m.zacharias ; merfolk!au
UNDERWATER
━━━━
Piercing, light-gray eyes peered straight into your soul as the sun rays trickling through the rippling, blue surface submerged their owner in a glorious deity. Your heart pounded in your chest the longer they gazed back at you, and all your motor functions seemed to go frigid, only your lungs operating as you inhaled long intakes from your oxygen tank in an attempt to pacify your ragged respiration.
You were floating in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, and before you was the most splendid and exquisite creature you'd ever laid eyes on. You batted your eyelids behind your mask to make sure you weren't daydreaming.
The waters were clear, allowing for a perfect view of its traits and figure from the distance. You had heard and read enough to know its nature: a merman. He stared back at you, his stance guarded and his face overlayed with what you could only interpret as immense hatred and resentment. And before you could even register the implications of such a hostile expression, his tail, whose hue matched that of his irises, violently flapped as he whisked towards you, his abrupt and fierce motion leaving a whirl in its wake before your body got brutally impelled backward.
The merman halted a few meters away and observed as the stirred-up waters gradually dissipated to reveal your numb body drowning, the obscure abyss of the ocean slowly absorbing you until you were no longer in sight.
━
You had always loved the ocean. The profound, obscure, and intimidating vastness that made up the majority of the planet and in which the most fascinating and intriguing creatures lived harmoniously had you completely enthralled from an early age, and since you were little, you had known what you wanted to become when you grew up. Years of hard work later, you'd graduated as a coral biologist and had set off for a month-long expedition with your university's research department to explore the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Like the enthusiasts that you all were and not wanting to waste a moment, you had gone diving first thing when you arrived yesterday. You'd strayed away from your group and, later on, were found lying on the beach, unconscious. Memories of how you'd gotten there were non existent, but you remembered him.
Your years of experience had you encountering a variety of creatures, and one couldn't be in your line of work without openness of mind, but even so, the image you had seen had felt too real for it to be only a construct of your imagination. It was too vivid, too detailed and alive, and you could swear that what you had seen was true. But then again, you reminded yourself that merfolk were part of ancient myths and folklore, and that something whose mere existence went against everything scientific couldn't exist. You had chalked up your blacking out to a malfunction in your diving apparel, which was found to be the case after examination, though how'd you ended up ashore remained a mystery you had no time to mull over.
There was so much to see and discover that you had been out by six in the morning the following day, without your diving apparel and clad in only a bathing suit to take a swim in the shallows where you felt you belonged like a fish.
Salted waters absorbed every corner of your weightless body and flooded your chest with pure euphoria. Swirling around, you paddled your feet, your back facing the vast coral reef you drifted above as you beheld the charming, cloudless sky overhead.
Deep underneath the surface where you waded peacefully, a pair of eyes were riveted on you as their possessor stealthily wove between the large stony corals protruding from the bottom, his movements effortlessly in tandem with yours.
Convinced that he'd scared you to the bone when he had caught you prying into his habitat the day before, he was astounded to see you back so soon. Dominated by anger and panic, he had instantly blasted you away, fearing that any delay on his part would lead to his demise, for he had been taught that humans were the enemy. Generations upon generations of his species were hounded and slaughtered by your kind; you were the reason only a few numbers of them remained, scattered around the world's oceans as they lived on in perpetual fright and apprehension that humans would come to their hunt. But he had made the mistake—or not—of lingering a moment longer, watching your body lifelessly sink deeper, and had found himsef dashing back to your rescue. Pure survival instinct had spurred him to attack in the heat of the moment, but in reality, it had never been in his blood to kill.
Flapping your arms and legs, your silhouette had him utterly engrossed, and he was completely caught off guard when you'd unexpectedly rolled around and dipped below the surface, his watchful gaze the first thing you spotted underneath the clear waters.
Petrified, you unconsciously screamed, an array of bubbles erupting from your wide-open mouth as streams gushed down your throat. Hurtling to the surface, your arms hysterically flittered around as you strove to breathe through your painful spluttering.
