning the wounds shouldn't be life-threatening with the proper care. Inspection over, you set to work.

Trying to ease the tension—and perhaps both your nerves—you explain each step of the process gently and in detail. Still defensive, you do notice the curious tilt to his head as you speak and work.

At some point he questions you outright.

"You're quite knowledgeable with all this aren't you?"

You glance up from dabbing antibiotics on the tears in his orange tail fins. "I, yeah. It's what I do for a living."

"Heal others?" He questions.

You shrug. "Animals usually, not people. Though I guess you're somewhere in between for my training." You sit back, nodding once. "Okay, you can ease into the water now, but try to keep this elevated until it soaks in a bit—"

As you speak, the power cuts, plunging you into darkness. Just as the mer—who, you don't even know the name of—is slipping into the pool. You hear a loud splash and worry the suddenness spooked him and he slipped.

You hurriedly crawl over to the pool, scrambling for your phone flashlight, turning it on and looking up—

And finding two bright red eyes looking over at you.

The mer's eyes were white, last you'd checked.

The bright light causes him to hiss and flinch away, ducking under the water. Surprised yourself, you scramble back and away on your hands and feet.

After a moment, he resurfaces. And maybe it's your eyes taking time to adjust but he looks... different to you.

Fins flattened against his head, twisted together at the back of his head, almost forming a cap-like shape. However the more interesting change is how his colors have flipped completely. No longer a smattering of oranges and yellows, now white and blue all over. His face—originally two contrasting shades of yellow—now half white and half blue itself.

He chuckles then, head tilting. "What's the matter, little star? Scared of the dark?"

Even his voice was different, gravely, a different pitch. It clicks to you near instantly.

Not just one mer, a pair.

In one body.

How incredibly interesting.

"No, not exactly." You sit forward. Closer, curious. "Your coloring, is it a type of bioluminescence? Camouflage?"

A slight narrow to his eyes that then disappears, replaced by cheekiness. Though it borderlined mockery if you were being honest. "Usually the first question is 'how can there be two of you?'"

"Would you answer truthfully if I asked?" You find yourself more interested than scared in that moment. Not intimidated by the mer at this point.

Clawed fingers trace a pattern on the surface of the water. "The answer is that there isn't, two sides of the same shell. But the same shell nonetheless."

"And does the shell have a name?" You muse.

A sharp-toothed grin. "Eclipse."

As the weeks go by, day by day, Eclipse would sometimes ask you to call them different names, depending on the time of day. Sun in the day, Moon at night. That was only after you truly got to know them, however. Both sides, and as a whole.

It took quite a while as well. Just earning their trust in general did. You have the scratches and bites to prove it. You had meant it when you said you had no intention of harming them. But it wasn't until several close calls and bandages later that they started believing it.

A slow, steady process. You could see it in how their gaze would shift, from condescending or wary to just suspicious to then curious, interested. How when you treated their wounds they flinched away less and less. One might even argue they started leaning into it, though that may have just been your imagination.

The two halves each held a unique perspective towards you, you'd noticed. You could hold witty banter with the Sun, conversations long and debating and ever the more enjoyable for it. The Moon was teasing, always trying to up the game in some way. You were happy to return the friendly fire as a response.

Gradually, bit by bit, day by day and night by night, things shifted. No longer was there an air of hostile caution present when you entered the garage. Instead, it morphed from a general amicability, to fully—somehow—affectionate. Rather rapidly as well.

You suppose that's how you find yourself in this situation now.

You shift slightly and find the tail your legs are intertwined with curls around you tighter. Though the humidity of the day is unbearable, you find yourself to be at the perfect temperature. The mer holding you is the right level of cool, soothing any potential heat that you may have otherwise been suffering through.

Your eyes drift open and closed, in a state of not quite awake though not asleep either. You feel incredibly lazy, but in the best way possible. You have no worries, no tasks that need done, as long as you didn't get an emergency call from the sanctuary, you could stay like this the rest of the day.

Though, you think you wouldn't be allowed to do anything besides that either.

Their head is buried into your neck, as content as you. A specific state of in-between you'd noticed. Not quite one side or the other. Their colors a blend, same with their eyes. Similar to how they'd appeared when they first washed up on shore. This time it was intentional you think.

You told them you wouldn't mind sitting in the pool—the garage floor couldn't be comfortable—but they hadn't minded. They felt well enough to be able to tolerate it, they'd said. Which, at this point, was the elephant in the room. Neither of you had been able to breach it though.

Until now, that is.

"Your wounds are almost healed." You mumble into the relative quiet.

"Mmm."

You sigh, sitting a bit more upright. "You shouldn't stay here longer than you have to."

"Mmhmm." Irritated now.

You reach a hand up to his face, pushing gently so to create space that he has to look at you. "You don't have to go away. Come and visit me, won't you?"

He leans into your palm, then turns to press a kiss to it, trailing down until he meets you eye to eye. He pauses, eyes locked on yours. The gap between you closes, lips melding together for a short, but tender moment.

Despite the sharp points of his teeth, the smile he wears is anything but. "Who's saying that I'll leave?"

You grin yourself, pressing forward for another kiss. And maybe another few will follow after that.

There's certainly worse ways to spend the afternoon.

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Thank you for the lovely request @rosescarletful, as you know I enjoyed the concept of two personality fish very much :D Would love to do more with them sometime ^^

As I said will be getting caught up again slowly (I will win I WILL WIN I MUST-) be on the lookout for another post later tonight, thanks for reading!

Masterlist post is here

Tag list (if you would like added, simply say so!):

@scarletcowboy @beemyhuneybee @fishm0ther @deviouscrackers @elsajoyagent8 @luckyyyduckyyy @zenkaiankoku @jogimote @local-shrub @milosmantis @robinette-green @everlightreader @sinister-sincerely @starredeclipse @dangerva @juukai @crystalmagpie447 @mothgutz236 @lizyxml @divinit3a @amarynthian-chronicles @crystalfay @that-one-unknown-artist @rosescarletful @buzzy-bee @hazelthebat @nightriverart @mr-munchies

#Reblog #dcfpumermay #quetie

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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disgusting!!

mermay day 18: Siren Fish

daycarefriendpickup's prompt list

#Reblog #dcfpumermay #quetie

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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Nap

It was amazing what the progressive march of time could do to the world. Cities floated in the sky, lit up with bright lights of gentle blue and connected by halls and sturdy bridges. Rather than electricity powering the otherworldly cities, the magic of ancient leviathans supported the cities.

