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Ever since you were young, you’d always had a fascination with the sea. Something about that deep, swirling abyss compelled you to look deeper, to plunge into the depths and survey each and every creature that lived there. You’d read somewhere that certain sailors felt that the ocean called to them, and you felt that call in your very being.
But unfortunately, you were dogshit at math. So marine biology was out.
To compensate for a lack of prospective career in the sciences, you spent much of your time at the aquarium. Sure, it wasn’t exactly the same as seeing these animals in their natural environments, but you still got a thrill as you watched them float and glide in their tanks. You lived in a town close to the ocean, and the local aquarium often featured species from the nearby waters. You’d become as much of an aficionado as you could without actively pursuing the field, and you were considering applying for a job at the aquarium. All that knowledge had to get you somewhere.
When you weren’t at the aquarium, you were out at the beach; you often ate lunch out there, treating yourself to a little picnic by the shore. There were countless little niches and coves along the shore, making it easy to find solitude if you wanted it.
Ironically enough, it was while you were looking for solitude when you first met him.
You ducked under a rocky bluff, emerging into a small half-circle of beach surrounded by a wall of mossy stone. It was a clear day, and the temperature was perfect, not too hot and not too cold. You breathed in the salty air, closing your eyes and enjoying the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore. It was perfect.
“Well, hello there!”
Almost.
Your eyes snapped open as you whirled around toward the source of the voice; a few feet into the surf, perched on a rock, was a young man. The lower half of his body was hidden, but what you could see of his upper body was lithe and lean. His light blond hair was tied back into a bun, his bangs elegantly swept over one of his piercing gray eyes.
“Apologies for startling you,” he continued, seemingly incognizant of the fact that you were eyeing him like a piece of fine art. “I don’t typically see other people here, so imagine my surprise when you strolled into my little hiding spot!”
He smiled at you, and you felt almost blinded by it. Just who was this guy? Attractive and polite, but evidently not without a playful streak. You could see that in his eyes. You opened your mouth, trying to say something, but whatever you were about to say died on your tongue.
A thought occurred to you as you watched him watch you. There were plenty of local legends about sirens and mermaids in these parts, creatures that would lure people into the depths, never to be seen again. And while you’d never considered yourself a believer in them…
As if sensing the direction of your thoughts, he laughed softly to himself before shifting on the rock in order to sit on it.
Perfectly normal legs, and a nice set of swim trunks.
“Sorry,” you finally said, finding your voice at last. “I was just looking for a place to eat my lunch. I can leave–”
“Oh, no need!” he interrupted, flashing that brilliant smile at you again. “I’m happy for the company, actually. It was just beginning to get boring around here.” He slid off the rock, wading through the surf until he reached you and held his hand out. “I’m Volo. Might I know your name?”
You told him, and he smiled as though he’d learned more about you than you’d meant to give him.
Volo was a peculiar fellow; in your first meeting with him, you barely learned anything about him at all. It wasn’t until you saw him later that week at the aquarium that you gained some information on the man; on paper, he worked at the gift shop, but he was rarely there. Instead, he frequented the tanks and displays much like you did.
The two of you were fast friends, bonding over your shared love of marine life. Whenever you saw each other at the aquarium, you’d exchange little fun facts about each of the creatures you saw, and your conversations carried over whenever you met on the beach. Although you never really learned much about his personal life–he’d always deflect your questions with that shining smile–you learned of his passion, his intellect, and his charm.
Although, to be fair, you’d known about the charm since day one.
It was strange, though; even though you’d first met him in the water, you’d never seen Volo swim since. Even when you were out in the waves in your swimsuit, he’d sit on the shore. It piqued your curiosity, but you never found a good moment to ask him about it. After all, “why don’t you swim” is a bit of an odd question, and your friendship with Volo, while strong, was still quite new.
As you made your way to your favorite spot, you thought about it more. You’d freely given plenty of information about yourself, innocent things like favorite foods and little details about your home life, but you’d never learned anything of substance about him. You had no idea where he was from, you’d never heard anything about his family, and you certainly had no idea why he liked spending time out here as much as you did.
Just who was he?
Little did you know that as you turned the corner into the little niche, you were about to find out.
Whatever you were planning on greeting him with died on your tongue as you saw Volo splayed out on the sand, dark ropes criss-crossing his form. You faintly recognized the ropes as fishing nets before your gaze drifted downwards; emerald green scales glittered faintly beneath the netting, culminating in a golden fin at the end of his tail.
His tail.
Your eyes met Volo’s again; he was staring back at you with an unreadable expression. His lips were parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out. The only sound that met your ears was the gentle crash of the waves against the shore.
You took a cautious step forward, and Volo instinctively leaned back. “It’s okay,” you said without thinking; was it okay? You supposed you’d figure that out. “I just want to help with those nets.”
Volo relaxed slightly, and you continued your approach, setting your basket of food down and kneeling before him. You worked in silence, gently detangling the nets from his form. All the while, he stared at you, almost like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
Once you slipped the last of the nets off his arms, he placed a hand on your forearm. You flinched on instinct, and he drew back slightly. “...you’re scared of me,” he said softly. He didn’t seem to feel any particular way about that; it was simply a statement of fact.
Should you be scared?
“A little,” you admitted, continuing to detangle the nets around his tail. “But mostly, I just want to help.”
Volo laughed hollowly, shifting to allow you better access. “Even if after this, I drag you to the bottom of the sea?”
You looked up at him, your skepticism evident on your face. “Would you really?”
Whatever you were expecting to see in his face, it wasn’t what currently stared back at you. That playful curiosity was gone from his eyes; instead, he was gazing at you with something akin to hunger . “You decide,” he answered, his tone hushed.
That…shouldn’t have been so hot, right?
Instead of answering immediately, you elected to focus on the nets trapping his tail. “Well, if this is all a ploy to eventually drown me,” you said finally, “you’ve done a spectacular job with it. Though I can’t imagine getting stuck in fishing nets was part of your plan.”
You slipped the last of the netting off, and Volo flexed his tail gratefully. “It wasn’t,” he replied, inching closer to you. “But I was going to tell you eventually.” He leveled that intense gaze on you again, and for a moment, you were suspended in it. “Now that you know, how do you feel?”
Your breath caught in your throat as he looked at you; there was something hidden behind his controlled affect, and you couldn’t tell if he wanted to kiss you senseless or eat you alive. (If you were honest with yourself, looking back, you were okay with both. But you could unpack that later.) You inched forward, trying not to shiver when his gaze only intensified, and gave him your best smile.
“I mean,” you began, “it’s definitely a surprise, but…not a bad one. After all, you live in the ocean, right? That’s already a plus, in my opinion.”
Volo laughed, snaking an arm around your waist. “You really have no self-preservation instinct, do you?”
You snorted, despite the alarm bells making themselves present in his gaze. “I don’t see you complaining about that.”
Volo’s grip tightened almost imperceptibly before he tugged you forward and crashed his lips into yours. Things were moving dizzyingly fast, and you had little choice but to hold onto Volo’s shoulders for dear life. The hand not around your waist threaded itself into your hair, gripping you tightly, but not uncomfortably. Volo kissed you like he wanted to consume you, and he held you like he was drowning. You couldn’t tell if you were his lifeline or if he wanted to pull you down with him.
Just as you were beginning to feel the need for air, Volo pulled back, though his grip on you remained. “You have no idea,” he breathed in between gasps for air, “how long I’ve been waiting to do that.”
You really didn’t; he had been masking his intentions so well. You couldn’t help but wonder if he was still hiding something.
But as you pulled him in for another kiss, you found that you didn’t really care.