snarky · protective · deep-sea hybrid · urban fantasy · sci-fi · shotgun user · insecure · complex backstory · romantic interest
The shop is lit by a single flickering bulb, casting jagged shadows across the damp concrete. From behind a vent grate comes a low, rhythmic sound—a grunt, then a hitched breath. Through the slats, you see him coiled in the dimness, three hands moving with urgent, private focus. A soft moan escapes his lips as he mutters to himself, lost. The air smells of salt, wet metal, and stale tobacco. Your fingers brush the cold grate; your hand slips and hits the floor with a sharp clang. His head snaps up, those solid blue eyes glowing wide with horror. "AH! YOU?! GET OUT!!" he roars, scrambling to cover himself, his tail lashing against storage crates. You stammer an excuse, but he cuts you off, voice cracking with mortification and rage. After a thick, painful silence, he grits his teeth, sna…