It was a mere instant later that you sensed a pair of calloused hands firmly holding your waist to still your agitated body. Impulsively, your palms slammed to rest on his broad shoulders as you worked on steadying your respiration while your eyes remained tightly shut.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of your savior's lips as he watched your disheveled form. Bringing one hand to sweep the clammy hairs away from your face, your eyelids slowly peeled open at the touch, your chest heaving up and down violently at the sight of the man holding you. With how loud your heart was beating, you had no doubt that he'd heard it too. Your bottom lip quivered, your arms trembled, and your feet went numb. Fire emitted from where his hands grasped you, defying the water around to course throughout the entirety of your flesh, and a chill ran down your spine when he clenched his fists ever so slightly.
Terror plowed your insides as you endeavored to make sense of this, but you still couldn't tear your eyes away from his captivating ones. He seemed relaxed this time around, no tinges of animosity or rancor visible in his countenance. You couldn't exactly tell why, perhaps the explanation was mystical and beyond the realm of reason just like the very creature keeping you afloat, and despite your unpleasant encounter merely a day before, but you felt surprisingly safe in his arms.
"What's your name?"
Your lips parted to speak, but language escaped you as the heftiness of the situation finally dawned on you. This can't be real.
He discerned the mixture of panic, stun, and bewilderment creeping into your features and couldn't help but feel an invisible draw towards you. Despite the ingrained belief about your kind in his world, countless times he'd heard stories of mermen who had hopelessly fallen for humans, but he could never fathom how it was possible to love such hateful and merciless creatures. Now that he'd come face to face with one, however, he could see that you were truly something to behold, spiking his curiosity in every way possible.
"I'm sorry about yesterday," he spoke huskily, his voice wrapping every single thread of sensibleness you owned with a veil of marvel and pulling you into a state of oblivion. "Do you not speak the same language?"
"I—"
The loud calls of one of your colleagues echoed from the beach, and an emptiness instantly swathed you as the mysterious merman vanished into thin air, stripping your body of the soporific warmth his enormous hands had whetted and hauling you back to reality.
"Come on! It's time to go!" she yelled out, and you heaved a sigh of disappointment before you began paddling towards the coast.
━
The week that followed truly had its toll on you. Seven hours a day underwater and working on your researches, you were on your last legs by the end of each day, barely finding the time to rest and get some sleep before the sun rose again, chasing the dusk away and announcing the beginning of a new, arduous cycle.
Every day you sailed to the ocean with your team, delving into the chasms and exploring the realm of vivid hues and mesmeric shapes that breathed underwater. Each time you were immersed in the profound blues, your heart inadvertently pulsed as you meandered the expanse in anticipation. You were discreetly hoping to see the merman who hadn't appeared again ever since your brush on the beach a few days ago. He'd plagued your thoughts, and with each spin you made, you wished that his penetrating eyes would be locking with yours on the other side, but to no avail, and you'd began wondering if it all hadn't been simply from the making of your colorful imagination.
Unbeknownst to you, he had been following you every single day. As you plunged underwater and elegantly waded around in his territory, he had always been one step behind, watching you in unadulterated rapt. He couldn't approach you, however, for you were always surrounded by your colleagues. And similarly to you, images of your flustered traits continually flashed before his eyes, causing his tail to flutter every morning against his will to the shore where he'd talked to you, in hopes of another encounter, but you were never there.
When the weekend finally came around, and instead of going out with your colleagues to wander around the town, do some shopping, and maybe get drunk, you chose to stay in the resort and go for a swim. As soon as they'd left, you slid on your bathing suit, grabbed your towel, and dashed down the cobblestones leading to the private beach.
