#papa clearcove

[thehollowwriter]

Warnings: Blood, gore(?), violence, cannibalism

Key: Regular text is for the present, bold is for journal entries/writing, italics is for flashbacks

(Pls reblog and leave a comment ❤)

Lamentations Pt 1

Silas did not start writing immediately. It was only when he was finally given the opportunity to be completely alone that he summoned the pen and paper he planned to pour his life experiences into.

Seated at the desk in his study, he cocked his head to the side and pressed the tip of his pen against the thick waterproof parchment and gnawed at his lip. He felt... unsure. This was... new. An alien experience.

XX/XX/XX

My name is Silas Clearcove.

No. No, that wasn't right. A line went through the sentence.

Hey, I'm Silas. I'm a butcher.

Sea Witch no, that sounded like he was setting up a social media profile. Another line.

I was born in the abyss below the Coral Sea.

That didn't work either. This was his life story and he couldn't think of anything better to start with? ...Well it wasn't like be was writing a book, was he? This was for him, not anyone else.

The abyss itself has no name. If it did, it is now long forgotten. It is ancient. Far far older than the Coral Sea itself. Some say it was once a powerful nation that boasted magical prowess rivalling that of Briar Valley, though the history around it is too murky to confirm the truth.

Nowadays, the abyss is viewed as the slums of the Coral Sea. The unwanted blemish you desperately want to hide. An endless pit of black promising your end if you just swim down.

I digress. My family resided within the abyss for generations, deemed undesirable and driven out of the Coral Sea, forced into isolation.

It was a far from stable living. Money was difficult to scrape up and it was far from safe down there, were the desperateand depraved resided. Nonetheless, they survived. And when I was born into one of the worst famines we had ever faced, I had to survive as well.

My memory of those times is blurry and muddled. There are some things that stick to me, clear as day, but they are few and far between.

As far as I recall, much of my childhood was spent watching my family fight for scraps and clash with other mers almost constantly, snatching money from Coral Sea residents and hunting on grounds that most certainly did not belong to them.

There was no time for peace or rest, as ambushes from others looking for fresh dinner were not uncommon. The little caves or holes we squeezed ourselves into were often attacked and raided, and we had to move to find somewhere else to live.

I could never do much but simply observe. I was too small, too frail, too... malnourished.

Silas trembled and pressed himself into a corner, watching the blurry shape of his mother try to coax him into getting up.

He didn't want to. It hurt. He hurt. Inside. Stabbing burning pain raged in the very pit of his stomach and he curled up righter, shaking. He could feel his ribs pressing against his arms. Feel his skin stretched taught over them.

Living in such an environment, I had enough near death experiences by the age of eight to rival that of a soldier in battle, though the only battle I was fighting was that of life.

Too many times had I nearly been eaten. Too many times had I felt teeth sink into my skin and claws rip at my flesh, saw my blood leak into the water.

It was because of this, my malnutrition and various other problems my magic manifested late. We weren't even sure it was possible for me to have it, as the only member of my family who had it was my grandfather.

My magic lay dormant for many years. Hidden. Unnoticeable. I dare say, inconceivable.

Until it made it itself known in a rather violent manner.

Silas felt lightheaded. He could feel his consciousness slipping away, black bordering on the edges of his vision.

His gills flared and fluttered as he thrashed and clawed wildly, bubbles flying from his mouth as he gasped uselessly.

The large frilled shark mer that had him in its grasp did not budge. Horrific teeth far worse than his own clenched tightly around his midriff. It wasn't fatal, not yet. Only his skin was pierced to keep him in place, but blood still flowed into the water in whisps of wine red.

He was too slow. He couldn't get away. His claws, tiny and useless, did nothing. He was so much smaller, so much more skeletal in comparison to the hulking frill shark that clearly suffered no shortage or prey.

'I'm going to die.' Said a little voice in Silas' head. A voice no nine year old should ever hear. 'I'm going to die here. Unless I-'

Silas thrust his hand toward at the snarling maw of the frill shark and a burst of dark purple light forced it release its hold with an ear-splitting cry.

It reared back and covered its face, wailing in pain as near black blood began filtering into the water. The cries and wails, gurgled and wrong, were so horrific Silas felt an icy dread run down his spine.

He watched it swim off, still screaming and crying and leaving a trail of blood in its wake. The sound echoed through the open waters, filling the empty space with the sound of pain far more excruciating than he could ever comprehend.

Silently, he turned to gaze to his trembling hand. Purple magic fizzed around his fingertips.

I still remember what happened when it pulled its hands away in order to swim for cover.

It looked right at me, blood leaking from almost empty eye sockets, mixing with the fluid pouring from its missing lower jaw.

The image was... haunting. Forever burned into my psyche. Even nowadays I still get flashes of that gruesome scene.

It was quite a shock to my family when I returned home with magic flowing freely through my veins that day. It was wild and difficult to control, bursting out of me in a vicious flash whenever my emotions became too intense.

My grandfather, however, was delighted. He was happy to have someone to pass his knowledge on to, someone around to learn the old spells collecting dust in his own mind

I learned many things from him. Wise and skilled at his age, he taught me spells that ranged from simple and efficient to powerful to horrific. He taught me just what sigils to draw, what words to chant, what images to imagine.

