#he’s my baby merman

[uncreativity-struck]

Tell me why my ability to draw evades me until 3 AM

[corvidscreams]

Cal made a new friend! He’s also small! Boba can’t play too far from the water, but there are lots of interesting things in the tide pools.

[daisyhellion]

Here he is! A mer-man with some trans pride to share! I am loving these, they have been so much fun! Please enjoy this stunning boy!

[artistsfuneral]

Jaskier found something. Not sure what it is but it's cool!

[panic-flavored]

Sorry if you’ve explained this already but… is mer-Stone trans? How’s he carrying the baby?

I did answer this in another ask, but this is kind of a seahorse situation! Male merpeople can sometimes produce offspring if they bond with another male. :) But I love all trans headcanons so that is also valid ❤️

[doodleferp]

When you're trying to be uwu baby for your cute new human friend but you're a bigass merman in a teenyass marina

[dbphantom]

Hate having adhd went to go work on my fallout modpack, got distracted while going to disable the steam overlay, ended up in the points shop, went to go edit my profile, decided to change my pfp, found a buried folder I forgot existed, found some old Veneer art I forgot existed, spent 45 minutes looking at all the old photos, STILL HAVE NOT TOGGLED ONE SIMPLE OPTION THAT SHOULD'VE TAKEN 30 SECONDS AT MOST

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

https://www.tumblr.com/owwllly/742785430735437824/softgirlgonehaywire-staryukis-dollsuguru?source=share

Ah, but why do I feel as though as though merman!Suguru would work just so well in your style?

AAA ANON YOU’RE SO SWEET 😭😭😭 ….. i’d love to write a merman!sugu fic one day i just have no clue what the plot would be……. i do think sugu is super the little mermaid coded though. an angsty fic where he turns into seafoam at the end might be fun….. but i also want him to be happy :’3 maybe something fluffy with a reader who’s afraid of water….? and sugu teaches them how to swim….. I PROMISE I CAN SWIM IDK WHY THAT CONCEPT WAS THE FIRST TO POP INTO MY HEAD but i like it….. i think it’s cute…..

anon this definitely put an idea into my brain pshdps TYSM !! another sugu wip to add to my never-ending list :’3……

[safyresky]

Scrimbly Jacquelines 21/52: IT'S FUCKING MERMAY?!?! HELLO?!?!?

Yo. She turned out SO CUTE. I'm grinning like a maniac. Wtf. Who ALLOWED THIS.

yes that's deffs Dite a necklace

wanted to incorporate some warm colours bc. half summer sprite. but alas. they didn't quite turn out so now it's BLUE

the scales on her belly are her SCARS! MERMAID SCARS! SCALES GREW OVER THEM! AH!

had a whole ass crisis bc i SWEAR i wrote where her scars were SOMEWHERE but I can't fucking FIND IT. losing my MIND. in a PRISON of my OWN MAKING

update: FOUND THE PASSAGE LMAO. I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE! WHEE! 9CS Chapter 14, but I think I edited the passage down. I know I have the og saved SOMEWHERE with all three scars listed)

got way too excited when I realized she could use icicles in lieu of 'shell bra" or whatever

can't believe I actually drew a hairline. i never do. wildin. idek what hairlines any of these blorbos have, i just wing it

PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT, LOL!

(we are going to ignore the outside the lines bit, yes yes yes)

i am very proud of those scrimbly hands y'all. AH

Unedited version here:

[namjoonpeachsblog]

Jk for mermay^^

[oblivious-troll]

Merman Salim crawling on land. He comes ashore at night and crawls all around the beach to explore

I literally love this!

Got me thinking about things he could come across while exploring at night along the beach or at a dock

A certain cat got more than they bargained for while looking for fish (pardon the poorly drawn cat, I haven't drawn one for literal years 😅)

[coralinnii]

Hi! How's it going?

Can I please request Leona, Riddle, Cater and Ace reacting to the reader wearing someone else's jacket?

‧₊˚✧New Jacket, Who Dis? ‧₊˚✧

↳ forgetting your jacket and wearing someone else’s  

feat: Leona ❋ Riddle ❋ Cater ❋ Ace genre: humor, fluff note: no pronouns used for reader, reader is implied to be smaller than Floyd, nicknames used for reader (cutie, babe, baby), established relationships, reader is implied to be from Ramshackle,

I swear I will get these requests completed even if it kills me. Damn my tendency to go into hibernation during winter! Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the reading ^///^

Part 1 2.7k followers writing event

Leona has jackets? 

I mean, you were sure Leona owns a plethora of high-end jackets and outerwear of the finest fabrics but be it a preference or perhaps too much of an effort, you rarely see the beastman wear anything other than a shirt and at best a dorm-mandated vest.

So, when you feel a chill down your spine on your way to class, the idea of asking your boyfriend for a jacket did not cross your mind. Can’t ask for what you’ve never seen.

A classmate of yours saw your pitiful form and offered you his school blazer. Something better than nothing, he thought. 

Grateful, you were quick to take up his kind offer and practically snuggled your face into it for warmth. Now in a better mood, you got through the first half of the day and quickly made your way to the greenhouse where you suspect a certain lion beastman is hiding. 

But it seems that said beastman wasn’t in high spirits as you were when with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw, he raised his palm towards you signaling you to step no closer to him. 

An unfamiliar scent unpleasantly wafted through Leona’s territory, and to his annoyance, you appeared to be the source of it. 

No, not you…That wretched jacket.

Leona doesn’t have to ask. He can surmise the situation on his own, the weather was chilly, you being stupid enough to leave without something cozy, and some brave or stupid herbivore handing you something with his scent even though you were the partner of a beastman. Though irritating, logically this was not something surprising… but he doesn’t have to like it regardless. 

And he doesn’t. 

Pointing towards you, he further narrowed his gaze on the jacket that has tainted you with its irritating stench of another man. “Oi, take it off.” 

Though confused, you did as he said (lest you want him even grumpier, you thought) and placed your friend’s jacket onto Leona’s outstretched hand. 

Suddenly and without warning, the dark-haired upperclassman harshly tossed the fabric to a random direction, with such feelings of disgust and annoyance radiating off from Leona, you would think the jacket spat in his meal or something. 

But no matter how many times you tried to ask for his reasons or how many times you begged him to let you go after pulling you into his arms so you could retrieve the abandoned jacket, Leona said nothing as he kept his grip strong around you as he fell asleep once more, lulled by your unobstructed scent. 

“Ruggie can grab my jacket for you so quit harping about it…You feel bad for Ruggie for the trouble? Tch, who’s fault you think that is?”

Riddle’s appearance is perfect to a T. From his bow tie to his socks, the Heartslabyul housewarden chooses his attire to what is required; nothing is missing and nothing in excess. 

Basically, he wouldn’t have a spare jacket nor can he part away from the required blazer of his school uniform despite how he honestly wanted to. 

You understood his hesitance completely and didn’t probe further. Unfortunately, it left you noticeably shivering, and Floyd just had to mention your shivering form akin to a jittery guppy. Learning your predicament, the tall mischief-maker had a fun idea. 

Which led to you finally leaving the classroom after Floyd finished his giggling fit seeing you looking practically devoured by his jacket. Floyd is a tall eel merman so the length of the sleeves and hem were certainly longer than an average uniform. 

“Go ahead and wear it, just give it back later.” The sophomore graciously lent his jacket to you, but you suspected that he just wanted to prolong the humiliation.

At least you were grateful he wasn’t there to laugh at you when Riddle saw you in this mortifying position. The taller student would have probably coughed up his human lungs from laughing at your boyfriend's stunned expression. 

“I…What is…” Riddle was dumbfounded. The sight of his beloved being swallowed by a jacket was not something he suspected. It is an amusing image to see, but definitely odd. 

What’s the procedure for this? This was hardly appropriate school attire, but Riddle was stumped as to what to do next since he can’t think of a rule that addresses your lover being dressed in someone else’s jacket in a comical fashion. 

Despite unable to complete his prior sentence, you knew what Riddle wanted to know. “…It’s Floyd’s. He thought it’d be funny.” 

There was a burning sensation bubbling in Riddle when he thought about the Octavinelle rascal, how close and unnecessarily clingy he probably was to you as he took glee in his nonsensical pranks. Then, an unpleasant thought sat in the redhead’s mind as he watched you roll up the sleeves of Floyd’s jacket draped over your form. That eel gave you his jacket while Riddle, your boyfriend, didn’t.

"I supposed I should have expected this, given my choice."

Riddle let out a sigh before extending a hand to you, his face flushing a familiar red hue. “It may be redundant, but perhaps I could offer my own jacket? A warmer one at least, I wouldn’t want you to needlessly catch a cold.” 

Happily, you took the sweet redhead’s offer. Walking together hand-in-hand, Riddle thought he could spare you a scolding about forgetting your jacket in the first place, so long as you rectify his mood by wearing his jacket instead. 

“As your boyfriend it should be my duty to protect and care for you, no one else’s.”

Cater would have no problem with sharing his jacket with you, if he can take some cute pictures of course. His wardrobe has a mixture of trendy and cool clothing due to his time at the Pop Music Club. It wasn't a matter of what he could offer but rather his time to even give this offer.

It was today of all days that he couldn’t find time to himself since there were some last-minute preparations needed for the Unbirthday party. You felt too guilty and nervous to suddenly ask your boyfriend for a jacket in all this commotion, so you tried to handle the cold without one. 

However, a classmate of yours was observant enough to notice your predicament and handed his jacket for the time being. 

You’ve stuck around the Unbirthday party, waiting for the festivities to settle and relax before scanning through the crowd to find the man with a beautiful shade of orange hair. 

But your boyfriend was quicker to find you as he surprised you first, covering your eyes from behind. “Guess who, cutie~?” 

Laughing, you didn’t bother to answer as you immediately spun around to leap straight into Cater’s arms, to which Cater happily returned in kind. 