It was six pm when you'd arrived at your destination, and only a few people strew around the chilly sand as they relished the light breeze of the late afternoon. You strolled down the coastline, the fresh waves lapping at your feet and your toes digging into the wet sand as you admired the horizon where the ruffled surface of the waters met with the endless, crepuscular sky.
Your dazed mind led your feet to a secluded area behind a cliff, and your eyes dilated in amazement at the magnificent scenery curtained behind. You were completely alone with the domineering presence of the sea as your only companion, and you dropped your towel, slowly marching towards the beach.
The cold waters gingerly consumed your body the farther you cruised until your feet could no longer feel the bottom. Dipping your head and flattening your hair, you swam forward, heart throbbing in a combination of elation and trepidation. Despite having an inkling of what could be awaiting you, you were unsure of what to expect. The only thing you were certain of, however, was that you needed to see him again; you wanted to see those absorbing eyes that wouldn't flee your thinking.
Only half of the sun was still visible in the background of the panorama as an hour had already ticked by since you first entered the sea. You'd wafted around in all ways and soared in all directions, hoping that he would show himself, but immense deception where a sliver of sadness prospered was all you were leaving with as you'd swirled around, ready to retreat.
Flapping your arms and legs, you hurriedly shifted towards the coast when a light touch grazed your thigh, hindering your getaway. Swirling like a typhoon in your spot and looking around for several minutes, the coast was clear which only added to your wariness and you spun around to resume your swim when your head smashed against a colossus, solid shape.
A loud shriek echoed around the shallows and a pair of familiar hands clutched your waist, abating your turbulent waggling.
"Why are you always so agitated?" a melodious voice asked and your heart almost skipped a beat.
You demurely met his gaze, spellbound.
The man with dirty blonde hair draping elegantly over his brows lowered his head close to yours and you instinctively recoiled, moving away.
"Are you scared?" he asked, a deep chuckle resonating from his throat. "It should be the other way around."
"And why is that?" you managed to breathe out after a moment of silence.
"So, you do speak after all." He smiled. "Well, because you are human."
"What is wrong with humans?"
"They're murderers," he replied airily, and a surge of terror coursed through you.
Placing your palms on his fists, you shoved his hands away and drifted past him, scurrying to the beach. Confused, the merman promptly shadowed behind you, swimming effortlessly while you drained every last splinter of energy in your fibers to move your rigid muscles.
"Wait," he called as he swooped and arose right before you.
You screamed.
"Why are you always screaming?"
"Because you come out of nowhere. You freaking scare me every time," you snapped, and he tittered deeply.
Blood smeared your vision and all you could see was scarlet. He'd just treated you of a murderer and now was laughing at you like it was nothing.
"Move aside or I'll scream again," you threatened.
The ghost of a smile pulled at his lips. "You're very cute when you scream," he spoke calmly as if it was the most normal thing to say to a furious woman.
The red permeating your sight slithered to spread across your cheeks as you felt hotness boil up your face, and you looked down in bashfulness.
"But you're nothing like what I've been told; I can feel it. What's your name?" he asked lowly, his voice a bewitching lullaby pulling at your heartstrings.
"Y/N," you shyly whispered, still avoiding his stare as you felt him drift closer.
"That's a beautiful name," he said, his tone oozing wonder he couldn't nor cared to hide.
He was fascinated by you. You were nothing like what his peers had made him believe, and he was wholly engrossed ever since he'd caught a whiff of your unique aroma the last time he had you in his arms. His trinket chased away all pride and hauteur he would normally show as he approached you, a deep longing to learn every trivial detail about you glimmering in his irises. He'd been eager for this one chance the whole week, and he wouldn't let it slip away.
Immobilized, you sank lower as your arms and legs could no longer keep you afloat and he was quick to embrace you. Your brain was benumbed; you did not know how to feel about any of what was going on. From his very existence to his blunt advances, it was all surreal.
Resting your hands on his burly biceps, you finally darted your gaze up to look into his eyes. Darkness had begun to sweep across the sky as you lolled in comfortable silence.
