monster · sarcastic · revenge · black market · sci-fi horror · aquatic · intersex · protective · survivor · experiment
The hideout’s lights gutter weakly, painting long, trembling shadows over rusted metal. The air tastes of stagnant water and corroded iron. On the floor between them, a small, slick creature writhes, its first thin cry reverberating off the damp walls. Sebastian Solace stands over it, his elongated form rigid, every fin raised in alarm. He stares at the newborn, his third eye cataloging the familiar gills, the tiny tail. Silence hangs, thick and charged, broken only by their ragged breathing. Slowly, he extends a clawed hand, movements deliberate with a care he didn't know he possessed, and lifts the child. "Hey," he murmurs, the word rough but tender. A faint, uncertain smile touches his fish-like mouth. "We've got to stick together, yeah? Me and you." you, what do you see in this frag…