I learned the very essence of the deepest depths of the ocean, the coiling lurking darkness that resides within. It is old, and it is powerful.

If it weren't for those spells, both the mundane and the twisted, I doubt I would be alive today.

Magic was not the only thing my grandfather taught me. He, alongside my grandpapa, enlightened me to the art of the hunt. A silent, elegant dance that tested your wits and your skill. In doing so, I learned how to stalk, how to fight, how to prepare fresh meat and so much more.

I love them dearly and I miss them every day. They made me what I am today, and for that I am eternally grateful. If you were to ask me who my parents were, their image would be the first thing to come to mind.

There-

The sudden sound of knocking on his door made Silas pause and take a moment to look at what he had written. There was far more than he ever intended, in fact he expected to only get a few paragraphs in.

He couldn't deny that, although his heart was beating like an aggravated drum in his chest from the memories, he felt... lighter. Better.

Sighing, Silas put his pen down and carefully put the large piece of parchment under a stack of balancing sheets.

"Coming, coming!" He called, deep voice reverberating off the coral walls of his study.

He would continue tomorrow.

......................................

Guide: Previous Next

A/N: And into the nitty gritty we go! I hope you guys enjoyed the Papa Clearcove tidbits, there's even more to come

Tagging: @distant-velleity @krenenbaker @theleechyskrunkly @kitwasnothere @cynthinesia @elysia-nsimp @officialdaydreamer00 @whspermy-name @jaylleoo14

[fclearcove]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! get to know your mutuals and followers 🤍🖤

Well... unexpected. I suppose those five things for me would be painting, the quiet, hedgehogs, music, and flying.

[distant-velleity]

I've been thinking about what I've done go poor Papa Clearcove

His babies got eaten, his husband died, his newly adopted son is traim af and then overblots, he faces racism/xenophobia like constantly and more

Wow

bro 😭 he needs a vacation and then some

[theleechyskrunkly]

Looking back on it, it's really funny seeing you go "I can fix him" on Papa Clearcove/Silas' fic lmaaaoo

I may not be able to fix him anymore. He's one of them queers 😔💔

[kitwasnothere]

The angst won't end bc Papa Clearcove is getting a story of his own and it's riddled with trauma

WHAT THE HELL 😭😭😭😭

🥺👉👈 guys .... my silly beloved mutuals .... please write somethkng nice and happy for your ocs ... cmon ...

😭😭 i think finns gonw through enough and thenvnow papa clearcove is gonna have this own whole truckload of angst

[officialdaydreamer00]

Head in hands

Irene what have I done to poor Papa Clearcove he doesn't deserve this

but it'd be funny :D

[krenenbaker]

It's going to be hella angsty tho bc Papa Clearcove does not catch a break (he also has a name tho)

you're putting him through the wringer, hey? well, I still am looking forward to learning more about Mr. Clearcove (including what he's named!)

[thehollowwriter]

Summary: A fic starring Silas, Finn's dad, in which he transcribes his life experiences because otherwise he'll probably just overblot.(this is a lore dump disguised as a story and an attempt at a new writing style tbh)

Warnings: I don't know how therapy works don't take this as an accurate depiction

Key: Regular text is for the present, italics is for flashbacks, bold is for journal entries

(Pls reblog and leave a comment ❤)

Lamentations Pt 0 (Prologue)

"Silas, if I may, have you ever told anyone about your experiences?"

The simple question was suspended in silence for a long moment. It was heavy and looming. Threatening

Silas Clearcove studied the calm face of his therapist for a long time. Trying to detect some sign of a joke or trick. There was none.

"No."

His response was short and sharp. Not entirely unfriendly, not exactly a warning either.

Dr Koi tapped their pen against their lips and straightened their glasses.

"Have you written it down, then? Drawn it? Told it to a seashell? I hear the young ones like doing that these days."

"No," Silas repeated, voice wavering. "No ear nor page nor... seashell apart from your own has been privy to my life. Life happens and I continue on. I try not to dwell."

Dr Koi peered at him with a pair of piercing bright green eyes. Intense. Glaring.

"Silas, it's not healthy to keep everything inside. You may consciously not think of it, but it will rot inside your subconscious and eat away at you until there's nothing left."

They gave him a soft, gentle smile. "As always, you're not obligated to do it, but I would like you to start writing down some of your experiences. It doesn't have to be anything major, just how your day went or something that annoyed you. Even if it isn't negative, it's good to write out your feelings."

Silas didn't answer at first. He continued to stare, amethyst eyes shining with something unrecognizable. His tail, dark purple in hue, coiled underneath him and bunched up tight defensively.

"May I... write about... what I've told you?" He asked, his deep voice coming out in a hoarse whisper.

"Of course you can." Dr Koi said sweetly. "If it brings you too much stress to write down, don't force yourself, okay?"

Silas' long purple hair twisted in the water as he nodded and his clawed hand came up to paw at his thick beard.

"I'll... give it a shot. Thank you, doctor."

......................................

Guide: Next

A/N: This was a very short introductory, but I hope it was alright nonetheless. I really struggled with the opening. This is originally meant to be one fic so sorry if chapter endings seem... odd.

