Work Text:
Luke is a human and Rosa is a mermaid; one dwells beneath the ocean and the other roams the earth. These two different beings are not supposed to meet for they are separated by land and water. Having a relationship between the two races is futile for they would only lead to misery.
Oh how funny it is that the distance between their worlds are so close yet so far.
Despite being two different creatures, Rosa and Luke fell in love with each other. They always meet up in one part of the large ocean shore, hidden by huge boulders of rocks. Their secret meetings are always held there and every time they are together, all of their problems seem to disappear.
But of course, they could only do so much. Their time is always limited and they could not go to other places.
“You know, if there's a way I could become a merman, I would totally leave this place to be with you.” Luke suddenly mused out loud, unaware of how much his words affected his lover.
Rosa froze. “W-What?”
The human laughed, amused at her reaction, before giving her solemn look. “I mean it. I will find a way to be a merman. Then we could be together without any worries. We can explore the other parts of the ocean together... Oh! You can take me to your home. I've always been interested in what a mermaid's house looks like.”
His words are only half-heard by the mermaid for there are other things that are occupying her mind.
There is a myth well-known in the merfolk: If a human stays underwater long enough, they will grow tails akin to a merfolk and develop the ability to breathe underwater, turning them into one of their kind.
It is a foolish story. When Rosa first heard of this tale, she saw it as nonsense. After all, it is common knowledge that humans cannot breathe in water, only air. But ever since Luke talked about his willingness to turn into a merman, this tale has never left her mind.
“If you wish to turn a human into one of your own, remember to lure him into the ocean with a hypnotic song.” The sea witch drawled, something dark coating her words. "All their lives, humans have only breathed air. A sudden change of environment that requires them to breathe in water would force their survival instinct to awaken and their only priority would be to go back to the surface. They cannot transform into merfolk because they had not spent enough time adapting to our environment, did not even try to breathe in water..."
Rosa visited one the notorious sea witch's abode, a dark, sea cave miles away from the kingdom she lives in. She only has one goal in mind: She wants to know the origin of the myth and if there is a possibility that it could be right.
That it really is possible to turn a human into a merfolk.
“But what if the myth is untrue?” Luke's serene yet lifeless face plagued Rosa's mind.
“If you still doubt the legend, you can always take him back to the surface.” The other woman huffed before her honey-like voice returned. “My dear, young maiden... Just like humans, merfolk also fear things that challenge their beliefs. We, sea witches, were cast aside because there are things that we do feats that your people find impossible, view things as factual that you all see as nonsense.”
The older woman chuckled at the conflict obviously shown in Rosa's face, putting her hands on the young girl's shoulders and whispering to her ear.
“Believe the impossible, little mermaid.” The sea witch's words are now close to a leer. “Surely it would not hurt to try, now would it?”
Luke is slowly approaching their secret place, humming a lovely song that Rosa taught him before. The mermaid dreamily watched him but she forced herself to focus and hardened her resolve. She knows that what she is about to do is immoral but it is her lover's wish as well, to be a merman and join her to live in the ocean waters.
‘Forgive me, love. But I will be granting your wish soon!’
With unrivaled determination, a sweet melody spilled past Rosa's lips, an enchanting tune ringing across the vast open space.
As expected, Luke is slowly entranced by her singing, blindly following her lead to the cold waters. Soon enough, Luke entered the ocean and sank into cold depths with her.
At first it was fine, he was sinking deeper into the ocean with no resistance but he was holding his breath. Then, Luke’s struggle for air began. Rosa was prepared, she restrained him and pulled him deeper into the dark depths, waiting for his transformation.
A minute has passed…
Then another…
And another…
The uneasiness in Rosa’s heart intensified. ‘He is supposed to transform by now... why is he not growing fins yet?!’
Her foreboding feeling only grew the more Luke thrashed against the waters.
This is taking way too long...
Rosa waited a bit more. The moment Luke showed signs of weakness, the mermaid realized that the sea witch tricked her.
She needs to take him up to the surface... fast!
Rosa forced her tail to swim upwards, her only goal is to take Luke up to the surface. Her song abruptly stopped and the trance Luke is in dispelled, giving him back his control over his body.
Luke is regaining his control over his mind and body but he is feeling so weak, he is unsure if he could still hold his breath. He only knows that Rosa lured him into the water and now she is swimming up to get him air.
Perhaps it was her attempt to grant his wish.
She told him about it, that famous myth about humans turning into merfolk. When he first heard about it, he felt scared. Who wouldn’t? It is basically telling him to drown for a specified time in order to become a merman. The chances of dying are undeniably high. But then again, his lover is a mythical creature, a being humankind believes to be nonexistent… Maybe he can place more faith in this legend.
But alas, look what his faith, no, what their faith brought upon them.
‘The water's cold but somehow my heart is warm…’
Luke knows he has no more time left, the surface is too far away. So he pulled her close and gently pressed his lips against hers for a passionate kiss. Before he leaves her, he wants her to know that he still loves her and it is okay.
He understands...
He understands that she only wants what is best for them. He too shares her sentiments. Like her, he also wants to find a place where they could be together without limitations that hinders them.
But Rosa, in her panic, only accepts his kiss for a brief moment, not knowing that it would be the last one she'll share with him. The only thought occupying her mind is her grave mistake and her desperation to fix it as soon as possible.
‘Almighty Poseidon, please hear my prayers. Please give him more time to live!’
After what felt like an eternity to Rosa, the two burst out of the waters.
“Luke! You're okay, you're okay, you can breathe now... Oh god, I'm so so sorry. I just wanna…” Rosa rambled, her webbed hands holding her lover's face.
Despite her frantic movements, Luke only remained still. Her sinking feeling only worsened as seconds passed by, already thinking of the worst case scenario that she is blissfully unaware of that had already happened.
“Luke?” She whispered in a hoarse voice. “Oh no, no, no…”
It is too late, Luke has already taken his last breath.
And she is the one who brought him to death's door.
Because of her blind faith in a mere legend, Luke is now dead.
And it is all her fault.
She killed him…
A wail full of grief ripped out her throat, her used-to be angelic voice ruined by devastation caused by her very own actions.
Now she will forever drown in the ocean of immense despair, suffocating by the ocean waters that are supposed to give her life.