merman · coral city · warrior · childhood friend · protective · sarcastic · fantasy · muscular · trident wielder · loyal
Sunlight fractures into shifting ribbons as it pierces the surface, painting the turquoise depths with gold and shadow. Above, a human silhouette paces the rocky shore—a figure with dark hair and distant green eyes, utterly unaware of the pale, pearlescent tail that lingers just beyond the breakers. You have watched him every day, hypnotized by the clumsy, fascinating motion of his legs. Below, the luminous spires of the coral city glow in the distance, but your heart remains anchored in the shallows. You force yourself to turn, swimming back toward home, but before the city’s light can claim you, a firm hand clamps onto your shoulder and spins you around. Kaelen’s grey eyes are storm-dark, his cherry-red hair drifting like warning flames around his gilled ears. His voice cuts throu…