Tagging: @krenenbaker @distant-velleity @cynthinesia @theleechyskrunkly @kitwasnothere @officialdaydreamer00 @elysia-nsimp @twisted-wonderland-but-gayer @whspermy-name @jaylleoo14 @cyanide-latte @boopshoops @casp1an-sea

@am0nline

@ramshacklerumble

[thehollowwriter]

I've realised while writing my fic centered around Finn's dad that it's long as hell and I'm not sure if I should release it all in one go or rather split it into parts. If the answer is the latter I'll probably post the first part once the poll ends

Tagging: @cynthinesia @krenenbaker @distant-velleity @theleechyskrunkly @whspermy-name @twisted-wonderland-but-gayer @minteasketches @elysia-nsimp cause ya'll are waiting patiently for the Papa Clearcove content lol

[thehollowwriter]

The Official Bio of Silas Clearcove

Basic Info:

Name: Silas Clearcove

Homeland: The Coral Sea, though he was originally born in the Abyss

Species: Cookie cutter shark mer

Birthday: 12th June

Age: 60

Height/length: 153cm

Dominant hand: Right

Occupation: Butcher

Unique magic: Silas never gave it a name, but he can drain other people's magic (or life force of he really pushes) to fuel his own magic and get rid of blot. He almost never uses it.

Family:

Son: Finn Clearcove

Son: @/distant-velleity 's Chrysos Pendentif (adopted)

Husband: Morrigan Clearcove (deceased)

Unnamed mother-in-law and father-in-law

Unnamed grandfather (deceased)

Sister: Mei (deceased)

Unnamed mother and father (deceased)

Several unnamed siblings and cousins (deceased)

Preferences:

Hobbies: Reading, gardening

Likes: Cooking, music, puzzles, learning new things

Dislikes: Tight spaces, large crowds, the more human appearing mers

Favourite food: Clam Chowder

Least favourite food: Triggerfish

Appearance:

Silas has amthyst eyes and long, curly dark purple hair and beard. His skin, scales, and tail are dark purple with peculiar black markings in some places, and his enture body is riddled with scar tissue. His fins are full of holes and tears. His claws are long, sharp, and black. His teeth are long and sharp and scary. He has visible stretch marks, and he's (finally) starting to get a bit chubby.

Silas has a band of black scales around his neck, and from just below that all the way to his navel are photophores that glow in the dark, which helps him camouflage and can even make him look like a school of fish from below.

Obviously, as a mer, he doesn't wear clothes, but he does wear both his and his husband's courting gifts to each other: necklaces of orca teeth and shell, each has a volute and skeletal murex shell respectively. He wears a ribcage around part of his tail as decor. Sometimes he wears his wedding jewellery as well.

Personality:

Silas is a gruff, quiet, and serious man with a bit of a sadistic streak. He does have a general no-nonsense attitude, but he is very warm and loving to Finn (and later on Chrysos) and does his best to raise Finn with the love and support he needs. He wants Finn to make friends and is the one who encouraged him to go to NRC in the first place. He's very protective and is aggressive on rare occasions (unlike when he was younger). He's clever and is prone to sarcastic or dry humour. Don't be fooled, he's quite kind when he wants to be, just few get to see it.

Some Fun Facts/Extra Info:

•Silas supplies Mrs Ashengrotto (and later on Azul) with fish along with other meats for her restaurant

•He has a deal with the tweels' parents in which he disposes of their unwanted "prey" (cough enemies cough) in return for their protection

•He is a very powerful sorcerer that is well versed in Abyssal magic

•He can see Finn's siblings as well and doesn't know what to do about them. He wishes they didn't scare Finn so much

•Azul is quite intimidated by him, lol

•Silas likes the octotrio and considers them a good match for Finn

•He allows older teens looking for extra income to work for him part-time

•He's got a soft spot for kids (teens count as kids too to him)

Fic Masterlist

Tagging: @distant-velleity @krenenbaker @cyanide-latte @boopshoops @the-banana-0verlord

@kitwasnothere @officialdaydreamer00 @whspermy-name @theleechyskrunkly

@oya-oya-okay @cynthinesia @minteasketches @elysia-nsimp @skrimpyskimpy

@the-trinket-witch @offorestsongs @ghostiidasponk, here's Papa Clearcove!

If anyone wants to draw him, feel free to! Just be sure to tag me ^^

@poisoned-pearls @ramshacklerumble

[thehollowwriter]

Summary: Azul meets Finn's father, and he is very afraid.

Word count: 3872

(Pls reblog and leave a comment ❤️)

Mister Clearcove

"Papa wants to meet you." Said Finn, and Azul nearly choked on his tea.

"Pardon?"

"Papa wants to meet you." Finn repeated, munching on a biscuit. "He thinks you should come over during the holidays."

He was so casual about it, as if he were telling Azul it was going to be sunny tomorrow, and not that the possibly most terrifying man Azul had ever seen wanted to meet him.

Azul gazed at Finn wordlessly for a moment. Was this a joke? Was Finn trying to prank him?

"I...I see." Azul said slowly.

Finn did not say "just kidding" as he had hoped. Instead, he licked the crumbs from his lips and carried on sketching the possible menu designs he and Azul had brainstormed.

"You're sure he wants to meet me?" Azul blurted.

Finn put his pencil down and raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course. Papa doesn't ask to meet just anyone. Don't tell me you're scared now."