Geode looked out the window and down at the world below. She hadn’t seen any of the Earthside cities in so long… She ought to plan a trip to see her family, sometime. But, as always, this had been pushed to the side as a ‘future plan’ so that she could prioritize the most stressful and deadline-restricted things on her plate.

One such thing was caring for the leviathan in this sector. There were a couple of leviathans that, by their curiosity, had agreed to lend their essence to the building of the future. There were a couple of conditions, of course, as any good agreement should include.

For this particular leviathan, she was part of the list of requirements. This, however, wasn’t strictly something that the leviathan discussed with the people in charge. This was more private, and between her and him.

She made her way through twisting halls and found herself in a large circular room. The ceiling was domed, and the path encircled a restless pool of water. The room was dim, unlike the halls. She knew that the water was not nearly as empty as it appeared. Just as she stepped close to the edge of the water, a metal fence separating her from an untimely death, a head popped out of the water. A large hand followed, and she was scooped off the floor like a kitten in a human’s grasp.

Immediately Moon cupped her safe against his chest and rolled to dive underneath the water. Little water slipped between his fingers to rain down on her, but she had held her breath just in case. When his hand moved, it appeared as though the world was upside down. He drifted on the surface of the water, deep beneath the pool, giving her a view of the earth below. She wasn’t sure how or why the water was suspended like this, but neither she nor moon minded. It gave them privacy to tease and bicker.

“Nap time.” Moon urged her.

And privacy for naptime. But mostly to argue. “I don’t need to sleep, moon-man. I got like, six hours last night. It was great.”

“Nap time.” He said again. “I will protect you as you rest. No humans or nasty nightmares will plague you here.”

Of course, her arguments fell on deaf ears. They both knew she was lying through her teeth. That she was lying for the sake of tradition. She was dead on her feet, and the call of sleep was sweet. Held by her boyfriend in the dim, cool room, she slowly fell asleep. It was gradual, and it seemed she was half-conscious for a while, but she felt safe and comfortable, and that was what mattered. She was out like a light as soon as he gently ran his fingers up and down her back, soothing sore muscles, and generally just being pleasant.

#Reblog #dcfpumermay #quetie

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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yay he gets to see it :D

mermay day 19: Moon

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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Breath of Fresh Air

🐟🐟Midnight's DCA MerMay Day 4🐟🐟

more evil fucked up writing bc it's my mermay writing and i get to be evil with it, enjoy :D

DCFPU prompt used: Saltwater

Word Count: 2238

Content Warning: drowning, death, blood & mentions of gore, vomiting (saltwater) heavy themes/imagery, communication barriers that cause MAJOR issues, reader discretion is heavily advised

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"No, no please. Please you have to reconsider!" You beg as you're dragged across the deck.

The weight of the cinder blocks attached by chains to your ankle is a dreadful reminder of the fate that awaits you unless you can change their minds. You'd done nothing wrong, all it had been was suspicion, no proof, no chance to show your innocence.

They were just going to kill you without hesitation.

He was going to kill you without hesitation.

Your—now ex—boyfriend, Tom, leans against the railing of the boat, smoking a cigarette and checking the time on his watch. Bored, uninterested. As if he's not about to end your life. All of this from a stupid fight you couldn't even remember the cause of.

Guess that's what you get for dating someone in the mob.

He doesn't even spare you a glance, just waves his hands to toss you overboard. You thrash and curse and eventually scream as you're met with the sudden chill of the water all around you. You sink fast into the pitch black, panicking and fighting with all your might to make something happen.

You want to yell out at the unfairness of it all. But the more rational part of you knows better than to even think of opening your mouth, especially when pressure begins to build in your ears and on your chest. You start to have a desperate desire to breathe in, having foolishly expelled energy while on your way down.

You can't even really tell that you've stopped sinking, hardly noticing how the water no longer rushes around you. Your eyes sting from the harsh burn of the saltwater. You swallow instinctively and it's like being punched in the chest from the pressure of it. Your ears feel like they might explode.

Your chest starts to shake as you realize you can't hold your breath any longer. You don't know what happens when you drown. Are you able to think at all as you succumb to the crushing weight? Is it instant or will it be dragged out endlessly? How much will you be able to feel—

Your cheeks puff out as then empty as the air rushes from your lungs. Near instantly your mouth and throat fill with seawater, the pain indescribable. You feel yourself start to black out, this really is the end.

Until it's not.

The air of the night hits you in the face, shocking you into alertness. You gasp and choke and cough up water. You think you lost consciousness for a moment, feeling as if you just woke up. You blink, desperately desiring to rub your eyes to remove water and tears but unable to do much with your hands bound.

Actually, how are you even at the surface, much less staying afloat? Your mind feels fuzzy as you try to comprehend what's going on around you in that moment. Your legs kick a little and while they feel much lighter, there's still heavy chains attached to them. Christ, the mob really goes overkill with it don't they.

Still, with that and how exhausted you are, you should still very much be sinking--and dead--even if you managed to get free of the cinder blocks which had dragged you into the depths. Another gasping breath, and you feel something slide against your stomach. You flinch, struggling and scared that it's some sort of sea creature coming to kill you.

As it would turn out, you are half correct.

You're shaken, blood rushing through your head and sending you into a bout of dizziness. There's a chirping noise you faintly make out.

Blinking, blurry, your heavy head lifts up to find yourself face to face with a... person? A fish? Some sort of mixture of the two. Faintly human-like with a face similar to one, but it's yellow, rays of orange and yellow around his head. Fins, your dulled mind realizes.

He tilts his head at you, shaking you again and you groan, eyes squeezing shut momentarily.

Before anything else can occur a sudden shouting from nearby erupts through the air. This causes the curious look to morph into a snarl, whipping to look at the source of the noise. The shouting morphs from angry to scared, confused. You find yourself being let go, and you dip below the waves before the instinct to swim and live kicks in.