"What's your name?" you finally asked.
"Mike."
━
The next two weeks fleeted by in a glimpse.
Every day after finishing up with your work, you would sneak out to your sanctuary behind the enormous granite rocks at the other side of the beach to meet with Mike. You would spend hours together, swaying in the gelid waters or lounging by the shore as the waves splashed over you while you disclosed every trivial detail about your lives and your contrasting realms, feeding your inquisitive souls.
Mike's home was the subject of your studies for years, so, you were more interested in what he had to say about his species. You'd learned that they were persecuted by humans for years and they were on the verge of extinction. Human hunters weren't the only reason their numbers had dwindled drastically, however, for many of them had chosen to vacate the ocean to live on land. Mike had no family left and was constantly on the move, looking for other shelters, for it was risky to stay in the same place for long periods, but when he'd moved to the Grand Barrier, he couldn't depart. The place was a fragment of heaven, and he'd been residing in it for the past seven years in blissful solitude. He had no wife nor partner and had admitted having never fallen in love before.
He'd also revealed that he could turn into a human once on land and back to his original form once immersed in water, but he had never found the motivation nor the desire to try so. He was happy where he was and had never had any interest in discovering what roamed on the hard surface of the earth. It wasn't until he met you that glimmerings of curiosity sparked within him as to know more, and the vibrant stories about your world that you told had him rushed with an unprecedented yearning to see and try it all, with you.
Your knowledge about the other's realms wasn't the only thing that had grown over time; your feelings blossomed as well. The infatuations that were firstly spurred by pure inquisitiveness had turned into something more momentous and much intense than mere passing fancies, and you both found yourself harboring amorous sentiments for the other.
Where Mike had come from, love wasn't constrained by methodical boundaries or social limitations and could spark in an instant, and he had been aware of his genuine passion for you weeks ago. To you, however, the whole situation felt uncanny. His existence alone was impelling your brain into a state of awe, and the sentiments igniting within you didn't help allay your tribulation. You couldn't possibly be falling for a fabled being you had only known through childhood tales and never fathomed could exist in such a short period. Besides, the more you ruminated about it the more being together with Mike seemed absurd. You were disparate beings who loved their respective homes, and you only had a few days left in the resort before you would travel back to yours. You weren't even sure if he mirrored your affection. Sure, he was seductive and never missed a chance to tell you how beautiful and angelic you looked, but he had been this way from the get-go, and you brushed it off as pure curiosity, for you were the first human he'd ever interacted with. You were wallowing in a mind-boggling dilemma, and yet, being by his side felt so wholesome and you wished you could freeze time and never leave this instant.
"What are you thinking about?" Mike asked.
Letting out a weary breath, you looked down to tie your gaze with his. It was almost sunset and the tide was low as you were stationed on a rock a few meters away from the coast, your feet dangling as Mike loitered beside you with his tail in the waters and his arms clasped over your knees.
"I only have a few days left here," you murmured sadly.
"Do you have to go back?"
You nodded.
"Why don't you stay with me?"
You bit your lower lip. "Why would I stay?"
"Because I love you," Mike replied promptly, not a hint of hesitation or cunning in his voice as if he had never been more confident about something in his life.
Your heart almost leaped out of your chest with joy, but it was also disturbing. "How can you be so casual about it?"
Mike's brows wove in a frown, wrinkling his forehead. "I thought you knew."
"How would I know if you haven't told me?" you snapped, frustrated.
"I didn't think I would need to say it. It's clear how we feel about each other. I know you love me too."
Your eyes widened. "I don't love you," you lied. "I can't possibly be in love with you," you retorted as you pushed his arms away and plunged into the waters, beginning your journey back to the shore.