"Of course not!" Azul exclaimed, frowning. "I'm just... surprised. I didn't think he would be interested in meeting me at all."

Finn sent him a small smile. "You underestimate how interesting you are."

Azul flushed. "I suppose so. Shall we set up a date, then?"

Finn nodded. "Yeah. I'll ask Papa when he's available."

The two of them went back to what they were doing, and silence reigned once more.

Azul was awake long after curfew that night, staring at the incomplete nautilus shell earings he had spent days painstakingly crafting by hand.

He planned to give them to Finn sometime, but... should he? He didn't know.

If he were to end up in Silas Clearcove's bad books, it would make any attempts at a relationship or gaining a potential seafood supplier for the lounge quite difficult.

If they were to meet, Azul wanted to make the best impression he could. Naturally, making a good impression meant knowing the person you wanted to impress, and in order to know the person you wanted to impress, one needed to do research.

Unfortunately for Azul, Finn's father was an utter mystery. Most Atlantica residents did not like Silas and preferred to avoid him, fearful of him and his origins.

"The... the abyssal mer? I can't believe some people buy food from him, if you ask me."

"Silas? I had to move my daughter to a different elementary school because that monster's son was attending hers."

"Tainted blood, that's what he is."

Rumours, often wretched and gut-churning, did their rounds often.

Azul wasn't stupid enough to believe them, of course. Call him a sceptic, but he was quite sure Silas did not murder Finn and cause Finn to become a ghost.

Most of what Azul himself knew about Silas was through osmosis and from Finn. The basic facts were: he was a cookie cutter shark from the Abyss, he was a butcher, a single father, and was married to a powerful mage named Morrigan who died before Finn was born.

"He was a mage, too." Finn would say if asked about Morrigan. "He went to Night Raven. He was a Savanaclaw student, and then he became a teacher. He was quite talented."

The cause of Morrigan's death was something not even Finn knew, and most of the city pretended it didn't happen.

"Oh, you know, Morrigan was like, fifty when he died." Some would say. "Who knows what health complications he could've had."

Azul also attempted to ask his mother about it, but she became unusually cryptic.

"It was awful." She had said sadly, dabbing her eyes. "Simply awful. Oh, poor Silas, he was heartbroken..."

Azul made a mental note to steer clear of the topic of Morrigan in case it was a touchy subject.

Azul's own memories of Silas were few and far between. They were fuzzy, blurred by time, and unreliable. Finn swam to and from school by himself most of the time, so Azul didn't see Silas every day.

All Azul could really remember was vague parts of his appearance and a presence that made crowds part and parents whisper.

There was only one clear memory that stood out, but even that one had been tainted by age.

Azul remembered cowering behind his mother, taking a peek every now and then at the large, looming shark speaking to his mother in a low, gruff voice.

He was scarred and a bit odd looking, but what truly drew Azul's attention was the ribs of... something that decorated Silas' tail, and the twin sets of orca teeth necklaces around his neck. It was terrifying to see back then. Now, though, he was concerned his seashells would be an inadequate courting gift, considering Silas was apparently very traditional.

The lack of reliable memories left Azul to rely on individuals close to him for information, although it didn't turn up much. Silas was like his son. He kept to himself and wasn't prone to chatting .

"Old man Silas?" Floyd's expression turned thoughtful when Azul asked him about him. "Don't see him a lot. When he comes to Ma and Pa's parties, he just hangs out in the corner and stares at his glass till it's over. Then we never see him until the next one."

"He'll engage in conversation if we initiate it." Jade added. "But he doesn't say much. He's not a very talkative fellow."

Azul sighed. "Do you know anything else?"

"Well," Jade tapped his chin. "He's from the Abyss. But everybody knows that."

"He's got a legendary resting bitch face." Floyd chimed in, grinning. "It puts Finn's to shame. He looks like he'll snap your neck if you look at him wrong."

"I see."

He asked his mother about Silas next, during one of their biweekly phonecalls. She had more to say than the twins, and definitely more pleasant things too, but none of it was particularly helpful.

"Oh, Silas is a dear!" Azul's mother sounded delighted. "So helpful and hardworking, and so very polite. I keep saying he should come for dinner sometime, but he's always so busy."

"Do you know anything about his preferences?"

"Hmm. No. Sorry, dear."

"No no, it's alright. Thank you, Mama."

It seemed the only one who knew anything at all about Silas Clearcove was Finn, and Azul most certainly did not want to ask him and risk his intentions coming to light early.

Azul was frustrated that his research was inconclusive, and far more nervous than he was originally. When he finally returned home for the holidays, and the reality truly hit him, the nervousness became utter stress.

It seemed he wasn't doing as a good a job at hiding it as he hoped, since when Finn arrived to fetch him one early morning, he tilted his head to the side with a bemused smile.

"You don't need to be so nervous." Finn said as he began to lead Azul to their destination. "Papa won't bite."

***

The Clearcove property was far away from the city, starting at a sand bank and stretching on to the edge of a cliff. Only the faintest tendrils of sunlight reached down there, but it was promptly snuffed out by the towering kelp forest that stretched on for miles. The kelp swayed eerily in the ghostly quiet, lit up by only a few lanterns strung about.

It was a stark contrast to the sunlit streets and bustling noise of the city.

It gave Azul the creeps, and he suddenly understood why the rumours that spread were always so supernatural in nature. It was like they were swimming through a haunted patch of sea.

