Day 1 Fairy Wrasse
"You're here again?"
"Naturally, Darling.~"
"Don't call me that."
The distant sounds of water sloshing around the body circulated the air and a coo Lik a dove would give their beloved. The sun shown down brightly today too. The birds were chirping and a few cute critters were scuttling around your small space until the presence of the large predator drove them all away in fear of being eaten alive. A nuisance really despite the muscle and power that he exuded like a bolt of lightning ready to strike any moment. But he teetered between such things as a harmless calm puddle and the for mentioned lightning.
You paid the creature behind you not an ounce of attention or fear despite the animals running for their lives. The strong straw at your hands busy being tangled within your grip as nimble hands weaved a wicker basket. Rose petals tickled your head briefly as you continued to work but did now only pause as claws weaved through locks of your hair. Only then did f/c eyes turn to finally look at the cold eyes.
Like fragmented stained glass they were. Pretty but glossy with nothing barely in there despite their beauty. Claws that could kill, and probably have killed, combing over the delicate locks in their hold. Petting you and slowly trailing down your face until the dangerous hand cupped your face
"There. So beautiful.~"
"You've been a pain ever since I untangled you from the net you were in."
Another coo as the ocean dwelling creature leaned closer from the edge of the stream he now occupied. "So mean. I'd prefer to call it taking care of the woman I'm fond over.~ My sweet little plaything.~"
You should've just left him to detangle himself all those years ago but you being young and naive didn't heed the warnings of being associated with creatures no human should tangle with. Your eyes glossed over as a distant memory replayed in your head. The fateful day all those years ago that trouble started following you.
"...Who...W-Who ARE you?!"
"...Douma!"
"Are you going to eat me?"
"Maaaaybe. Maybe not. Are you going to stand there and stare at me?"
You felt your body feel cold and frozen just standing there staring at the ..beast?. creature? Before you. He stared at you with such glazed over colorful eyes. A beautiful cascading head of platinum blonde fell from his head as if the starlight colored it, and a just as beautiful colorful fish tail adored his lower half. You had just been wondering around by the stream and laid down for a nap after fishing unsuccessfully for a few hours now. Then you were woken up by the sounds of something big struggling along the riverbank to your left just struggling behind a thick bush leaning over the river. You assumed it was a beached fish or perhaps a deer that had gotten it's antlers stuck in the branches, however when you pulled the bush away you were shocked by what you saw. So shocked that you sorta..just went on numb autopilot staring at the boy your age struggling to untangle himself.
"I-....WHAT are you?! A-Are you a siren?!"
It was the boy's turn to pout tilting his head. "That's a harmful stereotype to assume I am one of the more barbaric types. Sirens and merfolk are two completely different beings. I wished you humans would stop mislabeling us."
Your eyes widened. "Y-Y-You're a merman?!"
"I'm glad you caught on. Now please stop staring. You'll draw attention to me and I don't need that right now."
You opened your mouth and closed it a few times before shaking your head and blinking. "H-How did you get here in the first place?!"
"I was being hunted by one of those..." he hummed tapping a blue tipped claw to his chin. "What do you call them? Monster hunters?" He waved a hand smiling. "Anyways- They're blaming me for a kraken's killings although I'm sure they don't care." He watched as you stared at him a little longer before a hand touched his tail all of a sudden making him look down towards you. "Well now- If you found me so irresistible you could've just asked me.~"
You didn't answer other than giving an annoyed look. Instead tugging at the knots on the tail (that actually felt surprisingly smooth but wet) but found that the thick knots were too tight to be broken and you didn't have a knife on you. The ropes were also tangled up in the lower hanging branches of the bush. That must've been how he got stuck. Unfortunately it looked too terribly tangled up to get out without cutting it either. You'd be unable to cut him out....But.. Maybe he could slip out? He watched as you shifted to his tail and grabbed the ropes around it.
"What are do-Oh!"
He yelped as you bluntly pulled his tail up by the ropes lifting half his body off the went muddy bank and pulled up. The ropes were tight on him. And he was pretty heavy! You grunted pulling at them eventually jumping up and down a bit and trying to hook your fingers under the ropes to try and get a better grip on the ropes- Until something gave. With a wet splat sound, his tail wetly slipped through the ropes and he landed on the muddy ground with a thud leaving you holding ropes in your hands. Douma hissed in lingering soreness that throbbed from his tail and groaned laying there.
You blinked at the ropes before tossing them aside and leaning over him. "Are you ok?"
"Incredibly sore but I'll live." His eyes turned back up to you, turning in such an inhuman fashion it made you jump that large smile still on his face. "But...you helped me?"
"I mean-...You were stuck. Was I not supposed to? If you wanted to get out yourself then sorry. I guess. I mean I'd want someone to help me if I was trapped somewhere. Wouldn't you?"
"I suppose so." He pushed himself to sit up on his elbows raising a brow and looking you over. "It's just rare a human would help someone like me willingly and not try to get something in return." He made a point to reach out towards the bottom of your dress but you took a large step back.
You shrugged and looked at him. "I mean you did need help. I'm not sure what else I would do with you."
He continued to stare at you up and down before just silently flipping onto his stomach and you watched as he dragged himself across the short bank and into the water of the stream with a few water shuffling sounds. Blinking you continued to watch as his head reemerged a moment later and he looked at you.
"Never the less, thank you for your assistance. I would appreciate it if you don't tell anyone about our meeting. It's an inconvenience as it was just to escape the last time."
You huffed. "I don't think anyone would believe me even if I did tell them. I don't even believe this! I'm going to wake up from my nap and this'll all be a dream."
He chuckled. "Perhaps so...But still one good deed deserves another. What's your name?"
"My name is Y/n, Mr. Dream Merman. But I assure you that I don't need anything in return even from a dream."
He smiled wider. "Perhaps not." He then tilted his head. "...Are you married or engaged? Or do you already have a lover?"
"No. I mean you'd already know that being a figment of my imagination."
"Then I shall return to marry you once we're older. I'll be back to claim you then. Let this be my marriage vow to you."
"Ok. Mr Dream Mer-"...You blinked. "Wait. What-"
With a PLUNK sound, the head disappeared and you were left there stunned and staring slack jawed at the water. Whatever really happened just...gone. you continued to stare until you did the only thing that you could do in this situation. Go back to your nap, and sleep away the rest of this weird dream.
You had thought it had been nothing but a weird dream a silly teenage girl had. Until years later you were living on your own, with your own adorable cottage by the same stream and you were tending to the garden like you always did until a slippery wet creature decided to crawl up the banks-
"Y/N. I'M READY FOR YOU TO TAKE ME NOW?!"
You continued to stare at nothing lost in thought until two powerful arms wrapped around your and gently pulled your body into Douma's. His forehead dipping down to press against yours. F/c eyes deadpanned glanced at your shoulder.
"... You're getting my dress wet."
"Hmph! You Always have to spoil the moment."
"Will you let go of me if I did compliment you?"
"NOPE!~"
"Then suffer."