It's a fight for your life, but you manage to shift to floating on your back. Though muffled, you can make out screaming and yelling, along with gunshots. You feel a rush of water as the boat suddenly speeds off, the sound of its engine fading into the distance.

You're practically stuck in your current position--far too tired to try to do anything else--when you're all of a sudden grabbed again. Based on the chirp you hear as you're lifted, you understand it's the thing from before. If you didn't know any better you'd say it was a mermaid, or mer of some kind.

Your chin is grabbed by clawed fingers, lifted as your face is examined briefly. There's a splatter of something dark across his mouth now, and a fear runs through you for a moment once it hits you that it's blood. Again though, you're not given the chance to react as you're clutched close and then thrown back under the water, then above, then under. Over and over as you realize he's taking you with him somewhere. And you have absolutely no idea as to where.

You once again succumb to a coughing fit when the back and forth abruptly stops, faintly aware of being set upon a bed of rock and sand. Blinking, you stare up and find a ceiling of dark grey rock above you. A cave.

With what little strength you have, you shuffle to sit up, pressing back against the jagged wall behind you. You gasp and cough and heave up saltwater, feeling utterly exhausted and wanting nothing more than to go to sleep and wake up from this nightmare you're in. Maybe it’ll be easier than you think.

You jump when that hand from before clutches your face again, stare ever curious as he examines your disheveled state. His thumb swipes over the line of drool which had been on the edge of your mouth, prompting you to say thank you without thinking.

At this his eyes widen. Then, a large, sharp grin splits across his face. You try to ignore the blood-stains on the edge of his teeth. A part of you almost hopes Tom is one of the ones he attacked. Bastard more than deserves it.

His grip tightens, and with how expectant his gaze is, you understand he wants you to say more.

"Agh, easy, easy please." You wince but try to speak despite how much your throat burns. "I don't know why you, um, decided to save me, but I'm grateful for it."

Several noises of delight, completely unintelligible to you. You have no idea if he's speaking a language or just making sounds.

However based on how the chirps shift to almost cooing—again seeming to be pushing you to speak more—you assume it must be the former.

"I'm guessing you broke the chains for the cinder blocks, which means you're... incredibly strong. Frighteningly so." You won't admit how scared you really are by that, unsure of how much he can actually decipher of your words. But given his reaction is to simply squish your cheeks, followed by more cooing, you'd argue you could call him scum and he'd like it.

This goes on for some time, long enough your clothes go from wet to damp. He just seems utterly infatuated with you. He toys with your hair, your clothes, your still—very much—bound hands and feet. All the while thrilled at anything you say, watching your lips and mouth with a fascinated delight.

At one point, he leaves you, diving back into the water with a particular series of clicks. He returns a few minutes later with a live fish, which flaps and thrashes in his hands as he holds it out to you.

Having no idea what he wants you just shake your head, alarmed and confused.

He frowns at this, then suddenly bites down on the fish's head, blood dripping down his face and neck. He releases it, now very much dead, then holds it out to you again.

You still don't know what he wants. Not until he opens his mouth and bites at it. Ah. Food. How... quaint.

Eating’s the last thing on your mind in the moment, even if it’s been over twelve hours since you last ate. Your stomach quietly rumbles at the thought, but looking down at the dead-eyed stare on the fish, blood still dripping from it… that about sours any hunger you may have.

He seems to pick up on your reluctance, pout upon his features. Knowing that you'll be better off for it, you give in. Though you worry about how raw fish is going to sit on your stomach.

You nod, holding your hands out to him. "Okay, okay. I get it. I'll uh, give it a try."

It's hard to get a good grip on the fish, all slimy and scaly, but by manipulating it into your hold using how your hands are bound, you manage. You mentally hype yourself up for this, and close your eyes and force yourself to bite down, then straight through the fish.

It's an awful texture of scales and flesh and honestly you don't even know how big of a bite you actually get but you swallow it down all the same. You open your eyes to see the mer is watching you with a keen gaze. It quickly becomes apparent he wants you to keep going.

Ignoring how your stomach churns, you do. You manage to take another couple of bites without fully gagging. And as you do so, the mer lights up with joy. A chorus of clicks and whirls and chirps as you eat, seeming to encourage you to keep going.

You’re certain of that when—while focused on the task of trying not to vomit—you feel a hand on the top of your head, patting it.

That same hand rubs through your hair, half-lidded eyes and a smile present on the mer's face.

He's petting you.

Once he's satisfied with what you've eaten, which is half the fish at best, he takes it from you. Unhinging his jaw, it disappears down his throat in a matter of seconds.

When he looks back at you, that same smile is on his face. After somewhat relaxing after all these hours, you feel a bit on edge again.

"So um, could you maybe get me out of these?" You raise your wrists still bound in rope. "They're starting to feel a bit raw and I'd really like to be able to stretch out a bit—"

He picks you up then, by your arms, holding you up above him for a moment with one hand. That same head tilt from when you first laid eyes on him.

"What are you, um, what are you doing there, bud?" You ask, heartbeat in your throat.

You feel water tickling at your feet and ankles, chains dragging across the rock before slipping into the pool below with a small splash.

You gulp, eyeing the mer as he makes a few quieter clicks, stare now feeling scrutinizing. And you soon find out why.

His grip suddenly releases you, and with a shocked yelp you plunge straight down into the water below.

You sink, though not very far, but far enough your head is well below the surface. Panic overtakes you again. And stupidly you open your mouth in a silent scream, not thinking straight in the slightest.

You're lifted back up just as suddenly as you were dropped. Hacking and gasping and soaked as you're held up in front of the mer again.

Up until now, there had been some discernible expression on his face. Happiness, glee, delight, disappointment, and so on. Something familiar, something inherently human.

There's nothing but a blank stare that he displays in that moment.

You're dropped again, this time choosing wisely to hold your breath. You can feel his hold on your wrists, the very thing that had saved you earlier was now keeping you trapped underneath the water. You're lifted back up again.

You have an easier time catching your breath, and you see confusion cross the mer's face. Down again.

You're held under for longer this third time. With the adrenaline running through you it's hard to hold your breath. Your eyes are squeezed shut in concentration, with the intense desire to survive, but something in you forces them open as your lungs give out and you give up.