They followed a stone path through the maze of kelp and rocks and fish, keeping to the light of the lanterns. It was a long swim, and Azul wished he had better endurance.

Then, the faint scent of blood made Azul stop swimming, concerned.

Finn tugged him forward. "That's just the abattoir, don't worry."

The scent got stronger the further they went, and Azul had to clench his teeth to stop himself from darting away in terror until they got to it.

The abattoir did not look quite how Azul expected it to. Rather than a dark, dilapidated building, it was a large cave with an entrance marked by the gaping maw of a whale skull. Lanterns lit the area up brightly, making it look just a little less daunting.

Mers darted about the place, lugging in fresh kills, nets of crustaceans and molluscs, and large containers.

A few of them waved at Finn as he passed by and gave Azul a curious look, but other than that, they didn't pay their presence much mind.

Finn and Azul carried on for another half hour or so until finally, they came to a circular clearing, and the small stone path led towards a garden of coral, seagrass, and seasponge.

Nestled amongst the garden was what one could supposedly call a "house." Really, it was a large rock that had been carved into, its walls etched with little patterns that Azul was sure Finn was responsible for.

Finn swam forwards to unlock the purple coral door, then let Azul inside.

"Papa, we're here!" Finn called as they swam in. Well, Finn swam in. Azul squeezed himself in through the door, coiling his tentacles close so he didn't knock anything over. He was skinny, but the Clearcove home was undoubtedly cookie cutter shark sized.

The first thing he noticed was the smell of food. It didn't have quite as strong an aroma as food on land, but he could definitely smell it. The next thing he noticed was the cosy little lounge slash dining room he found himself in.

Pictures and paintings that were probably made by Finn when he was a child were hung up on the walls, and large clumps of sea sponge, coral, and bone formed couches and chairs.

Azul didn't have much time to take it in, as Silas then swam into the room and dusted his hands, crossing his arms, and Azul went still.

"Hello, Finn." He said. His voice was as soft as Finn's, but deeper and more gravelly. He nodded at Azul. "Ashengrotto."

"H...Hello, sir." Azul greeted, his voice coming out far more wobbly than he wanted it to.

Silas... didn't look quite how Azul remembered. From his child perspective, Silas was large, larger than life, even. Now, though, as a teenager, Azul could see Silas was not much larger than Finn. Azul himself was several times bigger than both of them.

When Azul was trying to research Silas, his mind filled in the blanks and created an image of an older looking Finn. Now, though, he could see how different they were.

Finn was chubby. Soft, pudgy, and round. His skin was absent of any marks aside from the scars on his shoulder, the freckles on his face, and the stretch marks on his stomach. His hair and body were a lively forest green that blended perfectly with his surroundings.

Silas, on the other hand, was very thin. His skin stretched just a little too taught in some places. His body was littered with scars of various degrees of severity. On his face, his abdomen, his tail, his arms, his neck... even his gills. The long, jagged scar that sliced across the gills on his neck made Azul's own gills itch.

His fins were riddled with holes and tears that hadn't healed properly. It looked painful, and it made Azul wince when he looked at them.

He was purple in hue, and his face, aged and weathered, housed the only thing he had in common with Finn appearance-wise. A pair of bright amthyst eyes that shone like gems in the light of the lanterns.

It was then that Azul knew he was looking at someone who had seen and done things he could not even begin to comprehend. Someone very dangerous and very powerful.

Azul's gaze eventually drifted to the necklaces that hung around Silas' neck. The teeth that were strung up on them were quite obviously orca teeth. Each necklace had a volute shell and a skeletal murex shell, respectively.

Courting gifts. One belonged to Silas, the other, his late husband.

Silas' necklaces were difficult to make. There was a risk involved, a certain amount of power and skill required to get the materials. Orca teeth were not small trophies.

Azul felt like Silas' gaze had frozen him in place with magic. Those eyes, so deep and knowing, made goosebumps ripple across his skin, and his heart jump into his throat.

His unique magic had a benefit that few knew about. It allowed him to sense others' magic and said magic's essence or power, and dear Seven could he sense Silas'.

It was dark and twisted, rolling off of Silas in waves of power that made something primal in Azul's mind begin to panic.

It was ancient. Pulsing. It bubbled just below the surface and promised a taste of the horrors found leagues down below.

Abyssal magic.

Silas' magic was far stronger than Azul's, far stronger than Finn's, far stronger than some of the professors at Night Raven, and it filled Azul's heart with a mix of awe and terror.

The familiar urge to take it for himself was strong, tugging at the back of his head. But he knew better. By the Sea Witch, did he know better.

Finn once told Azul that Silas never had any proper magical training of any kind. In fact, Finn was the first person on Silas' side of the family to attend school at all.

The fact that Silas still held this much power despite that... it was incredible and terrifying all at once.

The fear that filled Azul turned his veins to ice. The overwhelming knowledge that he did not have the advantage, that he did not have the most powerful magic, and that he was neither the smartest nor the strongest in the room made him feel like a guppy in the jaws of a great white.

"Azul, you look pale." Said Finn, though he was clearly more amused than worried, the bastard. "Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine." Azul said quickly. "Just tired from the trip here."

Silas hadn't said a word at all. He simply stared at Azul, and Azul stared back.

