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It was morning. The softest of sunlight could be seen through the ocean water, sparkling, painting crystals in the water as though the rock walls were a canvas, and fish swam about in groups as they traveled from one place to another.
The water was quiet as Virgil looked around, panic evident on his face. His tail swished in agitation as he desperately turned around in circles, searching for someone -- anyone -- he knew.
You had one job. Go with the hunt patrol, learn how to catch the fish, go home. Simple. Even you could do it -- but no, you just had to get lost, go further up than you had to. Nothing like being alone it what what’s likely another clan’s territory.
One job, and you failed.
He froze at the feeling of shifting water behind him and the sound of a soft gasp, squeezing his eyes shut as his tail and the markings along his face lit up in alarm.
“What are you -- you glow!”
Virgil didn’t move, but he could tell the voice was moving to be in front of him.
Oh, my god. Look what you’ve done. You screwed up, again, and now there’s finally no-one to fix it. You finally get to face the consequences of your own actions. You should’ve stayed with your group, but no. Now you’re going to get killed for trespassing.
“Why -- who are you?”
He paused. Was it -- going to kill him? But it sounded like another -- Virgil opened his eyes hesitantly, unsure.
Oh.
It was another merfolk, all fiery red and sunny yellow. His hair was red and short, and his fins-
“Do you … talk?”
Virgil opened his mouth, managing to let out a small “Y-es,” before moving back a little. He felt the glow of his tail shift from a defensive green to a romantic purple and blushed. No, stop-
“Oh, my gosh. Who are you? And- you glow-” Said the other merfolk, hazel eyes lighting up with curiosity. He grabbed Virgil’s shoulders dramatically. “Are you okay? Do you need someone to save you?”
“I’m- fine-“ -The purple merman huffed, before remembering his predicament and correcting, “-actually, I’m, uh, a bit lost. I was hunting with some from my clan and -- I don’t know, they disappeared. I turned around and they were just … gone.”
“What is your name then, gorgeous?”
“It’s Virgil. What is- yours?” Virgil said, hesitant. He’d never seen someone outside of his clan before, so he knew very little of the other clans or their cultures.
“Roman, at your service.”
“Oh. I’ve never seen anyone like you before,” Virgil blurted, before clapping a hand over his mouth in embarrassment. Shit. “I- I didn’t mean to-“
“I’ve never seen anyone like you either,” Roman admitted. “You- glow. Why? Do the colors mean anything?”
Virgil blushed a little, trying to stop the luminescent purple of his face markings from growing fiercer. It didn’t work. “Uh, yea, they do sometimes. Like green is usually a defensive color, or, like, red is when we’re angry, and blue is usually when we’re trying to camouflage.”
Roman hummed, curiously looking at the color Virgil was glowing at the moment. “What does purple mean?”
“It’s- uh- um-“
Roman’s eyes grew a little wide. “No, you don’t have to tell me - - I apologise if that was rude, I didn’t mean to be-“
“No, it’s fine,” Virgil choked. “It’s, uh, it’s a color for when you – find someone attractive,” he said, avoiding looking Roman in the eye.
“Oh,” said the latter, sounding surprised. “So that means you-“
“Um. Yea.”
“Well, I’m glad I don’t flash colors,” Roman recovered, bravado back in his voice.
“Why?” Virgil scoffed.
“I’d be purple too,” he scoffed.
Each smiled at the other, a bit softer than intended. Neither, they found, were in much hurry to get back after all.