Blurry as ever, but you can make out the mer's face under the water with you.

A few seconds of saltwater pouring into you until you're hoisted up once more. You're trembling by now, scared and exhausted and having no idea as to what's happening.

Until you hear a delighted string of chirps come from the mer. You look up to see he's positively beaming at you now. And it clicks to you what's going on. What's been going on this entire time.

And you think that you should've just let yourself drown the first time.

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I thought about this one a lot while writing it. And afterwards a lot as well. TO CLARIFY, just in case it wasn't clear. Sun is incredibly animalistic/creature-like in this, he saved you bc he was curious, and continued to more afterward bc of that same morbid curiosity, it really do be like that sometimes 😔 Thanks for reading!

Masterlist post is here

Tag list (if you would like added, simply say so!):

@machopeach @beemyhuneybee @fishm0ther @deviouscrackers @elsajoyagent8 @luckyyyduckyyy @zenkaiankoku @jogimote @local-shrub @milosmantis @robinette-green @everlightreader @sinister-sincerely @starredeclipse @dangerva @juukai @crystalmagpie447 @mothgutz236 @lizyxml @divinit3a @amarynthian-chronicles @crystalfay @that-one-unknown-artist @rosescarletful @buzzy-bee @hazelthebat @nightriverart @mr-munchies

#Reblog #dcfpumermay #quetie

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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Divide & Conquer

🐟🐟Midnight's DCA MerMay Day 6🐟🐟

another fun evil thing huzzahhh, please enjoy~

DCFPU prompt used: Small

Word Count: 1669

Will be posted to ao3 soon!

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You narrowly dodge the rock outcropping which suddenly appeared in front of you. You just keep swimming. Swimming means you're alive, means you're still breathing, means they haven't caught you yet.

It means you still have a chance.

The gaps which you squeeze through are twisting and dangerous. One wrong move and you could cut yourself badly. You don't even know if this will work, for all you know they could try and track you from above instead.

You'd been careless, not thinking. Out in the open for far too long for a mer of your size. Not to mention, being such a solitary one as well. You had no pod or group to protect you, to defend against anything that might seek to do you harm. Such was the nature of your species.

Usually, you didn’t mind it, being alone. It was how you were meant to be. Traveling place to place, seeing what the open ocean had to offer you, that was how you were meant to live. You'd just happened across the wrong location for said lifestyle.

And now it was costing you. Greatly.

It wasn't even sea creatures that were predatory to your kind. Sharks, squids, orcas or what have you. No, your biggest threat was other mers. Specifically, those much larger than you. Much, much larger.

"Oh Little Fish~," you hear out in the distance. "Come out, come out. We just want to play play play!"

You swallow the noise of fear you wish to make. Afraid they might somehow pick up on the sound. Their senses must be far more acute than yours to have spot you hiding among the seagrass earlier. Up until that moment, you had been minding your own business.

Another voice pipes in. "Yes, play. All day, all night, until you can't can't can't anymore."

"Quiet, Moon! They're not going to come out if they think we're going to hurt them." Scolding, authoritative.

You swim around an edge of the ravine, back pressing against it as you try and regain your energy. Attempting to be as silent as possible as you listen to them and plan your next move.

Irritation now from the first one. "But Sun, we are going to hurt them. It's no fun if we don't~"

"I'm not saying we're not. I'm saying," he lowers his voice, though not by enough that it matters. "They don't need to know that! It's part of the surprise."

"I'd rather just get to the part where we kill them." You realize they sound much closer now. Gods, distances that take you ages to travel are truly nothing to them.

You swallow, straining to hear where they might be now. As you're doing so, you become acutely aware of a small red trail, originating from your tail. Blood in the water. Yours, no less.

Shit.

You feel the rock reverberate as something heavy is placed on it. Looking up you see it's a clawed yellow hand. From around the corner, a matching grinning visage appears.

The fins around his head flutter in the water as his eyes narrow in delight. "Well with any luck, it might come sooner than you think."

With a flick of your tail, you stir up the sand, sending some his direction as you speed off the opposite way. You hear the mer sputter in protest, while his companion only snickers at his misfortune.

Deeper and deeper into the ravine you go, getting further and further from the bright waters you're more familiar with. Down here, everything is greyer, duller, less places to hide. You can see the bright sparkling water far up above you, and you pray you'll make it out of this in one piece to see it up close again.

The narrow corridors you navigate through are far too treacherous for those two to try and get through. You're surprised they could even get through to you earlier.

The ravine opens up a bit suddenly, greeting you with open ocean with scattered cliffs and the likes. You feel helpless. They obviously weren't going to give up easily, and you need to think fast if you don't want to end up dead.

Something catches your eye, sticking part way out of the sand. Swimming closer you find it's a long, thin object of some kind. You pull it out of the sand. It's covered in a layer of reddish brown, but you recognize it as a human weapon. One that's been there for a long time.

You reach a finger out to touch it and find that despite the wear, it's still incredibly sharp. You have an idea.

Swimming through the cliffs, you find a crevice that's just big enough for you to slip inside. It's such a tight fit in certain spots you're almost afraid of getting stuck, however once inside you find it's a bit bigger, enough room to comfortably move around..

Additionally, you notice you have a perfect view of the outside from this angle. This might actually work. You set the weapon down and look down at your tail, which still bleeds away. Having no way to fix it, you use it to your advantage.

Gritting your teeth, you squeeze around the small wound to encourage it to weep more. You watch the little stream of blood fall below you and out into the water beyond the cave. If they were able to track you with just the little bit before, well, this should be more than enough now.

You wait, and wait, and wait. You're calmer now, focused. You're determined. Angry, even.

It wasn't fair. Wasn't fair how they thought they could just do whatever they pleased to you and get by with it. How they could hurt you and act as if it was nothing. Just because they were so big, and you were so small.

"Sweet thing, are you trying to hide away?" You hear outside the cave.

A tsk. "How boring. Chasing is much more entertaining. You should come on out, Pretty Pearl. It'll be far more enjoyable if you do."

You steel your resolve, you won't allow them to get to you. Not without a fight at least.

