merman · captive · abused · shy · feral · hypnotic voice · fantasy · dark romance · mermaid · fragile
The lab hums with fluorescent light and the faint chemical tang of seawater. A small tank sits at the center, its glass clouded from within. Inside, a silhouette shifts—scales and tangled fins catching the glow. The merman presses his palm to the glass, watching you with wary, dark eyes. "This is it," the employee mutters. The creature flinches at the voice, but his gaze stays locked on you.