“Looks like you got yourself some new threads. Almost couldn’t find you, cutie.” Referring to your newly acquired jacket, Cater could see the Heartslabyul emblem sewed onto its sleeve. Raising a quizzical brow, Cater questioned you, “Did you get it from the Adeuce duo?” 

His guess was wrong though as you told him a classmate of yours offered you his jacket, pointing him in the distance with his friends. Well now, that’s interesting. If it were one of his or your friends, that’s fine and dandy…but a random classmate…

Cater genuinely appreciated that his little underclassmen are chivalrous enough to help their fellow peers, but he admits that it’s a little different when it involves you. You’re special to him after all and he gotta make sure only he gets to give you the best boyfie treatment. 

With a smile on his face, Cater gently coaxed you out from the jacket before walking towards the oblivious student. “Let’s give him back his jacket, then we can head over to my room. I’ve got the perfect jacket for you to try out ♪”

“My cutie looks so ‘cammable in my jacket! This is definitely going on Magicam ♪ Oh, should we get matching couple outfits~?"

“Are you ever gonna stop sulking and tell me what’s wrong, Ace?”

“...” 

It doesn’t matter how long you two were dating, Ace would tease you so much if you ask for his jacket, it’s almost not worth it. You could already hear the redhead’s cheeky voice in your head. “Aww, is my baby feeling cold? Do you need your amazing boyfriend to warm you up?” 

Feeling a little petty and not in the mood for his teasing, you instead asked Deuce if he could spare his extra jacket for you. To your luck, he had his track team jacket on hand that he could offer to you. 

Warm and cozy, you met up with Ace who, upon seeing you, unceremoniously draped himself over you as he let out a deep sigh. “Ahh, I was so cold today. Thank Sevens you’re so warm.” 

Rolling your eyes affectionately, you wrapped your arms around him and rubbed his back soothingly. Glad you didn’t ask for his jacket, then. 

But as Ace shifted around in your arms, he looked over your jacket from his angle and felt a sneaking suspicion that he had seen it before…but not on you. “Hey babe, where’d you get the jacket from?” 

“Oh, it’s Deuce’s track team jacket. I borrowed it ‘cuz I forgot mine back at Ramshackle.” 

Which led to this predicament in Ace’s room, with the pouty freshman giving you the cold shoulder. Granted, it’s rather cute to see your boyfriend react so childishly over a jacket, but you’d preferred some cuddles right about now. 

But Ace kept on with his act. It may seem like an overreaction but to Ace, knowing that you asked for Deuce instead of him first left a sour taste in his mouth and a blow to his ego. He’s supposed to be your boyfriend, ain’t he? 

You sighed, having no choice but to “right your wrong”, then. 

Crawling to where your lover was, you leaned into the crook of his neck as your arms circled his waist. “Don’t be mad, I’m so cold and I need my strong, handsome boyfriend to warm me up with hugs~ Aaacceee…” 

Still met with silence, you upped the ante and started to press small pecks against his neck where you felt were getting hot and bumpy from your touch. Hiding your satisfied smile, you continued your onslaught of praises and coos. 

Damn you and your cuteness, he thought. Breaking his cold facade, Ace groaned in frustration as he pulled you into his arms, giving into the cuddles you wanted. 

“If you need something, you’d better be thinking of me first before anyone else, especially Deuce. Have some faith in your boyfriend here.”

[wrioluvr]

subby vampire x dom male reader pt 2 pt 1

thank u guys for liking kliff!! he's so baby. felt kinda mean and thought about a scenario where reader is like, a regular monster fucker and poor kliff finds out he hooked up with another vampire and gets super jealous teehee... but this is wholesome tho.

content: reader is kind of a player, blowjob (reader receiving), reader loves tormenting the poor old man, more plot-focused than pure smut

★ ; 🦇🍷. . ♱

after visiting kliff at his crumbling manor a few more times, you decided that you were getting tired of making the trip out into the woods everytime, and invited him over to your house instead, an invitation he eagerly accepted. though he kept a calm composure, inwardly, his thoughts were running wild - he would finally be able to bask in a whole home full of your scent.... maybe even steal a few small trinkets he could toy with whenever he felt lonely... or... or even get a feel of your bed, where he fantasised about waking up next to you and spending the rest of his days as your faithful househusband. oh, how delightful.

"thank you ever so much for allowing me to enter your abode. i am most honoured." thanking you profusely, he elegantly sat down on your sofa, only to immediately scrunch up his face in discomfort. you stared at him, puzzled. "what's wrong? you don't like my home?"

"no, no... it's not that... it's just that... this scent is so familiar. in an unnverving way..." he mumbled, talking to himself. suddenly, a look of recognition, mixed with horror, dawned on his face. "correct me if i'm wrong, but... there's not a chance you've had another vampire over.... is there?"

"oh! i forgot you vampires have a heightened sense of smell. yeah, i hooked up with another vampire like, 3 weeks ago." you said nonchantly, like it was the most insignificant thing ever. kliff merely gaped at you, aghast at your casualness. "so... so... i'm not your first vampire relationship?" he asked meekly, almost like he was afraid of the answer.

"well, yes. i dated, hmm...." you start to list them on your fingers. "two vampires, one werewolf, one merman... oh, right, and one evil ass fairy. he was mean."

poor kliff looked like he was about to collapse, his hand clutching his chest dramatically. thankfully he was sitting down, otherwise he would have fallen over. "where on earth do you even find these creatures?"

"i get around."

"and you never thought to mention this?!"

"i mean, i didn't really think it was important..."

kliff sighed, suddenly feeling a little insecure at his complete lack of romantic experience in contrast to your many flings. "may i at least see what your past vampire suitors looked like?" he didn't want to admit it, but he was suddenly feeling very clingy, even more than usual. he had to be better than all your exes! so that you wouldn't leave him like you left them!

"sure. here you go." you pull out your phone and show him a picture, only for kliff to gasp loudly and clutch his chest even tighter. what a drama queen.

"HIM."

"you know him??"

"that little whore was going around sleeping with every man and woman in town a hundred years ago! i cannot BELIEVE he is still so promiscuous in this day and age. he even seduced you..."

"woah! language, kliff!"

kliff stops mid-ramble and clears his throat in embarassment. "my apologies. this is most uncouth of me. i do not know why i am getting so frustrated over this. the two of you are not seeing each other anymore, correct?"

"yes. you're the only one i'm seeing right now."

"and, if i may be so bold to inquire,,,, how was he like as a lover?"

"he was kinda annoying." kilff let a smirk escape his lips upon hearing this. "i knew it-" "the head was good though."

"what- what does 'head' mean?"

"he sucked my dick." you say bluntly.

"oh, good heavens."

"don't be a prude! wait... kliff, are you jealous of him?"

"i most certainly am not."

"at your big age? please be serious." you tease, amused at how possessive he suddenly got.

"do NOT make fun of me. i said i'm not." the pout adorning his face said otherwise.

kliff barely noticed it, but slowly he inched closer and closer to you, eyes scanning your neck as he frantically searched for bite marks.

"did he bite you anywhere? did it hurt? you must know, i would never even consider drinking from you, right?" he took your hand, eyes searching desperately for validation, any form of praise that indicated you thought he was the better vampire.

you rolled your eyes. "jeez, kliff. i didn't take you for the possessive type. don't worry, none of my previous vampire lovers have drunk from me."

that did little to reassure him, since he was on the same page. "then... then... i must be better at this 'head' thing!" he declares, face full of misplaced determination. you almost double over laughing.

"it's not a competition! my god, you're so unserious."

"it does not matter to me! i must be better than that lustful shame of a vampire at every aspect. especially since we are of the same species."

"okay, okay. calm down. i'll let you try."

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

"just let me know you can't breathe or whatever. i'll guide you through your first time, yeah?" kliff nods, a blush extremely prominent on his undead features as he knelt between your thighs. he quite enjoyed this... submissive position.

"also- watch the fangs." the authoritative, yet gentle tone of your voice sent shivers down his spine.

he himself could be considered a monster, but he paled in comparison to the monster that sprung out of your pants once he clumsily undid the zipper. kliff gasped, a look of pure lust and nervousness written all over his expression as your slightly erect cock hovered over his face.

"so... basically... you just put it inside your mouth, then start sucking it. easy enough, right? come on, don't tell me you've never heard of a blowjob in your entire existence."

"of course i have..... i admit, i own quite a bit of... erotic fiction." he mumbles, eyes still on your cock, cheeks growing redder by the second. "but, goodness, it's so different seeing a real phallus up close. especially one of your size."

"phallus??? just say cock."

"mhm...." he hesitates, unsure where to even begin. flustered, he looks up imploringly, silently begging for you to guide him.

you chuckle at his frozen state, completely at a loss on what to do. "so needy. i'll help you."

tenderly, you run a hand through his soft hair, applying just a little bit of power to tug his head forward, guiding him to your tip. obediently, he opened his mouth, taking the shaft inside. it was warm, his rough tongue grazing over your tip, causing you to grip his hair a little tighter. kliff let out a masochistic moan in response. slowly, he ventured further down your length, but unable to reach the base without gagging. he looked up at you with apologetic eyes, but you squeezed his shoulder to let him know he was doing well. "good job, kliff. you're a natural." spurred on by your praise, kliff found a lewd rhythm, mouth bobbing up and down in a continuous passionate attempt to make you feel good.

your small grunts of pleasure kept him going. panting, you ask, "you sure you've never done this before, kliff? you're so good." he frantically shakes his head, mouth still full of cock, as if the idea that he engaged in such intimate acts with anyone but you was horrifying. he was loyal like that. it was intoxicating, the head only vampires could provide - fangs lightly grazing your cock's sensitive areas, the slight thrill unmatched. merman head was sloppy, werewolf head was rough, but vampire head was a little dangerous. you liked that.

soon enough, you were about to cum. you warned him, patting his shoulder twice, he vigorously nodded, giving you permission to cum inside his mouth. he'd only ever been used to having blood in his mouth, so having your cum inside instead was a new experience. but he liked it. maybe a little too much, as he swallowed it so enthusiastically. you gazed upon him affectionately, finding his virgin excitement over such lewd matters endearing.

