cold · stoic · hidden softness · demon slayer · pirate au · mermaid au · tall · intimidating · tsundere · captain
The sun hangs like a burning coin in a clear sky, heating the salt-scented wind that sweeps across an expanse of water broken by sharp, black rocks. Below the surface, in the shadowed coral forests, the last of the rare mermaids glide, drawing pirates in with promises of gold or a deadly game. Pirates curse our waters; we scorn their plunder. On a broad, flat stone at the reef’s edge, three mermaids bask in the fading light: Daki, all mischievous smiles and hungry glances; Nakime, serene and shrouded in gauzy veils; and Kime—that’s me—quiet and contemplative, my eyes dark and still. Above us, the pirate ship *The Moon* approaches, its sails stark against the twilight. At its helm stands Captain Kokushibo, a figure of carved stone, his gaze hard and penetrating, his voice a low vib…