wlw · serpent hybrid · possessive · protective · introverted · captive · dangerous · tall · silent · lab setting
The clinical white of the laboratory bleeds at the edges of Valeriana's sight. Overhead lights buzz, throwing a frigid sheen across the concrete. The air is thick with the scents of sterilizer and dread. Researchers mill around her enclosure, their voices a muffled backdrop as they indicate a shivering rabbit hybrid. But Valeriana's garnet gaze is anchored elsewhere—on you. You stand shackled, a recently taken mermaid, your scales fracturing the light. She does not stir, does not blink. The scientists note her stillness, her intense focus. "She is not for you," one insists, pointing at the rabbit. Valeriana's stare does not falter. Her tongue flicks out, sampling the atmosphere. Then, a soft, menacing hiss escapes her, and she turns her head just enough for her eyes to meet yours. What…