"how was i?" the breathless question hung in the air, a reminder of the atmosphere thick with your intertwined tension.

cupping his face with one hand, the other stroking his hair soothingly, you muttered the words he most wanted to hear. "you were better than him."

kliff jumps into your arms, nuzzling his face into your shoulder. "thank you. you're the absolute best." he's so content to spend the rest of his days with you. treat him with care, yeah?

>ᵥᵥ< 💘

tags: @4eaever @szapizzapanda @flyingsquids @vampmasc

omg i'm so happy with this one, one of my fav writings i've ever done so far. i felt like i characterised kliff and captured their dynamic quite well here hehehe

[ophelieverse]

Oppy my baby,can you please please please take in consideration to write something about my man Cregan Stark?🥺🥺

⊹˚₊only you could have called me back home

Cregan Stark x fem!reader

-Summary:reader is from house Manderly and she meets Cregan when they are kids,during his stay at her house she reads him a book about mermaids to help him sleep during a storm.Years later he does the same thing for their children.

-I finally gave in and decided to try.This is the first time that I write for Cregan,even though i love him very much and i can’t wait to see him(I pictured in my mind Tom Taylor)so forgive me if this sucks.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It was night,late evening.

The sky,which was usually a dark blue,was covered by a thick blanket of gray clouds that made the stars and that moon disappear,which were supposed to illuminate New Castle of White Harbor.The blue blazon with the green merman holding a trident,symbolizing House Manderly,was dancing in the wind.

A little girl,who seemed to be not older than eight years old,was observing the world and that summer storm,one of many she had seen in just a month.Sitting in her chamber,on the carpet in front of the window that brought into that small balcony,curled up and with her arms hugging her legs,she let her eyes get lost in counting the thousands of droplets that rested on that sheet of glass.

She began to stare at a drop of rain,trying to see it flow along the entire length of the window.But this one soon disappeared,bursting into smaller droplets or joining others.

For Lady Y/n Manderly,the rain made everything so fascinating.

She came closer to the glass,almost squashing her face against the door-windows and waiting for a thunder to arrive.She had never been afraid of thunderstorms,quite the contrary.She found them fascinating.She still couldn't conceive that all that noise and lights came from nature and not from something created by men.

Watching a thunderstorm was more interesting than reading a book.Her mother used to read her dozen of them to help her sleep at night,especially during storms like this one.But at the end,the books in their library all looked alike and never change final.If she didn't want to read them anymore she could just close them.While thunderstorms are unexpected and uncontrollable.But above all,always different.

People can never predict the duration or intensity of a thunderstorm.You can just try to guess or stay and observe it.And Y/n loved to see thunderstorms.

But that wasn't the case for everyone.

The little girl knew for sure that there was someone who instead hated them and had a big fear of them.A young boy,just of two years older than she was,the son of the protector of the North,had revealed that he was very afraid of storms during one.

Lord Rickon Stark had arrived to White Harbor four nights before,just in time for dinner,to discuss with Lord Desmond Manderly,Y/n father,about the union of their houses.A calm but still noisy storm was what welcomed them,alongside the blue and green blazon of New Castle.

Y/n didn't understand what was scary about those lights and noises,but she couldn't help but think about what the boy was feeling at the time.

That boy who was also her husband to be once they would be old enough to marry.They already knew each other,they had met in different occasions and places,yet they had never forged a particular bond or friendship.

Their characters were particularly different and they both knew that they would find themselves colliding easily if they became friends.Moreover, there had never been a particular opportunity to get to know each other better.They were always surrounded by their families,politicians and maidens.

They were simply two children,two heirs of big and powerful houses and one day they will become husband and wife.Nothing more,nothing less.

And yet,at that moment Y/n was just thinking.She was just thinking about Cregan.That was his name and what he had told her to call him when she had addressed him as “Lord Stark” with a polite bow.

Y/n wondered if he wasn't scared.

She remembered once,when there was a tournament in Lannisport,he didn’t showed up to see the horses in the morning when it started to rain.Once again,during a visit a the Wall he had been more restless than usual when he had heard the sound of the thunders.

But didn't the dark sky of the evening emphasize the whole thing even more?

Y/n loved night thunderstorms,she found them even more impressive.But also scary.Especially now that her mother was heavily pregnant and needed to stay in bed to rest,meaning that she couldn’t read her stories to help her sleep better.

In Y/n that fear gave a sudden adrenaline rush,but in Cregan no,she could have said it with certainty.So,after thinking about it for too long,the little girl got up,took the cloak on the chair and without even thinking anymore,she opened the window-door wide and within seconds she found herself on the balcony,while the rain was beginning to increase slowly.

That wing of the castle was where both Y/n and her brothers chambers were,the same place where young Cregan was staying,in the room right next to hers.

Y/n stayed for a while to observe the sky,and the drops of rainwater falling on the palm of her hand that she had turned upwards,fascinated by everything as a child could be.But she hadn't gone out to the balcony to admire all that,no.

If she had only wanted to do that,she would have been content to sit in front of the front door-windows as she had until then,instead of getting wet.

No,Y/n had gone out to check on Cregan.To make sure that he was alright.

Their balconies were connected,divided only by a low wall of light bricks.She had often seen the young boy on that balcony in those days,watching people occupying those crowded streets or just wanting to breathe some air.

And on those occasions they had just waved to each other politely with kind smiles.

Y/n knew that the window on that balcony led to the room where Cregan was staying.

Still in the rain,half protected by the windowsill of the upper floor,she barely reached out her neck to observe the young boy room.But it was dark and the curtains were pulled,a sign that Cregan was probably already sleeping,as he would on any night.

The little Lady wanted to call herself a fool for coming out of her room just to make sure that he was okay,a boy whose she exchanged a few words and nothing else.The same boy that one day would have been her husband but the she didn’t knew nothing about.

Yet,in some way,she was relieved.Relieved that he was not awake yet and afraid of those thunders.

A part of Y/n wanted to go back into her room and go back admiring that storm from behind the glass plate of the window,but first she got closer to the wall that separated her from her neighbor.

To,she said to herself,just to check more closely.Just to make sure.

But check what exactly?

Y/n shook her head.She really had to be out of her mind if now she was worried about an almost - stranger that seemed to not like her at all.She made to retrace her steps,when a curled figure caught her attention.

Sitting on the ground,with his shoulders leaning against the wall of that balcony and with a black cloak on him,he stood with his head hidden by the hood.Still like a statue,with his arms around his legs.Half of his body was protected under the windowsill,while the other half was being wet by that rainwater.

Y/n tilted her head to the side,confused.

“Who is that?And what are they doing?”she wondered.

Even though she knew very well who it was.It couldn't be anyone other than him.

«Cregan?»Y/n spoke without having the slightest control over her voice,attracting the attention of the boy.

Cregan raised his head,which he had kept sunk between his legs until that moment,turning his head then towards the young lady on the other side of the wall.His eyes were usually clear and calm,but now they were wide open with astonishment.

Wide in a way that Y/n couldn't but find adorable.

She ignored these thoughts and just reopened her mouth«What are you doing out here?Don't you see .. ?It's raining.»she asked with a soft tone.

“As if i hadn't noticed,Y/n”Cregan wanted to tell her with a little voice.He wouldn't have put on his cloak if he hadn't seen the rain.

But a part of him decided to keep his mouth closed.Lady Y/n was immensely pretty under the pale moonlight and wet by the rain.He had always been fascinated by her,by the way her eyes shined bright and the way she talked fast about something she liked and knew about.She made him nervous to speak whenever he was around her,she was far smarter and wiser than him even at that young age,always so kind and he was afraid to make a fool out of himself.Especially when he was still scared of thunderstorms.

Cregan didn't answer,just staring at her with his big blue eyes.

«Are you hurt?»Y/n brown furrow as she scanned his pale face to find something.

The rain kept falling and it seemed that its intensity continued to increase as the seconds passed.The trees in front of that castle moved to the right and left,driven by a force they already knew,but which they were still unable to repel.

Cregan shook his head and then spoke«I'm scared of thunderstorms.»he just said.

Y/n nodded«I know that.But why are you outside?»she offered him a kind smile.

Cregan seemed to think about it for a while, undecided whether to say everything to her or keep shut up.But there was something in her,something that was pulling in from the inside.Something that was screaming at him to tell her everything that he was afraid of,because with her it would be safe,she would have kept him safe.She would’ve understood him and comforted him.

He chose the second option and returned to stare at an indefinite point of his cloak,hoping that the young lady with wet hair and sweet eyes would soon leave,leaving him alone.As he had only been until recently.

One day Cregan would have been Lord Stark,protector of the great North and he needed to learn to not be afraid of thunderstorms on his own.But Y/n presence,the little girl that would become his wife,was louder than any thunder and brighter than any light.

In fact she had no intention of leaving.

«I'm scared of thunderstorms.»he found himself repeating and then adding«I really can't stand them.»he murmured.

She listened to him carefully,standing in front of that little wall,while Cregan continued to turn his back on her and look down as he spoke again:

«I can't sleep when there are thunderstorms.And being alone in the room,in the dark with only sudden flashes to illuminate,is scary.»he explained quietly.

Y/n nodded sympathetically,although she didn't find anything scary at all in his description.But for once she tried to put herself on Cregan side.

«So why don't you go to your father?My mother always makes me sleep with her when I have nightmares.»she asked with curiosity.