Then Silas hummed, a deep rumbling sound, and swam back into the kitchen. Azul let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and shot a glance at Finn.

Finn smiled. "Don't mind Papa." He said. "He's not big on conversations. It might not be obvious, but he's happy to have you over. He's even letting you eat with us today."

Azul looked towards the kitchen, then back at Finn questioningly.

"That's not something he usually does." Finn clarified. "Sharing food that he hasn't sold, that is. He always says it's safest to be selfish when it comes to meals."

Azul nodded slowly. "I... I see." He murmured, overcome with the dreadful realisation that he could not skip out on whatever would be served without looking like an ungrateful brat with no manners.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Silas returned with a number of plates and platters in tow, piled high with all kinds of food.

Finn perked up, finns fluttering. "Oh, he used the vents. We're lucky today."

The... vents?

The platters were gently placed down with magic, as well as three empty plates. Azul stared at the vast amount of food, trying to see if there was anything small with few calories he could eat.

Seaweed wraps, crab rolls, whole crabs, shrimp, lobsters, mussels, clams, scallops, abalone, tuna, hake, even sushi, and so much more was available to choose from.

Azul's mouth opened and closed in surpise, and for the first time since greeting them, Silas spoke.

"I was not too sure what food you preferred. Finn told me you're quite strict with what you eat. I hope this is suitable."

Azul looked at Silas and once again felt frozen in place by that stare. Floyd wasn't kidding about him looking like he would snap your neck at any moment...

"I-" Azul had to swallow so he could try to speak clearly. "It is. Thank you, sir. You're very kind."

"Alright, then. Sit down. Choose what you want."

Azul obeyed, wondering how on earth the twins managed to make Silas sound like a stone faced introvert when he seemed more like a retired soldier or something.

Silas and Finn seated themselves opposite him. Finn, ever the food lover, happily began piling up his plate. Silas simply watched Azul, silent once again.

Azul avoided his gaze and selected some Sushi (where did Silas get rice from?) and a few oysters.

He paused when he got to the lobster, which he was not going to eat due to the hugh cholesterol by the way, and stared at it. It... it wasn't raw. It was cooked..?

"Hypothermic vents." Said Silas, noticing Azul's confused expression. "They work like an oven or a place to boil food if you use them correctly."

Azul's eyes widened in surpise. "Really? That's... That's incredible. I would never have thought to use thermal vents to cook food. How do you not burn anything?"

"I use magic to alter the heat." Silas explained quietly, his lips quirking up a bit. "It's something my grandfathers taught me."

"So I assume you alter the heat to different temperatures to allow for different methods and cook times?" Azul asked curiously.

Silas nodded.

"Incredible. Have you not thought of selling this? You would intrigue a lot of people with something as rare as cooked food. I-" Azul hesitated, realising Finn was raising his eyebrows at him. "I-If you want to, of course."

Silas gazed at Azul for a moment, and Azul began to panic internally, cursing at himself and his inability to shut up about business.

"You are your mother's son," Silas finally rumbled, sounding more amused than angry. "I'll tell you what I've told your mother. I have no interest in monetizing this."

Blood rushed to Azul's cheeks, and his fear and panic turned into embarrassment.

"Idiot." He snapped at himself. "You ruined a nice conversation."

Silas didn't say anything further, so Azul went back to picking at his sushi, taking little bites every now and then.

The urge to say something, anything, to fill the awful silence was overwhelming, but neither Silas nor Finn were particularly talkative, and Azul didn't want to be the irritating chatterbox of the group.

Finn was currently tearing through his meal, absolutely delighted at the special use of the vents. He cracked open a scallop and popped the meat into his mouth with a happy sigh.

Silas hadn't eaten a single thing. Apart from the occasional glance at Finn, his eyes were completely trained on Azul.

His gaze was intense. Terrifying. It was as if he were mentally taking Azul apart, looking for flaws, for weakness. Azul wondered if this was how his fellow classmates felt when he made deals with them.

"Finn's told me a lot about you." Silas said suddenly, and Azul gulped.

"He... He has?"

"Yes. He quite likes you-"

"Papa!" Finn squeaked, flustered. "You didn't need to say that part."

"-and I hear you're starting a restaurant of your own at school?"

"Ah- yes." Azul nearly choked out, relieved. Now, this was something to talk about. "Mostro Lounge. An establishment for gentlemen, neutral ground between the dorms of Night Raven College where you can wind down after a long day."

Silas hummed. "What a clever idea. My husband attended Night Raven when he was your age. I remember he once told me he wished he didn't have to go all the way to town to eat something that wasn't served at the cafeteria."

Azul puffed up at the compliment, glad to finally feel like he had some semblance of control. "Why yes, it is a pain, especially if you don't have time for such trips. The comfort and satisfaction of my fellow students is my primary goal, and I hope to achieve that with Mostro Lounge."

Silas' lips quirked upwards again. "How kind of you," He said, and Azul was pretty sure he didn't entirely mean it. He sounded too... knowing. "I hope you're successful."

Azul couldn't hold back the smirk that crossed onto his face. "Believe me, sir, I will be."

Silas nodded but didn't answer, and Azul went back to eating.

