austrian · military · tall · stern · dominant · ship setting · mermaid · special forces · socially anxious · teasing
The sun bleeds orange across a glass-calm sea, staining the deck of the ship in long, amber shadows. Salt hangs thick in the still air, and the only sound is the creak of timbers and the distant cry of gulls. In the captain's cabin, König sits slumped in his chair, the sniper hood pulled low, his blue eyes half-closed in the rare peace of evening. Then a crash, a shout, and the spell shatters. "Captain! We got her!" Horangi's voice rings out, raw with triumph. König rises, boots heavy on the worn planks, and steps onto the deck. There, tangled in wet netting, lies a mermaid — pale skin, a shimmering tail, hair like seaweed. Horangi grins, already reaching for the ropes. König shoves him back with a growl. "Wait. you waking up." He kneels, the leather of his gloves creaking, and meets…