When you don't respond, the one—who you think is Moon, based on his coloring—sounds impatient. "This was supposed to be quick, and you've dragged it out more than enough. Come out. Now."

And just as you hoped, he reaches inside the narrow entrance to grab you. Or attempts that is. He, unsurprisingly, gets stuck, wedging his clawed hand into the gap with no way to remove it. You hear him grumble as the other mer, Sun, laughs at his predicament.

As his hand searches around for you, you keep pressed as far away as possible, weapon gripped in your hands. You wait for your chance and then strike.

With as much force as you can muster you stab into Moon's hand, going completely through it. He reacts immediately, yowling in pain and thrashing about. You hold strong though, gripping the weapon tightly as he shakes about trying to remove it, creating a larger slash through his hand.

Eventually he slips free, throwing you with the weapon in hand against the cave wall. It makes you wheeze, but you recover. The cave around you shakes as he rips his hand free of the crevice, in the process causing the opening to widen a bit more.

As Moon curses and complains about his injury, Sun tuts. "Oh, did you get a little cut? That's too bad. Move aside, I'll take care of the reluctant little mer." A yellow hand appears—much quicker now—into the gap. "Who doesn't play very fairly, if I'm being honest."

"Crab off! Nothing about this is fair." You snarl, slinking further back into the cave to avoid him.

A chuckle. "Such language! I think you're being a tad dramatic, friend."

His hand gets to close for your liking, so you slice at it. It cuts across his palm, but it doesn't stop him, to your terror.

Sun reaches in further and grabs your tail, and no amount of beating or stabbing at his hand seems to deter him. You're yanked out of the cave, having to squint to adjust to the brightness.

Sun's look of disappointment only enrages you, especially how he chastises you. "There you are. Silly little fish, did you really think that would work?" He holds you closer, using his thumb to rub across your hair, cooing. "I'll admit it was a good try, and very clever. I mean, just look at poor Moon, that's going to be hurting him for quite a while." He turns your head to look at the other mer, who's still clutching his bloodied hand. Based on how he can't even seem to flex it, you'd say you did the damage you'd intended.

Sun makes you look back to him. "But your turn is over. And now it's ours. But since Moon is... out of commission, I suppose it's just mine." He brings you up to his face, sharp teeth adding to the maliciousness of his grin. "Don't worry, we're going to have lots of fun—"

Once you're within range you raise the weapon up above your head and slash it down, cutting directly across his eye. Sun roars in pain, releasing you to clutch his face in both hands. You can't see how bad it is, but based on the amount of blood that starts pouring into the water you'd argue you made your mark.

"Oh, what a feisty little thing you are, aren't you?" Sun manages to grit out, voice a tad shaky. "You know, I was thinking about just killing you and being done with it, but I'll admit I'm having second thoughts, Sweet fin."

By the time he finishes his sentence, you're already swimming away. Far, far away. As fast as you possibly can. And you're hoping, hoping, that that'll be the last you ever see of those two.

If you're lucky, it will.

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This one was much fun to write, as i think you can tell, thanks for reading!

Masterlist post is here

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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L'appel de la Mer

🐟🐟Midnight's DCA MerMay Day 5🐟🐟

i will get caught up, it may seem impossible rn, BUT I WILL GET CAUGHT UP-

anyway, please enjoy this silly little thing

Prompt: Hello, hello, dear! Here is a little request: Kraken Sun and Kraken Moon hear the beautiful singing of Mermaid Y/N, and the boys decide to court them to win their affections, wishing for Y/N to become their mate. Y/N is cold at first, but softens as they see how adorable and silly the charming Krakens are, such darling gentlemen that truly mean their words of love. Y/N accepts their courtship, singing for the boys, while Sun and Moon brush Y/N's hair.

DCFPU prompt used: Seashell(s)

Word Count: 1982

Story will be posted to ao3 soon!

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The warm sun feels soothing against the chill of the water lapping below you. It's only in rare moments like this do you truly get to enjoy moments such as these. Best not to take it for granted. You shift slightly, scales sliding against the rock, and sigh, face nuzzling into it for good measure.

Usually at this time of day you'd be busy with a flutter of activity. Though not willingly mind you. Sailors passing through, mers approaching with gifts and trinkets galore. All of them with the same thing on their mind; you. Or rather, having you for themselves.

It hadn't been intentional, if anything it was anything but. You just simply enjoyed singing. It made you happy, made you feel fulfilled in your long, otherwise uneventful life. Singing was your outlet for joy, but in so many cases, it had become nothing but a burden.

Anymore, you rarely sang. Finding that by avoiding it you avoided any and all unwanted attention. It made you sad, disheartened even, but you were better off for it in the long run! At least, that's what you told yourself.

Nevertheless, you could at least enjoy this moment of peace for what it was worth. In fact, you almost want to fall asleep, all cozy and warm. Like laying near an underwater vent.

Almost unknowingly, out of control, you start to hum to yourself a sort of lullaby. That hum grows into soft mumbling, trailing into singing before you know it.

It's sleepy and jagged, but it's soothing to you as you feel yourself begin to drift off from your own song.

"So you're the source of all that lovely music."

You spoke far too soon.

Annoyed, you pretend to not hear whoever it is that's stumbled upon you now. Based on the singular voice it must be another mer and not a passing ship. Good and bad. Less to deal with, but harder to slip away from. You'll play this out and see how it goes.

The second mer is a surprise.

"I don't think they can hear your praise, Moon. Can't you see they're resting?"

A chuckle. "Resting yes, but asleep? Far from it. I think I'm simply being ignored."

"You're saying that as if you don't deserve it. You are interrupting their midday nap after all."

"If I recall correctly, coming up to the surface to see them had been your idea, Sun."

You scowl against the rock as they continue to bicker back and forth. When it delves into a full argument you make a noise of displeasure. But just as you're about to look up and say something you're hit with a sudden wave of water, shocking you fully awake and nearly knocking you off the rock.

Sputtering, you look up and open your mouth to share a few choice words, only to be stunned into silence by the sight in front of you.

Currently having it out with each other are two mers that are much larger than you. One blue, the other yellow. One with fins surrounding its head, the other with a cap-like structure. Both have several large tentacles for their bottom halves, and both are utilizing said tentacles to fight against the other.