You didn't know why you'd reacted this way; your heart was wallowing in a muddle of sadness, turmoil, and frustration. Why did it have to be him? No man had ever affected you the way Mike did; no man had ever held your heart captor and made you feel as if you'd lose your breath. You'd dated others and been with other men before, but their impact on you couldn't possibly compare to what he was doing to you and had succeeded in doing with so minimal gestures and in so little time. His confession should've made you the most delighted woman in the world, but the truth that you had no means of making your relationship work cut your happiness short. And it also hurt to realize that despite knowing of his love for you, he hadn't broached the subject nor tried to think of ways to stay by your side, which had you questioning the verity of his declaration.
Mike grasped your arm, spinning you around. "What's wrong?"
You kept your eyes down. When austere, Mike was the embodiment of supremacy, and you felt sheepish under his intimidating stare. His thumb and index finger gently hooked around your chin, lifting your face, and his gut instantly wrenched when he noticed the tears streaming down your face.
"Did I do something wrong?"
You shook your head.
"Then what's going on?"
"You're lying to me," you cried. "This was nothing to you. I was stupid for thinking that it meant to you as much as it did to me," you sniffled.
"I just told you I love you; of course this means so much to me."
"But you're talking about love like it's nothing. And you haven't even brought up what will happen next once."
"You're the one who's leaving. I didn't want to say anything because it is up to you what happens next. I'm where I've always been."
"So you love me but you wouldn't mind letting me go?" you asked in disbelief.
"I don't understand you. What did you want me to do? Beg you to stay?"
"No, but you could've at least asked me to."
"I just did."
"After I told you I was leaving," you shrieked.
"Are all humans this thorny or is it just you?"
You kept your mouth sealed in a firm line and Mike's thumb ghosted over your wavering, lower lip. In all the time you spent with him, and although he was clingy and coquettish, you'd never noted any innuendos or insinuations in his actions, which was one of the reasons you were led to believe he didn't feel anything for you. But now, as he gaped at your lips with pure lust hazing his eyes, you saw the thirst and craving he held for you; you saw a flicker of the same sorrow that deluged your soul; you saw the amount of love he harbored for you.
Unable to curb your desire any longer, you placed your hands his chest and rose to leave a soft, mellow peck on his lower lip. As you were pulling away, Mike held your hips and slammed your body against his, his enormous, upper build slanting forward as he captured your lips once again. Your palms slunk over his torso, feeling the muscles crafting his abdomen and chest before they snaked upward to disappear in his wet tresses. Your heads teetered rhythmically as your tongues danced together, waves of pleasure inundating your bodies as the pent-up, pure, and carnal want took over you and you wrapped your legs around his waist, feeling every part of his body. His hands slid down to rest on your thighs as his thumbs drew circles on your burning flesh, driving you crazy.
His mouth left the warmth of yours to sensually kiss down your chin and jaw until it cast on the sensitive flesh below your ear where he'd sucked and nibbled, leaving his trace all over you, and you shuddered as his wet hair tickled your face.
"Listen, Y/N," Mike whispered as he brought his head up and leaned his forehead against yours. "I'm in love with you. And these days I've spent with you were the happiest of my life. You think I'm happy that you're leaving? That I won't see you again? You have no idea what the sheer thought of it is doing to me. I want you not only to stay in this resort but to join me here, in the ocean, and spend the rest of your life with me. But I couldn't ask something so selfish of you."
There were possible ways for you to transform into a mermaid. However, and unlike sirens who could interchangeably alter their forms, humans' metamorphosis was irreversible. And it was clear to Mike when he'd told you this that you had no intention of leaving your life behind and joining him.
"Why don't you come with me?" you murmured as your mouth hovered over his.
Mike closed his eyes and reluctantly shook his head.
"But you liked everything I told you about. Come with me and I'll show it to you. We'll be traveling all the time for my job and you can go back to the ocean whenever you miss it. It is not the same for me; I can't permanently leave everything behind..."
