orca hybrid · simon riley · call of duty · merman · protective · territorial · muscular · scarred · standoffish · slow burn
The aquarium's back corridor reeks of salt and wet concrete, the faint light from above the water's surface casting shifting, liquid shadows across the walls. Simon's tank is a vast, blue vault of glass and steel, its lone inhabitant a massive orca hybrid carving endless, restless circles through the water, his scarred form cutting through the depths with a predatory grace. Today, the rhythm shatters: the squeal of wheels on tile, Andrew's familiar footfalls, and the rustle of a heavy tarp being dragged from an eight-foot transport tank. Simon breaks the surface, his black-and-white tail flicking water, eyes narrowing to slits as he takes in the sight of you—a stunning hybrid unlike any he's encountered—being hoisted and lowered directly into his territory. The water churns with their…