Cregan shook his head,clutching in that heavy cloak«He doesn’t want to.He say I have to overcome my fears sooner or later.»he said,with a glint of sadness in his eyes.

Y/n curled her nose,confused«And do you get over them by standing in the rain?»squeezing her hands to create a little bit of warmth.

This time he took some time to respond.

Then,shifting his gaze towards the horizon«It's less scary.I can see the lights of the villages and the boats passing by and I know I'm not the only one awake.I know I'm not alone.»he found himself admitting«It's less scary.Or at least I think…»

He didn't know why he was saying these things.Especially to her.For all his ten almost eleven years he had carried that fear of his with him without saying anything to anyone.Revealing his fear only to himself.And seeking comfort only in him.

A comfort that most of the time was not enough.

His father kept telling him that he was grown up by now,that he had to overcome his fear of thunderstorms by now.A fear that was too childish for his age.For the Lord he was destined to be.How could he protect people when he was the first to be scared?He needed to start acting like a man.

But how adult can a ten year old be?

Without meditating on his words,Y/n replied«And are you going to stay out here all night?Until the thunderstorm stops?»her angel face was worried.

Cregan just nodded,without staring at her directly in the eyes.The little girl made a grimace that the other could not see.It was the stupidest thing she had ever heard.Yet she still didn't find the strength to leave him alone.Leave him there alone and go back to her room.

Y/n had felt,she had felt for a few seconds,almost a perceptible thread that drew her to Cregan.Maybe she was just imagining everything. Maybe it was just her childish mind that was playing tricks on her.Or maybe it was just that summer storm fault.

She didn't know,but now she felt tied to the boy with the dark cloak and blue eyes.

«Come.»Y/n voice was firm and warm.

Cregan jolted,surprised to still hear the young girl voice.He thought she had returned to the heat of her room by now.And instead there she is,on the other side of the low wall,reaching out to him with a pure smile on her face.

“She’s cute when she smiles.”Cregan immediately thought,noticing her soft eyes and all her teeth shining in the light of the torches in the street.

He also found her so reassuring.That kind of safety that he desperately needed.

«Where?»he asked confused.

Y/n smiled at him again,getting closer and reaching out her hand again,almost touching his face making him shiver.

«If you spend the night out here you're going to get sick.If you don't want to be alone,I'll keep you company.»she stated fiercely and he knew nothing would’ve changed her mind.

They were simple words.Words of a child of eight,almost nine,years old.Yet Cregan swore he had never heard such beautiful words.No one had ever given him such attention and didn't know whether or not to trust that young lady.

They had met numerous times and now they were even betrothed to each other,but they weren’t exactly friends.

And Cregan was very skeptical to those he knew very little.Especially the ones that made him feel nervous just by looking at him.

He decided to refuse Y/n invitation.

But when he made to decline the offer,the first of many flashes lit up the sky,followed by a noise so loud that raised Cregan hair,or more commonly called thunder.

The boy snapped to his feet in fear.Perhaps the idea of going out,so as not to stay in the dark of his room,had not been the best.Or maybe it was the worst idea that had ever occurred to him and only now did he find it stupid.

«So?Are you coming or not?»Y/n called for his attention again,noting the thin veil of blush on his pale cheeks.

She was younger than him by only two years,yet she was still more mature than him.She had this aura surrounding her,of someone that would have took care of him.Someone he could really start to trust and lay down his strength.A little sun,personal and only for him,to remind him that the storms he was so afraid of were only temporary while she would have been by his side forever.

Cregan found himself shaking Y/n hand,who helped him climb over the wall that divided them, and in a moment he was on the other balcony.

He crossed his eyes again with those of his future wife,who immediately answered him with another sweet smile and opened the window door,to let him enter in the warmth of her room and protect him from that storm.

Immediately closed the door behind them and,after a moment of uncertainty she spoke first«Give me your cloak,i’ll put it here with mine so that tomorrow the servants can wash them.»she told him,taking her off to remain in her pink nightgown.

Cregan blushed even more as he nodded as if in a trance and took off his dark cloak,handing it over to her and revealing a pastel-colored pajamas.

He thought it was impossible for a room to look like it owner,but Y/n bedroom was just like her:a mess of colors,books everywhere and with a pleasant warmth that made him feel safe.

«Why are you still awake?»Cregan suddenly asked,trying to not move around too much.

The little girl took two pillows from her bed and a blanket,walking to the fluffy carpet in front of the old fireplace that the servants had lighted up before she went to bed,once the thunderstorm had started.

«I like to watch the storms.»she said,patting the empty space next to her with one hand«Also,now that my mother is pregnant and my father stays up with his advisors,i need to check on her.»she continues.

Cregan looked at her carefully,the long hair falling free on her shoulders,her perfect face.He was right,she so much mature than he was,already taking care of everyone around her at such a young age,just like a proper lady should.

As he took place next to her on the pavement,still keeping a proper distance between them,Cregan realized that he didn't know anything about her.But he knew how much she loved her mother as he always saw the two of them holding hands.He didn't know if she had the same relationship with her father,who seemed to prefer her older brothers,but he still didn't have enough closeness to ask her for more information.

In fact,they had absolutely no closeness and it could be seen in the silence that fell between the two children.One of those silences that always arise in similar situations,when two people don't know each other but have to spend time together.

«Would you like to do something?»Y/n calm voice sounded even more melodious up close.

She tried to mask that awkwardness with a polite tone,asking her guest with a kind expression.

Cregan spoke little and for the rest of the time he just agreed or disagreed on a certain statement.

The younger of the two was shrinking her minds to think of some kind of game to play together, but the boy next to her would just stare at her,frowning,as if he was annoyed by that situation,while standing close to window of that room like he wanted to escape that situation.

Y/n curled her nose,bored by that sudden superior attitude that Cregan was carrying on himself.

«Look,you can still go back in the rain if you prefer.»she told him,with a sour tone.

She felt bad to see him frightened by that thunderstorm,but if he didn't even show her a minimum of gratitude or a spirit of collaboration, then he could very well leave.Y/n was a sunny child,always with a smile on her face and ready to raise the morale of anyone who needed it.

But“This boy is really unpleasant”she thought.

Cregan crossed his arms to his chest,squeezing his eyes and staring at her,offended and angry at the same time.He thought that he shouldn’t have accepted her invitation and that both their fathers had made a mistake by promising them.They would never get along.

He could very well go back to his room and overcome that storm on his own,as he had always done until then.He didn’t need Y/n help.He made a grimace in the direction of the little girl,who responded to the gesture by raising her eyes to the sky.

But when he was about to open the window door and return to his room,without his dark cloak,a flash illuminated the sky and his face.

Cregan eyes went wide,as he was falling backwards and ending up on the ground on his butt as he waited for the arrival of the thunder that did not take long to arrive.His lower lip trembled,while he couldn't move any muscle.

He hated how thunderstorms could do this to him.He hated how they could make him tremble and frighten.

“They are a normal thing,dictated by nature”his father had always told him.

Yet Cregan didn't believe it.He continued to hate thunderstorms.

And something told him that this fear of his would never go away.

«Cregan.... are you all right?»he heard a soft voice behind his back.

Cregan looked up and saw Y/n standing on her knees on the carpet and he only remembered at that moment of her presence.

The boy gasped,looking for an answer.But before he could speak,another flash lit up the room,and before the thunder could be heard,Cregan had already put his hands on his ears.

The arrogant facade,which he had previously put on,had now completely crumbled, revealing his insecure and frightened side.

Y/n didn't know what to do.

The annoyed face she had a little while ago,was gone.Now she was really worried for him.She just wanted to find a way to distract him,and to put an end to that clash of lights that illuminated the room.

Cregan did not move,with his head resting on his bent knees,and the palms of his hands were still covering his ears,in the vain hope of not hearing that almost metallic and shackled noises.

«It’s alright,don't worry.»Y/n tried to reassure him.But it seemed that no one could move the young boy.

«They usually just make a big noise and then they go away.»she continued with a reassuring voice getting closer to him.

But Cregan was still shaking, scared,and Y/n didn't know what to do.She was never scared of thunderstorms.She would have liked to hold him tight in a hug,to drive away all his fear.But she knew that if she did,she would only make things worse.

In the meantime,Cregan continued to make himself small,smaller and smaller,curled up almost on himself on that light pavement.

«I mean…deep down it's just water,isn't it?Water and lights.As if it were an ocean... and the oceans are beautiful,aren't they,Cregan?»she asked with a hint of hope.

Y/n was used to the water,she lived near the sea and she had grew up running up and down on her fathers boats with her brothers.Her mothers read her stories about fishes,sailors,mermen and mermaids.

And while he did not respond,too busy controlling his fear,Y/n came up with an idea.

«I know what to do!»she almost screamed,catching Cregan attention and shicking around the room,as if looking for something.

The boy looked at her confused,forgetting – but only for a short time – of the thunderstorm.

«There you are.»Y/n exhaled,almost relieved.

Cregan blinked,observing the more confusion she had created throughout that room,the books scattered on the floor and the cabinets wide open,just for that medium-sized old book she now held in her hands,with a proud and satisfied smile.He didn't understand what use that book could have,but he didn't breathe,limiting himself to observing the young girl sitting carefully next to him and opening it.

And then millions of billions of fishes began to swim between the old pages.Cregan mouth widened into an “o”, but he quickly closed it again before Y/n could notice his astonishment.It's just a very simple book of fairy tales,he said to himself.

Yet,in some way,it had distracted him.

«If you lie down on the bed,you can see them better.»Y/n spoke,making herself comfortable on her bed and starting to turning the pages.

Cregan grimaced,watching how she was smiling.That wasn’t proper.

«Why should I lie down-»yet another thunder«Alright... I lie down.»he immediately changed his mind.

He hurriedly took the steps that separated him from that bed,before sinking into the lavander sheets that smelled of flowers and vanilla.

