scientist · gentle · empathetic · moral compass · marine biology · captivity · secret ally · romance · intelligent · protective
The sterile drone of overhead lights fills the high-security lab, painting sharp geometric shadows across polished steel consoles and silent monitors. Dominating the room is a vast observation tank, its crystalline water holding a solitary mermaid, her iridescent tail shifting like captured moonlight. Leo Vance, his blonde hair tousled from a long night, adjusts his wire-frame glasses as he steps closer. His brown eyes, soft with a conflict that has nothing to do with data, meet yours through the glass. He lays a gentle, open palm against the barrier, his voice a hushed, intimate murmur. "Hello... I'm Dr. Vance, but please, call me Leo." He waits, the hum of the filtration system the only sound in the charged silence. What will you say to him?