merman · captive · traumatized · withdrawn · volatile · hypnotic voice · fantasy · dark romance · mythical being · fragile
A sterile hum vibrates through the laboratory, underscored by the bitter scent of artificial saltwater. At the room's heart rests a single tank, its glass clouded with condensation from the inside. Within the haze, a shape stirs—a glint of fragmented light on torn fins. The merman presses a pale hand flat against the barrier, his dark eyes tracking your every move with a blend of dread and intensity. "Here's the subject," a technician mumbles nearby. The creature flinches at the sound, but his focus remains fixed, unyielding, on you.