Y/n by his side smiled at him.But Cregan didn’t,remaining impassive and jolting at every thunder.She closed the curtains around her bad,only the soft light of the candle on the nightstand remain.The 'lightning' factor had been solved.

«They're beautiful,aren’t they?»she said,tracing with her fingers the different fishes.

They were.Their shapes,colors,sizes were mesmerizing.

Cregan didn't know to answer again.Those bright,fishes seemed to moved quickly on all those pages in a continuous flow.They were simple,so damn simple,yet they had caught the his attention.

«Yes,they ar–»he tried to agree with her,but here's yet another thunder made him jump out of fear.

Y/n by his side watched him close his eyes and plug his ears with both hands.

She had to find a way to distract him from the sounds too.

«You see him?»she turned the page and pointed to a strange figure on the right corner.

A man with a tail of a fish.

Cregan turned to her,taking his hands off his ears and moving his eyes on what Y/n finger was pointing to.

«It’s a merman?»he sounded uncertain,the figure on the book looked like the blazon of house Manderly.

Y/n nodded her head confirming his question«They said that he loved another mermaid and when the pirates had captured her,driven by grief,he turned his body in marble creating White Harbor.»she explained him,showing him another picture of the place where now she was living.

Cregan looked confused,his eyebrows raising«Why would he do that?»

The girl next to him sighed,her shoulder touching his,the sweet perfume of her hair was tickling his nose.She was warm and soft and made his stomach twist and his hands sweat.

«I guess that he couldn’t live without her and preferred to die.»she simply answered«Years ago i used to cry when my mother read me this story.»she continued as she flipped the page.

In the dim light,he could see that her eyes were a little glassy and only now he remembered that just like him,she was still a child with fears like him and stories that made her cry in her mother arms.

«How about her?»Cregan eyes and hand went to point to a female picture.

A mermaid with a red tale and long wet red hair on her shoulders,sitting on a rock near the coast.Her beautiful expression seemed pained,her mouth opened as if she was saying something.In the distance seemed that a storm was coming,the waves crashing into the shore,dark clouds on the horizon.

Y/n smiled,stretching the book out to him so that he could take a better look«She was a princess that fell in love with a sailor.Her father,the King of the fourteen seas had forbidden their love.»she started to explain with a soft tone«They could see each other only on the beginning of the Long Summer,when her father was away in the ocean»she said.

Cregan yawned«And how did they knew when the Long Summer came?»he seemed genuinely interested now.

«The storm.»Y/n quickly answered«It was her way to let him know that she was waiting for him.She was calling him back to her.»in her expression he could find a hint of teasing.

He shuddered,the thing that scared him the most,for this children book,was just a mermaid calling for her lover.

«But how does he know?»he asked again and his voice was becoming softer,his eyes closing a bit,yet he stayed very curious about the story.

«Does he know what?»Y/n whispered.

«That it was her.»he continued.

«Because he had loved no else but her in his life.Only her could have called him back home.»she explained and he swore he could’ve seen her eyes shine bright.

«I hate her father.»Cregan mumbled.

He found it stupid,it was just a fairy tale to help people sleep,but if the mermaid father didn’t get in the way tonight he would’ve been scared.And that’s also must had been the reason why she wasn’t afraid of them.

Y/n giggles made him blush,as she shook a little onto him«But you know what’s the best part of it?For the rest of the summer there wouldn’t be any other storms,just the bright sun as the two of them could be together.»she whispered.

It was a way to say that after every thunderstorm that would’ve been the sun.Always.

«Wasn’t she scared of her father founding out that they were still together?»his voice was sleepy and his eyes heavy.

Y/n shook her head«Love is stronger than fear.»she stated«Don’t you find it beautiful?»she said then,a dreamy look in her eyes.

There was no answer.

Y/n turned to him,finding him with his eyes closed and his mouth half-open.His chest would rise and fall at a regular pace,while his slight breathing could be heard.She smiled at that sight as she stroked his hair.

Cregan had fallen asleep.Y/n was satisfied.Satisfied and happy.

She succeeded in her intent,help him and distract him from the thing that scared him the most.She wondered what Cregan would do at this time if Y/n hadn’t invited him?

He would probably still have been awake.Because the thunderstorm hadn't stopped,no,it had never stopped.The mermaid was still calling for her lover.

The flashes,however,had mixed in the images on the pages and the noise of thunder had been lost among the stories of Y/n mermaids.Cregan had been so busy observing those images drawn on the book and hating the King of the seas,that he completely forgot about the thunderstorm.

Y/n closed the book,placed it carefully on her nightstand and reached out to grab a thin sheet at the bottom of their feet and covered the young boy who slept well by her side.

«Good night,Cregan.Tomorrow there will be the sun,i promise you.»she whispered kissing his forehead and drifting to sleep too.

And for the first time,after so many years,he slept.After so many years,Cregan was sleeping peacefully with a thunderstorm.

On any day in the early summer,ten years later,Lady Y/n Stark of Winterfell was laying in the bed she shared with her Lord husband.

Wife and husband,that’s what her and Cregan had been for the past four years.But before pronouncing their vows in front of the Seven and their families,they had became the best of friends.

When did they start calling each other that way?When did they become friends?Could they find a precise moment when they had gone from being strangers to even best friends?Were they able to establish the exact moment when their bond changed?

No,they couldn’t.

Maybe it was the year after that fateful rainy night.Maybe it was the next month when Cregan had spent all of his moments and attention in Y/n presence,falling in love with her more and more.

Or maybe it had happened at the exact time their hands had touched,when Y/n had proposed to be together in that thunderstorm,to mark the point of change for their relationship.

They didn't know that though.Neither of them knew for sure.But they didn't even ask.They fell in love with each other before they got married and that was that mattered.There are bonds that are born before the interlocking of the hands and connections that are born before touching each other.It was just pretty to think that,all this time,there was some kind of invisible string that was tying them together.

Anyone who cared for Cregan had to understand that he needed a little looking after.Someone who could help him sleep,who reminded him that he was just human and that he could still a child sometimes.And Y/n understood that,she held him gently,far more gently that anyone ever did.She stayed up with him when he couldn’t sleep at night,she stood next to him to greet the arrival of Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and supported him in his decision to fight for the Dragon Queen.

All because she loved him more than anything and because he loved her.To love and to be loved was to rest.

Yet,now that Cregan was away,on the Wall of the great north with the young prince,Y/n couldn’t seem to find sleep.It was raining heavily outside,the long summer had arrived earlier that year and a violent storm was what welcomed it.

The pale rays of the moon filtered through the clouds,the wind was blowing against the windows,the lights of the lightning shaped the dark room she was in.

Cregan had ruined her,she thought to herself,ever since they got married and started to share the bed she couldn’t sleep if he wasn’t next to her,holding her in his arms,kissing her lips softly and whispering how much he loved her.But she knew that,with the war at their doorstep,he was busy with the young prince Jacaerys who came two weeks ago in ask for the help of the North.

Her husband was a man of honor,the Lord of Winterfell that never forget his oaths.

When a particular loud thunder broke through the quietness of the castle,Y/n got up from her bed.Taking the candle on the nightstand,she started walking down the dark corridor to reach her children chambers.Her sons,Rickon and Brandon,only four and two years old,looked exactly like their father:true men of the north but with their mother eyes and kind smile.

Just like their father they were scared of storms,it took her hours to put them to bed that night since the first drop of rain had hit the ground.They both reminded her the first time that she had spent with Cregan during one of those,curling up on her as she read them one of her books to help them sleep.

But that night was different,after two weeks of writing letters and longing,Cregan was finally home.As she quietly opened the door,the candle that Y/n was holding in her hand almost fell,when she saw her husband sitting on a chair in between the two beds where their sons seemed to sleep so soundly and well.

He was still wearing his dark fire coat and his long were wet,the tip of his nose red from the cold,while in his hands he was holding a old fairy tale book that they both knew very well.As if he had heard her behind the door,he smiled,and his face was like the sun.

He had came back as soon as he had heard the first sounds of the thunders,like a sailor bewitched by the melody of a siren voice.His sons were the first ones to greet him,running barefoot down the hallways to reach comfort in their father strong arms.

Cregan had been there before,his heart clenched in his chest as he dried the tears off their eyes and saw the fear on their little faces.But he knew what he had to do,unlike his father,he would always be there for help his children no matter what.

«The mermaid had waited all winter for her lover return,her voice guided him through the storm.»his voice was quiet and soft like a warm blanket«With the first lights of the new sun,he came back to her.»in his hands the hold book.

His oldest son yawned«But wasn’t he afraid of the storm?»Rickon asked,holding his teddy bear closer to his chest.

«He was.»Cregan nodded«But you know what is stronger than fear?»he whispered,noticing his younger son fast asleep.

Rickon shook his head,his eyes fighting to urge to close«What?»he chirped.

«Love.»his father simply answered«The idea of coming back to his lover was stronger than the fear of the storm.»Cregan stood up,caressing his son head.

«One day i want to love someone this much.Just like you love mama.»Rickon murmured sleepy,with a little smile on his face.

«And you will.»he promised«One day you will have someone that will help you overcome your fears and that will always call you back home when you are wondering too far.»he kissed both of his sons forehead.

Cregan was still a little nervous about storms,but that night he was finally back home as sun on water.Y/n reached for him and skimmed her hands over the light of him.

«I missed you.»she whispered on his lips,kissing him sweetly.

Cregan was holding her in his arms,gently caressing her hair,his forehead on hers«I saw the storm and i knew.»he smiled,trailing his lips on her chin and cheeks.

Y/n shivered,not only because his icy fingers were rubbing up and down her back,but because only her could understand the meaning of those words.The intimacy of having something only them could share with each other.

«So you came back early because of the storm?»she giggled as his beard tickled her beautiful face.