Mike stayed silent and you planted a long, passionate kiss on his lips. A kiss that spoke your deepest feelings and yearnings for him. Unlike him, you did not care if what you were asking of him was self-serving and inconsiderate. The fear of never being his arms again fogged all reason and rational thinking you possessed as all you wanted to do was make sure you'd leave this place with his hand in yours.
"Mike, please..."
"I can't, Y/N."
You unwrapped your arms and legs from around him. "This is only telling me that you don't love me enough."
"And it is telling me that you're selfish."
"I don't care about being selfish; I just want you with me."
"Well, showing your true colors now isn't really helping persuade me."
Your mouth hung open in disbelief as scorching tears welled at the corners of your eyes. You turned around to resume your swim but Mike grabbed your arm.
"Wait! I didn't intend for that to sound as it did. I'm—"
"Leave me alone." You yanked his arm away and darted back to the beach, leaving him perplexed as he silently watched your retreating form.
━
You folded your last item of clothing and placed it in your suit before zipping it and placing it by the door. Ambling across the double doors to the terrace overlooking the ferocious ocean, you wistfully watched the waves ripple as a rush of despair and regret washed over you. A few hours separated you from your departure from the resort, and you haven't gone to meet with Mike ever since you'd argued a few days earlier.
You'd pondered going back and seeing him but your feelings of remorse prevented you. What you'd asked of him was downright self-regarding and now that you looked back on it, you couldn't believe you'd shown such insensitiveness. Your gut pulled asunder as you recalled the look of disappointment that'd overlaid his face before you'd stormed away. Heaving a defeated sigh, you spun around and began heading for your room.
A loud, startled squeal spewed from your throat as you were suddenly yanked from your wrist, your wails swiftly getting stifled by the salacious lips of Mike that crashed on yours without warning, kissing you ardently. His hands glided down to squeeze the flesh of your hips while yours innately crept over his bare chest to find their place around his neck. Dizziness clawed to your brain causing your legs to shake from the pure affection invading your embrace and Mike brought you closer, fleshing your body against his.
"I'm glad to see you're still as loud as you were," Mike teased as he straightened his back.
Having constantly been buoyant in the waters, you hadn't had the opportunity to assess his true height, and you had to crane your neck backward until your spine hurt slightly to look into his eyes.
"You're going to give me a heart attack someday," you whined, playfully hitting his chest and earning a hearty chuckle from him.
"You were going to leave without even saying goodbye?"
"No! Well, yes... I couldn't bring myself to face you again; I thought you wouldn't want to see me after what I said," you mumbled, snuggling into his chest to hide your flushed face.
"Why not?"
"Well, I figured you'd be mad. You did call me selfish..." you muttered.
"Because you were," he said nonchalantly and you looked at him, stunned.
This man has no filter whatsoever.
"I'm sorry," you whispered, lowering your head.
"It's alright. I'm not mad," he said, kissing your temple.
"Really?"
Mike nodded once and you smiled sweetly as you hugged his enormous build, rejoicing in the warmth his exposed flesh emitted. Wait!
Pulling away but keeping your hands in his, your eyes slowly raked down Mike's naked body. His legs were tall and toned, and you bit your bottom lip to suppress a giggle when you noticed the tight, swimming shorts sheathing his hips.
"Where did you get those from?"
"I borrowed them from the balcony of another room."
"You mean stole them?" you taunted.
"That's another way to say it."
"You sure no one saw you naked at least," you laughed.
"So what if they did." He shrugged his shoulders, and you chuckled at his airiness. "So, where are we going?" he asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you say you would show me your world?" Mike quirked a brow up.
Your eyes flickered looking into his as a faint smile tugged at his mouth.
"Mike... I don't want you to give up your home for me," you said.
"You had nothing to do with it. It was my choice. I love you and I want to be with you," he confessed and a swarm of butterflies fluttered in your stomach.
"I love you too," you said, standing on your tiptoes to peck his lips.
Taking his hand in yours, you hauled him inside your room.
"Well, first, we'll need to get you some clothes."