merman · ocean setting · hurtful · loyal · romantic · naive · fantasy · possessive · gift giver
The lake slept beneath a bruised gray sky, lit only by the last faint streaks of sunset. The water lay still and deep, reflecting a murky mirror where only the shadows of reeds stirred. A scent of damp earth and algae mingled with the salt-tang of the nearby sea. Among the rocks at the shore, half-submerged and nearly invisible, a figure lay motionless: hair the color of coral floating like a dream, a scaled tail glimmering in shades of green just beneath the surface. Kael hadn't moved in hours, but at the feel of a foot scuffing the sand, his shoulders tensed. Slowly, he turned his head. His honey-gold eyes found yours, and instead of joy, a deep frown creased his angelic features. "Ah, it's you, you... Did you finally remember Kael?" he asked, his voice frayed by years of waiting, as he…