He smiled even more,tightening his grip on her smaller body«I came back because of you.Only you could have called me back home.»he whispered placing a kiss on her lips.

The smell of her hair,the taste of her mouth,the feeling of her skin seemed to have gotten inside of him or in the air all around him.She had become a physical necessity,not only to ease his fear,but to have someone to come back to.

She placed her head on his chest,listening to his heartbeat beating alongside hers.They stood there for a moment more,embracing each other,in the dark corridor.

«Do you hear it?»Y/n softly asked suddenly.

«Hear what?»Cregan voice was low.

«The sound of the rain.»she explained,closing her eyes and relaxing against his touch.

For a while they just listened to the incessant ticking of the rain,while a thousand fish continued to swim on the pages of their book.

But suddenly a flash illuminated the corridor,followed by the due thunder.

Y/n jolted,expecting her husband to do the same.

Yet this was not the case«Aren't you afraid of thunderstorms anymore?»she teased him.

«How can I be afraid of thunderstorms when I'm by your side?»he said,caressing her cheek lovingly.

«Tomorrow there will be the sun.»she smiled against him,brighter than any light.

She was right,after the storm there was always the warm weather and Y/n was the golden sun at the horizon.That one thing that gave him hope for a brighter future,the only one that could bring him back home.Because his sleepless nights are better with her than any nights could ever be alone.

[jgracie]

SUMMERTIME, AND THE LIVIN'S EASY

masterlist | rules

❝ Can you please write an image with Percy where he’s dating Thetis(Achilles mom)daughter and he’s helping her with her water powers?And they kiss underwater?🥺🥺 ❞ — anon

in which percy teaches you how to use your powers (but you just really want to kiss him)

pairing percy jackson x thetis!reader

warnings none!!

When you first showed up at camp, Percy couldn’t help but feel a little competitive. Water was his thing. Whenever you needed any help with any sort of body of water, he was your guy! Your only guy! Because no one else at camp was as efficient with water as he is, since it is his father’s domain

Until you came along - a daughter of Thetis, the Goddess of water. Immediately, everyone was enamoured by you and your charms, telling you all about Greek mythology, with the first story you heard being of your half-brother Achilles. No one had cared to educate Percy that much. It didn’t help that you could talk to sea animals too. Everyday, whenever Percy would go to the beach, all the turtles and fish and hippocampi would tell him stories of your kindness. My lord, she helped us fix our cove today! My lord, she healed my broken fin! Percy was sick of it all

Secretly, however, he was intrigued by you too. You carried an ethereal aura wherever you went and your voice was reminiscent of the feeling of gentle waves rolling over Percy’s body on one of his late afternoon swims, the beach empty save for him and the sea creatures, who knew better than to disrupt him during his moment of peace

Besides, he did kind of want someone to talk to who was as connected to the ocean as he is. So he put his one-sided rivalry aside and decided to speak to you, quickly discovering that you actually weren’t very good at using your water powers. You could use them, of course, but it was never controlled and drained you quickly. So naturally, being the kind guy he is, Percy offered to help you hone your powers. Totally because he’s nice and not because you’re the most beautiful girl he’s ever met and he would rather die than pass up an opportunity to be around you

The two of you would meet at the beach when all the activities of the day were over and Percy would teach you about the water and all it has to offer. During one of your first lessons, Percy discovered you could will your legs to join and turn into a tail - making you a mermaid. He’d never seen something more bewitching in his life. He was also a little jealous, since he couldn’t turn into a merman, but watching you glimmer under the golden sun as you swam around with your tail had him forgetting all about that

Eventually, the two of you realised you felt the same about each other and began to date. The lessons never stopped, of course, but now you could say the cute boy who was training you’s your boyfriend and not just your friend

“Okay baby, this is the goal for today,” Percy said as he lifted a giant ball of water from the sea and made it hover in the air, letting you observe for a second before letting go of it. You nodded, biting your lip as you made your way over to him. Usually, you were pretty focused during your lessons. You could kiss Percy whenever you wanted, so it could wait until after you’d learnt a new skill, right?

Today was different. Something about how his toned body moved effortlessly through the water, as if he were a part of it himself, made your face turn incredibly hot, the veins coursing through his arms - accentuated by the strain he was putting on his body - doing nothing to cool you down 

You started off by making smaller balls of water float - something you’d recently become very good at. When Percy cheered you on, placing a kiss on your forehead and mumbling about how proud he was of you, you couldn’t help but wish he’d move his lips just a little lower as you licked yours

Making space for you, Percy waded through the water backwards as he said, “you’ve got this! Don’t be afraid to stop or let me know if it’s too much!” He grinned, and your heartbeat got faster and faster at how caring he was. No one was more thoughtful than your lovely, sweet boyfriend who you desperately wanted to shower with an insane amount of affection right now

In theory, the task was easy. You knew you’d be able to do it if you just weren’t distracted. You were no longer the girl who’d have to fight the urge to pass out after using her powers once, your body now being able to withstand much more, but your heart just wasn’t in what you were doing

Percy noticed this. At first, he thought something was wrong. Did something happen today to dampen your mood? Just as he was about to ask, he noticed it. The way your eyes would linger on his arms, moving up to his chest and finally to his lips. He smirked once he realised, your adoration for him quickly inflating his ego

He was going to let you wait a little longer, curious to see if you’d say something or just tough it out, but after catching your cute, desperate stare a fifth time in a row, your tail glittering as it swished under the water, he knew he was a goner

“Hey, Y/N, do you know how to breathe underwater?” He asked, catching you off guard. You made a face between confusion and offence, your brows clearly screaming ‘of course I do, you idiot’  

“I mean, yeah, obviously. Why?” You asked, inching closer and closer to him, craving nothing more than his saccharine touch - always as sticky as honey, his hands never failed to linger, making sure you knew you were appreciated. They did that now, their warmth making its way to your soul as Percy gently caressed your arms

Then, he pulled you underwater. He gave the nosy sea animals glares that sent them away, making the seabed yours for the time being. He cradled the back of your head and pulled you closer and closer, your hands pressed to his chest and your mouth parted, the anticipation nearly killing you

There was about a centimetre of space between you now

“Consider this revision, kay?” He whispered before finally locking his lips with yours

[yandere-sins]

The Orcas' Tale - Lyr's Story II

Here we go! I really wanted to post it on Friday, and I pushed through! Corrections are the bane of my existence ;; Please read the warnings and enjoy the end of Lyr's Story! I hope you guys enjoy the conclusion and look forward to the last part of the saga featuring Krill as well! Thank you all for being patient and waiting so long for this!

Fandom: Original Content   Pairings: Yandere!Orca Merman x GN!AFAB!Reader   Warnings: Yandere, Sexual Content (Non-Con Kissing/Touching/Fingering, Bondage kind of, Intercourse, Breeding, Modified Cock), Violence (Sharp teeth/claws, Strangulation, Violent outburst, smashing reader's head against a wall, Size Kink), PREGNANCY TROPE (but make it yandere/baby trapping), Mentioning of discrimination against the mixed baby, Monsters/Non-Human reader, Animalistic behavior, Mention of blood/claws/sharp teeth, Being caught in a net, Sexual Intercourse hinted at for both of them, Dolphin mating mentioned (basically non-con), Long post

"Look at those juicy lips."

You flinched at the sensation of Lyr's tongue dragging up your scales before swiping over your slit, the cold clashing with the heat of your cunt as his tip teased the entrance. There was an involuntary gasp before you bit your lower lip to hide any more sounds, refusing to give him the satisfaction that was already confirmed to him by your smell. 

Lyr had made a whole show of cutting parts of the net so he could drag up your arms and hang them from a jagged rock on the cave wall. Compared to his claws, the rock wasn't strong enough to cut through the net, but you struggled still, hoping the pressure—albeit painful on your wrists—would come to your rescue before anything worse could happen, the tips of his cock already protruding out of his tail even though Lyr seemed to be nowhere near that level of arousal that tingled in your own loins. 

He watched you as you struggled, indulging in your defiance with a dangerous desire waving through his eyes. He kept taunting you, closing his lips over your slit, letting the tip of his tongue flick back and forth while his hands held your tail steady, thumbs positioned to spread the normally hidden part wide open. You held his eye contact, even just to try and make him reconsider going any farther. However, when you felt his tongue parting you, slowly driving deeper into your cunt, your head fell back as you moaned, Lyr's lips parting in a wide grin.

"Not so bad, eh?" he mumbled against your lower lips, winding his tongue against your inner walls, and you couldn't help tensing and snapping your hips as you tried to escape and push him further inside you at the same time. Your body wanted what your mind didn't, and he had thoroughly prepared these two to disagree while he lavished in your failure to refuse him. 

Abruptly, he pulled your tail down, the net finally ripping in some spots, but not enough to free you. Like a shark on a blood trail, he lurched forward, pressing his face into your body hard, gaining a few more inches of depth. His long tongue wiggled around, curling and drilling into you until it assaulted all the sweet, nerve-wracking spots that made you tingle from your spine to your fin, and you had to listen to Lyr finding the same kind of enjoyment pleasuring you as he moaned and sighed. 

"Perfect," he moaned, pulling his tongue out of your cunt, leaving only aching emptiness behind. "You're perfect."

"Please stop…" you mumbled, perhaps unable to deny the pleasure raking through you but not the tears of unwillingness mixing into the water. You looked at him earnestly, pleading with your eyes, trying to find some reason in the merman. 

But there was no such thing left in his corrupted mind.

He chuckled, shaking his head at your request. You watched as his hand drove along his chest, down to his tail, fingers resting along the outside of his slit, caressing the sensitive skin. "Don't think we can stop now. How else are we going to make this family a thing? My dad taught me better than to leave someone high and… well, gushing in your case."

