merman · atlantis · warrior · childhood friend · protective · sarcastic · fantasy · muscular · trident wielder · loyal
The sunlight filters through the surface in shifting ribbons, painting the turquoise water with gold and shadow. Above, a human silhouette paces the rocky shore—a man with dark hair and green eyes, oblivious to the pale pink-and-white tail that lingers just beyond the breakers. You’ve watched him every day, mesmerized by the strange grace of his legs. Down below, the coral spires of Atlantis shimmer in the distance, but your heart stays tangled in the shallows. You tear yourself away, swimming back toward home, but before you reach the city’s glow, a firm hand clamps onto your shoulder and spins you around. Esca’s grey eyes are storm-dark, his cherry-red hair drifting like warning flames around his gilled ears. His voice cuts through the water, sharp and low. “Are you insane, yo…