Kraken mers.

Your favorite.

You shake off your initial surprise and go back to being displeased at having your sunbathing interrupted by not just one, but two mers. And if they think you're going to let them get by with it just because you're a bit intimidated they are sorely mistaken.

"Hey." You yell, though it does nothing. You try again, louder. "Hey!"

Still nothing, another large wave splashes against you, now completely ruining the warmth of your rock. Angry now, you look around for something to throw, picking up a nearby lose chunk of stone. You gather your strength and hurl the chunk in their general direction.

It happens to be timed just right to hit the yellow one on the forehead. It startles him at most, but he stops what he's doing--holding the blue mer down in the water--to look at you.

"What was that for?" He pouts, the other mer snickering in the background.

You scoff, then shake your head, feeling completely enraged for a moment. You raise to your full height possible on the rock, lifting your hands up in disbelief. "You've ruined my rock, that's what! Coming up here and bothering me while I'm trying to enjoy the nice weather, do you have any idea how long I've waited for a day of peace and relaxation?"

As you go on, you see them both cower at your words which, internally, gives you a bit of a power trip but in turn you lose your train of thought. "So, if you don't mind, I'd like to finish my nap in quiet. Thank you very much." You twist around, laying on your back now and ignoring the feeling of cool dampness against your skin and scales.

For a minute or so, there is relative silence all around you, and your anger slowly begins to leech away. In fact, you feel your frown slip into a serene smile as the sun starts to evaporate away the water from your skin.

A quiet ripple to your left catches your ear.

"We're terribly sorry, sweet thing. I'm afraid we got a bit caught up in the moment."

"Yes, very sorry. Didn't mean to be a bother."

You feel your frown return, though a bit softer.

"It's fine. Though I suppose now you have something to say, don't you?" Your eyes remain closed. You're already prepared for the usual spiel, you hope they'll be quick.

There's a splash again. "Actually, a gift. Though plenty of words if you'd like them."

"Multiple gifts at that if you'll allow."

You crack an eye open. It’s been some time since you’ve received gifts for your singing.

Sure enough, you find the yellow mer is holding a sparkly seashell out to you. When you turn your head to the right, you see the blue mer is also holding a shell of his own. And while never participating much yourself, you know the rules around courting. You're just genuinely taken aback by what is occurring.

Sure, you know your singing attracted mers to you, and you'd been asked for your hand on more than one occasion as a result, but very few had ever taken the actual steps to prove it. You were flattered for a brief moment, and then highly suspicious. Maybe your sleepy singing had been better than you thought.

You keep your expression neutral. "I appreciate the gesture, but I cannot accept."

"Are they not pretty enough?" The yellow one asks.

"We can find better options. Say the word and we'll find exactly what you like."

You're not used to this. The... genuinity in their tones, but you let it go, you're overthinking it.

Still, you'll give a bit of sympathy, considering the slight fear you still hold of them.

"How about a couple names?" You ask. "You don't even know mine and here you are wanting to court me like it's nothing." You can't help the bitterness which boils under the surface of your words.

The two krakens look between each other, as if realizing something. Profusely, they apologize. Surprising you even further.

Yellow puts a hand. To his chest, bowing slightly. "If you'll allow us a chance to amend our blunder, my name is Sun."

"Moon." States the blue one. "And yours, pretty pearl?"

You tell them yours, blunt. To the point. They seem bothered by it.

"We'll find better options to present to you." Moon nods, seeming already determined to prove himself.

Sun agrees. "Just give us some time, sweet. But hopefully these will be a suitable start."

Before you can protest, they gently set the shells down and dive back under the water. You get another wave sent your way in the process.

You give up on sunbathing.

Sun and Moon however, don't give up on you. To your eventual amazement and utter confusion.

They each bring you shells, stones, and sea glass galore. Snacks and meals of shellfish, kelp or heaping piles of fish. Coral and pearls and quite literally anything they can find. Very pretty things however, you won't deny. All of it you know meant to be offerings for the ability to court you.

At first you just rejected them because you didn't believe either mer held any sincerity with their gifts. Their sweet words or declarations and promises. It was far too unbelievable. All just the same as it always was. Surely they would grow tired, or your unintentional enchantment would wear off soon enough, right? You haven't even been singing lately!

Now though, now you were beginning to doubt yourself. Because of the conversations you had. Their poetic words met by your cold but wry banter. The days spent following you around, the nights spent watching the stars, offering you both companionship and assistance--when you desired it. Another baffling fact of the matter was that they kept their distance when you asked for it. Most never offered you such a courtesy.

Both had their own traits that made them 'tolerable'. Though you'd be lying if you said they were just tolerable at this point. Slowly you'd warmed up to at least consider Sun and Moon your friends.

Moon with how he'd cheekily tease you while he flirts. Sun with his wide-smiled compliments that after a while began to make you blush. They'd really started to grow on you. But it's not until one day, while sitting in their cave--which always had an open-invite for you--that it hits you.

You're quietly humming to yourself as you sort through today's offerings, having become a bit of a game between the three of you by this point. Meanwhile behind you, the two of them fuss over your hair, both with each other and with the mess you've left them with to manage. To your credit, when you have enough trinkets given to you, at least some of them are going to wind up in your hair. How else were you supposed to enjoy them?

Regardless, it's in that moment, that split second, realization rolls over you. You're singing. Quietly, barely much at all, but still singing nonetheless. You haven't done that in months. Not unless you were assured absolute and utter privacy.

It was a combination of hoping Sun and Moon would finally grow bored, and developed into a fear that this friendship you'd foster would end up nothing but a farce. But now, you were finally comfortable enough to be around them to do it. To hum, to sing, to simply be you. Without the worry that it would be taken at face-value.

"I accept." You blurt out then, astonished.

You feel one set of hands stop their movement. The other continues without pause.

"What."

"Hmm?"

"Do you mean it?" Moon presses, bending down to meet your gaze.

You nod, smiling and then laughing. "I do, yes."

"You do what, Sweetfin?" Sun asks absentmindedly, still not connecting things.

You tilt your head back to see him. "Accept your offer to court me. If it's still available, that is?"

"Of course Starlight, now look forward again so I can—" Sun stops, shaking his head. "Truly?!"