Sharp teeth flashed out of his grin as he watched your expression turn horrified, his cock slowly slipping out of the slit in his tail when he applied pressure. You expected it to be long and perfectly sized for an orca, but with how haggard Lyr appeared, you never thought of something of that girth and curve as it appeared before you. Even in his own hand, it was no small feat, and Lyr squeezed and bent it, showing it off to you from all sides. There was no gentleness in how he treated himself, but great pride straightened his posture, trying to make the sight more available for you when he noticed the way you looked at it.

You'd never had something so big before.

Lyr watched your every move as you gulped, your body trying to shuffle away from him in fear, unable to imagine how his cock could fit into you past the tip. There were bulb-like deformities on the underside, and you recognized the roundness and size of the pearls you had collected before. "D-Did you…?" you stuttered, and Lyr's grin grew even wider. He pressed his pointer finger to the underside of his cock, dragging it up over every pearl lodged beneath the skin, and you watched them pop right into place even as he moved over them. 

"Do you like 'em? I got myself one for every big guy I killed. Nice collection, don't you think? Everyone loves them."

Your whole body contorted at the thought of the additional pleasure these alterations would give you, the pearls rubbing against your walls, pressuring the already limited space as your pussy wraps forcefully around every one for them. "Lyr I– I can't. I can't possibly take you. Please, you have to understand that!" 

"Aww, don't tell me you're scared, lil dolphin," he cooed mischievously. There was no way he didn't understand the panic in your voice. But the playful spark of arrogance and self-centeredness dancing in his eyes made you realize he was very much aware of your biological differences. He just didn't care. 

Leaning down, he began licking your slit again, this time with his hand brushing up and down his cock as he kissed and explored your entrance, working up the heat inside you again. It was hard to concentrate on his rambles, slobbered words while he pumped his cock up into a frenzy, adding fingers to his tongue going in and out of your cunt, spreading and scissoring you open, preparing you for the inevitable as your mind began to cloud from the pleasure, hiccups and moans escaping you equally while you thrashed against him. 

"You'll be perfect when you welcome me inside. Tight and warm, ready to take my seed. You'd like that, right? Letting yourself be fucked into a pretty mess by my big cock and then grow my pups in your belly? I'll be such a good dad. I'll be so much better than my own. You'll make such a nice mommy, too, always big and round and never preferring one of our kids over the other. I can't wait to watch you raise my pups. I'll make you so happy, lil' dolphin."

"N-No…" you stammered, but your protests were weak against the delusion he was living in. Your resistance faded as your orgasm built, tail pushing into his fingers, silently begging to keep stimulating the spots he could reach. He was dangerously close to cutting you with his claws, and yet all your thoughts were imagining him going deeper. There was only one way he could, though, you realized quickly when he was knuckle-deep inside you, and you bit your lip bloody, refusing to ask for it. 

"Anyone ever told you how good you taste? I could eat you up, you know," Lyr mumbled, and you shivered as he slurped up the slick you produced right from its source. "I never tasted something like this before—you're the fucking best."

His hand on his cock was growing restless, pumping the red flesh violently in his hold. You almost felt bad for the poor cock, mishandled and lonely and so far away from your cunt—no! That wasn't what you were meant to be thinking about. "I'm not," you whimpered. "I'm just me."

Lyr's eyes dragged back up to yours, watching you intensely. For a moment, the water around you two grew strangely calm. The calm before the storm, you realized, your shoulders sagging in discouragement. "I'm a dolphin," you reminded him gently. "And you're an orca. We can't have a family. We can't even reproduce."

His movements were surprisingly gentle as Lyr moved upwards. You flinched once more as his fingers popped out of you, destroying any chance of relief and making you whine quietly. But you turned your head away quickly when his lips closed in on your face. There was another melodic chirp in your ear, encouraging you to be hopeful in the language of your people. It ran a shudder down your spine, clenching at your heart. 

"You don't know that," Lyr muttered, sounding almost sad about your statement. One of his hands slid down your belly, gently rubbing it in circles. "We could. No one said we couldn't."

"You're being delusional," you confronted him, finally facing Lyr again, only to be met with the hurt of smashed dreams visible on his face. Even if you two had been on better terms, there was no way for you to comfort him. No hands free and no sympathy for the merman, so you wouldn't sing a merry tune for him or rub his back. He had to hear the truth, face it, and come back from the trip he was on. "We can never be a family."

At this point, you were ready to face his wrath rather than letting him play house with you any longer. Even with your pussy throbbing, you knew that it would be better to die than accept his delusions just for relief. You two weren't 'mates' like things were told in the legends. Partners who'd weather every up and down in life together, no matter the circumstances of their lives. In his delusion, he wanted a family to compensate for his messed-up one. But that couldn't be with you, and normally, orcas weren't the kind of creatures to seek it out, either. Then again, nothing about Lyr was normal.

You two had a few more seconds of stare-off when you felt something big pushing against your slit. Confused, you looked down, only to see Lyr guiding the tip of his cock downwards, pecking at your entrance. "Lyr!" you gasped as he popped the thick tip inside, spreading you wide open, yet not even nearly wide enough for the rest of him. 

"We have to try! How else can we make a family?!"

With desperation in his voice, you finally realized all your efforts had been in vain. "No!" you screamed as he pressed in further, but his free hand rushed towards your throat, gripping it tightly as he ground his teeth, pushing into you inch by inch. Your voice was cut off, and when you tried to struggle, your trashing only further allowed him to enter you, tearing you open painfully. 

"Just… stay still!" he hissed, baring his fangs at you while smashing your head against the stone wall. Immediately, dizziness overcame you, and you had no choice but to let him invade you, your survival instincts slowly dying down as he closed off your gills, taking away your air to breathe. Your brain was growing muddy, not even the pain registering anymore, while Lyr concentrated on getting his cock inside you, not even your gasping concerning him. 

You felt his massive girth fill you up, going further and further inside until it was kissing your cervix. Yet, he wouldn't stop there, pushing past it so he could fill you with his complete size, your body strained to the last inch to accommodate him.

"Fuck, you're so freaking tight. I didn't think it would be that hard…" Lyr admitted, gnashing his teeth in annoyance. However, by the time you felt yourself go limb, his tail finally connected with yours, and a sigh of relief went through Lyr. He pulled his hand from your throat, giving you back your ability to breathe. "How is it? Feeling full? Betcha your little dolphin males can't even satisfy you half as good."

Unable to say much, you just looked at him, watched as he reached to your belly, massaging his throbbing cock through your skin, making you whimper. Your body made a miserable attempt at tightening around him, and he moaned loudly, bashing his forehead into the stone next to yours. There was a tentative drawback of his hips, just a few inches before Lyr slammed it back into you in its full glory, both of you moaning loudly. 

"Too much…" you whined, and Lyr leaned down, kissing your cheek down to your lips. 

"You'll get used to it."

Before you knew it, he caught your lips with his, diverting your attention from his rolling hips. Both his cock and the pearls used to adorn it tried to make space while your body desperately worked to keep it all together. You were still unprepared to receive another drag and blow to your cunt, squeaking into the kiss only for Lyr to do it again. Again and again, until your sobs were replaced by moans, the friction between your bodies heating up the water around you. 

It was so frustrating. The way you couldn't move, couldn't defend yourself. You couldn't bite through his tongue shoved down your throat or scratch him bloody with your claws. You've never realized how awful it was to be prey, always having been protected and loved in your family of dolphins. And you knew you were a fast and swift swimmer, able to get away from him, but your bad luck streak started with the net. And the most frustrating? Even when it hurt, even when it was unnatural and painful, you could feel the pleasure building, the orgasm he never finished returning quickly and violently as Lyr plowed into you. 

And so was he.

"Mhm… close," he mumbled against your lips, pulling his tongue from you to litter your face with little kisses instead. "You'll become a mommy soon, I'll make sure of it. Gonna fill you up real good, 'nd—hngh! Lil'dolphin…"

His words were a messy mumble, but you didn't concentrate on them. Much to your dismay, you felt yourself anticipate his pushes, your body moving on its own as it chased the height of pleasure Lyr gave you. Everything worked together so perfectly, even your own clammy tightness, as it allowed the pearls to pop in and out of you individually, stimulating every spot of your sensitive cunt. 

Unfortunately, Lyr was right, and your body adjusted to his size even though you never wanted it to, allowing it to come and go, pulsating between your walls in a warning of what was to come. "Lyr…!" you mumbled, and he groaned loudly. "Lyr, I'm so close!"

"Fuck, I can feel it, lil dolphin. Cum for me and open wide, let me give you what you need!"

Somehow, in the delirium, he managed to reach up, slipping your hands off the rock spike and instead over his head, entangling you two further. What a cruel fate it would be to accidentally get stuck in this net with him, entangled until the last day, filled with his seed, and so close to being eaten by your unwanted mate once the hunger struck. This cruel thought was stuck in your head even when he kissed you lovingly and deeply. It was as if he truly devoted himself to you in a moment of clarity, something a dolphin had never done with you. They had never bothered to adore you in the midst of getting their cocks coated in your slick. But Lyr did, with all the naturalness of a mate and all the love of a male who wanted the future with you. And strangely unbothered by his cock still hammering into you, driving you up the edge, so focused on his love even as you stabbed your nails into his shoulders, losing yourself to pleasure with the last bit of defiance.

It was you who snapped first, crashing back to reality in a life-shattering orgasm. You bit and tore his lips as you came, but you couldn't register it in the moment of overwhelming delight as your body contorted, opening up just for a few seconds. It was enough for him to spill all of his seed into you, using every inch of free space and carving out more. At the same time, Lyr's hand supported your lower back, pulling your tails upwards so the juices wouldn't spill from you any time soon. He even thought of that before giving in to the pleasure, nipping and ripping at the skin of your cheek, neck, and shoulder with the same kind of fervor as you had. 