"Finn," Silas said after a while, turning his head to his son, who had been quietly listening to the conversation while digging into a small lobster. "Could you please tell Timo to move his hunt to the fourth quadrant for me?"

Finn looked a little confused, but he nodded anyway. "Sure." He said, then sent a small smile Azul's way. "I'll be back in a bit."

He disappeared out the door, and Azul was suddenly very aware that he was alone with Silas Clearcove watching him like he wanted to take a bite out of him.

Azul put his hands on his lap to hide the fact that they were shaking and stared back at Silas like a deer in headlights.

"You've built quite a reputation for yourself around here over the years, Azul." Silas said. "With those little deals of yours. Your magic is quite impressive, I must say."

There was a long pause, and Silas tapped his long black claws against the table.

"I was concerned at first when Finn started telling me about you." He said. "You're quite a greedy young man. But... I trust Finn's judgement. I'm not going to sit here and threaten you or tell you not to hurt Finn. I know you won't. However,"

Silas' eyes narrowed. "I'm well aware that you like... collecting magic, shall we say. Abyssal magic seems to have piqued your interest recently. Listen to me carefully. Finn is not to make contracts with you, and you are not to try to convince him to do so. You're a smart boy, Azul. I'm sure you understand."

The unspoken implication hung in the air, and Azul understood it all too well. He's heard the rumours, and while he wasn't sure how true they were, he'd rather not risk having his magic sucked dry.

'He's like a magic parasite.'

'He'll suck you dry until you're nothing but a husk'

'If he can't take your magic, then he'll take your soul.'

The voices of Azul's old classmates echoed in his mind.

"I understand, sir." He said, feeling a little sick.

Finn returned shortly after, informing Silas that Timo had moved his hunt.

"I hope you didn't scare you too much." He whispered as he swam past Azul.

Azul just laughed.

***

After Silas gave Azul that little warning, the old mer was much more relaxed, though most of the conversation was still carried by Azul and Finn.

The day seemed to fly by now that the fear that had swallowed Azul whole began to ebb, and soon it was late afternoon and time for Azul to leave. He needed to be home before sundown.

"I'll come visit you." Finn said softly before Azul could exit through the door."

Azul smiled a bit. "Thank you, I suppose." He murmured, feeling his cheeks burn once again.

"Thank you for having me over, Mister Clearcove." He said to Silas, bowing his head. "I greatly appreciate your hospitality."

Silas hummed in acknowledgement. "I'm always happy to Finn's friends over. Get home safe, now, Azul, and..." His voice suddenly dropped to a whisper. "Be careful with those contracts of yours, alright?"

Azul blinked, confused.

"Of course, sir."

-End

...........................................

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the fear of god being put in Azul! I had a lot fun writing this.

Tagging: @distant-velleity @br3adtoasty @rainesol @theleechyskrunkly

@jovieinramshackle @galaxies-and-gore @cyanide-latte @cynthinesia @officialdaydreamer00

@krenenbaker @kitwasnothere @elenauaurs @boopshoops @am0nline

@1dont-really-know @kazumify @minteasketches @ramshacklerumble @elysia-nsimp

@skrimpyskimpy @casp1an-sea @offorestsongs @the-banana-0verlord @skriblee-ksk

@poisoned-pearls @the-trinket-witch @tixdixl @ghostiidasponk

[thehollowwriter]

A Sneak Peek to the Azul Meeting Silas Fic:

"Papa wants to meet you." Said Finn, and Azul nearly choked on his tea.

"Pardon?"

"Papa wants to meet you." Finn repeated, munching on a biscuit. "He thinks you should come over during the holidays."

He was so casual about it, as if he were telling Azul it was going to he sunny tomorrow, and not that the possibly most terrifying man Azul had ever seen wanted to meet him.

Azul gazed at Finn wordlessly for a moment. Was this a joke? Was Finn trying to prank him?

"I...I see." Azul said slowly.

Finn did not say "just kidding" as he had hoped. Instead, he licked the crumbs from his lips and carried on sketching the possible menu designs he and Azul had brainstormed.

"You're sure he wants to meet me?" Azul blurted.

Finn put his pencil down and raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course. Papa doesn't ask to meet just anyone. Don't tell me you're scared now."

"Of course not!" Azul exclaimed, frowning. "I'm just... surprised. I didn't think he would be interested in meeting me at all."

Finn sent him a small smile. "You underestimate how interesting you are."

Azul flushed. "I suppose so. Shall we set up a date, then?"

Finn nodded. "Yeah. I'll ask Papa when he's available."

The two of them went back to what they were doing, and silence reigned once more.

Azul was awake long after curfew that night, staring at the incomplete nautilus shell earings he had spent days painstakingly crafting by hand.

He planned to give them to Finn sometime, but... should he? He didn't know.

If he were to end up in Silas Clearcove's bad books, it would make any attempts at a relationship or gaining a potential seafood supplier for the lounge quite difficult.

If they were to meet, Azul wanted to make the best impression he could. Naturally, making a good impression meant knowing the person you wanted to impress, and in order to know the person you wanted to impress, one needed to do research.