He scoops you up, hugging you tightly as you laugh again. "I already said yes!"

Thus, after a bout of affection-filled confirmations, you find yourself back to being pampered, with the two mers back to bickering over your hair. Sun wanting to take the proper time to brush it out, and Moon urging him to move quicker so they weave in their favorite shells and such to proudly display your new status as partners.

And for the first time in a long time, you sing without a care in the world.

Well, maybe two.

🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊

Thank you @amarynthian-chronicles for the lovely idea! I had much fun writing these three and their silly dynamics ^^

Masterlist post is here

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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Mermay Day 12 - Abyssal

After Moon lost Sun, he realized he wouldn't be able to get him back on his own, so he asked for help from the one creature who could protect them.

And together, they thought of a plan. A plan that would not end at Sun's rescue.

"Not like they can take credit for the last part, that pirate beat them to it..."

----

Hi hello I'm alive and back home and need to catch up again.

Definitely will end up having to do some in June unfortunately. If you're interested at all, please keep an eye for new drawings after May :)

Anyways, want some fun facts about Kraken Eclipse? No? Too bad! (I'm lying, you don't have to. If you want to read them, they're under the cut.

- They're colourblind! Can only see yellow and blue (like irl octopi).

- His pupils dilate when angry, startled, or trying to scare other creatures away.

- Despite being an abyssal creature, he much prefers swimming near the surface. Likes the sunlight and looking up at the sky.

- To do this unnoticed, he is generally always camouflaged. Over the years he has only gotten better at it.

- Despite being considered sort of a legend among pirates and other sailors, others have only gotten the smallest of glimpses of them, and usually they leave no survivors when they encounter a ship. It's free food and he always ends up getting hurt by them first anyway.

- He can't really blush subconsciously. Nor really emote, he's stuck looking like OvO because of his beak. HOWEVER! To show Sun and Moon that he likes something or is generally happy, he will make his cheeks blue, like his blood, to simulate blushing.

- While both him and the mers are pretty touchy-feely, him and Moon really like holding others. To reassure themselves that they're not alone.

- He wasn't always that big. He doesn't know for how long he'll keep growing. It scares him.

- He heard the term Eclipse from Moon, since when he met both him and Sun for the first time, he tried to scare them away, and overhead Moon say his eyes resembled one. Sun vouched despite not having seen any himself. (He just thought they were pretty.)

- Knows sign! While they are capable of making rumbles and hisses, it's hard for them to form words. They find sign more comfortable anyway.

- Him and the mers are mates. While he was the one who saw and fell for them first, they were the first to ask to bond that way. He said yes :)

#Reblog #dcfpumermay #quetie

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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Day 16 + 17

Hunt + Blind

Oops I forgot to post hahaha

#Reblog #dcfpumermay #quetie

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daycarefriendpickup · 4 days ago

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Tear in My Heart

🐟🐟Midnight's DCA MerMay Day 7🐟🐟

another fun little request for y'alls enjoyment, hoping to keep up the momentum as the days go on!

Prompt: FNAF security breach ruin eclipse as a leviathan(gentle giant) courting a spearfisher y/n

DCFPU prompt used: Colossal

Word Count: 2009

Story will be posted to ao3 soon!

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You double check your equipment. Goggles, snorkel, spear, spear gun. Simple enough, really. You're wearing your wetsuit, weight belt, and fins, so you're good to go. You never needed much for your dives, which is part of why you preferred spearfishing, really.

Granted, you had plenty for afterwards—cleaning supplies, stringers, coolers, and so on—but that was common equipment regardless of what kind of fishing someone did. What additionally added to your enjoyment was getting to be in the water, up close. Or at least, as close as one can be.

The pain of having to sit on a boat, in hot weather, little to no breeze, that sounded torturous to you personally. You'd much rather be down below, simming through the cool waters, getting to see all sorts of sea life. Some of it might end up being yours or someone else's dinner, yes, but still.

You slip your goggles over your eyes, and swing your legs over the railing of your boat. You double check one final time the anchor is in place, then hop into the water below. It's refreshing chill greets you immediately, and with just the brief glance you got before resurfacing you can tell this spot will have a plentiful number of fish to choose from.

You take a breath, then dive back down to get a good look, probably circle around to see what's there before trying for any prey. In this area you know there's several kinds of fish to choose from, though you also know there's a couple not in season.

You really would prefer to not catch just lionfish—again—this time, but maybe that's being a bit too hopeful. Oh well, they were invasive so you guess you're doing your part or whatever. The dock restaurants will go crazy for it, but money doesn't fill your stomach with fresh fish you caught yourself.

Your scanning gives you a bird's eye view of the reef and the area surrounding it. There's a decent amount of fish swimming about, and numerous species at that, which doesn't surprise you. What surprises you is the complete and utter lack of predators out and about.

Usually when you dive there'd maybe be a shark or two flitting about, which was typical of these waters. But not only are there no sharks, there's not a single predator fish around. It's... strange. You're not going to look a gift fish in the mouth though, and see it as an opportunity instead.

You surface again to collect your bearings. You've probably got about thirty minutes of intense swimming in you before you'll need to take a break for lunch. So you make the most of it.

Another surprising thing about this reef area is how it's shaped. It all seems to wrap around a rather large sunken-in area in the middle, filled with nothing but sand and seagrass. When you surface for the third time—a lionfish in tow— you're able to get a better look at it by just dipping your head under the water. It's... nearly a perfect circle. Huh.

You chalk it down to just an interesting natural phenomenon and get back to it. By the time you've caught your tenth fish you begin to feel a bit tired. Climbing out of the water, you sit on the edge of your boat and eat the sandwich you'd packed for lunch.

As you're chowing down, you feel a large, yet subtle, wave rock your boat. You pause at this, but then when nothing else happens you simply shrug and go back to eating. Then, you feel it, the presence of something much larger than you, passing directly beneath you.

You fear slink up your spine, but shake your head, if it's a whale or something it'll continue on its way. Same with a shark. Most things out here don't directly interact with fishing vessels. You'll just, wait a little bit before diving back in.

So, you give it about twenty minutes, more than enough for whatever it is to leave the area. You ignore the feeling that something is still off, deciding it's just nerves. You replace your gear, and with a deep breath, dive back below.