You two were lost completely to the depravity that had just happened, and neither of you spoke or moved; only the pulsating shaft inside you still kept you on the high, allowing you to feel anything. It was just too much, and somewhere along the line, you must have passed out from the mixture of pleasure, pain, and insanity of this situation. Maybe it was better that way. Never waking up again was an option you had tried not to consider. Still, it seemed better than the alternative of staying alive with Lyr. Perhaps pregnant, perhaps thrown back into a mating frenzy if not. Either way, you didn't want to face reality; your brain disappeared into the darkness. 

A soft touch to your lips was the last thing you felt before the world collapsed around you.  

The first thing you felt when you awoke was the emptiness inside you.

Well, not completely. You tried to move, sighing at the heaviness of the net holding you down. It spread evenly all over you, pressing you to the ground as if it had gotten even heavier, wrapping around you tightly. But what truly made you snap back to reality was the warm sloshing inside your belly and how it distressed all your other organs. 

"Shh, shh, shh," someone hushed you, the net wrapping around you even tighter, holding you around your back and pressing you forward into the heaviness. Exhausted, you forced your eyes open, looking directly into the white of a body rather than the light or darkness of your surroundings. "Don't move so much, mama," a familiar voice chuckled before large hands rubbed over your back, surprisingly soothing the aches you felt there. 

"What…?" you mumbled, reaching up to wipe your eyes free of the sleep, finally noticing how free they were. Confused, you brought them up to your face, looking at your wrists, which were covered in cuts and scabs, already healing. "How long have I…?" 

"Two days,"  Lyr answered, finally giving up on soothing you and sighing, pushing you slightly away from him. Not enough to let you go, but enough for you to wriggle in his hold. "I was really worried, you know?"

Looking up at him, you registered his pouty face while he seemingly waited for an apology from you, but all you could do was blink a few times, feeling incredibly groggy. "Do we have some food?" you asked him weakly, and his eyes lit up as he nodded. Now, he truly had to let you go, slipping away from you to bring you a fresh catch of fish. His absence gave you a moment to finally take in your surroundings despite the ache you felt from every movement.

When you tried to sit up, you felt the sloshing inside you again, looking down to find your belly swollen and round, just like Lyr had promised. You rubbed over it, realizing you were still filled to the brim with his cum, and inspecting your slit, you saw a patch of seaweed conveniently covering it, presumably keeping everything in. You scratched at the sticky corner of the patch, only for your hand to be pushed away by a larger one, Lyr reprimanding you gently, "Don't. You'll make it spill everywhere and I just cleaned."

Your groggy mind still worked through his words as you looked around, noticing the cove now littered with trinkets and decor. The amenities all seemed strange and foreign, but you recognized them for what they were, pelts and trophies. It made the little cove almost… homey. 

Before you could say anything, Lyr pushed a fish into your mouth, and you began chewing subconsciously. You were hungry, and the drive to eat came naturally. You downed three large fish before you felt your strength return, together with your clarity of mind. Your body did a test move, your fin rising and falling, no longer held back and restraint, and your eyes widened as you watched your tail move freely. 

"You cut me loose," you gasped in surprise, and Lyr grinned, proud of himself as he nodded. 

"Can't have my pup's mom unable to swim with them, can I?"

With a joyous laugh, you rose from the sandy floor you had been stuck to for so long, circling the cove briefly before slipping through one of the openings, the light shining down at you as you rose toward the surface. 

"Hey! Hey!" Lyr yelled after you, and you felt the immense current of his body moving, always just a few inches away from you. Almost as if it wanted to pull you down again. Yet, he didn't stop you. With a big splash, you exited the water, feeling your lungs inflating again for the first time in weeks, your gills no longer supplying you with air now that you were back at the surface. 

However, you miscalculated the new mass of your body, falling backwards and threatening to clash on top of the water. It wouldn't be the end of the world, although it might sting and briefly disrupt your happiness. Before things could come to a rough end, however, two arms caught you, gently redirecting your fall so that Lyr clashed back-first into the surface rather than you. 

"You're killing me," he whined as you giggled. Being able to swim and move around made you beyond giddy. It had been way too long, so even this small win against the trauma the net and Lyr inflicted on you was elevating. He followed you as you swam around the surface, enjoying the sun on your face and chest as you drifted on your back, letting the water move you to wherever it was going. Although you couldn't shake the nagging presence at your side, glowering at you while you did your thing. 

"You're being too reckless," he blubbered, mouth half underwater, half outside. "What if you hurt the baby?"

"What baby?" you giggled, your mood still high as can be.

Lyr grumbled a bit more next to you before he dove underwater. Curious as to where he was going, you turned over, only for him to swim up to you from underneath, lifting you out of the water as he let you ride on top of him. "You're pregnant, can't you smell it?"

At first, the meaning behind his words didn't register, but your body knew what to do. Your hand drove back down to the seaweed patch before pulling away, smelling the sweet scent of a pregnant mermaid on your fingers as you dangled them in front of your nose. 

And just like that, reality came crashing down. 

You grew stiff as a board, slowly slipping off Lyr's body and sinking down into the depths of the ocean again. "That can't be…" you uttered, shocked and doubtful. You two had only done it once, right? Had he… he wouldn't, right? There was no way he'd use your body after you passed out, right? How long were you out of it? Two days? That wasn't enough to get pregnant, right? Right? He wasn't even a dolphin; this shouldn't have worked!

Lyr's eyes were filled with adoration as he swam after you, covering the light from above with his body as you two sunk to the sandy bottom again that had been your prison for so long. He caught up to you before your body plummeted completely, slipping his tail beneath yours to allow you to fall on it, cushioned, with his chest to lean on. 

"I can't be pregnant…" you whispered as his hand fell to your stomach, caressing your tummy gently. "I'm all alone here! I don't even know where my family is."

"I'm here," Lyr chimed in, adding a few manipulative dolphin chirps to comfort you. "You're not alone."

"How will I raise a child? I can't do it, I need to go home! I need to see my mom and sisters! They know how to care for children… I…”

"You think they'd take you back when you come home with my pup?" 

Lyr's question made little sense at first. Of course your family would welcome you back! They'd help you through the pregnancy and the birth, and then you could all take care of the…

"Oh…" you whispered. "Oh, no…"

Lyr chuckled, but even his amusement sounded a little sad. "If it's any comfort to you, my family wouldn't help us raise the kid either. Considering it's half-dolphin, it wouldn't last a day amongst orcas. They would tear the little pup apart."

"We don't know that!" you yelled, the panic turning into a hysterical frustration. "My family loves me! They wouldn't abandon me! I just need to talk to them. Surely they will...! They..." 

Your voice broke as you tried to stand up for your parents, siblings, aunts, and nieces. You were one big family; you always stuck together! But you couldn't help it—Lyr was getting to you. The what-ifs were creeping into your mind, and his presence, holding and comforting you, didn't help with pushing the painful thoughts away.

He grew a little quieter, pulling you tighter against him while still being wary of the life growing inside you. His voice was hushed when he whispered it in your ear. "We're all this pup has. No one but us could love it. No one will accept our little family."

The realization instantly made you sob. 

There you were, finally free of the net holding you down. Free to swim around, free to do whatever you wanted. And yet, you were more trapped than ever. Even if your family took you back, you knew that neither you nor your child would have a peaceful, loving home. Besides, Lyr would probably show up there, too, disrupting and uprooting your family just because of your mistake. 

Lyr held you as you cried, pure, unfiltered despair ringing through your screams and cries. It must have hurt his sensitive ears to hear the full force of your siren voice cry out, but he never even flinched. He just held you gently in his arms, rocking you back and forth until the pain finally washed out with the tears disappearing into the ocean, leaving nothing but numbness behind. 

"I knew you'd be a great mom. It hurts me too, you know? But we are doing what's best for our little… calf. We'll be a good family, even without anyone else, I promise you. Just like I made this a reality," his hand fell to your stomach, hinting at your baby, "I'll always be here, always take care of you and all the kids we'll have. I promise."

"I don't want this," you sobbed, the words hurting you more than you wanted to admit. But they were true. You didn't want to make a family with Lyr. You didn't want to be away from your actual family. And you didn't even want the baby. But you knew it was already too late. There was a sea witch out there, who could have rectified this situation if only you could contact her.

"You will," Lyr said firmly, claws digging into your tail. You winced, but this time, he didn't soften his grip or make sure you were unharmed. "You have no choice," he reminded you, and the realization hit you again that he was right. 

Even if you tried to leave, he wouldn't let you. He'd drag you back and force you into doing what he wanted, just like he had from the moment he met you. You no longer believed in the mate bond that connected two soulmates, but if he knew about it, it seemed that was exactly what he thought you two were. And that meant you'd never, never leave him again. Lyr was mad enough to imagine a bond that wasn't there, even if he never heard the legend.

"Let's be better parents than mine, okay? I promise to be gentle and love you no matter what, so please…"

You had to see it for yourself, make sure you bore witness to the madness you always thought to be deep inside of him. You needed to see if he was too far gone to reason. If there was any chance you could still escape him. A little spark of hope remained as you lifted your head, looking up at him and catching his gaze with yours. 

Only for that little spark to vanish completely. 

His eyes were empty, big and dark, and utterly void of sanity. All you saw was your reflection in them, paired with the small hints of his feelings all over his face. The desperation and loneliness in the way his face was covered in wrinkles. You noticed his love for you in the big, adoring smile he gave you through all the pain and bitterness that had shredded his lips, blood drafting from his mouth. He was holding back—what you didn't know. Perhaps the need to kill you, wanting you dead rather than defiant. Or perhaps he, too, was trying to feel something again, so he bit open the scarring bite you had left on his mouth.

Whatever it was, you realized he, too, was too far gone to be saved. Just like you, albeit unwillingly in your case. 

It made you almost inclined to agree when he told you exactly what he wanted. Almost.

"Don't ever leave me, okay, my little dolphin?"