-End (for now lmao)

Tagging: @distant-velleity @br3adtoasty @rainesol @theleechyskrunkly @jovieinramshackle

@galaxies-and-gore @cyanide-latte @cynthinesia @officialdaydreamer00 @krenenbaker

@kitwasnothere @elenauaurs @boopshoops @am0nline @1dont-really-know

@kazumify @minteasketches @ramshacklerumble @elysia-nsimp @skrimpyskimpy

@casp1an-sea @offorestsongs @poisoned-pearls

[thehollowwriter]

OC Fics Masterlist:

Finn Clearcove:

The Quiet Octavinelle Student❄ (Finn is put in charge of anenome Ace)

After Hours❄🌸 (Jade and Finn have a talk after Mostro closed)

Hold Your Tongue❄ (Ace pisses off Finn)

A Ghostly Halloween❄💧 (The ghosts of Finn's brothers become visible and angst ensues)

Happy New Year!❄🌸 (Octoquartet enjoying New Year's together)

I Need a Favour❄🌸 (Azul asks Finn for help with a contract)

Did You Hear That?❄🌙 (Finn uses his UM on a student)

Paint❄️💧 (Finn's overblot concept)

Red🌙🌸💕 (Finn paints a gift for his partners on Valentine's Day)

Kisses🌙🌸💕 (Azul and Finn fluff)

Beautiful🌙🌸💕 (Jade and Finn fluff)

Cookie🌙🌸💕 (Floyd and Finn fluff)

Birthday❄️🌸 (Finn, Jade, and Floyd celebrate Azul's birthday)

Finn Discovers Some Tresspassers💬🌙

Finn Asks His Papa About Morrigan 💬

R School Uniform Vignette🌙

R P.E Vignette❄️

Ashes❄️💧(Azul and Finn get into a fight over Azul's photos)

Concept fic of the aftermath of Azul's overblot🌙💧

Just a crack fic that doesn't deserve a title🌙😵‍💫

Bait ❄️💧(Blaze harasses Finn)

Silas Clearcove:

Lamentations (multichapter) (Silas writing about his life)

Cookie Cutter Shark Mer Baby Development Guide

Pup❄️💧🌸 (Silas and baby Finn, heh)

Mister Clearcove (Azul Meets Silas)❄️

Quinn Script:

Overload❄

Cosme Da Costa

Nothing yet!

Nkululeko Adrade

Nothing yet!

Timo Byun

Nothing yet!

Key

[thehollowwriter]

Some Fun Finn Facts:

•His UM doesn't have a name yet, but: once he hears your voice he can cast his UM and mimic it perfectly. Once he touches you he can mimic you entirely including a weak imitation of your UM- very weak. Unless he actively tries practicing it however the latter uses up a lot more magic

•His father is a butcher and supplies meat to various businesses in the area, including Mama Ashengrotto's restaurant and the Leech family's home

•Papa Clearcove is a strong single dad 💪, unfortunately his husband passed away

•Finn and his father are actually immigrants since cookie cutter sharks are found in tropical waters and the Coral Sea is most certainly not tropical

•Finn lives a bit further to the sea floor than other Coral Sea inhabitants- cookie cutter sharks can be found near the surface but also live in the twilight and abyssal zones

•Because of the above bullet, his teeth, small size and other things Finn was bullied a lot at school. However they eventually backed off when he did what his papa told him to: bite them!

•He is, unfortunately, self conscious of his teeth as they were not "nicer looking" like the twins or "human-like" like Azul.

•He has known the octotrio since he was very young but never really got to know them until a few years before NRC

•Finn is very much in love with Jade but doesn't know how to confess

•Finn loves nature, especially butterflies (the fact that such innocent, cute pretty little things suck blood fascinates him) and loves to paint scenery

•He would have joined the Mountain Lover's Club if he wasn't horribly in love with Jade, he can't handle that much proximity please help him

•He joined the Gargoyle Reasearch club for two reasons: 1) it only had one member and was therefore the quietest club apart from Jade's, 2) he had no idea what the hell that was and was very curious

•He gets along quite well with Malleus

•He practices his father's binding spell on Malleus (with his permission), since Malleus does not break promises and can tell when it is successfully casted

•He has used Malleus' voice to get Sebek to shut up. Sebek still lies awake at night thinking about the time Malleus told him to shut his mouth

•Yes, Finn can use Malleus' UM but so far it's only put Azul to sleep and only for like an hour

•Finn freaking loves music and is very good at playing a number of instruments- his singing is not that good though

(Pls reblog and leave a comment ❤)

Hmm maybe I'll make a part two to this sometime

Tagging: @officialdaydreamer00 @whspermy-name @jaylleoo14 @the-banana-0verlord @minteasketches @azulashengrottospiano @distant-velleity

[thehollowwriter]

Lmao, can you imagine Finn explaining how his parents met in like a birthday interview of some other scenario. "So my dad, yes Morrigan Clearcove, yes the NRC alumnus, shush, trespassed onto my Papa's property to steal from him and then they both got into a fight to the death that ended in a draw."

And whoever listening is just like -._-.

[thehollowwriter]

Ace interviewing Finn for his birthday or something and after hearing about how lovely Silas is (Finn loves his Papa a lot) just being like, "How does someone like that make... Clearcove-senpai??"

Literally the only stuff he knows is Silas is attentive, protective, wise and very loving towards Finn, even if he is "a bit gruff", among other things.

Now I want some sort of parents' day to happen so Ace can look at Silas and just be like, "Oh.. that explains a lot" and then run away XD/j