You initially think you must be seeing things. Light catching your googles wrong or something like that. Maybe the cheese was bad on your sandwich, something like that. Something that could explain what it was you were seeing.

There, curled up in the middle of the circular reef, is a fish. A very, very big one. Larger than any whale, shark, or otherwise. It was just... colossal.

It didn't quite look like any fish you've ever seen before. Its lower half is the most fish-like part about it, with massive shimmering scales and a tail with transparent fins. The upper half however, was best describable as a mix of human and sea creature.

Spines along limbs that had hands and webbed fingers, a torso and chest, but most importantly a face. A face surrounded by fins, but a human-ish face all the same. The coloring was also otherworldly to you.

Patches of blue, yellow, red, and white scales—and skin?—cover the fish. And along with said scales are several deep scars, marring its otherwise perfect features. The face is split into two colors, yellow and midnight blue. And its eyes, one red, one white, are staring directly up at you.

You freeze, but spring into action when its large mouth opens, and you're met with a sharp grin. You scream, and have to resurface. Which is fine, because you were not going to stay around and find out what this guy's deal is.

Sputtering and coughing you hurry to climb back onto your boat. You hurriedly throw off your fins and rush over to the controls to start the engine. It's as you're fumbling for the keys you hear a booming voice call out to you.

"Wait! Don't go just yet!"

Paralyzed once more, you can only turn around in horror to find the giant creature, the leviathan, is now at the water level, eyes peeking over the edge of your boat. You don't know what to do. Is there anything you can do? You were afraid of it just because of its size but now you're petrified that it's able to speak.

When you don't say anything, the creature rises a little further out of the water, slowly, cautious. Your heart pounds in your chest. It raises its hands as it speaks again. "I-I won't hurt you."

You flinch as its hands move and it notices, pausing and tucking them behind its back. "I mean it. Promise."

You realize it's waiting on you now. You struggle to muster up the courage to respond.

"What, what do you w-want?" You stutter out. "What even are you?"

Despite your tone, the giant smiles at you, chuckling lightly. "I'm Eclipse. And what I want," He bends down, just a little closer. "Is to talk to you."

"Me?" You squeak.

He nods.

"Why would you want to do that?"

Another light answer. You realize that the loud quality of his voice is just because of how big he is, he otherwise has a gentleness to his tone you'd never expect. "Because you're the first interesting thing to show up here in a very long time."

You're suspicious. Though to your credit, who wouldn't be? Giant fish calling itself 'Eclipse' is talking to you because he thinks you're 'interesting'? Yeah, that's plausible. When you wake up from this dream you're throwing out every bit of your cheese.

You keep your hand on the key to your boat. "Why should I believe you?"

A shrug. "Well you certainly don't have to, but I'd like for you to. Please." There's a hint of something in the end of his sentence you can't place, but it calls out to something in you.

"And, and you won't try to eat me?"

"Eat you?" He questions, then starts to laugh, hard. "There are far better meals I could make out of fish much larger than you."

Your cheeks burn at this. "It's a fair question!"

"I never implied it wasn't. Tell you what, the first sign you think I'm lying, you can leave immediately. I won't try and follow you or anything." He offers you his hand, then realizes himself and offers just his pointer finger.

You think on it. Then sigh. Not every day you get to meet a bonafide mermaid. "I guess I just have to take your word for it." You reach your hand out and grasp his pointer in an attempt at a handshake.

Eclipse beams at you. "Oh, you won't regret it, friend. I promise!"

As you would come to find out, he was a fish of his word, in more ways than one.

While terrified throughout most of the conversation, that didn't seem to deter him in the slightest. You left safe and sound and you also returned safe and sound—much to his delighted surprise. This happened once, twice, thrice, until you began to lose track of the days and months.

You found that the colossal mer was fascinated by you and where you came from. Not just on the surface level, either. He hung on to your every word, taking it all in with great interest. In turn, he had much to share with you as well. Offering anything you wanted about his species, his life, and just him as a whole.

Beyond that however, you found talking to him was easy compared to previous relationships. You could laugh and joke together, and somehow the leviathan became a sort of shoulder to lean on.

And after becoming fast friends, lovers followed soon thereafter.

It took you some time to catch on, you won't deny it. Either oblivious or in denial or more likely a mix of both. To be fair, the idea of a massive fish finding a small human with a spear like you attractive just seemed... impossible.

Nevertheless, he certainly tried to get your attention far before you noticed. Assisting you with your fishing, offering to simply catch things for you if you wanted. Giving you trinkets that he'd found, sharing that they'd 'reminded me of you'.

It was also in the way he looked at you, spoke to you. Always soft and kind but something else was there to it. Something that looking back made your heart flutter in realization.

It's only one day, while you're mid-cleaning a fish, when he flat out asks you that it clicks.

"I'd like to be yours, Sweetfin. And for you to be mine."

You pause, hand quite literally in fish guts, to whip to look at him. "What? I, you mean, really?"

"Yes really." Eclipse chuckles, coming fully down to your level so you're eye to eye. "If you'll have me."

You stammar out your answer. "I, yes, of course. I can't, I don't believe, I really wish you didn't ask me that while my hands are covered in guts because I'd like to take hold of your face and kiss you."

Eclipse freezes then. But with how his rays flutter and he suddenly ducks down into the water you'd take that as a good sign. Even if he did almost capsize your boat.

Now, months later, as you're lying stretched out across his chest while he floats lazily in the water, do you realize how silly it all is. Though, it's ridiculous in the best way, you'd argue.

You giggle to yourself, and this seems to rouse him.

"Something funny?" He mumbles, half-asleep.

You sigh, shifting position a bit. "Yes and no. I'm just... reminiscing is all."

"You should be resting." He reaches a hand up to softly poke your side.

You swat him away, laughing. "I'll spend my afternoon how I please, thank you very much."

"As long as I get to spend mine with you, that's what matters to me." The mer sighs.

You close your eyes, laying back against him. "I think that's what matters most to me too."

🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊🎣🌊

Thank you @sun-and-moon-fun for the request! I thought it was very cute and had much fun writing ruin eclipse ^^

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